Walking or taking the tram from parking structures

[vraquel]

Update: lots of views, but no replies. Can you help answer this question?

Google maps is outdated for this route. Can anyone provide some clear directions (with or without photos) of a walking route to the Downtown Disney security entrance when approaching from S Walnut and Magic Way? New pedestrian path isn’t on google maps.

If you want to catch the tram from the parking structures to the park, are you able to safely walk through to the bag/security check area at Pixar Pals/Mickey & Friends if you enter on foot from Magic Way? Google maps doesn’t yet even show completed Pixar Pals structure.

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Hi All - thanks in advance for your help. My family typically stays on the Convention Center side of the resort so I’ve little experience with the area just to the northwest of the resort, and am trying to help a friend plan a once in a lifetime trip.

We have friends who will be taking their first ever trip to Disneyland with multiple generations of family - from toddlers to great grandparents. They are staying at a vacation rental near W Ball and S Walnut, and are not renting a car. Uber is out because of the need for the youngest to still be in car seats. Walking seems like the only option, but google maps is outdated. It doesn’t show the option to take the pedestrian bridge across Magic Way or just the ground level walking path to Downtown Disney. It routes them down the Disneyland Hotel entrance road to the front of the Disneyland Hotel. To see this try creating a walking route from the Holiday Inn as an example. (Note: the ART doesn’t serve this area so that option is also out.)

So I have 2 questions:

Can anyone provide some clear directions (with or without photos) of a walking route to the Downtown Disney security entrance when approaching from S Walnut and Magic Way?

If they wanted to catch the tram from the parking structures to the park, are they able to safely walk through to the bag/security check area at Pixar Pals/Mickey & Friends if they entered, on foot, from Magic Way? (Catching the tram back seems much easier and doable since that area is easily accessible in Downtown Disney.) Either way, if they wanted to cut some of the walking time off for the older members of the party - even if it’s equal time when you consider waiting for the tram - what’s the best way to approach?

Worst case they’ll send some family in ubers, and some will walk with the toddlers in strollers, but understandably they’d prefer not to split their party.

[Kikdenn]

I apologize if this response came to late to be helpful. I don’t visit this forum on a regular basis. On our last three annual trips we have stayed at vacation rentals in the same location. Our group is a similar age spread, babies all the way up to grandparents.

If you want to walk, enter Disney property where Walnut meets Magic Way. Keep walking East down Magic Way until you get to the traffic light at Downtown Drive. Turning right and walking south on Downtown Drive takes you to the Downtown Disney Security entrance. A second option is to walk south on the Disneyland Hotel road (the first street you meet after entering Disney property and walking along Magic Way. If you take this route you will need to cut across one of the parking lots before getting to the Disneyland Hotel.

We have found it helpful to drive and drop off the youngest ones and the oldest ones in our group at the end of Downtown Drive. There is a pick-up/drop off zone there specifically for this purpose. (And this solves the car seat conundrum with Uber). Then a couple of able-bodied family members drive the rental car back to the vacation rental and walk their way to the Downtown Disney security entrance.

Sometimes those adults would decide to hitch a ride on the parking lot tram from Mickey & Friends. Entrance for that used to be accessed at the intersection of Magic Way and Disneyland Drive. We haven’t been since the new and improved M&F parking garage was completed, so that may not be as convenient now. It was no quicker then walking through Downtown Disney, but easier on the feet.

Overall it’s more walking when you stay on the West side of the resort, but security lines and crowds are significantly smaller. So, I think you’ll actually be able to get to the park entrance faster every morning.