Guide to DLR for WDW Veterans!

[DSteph]

First time visitor next summer and planning our arrival day. I'm assuming both the Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian are a quick, easy walk from Downtown Disney. Would I be right? Also, is there any way to ride the monorail without a ticket to the parks?

 

[Californian Elitist]

First time visitor next summer and planning our arrival day. I'm assuming both the Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian are a quick, easy walk from Downtown Disney. Would I be right? Also, is there any way to ride the monorail without a ticket to the parks?

Right, the hotels aren’t far. The Grand is physically in California Adventure and Downtown Disney, so choose that one if you want to be really close.

Access to the monorail requires a park ticket, since it travels inside the park.

 

[Phroobar]

First time visitor next summer and planning our arrival day. I'm assuming both the Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian are a quick, easy walk from Downtown Disney. Would I be right? Also, is there any way to ride the monorail without a ticket to the parks?

Monorail is for Disneyland ticket holders only. No free rides.

The hotels are a quick and easy walk from Downtown Disney. In fact, at the Grand California you just step outside and you are there.

 

[Phroobar]

@wdwmagic , could we sticky this thread, please? This will be a great resource.

 

[djlaosc]

Is there a week where you could experience both the Halloween and Christmas decorations like at WDW?

 

[McPhoenix]

Is there a week where you could experience both the Halloween and Christmas decorations like at WDW?

Well, the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay on Haunted Mansion is almost more Christmassy than it is Halloweeny... But I've found that sometimes in the week after Halloween, some of the Halloween decorations are still up as they're putting up Christmas decorations.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

This is the greatest day of my life

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Is there a week where you could experience both the Halloween and Christmas decorations like at WDW?

Snow will be appearing on the castle the week of Halloween. NOS Christmas decorations go up at that time too, so visiting on or just after Halloween will get you a mix of holiday decor.

 

[Phroobar]

This is the greatest day of my life

I guess all you have to do is ask. Who knew?

 

[Curious Constance]

This is the greatest day of my life

Time to update your resume.

 

[Texas84]

I'm staying at Paradise Pier next month. Can I use the Grand Californian entrance to DCA?

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I'm staying at Paradise Pier next month. Can I use the Grand Californian entrance to DCA?

Yeah anyone can use it as long as they have a park ticket, you don't need to be a Grand Californian guest. I don't know when in the morning it opens though, or how it works with the early magic hour.

 

[Curious Constance]

Yeah anyone can use it as long as they have a park ticket, you don't need to be a Grand Californian guest. I don't know when in the morning it opens though, or how it works with the early magic hour.

This may no longer be true, I believe they have cracked down and you now have to have a room key or a receipt to a GCH restaurant to get through.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

This may no longer be true, I believe they have cracked down and you now have to have a room key or a receipt to a GCH restaurant to get through.

Interesting, I definitely used the entrance as a non-Disney resort guest last year sometime.

 

[Curious Constance]

Interesting, I definitely used the entrance as a non-Disney resort guest last year sometime.

I bet it really depends on who is working at the time. But I think "officially" it's stricter now.

 

[Texas84]

I'll ask the front desk when I'm there. I know California is strict about these things so I want to be careful.

 

[SGarv]

Well, the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay on Haunted Mansion is almost more Christmassy than it is Halloweeny... But I've found that sometimes in the week after Halloween, some of the Halloween decorations are still up as they're putting up Christmas decorations.

I went last year the first week in November and that was the case for me, overnight a lot of the Christmas decorations went up and the Halloween stuff was there the night before.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Just wanted to say "thank you" for this thread! It's been invaluable, as we plan our first Disneyland vacation. (With the cost being about 2/3 the price of a comparable getaway in Disney World -- airfare is a little higher, but ticket costs are lower, as is hotel and dining since staying/eating onsite is less a necessity at Disneyland -- how could we resist?)

 

[thomas998]

Just wanted to say "thank you" for this thread! It's been invaluable, as we plan our first Disneyland vacation. (With the cost being about 2/3 the price of a comparable getaway in Disney World -- airfare is a little higher, but ticket costs are lower, as is hotel and dining since staying/eating onsite is less a necessity at Disneyland -- how could we resist?)

When is your trip scheduled? Don't forget that dining reservations are not 180 days out at DL, but the best place do often fill up as soon as the window opens.

 

[Weather_Lady]

When is your trip scheduled? Don't forget that dining reservations are not 180 days out at DL, but the best place do often fill up as soon as the window opens.

Oh, not until the end of August 2019 -- but I will keep that deadline (60 days at DL, I believe) in mind! It certainly pays to get a jump on things. I made us a hotel reservation a couple of weeks ago (for the Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn, just across the street from DL), and when I double-checked the details yesterday, I saw that the room category we booked, which had other rooms available at the time I made our arrangements, is now fully booked, so others must be planning their trips 10 months out, too.