Silly question - walking from the parks

[Maddysdaddy]

Sorry for asking what is likely a very silly question...

In November, my daughter and I are staying off-site for the first time, so I have no experience walking from the parks in the evening/at night.

Is it safer/less safe to walk down Katella as opposed to Harbour, or does it not make a difference (Google maps shows the walk to be about the same distance departing from the Grand Californian and walking down Katella as it is to walk from the Esplanade down Harbour (and yes, I know that I'm not accounting for the extra distance walking thru Downtown Disney to get to the GC, but that's what the monorail is for).

Thanks.

 

[bwvBound]

Interesting question. We walk Harbor quite frequently, in both daylight and late night ("park closing" but not "wee hours"); we've walked Katella twice but only because we intended to visit a business along that route.

My gut response: Given a choice, I'd use Harbor.
Why?
a) because we are familiar with Harbor by virtue of personal experience;
b) Harbor has lots of people; the pedestrian traffic on Katella, in my very limited experience, is thin. Result: My brain says, "Less safe" as there are fewer to "witness" or "help" should we have a problem.

I'm curious to see how others respond!

 

[crystal1313]

Which hotel are you walking to? Without knowing that, I would lean towards Harbor because there’s typically more people around on that route. We also had a really scary incident with a homeless lady on Katella and Disneyland drive, so now I’m a bit scared to go that way. (It’s the only time we have had an issue with homeless in the Anaheim area)

 

[pharmama]

I would generally agree with bwvBound that there is more foot traffic on Harbor, though I don't know that I'd consider either unsafe. If you are using Katella, I would probably walk on the south side of Katella between Disneyland Dr. and Harbor (the side where the Westin, convention center, Residence Inn etc. are). The other side that backs up to DCA has sidewalks etc. but is a bit darker and even less traveled. What hotel/destination are you walking to?

I do want to point out that you mention the monorail to get to the GCH... however, the monorail is not a great option to get to the GCH. Although it goes through the hotel, the only monorail station outside the park is quite a ways from the DTD entrance to the GCH and you would be backtracking through half of DTD to go back to the GCH entrance. I suppose you could walk from the monorail out the DLH exit of DTD and then down to Katella but this doesn't seem especially efficient.

If your destination is near the intersection of Harbor/Katella I might consider going the Katella route if you are already at the GCH for some other reason (or perhaps at DLH for Trader Sam's or Goofy's Kitchen) or potentially if you are in DCA near the pier area (use the new exit next to corn dog castle. This is on-site hotel guests only to enter but anyone can exit that way) but in most other cases I don't know if makes sense to go that way or if the monorail is really helpful here.

 

[DizMe]

I have to agree with bwvBound, and in the same position. Have walked down Harbor numerous times and there are always lots of other people. Katella, at least in the past, seemed sketchier at night because of fewer people and activity. However, they've put in the new Westin and things have changed since I last walked there so it may be different now.

 

[DLgal]

What hotel are you going to?

It will never make sense to walk through the GCH out to Disneyland Drive and then to Katella to get to a hotel on Harbor unless you are already inside the GCH (having dinner or something).

And the monorail doesn't let you out near GCH at all. You'd have to backtrack through half of DtD. Conversely, exiting DtD over near the DLH is a long walk to get to Katella.

If you will be leaving the park at the front gates, Harbor is usually the best option.

Neither is inherently "unsafe" but Katella runs along the backside of DCA and at night has a more isolated stretch.

 

[DLgal]

I would generally agree with bwvBound that there is more foot traffic on Harbor, though I don't know that I'd consider either unsafe. If you are using Katella, I would probably walk on the south side of Katella between Disneyland Dr. and Harbor (the side where the Westin, convention center, Residence Inn etc. are). The other side that backs up to DCA has sidewalks etc. but is a bit darker and even less traveled. What hotel/destination are you walking to?

I do want to point out that you mention the monorail to get to the GCH... however, the monorail is not a great option to get to the GCH. Although it goes through the hotel, the only monorail station outside the park is quite a ways from the DTD entrance to the GCH and you would be backtracking through half of DTD to go back to the GCH entrance. I suppose you could walk from the monorail out the DLH exit of DTD and then down to Katella but this doesn't seem especially efficient.

If your destination is near the intersection of Harbor/Katella I might consider going the Katella route if you are already at the GCH for some other reason (or perhaps at DLH for Trader Sam's or Goofy's Kitchen) or potentially if you are in DCA near the pier area (use the new exit next to corn dog castle. This is on-site hotel guests only to enter but anyone can exit that way) but in most other cases I don't know if makes sense to go that way or if the monorail is really helpful here.

OMG, twin thought process!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Sorry for asking what is likely a very silly question...

In November, my daughter and I are staying off-site for the first time, so I have no experience walking from the parks in the evening/at night.

Is it safer/less safe to walk down Katella as opposed to Harbour, or does it not make a difference (Google maps shows the walk to be about the same distance departing from the Grand Californian and walking down Katella as it is to walk from the Esplanade down Harbour (and yes, I know that I'm not accounting for the extra distance walking thru Downtown Disney to get to the GC, but that's what the monorail is for).

Thanks.

We walked back to our hotel (on Harbor) along Katella several times last month. No problems, but we do prefer to use Harbor because there are more stores along the way. Makes it easy to stop for snacks, beverages, any forgotten items on the way back to the hotel.