Never had to park before...

[NVDisMom]

I feel like a complete newbie with this question...

We are helping a friend move over the weekend and thught we would take advantage of being so close to DL. Its a good excuse. So, we will only be there for the day. Which means we have to park and we have NEVER done it. A first time for everything I guess. So where do we go?

TIA, Teresa

 

[LavenderPeach]

I think the easiest way is to make your way to Ball Rd (assuming you'll be parking at the M&F garage). You can get to the parking garage from Disney Way (Disney Drive? I can't remember) but it's a longer route.

Where are you coming from and what freeway will you be taking?

 

[NVDisMom]

I think the easiest way is to make your way to Ball Rd (assuming you'll be parking at the M&F garage). You can get to the parking garage from Disney Way (Disney Drive? I can't remember) but it's a longer route.

Where are you coming from and what freeway will you be taking?

We are coming in on I-5. We will be there tomorrow morning bright and early! Planning on grabbing some breakfast at Subway before DH drops us all off at the Harbor drop off lot and then he will go park while we grab a place in line for 9 am opening. We plan on being dropped off at 8am with breakfast in hand and I want to send DH off to the easiest, quickest lot. He doesn't care if there is transportation or not, a little jog in the morning is his style!

 

[skiingfast]

Pay attention to the signs on I-5. He could go up Harbor to Ball and then to M&F. But DLR may have closes that lot and then he would need to go down to the Toy Story lot or Maybe Pumba. When it's bad, I've read credible accounts of it taking 60-90 minutes to go fom close lot to the open lot. This is why he should check the signs while on I-5.

If you need tickets and have to park in Toy Story you can buy them at the lot. A recommended time saver.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Well, if your DH is coming from the drop off lot on Harbor then (i think) the toy story lot might be the closest. But I know nothing about that lot, except for what i've read here. And I'm not sure if you can choose to park there first thing in the morning or if it's just for overflow later.

If he needs to go to the M&F then he would turn R on Harbor, L on Katella, R on Disneyland Drive (map on Google is also calling it West Street) then he can either turn L on Magic Way if that gate is open, or go down to Ball Rd and do a U Turn to get turned around to head into the parking garage. Hope that made sense. You can see it on Google maps if you type in Disneyland.

There is a tram from the M&F lot but most of the time we just walk over. The line to the tram always seems really long to me and it's not that far of a walk. But being only one person, your DH might be able to get a spot on the tram easily without having to wait too long.

Hope that helps. Have a great time!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Pay attention to the signs on I-5. He could go up Harbor to Ball and then to M&F. But DLR may have closes that lot and then he would need to go down to the Toy Story lot or Maybe Pumba. When it's bad, I've read credible accounts of it taking 60-90 minutes to go fom close lot to the open lot. This is why he should check the signs while on I-5.

If you need tickets and have to park in Toy Story you can buy them at the lot. A recommended time saver.

Yes, but if they're getting there bright and early like she said, there should be no problem parking in the M&F lot. It won't fill up until later, not first thing in the morning.

 

[NVDisMom]

So, looking at Google maps and now knowing where the M&F garage is, I am thinking maybe after picking up bfast on Harbor/Katella DH should then drop us off at the DTD drop off lot and continue north on Disneyland Dr to the garage. Can you access the garage from that direction or only coming south from I-5?

Never mind. Lavendar Peach very clearly described it. Thanks!

 

[skiingfast]

Yes, but if they're getting there bright and early like she said, there should be no problem parking in the M&F lot. It won't fill up until later, not first thing in the morning.

I put this here for a specific reason. DLR does not fill M&F and then move incoming cars to the next lot. They have been known to fill M&F partway, close it off, and reopen it in the pm.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I put this here for a specific reason. DLR does not fill M&F and then move incoming cars to the next lot. They have been known to fill M&F partway, close it off, and reopen it in the pm.

True, but I've never seen them do it first thing in the morning which is when OP is planning on going.

 

[skiingfast]

So, looking at Google maps and now knowing where the M&F garage is, I am thinking maybe after picking up bfast on Harbor/Katella DH should then drop us off at the DTD drop off lot and continue north on Disneyland Dr to the garage. Can you access the garage from that direction or only coming south from I-5?

Never mind. Lavendar Peach very clearly described it. Thanks!

There is a problem with the desription. NVDisMom you are right you can't get into M&F from the south.

After dropping you off from Harbor Dr. He will exit going L on Harbor heading North. L on Ball. Then L onto Disneyland Dr. Staying left on DL Dr. to be routed into the M&F garage.

 

[LavenderPeach]

So, looking at Google maps and now knowing where the M&F garage is, I am thinking maybe after picking up bfast on Harbor/Katella DH should then drop us off at the DTD drop off lot and continue north on Disneyland Dr to the garage. Can you access the garage from that direction or only coming south from I-5?

Never mind. Lavendar Peach very clearly described it. Thanks!

There is a problem with the desription. NVDisMom you are right you can't get into M&F from the south.

After dropping you off from Harbor Dr. He will exit going L on Harbor heading North. L on Ball. Then L onto Disneyland Dr. Staying left on DL Dr. to be routed into the M&F garage.

Sorry, I meant R on Katella, but I'm sure you can see it clearly on the map.

Sometimes they have a gate open at Magic Way. DTD lot is on the left side and the gate/booth for M&F will be on the left, if it's open. They direct you around the outside lot and into the garage. If it's closed then you can still get to it by making a U turn when you get to Ball Rd.

I don't believe you can make a L turn from the Harbor Dr drop-off lot because I don't think there is a light there and there is an island in the middle of the road. You would have to turn R out of the lot and make a U turn at the next light to go around to the garage from the other way.

 

[GrandBob]

There's a drop-off for DTD? Where exactly is it? I can see on the satellite view that you can turn on Magic Way and then turn left into the DTD parking lot, but it appears you have to go through the parking attendant's booths, get a ticket, and then deal with another booth when you exit after dropping off passengers. Is there an actual drop-off point that you can just drop and go?

I'm asking because we, too, are going to have to park for the first time when we go in July. Booked us in Peppertree, which looks wonderful, but requires a drive. That doesn't bother me in the AM, because I plan to get there early, and I assume M&F will be open. So we'll park, and the 3 of us (me, DW, DGD7) will take the tram or walk to the park.

But I'm concerned with afternoon breaks. When we get back in late afternoon or early evening, I'm assuming that I may be directed to another lot. My plan, after looking at maps and satellite views, was this:

After being turned away from M&F, I was going to continue down Disneyland Drive, and turn left into the GCH entrance. It looks like I can drop off DW & DGD right at the front door of GCH. Then I'd go back out onto Disneyland Drive, and rejoin traffic to wherever they're directing you to park. DW & DGD can walk through GCH and DTD to the park, and when I get done parking and get back to the park, I'd contact them by cell.

Does that sound feasible? Or is there a better way? Thanks.

-Bob

 

[skiingfast]

I don't believe you can make a L turn from the Harbor Dr drop-off lot because I don't think there is a light there and there is an island in the middle of the road. You would have to turn R out of the lot and make a U turn at the next light to go around to the garage from the other way.

I am positive you can turn left from the drop off back onto Harbor. This is where everyone staying in the Harbor dr. motels crosses the road and I have seen people turing while the crosswalk is open.

 

[Jperiod]

We parked everyday in the M&F area/lot when we were there in Dec. I HIGHLY recommend turning west on Magic Way from Disneyland/West drive and entering the lot/garage from that direction (it was never closed for us in the mornings). If you make it there before park opening, you usually get to park in the Pinocchio Lot at the base of M&F which is SO MUCH EASIER than having to park in the garage and then come down the elevators/escalators,etc. Once Pinocchio fills up or the park opens, they direct you up the ramps of M&F (you can still go in that entrance, you do not have to turn around and go back out to ball road).

We also had much shorter waits at that booth than the boothes inside the bottom of the garage (when you enter M&F the traditional way, heading south on Disneyland/West drive).

One snafu might be if none of the garages are open yet. I thought someone once said they only open 30 minutes before park opening, but it could be 60?

If he is coming from DTD, he would be directly south of the entrance I'm talking about and would just simply go across the street (that street being magic way). Matter of fact, when you guys turn down Magic Way to go to DTD, you could just look ahead to the right and see if the orange cones are blocking the lot entrance (there's a little turn in on the right, just beyond the light at Downtown Dr). If so, just have him hang out in the DTD drop off for a little while and head back across the street around 8:30.

If you go to google maps and click on the street view of Magic & Downtown, looking west, you can totally see the entrance and the orange cones in the picture. Have fun tomorrow!