Rideshare trips to Disneyland will not face a new city tax on the November ballot. On Tuesday, July 29, 2026, Anaheim City Council members decided not to place a proposed 10 percent surcharge on certain Uber and Lyft trips to the resort district.
That is a concrete cost decision for visitors, hotel guests, and resort workers who treat rideshare as the default last mile from hotels, John Wayne Airport, or late-night exits after park close.
The proposal is not permanently dead. Officials want more research, including how many resort employees rely on Uber and Lyft, before they revive any ballot language.
- What changed: Anaheim will not put a Fall 2026 rideshare tax measure on the ballot.
- What was proposed: A 10 percent tax on certain Uber and Lyft trips to the Disneyland resort district.
- Also covered: Parts of the Platinum Triangle, including Angel Stadium and Honda Center areas.
- Why it stalled: Concern for resort workers and pushback from Uber and Lyft.
- Traveler action: Keep current rideshare budgets for now, and watch for a later research return.
What the council decided on July 29
Voice of OC reporting says Anaheim City Council members declined to take a vote that would have placed the tax on the Fall ballot. The measure could have applied a 10 percent tax to certain rideshare trips into the Disneyland resort district.
Independent park coverage on Fresh Baked’s public update also reported that the city chose not to proceed with the proposed rideshare tax for now, matching the council outcome covered by Voice of OC.
City staff had estimated an average extra cost of about $2 per affected trip and about $3.6 million a year in revenue. Industry representatives disputed both the impact math and the process.
For multi-day visitors, even a small per-trip fee multiplies across hotel runs, late park exits, and stadium transfers. That is why the ballot pause is useful planning news even before any final ordinance language exists.
Instead of ballot placement, officials directed more study. Mayor Ashleigh Aitken asked staff to determine how many resort employees use Uber and Lyft for commuting, according to the Voice of OC account of the meeting.
Councilman Carlos Leon said he worried more about workers than visitors. He argued that a couple of dollars might not change a tourist’s rideshare choice, while the same dollars add up for employees who rely on the apps for daily work trips.
Who would have paid and where
The proposal targeted certain rideshare trips to local city attractions in the resort area, not a blanket citywide tax on every Anaheim pickup. The Voice of OC coverage also says the tax would have reached parts of the Platinum Triangle, including Angel Stadium, the Honda Center, and the planned OC Vibe area.
That geography matters for trip planning. Guests bouncing between a hotel, Disneyland, a game, or a concert could have hit the surcharge on more than one leg in the same day.
Anaheim is also navigating a tight municipal budget season that has other Orange County cities placing tax measures before voters. The rideshare idea was one revenue path, not the only fiscal tool under discussion regionwide.
For travelers, the useful distinction is simple. A ballot measure would have created a firm Fall vote.
Pulling the measure keeps today’s fares under existing state and local fee structures without the new 10 percent layer.
Why Uber, Lyft, and workers pushed back
Lyft public policy director Nick Johnson wrote that a per-trip tax would raise commuting costs for the local workforce and for tourists the tax was meant to capture. Uber representative Danielle Lam criticized the city for launching a major proposal without prior industry outreach.
Both companies argued that rideshare is already layered with fees and that resort workers depend on the apps, especially where other local transit options are limited. Those letters landed the same day as the council discussion.
Visitor advocates and budget hawks will read the same facts differently. One side sees a targeted tourist fee.
The other sees a cost that lands hardest on people who cannot shift to a rental car or hotel shuttle.
Until the city publishes a deeper employee-use study, treat the worker-impact claim as the political reason the ballot path paused, not as a finished transportation model.
| If you are… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Budgeting rideshares for a Disneyland hotel stay this fall | Keep current Uber and Lyft estimates. No new Anaheim 10 percent ballot tax is scheduled for November. |
| A resort district worker commuting by rideshare | No immediate fare hike from this measure. Watch for any later research draft or revised proposal. |
| Comparing rideshare versus rental car from John Wayne Airport | Use today’s posted fares and parking math. Revisit only if a new tax returns to a future agenda. |
| Planning a multi-venue day with stadium or arena tickets | The dropped measure also covered Platinum Triangle zones, so multi-stop days avoid the proposed layer for now. |
| Booking far-ahead 2027 trips | Do not lock a long-term assumption either way. The city can still reintroduce a researched version later. |
- November ballot: No Anaheim rideshare tax measure is advancing for Fall 2026 from this proposal.
- Near-term fares: Disneyland-area Uber and Lyft trips keep current fee stacks without the new 10 percent layer.
- Worker question: City research on resort employee rideshare use will shape any comeback attempt.
- Venue spread: Angel Stadium and Honda Center zones were in the draft map and are likewise unaffected for now.
- Watch list: Future council agendas may revive a revised version after staff analysis.
How to plan the last mile without the tax
Deep Arrival’s evergreen Disneyland Resort planning guide still covers tickets, hotels, and park logistics that drive most of a trip’s cost far more than a two-dollar rideshare delta.
For non-park hours in the same city, the Anaheim things to do guide helps fill arrival and departure days when you are not inside the gates.
If you are choosing between rideshare, hotel shuttles, and rental cars, price the full door-to-door path including parking, child seats, and late-night availability. The dropped tax removes one hypothetical line item; it does not make every option free.
Also separate this local fee story from park ticket promotions. Resident ticket deals and special offers remain independent products on Disney’s own sales channels.
What remains uncertain
Anaheim can still return with a rewritten measure after more research. The July 29 action blocked this ballot cycle, not every future fiscal tool.
Staff still need clearer data on how many resort employees actually commute by Uber or Lyft. That study may change the politics even if the tourist math stays similar.
Industry cost estimates and the city’s average two-dollar figure still disagree. Travelers should not treat either number as a fixed personal fare until a real ordinance exists.
Statewide and local fees already embedded in rideshare receipts can change on their own timeline. This pause only removes one proposed Anaheim layer.
Keep an eye on council agendas if you are building a large multi-family budget for late 2026 or 2027. A revised tax can reappear faster than a full new campaign season.
Is Anaheim taxing Uber and Lyft trips to Disneyland right now?
No new 10 percent city tax from this proposal is on the November ballot after the July 29 council decision not to advance it.
Could the tax come back later?
Yes. Officials directed more research, including employee rideshare use, so a revised proposal could return on a future agenda.
What areas would the tax have covered?
Reporting says the Disneyland resort district plus certain Platinum Triangle locations such as Angel Stadium and Honda Center areas.
How much would a trip have cost extra?
City staff estimated about $2 on average for affected trips, while Uber and Lyft disputed the impact framing in public letters.
Should I change my hotel or rental car plan because of this?
Not solely for this tax. The measure is off the Fall ballot, so plan last-mile transport on current fares and your group’s logistics.
