Parking at the parks... About This Page:

[elcodfish]

Ok so we are staying at The Quality Inn and Suites and renting a car for our trip in December. We are planning on driving to the parks everyday and I was wondering how far is it from the parking area to the parks? Is there a tram like at WDW? Where do we turn in? Thanks!

[DopeyGirl]

There is a parking lot tram from the DL parking garage to DTD. It lets you off right near the security entrance to the Esplanade, then you go through and either go left or right to one park or the other. The ride isn't too far. I'd say it is comparable to riding from the parking lots at WDW to the TTC. The garages are right next to the parks, but they bring you in in between to let you off.

Are you are staying at the Quality Inn on South Manchester Ave? If so, it is not very far from the parks at all, in fact it is within easy walking distance. You can cut through the parking lot of the Fairfield Inn (I believe it is) and McDonalds then you cross Harbor Blvd. and you're on property.

If it were me, I wouldn't even bother to drive and have to pay the $12/day fee to park in the garage unless it was an absolute MUST to drive, since the hotel is so close.

[Dave Marx]

The Quality in at 1441 S. Manchester? You really do not want to drive to the park. Really. You'd spend more time driving to the parking structure and taking the tram than you would if you walked. For the same money you'd spend in the parking lots, you could consider taking the ART (Anaheim Resort Transit - $3/person/day) which will take you right to the park entrance. However, the walk from the Quality Inn to the park entrances is similar to the walk from Yacht Club to Epcot. You can't do much better than that.

There are several parking lots, including the big Mickey & Friends parking structure. In the case of the parking structure, you really have to take a tram - it's way too far to walk. If you're in the Timon Lot (a three block drive from your hotel) you could walk, but the walk is longer than the walk from the Quality Inn. What's more, Timon fills up early, and when it's full they just route everyone around to the Mickey and Friends Structure anyway.

[tdandboys]

Very good advice. It takes a long time to park, get out, a walk to the tram line, then you have to ride the tram to the park. They are so right, walk from the hotel, it will save a lot of time from frustration.

[elcodfish]

hmmm... ok, I guess no car I assumed it would be easier to take a car but i guess I was wrong! Also, do we cross right in front of Disneyland? Thanks!

[HeatherD]

Also, do we cross right in front of Disneyland?

Yes. I don't know where the hotel is, but I do know the McDonalds and it's right there. You just have to go down Harbor to the stoplight and cross right into where all the resort busses drop off. It's really the first place (from where you'd be) you are allowed to legally cross, so you won't miss it....

[Dlandmom2]

Originally Posted by elcodfish

hmmm... ok, I guess no car I assumed it would be easier to take a car but i guess I was wrong! Also, do we cross right in front of Disneyland? Thanks!

You cross east of DL/DCA. After you cross, you'll enter the Esplanade where the ticket booths are (same booths for both parks). DL will be on your right, DCA will be on your left.

[DopeyGirl]

Originally Posted by elcodfish

Also, do we cross right in front of Disneyland? Thanks!

Cut back through the Fairfield Inn and McDonald's parking lots . . . walk down Harbor Blvd. a short distance and you will cross right in front of the IHOP, I believe. It's a major crosswalk . . . officially, the crosswalk to the "Entrance Plaza".

There's a yellow archway of sorts that goes over the walkway and says "Disneyland Resort"

You walk under that and will be in the transportation area. Go past all the bus stops, through the security checks and you'll come into the Esplanade. Like the last poster said, you'll head right to go to DL park . . . head left to go to DCA.