Parking with Magic Key Q

[DizMe]

I have a Dream Key that includes parking. I never drive so I'm a bit clueless about where I should/can park that's easiest. For a day in the parks, would that be the parking structure? Toy Story? Other?

Also, my daughter and I will be going to DTD only the day before. We want to go to Trader Sam's. What is the best option for parking in that case, where we won't be going into the parks?

Thanks!

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

I have no answers, but bumping so someone else sees your question

 

[DLgal]

I have a Dream Key that includes parking. I never drive so I'm a bit clueless about where I should/can park that's easiest. For a day in the parks, would that be the parking structure? Toy Story? Other?

Also, my daughter and I will be going to DTD only the day before. We want to go to Trader Sam's. What is the best option for parking in that case, where we won't be going into the parks?

Thanks!

Don't park at Downtown Disney to visit Trader Sam's. You will pay $10 for the first hour and then another $14/hr after that. You can get validated for an additional 3 hours by making a single purchase over $20 in any Downtown Disney retailer, but you will still have to pay the first $10.

If you have a Dream Key, the easiest parking is at the large structure. The Toy Story lot is also an option, but IMO a bit cumbersome with having to wait in line to board the bus and go through security. It took us 40 minutes last time from parking to entering the park, where it's closer to 15-20 when walking from the structure.

Those two are your only included parking options.

For your Trader Sam's visit, I'd personally just park for free in the structure and walk over. The hotel is literally across the street from the structure. Take the bridge over on level 2 of the Pixar Pals side (Coco) and right after you cross the bridge, take the staircase on your left down, then walk towards the Downtown Disney parking lot cast member entrance and follow the sidewalk up to DLH.

 

[DLgal]

Oops. Duplicate post.

 

[DizMe]

Don't park at Downtown Disney to visit Trader Sam's. You will pay $10 for the first hour and then another $14/hr after that. You can get validated for an additional 3 hours by making a single purchase over $20 in any Downtown Disney retailer, but you will still have to pay the first $10.

If you have a Dream Key, the easiest parking is at the large structure. The Toy Story lot is also an option, but IMO a bit cumbersome with having to wait in line to board the bus and go through security. It took us 40 minutes last time from parking to entering the park, where it's closer to 15-20 when walking from the structure.

Those two are your only included parking options.

For your Trader Sam's visit, I'd personally just park for free in the structure and walk over. The hotel is literally across the street from the structure. Take the bridge over on level 2 of the Pixar Pals side (Coco) and right after you cross the bridge, take the staircase on your left down, then walk towards the Downtown Disney parking lot cast member entrance and follow the sidewalk up to DLH.

Thanks for that detailed description. I did as you recommended and it worked perfectly! The next day, when we went to DL from the parking structure, it seemed like such a long walk, though. And I'm a walker! I just felt it was a lot to expect from a lot of the guests and must bump up the number of wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers that come in.

 

[DizMe]

We also got the "luck of the draw" parking spot that was the very very last one in the row, farthest from the exit to the parks

 

[DLgal]

We also got the "luck of the draw" parking spot that was the very very last one in the row, farthest from the exit to the parks

Ugh. That is the WORST. We got basically the closest spot in the Pixar Pals section yesterday. It's always a gamble.

 

[njchris]

Ugh. That is the WORST. We got basically the closest spot in the Pixar Pals section yesterday. It's always a gamble.

I usually go later in the day. They usually put you up into the Micky & Friends lot, but I go to the end to see if it's open to get to toy story so I can be closer and walk through DTD (at least until the trams are back). I prefer the DTD walk since there's activity to distract me from the long walk. lol. But they have been blocking with cones every time lately. Monday it looked like someone knocked some out of the way to get through, so I squeezed through and got a close spot to the elevator area, which is closer to the bridge to DTD. I don't follow the path all the way since it's cast member entrance and cut through the lot (where they again try to block people from walking).

 

[DLgal]

I usually go later in the day. They usually put you up into the Micky & Friends lot, but I go to the end to see if it's open to get to toy story so I can be closer and walk through DTD (at least until the trams are back). I prefer the DTD walk since there's activity to distract me from the long walk. lol. But they have been blocking with cones every time lately. Monday it looked like someone knocked some out of the way to get through, so I squeezed through and got a close spot to the elevator area, which is closer to the bridge to DTD. I don't follow the path all the way since it's cast member entrance and cut through the lot (where they again try to block people from walking).

We have started walking down the staircase just after you cross the bridge. Turn left, walk along the sidewalk towards DLH, turn left after crossing the DtD Cast parking lot entrance and walk up that sidewalk to the security entrance near DLH. It's a much shorter route than cutting through the parking lot itself.

We have started just entering the Pixar Pier lot in the mornings because it's been consistently open the last few weekends. I much prefer parking in PP side because we prefer the DtD walk as well.

 

[DizMe]

I usually go later in the day. They usually put you up into the Micky & Friends lot, but I go to the end to see if it's open to get to toy story so I can be closer and walk through DTD (at least until the trams are back). I prefer the DTD walk since there's activity to distract me from the long walk. lol. But they have been blocking with cones every time lately. Monday it looked like someone knocked some out of the way to get through, so I squeezed through and got a close spot to the elevator area, which is closer to the bridge to DTD. I don't follow the path all the way since it's cast member entrance and cut through the lot (where they again try to block people from walking).

When you say you "go to the end to see if it's open to get to toy story" I don't follow what that means. Where is Toy Story? Is that in Pixar Pals?

We have started walking down the staircase just after you cross the bridge. Turn left, walk along the sidewalk towards DLH, turn left after crossing the DtD Cast parking lot entrance and walk up that sidewalk to the security entrance near DLH. It's a much shorter route than cutting through the parking lot itself.

We have started just entering the Pixar Pier lot in the mornings because it's been consistently open the last few weekends. I much prefer parking in PP side because we prefer the DtD walk as well.

Same issue; I'm just so unfamiliar with the parking structures I don't really understand much of this conversation, but I looked up Pixar Pals on youtube and saw that that's where the bridge is, so we must have walked over there from M&F. I know we used stairs, escalator and bridge the first day. Second day we walked the tram route. It seemed faster to go across the bridge, but it could just be that there was more to keep track of. I likely would have gotten lost if my dd hadn't been with me.

 

[DLgal]

When you say you "go to the end to see if it's open to get to toy story" I don't follow what that means. Where is Toy Story? Is that in Pixar Pals?

Same issue; I'm just so unfamiliar with the parking structures I don't really understand much of this conversation, but I looked up Pixar Pals on youtube and saw that that's where the bridge is, so we must have walked over there from M&F. I know we used stairs, escalator and bridge the first day. Second day we walked the tram route. It seemed faster to go across the bridge, but it could just be that there was more to keep track of. I likely would have gotten lost if my dd hadn't been with me.

I think he meant Pixar Pals side. The two structures are connected. Its always faster to walk over towards the Pixar Pals side from M&F side without taking the escalator down and back up. The 2 sides connect around the corner from the elevators on the M&F side. Just walk past the escalators and go around the elevators and turn left. You will then be in the PP side. Continue walking down that way and you will get to the PP elevators/staircase where you go down to level 2 and walk across the bridge.

Sometimes when you arrive late in the day, you can drive through to the Pixar Pals side and just pick a lane that has green numbers indicating available spaces. You can often get up close to the elevators that way (rows A-D or so).

Here are 2 photos. The top one shows the pathway between M&F and PP side. The bottom one highlights a little bridge that connects the 2 sides of M&F at all levels that you can cut across when you are parked far away (rows 1-6 on M&F).

 

[DLgal]

This is the walking path we take as of late. We have been yelled at by security on bikes when we have tried cutting through the parking lit. This way is faster and doesn't break any rules.

 

[DizMe]

Thank you for all of those details! And you're right--we didn't take the escalator, we went down the stairs (needed to get to the level where the bridge is, which was 2 floors below where we parked).

Now in your picture above, are you saying that you take the route marked in yellow or the one that's blue? We just followed the pack after crossing the bridge. I don't even remember where we came out, but it didn't seem like a bad walk. The second day, we were going into DL so we went the tram route way and it seemed really long, though part of that was the loooooooooong walk to the far end of the parking lot first, then down to ground level where we looped through a building and security then onto the tram path. It was pretty full of people (hardly anyone else when we went the first day, but it was Friday afternoon) so all of that probably made the tram route seem longer.

Anyway, trying to picture where it was you got yelled at for cutting through the parking lot. We once walked from DLH over to a place my daughter was considering renting at Magic Way and Walnut. We went in and out through the DLH parking lot, where you go when you're checking in. Nobody seemed to mind but that was about 3-4 years ago.

 

[njchris]

I think he meant Pixar Pals side.

Oops, yes Pixar Pals! My bad!
I've been lucky so far. Haven't gotten yelled at by security YET. There was one on bike and he rode by as a bunch of us cut through the 'barricaded' section that says CM only. The way you go seems about the same distance so maybe I'll try that next time.

 

[DLgal]

Thank you for all of those details! And you're right--we didn't take the escalator, we went down the stairs (needed to get to the level where the bridge is, which was 2 floors below where we parked).

Now in your picture above, are you saying that you take the route marked in yellow or the one that's blue? We just followed the pack after crossing the bridge. I don't even remember where we came out, but it didn't seem like a bad walk. The second day, we were going into DL so we went the tram route way and it seemed really long, though part of that was the loooooooooong walk to the far end of the parking lot first, then down to ground level where we looped through a building and security then onto the tram path. It was pretty full of people (hardly anyone else when we went the first day, but it was Friday afternoon) so all of that probably made the tram route seem longer.

Anyway, trying to picture where it was you got yelled at for cutting through the parking lot. We once walked from DLH over to a place my daughter was considering renting at Magic Way and Walnut. We went in and out through the DLH parking lot, where you go when you're checking in. Nobody seemed to mind but that was about 3-4 years ago.

What blue path are you seeing? I only marked out with yellow.

They don't want people cutting through where it says "Stitch Parking Lot" on the image.

 

[Wedgeout]

The return walk is more direct because anyone can exit Downtown Disney at the cast member security and walk that outer sidewalk back to the parking structure.

 

[DizMe]

What blue path are you seeing? I only marked out with yellow.

They don't want people cutting through where it says "Stitch Parking Lot" on the image.

Ah! I guess I'm seeing a line of trees! LOL.