Hello teams. I've spoken with Disney about parking for this weekend, and have some VERY HELPFUL advice for you, depending on where you want to park:
1) IF you want to pay the $10 to park at the Paradise Pier Hotel, please arrive early. The lot is very small, and while they will open a small overflow section, there is no hope that 800 players worth of vehicles will be able to park there. If it's full when you get there, you get to look for a Plan B.
2) IF you want to park in Simba (the lot nearest the Paradise Pier Hotel that accepts AP parking passes), then your best hope is also to arrive early enough that you have time for a Plan B. Disney has confirmed that yes, this lot WILL be open for some indeterminate period of time Sunday morning, but could not promise when it will open or close. That means you risk getting there before it opens or after it's full, and having to go around and find another place to park.
Which leads us to what I consider to be THE BEST OPTION:
3) IF you want to park in Mickey and Friends, then you need to learn... the Flyover Trick. Much like the Goat Trick and MouseAdventure itself, the Flyover Trick will change the way you experience Disneyland forever.
The Disneyland Drive entrance to Mickey and Friends will be closed when most of you arrive for MouseAdventure, which means you will be re-routed either to Simba (if it's open) or to the Toy Story Lot (which is a good mile from where you need to be). Those of you who use Ball Road to get to Mickey and Friends will be stuck in this detour unless you use...The Flyover Trick.
Please refer to the map linked below to familiarize yourself with the general area. Your goal is to approach the Mickey and Friends parking structure from the north of Ball Road, using southbound Manchester / Disneyland Drive.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8174...17.9220202,17z
If you do this, before you reach Ball Road you should* be able to take the flyover OVER Ball Road and straight into the Mickey and Friends parking structure. If you miss the flyover and cross Ball Road, the second entrance will be closed and you'll be parking by the Convention Center.
Those of us who take the Southbound 5 and exit at Disneyland Drive know all about the flyover, but here are some directions for those coming from other directions:
- From the Northbound 5 - the fastest thing to do is keep going past Harbor, and exit at Lincoln. Turn LEFT onto Lincoln, then LEFT onto Manchester. Take Manchester back towards Disneyland. Once you cross South Street, stay in the leftmost lane to get onto the flyover. This is much faster than the Harbor - Ball - Disneyland Drive - U turn option. Yes, I've driven and timed it.
- From the 57, or coming West across Ball Road - take Ball Road as usual to Disneyland Drive, but turn RIGHT at Disneyland Drive, AWAY from the parking structure. Stay on Manchester until after you pass the 5, then make a U turn as soon as it is safe and legal to do so - I think South Street is the first option, but you may have to go as far as Santa Ana street depending on traffic. Take Manchester back towards Disneyland. Stay in the leftmost lane to get onto the flyover - you'll have to move left at least two lanes after you pass the offramp from the South 5.
- From Harbor, either direction - drive to Ball Road and head WEST. Turn RIGHT at Disneyland Drive, AWAY from the parking structure. Stay on Manchester until after you pass the 5, then make a U turn as soon as it is safe and legal to do so - I think South Street is the first option, but you may have to go as far as Santa Ana street depending on traffic. Take Manchester back towards Disneyland. Stay in the leftmost lane to get onto the flyover - you'll have to move left at least two lanes after you pass the offramp from the South 5.
- Coming East across Ball Road - take Ball Road as usual to Disneyland Drive, but turn LEFT onto Disneyland Drive, AWAY from the parking structure. Stay on Manchester until after you pass the 5, then make a U turn as soon as it is safe and legal to do so - I think South Street is the first option, but you may have to go as far as Santa Ana street depending on traffic. Take Manchester back towards Disneyland. Stay in the leftmost lane to get onto the flyover - you'll have to move left at least two lanes after you pass the offramp from the South 5.
Those of you who use Katella or some other east / west street to reach the Resort can use the map to make your way to Ball and follow the directions above.
* It happens very rarely, but Disney does sometimes close the flyover. They've assured me it will be open Sunday, but I make no promises. Leave yourself plenty of time to park.
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