How safe is Anaheim?

[petals]

Just wondering how safe is Anaheim? I'm wondering is it safe for someone to walk to a good neighbour hotel from Disneyland parks alone late at night or no?

 

[lk2500]

Just wondering how safe is Anaheim? I'm wondering is it safe for someone to walk to a good neighbour hotel from Disneyland parks alone late at night or no?

Taking sensible precautions, yes, it is safe.

Some prior threads for reference:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3314300&highlight=safe

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3281328&highlight=safe

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3243805&highlight=safe

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3238062&highlight=safe

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3228633&highlight=safe

 

[lalasmama]

Overall, yes, it's very safe. What hotel are you staying at?

I've been several times, walking with or without my daughter, walking with or without my husband, with or without my best friend. In other words, I've been up and down Harbor and Katella without a problem, on my own, as a chunky 5'4" 30-something woman more times than I can count.... And, I've been all the way down Harbor to Katella and over to the Super 8 motel with my 8yo daughter, again without any issues.

I'll admit I get a little anxious and I always follow basic safety precautions--I pay attention to my surroundings, I walk in groups (even if I don't know the people, I try to make it look like I am a part of the group), I make eye contact, I walk confidently upright making it look like I know where I am.

 

[superlarz]

Pay attention to your surroundings and you will be ok. There will be other people around so if you see anything that makes you uncomfortable, there will be enough people around. Depending on where you are going, there are also stores or hotels you can go in.

 

[Yzerbear19]

My sister and I didn't have any problems in 2012. It was a bit eerie/weird to be walking around at like 6:30 AM because there was like no one around. So different than later in the day. We kind of freaked ourselves out a couple of times because we had been watching marathons of Criminal Minds and Cold Case in the hotel room. The freakiest was the one day when we were walking to the parks for a 7:00 am breakfast reservation and this guy on a biker sort of snuck up behind us. We didn't see or hear him until he was pretty close to us.

But overall we felt safe walking around in the dark. We did take the Anaheim resorts shuttles a lot too.

 

[gottalovepluto]

If you feel unsafe also consider a taxi.

 

[tanyaegangibson]

I felt very comfortable walking to/from Hojos (including coming back from DLR after midnight) with my DD9 and DS6.

 

[VicMom]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

When you leave in the evening, odds are you won't be the only person leaving then and there will be lots of people around (I may have been known to make the run to Cheesecake Factory at 10pm alone to get dessert for everyone and I never had any concerns for my safety The biggest hassle will probably be from the people on the streets handing out restaurant flyers.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

If your hotel is right around Disneyland in the tourist area then I would not be too concerned. Of course, bad things can happen anywhere, so stay alert and aware of your surroundings and you will be fine. I cant advise on areas outside of the immediate Disneyland area.
If you are walking right before, right after or during park hours you will find plenty of others walking too.

 

[petals]

Thanks. I'll be staying at Castle Inn which is ten minutes walk i believe

 

[FourM's]

My two teen daughters and I stayed at Castle Inn last December. We walked both ways twice a day and never felt unsafe. One of my girls walked back on her own once and I wasn't worried about her. It's well lit and usually there are lots of other people and families around.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks. I'll be staying at Castle Inn which is ten minutes walk i believe

You will be fine. It's not that far away, and you will still be surrounded by tourists. We stayed down at Ramada Plaza on Katella, and passed by Castle Inn each time we walked to or from. There are even vendors set up in that area (a personalized sign guy if I recall correctly) with clumps of people buying from him.

And there's busy traffic going by with all sidewalk walkers absolutely 100% visible to them.

If you look at a map, the ONE time I felt a bit lonely (and still, there was all that traffic going by *right there*) was when we stayed allll the way down Harbor at the Hilton Garden Inn. We did walk all but one time, the walk was fine, but once we passed Orangewood the walking-tourist traffic really died down. Still hotels and restaurants everywhere, but not the fellow Disney walkers.

 

[GatorChris]

Anaheim, and especially the Disney area, is a safe town because of it's people. The community lives and dies by the tourist. If something bad happens and word gets out, tourism goes down for hotels and parks. So there's always a watchful eye or camera or guard. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[knitster]

We just got back from DL and stayed at Camelot. I walked back and forth between the hotel and the parks with my husband and kids, with just my kids, by myself, etc at all hours of the day and night and never felt unsafe. No matter what time it was, there were always at least a few people coming in and out of the parks, including cast members, Harbor Blvd was always well lit, and there were usually valet attendants and whatnot in front of each hotel. So, I was never just walking down a dark street alone or anything. It was fine.

 

[Wrangler]

We went in September, I stayed at the BW Pavilions. Single mom with a 5 year old son. I had no issues walking home at night, but it was also only around 8pm when we were walking back. I would walk, pushing the stroller most nights.

 

[petals]

thanks. The parks are open til 11 or 12 at night when I'm there so just needed the anxiety eased a little on the whole walking back that late!

 

[Phoenixrising]

Of all places to visit solo, DL has to be one of or if not the most safest place to visit. It's one of the main reasons when I do go on one of my rare Solo trips, I go to DL instead of other places for vacations. Our friends think I'm crazy, but I find it relaxing to go to DL without the family, as I get to do the things that I want, instead of always doing what the family wants.

 

[bcla]

It gets interesting in the area around the 7-Eleven and the generic convenience store at Katella and Harbor. Mostly it's people on beer runs who may already be intoxicated. However, I never felt threatened walking in the area with a young child.

 

[bumbershoot]

It gets interesting in the area around the 7-Eleven and the generic convenience store at Katella and Harbor. Mostly it's people on beer runs who may already be intoxicated. However, I never felt threatened walking in the area with a young child.

We stayed at Ramada Plaza and then Desert Palms in August/September, and it really seems that there is so much construction now that it's not going to be interesting much longer. So many hotels, future Walgreens guests, etc etc, even if someone's intoxicated they are likely the people that were standing in line with you earlier LOL. And of course the owners of those stores want to keep things safe so they'll be keeping an eye out.

 

[MillauFr]

Your biggest risk is getting run over by a car. People drive 40+mph on Harbor. Just make sure you are safe when crossing the street.