Parking Garage help

[ltdesign]

My family visited Disneyland last early January and we're prepping for another trip tomorrow! We had a heck of a time getting into the garage (we're driving from San Diego). We arrived about 10am into Anaheim and spent about an hour getting from the freeway to pulling into a parking spot in the big main garage.

Anyone have any good tips, suggestions, etc for entering the garage (either taking a specific surface street or exit from the freeway) or best time time to arrive? Or is an hour what we should just expect?

Sorry if this question has already been asked; I searched and couldn't find exactly what I was asking.

thank you!!

 

[skiingfast]

You won't want to use the garage. DLR now has a fully operating parking lot for traffic coming from the south.

To get to the Toy Story lot.

•Take the Katella Ave / Disney Way exit.
•Proceed on Disney Way for approximately 0.5 miles to Harbor Boulevard and turn left (South).
•Proceed approximately 0.5 miles on Harbor Boulevard and Disney parking will be on your left.


Note the above is from disneyland.com.

Since you are coming with family the carpool lane has it's own exit so no need to merge to the right. This will drop you onto Disney Way.

The Toy Story lot has frequent buses to the park entrances. Also if you are just going for a day and need tickets you may get them in the lot too.

 

[LavenderPeach]

But if you do want to park in the garage, my biggest suggestion is get there early. 10am is too late. Get there before the park opens then you won't have a big line for the garge or for rides. I know this can be hard when you have to commute from somewhere else (we live about an hour from DLR) but to us it is SO worth it to have a few hours of low crowds and to beat the parking lot crowds. Have a fun trip!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

My husband went down to the park this morning and he texted, at 10:39am, that they were still parking the garage on Daisy - the 2nd level, so I don't think you are going to have any issues with parking tomorrow. Usually by that time, they are parking Goofy (4th level).

 

[bumbershoot]

We've never had any choice on where we were parking; big street signs and people directing traffic have always made up our minds. Last time we drove from SD we were parked at Gardenwalk, no other choice.

Anyway, the biggest thing is to get there earlier. It's a good touring plan idea anyway.

And sadly that means leaving WAY early, because you don't want to get caught up in the downtown commuting madness (we come from Chula Vista when we're visiting my brother), so you're hitting the road very early. It is all worth it, but it's painful at the time!

 

[hurleysweety]

Where does the toy story lot bus drop off its passengers? Is it in that roundabout area where the ART busses go?

 

[skiingfast]

Where does the toy story lot bus drop off its passengers? Is it in that roundabout area where the ART busses go?

Yes, but on the opposite side of the pedestrian walkway from Harbor. So they are in the shade of the trees and a little closer to the security check point.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

We went for a one day trip on 12/21. Since we had breakfast reservations at Minnie and Friend's at 7:00AM, we got to the parking garage at 6:30AM. This was right when the garage was opening. Disneyland had a Magic Morning opening time at 7:00AM that day.

We were the third car into the garage and sailed right on up to the Daisy level parking and had the spot right next to the elevators/escalators. We were getting out of our car by about 6:35AM.

 

[ltdesign]

thanks everyone for the input...you've helped a lot!!

 

[Funball]

But if you do want to park in the garage, my biggest suggestion is get there early. 10am is too late. Get there before the park opens then you won't have a big line for the garge or for rides.!

and the parking garage opens ONE HOUR before the park does.....

 

[Nanseev]

We just left the parks...and it's not supposed to be busy tomorrow (Tuesday), so I think you'll be fine whatever time you show up. We got there today at 12ish and parked on Mickey...plenty of parking. We were in California Adventure all day and there were no lines on most of the rides. Toy Story was only 30 minutes.

We dont come in from the 5...we usually come in from the 57 and take Ball Road. You can take Ball Road straight, crossing over Harbor. The main parking structure (Mickey and Friends) is on your left.