free admission to Downtown Disney?

[waltdisneymama]

Could someone please tell me whether there is free admission to Downtown Disney? I was thinking that my family could visit just DTD (not the parks) on our first night if we arrive late in the afternoon.
Thanks!

 

[DangerMouse]

Yes, DTD is free, and you can even park for free in the DTD parking lot with validation from a store or restaurant.

 

[mystic_path]

It is totally free... You do not need a Disneyland park ticket to go there. Its the same as going to a shopping mall. You park and walk around, go for dinner etc. There is no admission. You just park and walk around this outdoor shopping and eating district. Its fantastic.

 

[mechurchlady]

The first 3 hours are free if I remember right for Downtown Disney parking. I was just there this week lol. Sometimes like early mornigns there is nobody there to even take the ticket.

 

[never2muchdisney]

We went to dinner at the Rain Forest Café last Thursday, and not only was the parking free, it was right next to the restaurant. Made it so nice and easy for a great dinner. Walking around Downtown Disney at night is the best! Gets you all ready for the next days in the parks! Have fun.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

The first 3 hours are free if I remember right. I was just there this week lol. Sometimes like early mornigns there is nobody there to even take the ticket.

Just a little correction... Downtown Disney is free. There is no cost to go there. If you are staying onsite at one of the Disneyland hotels, or across the street on Harbor, or near the Anaheim Convention Center on Katella you can pretty easily walk there. You can also take the ART (Anaheim Resort Transportation) if you are staying at one of the other Good Neighbor Hotels.

There is also parking available, and the first three hours are free. If you see a movie there or eat at one of the restaurants at Downtown Disney or the hotels you get an additional two free hours of parking for a total of five hours.

Enjoy

 

[Quilter007]

My kids could spend an entire day in the lego store. We are at the point that we have to drag them out! "Come on sweetie, we've got fastpasses to Space Mountain!" "Awwww....can't we just stay here?"

 

[mystic_path]

My kids could spend an entire day in the lego store. We are at the point that we have to drag them out! "Come on sweetie, we've got fastpasses to Space Mountain!" "Awwww....can't we just stay here?"

LOL yeah that place is just amazing...

 

[mechurchlady]

My favourite stores were Basin and Buildabear. I love the sopas which were very good. I miss walking by the candle shop and smelling the scents coming from the store.

 

[Sherwin]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you must go through the baggage check coming from Harbor.

 

[mechurchlady]

Yes the only way to get to Downtown Disney from the east and Harbor Blvd. is through the security, across the Esplanade then through the other security and then on to Downtown Disney.

You can avoid the security if you enter via Grand California hotel or from the west side. There are however security checks at the monorail station in at Downtown Disney and the entrance from GCHto DCA.

 

[waltdisneymama]

Thanks everyone! I think that we'll probably stay at Desert Inn or BW Park Place Inn, so we'd just need to walk across the street and go through a security checkpoint to enter DTD?

 

[mechurchlady]

Thanks everyone! I think that we'll probably stay at Desert Inn or BW Park Place Inn, so we'd just need to walk across the street and go through a security checkpoint to enter DTD?

Yes, you would have to go through security. The only way around that is taking ART or other transportation around to the west side.

 

[bonita_babe232]

the security check takes like a second and i doubt you will be taking in hugh bags that need to be checked to make the check longer then a quick look in the purse!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

yes, you would have to walk thru the esplanade unless you wanted to go all the way around. Not a big deal tho, we used to spend our first afternoon/evening in DTD walking from our Harbor hotel all the time. Took us about 5 min. to get thru security because at most we had a couple pin bags and my sling bag.

No fee for DTD and you get your first 3 hrs of parking free if you decide to drive and park. After validation you get 2 more hrs free. I hope that clarifies and helps you with your decision.

Oh, we don't do the DTD the day before now because we have APs.

 

[avalon451]

Could someone please tell me whether there is free admission to Downtown Disney? I was thinking that my family could visit just DTD (not the parks) on our first night if we arrive late in the afternoon.
Thanks!

What day of the week are you arriving, and how many days will you be there? Just curious, because even if it's late afternoon, we still love to take that first evening to stroll around inside DL, without following a schedule-- just to explore and enjoy that first evening, and maybe watch fireworks if they are on that night. We like to ride the train, get a treat, shop a little, see characters, get excited about the big rides we are looking forward to... etc. The next day we will be keeping to a schedule and collecting FastPasses, but the first evening is for strolling and enjoying. If you are already getting a 3 or 4 day parkhopper, adding one more day is relatively cheap and very worth it!

On the other hand, many people do as you planned, and just spend the first evening in DTD and get to bed early, to be up early the next day.

 

[waltdisneymama]

Avalon (aka Gail):
Thanks for this suggestion; maybe we would do this instead! We will have five-day park hoppers, I'm thinking, so maybe it wouldn't be much more to add another day so that we could go into the parks on our first afternoon/evening.