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It was not a traditional Disney premiere. There was no press event, no character appearances, and no confetti. When the Anaheim Resort Transit system, known as ART, debuted on May 24th, it seemed to take everyone by surprise. Disneyland Resort Cast Members had no information about the routes, no brochures to hand to curious visitors. Local hotel clerks knew almost nothing about the service. Even the drivers of the new shuttles seemed confused, having learned their routes only days before. After a little detective work, and a morning spent riding the new lines, we now have all the answers you need to truly appreciate ART.

ART is intended to replace the myriad of shuttle services offered by the local hotels. Almost all of the area hotels have signed up for the service, and are expected to drop their private shuttle services when those contracts expire at the end of the year. A network of eight routes, (designated "A" through "H"); service all of the participating hotels, with as many as 15 hotels per route. The East Esplanade of the Disneyland Resort serves as a hub for the system, which also features two routes to the Anaheim Convention Center. Riders can change shuttles at the hub, allowing access to and from any point on the system with just one transfer.

To ride ART, you need a $2.00 pass, good for the entire day. (Children under 9 years are free) As the system is primarily designed for hotel guests, many hotels are including the passes into their packages. You can also buy the passes at a participating hotel, or at Pass Sales Outlets. Drivers do not sell tickets or accept cash fares.

Service hours are based entirely on the operating hours of the Disneyland Resort and the Anaheim Convention Center. Service begins one hour before the Disneyland Resort opens, and the last shuttle leaves 30 minutes after the parks close. (When Disneyland closes after DCA, the Disneyland park hours are used to determine the shuttle schedule) The shuttles are scheduled to run every 10 minutes for the first and last four hours of shuttle operation each day, and every 20-30 minutes during the midday hours. Riders are encouraged to avoid the last-minute crowds by leaving the parks at least one hour before closing, especially during busy holiday weekends.

As part of an environmental impact agreement, the new ART service will operate with a mix of propane and electric trolleys. The few remaining diesel busses will be phased out of service by 2003. The 10 electric trolleys hold 32 people, 19 of whom can be seated, and can accommodate one person with a wheelchair at a time. The trolleys are painted with a vivid palm tree logo, and are open-air, although windows can be installed to protect riders during rainy weather. The larger, propane-powered trolleys hold twice as many riders, and will be used during peak traffic periods to provide additional system capacity.

Unlike the current hotel shuttles, ART will not pull into the driveway and drop you off right at your hotel. Rather, each stop on the line may service one or more hotels, and the stops are often located at the sidewalk. The city of Anaheim owns all of the bus shelters in the city, and the ART system uses those whenever possible. New directional signs have been installed at each stop, identifying both the line and the stop number. Some stops actually service two different lines, which means you may have an even shorter wait for the next shuttle. All routes begin and end at the Disneyland hub, and most take under 15 minutes to complete a full circuit.

Disney has installed directional signs at the East Esplanade, listing which shuttle line services which hotels. As more hotels join the system, additional lines will be added. Some of the northern Garden Grove hotels, which are located just barely over the Anaheim city line, have asked to participate in the system.

ART is managed by the Anaheim Transportation Network, a nonprofit organization, and operated by Coach USA. While the Disneyland Resort will serve as a hub for the eight new lines, and has installed directional signs to help disoriented riders, Disney has no ownership of the service.

The system is entirely supported by rider fares and participating hotels. Under the terms of the operating agreement, Coach USA agreed to defer billings for some of the costs during the first year of operation, and provide the Anaheim Transportation Network a line of credit of up to $1.3 million. This arrangement was designed to ensure the financial stability of the new service during its first year of operation.

When ART was first announced, it sounded like a great service for park visitors, who could hop on a shuttle, visit a neighboring restaurant for dinner, and then head back to the park for fireworks. Attending conventions and trade shows at local hotels becomes so much easier with convenient shuttle service. Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy. Disney certainly doesn't want to make it easy to get off property, and potential riders cannot buy shuttle tickets anywhere on property.

The closest ticket seller to Disney property is the Anaheim Tourist Information Center, located in the parking lot of the McDonalds across Harbor. By the time you walk across the street to buy the ticket, and back to catch the shuttle, it's not worth the effort. By the year 2003, the shuttles will be equipped to accept cash fares. Until then, Disney will still be able to enjoy their captive audience, and ART will remain the un-sung hero of Anaheim.

Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix can be reached at avp@mouseplanet.com