Can you no longer walk through the Grand to get to the park/dtd? Want to stay at Stovalls.

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I heard this awhile ago, not sure if it's true. If you are staying at PP or another hotel on that side, can you no longer walk through the Grand's lobby to get to the park?

If so, how is this enforced?

We would really like to stay at Best Western Stovalls Inn. If we can't walk through the Grand, I think the walk will be very long. Can anyone confirm?

 

[mom2rtk]

Nobody can enter the front doors of GCH without a resort reservation or ADR. They have CMs out on the sidewalk checking keys and ADRs.

They won't even let the guests from Paradise Pier Hotel cut through.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Yup...only GCH registered guest can enter the lobby from the street now. There is a security guard and Cast Member standing down on the corner before you enter the GCH drive up gate.

You can still exit through the lobby as a shortcut heading back, but heading into the parks you have to route through DTD to enter.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

That is too bad, we used to cut thru the lobby and go out to DTD when we stayed at PPH. Didn't try and use their private entrance to DCA, but it was a nice diversion. I could do the ramps for strollers in my sleep I think.

 

[CateinPhoenix]

Stovalls is still a good option...you can still cut through the Grand to exit

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

This may not be a popular opinion but I really think this whole thing stinks. I have stayed at the Grand before and I have never once thought the people passing through were disruptive in any way at all. One thing that it does do is ensure that I will not stay at PP in the future. That walk will be far to long!

 

[Niltiac]

This may not be a popular opinion but I really think this whole thing stinks. I have stayed at the Grand before and I have never once thought the people passing through were disruptive in any way at all. One thing that it does do is ensure that I will not stay at PP in the future. That walk will be far to long!

I don't think they did it because the people walking through were disruptive. I believe they did it because GCH guests now have to go through security before entering DTD, and there isn't room for very many security booths in that walkway, so the security lines would get really backed up in the morning if they had to handle all GCH, PPH, and other area hotel guests. It's still disappointing, but I don't know how else they could handle that issue other than by redesigning the DTD entrance to widen it.

 

[Malcon10t]

This may not be a popular opinion but I really think this whole thing stinks. I have stayed at the Grand before and I have never once thought the people passing through were disruptive in any way at all. One thing that it does do is ensure that I will not stay at PP in the future. That walk will be far to long!

Like the above poster said, it isn't that they are disruptive. If that was the case, they wouldn't allow them to exit thru the Grand. The issue is the limited space for bag check to exit the Grand into DTD. It takes about 4 mins longer to walk going via Earl of Sandwich entrance.

 

[ParkHopper1]

That walk will be far to long!

It literally only adds 3-4 min for an abled bodied adult to the walk for one direction...and guess what, security lines are now MUCH shorter with the new configuration so I will gladly trade 3 min of walking for the often 10 and sometimes 15+ min backup that was at the old security checkpoints between DTD and the Esplanade. MUCH more efficient and less frustrating now to get into the parks if you ask me. I like it!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

It literally only adds 3-4 min for an abled bodied adult to the walk for one direction...and guess what, security lines are now MUCH shorter with the new configuration so I will gladly trade 3 min of walking for the often 10 and sometimes 15+ min backup that was at the old security checkpoints between DTD and the Esplanade. MUCH more efficient and less frustrating now to get into the parks if you ask me. I like it!

Really? Probably a silly question, but do you know the best path to take if unable to go through the Grand.

We haven't been in almost a year, I wasn't even aware of the new security requirement between the Grand and DTD. Good to know, thank you!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Really? Probably a silly question, but do you know the best path to take if unable to go through the Grand.

We haven't been in almost a year, I wasn't even aware of the new security requirement between the Grand and DTD. Good to know, thank you!

Yup...just past the PPH you will veer left to the marked pedestrian pathway to DTD headed towards the DLH. That will take you to the DTD Security checkpoint right by the DLH and Early of Sandwich. Since that checkpoint is now only DLH, PPH guests and the few walk ups like yourself it is usually free sailing right through and you are your way.

A lot of people gripe about the few extra min walk but the ease of security and benefits of getting rid of that checkpoint before the esplanade was an OK tradeoff of loosing the shortcut through the Grand IMO.

And FYI, the GCH/DTD and GCH/DCA access points remain unchanged, just coming in through the front door of the GCH is limited access.

 

[audrianna890]

Yup...just past the PPH you will veer left to the marked pedestrian pathway to DTD headed towards the DLH. That will take you to the DTD Security checkpoint right by the DLH and Early of Sandwich. Since that checkpoint is now only DLH, PPH guests and the few walk ups like yourself it is usually free sailing right through and you are your way.

A lot of people gripe about the few extra min walk but the ease of security and benefits of getting rid of that checkpoint before the esplanade was an OK tradeoff of loosing the shortcut through the Grand IMO.

And FYI, the GCH/DTD and GCH/DCA access points remain unchanged, just coming in through the front door of the GCH is limited access.

Okay, I'm sorry. But I will now refer to Earl of Sandwich as Early of Sandwich every time. I don't know why, but it got my giggle box turned over.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Okay, I'm sorry. But I will now refer to Earl of Sandwich as Early of Sandwich every time. I don't know why, but it got my giggle box turned over.

You go Early for Breakfast...Earl makes an appearance at lunch time!

 

[audrianna890]

You go Early for Breakfast...Earl makes an appearance at lunch time!

 

[Piglet99645]

I found the walk significantly longer from the (now closed) Anabella. The first day we somehow went through the Grand. On day 2-5 the CM's were out there checking keys. If you said you had an ADR you were trying to get to (which we did, but it was at DL), they checked the reservation sheet. So doubling back to the Disneyland hotel and going thru DTD did seem a much farther walk to me. Subjective. Had we not cut thru the Grand the first day it wouldn't have seemed bad. I"m staying at the Del Sol next time. Cannot beat the location of those motels on Harbor.

 

[Malcon10t]

I timed it from the PPH both ways. It was really only 3 mins longer to go thru the EOS security.

And while the Harbor motels are great for distance, my last trip staying at the Hilton, I went to the Disneyland Dr side to enter due to the congestion at the Harbor side bag check. Some days Harbor can back up 20-30 mins.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Thank you for the clarification guys! Yet another factor that now goes in to trying to decide where to stay. I swear, I agonize over this every time!

I really like stovalls though, might still be worth the extra 3 minutes.

 

[GatorChris]

I was actually looking at those hotels for a conference back in August. It was close to the convention center. But when i started mapping out the walk to PPH, then around to the back side entrance of DTD, it became way too far of a walk. Not sure about just adding 3 minutes. It seems like it would be a bit more than that. But then, I didn't walk it.

 

[DebbieB]

I stayed at both VGC and PPH in July (Sunday to Wednesday nights at VGC, Thursday to Saturday nights at PPH for D23). When staying at VGC, we walked over to the DCA special entrance and the line was huge! All the way down to Whitewater and doubled back. We turned around and went over to the DTD entrance, no wait. Then walked to the DCA main entrance. When staying at PPH, I used the Earl of Sandwich entrance early before park opening on Sunday, no wait.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Stovall's still isn't a bad walk. I discovered that you can't got through GCH anymore the hard way back in July. But, it really isn't that much further of a walk. Maybe 3-5 minutes? The only downside I found is that the walkway between PPH and DLH is narrow, so if you have people walking both directions or with strollers, it can be a little crowded. But, it's not horrible.