Anaheim is preparing for a landmark year with new and returning airline routes, Disney’s 100 years of wonder, the Honda Center celebrating 30 years, new luxury hotels and an updated transport system.

Flights between between Australia and LAX continue to grow with more than 45 direct options available per week. Notably, United Airlines’ daily services between Sydney and Melbourne to LAX, Delta’s increased frequency of Sydney to LAX flights to 10 per week plus American Airlines and Qantas now also offering a daily route.

Virgin launch Melbourne to LAX.

Hotels are also booming in Anaheim with three, ‘4 diamond luxury hotels’ that will enhance the city’s accommodation portfolio; The Westin – Anaheim Resort, JW Marriot – Anaheim Resort and Viv Hotel – Anaheim opening during the pandemic as well as three new hotels located in the nearby city of Garden Grove expected to break ground in 2023:

• Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort: A new AAA Four Diamond Hotel featuring 600+ rooms, retail, dining, and entertainment spaces including a resort pool.
• Le Meridien by Marriott: A 400+ hotel room tower.
• 4-star Kimpton boutique Hotel: One of the largest in the nation with 200+ rooms

OCMA exterior. (Supplied – Visit Anaheim)

2023 will see a range new spaces and entertainment options opening and to further promote culture in the city:

• Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA): Designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis studio. OCMA will continue to champion the transformative possibilities of art with 10 years of free admission.
• Mickey’s Toontown Re-Opens: Toontown will re-open at the Disneyland resort on 8 March 2023 with all new interactive play areas. Guests can also look forward to reimagined attractions as well as returning favourites.
• ocV!BE: A mixed-use community with Honda Center and ARTIC Center as the anchor. It will consist of 2 new hotels, residential living spaces, office spaces, new indoor and outdoor amphitheatres, countless dining and retail spaces, a new food hall, a wellness park, and a sports complex all to be completed by 2028 where Anaheim will host the Men’s Volleyball Olympic games. The project is scheduled to break ground in early 2023 and is sure to become a new epicentre for locals and tourists alike in the years ahead.

OcV!be. (Supplied – Visit Anaheim)

This year will also will see a range of events and anniversary’s for some of the states most famous attractions:

• Disney’s 100 Years of Wonder: The Walt Disney Company is celebrating 100 years of wonder with special events, experiences, and limited-time offerings at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. There will be two all-new night-time spectaculars, never before seen parades, special food offerings and more!
• Honda Centre’s 30^th Anniversary: Honda Center is home to the Anaheim Ducks hockey team and entertainment hub is celebrating their 30th anniversary with new food offerings at their concession stands, restaurants and suites as well as the food trucks at Puck Drop Patio. Honda Center has also introduced mobile ordering, to avoid the lines and give guests more time to enjoy the games.
• Anaheim’s Fall Festival & Halloween Parade Anniversary: First led by Babe Ruth in 1924, this annual pageant attracted 150,000 spectators and was televised across Southern California at the height of its popularity. Now, a new generation has taken up the mantle of organising, float-building, and performing the parade route, uniting all tourists and locals alike.

FRAN. (Supplied – Visit Anaheim)

Anaheim’s transportation network is also receiving a major overhaul, designed to enable those visiting the area to commute with ease:

• FRAN: In partnership with the Anaheim Transportation Network and the City of Anaheim, Free Rides Around the Neighbourhood (FRAN) connects neighbourhoods to offer local on-demand, transportation options using a micro-transit fleet of electric vehicles. Ride for free throughout downtown Anaheim to visit places like the historic packing district, Carnegie plaza, and the Anaheim packing district. Hail a ride at the nearest FRAN stop or request a ride using the recently launched A-Way WeGo App.
• EVE Launching Soon: The Anaheim Transportation Network is launching “Everyone Ventures Everywhere” (EVE), a direct transportation connection to and from the Anaheim Resort area to John Wayne Airport using an on-demand, reservation-based system. This will be a luxury fleet of fully electric vehicles, the first of its kind in California with reservations made on the A-Way WeGo App.
• Anaheim LAX Link Launching Soon: Anaheim will also be unveiling a daily, scheduled, nonstop airport service in luxury vehicles between LAX and the Anaheim ARTIC. Guests can expect modern executive-style mini-buses with comfortable individual leather seats, electronic device outlets, plenty of legroom, luggage storage and professional chauffeurs focused on customer safety and comfort. Reservations will be required and can easily be made on anaheimlaxlink.com.