Originally Posted By fidoprincess We wanted to take a shortcut from the bonita tower at the waterfalls past the rose garden at the end of the Sierra Tower and across the street and come into downtown disney without having to go up past the movies and then turn the corner at ESPN. We were walking behind the sierra tower on the sidewalk and there was a bride with horse and carriage right there at the Sierra Tower so we thought we could find a shortcut but ended up in the parking lot with no sidewalk and couldn't find the cut through into DTD. I know Disney WANTS us to go all the way through DTD but is there a shortcut and can someone post the picture of how to walk cutting behind the back of DTD? We asked for Sierra Tower and paid for the view but the odds are slim so I want to be prepared for the shortcut especially with the monorail down! Thanks.
Originally Posted By alexbook If you take the sidewalks behind DTD on the south side, you'll end up having to cross Disneyland Drive at the stoplight and then cut through the lobby of the Grand California Hotel. It'll probably take you longer than walking through DTD. If you ignore the sidewalks and cut through the parking lot behind DTD, you'll end up trying to jaywalk across Disneyland Drive, which I don't recommend, and you'll still end up going through the GCH lobby.
Originally Posted By fidoprincess Thank-you alexbook, Yes, we were "ignoring" the sidewalk and walking through the parking lot behind DTD. We thought there would be an opening near or past the movie theatre without going all the way to the Grand that we could short cut into. I guess we were lucky that we turned around and came up the sidewalk after all! But darn, we really wanted a shortcut-lol. Twice I had to run over to the PP giftstore from DL for a special pin set for dd and just wanted a quick and easy shortcut without having to walk all the way down DTD and along the DLH. Are you sure there is no quicker way? To be sure, walking through the parking lot was kind of scary esp. with kids in tow-lol! It wasn't the guests of the Grand but the valet guys that were speeding along!
Originally Posted By alexbook Actually, if you're going from PPH to DL, crossing Disneyland Dr. at the crosswalk and going through GCH might be quicker than going via DTD. I thought you were asking about going from DLH, in which case the DTD route is better. There is a path you can see between the AMC and the Lego store, but that cuts through "backstage" (i.e., employee-only) territory. I've actually seen guests sneak through there, but I wouldn't recommend trying it.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer I have walked the area many times, and many different ways for photographs and to go to the Lost Bar. The only real way to do it is thru Downtown Disney, you have a couple of options when you get to the large hat. Cross the street between DTD and the hotel (where the magic hat is), and make a left just at the corner of the Sierra Tower, then walk half way down to find the main entrance and the lobby to get to the elevators. Or you can go past the Magic Hat, and make a left at the Neverland Pool, and walk half way down to the other side of the Sierra Tower main entrance. There is no way to walk behind the AMC theaters (unless you are a CM or DtD employee), you would have to walk further south to go thru the GHC, and then still have to exit into DtD near Sephora/Wetzel's Pretzels.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Here is an Aerial Map from the Bonita Tower to the center of the Main Entry Plaza thru DtD (.55 of a mile) <a href="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=479382" target="_blank">http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ ?r=479382</a> The route thru the GCH is actually longer (.59 of mile) <a href="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=479396" target="_blank">http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ ?r=479396</a>
Originally Posted By fidoprincess Well, I know you both are the experts so I will certainly take your advice and not try to poke all around behind DTD! We will just resign ourselves to going through DTD but it just irks me that we can not cut through especially with the monorail down for our trip. And alexbook, you are right, I was initially talking about cutting right out from DLH between the Sierra and Bonita towers. It just seemed like we could keep walking straight across and come out at DTD past the movie theatre. If there was a short cut, we could use it to go to PP too. I always feel bad for those folks staying there but I think for them, crossing at the light and then through the Grand is faster than the usual route through the DLH/DTD from the Bonita tower! I guess the DTD designers really did their job well. Now I know for sure that you really do have to walk through DTD. Thanks so much for your help! So if I am really really lazy to walk ALL that way, can I cut over to the parking structure and hop a tram? How would I do that? Shorter or longer? Okay, so I am not really that lazy but dd is still 6 and doesn't use a stroller and I am looking for ways to mitigate not having the monorail and not having to carry her late at night!
Originally Posted By Darkbeer ^When DCA first opened in 2001, there was a combination you could take. The Tram to the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure, then a short walk to the Pinocchio lot to catch the Double Decker Bus that stopped next to the "Magic Hat" for those stating at DLH and DtD, and then once in the traffic circle near the PPH. But they stopped the service due to "security" issues. Alas, they have never brought the Bus back, even though things have changed since late 2001.... But if you took the tram.... It would be the longest... <a href="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=479736" target="_blank">http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ ?r=479736</a> The walking distance is .52 of a mile from the Tram unloading area, add to that .12 of a mile from the center point of the Main Entry Plaza to the Tram loading area, and you have .64 of a mile of walking, plus the need to wait for a tram, the hassle of loading and unloading, and it is the WORST choice. If you are looking for a shorter walk, I think a taxi is your best bet.. (but pick the PPH!!!) The walk to the taxi stand on Harbor is .25 of a mile, then you need to talk the cab to driving you the short distance (about $5 plus tip, maybe more), then from the DLH valet area to the Bonita Elevators is .17 of a mile for .42 of a mile, or a VERY small savings, and an additional expense!!! (Picking the PPH valet area instead is .2 of a mile work to Bonita). Looks like you are stuck with walking....
Originally Posted By fidoprincess Dear Darkbeer, Thanks so so much for your time. I really love those maps, it helps make thing so much clearer. I had NO idea the parking structure was so far away from DLH!! You know, at the time I booked the DLH for our November trip, I just didn't think not having the monorail would be such a big deal. Now that school is in and dd is going to sleep by 8pm, I just know she is not going to last very long at night. I think I will give DH the choice to at least think about bringing our old stroller and if he says no, HE can carry her-lol. I do remember the olden days when you just walked upstairs over the cafe and took the monorail or you could take the tram. Funny how Disney doesn't think it is a big deal to walk it anymore but in the olden days, we had OPTIONS! I swear I even remember riding that bus too. We even booked with the stay 4 nights get one free deal so we "could" have had our pick of hotels but PP "seemed" so far and GC rooms were small. Hmmm, shoulda, coulda, woulda... Thanks anyway, at least my curiosity is cured. So when can we buy you that beer to say THANKS!?
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Back prior to the DCA takeover, Disneyland offered 2 choices, either taking the Monorail, or they also had a tram that ran from the turnstiles to the Main Lobby (using a different loading area than the parking lot tram). The tram ran later than the Monorail, but Disney wanted to get their guests to the hotel as quickly and easily as possible. (Though for many of those years, the DLH was not owned by Disney, but the Jack Wrather Company (owner of Lassie). AMazing how things change... Lets now maximize profits by driving attendance up at Downtown Disney by forcing folks to walk the the area... Why didn't Disney at least be part of the ART system... instead they decided to not offer any sort of shuttle, even if the guest was willing to pay the extra $3 a day for it!
Originally Posted By fidoprincess What really irks me is that it IS supposed to be for families that do have small kids! Granted a 1/2 mile walk after doing DL all day is no picnic for all of us but for the little ones, it is A LOT! Add that to the fact that you can NOT take their strollers out of the security area and you have many cranky kids and unhappy parents too. It just doesn't make sense. Why not make the strollers available to rent at their own hotels for example? I really don't know how many of these families stop at DTD on the way back to the hotel. If you stay until the park closes, it is hard to find anything open anyway. At least Disney should make the walk worth it and keep the snack places open longer. The last 2 late nights we wanted snacks and the only thing open was the Jazz Kitchen Express! So where is all the profit from making us all walk back if nothing is open? I guess nothing is perfect and people could say it is my own fault for booking at DLH when the monorail is down but it sure would be nice for them to offer SOMETHING!
Originally Posted By oneroberta I'm exhausted just thinking about this walk... I am staying at DLH in March, Single Mom with 2 small boys... I plan on bringing a stoller... but what a bummer-no transportation.... I better get on that tread mill and build some stamina.
Originally Posted By fidoprincess oneroberta, it really isn't that bad-lol-dd just has no stamina after all day in the parks. The walk TO DL is easy! The first couple of days, it goes just fine but those last few nights, we either have to leave extra early or she has to be carried. When I think about what we expect the kids to do, go early and stay all day and night, it is unrealistic. They want to do it as much as I do but they do run out of steam. The ideal thing to do is go for early entry and then go back to the hotel to take a nap. My other one is 11 and neither of them will nap so trying to do that was just a waste of time. You will do fine especially with your own stroller! It is more of a pain to have to fold up the stroller and put it on the tram or monorail anyway than to push it through DTD!! Still, get on that treadmill-lol, so you will have the stamina. (Typing from mine right now-my laptop fits right on top so I can indulge in the boards while I build up my stamina-hard to type though which is why my posts have so many typos-lol)
Originally Posted By joeysmommy fidoprincess-we just there and thinking the same thing. We stayed in the Bonita Tower even though we requested Sierra Tower. That was such a long walk with our 2 yr old at the end of the day wit hno stroller. We also tried the sidewalk along the Sierra tower and ran into the parking lot. i didn't want to have to walk all the way back if it didn't go thru, so we still ended up walking past the theater. I was REALLY missing that monorail.
