HoJo to Disneyland Hotel

[All Aboard]

We're arriving late on a Thursday (and on East Coast time), so to save a few bucks - since we'll be falling asleep on arrival - we are staying at the HoJo on the first night.

We'll be getting up early and going over to DLH to check in before going to the park on Friday morning. We'll probably leave at about 7:00am. How should we plan to get there? Taxi? Walk? I know we'd have to go through security if we walk, and with luggage - will that be a pain? Will it be too early to walk through that way - assuming DL opens at 9 that day?

Thanks.

 

[WheresGoofy]

Depending on how much luggage, the walk would not be too bad. You won't have to go through any security with your luggage. You would be walking through the area between DL and DCA and then through DTD to the DLH. I am the type that would think getting a taxi would be harder to load up and then unload for such a short ride.

 

[JC Butterfly]

Hmmm I need a cheap place to stay for the night before too! I didn't realize that it would be "walkable" between the two properties, then I could say that I tried them both!

Thanks!

 

[All Aboard]

Thanks Wheresgoofy. When I had plans to move over to Grand Californian someone indicated that I'd have to go through security if I walked it. Is that not the case with DLH? Thanks again.

 

[got2travel]

Yes, you will have to go through the security checkpoint to enter the plaza between DCA and DL. I've seen others take luggage through, and yes, they will ask you to open it. But it didn't look like the CM took everything out. You might just have your DLH confirmation out and explain that you are heading over to your hotel and not trying to take your luggage in the park.

 

[All Aboard]

Thanks. Any idea if that plaza will be open at 7am on a day that Disneyland opens at 9am? Thanks again.

 

[LucyKate]

I can't answer your last question, but can confirm you will definitely have to have your luggage checked as the security plaza is for the entrance to the area between DL and DCA and before DTD.

They will require you to open your bags and will check through them - there is no X-ray it is all manual (although very brief and cursory).

I think I would get a taxi.

 

[daannzzz]

It should be open. There are lots of people who head over from Harbo Blvd to go to Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast. I know we walked through an hour and a half to two hours before the parks opened. They had one security check point open.

 

[WheresGoofy]

Wow, I didn't reallize you had to go through security to pass through the plaza. I guess we would have found out in a few days. I am trying to picture the setup that must be in place for that, but can't visualize it right now.

Passing through can't be any worse than having your carry-on luggage checked at Animal Kingdom when meeting the DCL bus there. I thought that was going to be a pain, but it wasn't.

 

[LucyKate]

It's pretty basic and non-intrusive - sort of like the security you'd get if entering a museum or gallery - you place your bag on the table, open it, and and a cast member very politely does a quick glance.

They don't make you empty everything out.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Is that new? We have been to DL many times (most recently about 6 months ago) and we have NEVER gone through security just to walk through the Esplanade. There were security check points with the tables to enter into the theme parks when you were at the turnstiles, but just to walk between them on the Esplanade and through Downtown Disney there were not security check points. You could walk from Harbor Blvd all the way through between the parks, through Downtown Disney and over to any of the 3 hotels without going through any security. Just curious as to when they added that?? We will be at DL in about 3 weeks.

 

[got2travel]

Not sure when they moved them, but the checkpoints are now at the entrance to the plaza instead of the entrance to the parks. That way you cna park hop without going through a security check again. It was that way in October '04 and Jan '05. I just can't remember if it was in June '04 or not.

 

[dsnylndmom]

If I'm not mistaken it started midsummer '04. I know that when we were there in the summer the checkpoints were like that for at least 2 of the 3 trips.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Thanks for the heads up, that is interesting, I guess we were there in late April, early May last year (might have even been earlier, I don't remember). Anyway, we are staying at the HoJo in June this year and that is good to know. This trip coming up in March we will be at Paradise Pier so we will not have to worry about bag check just to go to DTD. Thanks again

 

[bclydia]

They definitely had the security posts at the entrance to the plaza when we were there in early June 2004. I think if I were changing hotels this way, I'd definitely hop in a taxi. It's quite a long walk to the Disneyland Hotel and I certainly wouldn't want to make that trek with my luggage!!

 

[LucyKate]

We were there in December and just assumed this had all happened post 9/11. But it makes sense for park hopping as it means you only have to do security once, which would cut down in queues on busy days.

 

[All Aboard]

Thanks for the info. Taxi it is.