downtown disney california

[disneyred]

i have searched but cant find a list of all restaurants that will validate parking ..
there will be 3 cars meeting up for the first time in downtown disney for dinner and I have heard that the first 2 or 3 hours are free and to get another extra 2hours free before paying is to get your ticket validated at one of the restaurants.. I just want to make sure that reservations are made at one of these that will validate.. where can i get such a list of restaurants. thanks !

 

[figment_jii]

According to the Disneyland website the AMC movie theater and all of the tables service resturants offer validation.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/downtown-disney-district/

 

[theluckyrabbit]

For DtD, the first 3 hours of parking are free. If you eat at a sit down restaurant (e.g. Jazz Kitchen, ESPN Zone, Rainforest Cafe, La Brea Bakery sit down side, Tortilla Jo's, House of Blues, etc.) or at any sit down restaurant in the on site hotels (e.g. Napa Rose, Storyteller's Cafe, Steakhouse 55, Goofy's Kitchen, etc.), you will receive 2 extra hours with your validation. Aside from the sit down restaurants, the AMC movie theater also validates for the extra 2 hours.

Keep your receipts! If you forget to get the validation, CMs at the DtD parking booths will accept receipts from your meal or movie.

 

[disneyred]

Thanks for all replies..I just wanted to make sure..so it also includes earl of sandwich..
Initially I thought it was restaurants with ressies..but that is not the case ..as long as its sit down like earl of sandwich ,,right?

 

[smarie82181]

They don't consider Earl Of Sandwich as a table service restaurant, so they don't validate there.

 

[kitayama]

There isn't a way to say this and not sound shady... I found out that if you wait long enough on a weekday the people collecting the money at the parking lot exit leave.
I found this out one Friday when I arrived at Downtown disney at about 6:30PM and decided to eat at Tortilla Joes then head to the parks for a little. It was worth paying for the extra hour or so for parking so I wouldn't have to use the tram or bus. I ended up getting to my car after 1:00AM fully expecting to pay for the 2 hours, but everyone was gone. I have done this a few other times fully expecting to pay, but have never needed to.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thanks for all replies..I just wanted to make sure..so it also includes earl of sandwich..
Initially I thought it was restaurants with ressies..but that is not the case ..as long as its sit down like earl of sandwich ,,right?

Sit down restaurants = restaurants where you sit at a table and a server takes your order, aka table service restaurants. So not necessarily a place which requires a reservation, but one which seats you and assigns you a server. Earl of Sandwich is a counter service restaurant where you seat yourself, therefore it doesn't count for DtD parking validations. Hope that makes sense.

 

[mom2kandj]

We got our parking ticket validated at the jazz kitchen express which is a counter service restaurant on April 3rd. HTH!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

That would be the exception, not the rule. It can happen, but, to be safe, the OP shouldn't count on it.

 

[kitayama]

That would be the exception, not the rule. It can happen, but, to be safe, the OP shouldn't count on it.

I agree. As I said, I go completely expecting to pay.

 

[Lilo&Stitch]

How difficult is it to find parking on weekend nights ? Is it as bad as disneyworld ?

 

[mom2kandj]

@ the jazz kitchen express, we weren't sure, so we just asked...maybe it was because they were attached to the sit down restaurant?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Technically, the Express side is take out/counter service, so they are not supposed to validate. We've asked and been turned down, but a few times we've received a validation. Totally depends on the situation and the CM. Again, it doesn't hurt to ask, but don't count on getting the validation.

 

[disneyred]

thanks to all... you guys are always helpful here .with insight and comments...

 

[Zbugz]

How difficult is it to find parking on weekend nights ?

Anyone?

 

[mrkyyyle]

There isn't a way to say this and not sound shady... I found out that if you wait long enough on a weekday the people collecting the money at the parking lot exit leave.
I found this out one Friday when I arrived at Downtown disney at about 6:30PM and decided to eat at Tortilla Joes then head to the parks for a little. It was worth paying for the extra hour or so for parking so I wouldn't have to use the tram or bus. I ended up getting to my car after 1:00AM fully expecting to pay for the 2 hours, but everyone was gone. I have done this a few other times fully expecting to pay, but have never needed to.

Same thing in the mornings, they don't start collecting tickets/payments until 10am ish generally. I think it is a few hours after the parks / DTD closes that the lot attendants are gone.


Can't help ya on how busy it is on weekend nights, as I avoid DLR/DTD on those days being a local and living very close by (traffic sucks!). I've been there a handful of times on weekends to meetup with friends etc and was able to find a spot (with a bit of a walk sometimes) - if it is really busy they will direct DTD parking elsewhere via signs.