Security lines on harbor

[becks59]

we are headed to DL on Monday! I’ve read a post about security lines taking forever in the mornings. That was a couple months ago I think though. Can anyone report back how they are now? How much time should I figure into waiting there? We will have a stroller and a bag.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

It is quite variable depending on crowd level, time, whether there’s a MM or not, etc.

I’d say the average in the morning (around rope drop) is 15-20 minutes (it often looks miserable but if I actually time it, it’ll be 17 minutes or something). However, there are certainly mornings where it takes 30-40 minutes (particularly Tuesdays). If it’s important to you to be at rope drop, budget time accordingly.

 

[StageTek]

In the morning the lines still can take forever. I second Skyegirl - allow 15 to 20 minutes.

 

[auteur55]

Is it quicker to walk around it to the Disneyland hotel side to get in? (Or somewhere else?

 

[DaveNinja]

Is it quicker to walk around it to the Disneyland hotel side to get in? (Or somewhere else?

not likely. that would be a pretty long walk

 

[StageTek]

Is it quicker to walk around it to the Disneyland hotel side to get in? (Or somewhere else?

Where are you staying? From the Harbor entrance to the Disneyland Hotel entrance is about 2 miles via Katella Ave. Most people walk a mile in 15/20 minutes.

 

[auteur55]

Staying at the HOJO. This Sunday would like to be in DL at rope drop. I’m thinking starting the walk over at 7:00 will work (parks open at 8)? Anyone agree?

 

[Pamela M]

Staying at the HOJO. This Sunday would like to be in DL at rope drop. I’m thinking starting the walk over at 7:00 will work (parks open at 8)? Anyone agree?

That's what I did - I was at the residence inn about 1/2 mile from the security lines. I feel like I was inline by 7:30-7:40. always made it to the line before they let people in. If you want to be the front of rope drop you'll need to get there earlier.

 

[StageTek]

Staying at the HOJO. This Sunday would like to be in DL at rope drop. I’m thinking starting the walk over at 7:00 will work (parks open at 8)? Anyone agree?

I agree. Get into the security line at 7AM > 20min in line > you'll be at the gate before 7:30. Line might be shorter so you may get up to the gate even earlier!

 

[avalon451]

We were there Sunday, day before Memorial Day. I was with a high school band group, and our transportation dropped us about 8:30 a.m. (9 a.m. opening). Given my druthers I'd have been there at 8. The lines for security looked awful, but I'd estimate we were through in 15 minutes. Still, it made us miss opening to rope drop at CA and knocked off my schedule.

 

[limace]

We will be staying at the Grand Californian and our first park day will be a Tuesday-June 18. What’s our best bet for security if we want to make it for EMH?

 

[HydroGuy]

We will be staying at the Grand Californian and our first park day will be a Tuesday-June 18. What’s our best bet for security if we want to make it for EMH?

For DL you need to exit GCH into DTD and head towards the DL turnstiles. I have not been thru DTD security since they the checkpoints so I have no first hand experience. What most have said is that coming out of GCH into DTD is pretty fast for security. An that is the preferred route even for DCA EMH rather than thru the special DCA entrance which can really back up.

 

[Mamato4boys]

My plan for our MM on Tuesday the 19th (7 am)... Leave our hotel (Del Sol) at about 6:30, leave all bags with hubby in security line, while the rest of us go through the no bag line (please let it be open!). Hopefully no one will mind him joining us in line once he is finished with security.

I know we won't be near the beginning of the line, but my little guys won't handle getting there and waiting in line for an hour before getting in well at all. Hopefully because it is an early MM it won't be too bad. Would an extra 10 minutes make a big difference?

If anyone sees a reason why this plan is a bad one, I would really appreciate a head's up!

 

[cmwade77]

Don't bring any bags of any shape or form and it won't take longer than 2 minutes to breeze through the metal detector and go on your way in the morning thanks to the no bag line.

 

[BrerMama]

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn last week and the only time we experienced true congestion at security was when we had to leave the park at 9 am to walk to Walgreens and back to get my daughter medication (from the pharmacy, which didn't open until 9 am). The line when we got back at 9:45ish was 30-45 minutes. Other than that, we left our hotel about 40 minutes before park opening and the lines moved steady and there were plenty open. We did our MM on a day the park opened 8 and there was NO ONE in line at 6:30 am.

(Also, we did go to Paradise Pier for a breakfast on our off day and getting through security on that side at 11 am was pretty long as well. So the DTD lines aren't always shorter. Just try to get there before 9 am any day and I think you'll be fine.)

 

[WillowRain]

We were there at 730 for EMM and got right in. Maybe 5 mins. Then they immediately let us in the park too. So we were up at the hub by 750. It was great! Monday we arrived at 9, an hour after opening, and the wait was more like 20 to get through, still not terrible.

 

[limace]

For DL you need to exit GCH into DTD and head towards the DL turnstiles. I have not been thru DTD security since they the checkpoints so I have no first hand experience. What most have said is that coming out of GCH into DTD is pretty fast for security. An that is the preferred route even for DCA EMH rather than thru the special DCA entrance which can really back up.

Thank you! I haven’t been since security has changed, and I’ve never stayed at the Grand so I wasn’t sure if I would have to go through the Harbor entrance.

 

[azdisneylover]

We will be staying at the Grand Californian and our first park day will be a Tuesday-June 18. What’s our best bet for security if we want to make it for EMH?

We stayed at the Grand this past April, and we used the DCA entry and got in pretty quick. Make sure while you are in line everyone has their room key and ticket/AP and all pockets, zippers etc on purses, backpacks are open and ready to go. This speeds up the process.

Have fun!

 

[MillauFr]

We were at DL 5/13-5/15 and the security lines weren't that bad. They also have no bags lines now that were very quick.

 

[MonocularVision]

We were at the park around 7:15-7:25 for an 8am open on 5/13 & 5/20-5/22 and all 3 times the wait for security on Harbor was extremely short. Like less than 5 minutes easily. One morning I think we had no wait.

YMMV