Disney Shuttle Service To Change for First Time Since 2002
What Guests Can Expect in 2026
For generations of families, a Disneyland Resort vacation begins long before the first glimpse of Sleeping Beauty Castle. It starts in the parking lot. The anticipation builds as Guests pile out of their cars, wrangle strollers, adjust Mickey ears, and wait for that familiar ride into the magic.
Transportation at Disneyland has always been part of the experience. Whether it’s the trams, the monorail, or the quiet efficiency of shuttle buses, getting from point A to Main Street, U.S.A., is often the first step into a carefully orchestrated day of enchantment.
And for years, one system in particular has played a vital, if understated, role in keeping that magic moving.
For Years, These Buses Quietly Moved Millions of Disneyland Guests
The Anaheim Transportation Network’s Anaheim Resort Transportation system — better known as ART — has long served as a transportation backbone for the Disneyland Resort area.
ART buses transport visitors from the Toy Story parking area to the Disneyland Resort at no cost. They also provide paid service connecting area hotels, the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, and other Anaheim Resort destinations. For countless travelers staying off property, ART has been the bridge between their hotel room and the parks.
Moving millions of riders annually, the system became a dependable fixture for vacationers navigating Anaheim’s busy resort district. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t themed. But it worked.
Which is why recent news surrounding the system has caught the attention of Disneyland fans.
A Sudden Announcement Sparks Questions About Disneyland Transportation
In late January, the Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) announced it would begin an orderly wind down of operations.
“All services will end on March 31,” the agency said in a statement posted on its website. “After an extended evaluation of our current and future financial position and exhausting all options, ATN will begin an orderly wind down of operations.”
The agency emphasized that the transition would allow for “coordination and transparency as services are responsibly concluded.”
Fans were quick to wonder: What does this mean for Disneyland Resort Guests? Will transportation to and from the Toy Story parking area be affected? What about hotel shuttles and convention center connections?
Social media discussions on platforms like X and Reddit lit up with speculation. Some users called it “the end of an era,” while others expressed concern about how the change could impact traffic and accessibility in the already congested Anaheim Resort corridor. “Fans are heartbroken,” one commenter wrote, while another questioned how visitors without cars would adapt.
The uncertainty only deepened as details remained limited.
Years of Budget Deficits Led to a Difficult Decision
Despite its high ridership, ATN has faced years of structural budget deficits.
According to reporting by the Orange County Register, the agency is funded through hotel assessments based on room count and rider fares. Although ATN raised hotel contributions — capped at 5% — those increases have not kept pace with rising labor costs.
Officials said more than 70% of the agency’s operating expenses go toward labor.
Last year, the city of Anaheim explored acquiring ATN in hopes of stabilizing the system without requiring higher payments from hoteliers. However, city officials told the Register they are no longer pursuing that option.
The result? A complete wind down of ART bus operations by March 31.
For a system that has quietly served the Disneyland Resort area for decades, it marks a significant shift.
Disneyland Confirms Shuttle Service Will Continue From Toy Story Parking
Disneyland officials told KTLA that Guests will continue to have shuttle service between the Toy Story parking area and the Disneyland Resort, even after ART operations end.
However, officials did not provide details on what the new transportation plan will look like.
That means while the broader ART bus network — including paid routes connecting area hotels and the Anaheim Convention Center — will cease operations, the critical shuttle service between Toy Story parking and the parks will remain in place in some form.
For many Guests, this is a relief. The Toy Story lot serves as a major parking location for Disneyland visitors, and shuttle access is essential for smooth operations, especially during peak travel seasons.
Still, the loss of the larger ART system represents a major change for Anaheim’s resort transportation landscape.
What This Means for Future Disneyland Resort Visitors
For those planning upcoming trips to Disneyland Resort, the immediate takeaway is this: parking at Toy Story will still include shuttle service to the parks.
But Guests staying at nearby hotels who previously relied on ART’s paid routes may need to explore alternative transportation options beginning April 1.
As the Anaheim Transportation Network winds down operations, the broader impact on Anaheim’s tourism infrastructure remains to be seen. Will new partnerships emerge? Could other transit systems expand service? Those questions are still unanswered.
What’s clear is that a system that moved millions of riders each year is coming to an end — and for longtime Disneyland fans, that’s no small development.
Is this simply a behind-the-scenes operational shift? Or does it signal larger transportation changes ahead for the Disneyland Resort area?
What do you think about ART shutting down? Does this impact your Disneyland vacation plans?
