Space: Are advanced parking garages the answer?

[Design]

I've been wondering this and I don't think this is a new question. If DLR adopted bigger and more advanced parking garages like Universal Orlando, do you think it would solve all (or a good amount) of DLR's space problems?

[brianpinsky]

Ok, you have got me. What is the difference between Disney M&F Parking structure and Universal's? Is that there is a counter of how many spaces are open? If so Disney already does that it just does not display the numbers because the attendants are supose to do that. Can you expand on the idea further.

[swampymarsh]

USO and USH have little room to expand. They have a parking problem that demands more garages. DLR has lot of room, attracts way more people and has tons of overflow parking.

Parking garages cost a lot. When people suggest Pumba should be a parking garage right now, they should realize for the money they could get a new Tomorrowland. Which is needed more?

[bayouguy]

By now, someone ought to have planned and implemented a kick *** shuttle system/parking solution. But apparently, the billion dollars was spent on trinkets and toys. I'm thinking no American corporation will want to build a convenient smart parking/shuttle system for you but rather make you use up your gasoline to get to where you want to go. The foreseeable solution to parking will be concrete, paint, stackable plans and then charge each car a weeks worth of groceries to park.

[DisneyIPresume]

USO and USH have little room to expand. They have a parking problem that demands more garages. DLR has lot of room, attracts way more people and has tons of overflow parking.

Parking garages cost a lot. When people suggest Pumba should be a parking garage right now, they should realize for the money they could get a new Tomorrowland. Which is needed more?

I would prefer the Pumbaa parking structure. Parking is badly needed on the east side of the park. There is Toy Story but that lot is not going to be available forever, so the parking structure should be their first priority. But I understand them waiting for ARTIC to be built and he installation of the light rail line that will be going from there to the DLR, but that's going to be several years until that happens. In the meantime I guess they could and should concentrate on the parks. But there must be a budget to build this structure - it will be a requirement especially after ARTIC is complete.

[G24T]

Can the OP or anyone else explain what makes Universal Orlando's parking garages so advanced?

[TylerDurden]

USO and USH have little room to expand. They have a parking problem that demands more garages. DLR has lot of room, attracts way more people and has tons of overflow parking.

USO actually has quite a bit more room to expand, more than you'd think. And come Harry Potter 2.0, they are going to be attracting quite a bit more people...more people are interested in Harry Potter than Cars believe it or not

[jasmineray]

USO actually has quite a bit more room to expand, more than you'd think. And come Harry Potter 2.0, they are going to be attracting quite a bit more people...more people are interested in Harry Potter than Cars believe it or not

USO and Disneyland aren't in competition with each other.

Disney management and team in California should be worried about USH, not USO. WDW needs to worry more about USO.

[swampymarsh]

I would prefer the Pumbaa parking structure. Parking is badly needed on the east side of the park. There is Toy Story but that lot is not going to be available forever, so the parking structure should be their first priority.

The 3rd gate isn't being built right now. When it is, that may be when Pumba needs to be develoed into a garage or parking built elsewhere. No rush today.

USO actually has quite a bit more room to expand, more than you'd think. And come Harry Potter 2.0,

An there in lies its problem. It is constructing areas that could have been used for parking and will attract more guests which will overload it's currents parking, both in USO and USH.

[mratigan]

they should expand into the Pinocchio lot some how

[animark]

this may be a stupid idea but, is there anyway where they can make an underground parking lot?

[swampymarsh]

this may be a stupid idea but, is there anyway where they can make an underground parking lot?

Not likely at USO, but in any case over and under ground parking is very expensive.

they should expand into the Pinocchio lot some how

Maybe.

A. It may be better as hotel space.
B. M&F was once going to expand north or rather have a second garage on the Ball Cast Member parking lot.
C. Since the guests concentration will likely move south toward the 3rd gate, parking should be built closer not farther away.

[Design]

The way I envisioned it, they could do 2 or 3 large garages with a connection (tram or otherwise) to Downtown Disney where the patrons could continue to walk to the esplanade... And why can't they charge enough of a toll to cover all of the garage costs and make it self sustaining? In the end, it would provide space For more expansion... More hotels, and maybe even a third gate...?

[TylerDurden]

USO and Disneyland aren't in competition with each other.

Disney management and team in California should be worried about USH, not USO. WDW needs to worry more about USO.

I didn't say they were in competition--someone did say that Universal's parking situation doesn't need to be addressed but it does. It's comparable to Disneyland, not in competition with.

[swampymarsh]

The way I envisioned it, they could do 2 or 3 large garages with a connection (tram or otherwise) to Downtown Disney where the patrons could continue to walk to the esplanade... And why can't they charge enough of a toll to cover all of the garage costs and make it self sustaining? In the end, it would provide space For more expansion... More hotels, and maybe even a third gate...?

The way Disney envisioned it is M&F would of gone all the way north to Ball and have a moving sidewalk to the Esplanade.

Charging enough to cover the cost of a garage would upset a lot of people. M&F at $15 a day takes about 7 years to cover the contruction cost. There is also operating and maintenance costs to consider. It's possible that the M&F garage hasn't even made a profit while even the Toy Story lot being much newer is profitable.

Flat parking lots are between a 1/10 and 1/50 the cost of structures.