Downtown Disney Parking Lots and Security Checkpoints Being Relocated in Early July at Disneyland

[dina444444]

As part of the ongoing construction at the Disneyland Resort, the parking lots and security checkpoints for Downtown Disney are getting reconfigured. All of these modifications are due to construction starting on the new Disneyland Resort Hotel in July.

Security Checkpoint Changes
Starting July 2nd, the Rainforest Cafe checkpoint will be closed to accommodate construction in the area. The checkpoint by the former AMC Movie Theater will be the only checkpoint for the foreseeable future.

Guests staying at the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel, and offsite locations on the western side of Disneyland will use this checkpoint. Those staying at the Disney’s Grand Californian will continue to use that dedicated entrance to Downtown Disney, but as we mentioned in a previous article, you must be a guest at the Grand Californian to use that entrance. No longer can offsite guests or those staying at other Disney Hotels use that entrance.

We snagged some photos today from Downtown Disney that seems to show construction starting on a new security checkpoint. This is located just south of the current checkpoint by AMC, and when it opens we expect the current checkpoint to close so that the AMC demolition can commence.

Also, if we take a look at the concept art for the new “Downtown Disney Hotel” you can see where the new checkpoint will be located.

Parking Lot Changes
Starting July 9th, guests intending to park at Downtown Disney will no longer be able to use the Downtown District North Lot. This lot will be closed to accommodate construction and for the Disneyland Hotel to utilize for parking.

Guests will now be directed to the Simba Lot, located off of Disneyland Drive just south of Paradise Pier Hotel. After parking, guests will then proceed north through the entrance by the old AMC Theater.

The new Disneyland Hotel will feature 700 rooms and is scheduled to open in 2021.

Source

 

[soniam]

Not having stayed at DLH or been to DLR since the addition of the security checkpoints, what exact route will DLH guests be taking to enter Downtown Disney through security? I am looking at Google maps. We will be there in 2 weeks, so we will be affected by this. Thanks

 

[mom2rtk]

So the wait for security for guests of 2 of 3 of their overpriced onsite hotels just got longer. Brilliant.

 

[soniam]

So the wait for security for guests of 2 of 3 of their overpriced onsite hotels just got longer. Brilliant.

Looking at the checkpoint super thread, I am not really sure if that's true. I think PPH guests were already using the checkpoint just east of DLH and right in front of Jazz Kitchen. I presume that was the checkpoint that DLH guests used to. I think that checkpoint is remaining for a little while. I don't know what other checkpoint PPH guests could have used, at least at rope drop, since they haven't been able to use the GCH entrance for a while. Not having been to DLR since the checkpoints were added, where do DLH and PPH guests enter security now?

https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-disneyland-security-point-thread.3672384/

 

[gottalovepluto]

I’m a bit confused, can someone help? I’ve stayed at DLH so I recall walking out between Adventure & Fantasyland towers, crossing a street and going through security. Is that checkpoint being discussed here? Do we know if that’s moving/becoming busier? I have some decision making to do about a DLH stay in sept...

 

[McPhoenix]

The checkpoint "by the former AMC Movie Theater" is referring to the one that's directly across from the Disneyland Hotel, correct? So I wonder how that'll affect people walking from the Mickey & Friends parking garage.

 

[Amy Hammack]

Does anyone know if the trams will still be running from Mickey and Friends to DTD? We have always stayed across the street from Mickey and Friends and then taken the tram up to the park. We are headed back in a few weeks so any info as things change is going to be very helpful!

 

[auntiegem]

If I am not a guest at the GCH but go there to eat a meal, how do I get back into DTD to get back to the parks?

 

[gottalovepluto]

If I am not a guest at the GCH but go there to eat a meal, how do I get back into DTD to get back to the parks?

Anybody can use the DTD/GCH to exit and enter the DtD security zone. The article was poorly worded with that regard. They’re trying to say you can’t enter the front door of the GCH and come use the DtD security checkpoint- that’s because the only people who can enter there now are guests of the hotel and those with dining reservations.

 

[soniam]

If I am not a guest at the GCH but go there to eat a meal, how do I get back into DTD to get back to the parks?

I have read accounts of people needing to show their receipt from the meal to get through, but that may have been only at park opening.

 

[LilyJC]

So I wonder how that'll affect people walking from the Mickey & Friends parking garage.

That’s what I was just wondering as well since it’s our favorite way to get to the parks when we aren’t staying on site. It’ll be interesting to see which way they’ll send walkers this time.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I have read accounts of people needing to show their receipt from the meal to get through, but that may have been only at park opening.

Only for the DCA entry point.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

As part of the ongoing construction at the Disneyland Resort, the parking lots and security checkpoints for Downtown Disney are getting reconfigured. All of these modifications are due to construction starting on the new Disneyland Resort Hotel in July.

Security Checkpoint Changes
Starting July 2nd, the Rainforest Cafe checkpoint will be closed to accommodate construction in the area. The checkpoint by the former AMC Movie Theater will be the only checkpoint for the foreseeable future.

Guests staying at the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel, and offsite locations on the western side of Disneyland will use this checkpoint. Those staying at the Disney’s Grand Californian will continue to use that dedicated entrance to Downtown Disney, but as we mentioned in a previous article, you must be a guest at the Grand Californian to use that entrance. No longer can offsite guests or those staying at other Disney Hotels use that entrance.

We snagged some photos today from Downtown Disney that seems to show construction starting on a new security checkpoint. This is located just south of the current checkpoint by AMC, and when it opens we expect the current checkpoint to close so that the AMC demolition can commence.

Also, if we take a look at the concept art for the new “Downtown Disney Hotel” you can see where the new checkpoint will be located.

Parking Lot Changes
Starting July 9th, guests intending to park at Downtown Disney will no longer be able to use the Downtown District North Lot. This lot will be closed to accommodate construction and for the Disneyland Hotel to utilize for parking.

Guests will now be directed to the Simba Lot, located off of Disneyland Drive just south of Paradise Pier Hotel. After parking, guests will then proceed north through the entrance by the old AMC Theater.

The new Disneyland Hotel will feature 700 rooms and is scheduled to open in 2021.

Source

Thanks, Dina! I guess we'll be parking at Mickey & Friends instead of Downtown Disney. Sounds crazy

 

[stickeymouse]

Has anybody stayed at the GC since the checkpoints were moved? What are the security lines like to DTD and DCA?

 

[az4boys]

I was totally confused until I looked at the map in the thread that was linked in an earlier post. I could not figure out where the security checkpoint near the AMC was, and I was just there 2 months ago. I guess I associated that checkpoint with being directly across from the DL Hotel and next to ESPN Zone. I didn't connect it with AMC. Then I realized on the map that AMC is on the south side of the checkpoint, with ESPN on the north and DL hotel on the west. I think we all notice different landmarks. The map is very helpful.

 

[Mommb]

We were at Grand Californian last week. The line to enter California Adventure from Grand Californian backed up at opening, but was very light by 10 am. The entrance to enter Downtown Disney from Grand Californian was always near-deserted when I was there, but that was always after 9 am.

The entrance into Downtown Disney across from Disneyland Hotel/by AMC and ESPN was never busy when I saw it, but that was always in the afternoon, so I don’t know what it was like at opening.

I assume there was another entrance from the parking garage, since we saw waves of people by Uva Bar when trams came in, but that security area was not visible from Downtown Disney.

Last time I was at Disneyland 2 years ago, bag checks were right by the parks. I found having the security checks farther away made Park-hopping and visiting Downtown Disney much, much more pleasant (and therefore frequent), which I’m sure was the goal.

 

[dina444444]

We were at Grand Californian last week. The line to enter California Adventure from Grand Californian backed up at opening, but was very light by 10 am. The entrance to enter Downtown Disney from Grand Californian was always near-deserted when I was there, but that was always after 9 am.

The entrance into Downtown Disney across from Disneyland Hotel/by AMC and ESPN was never busy when I saw it, but that was always in the afternoon, so I don’t know what it was like at opening.

I assume there was another entrance from the parking garage, since we saw waves of people by Uva Bar when trams came in, but that security area was not visible from Downtown Disney.

Last time I was at Disneyland 2 years ago, bag checks were right by the parks. I found having the security checks farther away made Park-hopping and visiting Downtown Disney much, much more pleasant (and therefore frequent), which I’m sure was the goal.

Security for the parking garage is at the garage before you board the tram.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Has anybody stayed at the GC since the checkpoints were moved? What are the security lines like to DTD and DCA?

I went Dec before Xmas and Mar before Spring Break really kicked off. DCA line was just as full as before during EMH/park opening. On DCA EMH mornings we found the DtD entry line quite short. On DL EMH the line at DtD varied. Don’t think we waited more than 5 mins when we went through half hour before 7am EMH started on our Mar trip. Our week before Xmas trip however we entered about 10 mins after EMH & lines were awful, we had a like 20 min line that snaked down past the convention area on our first day. The next time the DLH EMH day line was about 15 mins. I heard from others the line got all the way to the lobby. Again, the week before Christmas last year was extraordinarily busy and I found Mar lines to be more manageable. But, in Mar I was exiting half hour prior to 7 AM EMH vs 10-15 mins after 8am EMH started in Dec.

 

[McPhoenix]

Security for the parking garage is at the garage before you board the tram.

There's a walking path from the parking garage also, which used to lead to the security checkpoint between ESPN Zone and Rainforest Cafe (which is apparently no longer there).

 

[dina444444]

There's a walking path from the parking garage also, which used to lead to the security checkpoint between ESPN Zone and Rainforest Cafe (which is apparently no longer there).

And the one by the hotel (earl of sandwich). You could walk to both of those.