Parking

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone knows when DL opens at 8am what time does the Mickey and Friends parking structure open?

Thanks for your help!

 

[CalGal]

The parking lot opens 1/2 hour before opening. If it's a non-EE day (usually Su, Wed, Fri) that would mean it would open at 7:30. If it's an EE day (Mon, Tue, Thur, Sat), that would mean the parking lot would open at 6:30.

Now, I've been at the entrance of M&Fs at opening (for both standard opening and EE opening) and there weren't big lines (especially for EE). However, Nemo is causing a bigger rush at opening these days. A poster noted that there were lines well before the parking structure opened at 7:30. If you're going any time soon, and you want to get to the gates early, you might want to consider another way to the park (shuttle or taxi?)

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Thanks! We are AP holders just going for the day and I wanted to get there early (not for Nemo we got to see it on an AP preview day!) and do fantasyland first. We really have no plan other than enjoying the park if we get to do a lot of rides great if not that is okay to. We will probably stay in DL for a little and then head over to CA adventure.

 

[Disney Anna]

CalGal is right. I was at the structure last June 11. I arrived at 7:15, there were huge lines. I was about 20 cars beyond the structure. We started to move slowly a little after 7:30. It was painful.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Well I thought I would report back that dd and I went today and the parking was open at 6:30 since it was an EE day. DD looked like she was in Disney Jail as we stood in line (the first crazy people there) while all the ee people got to go in. We did not even attempt nemo but we did stop by to ask the CM how long the wait was about 11am and he said 4 hours! Yikes!

 

[TwinsinCA]

I had a bad experience with the parking issue this morning and am wondering if someone can explain the logic of opening the ramp so late before I complain to Disney (something I have never done about anything at the park... EVER!).

This morning I took my kids to Disneyland to try to get on Nemo before we're in our AP summer blackout period. We tried last week but it was an EE day so despite getting to the gate 30 minutes before opening the line was already 90 minutes long and we skipped it.

We live in Riverside county so with no traffic it is just under an hour. During morning rush hour it is anyone's guess. This morning we left before 6 a.m. and pulled into the ramp at 7:15. We're maybe 6 or 7 cars from the booths. 7:30 comes they still are not open. 5 minutes later they are open. Only some poor guy ahead of us had his car stall/run out of gas/whatever so our line is not moving while lines on either side of us are. These things happen. I merged over. No big deal. Then we end up parked 4 spaces from the very end of the lot. By the time we get to the tram area one is pulling up. I know we won't make the first one but figure we'll get on the next that pulls up immediately. It fills up just before we can board. It is now 7:51. A full 7 minutes goes by (I clocked it) before I see another tram. And that tram has to stop and help someone in a wheelchair before it stops for the rest of us waiting. By the time we get through the gates it is nearly 8:15. The Nemo line was already to the area between the Matterhorn and Alice. Once again -- no Nemo for us.

So short of staying in a hotel (which seems ridiculous since we LIVE here) where else can we park that will get us to the gates early? On days when the park opens at 9am they open the ramp a full hour early which leaves plenty of time for delayed trams, people with stalled cars, etc. (I understand, these things happen) It really irks me that they make it so difficult on days they open early for those of us who drive to get there at a reasonable time. Why can they open before 7 a.m. on an EE day but not on the rest? I'm really trying to understand the logic.

Despite the beginning, we still had a wonderful day. The weather was great, the crowds were manageable, I got my Mickey pretzel , and we found the two Cars we still needed! I just wish we could have seen Nemo. But I know it will still be there in August when we can use our passes again.