Parking at Disneyland in 2021

[Dust2]

Wondering the best/easiest place to park near Disneyland? We have always spent the night at a hotel and parked there, but this is a last minute trip and the rates are so high that we will be driving up just for the day. We should arrive around 9:30 and the gates open at 8. We will be staying until close so we will be parked for 12-13 hours. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Matrixleos]

Parking Lot Info and Location
DLR has several on-site parking structures, that I'll cover below. Along with their addresses, to make it easier to type them into your GPS. Currently DLR charges $25 to park for one full day.

Mickey and Friends Parking and Pixar Pals Parking Structures - 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
Both these parking structures are side by side next to each other. If the Tram route to Downtown Disney is very crowded, there is an alternative route that "MIGHT" have shorter wait times. It's recommended, instead of doing the Tram route, to get to the 2nd level of the structures (Daisy is 2nd level at Mickey and Friends and Coco is 2nd level at Pixar) and walk across to the bridge that takes you to Downtown Disney. The bridge is a short walk and should put you near Star Wars Trading Post and ESPN Zone. You then have to use the Security Clearance entrance to enter Downtown Disney. Just another option for people to use in case the Tram route is crowded in the mornings.

Want to avoid the Tram route walk? Toy Story Parking Area would be perfect for you.

Toy Story Parking Area - 300 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
This location is near Harbor and Convention way. Unlike both the Mickey and Friends/Pixar Pals Parking Structures, the Toy Story lot is all outdoors. Something to consider during the hot summer months with your car sitting outside in the summer heat, instead of shaded cover of the structures. Good thing about this lot, is they have added a Security Check area near the free buses. There are also restrooms in this area. With Security check completed, when the bus takes you to the Harbor drop off, you walk straight to the Disneyland Esplanade and bypass the Harbor side security entrance. Plus from all accounts, the Toy Story lot is easier to leave at the end of the day and doesn't see the same bottle neck issues that the Structures sees when everyone is leaving at the same time. Keep in mind, the last shuttle from Harbor side to Toy Story is 2 hours after park closing. So if you miss that, you'll have to walk down Harbor street (15-20 minute walk).
* Key tip, if you're staying near the Katella Ave and Convention Way hotels, bypass the Harbor side walk from your hotel and take the free shuttle service in buses that have air conditioning!

Simba Parking Lot - Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802 (between W Katella Ave and Paradise Pier Hotel)
This is the Downtown Disney parking lot. $10 for the first hour and then there are validations that apply if you make purchases of $20 or more or if you eat at one of the restaurants. DO NOT use this for theme park parking, as after any validations, you get charged $7 each 30 minute increments with a max charge of $66 for the day.

GardenWalk Parking Structure - 321 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
They have increased their prices, used to be $18 and currently it's $25. Upon entry, text your parking ticket # and text them AA (Anaheim Attractions pricing) to 949-532-8293. Do not wait as you're leaving the park, as at times this process will take about an hour or so and if you leave before they validate it, you will be charged the maximum daily parking charge of $30. Good thing about this parking lot it's very close to the Harbor side entrance and it's open 24 hours.

There are various hotels on Harbor that also offer Theme Park Parking, although most of these hotel parking spots fill up very quickly early in the mornings.

 

[DisneyDarlingness]

Do you know what time Mickey and Friends parking opens, now that the park opens at 8 am? It used to open at 7:45 when the park opened at 9; is it opening at 6:45 now? Thank you!

 

[Dust2]

Parking Lot Info and Location
DLR has several on-site parking structures, that I'll cover below. Along with their addresses, to make it easier to type them into your GPS. Currently DLR charges $25 to park for one full day.

Mickey and Friends Parking and Pixar Pals Parking Structures - 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
Both these parking structures are side by side next to each other. If the Tram route to Downtown Disney is very crowded, there is an alternative route that "MIGHT" have shorter wait times. It's recommended, instead of doing the Tram route, to get to the 2nd level of the structures (Daisy is 2nd level at Mickey and Friends and Coco is 2nd level at Pixar) and walk across to the bridge that takes you to Downtown Disney. The bridge is a short walk and should put you near Star Wars Trading Post and ESPN Zone. You then have to use the Security Clearance entrance to enter Downtown Disney. Just another option for people to use in case the Tram route is crowded in the mornings.

Want to avoid the Tram route walk? Toy Story Parking Area would be perfect for you.

Toy Story Parking Area - 300 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
This location is near Harbor and Convention way. Unlike both the Mickey and Friends/Pixar Pals Parking Structures, the Toy Story lot is all outdoors. Something to consider during the hot summer months with your car sitting outside in the summer heat, instead of shaded cover of the structures. Good thing about this lot, is they have added a Security Check area near the free buses. There are also restrooms in this area. With Security check completed, when the bus takes you to the Harbor drop off, you walk straight to the Disneyland Esplanade and bypass the Harbor side security entrance. Plus from all accounts, the Toy Story lot is easier to leave at the end of the day and doesn't see the same bottle neck issues that the Structures sees when everyone is leaving at the same time. Keep in mind, the last shuttle from Harbor side to Toy Story is 2 hours after park closing. So if you miss that, you'll have to walk down Harbor street (15-20 minute walk).
* Key tip, if you're staying near the Katella Ave and Convention Way hotels, bypass the Harbor side walk from your hotel and take the free shuttle service in buses that have air conditioning!

Simba Parking Lot - Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802 (between W Katella Ave and Paradise Pier Hotel)
This is the Downtown Disney parking lot. $10 for the first hour and then there are validations that apply if you make purchases of $20 or more or if you eat at one of the restaurants. DO NOT use this for theme park parking, as after any validations, you get charged $7 each 30 minute increments with a max charge of $66 for the day.

GardenWalk Parking Structure - 321 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
They have increased their prices, used to be $18 and currently it's $25. Upon entry, text your parking ticket # and text them AA (Anaheim Attractions pricing) to 949-532-8293. Do not wait as you're leaving the park, as at times this process will take about an hour or so and if you leave before they validate it, you will be charged the maximum daily parking charge of $30. Good thing about this parking lot it's very close to the Harbor side entrance and it's open 24 hours.

There are various hotels on Harbor that also offer Theme Park Parking, although most of these hotel parking spots fill up very quickly early in the mornings.

Thank you for this information! We parked at Garden Walk at 8:30 and there was no line to get in and plenty of spots. We parked on the ground floor near the entrance which got us out of there pretty quickly. There was a long line of cars heading out at close, but we didn’t have to wait in it because we parked near the entrance/exit. I never saw a sign in the garage advertising the $25 rate, but I texted the number you suggested and they validated the ticket and it reduced the price from $30 to $25. I would suggest parking at Garden Walk to avoid the long line of cars at Mickey and Friends or the long wait for the Toy Story bus in the evening.

 

[Matrixleos]

I think a lot of people don't realize how close GardenWalk is to the Harbor entrance.

Without trams, the walk to GardenWalk is faster than Mickey and Friends late at night. Especially with navigating a crowded Downtown Disney.