Walking from Paradise Pier with new rules and security

[ClairC83]

First time staying at Paradise Pier in a couple of weeks. With new security points, how do you walk from Pier to Downtown Disney and to the gates? Is it actually true they will not let people walk through the entrance of Grand California anymore unless you are a guest? If so, if someone could just walk me through the walk so we can be prepared. Thanks!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Correct...you can no longer enter through the front door of the Grand unless you are a GCH registered guest.

Walk to the parks is easy...exit out the back doors of the PPH lobby then just follow the well marked walkway. It will take you over by the DLH and you will enter DTD around the Earl of Sandwich.

You can however still exit through the Grand as a shortcut headed back to the PPH hotel.

 

[disneymum58]

My question is if you have Breakfast at Storytellers or enter the hotel from DD, will they let you use the security gates at the GC to enter back into Downtown Disney?

 

[DLgal]

My question is if you have Breakfast at Storytellers or enter the hotel from DD, will they let you use the security gates at the GC to enter back into Downtown Disney?

Yes anyone can use that entrance anytime.

 

[Darkbeer1]

And if you have reservation for a GCH restaurant, you can enter from Disneyland Drive walking in, since the CM's checking Keys also have a tablet that has the reservation list, so if your name is on it, you are good to go.

 

[ParkHopper1]

My question is if you have Breakfast at Storytellers or enter the hotel from DD, will they let you use the security gates at the GC to enter back into Downtown Disney?

Yes...the DTD and DCA thoroughfares from the Grand remain unchanged with a few minor exceptions...there is now a security checkpoint going from the Grand to DTD, but there are no restrictions on who can go though there. Anyone can come and go as always. The GCH to DCA gate is now GHC only guest before 11am where prior it was all resort guests. After 11 it is still open to all.

Only change is that you can not enter from the street through the front doors of the Grand unless you are a GCH guest or confirmed reservation holder.

 

[bumbershoot]

Correct...you can no longer enter through the front door of the Grand unless you are a GCH registered guest.

Which is simply the most inhospitable thing I've heard of at Disney.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Which is simply the most inhospitable thing I've heard of at Disney.

But it was the only real way to logistically do it to get most folks to use the much larger security checks with many more stations. There was no real practical way to say only GCH guests could use the small Sephora check area hallway (only room for 2 stations max, plus a free flowing traffic lane in the other direction (entering the GCH).

If they waited to ask folks approaching the Sephora Check for a GCH room key, you would have a LOT of folks upset they had to walk back to the street and head to the ESPN Zone to enter, plus all the additional traffic of confused and upset park goers trying to find their way back to the street.

So they looked at the Vehicular Traffic check point, and followed their lead, which they have been doing for years. When you drive up, they ask you why you want to enter past the raising gate arm. If you arriving and have a GCH reservation, they will let you in and call the front desk to get ready for you, also if needed explain the difference between self and valet parking and which one you will use (Self park is between the PPH and the AMC Theater building on the west side of Disneyland Drive. If you need to use the valet and have a GCH reservation for a room, or a meal, they will allow you in, and then the valet will park the car under the GCH Villas. If you have no need to enter, you are asked to U-turn the vehicle and told where you need to drive to to find the proper location you are headed to.

So in reality, giving the guest the advance warning and not to enter from GCH without a true need (aka to use a unofficial shortcut) saves the guest from unneeded extra walking.

 

[Nonsuch]

...how do you walk from Pier to Downtown Disney and to the gates?...

repost:

Old path from PPH to esplanade: 2554 feet
New path from PPH to esplanade: 3374 feet

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

repost:

Old path from PPH to esplanade: 2554 feet
New path from PPH to esplanade: 3374 feet

Which means now it's officially more than a half-mile walk from PPH to the esplanade--or about as far as the tram station at the M&F parking structure. Anyone else see a problem with off-site day guests getting a convenient Disney transportation ride from that same distance but on-site guests told to walk the length of 11 football fields each way, every day?

 

[nikkislaght]

repost:
Thanks for this picture,, so can I assume that when staying on Katella and walked I would have to do the same route as green. and go through the PP as there is no access from that road to the esplanade?
Old path from PPH to esplanade: 2554 feet
New path from PPH to esplanade: 3374 feet

 

[Malcon10t]

Which means now it's officially more than a half-mile walk from PPH to the esplanade--or about as far as the tram station at the M&F parking structure. Anyone else see a problem with off-site day guests getting a convenient Disney transportation ride from that same distance but on-site guests told to walk the length of 11 football fields each way, every day?

Please redo your math. It is .16 miles further, WAY under a quarter mile, let alone a 1/2 mile. Yes, it is a 1/2 mile to walk from the PPH, always has been. Not sure what you want? A ride to the esplanade?


But now, security times are so much better!

 

[Darkbeer1]

OK, I have the distance using the ESPN Zone Security checkpoint as part of the walk from the Front Lobby of the PPH to the center of star in the Main Entrance Plaza at 3/4 of a mile (.7562), and you would still need to add the walk from your room to the front lobby (at least the elevators don't require much walking

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7011240

And the walk back is 1/2 of a mile using the Sephora GCH Hallway and the "shortcut" to go from the park to the Front Lobby of the PPH.

So a total of 1.25 of a mile round trip.

So my gmap pedometer program shows the change at .25 of a mile as the "shortcut" is 1/2 of a mile (2560 feet) compared to .7562 of a mile or 3800 feet for the new walk (well, always was the one Disney told its PPH guests in regards to getting to the parks through signage and maps handed out at the Hotel.)

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Please redo your math. It is .16 miles further, WAY under a quarter mile, let alone a 1/2 mile. Yes, it is a 1/2 mile to walk from the PPH, always has been. Not sure what you want? A ride to the esplanade?


But now, security times are so much better!

Please reread both my post and the post to which I was responding. You are incorrect about both key items:

• I spoke about the total length of the walk from PPH to the esplanade, not about the additional length alone; and
• The total length of the walk from PPH to the esplanade is now significantly longer than half a mile (as @Darkbeer1 just noted.)

And, obviously from my post, yes, a ride to the esplanade is exactly what I want for PPH guests. PPH guests, who are the farthest guests on property, deserve to have an option for a Disney shuttle to transport them that two-thirds of a mile to the esplanade. It is unfair for parking guests to have a free shuttle for their more than half mile trip and on-site hotel guests to not have the same option. GCH guests are at the esplanade. DLH guests have the monorail if desired adjacent to the hotel. PPH guests have nothing now but a 15 minute walk each way. For on-site hotel on either coast that are within walking distance of the parks, PPH is now

With the exception of GCH which sits at the esplanade, thanks to this change PPH is now both:

• The only "walkable" Disney resort hotel on either coast without a supplementary form of transportation; and
• The "walkable" Disney resort hotel with the longest walk of all to the nearest main gate.

And those two things together are pretty crappy.

 

[Steven G]

Assuming you don't want the shuttle to drive through downtown Disney, the only feasible way to have a shuttle is from the front entrance of the pph, and it would somehow have to get to the tram path of the Mickey and friends lot to the esplanade. That trip may take longer than just doing the walk.

I guess you could also go from back of pph to the Mickey and friends lot.

Then of course, you'd either have to go through security check at Mickey and friends lot, or before you boards the shuttle.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Assuming you don't want the shuttle to drive through downtown Disney, the only feasible way to have a shuttle is from the front entrance of the pph, and it would somehow have to get to the tram path of the Mickey and friends lot to the esplanade. That trip may take longer than just doing the walk.

Then of course, you'd either have to go through security check at Mickey and friends lot, or before you boards the shuttle.

The point isn't the time. The point is the walk.

 

[ParkHopper1]

DLH guests have the monorail if desired adjacent to the hotel. PPH guests have nothing now but a 15 minute walk each way. For on-site hotel on either coast that are within walking distance of the parks

Uhhh...pretty sure the monorail is not just limited to only DLH guests.

 

[Steven G]

Yeah, another option is to have a shuttle from back of pph, and drop you off at the entrance to downtown Disney. You then go through security, and can then take monorail, or walk through most of downtown Disney to the esplanade.

 

[Malcon10t]

OK, I have the distance using the ESPN Zone Security checkpoint as part of the walk from the Front Lobby of the PPH to the center of star in the Main Entrance Plaza at 3/4 of a mile (.7562), and you would still need to add the walk from your room to the front lobby (at least the elevators don't require much walking

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7011240

And the walk back is 1/2 of a mile using the Sephora GCH Hallway and the "shortcut" to go from the park to the Front Lobby of the PPH.

So a total of 1.25 of a mile round trip.

So my gmap pedometer program shows the change at .25 of a mile as the "shortcut" is 1/2 of a mile (2560 feet) compared to .7562 of a mile or 3800 feet for the new walk (well, always was the one Disney told its PPH guests in regards to getting to the parks through signage and maps handed out at the Hotel.)

Looking at your map, I am curious why you go out the back door, turn left, go around the parking area? (See Nonsuch's map above for the regular way.) Taking that loop out reduces the number to .6668.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Assuming you don't want the shuttle to drive through downtown Disney, the only feasible way to have a shuttle is from the front entrance of the pph, and it would somehow have to get to the tram path of the Mickey and friends lot to the esplanade. That trip may take longer than just doing the walk.

I guess you could also go from back of pph to the Mickey and friends lot.

Then of course, you'd either have to go through security check at Mickey and friends lot, or before you boards the shuttle.

When the Disneyland Resort Plan was written and approved by the city of Anaheim in the 1990's, Disney specifically had themselves exempted from using the ART system that was designed by the city to reduce air pollution and amount of vehicles being used as Hotel/Motel Shuttles, and basically required the Lodging locations to use the "Anaheim Resort Transportation" system that is operated by the city through the Anaheim Transportation Network. (The Candy Cane Inn and the Majestic Garden (former Sheraton) got grandfathered and still operate their own shuttles).

There was a proposed route, basically a full circle Route that goes from the Transportation Hub stop south down Harbor, west on Katella, north on Disneyland Drive, a stop at GCH, then continue north on Disneyland Dr to heading west on Magic Way to the DLH Valet, once again a stop, then back going south on Disneyland Drive to the PPH and a stop, then back to the Transportation Hub following the route used earlier. A full circle route, with 4 stops, similar to many other ART Routes. And since it is on city streets, has to be ART and not a Disney Tram like the M&F one.

Ironically Disney had to team up with ART when they opened the Toy Story Lot, and needed Bus service on city streets. (The buses are officially ART Route 20 and operated by ART, not Disney. Disney does use CM's to help guests load and unload at the stops, but on board the buses, everything is an ART employee including the drivers).

The other two 3/4 of a mile Hotels/Motels are the HoJo's (has ART service) and the Candy Cane Inn (has its own shuttle).

As part of the Eastern Gateway project and getting the zoning approval, Disney has offered to work with ART to create a new route for the current Hotels on Harbor between Disney Way and Manchester. Basically starts at the new Transportation Hub on Manchester, south down Manchester/Clementine to Disney Way, a stop near the corner, then west on Disney Way, and North up Harbor with a couple of stops on Harbor. Then a right back onto Manchester, maybe a stop near the Courtyard/HIE, and then back to the new Transportation Hub/Security Check and bridge entrance. Would run every 20 minutes, just like the other nearby ART Routes.

And while officially the DLH is a 1/2 mile property (Front Lobby to the Star), since the Lobby is close (east end of the Fantasy Tower), you can add close to another 1/4 of a mile staying in the Frontier Tower and on the East and West end of it (elevators are in the middle) so close to a 3/4 of a mile walk each way.