How long does it take to get from parking to park?

We usually stay on property at Disneyworld but when we visit Disneyland we'll be driving in. How long does it usually take to get from your car to the gate using the tram(?) or can you walk it and if you do how long? Thanks for the help.

Almost everyone who parks at the Disneyland resort will park in the large parking garage and take a tram to the park. There is a closer parking lot, but most of the time people are routed to the garage. Sometimes there are lines for the tram, but during peak times the trams come very quickly. The ride over to the resort is about 5 minutes. The tram will drop you off at Downtown Disney between Disneyland and California Adventure.

I have lots of experience with this.

Once you actually park your car, depending on where you are parked, it can be a very short walk TO the tram loading area or a VERY LONG walk. :) It's a BIG parking structure!

Once you get ON the tram, the ride is 2 minutes.

You are let off in front of the World of Disney store, then you walk to the main gate. In between, you have to pass through the security bag check area (even if you do not have bags, everyone must wait and pass through). Again, this can take no time at all, or a very long time, depending on the crowd level.

Once you pass through the bag check, you make your way to the front gate of DL or DCA. You THEN wait in line at the gate to get in. :) Lots of waiting.

The average time it takes from the time you exit your car to when you enter the gate is about 15 minutes. This is given minimal lines at both the bag check and the gate. I have waited as long as 30 min JUST to get into the DL front gate!

You can walk from the parking structure instead of taking the tram. It is a half mile walk...takes about 10 min at a slow pace. If you hoof it, 5 minutes.

If you get to the tram loading area and the people are packed tighter than sardines in a can, walk. If you think you will make it on in 1-2 trams, wait it out.

Alternatively, you can try to park in the Lion King parking area. It is a smaller lot located off of Harbor (I think???). There is a tram that services that lot and drops you off closer to the DL gate. However, I prefer the Mickey and Friend's parking structure. It's covered (your car won't be boiling hot when you get back) and if you spend any time in Downtown Disney at the end of the day, it is easier to get back to that structure from DtD.

I've had lots of experience too. I use Mickey and Friends too. (I think the first sign says "Theme Parks".) The parking procedures are very organized and you follow the parking cast members' direction. This means, as mentioned, that you could be far away from the esculator leading to the tram or close depending on where you are assigned to park. (Tip: Before you leave your car, make a notation on your ticket of its location and carry the ticket with you.) I learned on my last visit that if the esculator is jammed with people, you might as well take the neighboring elevator if the door is open.

This is my tip for the tram ride. Never follow the temptation to pass up long tram lines at the front to find a shorter line further down. Getting into the front car assures you that when you exist you will not be stuck behind a crowd of people. You might have to wait for the next tram if the line is long, but they do not take long. The main thing you want to avoid is getting stuck in a crowd exiting. That will take you longer.

I like taking the tram. It's like the first ride of the day!

Parking is the thing that can take time. If you are going at park openning, be at the parking lot early.

We always park at the Mickey and Friends as well. Its near impossible to park in the Lion King lot unless you are there VERY EARLY, when that fills up, you just get routed to the Mickey structure.
Luckily we have never been in the furthest section of that structure, ususally the first or second section of whatever level we're on. We've seen the crowds for the escalators and trams and they can be BAD, just get there early if you want to eliminate all possible crowds.
We have walked ONE time. And that was the day it took us nearly a half an hour just to pay to park and the lines for the escalators and trams were CRAZY, i've never seen it that hectic. It took about 5-10 mins to walk from the structure to the parks and was worth it.
Also its true that the security and park entrance lines are usually pretty bad on a crowded day. I suggest getting your tickets ahead of time, thats one less line you have to wait in when you get there.

We have a joke in my household. If I drive we are normally at the front or close to the middle. When my DH drives we are always at the back. One time we even wound up in the last parking place at the furthest spot! :blush:

I had written this hint before. If you see your escalator too full to get down, take the stairwell that's in the southeast corner (facing splash, near the escalors) down a level or two. Every other level has a different set of escalators. It does make a difference. We do this sometimes when the escalators are not running. I don't like walking up those stairs to the top.

I also found out with the Mickey & friends, that if you get there real early, before 7:30, you might park in the oversize parking lot and have that car outside. Its nicer to walk to tram but also when its 100 out, not so good. :cool: