Mickey & Friends or Toy Story?

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I recently purchased my first annual pass. I have visited the park twice in the last few months and both times I parked in the Mickey & Friends structure. It's nice but I have a stroller that doesn't collapse very small. It's bulky and heavy, so getting it on and off the tram has proved a nightmare. Plus, last time we returned to our car the line for the ONE elevator was about an hour long. OMG, not what I want to wait in with my very tired 2 year old after a long day at the park.

We are going tomorrow and I want to try a different lot. How is the Toy Story lot? I understand it's busses instead of trams. Do you stow your stroller below the bus like at Disney World or do you have to wrestle in onboard? Are there a lot of busses or do you have to wait a long time? The last trip it took FOREVER to wait in the tram line to head back to the parking structure at the end of the day.

Is there another lot I should consider?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[Winnowill]

The buses at Toy Story are along the lines of a city bus, not a motor coach - they are like the buses that go back and forth between resorts and parks at WDW. Yes, you have to carry the stroller on board. But they are air-conditioned, so there's that.

 

[DLgal]

I'd stick with the structure. Can you get a smaller umbrella stroller for your park visits? By that age we were using a Maclaren umbrella stroller. Super easy to sling over your shoulder and carry your child at the same time when getting on and off the tram. Plus, you can use the escalators with an umbrella stroller (when it's folded up).

The Toy story lot can have a LONG wait to get back at the end of the day too and on very crowded days like this week, they make you park WAY out in the employee part of the lot and it can be a long haul to the bus stop. And then the bag check line coming from Harbor is way longer than what you will find at the structure.

FYI, you can WALK to and from the structure. Follow the signs to walk through Downtown Disney. It's about a 15 min walk but you avoid the long security line at the structure and enter at the Downtown Disney entrance which has far fewer people using it. We do this a lot. Saves time at the bag check and waiting on the tram line and no need to fold the stroller.

 

[SMD]

You have to fold it for the TS bus, and get it on and off the bus. It might be worth getting a smaller stroller, like an umbrella stroller that can fold easier. Or renting from DL.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Thanks for the replies. It does fold but it just doesn't fold flat and it's a little heavy. I have another stroller that is lighter and folds completely flat but I really prefer the bulky one (which is a jogging stroller). It's so much easier to push and maneuver, plus has lots of storage space and cup holders. It's a hassle coming and going for sure but it's so nice once we are in the park.

 

[longboard55]

I like Toy Story better, better line control and they seem to roll out the busses quicker than the Trams.

 

[DisBabe94]

We prefer covered parking so Mickey and Friends, but we don't have kiddos so no experience with strollers. We also don't take the tram when we arrive we like to walk in. (I find that the wait for the tram just makes me anxious)

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

How long is the walk to and from Mickey & Friends? I don't mind walking. I actually didn't realize that you could!

 

[DisBabe94]

How long is the walk to and from Mickey & Friends? I don't mind walking. I actually didn't realize that you could!

Oh maybe 7 mins to get from the garage to downtown disney and then another 7 to get through downtown disney, it depends on how fast of a walker you are! You will really save time with the security line though, the one at the entrance to Downtown disney never has a line!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Oh maybe 7 mins to get from the garage to downtown disney and then another 7 to get through downtown disney, it depends on how fast of a walker you are! You will really save time with the security line though, the one at the entrance to Downtown disney never has a line!

I am totally doing this next time! Thank you for that tip. I will have to figure out which way to go.

 

[DLgal]

I am totally doing this next time! Thank you for that tip. I will have to figure out which way to go.

So once you get off the elevator, make a u turn and go back into the parking structure on the ground level. There is a path marked that will spit you out beyond the security checkpoint on the other side of a fence. Follow the sidewalk to the traffic light and go straight towards downtown Disney. Then just go through the bag check there and turn left and walk to the park entrances.

 

[Niltiac]

I don't know about which is better for strollers, but I prefer Toy Story because the buses come much more frequently than the tram (I've never had to wait going in, and only once at the end of the night). And there's no elevator to wait for. You can actually walk from either, though I'm not sure which is a shorter walk.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

I don't know about which is better for strollers, but I prefer Toy Story because the buses come much more frequently than the tram (I've never had to wait going in, and only once at the end of the night). And there's no elevator to wait for. You can actually walk from either, though I'm not sure which is a shorter walk.

It's a shorter walk from Mickey and Friends.

I prefer Mickey and Friends, because the walking distance is shorter and I have found that the security line at the DTD is fairly short in comparison to the ones where you come in from Toy Story or go to talk to the tram. While some people have had great experiences with fast buses from Toy Story, I've experienced slow buses on a time where it was extremely busy in the parks that day. I also love walking through DTD.

 

[Niltiac]

I prefer Mickey and Friends, because the walking distance is shorter and I have found that the security line at the DTD is fairly short in comparison to the ones where you come in from Toy Story or go to talk to the tram.

Oh, that's a good point! My last visit was before they made security changes on the DTD side. From what I've heard the security lines on that side have improved whereas the security on the Harbor side is the same as ever. With that in mind, M&F might be faster.

 

[DLgal]

I have waited in a 30 min line for a bus at Toy Story. Of course,this was on Labor Day. But that lot gets backed up bus lines too.

 

[SMD]

The buses don't hold nearly as many people as the trams. So even if they're leaving more often, it takes several to equal one tram. And they take longer to load because guests enter one at a time instead of all the rows at once like the trams. If I had to guess, I'd say M&F carries more guests per hour. But even with the lines at TS, the actual boarding can be less chaotic because of the switchbacks vs. the M&F free for all.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I parked at Toy story and walked. Less than 15 minutes until I was through the gate including security. Thanks for the tip!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Can you get on a Mickey and Friends tram from DTD, go to the parking structure, and return? Like a round trip? Last time we were there we parked in Toy Story and the kids were disappointed because the busses did not look as fun as the trams, so they want to do a round trip tram ride this time since we're staying on-site. Seriously, with all the rides at DL they want to ride a parking lot tram.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Can you get on a Mickey and Friends tram from DTD, go to the parking structure, and return? Like a round trip?

Yes, but you will need to get off and then get in line to get back on.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Can you get on a Mickey and Friends tram from DTD, go to the parking structure, and return? Like a round trip? Last time we were there we parked in Toy Story and the kids were disappointed because the busses did not look as fun as the trams, so they want to do a round trip tram ride this time since we're staying on-site. Seriously, with all the rides at DL they want to ride a parking lot tram.

Hahaha kids are funny! When I was a kid I wanted to ride the elevator because I never got to since we always rented a stroller from Disneyland and when I got home I told my mom how much fun the elevator was because it was a Disneyland elevator that wasn't scary like Haunted Mansion.