PDA

View Full Version : Disneyland Hotel to California Adventure



dlandnut
07-10-2012, 07:43 AM
We are going to Disneyland in September. We are staying at the Disneyland Hotel. I know that for trips into Disneyland, we can walk a short distance and catch the Monorail into the park. How about California Adventure? Is there a way to get the entrance of California Adventure from the Disneyland Hotel besides walking? A few of our party will be in scooters, and a few more have orthopedic conditions. Just curious about our options.

nowen1
07-10-2012, 08:00 AM
you will have to walk into DCA, but you can go through the GCH and use its entrance into the park.

Drince88
07-10-2012, 08:29 AM
you will have to walk into DCA, but you can go through the GCH and use its entrance into the park.

I haven't done the mapping, but I'm not sure that will save you much walking, though.

I'd think walking would be easier for those in scooters than the monorail to go to DL, since isn't there a limited number of scooters allowed per monorail? Maybe better for those with other mobility issues that aren not using scooters, though.

bennette
07-10-2012, 09:17 AM
There are no non-walking routes to DCA but I've done it without going through Downtown Disney. You can walk from the DLH on a sidewalk, cross the street at the signal between Paradise Pier and the Grand (the cross street should be Disneyland Drive/West Street, but just follow the fairly small crowd of people, some staff and some Paradise Pier guests, who are crossing here. From there, a sidewalk continues straight up to the Grand and you can cross their lobby to their small DCA entrance. This route was really obvious to me running back from Trader Sam's (the pool area) back to the Grand one day. I don't know why I never noticed it before.

Here is Disneyland (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&source=embed&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=101804321810834687266.00045705553e075c0a6a2) on Google Earth. Zoom in to see the areas I'm talking about in somewhat better detail. (Hopefully this link works consistently; otherwise just Google Disneyland yourself. It's a standard search.)

If you are coming from the Fantasyland or Adventureland tower, there is a Downtown Disney parking lot (sometimes fairly empty) you can cut through to get to the cross walk but I don't know if that's the best choice for your group since it's asphalt.

ETA I'm not sure it's much closer distancewise (it felt closer) but it was much easier to navigate without the crowds of Downtown Disney.

Malcon10t
07-10-2012, 09:33 AM
I'd think walking would be easier for those in scooters than the monorail to go to DL, since isn't there a limited number of scooters allowed per monorail? Maybe better for those with other mobility issues that aren not using scooters, though.Going direct to the gate is easier for the scooter users. There is a limit of 1 scooter per monorail. And if someone got on the monorail in DL and is doing a round trip, you will have to wait on the next monorail.

dlandnut
07-12-2012, 02:45 PM
Although two people in our 11-party group will have scooters, the rest will not. Not a problem for most, because they are all in their 20's lol!!! However, four of us are the proud parents of all of these guys and their spouses. Should be fun. I was just hoping that there was another way to get to CA besides walking! It's okay, I'm gettin' ready and I can't wait. Thanks for the replies.

wabby1
07-13-2012, 01:01 PM
As guests of the hotel, you do have exclusive entrance to DCA via the private west entrance from the Grand Californian. One scooter per monorail is correct. You also have early entrance to each park being a guest as well on every day you're there!

mkraemer
07-16-2012, 06:18 AM
I checked out the hotel entrance for Extra Magic Hour earlier this week, and I found the line to be much longer than it was at the front gate, when you consider there's only two bag-check stations and turnstiles. If you are heading to Cars Land first thing, you're closer to its entrance if you go through the main gate and Buena Vista Street.

bennette
07-16-2012, 07:49 AM
As guests of the hotel, you do have exclusive entrance to DCA via the private west entrance from the Grand Californian.

It's not reserved exclusively for hotel guests. Sometimes they do reserve it in the morning hours but that's pretty rare (World of Color opening was the last time I know of).

Blacksheep Uncle
07-16-2012, 11:04 AM
It's not reserved exclusively for hotel guests. Sometimes they do reserve it in the morning hours but that's pretty rare (World of Color opening was the last time I know of).

there is signage that says it is reserved for hotel guests, but it seems that is at the discretion of the CM at the gate...more than once I've been asked for a hotel room key card to enter from the Grand, especially earlier in the day, but many other times I haven't...

jrsharp21
07-17-2012, 05:41 PM
there is signage that says it is reserved for hotel guests, but it seems that is at the discretion of the CM at the gate...more than once I've been asked for a hotel room key card to enter from the Grand, especially earlier in the day, but many other times I haven't...

For the EMH, they were asking everyone to show their room key before scanning their tickets when we were there the week after Carsland opened.

3Princesses1Prince
07-17-2012, 07:07 PM
For the EMH, they were asking everyone to show their room key before scanning their tickets when we were there the week after Carsland opened.

That's because they have to be a hotel guest to access those EMHs. As bennette said, the last time it was "exclusive" to hotel guest ALL DAY was when WOC opened. Normally it's just in the morning. Also if you eat in the hotel, you can show your receipt.

ralfrick
07-18-2012, 05:28 AM
It's not reserved exclusively for hotel guests. Sometimes they do reserve it in the morning hours but that's pretty rare (World of Color opening was the last time I know of).

Reports I've seen say they are strictly enforcing this in the morning, and the "buy something and show receipt" method no longer works. Seems that Main Gate would be better 1st thing anyway if one is going to Carsland.

A bientot.