Parking

[dohgusgus]

For my birthday trip we want to the gate as early as possible. Considering the time we are leaving is 6:15am, where we will be leaving from 52.61 miles away, according to Mapquest. Be there by 6:15 -6:30 if there is traffic, which my dad reassures me there will be little of as there is not much traffic on a Saturday morning, except a bit when going through the downtown LA area.

Plus, I want to make sure everything is okay with my tickets and if not then I can fix the problems. Plus I've never been there for the rope drop, the perfect experience for my birthday

Anyways, I'm droning on,

My actual question is where is the best place to park?

yep, that's my actual question. Sorry

 

[simba_one]

You'll be directed into one of the DLR parking areas. Either the M&F Parking Structure or the Timon Parking Lot... no parking spot is bad at the DLR. ESPECIALLY if you get there early as then you'll be at either the front of the lot or at the side of the structure where the escalators are so it'll be the shortest distance to walk to the trams.

Have a FANTASTIC Birthday Trip!!!

 

[elwise1966]

Just a quick note....the parking structure opens 30 minutes before the park does. In my experience, they are pretty rigid on the time too. Sometimes they'll open it at 7:25 (8 am park opening), but usually it's 7:30 on the dot. It also has to do with how many people are lined up to get in. If the line of cars is stretching back out of the structure and onto the street, they'll open it to clear the congestion.

 

[HydroGuy]

Considering the time we are leaving is 6:15am, where we will be leaving from 52.61 miles away, according to Mapquest. Be there by 6:15 -6:30 if there is traffic

Wow, you drive fast!

 

[cinderella_mom]

If you are directed to the Mickey and Friends parking lot, expect it to take 20-30 minutes from the time you enter the DLR parking lot until you reach the front gate to enter DL. This includes the time it takes to go through security. Have a great trip and Happy Birthday.

 

[kjhgarden]

Would anyone recommend the driver (Dh) dropping off me, the kids, and the stroller at the Harbor Blvd. entrance and then going to park. We could get in line and he could find us. I am worried about taking the double stroller on the tram.

 

[simba_one]

Would anyone recommend the driver (Dh) dropping off me, the kids, and the stroller at the Harbor Blvd. entrance and then going to park. We could get in line and he could find us. I am worried about taking the double stroller on the tram.

If it's an option, then why not?! It'll help a lot. Just make sure he remembers where he parked the car!!! Two heads are better than one so unless his memory is good, make sure he writes it down. We "forgot" where we parked once this summer and it took forever to find the car.

 

[luckcooky]

Since you're planning on arriving early, you have your choice of parking lots. I recommend the Lion King parking lot over the Mickey and Friends.

Lion King parking lot is closer so the tram ride is shorter. And based on previous experience, you spend less time waiting for the tram. I'm not 100% sure this is always the case, but the last few times I parked at Mickey & Friends parking lot, the line to board the tram was so bad I had to wait 2 rounds before my group was able to get on. I've never had to wait for more than 1 tram at Lion King.

 

[*Susan*]

What's the best way to get to the Lion King lot? We will be driving from the Embassy Suites (on Harbor). I was thinking east on Harbor, left on Katella, then right somewhere - ??

Thanks

 

[kjhgarden]

Yes, what street is the Lion King Lot accesssed from? Is there a walking entrance near that lot? so we could be dropped off?

 

[jlmarr]

Yes, what street is the Lion King Lot accesssed from? Is there a walking entrance near that lot? so we could be dropped off?

The "15 minute lot" is on Harbor Blvd adjacent to the shuttle bus entrance, just below the red dot on this link. Note that you enter the lot from the south entrance so you'll double back.

If you zoom out a couple of levels you'll see the Timon lot just south of DCA. (Actually the tram to these lots is called the "Lion King" tram, there's no "Lion King" parking lot.)

 

[HydroGuy]

Since you're planning on arriving early, you have your choice of parking lots. I recommend the Lion King parking lot over the Mickey and Friends.

Lion King parking lot is closer so the tram ride is shorter. And based on previous experience, you spend less time waiting for the tram. I'm not 100% sure this is always the case, but the last few times I parked at Mickey & Friends parking lot, the line to board the tram was so bad I had to wait 2 rounds before my group was able to get on. I've never had to wait for more than 1 tram at Lion King.

I am pretty sure the only lot closer than M&F is the Timon lot (1/2 mile vs. 3/4 mile). And after my experience at DLR last month I will never plan for the Timon lot again. In a nutshell, I was at DLR 60 miniutes early, waited for Timon to open, and when they did 30 minutes early they directed me to M&F anyways where I could have been near first in line (as I was at Timon) but instead was behind a ton of cars. In the future I will always go straight to M&F.

 

[simba_one]

I was going to say I'm not sure you can actually choose where you want to park all the time. You can choose to park at M&F if the Timon Lot is open already but otherwise, you'll get thrown round into M&F anyway. Unless they flag you straight over into the Pinochio lot.

Do they even use the Timon Lot that much after summer and other busy seaons? They can't do if they are/were thinking of closing it. If you have the choice, go for Timon but otherwise head for M7F and hope for the best. The trams definitely do take longer from there though.

The best way to get to the Timon Lot (or any park parking within the DLR) is straight down Harbor and turn left at the main entrance just in front of ToT. If you go down Katella then make a right, you'll head towards the M&F parkign structure and you'll miss the Timon Lot if it's open. It's more Disney if you go under the main sign with the streamers though!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

I was going to say I'm not sure you can actually choose where you want to park all the time. You can choose to park at M&F if the Timon Lot is open already but otherwise, you'll get thrown round into M&F anyway. Unless they flag you straight over into the Pinochio lot.

Do they even use the Timon Lot that much after summer and other busy seaons? They can't do if they are/were thinking of closing it. If you have the choice, go for Timon but otherwise head for M7F and hope for the best. The trams definitely do take longer from there though.

The best way to get to the Timon Lot (or any park parking within the DLR) is straight down Harbor and turn left at the main entrance just in front of ToT. If you go down Katella then make a right, you'll head towards the M&F parkign structure and you'll miss the Timon Lot if it's open. It's more Disney if you go under the main sign with the streamers though!!!

I heard that Timon in fact is not always open, and that when it opens it often does not do so until several hours after the park opens.

IMO the shorter 1/4 mile distance with Timon is not worth the risk if the lot is often not open, especially when you have gotten up very early in the morning (like I did) to make rope drop.

Fortunately for us, I was able to get into M&F (actually they parked me in Pinocchio right next to M&F) and then I hustled to the tram, waited about 2 minutes for the next tram to leave, and hustled from the tram to the gate where my DS13 (who was first in line) had waited at the turnstile. I got to the turnstile 2 minutes before the park opened, so although it was a bit of stressful/confusing experience we made rope drop in the end.

 

[dohgusgus]

Wow, you drive fast!

haha I meant 7:15-7:30

 

[dohgusgus]

If you are directed to the Mickey and Friends parking lot, expect it to take 20-30 minutes from the time you enter the DLR parking lot until you reach the front gate to enter DL. This includes the time it takes to go through security. Have a great trip and Happy Birthday.

Its never taken us THAT long.

 

[molarman]

We often use the drop off area, I travel with 6, 4, and 2 y/o and a double stroller. The stroller is sometimes a real pain to unload for boarding the train (the storage basket is normally filled with souveniers and has to be unloaded too). I just send my wife and kids to the drop-off area on Harbor and I head to M&F tram. By the time they get to the drop off area, I am usually in the car heading out of the garage. This doesn't necessary save much time, but sames a lot of hassle. The sleepy kids and Disney souveniers can be unloaded directly in the car, rather than having to lug around 3 sleeping kids, a double stroller, etc.

We also do this often in the morning, so my family gets a place in line and I park the car, carry the daybag through security and we have a place close to the front of the line. We always arrive at least 30-40 mins before park opening to take advantage of the empty park.

BTW, we have never parked in the parking lot just south of DCA, we always hope for it, but everytime,we are routed around the parking lot, back onto Disneyland Drive and on to M&F. I think this other lot opens later (or sometimes not at all), and we like to be there early.