Cutting through GCH ?

[Geemo]

The closing of the GCH morning short cut went into effect when the new security check points opened.
The security screening area for entry into DTD or DCA from GCH are both extremely space limited.

The people staying at the hotels on Katella as well as PPH used the GCH short-cut.
As you can see from the map below, that would be a massive amount of people trying to get through those small security check points.

If Disney hadn't made this change, can you imagine the bottle neck at those security points each morning.

Everyone knows if you want to get in the parks fast when staying at the GCH go to the main gates and DO NOT use the DCA entrance first thing in the morning.

Keep in mind Disney has NOT restricted using the short-cut to exit at any time of the day.
So if you use to use the short-cut to return to your hotel, you still can.

 

[Angrose]

Hi everyone. We are relatively first time visitors to DL and will be staying at Best Western Stovall's Inn next week. here is the advice I got for walking to the parks from here: "If you're unclear on the walk to and from the parks, from Stovall's you'll walk down Disneyland Dr, past the Paradise Pier hotel, then cut through a parking area to Downtown Disney. We liked walking through there because we would stop at Starbucks in DTD in the morning and it's on the way." I have been reading reviews of this hotel and some say to walk through the GCH to get into the parks?? Is this still an option? I don't want to do anything I'm not supposed to but I have read it several times. And thanks again to the poster who gave me the directions above, I really appreciate it

I stayed at Stovall's earlier this year and have done that walk. It's not bad at all in the mornings. No, you cannot cut through the GCH in the mornings, but you can exit the parks/DTD into GCH and then exit GCH out the front door and proceed to Stovall's.

 

[jenbright]

We're staying at PPH in Dec and I'm wondering where the exit is that leads through GCH (for going back to our hotel). I've never been inside the GCH and would like to see it at least one of the days on our way back. Thanks!

 

[mom2rtk]

We're staying at PPH in Dec and I'm wondering where the exit is that leads through GCH (for going back to our hotel). I've never been inside the GCH and would like to see it at least one of the days on our way back. Thanks!

Next to Sephora in DTD.

 

[jenbright]

Thanks mom2rtk!

 

[jlmarr]

The people staying at the hotels on Katella as well as PPH used the GCH short-cut.
As you can see from the map below, that would be a massive amount of people trying to get through those small security check points.

If Disney hadn't made this change, can you imagine the bottle neck at those security points each morning.

That's the key point and it makes sense. The security checkpoint entering DTD from GCH is very small, very low capacity.

 

[azdisneylover]

Next to Sephora in DTD.

You can enter the GCH through DCA. That entrance is located across from the Grizzly Rapids exit. While you are there, stop by Whitewater Snacks and pick up some nachos to go!

 

[Malcon10t]

Over by the now defunct Pinocchio's workshop there was a cut through which was used by PP guests to cut through the Grand. Have they gated it now?

Have to, or are instructed to?

We are staying at the DLH this coming trip, and I will likely be heading over to the Grand at 0-dark-thirty to do some tripod work of the lobby, so hopefully I don't encounter any issues even if trying to go through DTD

Security is out at the light at about 6am. There are usually 3 people, two security, one guest relations who will ask for room key or name. They will verify it against the reservation list. No current room key or name on an ADR, you won't get by. They will explain how to get to the security by DTD/Earl of Sandwich.

You can enter the Grand via the DTD entrance by Sephora, or from DCA, without a problem.

 

[azdisneylover]

I know they were still stopping people after the crosswalk from PPH last month, even late in the day. We arrived for check-in about 5:00 p.m. and the CM directed DH to park in the self-parking lot. When we walked up (complete with luggage), they asked to see proof we were staying there. Obviously no room keys yet but I was able to pull up our reservation on my phone to avoid them having to call the front desk to see if we were really staying there.

So yes, the sidewalk from PPH or other southwest hotels is manned, even later in the day.

PHXscuba

They stopped you and didn't let you pull up and unload at the entrance? Did they say why?

 

[Shanti]

I think you can. But I still wouldn't. I would use the exit into DTD near Sephora and enter through to the main gates. That GCH entrance is really slow.

Is it still slow even now that security is keeping most non-GCH guests away from that entrance?

 

[whoever]

Is it still slow even now that security is keeping most non-GCH guests away from that entrance?

There are 745 rooms. If even a quarter of those got up for EMH, it's going to be overwhelmed at the glacial pace security moves these days.

 

[PHXscuba]

They stopped you and didn't let you pull up and unload at the entrance? Did they say why?

Not exactly. We planned to use self-parking and decided to just park together and walk our minimal luggage up from the self-parking lot across the street. (I had the location of the self-parking wrong in my mind) At first my husband was a little peeved that he hadn't dropped me and our stuff at the front door, but when we got to the CM manning the guests-only station and I had to prove we had a reservation, he admitted he would have been clueless what to do alone and would have had to call me or have me come down to vouch for him!

PHXscuba

 

[PHXscuba]

There are 745 rooms. If even a quarter of those got up for EMH, it's going to be overwhelmed at the glacial pace security moves these days.

We got down there about 7:35 (before an 8:00 EMH) one morning and the security line into DTD was maybe a half-dozen people. We were down there the next morning about 7:40 and the line stretched back around the corner! So it can get longer near opening times.

When we passed back by that way later in the afternoon there was really no one there.

PHXscuba

 

[Aladora]

Is it still slow even now that security is keeping most non-GCH guests away from that entrance?

We used it twice on our last trip and one day we were the first ones there ( arrived 30 mins before) and the other day there were maybe 3 or 4 people ahead of us (20 mins before opening).

I was concerned about using the DCA entrance but it was no problem at all.

 

[whoever]

If I'm ever coming ba

We used it twice on our last trip and one day we were the first ones there ( arrived 30 mins before) and the other day there were maybe 3 or 4 people ahead of us (20 mins before opening).

I was concerned about using the DCA entrance but it was no problem at all.

Wow. 30 minutes used to get you a line PAST storytellers and that was BEFORE the new Security theater bottleneck with just the previous "bag check" nuisance.

 

[Malcon10t]

Mid July, the line at the DCA entrance was wrapping around and behind White Water Snacks for EMH. I still stand behind going to the main gate at EMH.

 

[whoever]

Mid July, the line at the DCA entrance was wrapping around and behind White Water Snacks for EMH. I still stand behind going to the main gate at EMH.

I made the mistake twice, and have NEVER even tried after that. Its a shorter haul from the main gates anyway to the entrance to Cars Land so if that's the destination, the Esplanade just all around better.

 

[Nonsuch]

There are 745 rooms...

That number is prior to the DVC expansion, which added 203 more hotel rooms and 71 villas (counting studios and 1-bedroom separately).

 

[azdisneylover]

Not exactly. We planned to use self-parking and decided to just park together and walk our minimal luggage up from the self-parking lot across the street. (I had the location of the self-parking wrong in my mind) At first my husband was a little peeved that he hadn't dropped me and our stuff at the front door, but when we got to the CM manning the guests-only station and I had to prove we had a reservation, he admitted he would have been clueless what to do alone and would have had to call me or have me come down to vouch for him!

PHXscuba

Ah! Glad people can drive up and unload at the front.

 

[wowsmom]

Mid July, the line at the DCA entrance was wrapping around and behind White Water Snacks for EMH. I still stand behind going to the main gate at EMH.

We experienced the same in mid-August. We sat and ate breakfast at White Water Snacks and watched as the line never got any shorter for the 30-40 minutes we were in there.