Disneyland Tower Cranes Filed Beside East Parking Structure

Two tower cranes have been filed with the FAA beside the Disneyland east parking structure, within about 800 feet of the garage's own FAA case point. The records show a 245-foot north crane and a 195-foot south crane, both submitted Oct. 22, 2026 and both still under FAA study.

The filings came about two months after Disneyland broke ground on the garage and transportation hub on Aug. 24, and four weeks after the garage itself was filed with the FAA. The FAA lists both crane cases as Studying, which means it has not yet issued a determination. The garage already has one. Its case, submitted Sept. 25, 2026, was Determined No Hazard.

What the FAA filings show

The north crane is named TC North Disney in FAA case 2026-AWP-15879-OE. It is filed as a tower crane 245 feet above ground, on a site 145 feet above sea level, for a top height of 390 feet.

The south crane is TC South Disney in FAA case 2026-AWP-15881-OE. It is filed as a tower crane 195 feet above ground, on a site 144 feet above sea level, for a top height of 339 feet.

Both cases list Orange County, and both crane points sit near the point on the garage case, 2026-AWP-15758-OE, filed as the DLR East Parking Structure at 98 feet. The north crane is about 250 feet east of the garage point, and the south crane is about 780 feet southeast of it and about 570 feet southeast of the north crane. The north crane also clears 200 feet, the height above which any construction needs FAA notice under 14 CFR 77.9. All three cases can be looked up by number in the FAA OE/AAA case search.

How big is the garage next door

Earlier permits for the "East Parking Structure" at 1585 S. Manchester Ave. described 8 levels, 3,257,394 square feet and 302 EV chargers, WDW News Today reported in December 2025. A revised permit in October 2026 cut that to 7 levels and 3,115,680 square feet, with 750 fewer spaces for a total of 5,250, Mickey Visit reported on Oct. 9. At the groundbreaking, ABC7 reported the garage would eventually hold 6,000 parking spaces. With both 5,250 and 6,000 on the record, treat the final space count as unsettled.

How the cranes compare with the Matterhorn

At their filed heights, both cranes would stand taller than the Matterhorn. At 245 feet, the north crane would stand nearly 100 feet taller than the Matterhorn, which D23 lists at 147 feet. The south crane, at 195 feet, would also top it. The garage is going up on part of the Manchester Cast Member lot, Disney Tourist Blog reported, a lot WDW News Today describes as across Harbor Boulevard from the rest of the resort.

Disneyland has also posted changes coming to how some guests arrive. Its construction updates page says ticket booths in the east Esplanade will be removed and the East security screening area will temporarily shift into that spot. It also says the Toy Story Lot shuttle drop-off will stay in the East Esplanade area but move slightly north, closer to Harbor Boulevard, and warns that construction walls may change walkways to and from the main entrances.

The east garage timeline so far

1. December 2025Permits for the East Parking Structure are reported, describing 8 levels and 302 EV chargers.
2. Aug. 24, 2026Disneyland breaks ground on the parking structure and transportation hub.
3. Sept. 25, 2026The 98-foot DLR East Parking Structure is filed with the FAA. It is later Determined No Hazard.
4. October 2026A revised city permit trims the garage to 7 levels and 3,115,680 square feet.
5. Oct. 22, 2026The 245-foot north and 195-foot south tower cranes are filed with the FAA. Both are still Studying.
6. NextFAA determinations on both cranes.

What happens next

The FAA still has to issue determinations on both cranes. For now, both cases are listed as Studying.

Disney has not announced an opening date for the garage, the transportation hub or the pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. Disney Tourist Blog has said it expects 2028, which is an estimate, not a Disney date. ABC7 described the garage as part of a multi-year plan for new attractions, including a Coco ride and an Avatar area at Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland tower cranes, answered

What are the TC North Disney and TC South Disney filings?

Two tower cranes filed with the FAA on Oct. 22, 2026. Their points sit about 250 and 780 feet from the point on the DLR East Parking Structure case, near where Disney broke ground on Aug. 24, 2026.

How tall are the Disneyland cranes?

The north crane is filed at 245 feet above ground and the south crane at 195 feet. The garage is filed at 98 feet.

When will the cranes go up?

No date has been made public. Both filings were submitted Oct. 22, 2026, and the FAA has not yet ruled on either one.

Has the FAA cleared the garage?

Yes. The DLR East Parking Structure case, submitted Sept. 25, 2026, was Determined No Hazard.

Where is the new Disneyland parking structure?

On part of the Manchester Cast Member lot, east of Harbor Boulevard. Permits list the site as 1585 S. Manchester Ave.

Sources

• FAA Obstruction Evaluation cases 2026-AWP-15879-OE (TC North Disney), 2026-AWP-15881-OE (TC South Disney) and 2026-AWP-15758-OE (DLR East Parking Structure), searchable by case number in the FAA OE/AAA case search
• 14 CFR 77.9, construction or alteration requiring notice
• Disneyland Resort construction and closure updates
• ABC7 on the Aug. 24 groundbreaking
• WDW News Today on the first garage permits
• Mickey Visit on the revised permit
• D23 on the Matterhorn
• Disney Tourist Blog on the groundbreaking
• Disney Tourist Blog on the arrival changes