Can you walk to the Toy Story parking lot?

[CanadienneDisneyfan]

My family will be staying very close to the Toy story lot. We could drive less than a block and park there, but would they allow us to board the shuttles if we just walked there?

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

YES! Lots of people do this.

 

[MychaelP]

Yes, but it's a long walk. Take your time, and rest before you head back to the car. Why not use the free bus shuttle though?

 

[pharmama]

Yes, but it's a long walk. Take your time, and rest before you head back to the car. Why not use the free bus shuttle though?

OP is not asking about walking from the park to the Toy Story lot. They are asking about walking to Toy Story lot and then riding the bus to the parks (so basically can you use the Toy Story buses if you're not parking in Toy Story). As a PP said, yes, you can.

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[WebmasterMaryJo]

I've done it before, also. It was fine.

 

[bcla]

Not a problem. There's a pedestrian entrance/exit on the west side (at Harbor) of the lot as well as a separate gate that's open when the lot is open.

I mentioned this to a bus driver - that I wanted to get back to the Toy Story lot since we were staying at the Hilton, and his only response was that he was only allowed to drop people off inside the Toy Story lot. They know people take the shuttle to get closer to the hotels near the lot and have no problem with it.

 

[cats mom]

I'm guessing it's much the same as people riding the tram to/from Mickey and Friends to get to motels on Ball Road. The powers that be at DLR don't necessarily advertise or encourage it, and may not even like it; but they're probably not going to instruct front line CM's to try and stop it, unless it becomes a problem.

A few people doing it here and there, likely not a problem. A ton of people doing it, and potentially causing lines for busses/trams to get out of hand, maybe they'd have to look at it.

Right or wrong I can see some folks getting upset if they paid for parking and transportation to and from the parks and then had to wait longer because people who didn't pay to use those lots used the transportation. Just sayin'

 

[pixiewings71]

I have a Premium AP, I get free parking, I have done this. We stayed at the Red Lion, walked to the TS lot and rode the shuttle, we had a party of 11. I asked the CM's at the booth and they said this was completely acceptable and highly encouraged because they can then park more cars in the lot. They expect this.

 

[bcla]

I'm guessing it's much the same as people riding the tram to/from Mickey and Friends to get to motels on Ball Road. The powers that be at DLR don't necessarily advertise or encourage it, and may not even like it; but they're probably not going to instruct front line CM's to try and stop it, unless it becomes a problem.

A few people doing it here and there, likely not a problem. A ton of people doing it, and potentially causing lines for busses/trams to get out of hand, maybe they'd have to look at it.

Right or wrong I can see some folks getting upset if they paid for parking and transportation to and from the parks and then had to wait longer because people who didn't pay to use those lots used the transportation. Just sayin'

They're encouraging it. It's not a case where they're merely tolerating it. What's most important to Disney is getting paying customers to Disneyland. They get $15 a parked car but somewhere from $60 to $125 a day per visitor plus food/beverages/souvenirs/etc. For the most part I don't think Disney is making a killing on parking and they probably don't care. $15 all day is actually not that much compared to what stadiums or downtowns charge.

If it wasn't acceptable they'd shut down the sidewalk exit and close the gate. It still might be possible to walk through the roadway, but that theoretically would be an emergency exit for people on foot.

 

[CanadienneDisneyfan]

Thank you so much! We've heard that Mickey and Friends is crazy at the end of the evening, and that there can be longer waits for the trams than the shuttles. Although the ART stops out front of our accommodations, the shuttle from the Toy Story lot would be an alternate and a cheaper way to get to or from the park. We now know that we have more than one alternative to driving to the park.

 

[Kristineamb]

We will be staying at Anaheim Hilton (on Convention Way.)
Would this be an option for us too?!?!?

 

[Disneydreamsdancer]

We will be staying at Anaheim Hilton (on Convention Way.)
Would this be an option for us too?!?!?

We stayed at the Hilton this past February and used to toy story parking bus, just enter through the sidewalk and you'll be fine!

 

[cats mom]

They're encouraging it. It's not a case where they're merely tolerating it. What's most important to Disney is getting paying customers to Disneyland. They get $15 a parked car but somewhere from $60 to $125 a day per visitor plus food/beverages/souvenirs/etc. For the most part I don't think Disney is making a killing on parking and they probably don't care. $15 all day is actually not that much compared to what stadiums or downtowns charge.

If it wasn't acceptable they'd shut down the sidewalk exit and close the gate. It still might be possible to walk through the roadway, but that theoretically would be an emergency exit for people on foot.

I've never seen any printed material advertising free transportation for everyone, nor have I seen signs and/or CM's directing people off streets and into parking areas to use that transportation. To me that would be encouraging it.

Of course Disney is providing transportation for people who park in the lots anyway, so maybe they really don't care if other people use it. Who knows? As I said in the post you quoted, I'm guessing at what the higher ups at DLR may or may not be thinking. I bet you are too.

As CanadienneDisneyfan pointed out though; there can be long waits for trams and busses, especially at the end of really busy days. If enough people start walking into and out of lots just to use parking transportation that it skews their numbers, I bet they take a closer look at it. JMO

 

[pixiewings71]

Thank you so much! We've heard that Mickey and Friends is crazy at the end of the evening, and that there can be longer waits for the trams than the shuttles. Although the ART stops out front of our accommodations, the shuttle from the Toy Story lot would be an alternate and a cheaper way to get to or from the park. We now know that we have more than one alternative to driving to the park.

Both can be crazy at the end of a busy day. In fact in August the line for the TS shuttle was so long that we simply walked back to the Red Lion. I think it was faster, the wait to get on the tram was something like half an hour.

I've never seen any printed material advertising free transportation for everyone, nor have I seen signs and/or CM's directing people off streets and into parking areas to use that transportation. To me that would be encouraging it.

Of course Disney is providing transportation for people who park in the lots anyway, so maybe they really don't care if other people use it. Who knows? As I said in the post you quoted, I'm guessing at what the higher ups at DLR may or may not be thinking. I bet you are too.

As CanadienneDisneyfan pointed out though; there can be long waits for trams and busses, especially at the end of really busy days. If enough people start walking into and out of lots just to use parking transportation that it skews their numbers, I bet they take a closer look at it. JMO

Of course they aren't encouraging it on the streets, that doesn't mean they aren't OK with it. Like I said I asked the CM's at the lot in July when DD16 and I were there, we knew we were coming back in August for a weekend and staying at the Red Lion, I asked if we could walk in, the CM's said "absolutely, it's not a problem at all. We have people walk in from hotels around this lot all the time. In fact, if you don't park in the lot that frees up a spot for a paying customer so we like that even more." With a Premium AP I get free parking. I understand what you're saying but IME the CM's are OK with this happening.

 

[bcla]

I've never seen any printed material advertising free transportation for everyone, nor have I seen signs and/or CM's directing people off streets and into parking areas to use that transportation. To me that would be encouraging it.

Of course Disney is providing transportation for people who park in the lots anyway, so maybe they really don't care if other people use it. Who knows? As I said in the post you quoted, I'm guessing at what the higher ups at DLR may or may not be thinking. I bet you are too.

As CanadienneDisneyfan pointed out though; there can be long waits for trams and busses, especially at the end of really busy days. If enough people start walking into and out of lots just to use parking transportation that it skews their numbers, I bet they take a closer look at it. JMO

If they really wanted to keep people from doing this, they'd be taking steps to stop it. At the very least I would expect them to close off the gate and maybe only make them emergency exits. There are two wide open pedestrian gates along with a sidewalk along the west entrance/exit.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Disne...+Harbor+Boulevard,+Anaheim,+CA+92802&t=h&z=19

I along with several others have asked if this was OK, and nobody has heard a word that it's "tolerated" or simply ignored. It's pretty obvious that the Disney higher ups know it's happening and could shut it down if they felt like doing so. Something like this doesn't go on for years and years without an executive tacitly approving of it, even if they don't make an official declaration. It's like the food policy. If they really cared to enforce the ban on outside food, they'd be stopping people with sandwiches and directing them to the lockers.

 

[sheetz]

With the scarcity of parking spaces I could see why those in charge would be fine with allowing people on the buses. I also see no reason for them to advertise it since only a relatively small people are able to benefit from it in a meaningful way.

 

[cats mom]

I think I've been clear in both of my posts on this thread that I'm just stating my opinion. It doesn't bother me at all that other people have different opinions. The only reason I keep responding is because people keep quoting me directly, and I admit that just pulls me right back in.
So stop it people!

Both can be crazy at the end of a busy day. In fact in August the line for the TS shuttle was so long that we simply walked back to the Red Lion. I think it was faster, the wait to get on the tram was something like half an hour.


Of course they aren't encouraging it on the streets, that doesn't mean they aren't OK with it. Like I said I asked the CM's at the lot in July when DD16 and I were there, we knew we were coming back in August for a weekend and staying at the Red Lion, I asked if we could walk in, the CM's said "absolutely, it's not a problem at all. We have people walk in from hotels around this lot all the time. In fact, if you don't park in the lot that frees up a spot for a paying customer so we like that even more." With a Premium AP I get free parking. I understand what you're saying but IME the CM's are OK with this happening.

I could understand the part about people walking in freeing up parking spots if they were trying to fill every bus, especially if they were charging the walk-ins a few bucks. The way the system works now that doesn't make sense though. Why would they care if the bus was full or not, especially if it was full of people who didn't pay to ride it?

Since they're running the busses anyway maybe they really don't care if people walk in and fill spots that would remain empty otherwise, especially when it's slow.

But I can't imagine customers who paid to park in the lots being thrilled when walk-ins (who are most likely trying to avoid paying to use the ART system provided at their hotels) hop the free parking lot transportation, thus making the waits you described above even longer. And if the powers that be at DLR don't have a problem with that, maybe they should.

Oh, and while you may not pay to park each time you pull into a lot, if you have a PAP, you paid to park.

If they really wanted to keep people from doing this, they'd be taking steps to stop it. At the very least I would expect them to close off the gate and maybe only make them emergency exits. There are two wide open pedestrian gates along with a sidewalk along the west entrance/exit.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Disne...+Harbor+Boulevard,+Anaheim,+CA+92802&t=h&z=19

I along with several others have asked if this was OK, and nobody has heard a word that it's "tolerated" or simply ignored. It's pretty obvious that the Disney higher ups know it's happening and could shut it down if they felt like doing so. Something like this doesn't go on for years and years without an executive tacitly approving of it, even if they don't make an official declaration. It's like the food policy. If they really cared to enforce the ban on outside food, they'd be stopping people with sandwiches and directing them to the lockers.

I know how the TS lot is set up so I understand what you're saying about the gates and I agree that they could easily stop the practice if they wanted to. Although I don't know that those walkways are particularly welcoming anyway, and depending on where incoming traffic is being routed I don't find getting from them to the bus loading area quite as easy as some people are making it sound. Just sayin'

My original contention was: The powers that be at DLR don't necessarily advertise or encourage it, and may not even like it; but they're probably not going to instruct front line CM's to try and stop it, unless it becomes a problem.

So if I'm reading what you're saying above correctly we're probably more in agreement than not. I'm just not onboard when you say they're encouraging it.

The fact that some CM's enthusiastically invite people to do something doesn't mean much to me. I've had CM's tell me things I knew were wrong or against official policy often enough I've decided some of them just make things up as they go. I have no idea if that's the case here, but the bus drivers' response that he's only allowed to drop off in the TS lot is more what I'd expect. ie: not exactly welcoming, but not turning you away either.

Anyway, seems like the general consensus is that right now it's not a problem to hop parking lot transportation.

I still think if too many people start doing it they'll have to take a closer look and possibly make changes though.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I see the bus system in place for all DLR visitors. I consider it a part of "Disneyland Resort Transportation" and Disney provides buses that go back and forth between the park drop off and Toy Story parking lot. DLR ticket holders and AP holders do not need to pay extra for this park service. The parking lot fee covers the parking costs, your AP or park tickets cover the bus shuttle service.

If more hotel visitors opt to use the parking lot buses instead of ART or hotel shuttles, I could see DLR adding more buses to this route instead restricting ridership to those paying for parking.

 

[cats mom]

If that were the case wouldn't "Disneyland Resort Transportation" included in the cost of admission be something they'd want to advertise? Seems like a nice perk to me. I still say parking lot transportation is provided for those who park in the lots. JMO though.

 

[Gisele]

How did this thread go from OP asking about T S P Lot to where it is now?