Parking vs Walking

[DisneyTopper]

Hi everyone,

My family and I are going to DLR for the first time this summer. I am in the process of researching where to stay in the Anaheim area. Occasionally, I will read about a hotel perk in which someone says that they are able to walk to DLR within 10-15 minutes.

Having been to WDW a few times, I know that even if you drive to Magic Kingdom, for example, you are still in for a 10-15 minute walk regardless. Does the same hold true for DL and/or DCA?

I guess I am weighing pros and cons of walking to the resort. I would hate to hop in our car and drive to DL and pay $12 to park, only to be faced with a 15 minute jouney to get to the front gates.

Any thoughts or direction on this would be appreciated. Thanks!

[NotaGeek]

There are several hotels on Harbor Blvd. that are a 5 minute walk from the resort. To be honest, even if you drive it's still about 15-20 minutes from the parking structure to the front gates, and at the end of the day the lines for the tram can be 20 minutes on their own.

If you search through threads in Accommodations and Trip Planning there are several that ask for hints on close hotels. The 3 that I use that are right across from the main entrance are (5-10 minute walk depending on the stop light):

1. Best Western Park Place Inn
2. Ramada MainGate
3. Fairfield Anaheim

I have strayed farther afield (the Convention Center Marriott) and I drove in and parked for free since I have an Annual Pass, but it wasn't worth it. The lines to get out at the end of the day were VERY long. If you do park at a hotel farther from the entrance there is the Anaheim Resort Transit Shuttle (http://www.rideart.org/index.php?loc=1) that's inexpensive and drops off near most hotels. Just a note, the same thing applies at the end of the day, there's always a long line!

[jrkcr]

Any hotel that is at the Katella/ Harbour Blvd intersection, or closer, I would rather just walk it than bother with the shuttle. And we walked that with our youngest DD when she was 8-no problem.
And I wouldn't drive to the park. I'd take the shuttle rather than drive.

Just my :twocents:

[dtootsie42]

We stay at the Howard Johnsons, a little bit of a walk. I was recovering from bronchitis when we went in October so ended up driving and parking this trip but found that we did not have to wait to long for a tram at the end of the day to get back to the parking garage. In the mornings we usually got off the tram and stepped out of the masses way and made our way slowly over to the park entrance. I was surprised at how easy and convenient the parking turned out to be.

Our daughters usually walked because they did not want to wait for the tram and in total it would take them about 10-15 minutes but they tend to speed walk and zoom by everybody. Its exhausting to watch them especially when they leave you in the dust. :mickey:

[Marilyn Michetti]

We're leaving in 14 days, and will again, stay at the Candy Cane Inn. The rooms are lovely, and there is an expanded, free, continental breakfast that will get you going.

They have a shuttle, but it doesn't accomodate my ECV, so I "scoot" over, and my DH rides. I almost always beat him.

I'm getting so excited. WDW is amazing, but DL is cozy - everything is right there. There are lots of hotel/motel places within walking distance, but Candy Cane is exceptional, (IMHO).:thumbsup: