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View Full Version : Quickest/Easiest way from Grand Californian to Disneyland?



Poptart
11-11-2005, 07:15 AM
We're going with a group of people who can't walk far. What's the easiest way to get from the Grand Californian Hotel to the park? Take the monorail from Downtown Disney? We'll have tickets ahead of time.
Is GCH across a main street from Disney?

tod
11-11-2005, 07:19 AM
Walking will take an able-bodied person five minutes or less, depending on where their room is.

And if your people can't walk far, make sure you get info on disabled access and suchlike. The Disneyland site has an access guide you can download, and MousePlanet has some info as well.

--t

Poptart
11-11-2005, 07:23 AM
Thanks Tod.
I was looking on a map and it looked far. :p
We'll be at Storyteller's.

CandiBell
11-11-2005, 08:05 AM
Haven't I read about going through DCA to get to DL with less line-waiting time? Is that a myth? We are staying at GCH also, and I would like to hear about other people's navigations of the two parks :)

lbrackjo
11-11-2005, 08:25 AM
As others have said, the walk from the GC hotel to DL is about 5 minutes--You go out into Downtown Disney (a pedestrian only mall-like walkway) thru a bag/security check and to the front turnstiles into DL. Or, you come out of the hotel and turn toward the Monorail station which is actually headed away from the DL entrance. The walk is shorter, but there is still a security check and stairs or a single elevator to the Monorail platform.

From GCH to DCA there is an entrance within the hotel straight into DCA with the secuirty check right by the two turnstiles. Once in DCA you can walk thru it to the main entrance/exit, get a hand stamp (if you have a park-hopper ticket) and go across the esplanade to the DL Turnstiles. You would not need to go thru security again. I know you can take strollers from one to the other, other rental assistance devices, i don't know. Often, the DCA hours are differnet from the DL hours so keep that in mind. The walk is not shorter going thru DCA, but is also probably not longer.

percytheguineapig
11-11-2005, 08:40 AM
Another benefit of using the Monorail to enter Disneyland is that, depending on how many they have running that day, your wait time standing in line should be less than it would be at the main entrance (for both bagage check and park entrance).

Darkbeer
11-11-2005, 09:33 AM
A couple of comments, first off, the DCA entrance located at the GCH is designed for Disney Hotel guests only.

For first entry, only hotel guests are supposed to be allowed in, and they enforce the rules in the Morning hours, and other busy times. If you already have a handstamp, they will allow re-entry.

Second, the Monorail can be longer than the Main Entry Plaza, depending on how many trains are running, and how busy it is. I have had to wait for 4 trains one morning, because so many folks were in line.

The Main Entry Plaza gates can handle the larger crowds with much more ease (just open more gates), while the Monorail has a set limited maximum capacity.

Disneymomma
11-11-2005, 11:45 AM
I was also wondering about this.
Because we are eating at Storytellers, then going to the CProcessional. So to get to GCH, you can't go through CA? (I thought that was the hotel you could see from CA-or is that PPier?)

Then after we eat, what would be the quickest way to get from GCH to Main Street?
Thanks!

tod
11-11-2005, 12:22 PM
I was also wondering about this.
Because we are eating at Storytellers, then going to the CProcessional. So to get to GCH, you can't go through CA? (I thought that was the hotel you could see from CA-or is that PPier?)

Then after we eat, what would be the quickest way to get from GCH to Main Street?
Thanks!

It's six of one, really.

Backtrack through the Grand Californian and go through Downtown Disney

or

Take the Grand Californian entrance to DCA and zigzag through Condor Flats and the entryway to cross the Whatchacallit and enter Disneyland.

I think I'd take the latter because the bag check would probably be less crowded.

But if you have tickets for The Candlelight anyway -- what's the rush?

--t

pisces
11-11-2005, 12:41 PM
Nobody's mentioned the La Brea Bakery stairwell. You do have to descend a staircase......and the route through the GC corridors is not as picturesque, but it is shorter than either the DD, or the DCA route.

lbrackjo
11-11-2005, 01:39 PM
Pisces --Is that an out-go only or can you get back into the hotel via that stairway?

pisces
11-11-2005, 02:01 PM
It depends on if the door is locked or not. It's a fire escape, so it's one of those doors that locks automatically (from the outside) when shut.

I always tried to be a good samaritan and leave the door propped open after I exited out. I think I put a doorstop, or something like that.....and always left it open.

But, when I'd return, the door would be shut (locked), so I'd have to continue the DD walk to Libby Lu....and the official entrance.

Walking back isn't so bad because, I believe you are going downslope a bit, plus even if the door were open, you'd have to climb stairs.....so maybe it's for the best.

lbrackjo
11-11-2005, 02:16 PM
I don't mind it being locked because otherwise folks could be roaming around the bowels of the Hotel.

JookyG
11-14-2005, 02:30 PM
It seems like the difference between waiting in the esplanade queues or walking to the monorail and waiting there is negligible and subject to change depending on the day, crowds, etc.

If the monorail isn't clearly the shortest route, then I say go through the front gates! There's nothing like going through the front, through the tunnel, and smack-dab into the middle of Main Street. I wouldn't feel like I'd arrived if I came in via the monorail for the first time of my visit.

Surely the concierge at GCH could phone ahead and find out the wait time at both the monorail platforms and the esplanade gates, especially for guests with disabilitites. You should ask about that.

stan4d_steph
11-15-2005, 07:24 AM
I always tried to be a good samaritan and leave the door propped open after I exited out. I think I put a doorstop, or something like that.....and always left it open.In my opinion, that's not doing anyone a service. The door closes and locks automatically for a reason.

Sounds like a potentially good shortcut for going out of the hotel, but when returning, use the regular entrances.

going2disneyAZ
11-15-2005, 08:25 AM
In my opinion, that's not doing anyone a service. The door closes and locks automatically for a reason.

Sounds like a potentially good shortcut for going out of the hotel, but when returning, use the regular entrances.

Couldn't agree more....Pices aren't you the poster uber concerned with security from a previous thread? Seems like a sercurity issue to me....

I love Peter Pan
11-16-2005, 08:27 AM
When I stayed there, we'd either got throught the parts of the hotel that lead in to DTD or DCA and go to DLP from there.

pisces
11-16-2005, 08:45 AM
In my opinion, that's not doing anyone a service. The door closes and locks automatically for a reason.

Sounds like a potentially good shortcut for going out of the hotel, but when returning, use the regular entrances.

During my week there, last year, it was pouring down rain, so I figured it would help people get in out of the rain quicker, at least.

No good deed goes unpunished, I guess. :rolleyes: