Quickest route from DLH to DL and DCA

[Wilcojoe]

Ok, so I am trying to get all my ducks in a row for this weeks trip. Assuming we want to be at the main gates of either DL or DCA for EE, what do y'all recommend is the quickest route from the Disneyland Hotel? Looking at a map, it looks like there could be numerous ways to go.

 

[Camshell]

What ever you do don't attempt to go through the Grand Cal entrance! We stayed there but never used that entrance first thing. The line is enormous and can take 20-25 min. or longer to get through. I could never understand people lining up there????

Instead we always walked to the the regular security (usually the far left booth has the shortest line) and main park entrances around EE park opening (usually a few minutes after) and it only took about 10-12 min. or so from our hotel, security and the gate (we walk fast by the way).

 

[Wilcojoe]

What ever you do don't attempt to go through the Grand Cal entrance! We stayed there but never used that entrance first thing. The line is enormous and can take 20-25 min. or longer to get through. I could never understand people lining up there????

Instead we always walked to the the regular security (usually the far left booth has the shortest line) and main park entrances around EE park opening (usually a few minutes after) and it only took about 10-12 min. or so from our hotel, security and the gate (we walk fast by the way).

How did you get there? Did you walk thru Downtown Disney or cut thru the GCH?

 

[ParkHopper1]

Pretty much only one practical way to go from the DL Hotel...straight down through DTD to the Esplanade then the Main Gates of either park.

You can enter the GCH and cut through into DCA which is not really much of a sort cut, but by all reports that is a BAD idea first thing in the morning as it gets backed up and only a few security screeners and turnstiles. Use the main gates till later in the AM.

 

[Camshell]

How did you get there? Did you walk thru Downtown Disney or cut thru the GCH?

We stayed in the Grand Californian hotel. There is a hotel entrance directly onto the main Downtown Disney path. This is the same path between the Disneyland Hotel and the security gates. Everyone will be walking this path. Just get on this main path from the Disneyland hotel and walk to the security booths. Pick the shortest line you see. Usually the far left. Then head to the park gates. Again, look for the shortest line you see.

One thing that made our day more relaxing was to wait right until 5-10 minutes before the EE park opening to leave our room. We got to the security and park gates a few minutes after the EE opening. We seemed to always avoid the crowds and lineups this way. We weren't the first in the park but we were definitely early enough that we have not wait for any rides the first 15 or 20 min.. We walked right onto Space Mountain with 0 min. wait. We walked right onto Californian Screaming with 0 minute wait. We even rode California Screaming 3 times in a row with a 0 to 3 min wait. We rode Space Mountain twice with 0 min. wait.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I've found the wait to leave until 15 minutes before park entry to be very effective also. I suspect you get the exact same amount of rides in as people who were first in the gate with virtually no crowd. Especially at DCA. Try it your first day and see what you think. And yes. Straight down downtown disney.

 

[holtrp]

Keep an eye out for closed entrances and be ready to rush them right when they open. We noticed this both at DL and DCA right before opening. Only 1/2 of the entrances would be attended and once the lines got too long (25-50 people) they would open up more gates and we would just walk up to the front and go right in. Probably saved 15 minutes each day.

I noticed that most people are too busy pounding their phones or taking selfies to notice a new line had opened up and just continued to stand in the long line they were in. This seems to work well all around the park in fact, restaurants, rides.

Does the monorail run on EE? you could avoid DTD and main street both and it is very close to DLH

 

[Wilcojoe]

Thanks for the tips. I like the idea of waiting a bit before entering for EE. I think we will mostly use the monorail for going back and forth for breaks rather than risk it first thing in the morning. Plus two of our three days will begin at DCA. Though I guess we could check out the monorail line on Thursday as it would be nice to enter directly into tomorrowland on our EE day there.