Getting to/from parks from Disneyland Hotel?

[mayson12]

I'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel for the first time in a loooooong time. Now that the monorail no longer stops in the hotel, how do you get from the hotel to the parks? Walk? Is there a tram? I'll be going to CA adventure and Disneyland. Thanks.

 

[tlovesdis]

The Disneyland Hotel is very close to the parks! It is about a 10 minute or less, depending on your speed, walk straight through Downtown Disney to either park. Or, you can walk to the Monorail Station (which is in the same spot as before, they got rid of all of the shops and restuarants that were in front of the hotel towers) and ride into Tomorrowland just like before.

 

[DuncanLL]

We just returned from our first trip to Disneyland and I was shocked at the amount of walking required to get to the parks. We stayed at Disneyland Hotel. At first we were put in the tower on the far side of the courtyard, but fortunately were able to move to the main tower.

I have trouble walking long distances and need to stop from time to time to take a break. We thought there would at least be a tram from the hotel to the main gates of the parks, but there wasn't. The only ways to get to Disneyland were to walk all the way through Downtown Disney or take a shorter walk to the Monorail and enter in Tomorrowland. People who are in good shape or more mobile may think it's just a hop, kip and a jump, but it was a big walk for me. After numerous trips to DisneyWorld, I found the walk to the parks longer than the walk from the resort bus stops in Florida - perhaps with the exception of Epcot. To get to California Adventure, we ended up taking the monorail to Tomorrowland, switching to the railroad at Tomorrland, getting off at Main Street and walking across to CA. It worked for us - maybe took a little longer, but cut down the walking.

Hope that helps.

LD

 

[Blackunicorn]

I have trouble walking long distances and need to stop from time to time to take a break. We thought there would at least be a tram from the hotel to the main gates of the parks, but there wasn't.

I'm amazed that the CM's weren't able to help you more. I'm sorry that you had that experience.

When we were at DL last year, I was having trouble with my knees and didn't think I could go up the stairs to see Aladdin. My husband talked to the CM's and they took me up in an elevator.

Unfortunately, it is a walk, and it's more convenient to get to the parks from off-site hotels than it is from the Disney hotels! Which may be something that Disney needs to address. Anyway, from the DLH you have to walk through DTD or ride the monorail. I don't know if guests at the DLH are allowed to use the "special" entrace to DCA, but it's not really convenient to go there from the DLH.

 

[mayson12]

Well, I'm sure glad I'm bringing my double stroller. Esp. since I read on another thread that DL doesn't rent double strollers (shocking). I just keep reminding myself that all that walking means less guilt for all the food!

 

[Amy&Dan]

The walk is not bad but as somebody else commented can be harder for those who have troubles with distances. One good thing is that there are some benches along the way to take a little breather. We stayed there last December with my mother who is 70 and has cancer and all sorts of health issues and my stepdad who is 80. We took it slower than usual and did stop to rest a couple of times. DuncanLL's tip getting from Disneyland to DCA is a good one. We also are usually travelling with my fil who is in poor health and have done that many times and sometimes luck out and get one of Main Street vehicles to take us down Main Street. The Disneyland Railroad is a fabulous way to get around the park for anyone wanting to cut down on the walking within Disneyland. Sometimes when my fil is worn out he just gets on it and rides it around multiple times and then calls us on his cell and we meet back up with him at whatever station we are near. One good thing about the onsite hotels at Disneyland in my experience is that you do have to walk to get to them but I prefer that to standing in long lines (I find that more tireing but that's just me) waiting for the buses and monorails like you do at WDW.

 

[DuncanLL]

Once inside the parks, CM's were great about accommodating and saving me some steps. All I had to do was ask if there was an "easy" route. I rode the elevator to the balcony for Aladdin. The CM at the gate to Tower of Terror told me which library to ask for to avoid the line with steps. At the Matterhorn, the CM allowed me to sit on a bench until my family got to the turnstile area of the line.

It's just the inconvenience of getting to the parks from hotels on property that really surprised me...

LD