Walk from Paradise Pier

[karylrocks]

It looks like quite a walk from PP to the DL entrance. We stayed at the DLH a few years ago and the walk through DTD really wore me out but the walk to PP looks even worse. Does anyone know just how far it is? Do you have to walk over toward DLH to get there or can you cross the street and cut through GCH?

 

[l’amore bella]

You could definitely cut through the Grand Californian Hotel. I like to walk through Downtown Disney, which takes about ten minutes.

 

[Simba001]

It looks like quite a walk from PP to the DL entrance. We stayed at the DLH a few years ago and the walk through DTD really wore me out but the walk to PP looks even worse. Does anyone know just how far it is? Do you have to walk over toward DLH to get there or can you cross the street and cut through GCH?

Yes, you can cross the street and cut through GCH. That is typically what we do when staying there. I don't considr PP to be a long walk to DL. I think it is actually closer than some of the rooms at DLH even if you go through DTD. Enjoy your stay.

 

[Albort]

just fyi, in the future, you can just walk around the corner and hop on the tram to take you to the front of the park...

 

[bumbershoot]

Walk around *what* corner, Albort? And is that lot with tram always open and running?

 

[DianneMcLean]

just fyi, in the future, you can just walk around the corner and hop on the tram to take you to the front of the park...

When we stayed at PP, we asked about a tram after walking to and from the parks the first day - we were told there was none - the only way to get to the parks was to cut through GCH. I didn't think the walk justified the price of the room. By the time we got back to the PP after park closing (we went in Sept. DL closed at 8pm), all the PP restaurants were closed and we walked all the way back to DTD - guess what, by the time we got back there, the restaurants were closed there too! Not sure what the deal is in the summer, but we will never stay there again unless they offer at least a direct route into DCA. Just not my cup of tea, sorry!

 

[DianneMcLean]

It looks like quite a walk from PP to the DL entrance. We stayed at the DLH a few years ago and the walk through DTD really wore me out but the walk to PP looks even worse. Does anyone know just how far it is? Do you have to walk over toward DLH to get there or can you cross the street and cut through GCH?

If the walk from DLH wore you out, you can expect the same from PP.

DLH wore me out too

 

[Hester]

Just stayed at the DLH last week. Previously we had stayed at the GCH. The walk is definitely significant. During a 4 night stay, the monorail only helped twice due to closings and/or ridiculous lines.

We initially stayed in the far DLH tower, with a view of PP ... certainly a longer walk.

Just my 2¢.

 

[mechurchlady]

Currently there is no tram from the Simba parking lot to DLR.

There are to options for Timon lot.

First is to have DCA take over the entire lot all the way to the south fence and remove the tram stop which could mean more back stage space at DCA for example.

Second is for DCA to move all the way south but leave a tram way path from Simba to DLR. I think that is what Albort is hinting at. They could in time put a tunnel under the roadway like at Knott's or a bridge so that trams would not have cross the street. That is a major problem as they could run trams every 3 minutes and that would cause havoc on Disneyland drive. I am hoping Albort is right.

For those who use Google you can click on the "my maps" on the left side of the page then add the measuring tool to check out distances which is how I can guestimate so well. Also remember that one person's short walk is another person's hike that leaves that person exhausted.

 

[Sherry E]

We also used the 'short cut' from the PPH through the GCH lobby. At the advice of Bumbershoot and others on DIS, we ignored the signs on the PPH property directing us to the entrance of DLH, and just crossed the street through the GCH. We enjoyed doing it this way, and it made sense, because we got a nice glimpse at what was happening at the GCH and we ate at Storytellers as well. It 'seemed' like a shorter walk, so that was good enough! I think it all depends on what you are used to. If you are accustomed to doing lots of walking, then this will not seem like a big deal because, after all, you will be doing miles of walking in a day at DLR. Not having a car, I am used to the concept of having to walk to places in general (people would be surprised to see the kinds of walks I have taken in my life in the past - from Miracle Mile to Westwood Village and BACK, all on foot!!). The main trouble I have now, and have had off and on for the last decade or so since a nasty back injury, is that sometimes I am in tremendous pain in my back/hips/legs. If I am having one of those bad pain days, then any extra walking is excruciating. Otherwise, if it is a non-pain day, then I am fine with walking as a rule. I like to get out and about and see what is what in DTD or on the hotel properties. My friend - who is not a big 'walker' - was definitely not thrilled with the walk from the PPH to DL/DCA at first. She was very daunted by it, and she has some problems in her knees and ankles. But last time, in December, I commented on how I was sorry to have to make her walk such a distance from PPH to the gates (because I couldn't afford to get a more conveniently located room at the GCH), and she said, "I don't mind it. I like the PPH." She had her pedometer on and she would periodically report to us how many steps we had taken. I think she was proud of herself that she was taking that many steps!

And at the end of the day, literally, when you have done that much walking in both parks and you see it confirmed on the pedometer, then the extra steps to get from DTD to PPH or from PPH to the gates of DCA or DL don't really seem that bad in the scheme of things. While I would prefer to stay at the GCH every now and then - because it IS so convenient and we got so much more accomplished on our trip when we stayed there in the past - it is just not in the budget most of the time, so I am content with the PPH.

 

[bumbershoot]

After some google and wiki mapping, Albort, are you talking about what I've just learned is called the Simba lot? I've read that that's an overflow that isn't open except on the busiest days (the times we avoid going).

Is there a way to know if it's open, before wasting time going the *other* way?

 

[pixiewings71]

After some google and wiki mapping, Albort, are you talking about what I've just learned is called the Simba lot? I've read that that's an overflow that isn't open except on the busiest days (the times we avoid going).

Is there a way to know if it's open, before wasting time going the *other* way?

The Simba lot did not have a tram when we were sent there once. We had to walk and it was not fun at all....it's quite a ways from the park, it's behind the PPH. We just walked up and thru the GCH but still, not fun.

 

[disney-super-mom]

It looks like quite a walk from PP to the DL entrance. We stayed at the DLH a few years ago and the walk through DTD really wore me out but the walk to PP looks even worse. Does anyone know just how far it is? Do you have to walk over toward DLH to get there or can you cross the street and cut through GCH?

The walk to/from PPH is not worse....if you cut through the GCH. We ALWAYS cut throught the GCH if we want to go to the front gates of DL. If we want to go to DCA, we use the private GCH entrance to DCA.

But we have two boys who like to spend most of their time in tomorrowland, so we often take the monorail in and out of DL, and the walk to/from the DTD monorail station is short and easy from the PPH.....it's about a five minute walk.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We stayed one night @ PP last Dec. we took the GC route ~ it was alright. I preferred the walk from HoJo's to DL and back to HoJo's much better.

 

[bumbershoot]

The Simba lot did not have a tram when we were sent there once. We had to walk and it was not fun at all....it's quite a ways from the park, it's behind the PPH. We just walked up and thru the GCH but still, not fun.

Hmm. I wonder what Albort is talking about then? The Timon lot (I had no idea what those lots were called until I wikimapia'd them) isn't just around the corner, so...



Just go across the street and through GCH. Go in the main doors of GCH, turn left, go down the hallway with several sets of small stairs (and a ramp for those on wheels), out the sliding glass doors at the end of the hall, follow the path, you come out about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way through DTD.

 

[Buttercup26]

Just returned from staying at Paradise Pier, 5/13 - 5/18. Have always stayed at the HoJo in the past. This trip we walked thru GCH almost everytime we went anywhere. I found the walk to be easier & more pleasant than the walk down Harbor to HoJo. It was hot while we were there and walking thru GCH is shady and air conditioned, no traffic and no waiting in crowds of people at the main crosswalk. I thought it was GREAT!

I didn't think it was any farther than the HoJo, although I know some feel it is. We took the monorail a few times, again I didn't find it a big deal to walk from PPH to the monorail station or vice versa.

I love the HoJo, but personally I really enjoyed the convenience of PPH. The only places on Harbor that we usually go to are Mimis and Millies, we are usually in the parks or in DTD. PPH seemed so much easier - especially when going thru the GCH.

One afternoon we had lunch at Rainforest, walked back to hotel to pick up stuff, walked to DCA (thru GCH). My DD forgot camera, I walked back to PPH got camera and then back to DCA. The walk from Rainforest to PPH was 5 minutes, another 6 or 7 minutes when we walked from PPH to DCA. When I left DCA to go get camera and walked back it took 30 minutes total - including time to go to room find camera, wait on elevator (only compliant about PPH is super slow elevators!) and walk back to Burbank icecream in front park of DCA.

I would never have volunteered to walk back and get camera if we have been staying anwwhere other than PPH or GCH.

I love the entrance to DCA from GCH and love that it's right by Whitewater Snacks, one of our favorite places to grab a bite to eat and fill up our water bottles. We will stay at PPH in future - I really liked the location.

 

[pixiewings71]

Molly I think they are going to add tram service to & from Simba when the Timon lot is closed for Carsland construction. Maybe they already have and I just don't know because we normally go straight to the parking structure to park.

 

[bumbershoot]

...and no waiting in crowds of people at the main crosswalk....


wait on elevator (only compliant about PPH is super slow elevators!) ...

Thoughts for the future, and for others...when staying at HoJo, unless you're stopping for food on the hotel side, cross Harbor at Manchester. No crowds at THAT light. Then at the bus stops, cut over to the right (there's a textured yellow crosswalk through part of it, you're going through the taxi waiting area) and walk in that way, instead of going to the same crosswalk that the hotel-side walkers are using.

Cuts a little time and a lot of frustration out of the walk. One day when we walked the hotel side (so I could get a pictorial of it along wiht the timing) we had to wait minutes while a soda truck waited so they could get into the driveway of one of the hotels! That was frusssstrating!


As for elevators, if you can, use the glass elevator. It's FAST and there's never a line. It's off by itself, it looks "exclusive", but anyone can use it. I couldn't do it on our first PPH stay, but on the second stay I just put my back to the "view" and enjoyed the FAST ride.

 

[DebbieB]

I stayed at PP twice last year and always cut through the GCH. I didn't think it was bad. I used their entrance into DCA. If I was at DL near Tomorrowland, sometimes I caught the monorail to Downtown Disney and then walked back through the GCH to get back.

 

[Talldewy]

All of our recent trips we were in the Wonder(south) tower at the DLH the walk to GC was slightly longer than from the PPH we had stayed at back in 2004. It was slightly shorter to go through DTD than the walk from PPH. One of the things I have not seen anyone mention is that in 2004 PPH offered a free (I tipped) golf cart ride from the back door of the hotel to DTD near the Sorcer's hat. One of the drivers even gave me his cell phone so i could call for a pickup on the way back. Anyone know if they still do this? We will be there next week but two grand kids and strollers will probably mean a walk through GCH.