Anaheim Explores Aerial Gondola Linking Disneyland, Sports Venues

Anaheim is exploring multiple new transit options to better connect its major tourist and sports hubs, including an aerial gondola system that would link the Anaheim Resort District, home to Disneyland, with the Platinum Triangle area, which includes Angel Stadium, Honda Center, and the ARTIC train station. The proposed gondola system, potentially costing around $125.7 million, would run primarily along Katella Avenue and feature stops servicing key venues and hotels, aiming to improve transportation ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, during which the Honda Center will host indoor volleyball. While city officials are in early talks with companies like Swyft Cities and have engaged in preliminary discussions with Disney representatives, no decisions have been made, and completing such infrastructure by the Olympics is deemed unrealistic. Other transit options under consideration include driverless vehicles from firms like Waymo and Tesla, as well as trackless trams or streetcars, but no frontrunner solution has emerged. City spokesman Mike Lyster emphasized that the planning is in its infancy, involving feasibility studies, environmental reviews, and bureaucratic processes. Residents and local officials express mixed opinions on the necessity and timing of the gondola, but the city remains committed to exploring innovative transit technologies to handle increased visitor demand.