CHOC Walk this weekend — need advice!

[KristinP]

Hi all! We’re DL APs but have never been the weekend of the CHOC Walk before, and I need input from those familiar with the event. The walk is this Sunday before park opening. My understanding is that opening ceremonies are in DL, then participants walk through DL and DCA before being funneled out into Downtown Disney. After that, there’s apparently a mad rush for the esplanade, as participants get a special ticket deal that they must buy onsite that day.

Both parks open at 10, and we’ve made Storytellers reservations at 8:15 to occupy the morning since we can’t be in the parks. We’re staying at the Best Western on Harbor. What will the impact be on security if we’re walking in at, say, 7:45? Will all the walkers already be in the parks, making it a breeze? Or should I plan for chaos getting through the esplanade? I think we’ll plan to enter DCA via the GC gate at 10 when the park opens — would you anticipate there being a big backup there?

Thanks for any other tips that might be helpful!

 

[yulilin3]

moving to the DL forum

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don't know about what goes on outside the parks during the Walk itself because we're always doing the Walk, but last year was very organized. Security was a breeze. Things went surprisingly smoothly. As with every CHOC Walk Sunday, plan extra time into your schedule for that morning. Since the Harbor side bag check was expanded earlier this year, it has been so much better -- the nightmare backups have not really been an issue. The esplanade can get a little backed up with guests who don't know about the Walk and who didn't check the hours. But CMs work fairly efficiently to keep things moving so that the parks can be ready to go and open on time.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

As a usual CHOC Walk participant, I also don’t really know what’s happening outside of the walk, but some details that may help you:

Last year, we were done walking about 8:30, and everywhere that sells breakfast was swarmed! So just beware that Storytellers will probably have a ton of people, including people tying up the desk by trying to walk-up - we ended up at Whitewater Snacks last year and noted the Storyteller hoards on our way over there! I’d aim to get there a little early and be prepared for a long wait to check in (maybe it won’t be that bad, but better to be prepared than surprised).

I wouldn’t count on the GC entrance - that one’s usually a mess at park open, and a 10am opening will likely be much worse. I’d just plan to enter through the normal gates unless there’s no line there.

Have fun! We’re actually missing the walk this year because we had scheduled a vacation before we found out that they moved the date up in August, but it really is a great event. When all those people clog up your morning, just remember that they’re there for a good purpose!

 

[KristinP]

I don't know about what goes on outside the parks during the Walk itself because we're always doing the Walk, but last year was very organized. Security was a breeze. Things went surprisingly smoothly. As with every CHOC Walk Sunday, plan extra time into your schedule for that morning. Since the Harbor side bag check was expanded earlier this year, it has been so much better -- the nightmare backups have not really been an issue. The esplanade can get a little backed up with guests who don't know about the Walk and who didn't check the hours. But CMs work fairly efficiently to keep things moving so that the parks can be ready to go and open on time.

Thank you so much! We’re usually pre-rope drop people, so this is throwing us for a loop! I was thinking about all the people who don’t check the hours in advance — I bet Downtown Disney is swarmed too.

 

[KristinP]

As a usual CHOC Walk participant, I also don’t really know what’s happening outside of the walk, but some details that may help you:

Last year, we were done walking about 8:30, and everywhere that sells breakfast was swarmed! So just beware that Storytellers will probably have a ton of people, including people tying up the desk by trying to walk-up - we ended up at Whitewater Snacks last year and noted the Storyteller hoards on our way over there! I’d aim to get there a little early and be prepared for a long wait to check in (maybe it won’t be that bad, but better to be prepared than surprised).

I wouldn’t count on the GC entrance - that one’s usually a mess at park open, and a 10am opening will likely be much worse. I’d just plan to enter through the normal gates unless there’s no line there.

Have fun! We’re actually missing the walk this year because we had scheduled a vacation before we found out that they moved the date up in August, but it really is a great event. When all those people clog up your morning, just remember that they’re there for a good purpose!

Thank you! Maybe I’ll try to move our Storytellers breakfast earlier. I’ve never entered in the morning from the GC, just after lunch/dinner, but that makes sense that it would be crowded, especially with so many walkers coming in from Downtown Disney. Sounds like we’ll have to go through the GC security check to get back into Downtown, then walk around and get in the turnstile lines.

 

[KristinP]

moving to the DL forum

Thank you! First time poster, had a hard time figuring out where this should go.