New Security Entrance

[brentm77]

I think eventually they are going to make the old security gates near the Sorcerers Hat into a dedicated entrance for DH guests only just like they have created a private entrance into DCA for Pixar Hotel guests. They won't have a specific line at the new entrance for hotel guests right now but hopefully they will upgrade the old one so DL Hotel guest have the same perks as guest at both GCH and Pixar Place. The price per night certainly warrants it.

I am trying to picture this. Doesn't that mean that all of the people streaming in from parking will cross the people streaming in from the hotel? It seems like they should have reversed how they did this and put the dedicated hotel entrance to the right. But maybe I am picturing it wrong.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I'm curious what percentage of of non hotel guests are walking through security near the DLH at 6:45 am.

Where are these non hotel guests coming from? The parking structure doesn't open until 7 am, so it isn't those guests. A few guests might use the ride share drop off, but I would think they would use the drop off on Harbor over the one near the DLH.

I stay at a hotel near Pixar Peir. I walk over around 7 AM and have to use that side since its the only one open for normal guests on that side of the resort

 

[LKing]

I am trying to picture this. Doesn't that mean that all of the people streaming in from parking will cross the people streaming in from the hotel? It seems like they should have reversed how they did this and put the dedicated hotel entrance to the right. But maybe I am picturing it wrong.

Which parking? The parking structure? CM parking or DTD parking?

Below is a map.
The long red line is the path from the Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals structures. The short red line is the line from CM parking. There is security next to the old ESPN building for them.
Blue is the path from Pixar Place, DTD guest parking, and presumably any non Disney hotel guest that is entering via Disneyland Drive
Teal is the path for DLH guests

I stay at a hotel near Pixar Peir. I walk over around 7 AM and have to use that side since its the only one open for normal guests on that side of the resort

What do you mean "normal guests"? Is it that the Pixar Place entrance is closer but needs a key to get in the gate?

 

[sophy1996]

I'm curious what percentage of of non hotel guests are walking through security near the DLH at 6:45 am.

Where are these non hotel guests coming from? The parking structure doesn't open until 7 am, so it isn't those guests. A few guests might use the ride share drop off, but I would think they would use the drop off on Harbor over the one near the DLH.

I stay at a hotel near Pixar Peir. I walk over around 7 AM and have to use that side since its the only one open for normal guests on that side of the resort

When we stay at the Westin, we use security on this side of DTD. We’re usually heading up before 7 am. There also are several motels along Katella south of Pixar Pier. There generally is a trickle of people from those motels as well.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Which parking? The parking structure? CM parking or DTD parking?

Below is a map.
The long red line is the path from the Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals structures. The short red line is the line from CM parking. There is security next to the old ESPN building for them.
Blue is the path from Pixar Place, DTD guest parking, and presumably any non Disney hotel guest that is entering via Disneyland Drive
Teal is the path for DLH guests

View attachment 893295


What do you mean "normal guests"? Is it that the Pixar Place entrance is closer but needs a key to get in the gate?

Yes, If I could enter at the Pixar Pier area I would but when as an AP/normal ticket holder, the hotel DTD area is the only area to enter.

 

[LKing]

Yes, If I could enter at the Pixar Pier area I would but when as an AP/normal ticket holder, the hotel DTD area is the only area to enter.

Just making sure we are talking about the same entrance. The hotel entrance is the entrance by the sorcerer's hat where the teal lines are pointing in the map above. That's the entrance that people are asking for it to be exclusive to DLH guests. The new DTD entrance (oval that the blue lines are pointing to) is for all guests.

When we stay at the Westin, we use security on this side of DTD. We’re usually heading up before 7 am. There also are several motels along Katella south of Pixar Pier. There generally is a trickle of people from those motels as well.

Thanks for that. Are there a lot of people walking from those hotels to security around that time?

DLH + PP is about 1400 rooms. Westin has around 600. So, would you estimate that a third of the guests going through those entrances at 7 am are from non Disney hotels?

 

[sophy1996]

Thanks for that. Are there a lot of people walking from those hotels to security around that time?

DLH + PP is about 1400 rooms. Westin has around 600. So, would you estimate that a third of the guests going through those entrances at 7 am are from non Disney hotels?

No, I don’t think it’s nearly that many early in the morning (before people only wanting to visit DTD park in the Simba lot). But we often see groups of people waiting at the intersection to cross Katella. Multiply that by every light cycle and you get a steady trickle.

 

[twodogs]

Also, how much has the addition of the DVC rooms to DLH added to the number of "official hotel guests" that are now using that entrance?

 

[Porsche4]

Is it possible that a lot of people skip the car park trams and long security waits at the Pixar Pals check point because of the wait and just walk to the security gates near the Disneyland Hotel to enter. I feel like I read that somewhere, that the lines at the Pixar Pals gates were ridiculously long so maybe this is a way to skip them. Is that possible to do? I don't know because I've never driven.

 

[LKing]

Is it possible that a lot of people skip the car park trams and long security waits at the Pixar Pals check point because of the wait and just walk to the security gates near the Disneyland Hotel to enter. I feel like I read that somewhere, that the lines at the Pixar Pals gates were ridiculously long so maybe this is a way to skip them. Is that possible to do? I don't know because I've never driven.

Pixar Pals and Mickey & Friends are connected and share the same security.

See the long red line in the map above. That's the path that people parking in the structure have to take to get to the DTD security. After that, they need to walk the length of DTD to get to the parks. It really isn't worth it unless one is eating or shopping at the hotel or unless they want to shop in DTD. Stores aren't open at 7 am so I doubt many would make the trek at that time.

There was a week in May when security was transitioning to the new format when lines were longer and some chose to make the walk to the DTD entrance next to ESPN. That was quite a while ago.

Edit to add that the garage doesn't open until 7 am. There is a line of cars waiting to get to the parking kiosk. It takes time to drive up the ramp, down the aisle to your spot, take the escalator down and walk across the parking lot to get to security. I can't see parking garage guests getting to the DTD security before 7:20.

 

[brentm77]

Which parking? The parking structure? CM parking or DTD parking?

Below is a map.
The long red line is the path from the Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals structures. The short red line is the line from CM parking. There is security next to the old ESPN building for them.
Blue is the path from Pixar Place, DTD guest parking, and presumably any non Disney hotel guest that is entering via Disneyland Drive
Teal is the path for DLH guests

View attachment 893295


What do you mean "normal guests"? Is it that the Pixar Place entrance is closer but needs a key to get in the gate?

This was very helpful. I was picturing the location incorrectly. Thanks!

 

[LKing]

I parked in Mickey & Friends on Sunday and walked over to the new entrances. I arrived at M&F just after 8 am. It took 25 minutes to get into the structure and park. Walking at a leisurely pace, it took 15 min to walk from M&F, through Pixar Pals, down the ramp and along side the parking lot to get to the ESPN DTD entrance (red line in map above)

At 8:45 am, the ESPN entrance looked like this



This was they crowd level of parking structure guests bypassing the DTD entrance by ESPN and walking to the hotel entrance (walking from red line to teal entrance in map above)



This is the newer entrance. We walked in here. No one asked for an ID or key. Similar to GCH security, it was open to everyone.



I forgot to get a picture of the DTD entrance that is closer to Pixar Place. However, it was very similar to number of people in the DLH security lines.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

This system is sooo much better

Like there are more crowds now then went I went in June but the line was nothing to get in this time but in June it was 15 mins in the heat

 

[LarsoftheJungle]

Anyone know what time these security lines open lately?

 

[Jawwdoc]

Anyone know what time these security lines open lately?

The security checkpoints typically open at 7:00 AM, the park gates typically open at 7:25-7:30 AM, on-site hotel guests have immediate access to the lands which are open for EE but have to show either an active hotel key or reservation in the DL app, everyone else queues up in the hub @ DL and just past the hub in DCA.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

currently at the grand today, the grand to dtd lines are longer than ive normally waited. i see the security equipment by the starbucks but were not being used as of noon today

 

[LKing]

currently at the grand today, the grand to dtd lines are longer than ive normally waited. i see the security equipment by the starbucks but were not being used as of noon today

We were there today as well. The GCH and DTD were extremely crowded.

Since there was conversation in about the 2nd DTD security in the GCH thread, I walked over and took some pictures.

View walking from the standard GCH security towards the overflow security (which was not in use).



Looking at gate that exits to DTD. Regular GCH-DTD security is down the path to the left.



A couple of pics from DTD to give perspective from the other side.

Peeking through the fence.



World of Disney is the building on the left. Starbucks is on the right. The green umbrella past the fence is the same green umbrella in the photos above.

 

[twodogs]

We were there today as well. The GCH and DTD were extremely crowded.

Since there was conversation in about the 2nd DTD security in the GCH thread, I walked over and took some pictures.

View walking from the standard GCH security towards the overflow security (which was not in use).

View attachment 897226

Looking at gate that exits to DTD. Regular GCH-DTD security is down the path to the left.

View attachment 897229

A couple of pics from DTD to give perspective from the other side.

Peeking through the fence.

View attachment 897230

World of Disney is the building on the left. Starbucks is on the right. The green umbrella past the fence is the same green umbrella in the photos above.

View attachment 897232

I really wish they would consistently use this extra entrance at GCH. We have seen it used only a handful of times in the last few years. They tend to have everyone line up normally, snaking all through this area. Then after the regular line opens at 7am, they will sometimes have someone come and open that line. It can be a little chaotic to see who goes in each line. And it feels a little unfair because they usually just turn around those at the end of the line and now they are at the start of this new line. If they plan to use both entrances (and they have to know this the morning-of because they have to staff both entrances), why not just let folks line up at both lines? Then you at least don’t feel like you got screwed when they suddenly open the other line.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

we used it today just before 8, they allowed anyone strollers or bags, and no one was in the line, it went so fast