Is DL area safe

[tguz]

We are planning a West coast trip next Summer. If we stay at a hotel within a 10-15 minute walking distance from DL, is it safe to walk back from the park after dark? Not necessarily at closing when I assume a lot of foot traffic is happening.

 

[DLgal]

Generally, yes. There are homeless people around, and you have to be comfortable with that and know how to ignore/not engage if they approach you. If you aren't comfortable with that, drive your car in and use the Disney parking lots.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I stayed at places 15+ mins away and walked at night. Normally it's pretty safe feeling

Most area's near the resort have a good amount of people walking around still late and most area's near hotels have lights and what not.

 

[Wesley815]

Similar to Las Vegas and other major tourist city areas, do not engage with anyone on the street and do not buy anything from random vendors. Walk with purpose and secure loose articles (put wallet in front pocket, backpack on backwards/etc...)

I'm not trying to sound dramatic and I even live in Anaheim; by using common sense and aware of surroundings you should be fine.

 

[Lisa24jks]

We are planning a West coast trip next Summer. If we stay at a hotel within a 10-15 minute walking distance from DL, is it safe to walk back from the park after dark? Not necessarily at closing when I assume a lot of foot traffic is happening.

There is foot traffic all day and all night around the Disneyland area. Truly, it is constant unless it's a truly crazy hour of the night (i.e. 4 a.m. or something). Like the others said, follow basic precautions and if anyone or anything makes you uncomfortable, ignore it and move on. It's generally a safe walk back to your hotel.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I've always felt safe walking to Harbor hotels. I just don't make eye contact with people or engage with them. It's typically just random people trying to sell toys and bottled water. I've seen Greenpeace out there too. I just don't talk to anyone and I've always been left alone.

 

[Chickinvic]

I've never felt unsafe. Yes there are homeless, but they keep to themselves (in my experience). I also live in an area with huge homeless population so I'm used to it.

 

[godfather927]

Are there homeless people down Disneyland Dr too or is more so on Harbor Blvd?

 

[LKing]

Similar to Las Vegas and other major tourist city areas, do not engage with anyone on the street and do not buy anything from random vendors. Walk with purpose and secure loose articles (put wallet in front pocket, backpack on backwards/etc...)

I agree. While people might "feel" safe, it is still a big city. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. In addition to what @Wesley815 suggested, put your phone and ear buds away and keep your eyes up, paying attention to your surroundings. Do not walk alone. Stay on well lit, busy streets. Be cautious about cars coming in/out of parking structures and lots. Cars often drive too fast, tourist don't know the area and most drivers aren't expecting people to be walking in the dark.

 

[RoseColored97]

Very safe.

Homeless people? Yes, but much fewer than in past years prior to COVID.
Street vendors? Also yes, but all you have to say is no thank you or just don't engage.

I have walked back to the hotel to retrieve coats or other stuff in the evening by myself before and did not feel unsafe at all. Cast members walk through there all the time going back to their parking lot. The city of Anaheim goes great lengths to keep the resort area a safe one because that is the main source of revenue for the city.

 

[Tinkaboo]

Definitely fewer street people this last trip, two weeks ago. If it bothers you walking, try to find a hotel with a shuttle. The most annoying thing was some street preacher WITH A LOUDSPEAKER by the Subway, near Harbor and Katella. He was clear across the street and I could hear him from CCI.
All for freedom of speech but don’t think you need a portable amplifier to share your message. He was still there later in evening when I went back to park.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Are there homeless people down Disneyland Dr too or is more so on Harbor Blvd?

They can be anywhere. We stayed at the Tropicana right at the Disneyland intersection and saw folks sleeping on those patio tables in the morning in front of the hotel. Usually they just hang by the bus stops too. In my experience they keep to themselves. I also live near homeless people so I'm used to it. If you're not used to it, just be prepared to ignore anyone who asks for anything and keep walking.

 

[disneychrista]

People are always mentioning homeless people but that is nothing unique to Anaheim or Disneyland. I encounter homeless people nearly every day in my small town. I have never felt unsafe in or around Disneyland. I have mostly traveled as a single adult female with children.

 

[LKing]

The City of Anaheim has a crime mapping log for those who are interested.

 

[mdmost]

People are always mentioning homeless people but that is nothing unique to Anaheim or Disneyland. I encounter homeless people nearly every day in my small town. I have never felt unsafe in or around Disneyland. I have mostly traveled as a single adult female with children.

I think it's more that it can be jarring for people who come to Disneyland thinking it's the same Disney bubble as WDW. I too have never had an issue on our multiple trips. We stay in the walkable hotels off Harbor.

 

[DLgal]

People are always mentioning homeless people but that is nothing unique to Anaheim or Disneyland. I encounter homeless people nearly every day in my small town. I have never felt unsafe in or around Disneyland. I have mostly traveled as a single adult female with children.

There are homeless people almost everywhere, true. And 99% of them are harmless and won't even look at you. But there is always the 1% who get aggressive or violent, and once that happens to you, you will always feel unsafe around them.

My young son (at the time he was 9 or 10) was violently attacked by a homeless man, randomly, in San Francisco. I had to physically pry this man's fingers off my son's upper arms, where he had dug in, causing my son to scream in pain. He left nail marks. He went after a CHILD asking him for "some quarters" when my husband and I were right there. Unacceptable and we felt very violated, and my son is now 17 and still wary of homeless people because of it. We steer VERY clear of them now. One tried to approach us recently as we were loading grocery bags into our car in our very safe city, and I had to put my hand up and yell "NO, step back NOW! We have no money." My son was shaken again.

I feel for these people, but as a mother of special needs kids, I will not willingly ever choose to put us in a situation where we will encounter them with 100% certainty.

Disneyland's presence in Anaheim is not some magical safety bubble.

 

[MillauFr]

The most dangerous place in Anaheim is on the freeway where you have maniacs driving 80+mph.

 

[bethbuchall]

What is the area (Harbor hotels) like about 5:30 am? Safe for a lone female (slow) runner?

 

[Rolem]

We just got back from staying at the Candy Cane (very nice remodel by the way) and my wife and I went for an early morning (6am) walk. The area is clean and well lit with a fair amount of traffic (I assume people going to work). There are homeless but they keep to themselves. It is way nicer than where I live in Calif and we walk around here in the early morning hours.

 

[DLgal]

The most dangerous place in Anaheim is on the freeway where you have maniacs driving 80+mph.

Driving fast isn't inherently dangerous. Look at the Autobahn. I am a DL local and 80mph is the speed you drive on the freeway when traffic is flowing well. You drive any slower than the majority of other cars, YOU are being the dangerous one. My son automatically failed his driving test in CA earlier this year for...driving too slow. The speed limit on I-5 is 70mph. 75-80 is expected. I've been driving that speed in this state for 28 years. Not one accident.