Downtown Disney Parking Guide – Cost, Parking Validation Options, Where to Park

Downtown Disney is a promenade of restaurants, unique shops, and special experiences to add some fun to your trip to Disneyland. It is very conveniently located just outside of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park within a short walking distance. Downtown Disney is currently undergoing significant changes, including the addition of restaurants, a marketplace area, and an open lawn for special events and activities. It truly has so much to offer and we can't wait to enjoy it when construction is fully complete!

If you plan on driving to the Disneyland Resort, there are several parking options available. Disneyland offers several parking areas which are geared towards guests spending their day at the Disneyland theme parks. However, many often ask if there are easier or cheaper parking options for visits to Downtown Disney.

Although it is absolutely free to walk around and enjoy the sights at Downtown Disney, the cost of parking is unfortunately not free (unless you are a Magic Key holder). In this article we will discuss the best parking options, costs, parking validations, and tips on where to park when visiting Downtown Disney. We visit the Disneyland Resort monthly and are happy to share our best parking strategies to make your next visit to Downtown Disney magical and stress-free!

Downtown Disney Parking – Location and Pricing

The following section will break out each of the parking areas that are available for visits to Downtown Disney. There are several options depending on how you want to spend your day as well as which hotel, if any, you are staying. We typically recommend walking to Disneyland if possible, especially since the parks and Downtown Disney are conveniently located near each other. However, there are plenty of areas for convenient and low cost parking if walking is not an option. For more information on parking at Disneyland, check out our full guide to parking at the Disneyland Resort.

Downtown Disney Parking – Simba Lot

For guests only wanting to visit Downtown Disney, we recommend parking in the Simba Lot which is located off of Disneyland Drive between West Katella Avenue and Disney's Pixar Place Hotel (formerly known as Paradise Pier Hotel). This lot is the most convenient when considering the options for Downtown Disney parking.

The price to park in the Simba Lot works as follows:

• The first hour of parking costs $10.
• Each additional hour costs $14, which is charged in 30 minute increments, with a minimum charge of $7 per additional hour.
• The maximum daily parking cost is $66.
• Guests are required to take a ticket, receive validation if applicable (more on validation below), and pay for parking when they leave the parking area.
• If you lose your parking ticket, you will be charged the $66 maximum daily parking fee, so it's very important to keep track of your parking ticket.

Disneyland Theme Park Parking Areas

Disneyland also offers three additional parking areas which are convenient for guests wanting to visit the theme parks and also walk to Downtown Disney. Guests have the option of parking at the Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, or Toy Story parking areas. We recommend the Mickey & Friends structure because it provides a free tram service to and from the Main Entrance Esplanade. Guests can also walk over a 174-foot long pedestrian bridge to Downtown Disney. However, this parking structure typically fills up early due to the convenient tram service and close location to the parks. The next best option is the Pixar Pals structure as it is connected to the Mickey & Friends structure and can be accessed through the same entrance as the Mickey & Friends structure.

Although the Toy Story parking area is located furthest away from the Main Entrance Esplanade, they do offer Toy Story busses between the parking area and the front of the parks. During busy park days, Disneyland will sometimes add a security checkpoint in the Toy Story lot which allows these guests to bypass the security checkpoint near the main gate. Check out our Disneyland Crowd Calendar which is updated monthly here.

The Disneyland theme park parking areas cost a flat fee per day, prices include:

• $30 per car or motorcycle
• $35 per oversized vehicle, motor home or tractor (without trailer) – at the Toy Story Parking Area only
• $40 per bus or tractor (with extended trailer) – at the Toy Story Parking Area only

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Disneyland Hotel Parking Options

If you are staying at a Disneyland hotel or are planning on dining at one of the hotel's table service restaurants, there are also several Downtown Disney parking options available.

For guests staying at the Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, or Pixar Place Hotel, you are able to easily walk to Downtown Disney from your hotel without needing to worry about finding parking.

Parking rates per nights of hotel guests include:

• Self Parking: $40 (plus tax) per night per vehicle
• Valet Parking (available at Disneyland Hotel and Grand California): $70 (plus tax) per night per vehicle
• Oversized vehicle parking: $45 (plus tax) per night per vehicle

Guests with reservations at select Disneyland hotel restaurants or at the Tenaya Stone Spa also receive up to five hours of complimentary parking. If you have time to spare after your meal or spa service, you may choose to walk to Downtown Disney for a bit in order to take advantage of this perk.

These restaurants offer the following Downtown Disney parking options:

• Storytellers Café offers three hours of complimentary parking (self or valet) with restaurant validation from the Grand California Hotel & Spa
• Napa Rose offers five hours of complimentary parking (self or valet) with restaurant validation from the Grand California Hotel & Spa
• Goofy's Kitchen offers three hours of complimentary parking (self or valet) with restaurant validation from Disneyland Hotel
• Tenaya Stone Spa offers five hours of complimentary parking (self or valet) at the Grand California Hotel & Spa if you spend $125 or more at the spa. Receipts cannot be combined to meet this requirement.

Therefore, guests staying at or visiting the Disneyland resorts may be able to take advantage of these perks when considering Downtown Disney parking options.

Disneyland Magic Key Passholder Parking Costs

Disneyland's annual pass, known as the Magic Key, has discounted or complimentary parking depending on the level of pass.

The parking discounts for each of the Disneyland Magic Keys include:

• Inspire Key: Free standard parking (excluding blockout dates) at the Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, and Toy Story parking areas
• Believe Key: 50% off standard theme park parking (excluding blockout dates) at the Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, and Toy Story parking areas
• Enchant Key: 25% off standard theme park parking at the Toy Story parking area, excluding blockout dates
• Imagine Key: 25% off standard theme park parking at the Toy Story parking area, excluding blockout dates

These perks, along with many other perks of being a Magic Key holder, include additional Downtown Disney parking options. Check out all of the Magic Key blockout dates here.

Downtown Disney Parking Validation

Guests who plan on dining at a table service restaurant can receive parking validation for up to five hours of parking after they pay $10 for the first hour. We highly recommend using this perk if you plan on parking at Downtown Disney for a meal. You can even do some extra shopping before or after your meal, because for only $10 you'll have up to six hours of parking. 

There are several great table-service restaurant options that will validate the extra five hours of parking, including two that were recently opened in May 2024! These restaurants include:

• Ballast Point Brewing Co
• Céntrico
• Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio
• Naples Ristorante e Bar
• Paseo
• Splitsville Luxury Lanes

Another table-service restaurant, Din Tai Fung, has started construction and is expected to open in the summer of 2024. Check out more details on this restaurant and our review of other Din Tai Fung locations here.

Additionally, guests who spent $20 at any location within the Downtown Disney District (retail shops, restaurants, bakeries, etc.) can receive three hours of validated parking after paying $10 for the first hour of parking. Therefore, if you plan on doing some shopping, make sure to ask for parking validation for free hours of Downtown Disney parking.

Downtown Disney Disabled Parking

Guests with a valid disabled parking placard or license plate are able to park in any available space that is marked as reserved. These spaces are subject to space availability throughout the Disneyland resort parking areas including the Simba, Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, and Toy Story parking areas. The standard rates apply to guests planning on parking in these reserved spots.

Cast Members are always willing to help guests with extra needs, such as additional space to lower a wheelchair ramp. For those guests who need additional assistance, be sure to notify a nearby Cast Member to assist.

Downtown Disney Security

Once you have parked, you'll be subject to security screening before entering Downtown Disney. Similar to the security checkpoints before you enter the theme parks at Disneyland, you will also need to go through security to enter the Downtown Disney District. A brand new security entrance opened in May of 2024 as part of the significant updates throughout Downtown Disney.

Just like the theme parks, the security entrances to Downtown Disney will include the presence of uniformed police officers using specially trained dogs to help patrol the Disneyland Resort. The security entrance includes bag checks and potential metal detector screenings for randomly selected guests.

For more information on what you can and cannot bring into the Disneyland theme parks and Downtown Disney, check out the Disney bag policy here.

Plan Your Next Disneyland Vacation

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• Disneyland Morning Strategy
• Best Hotels Dear Disneyland 2024: Reviews to Help Plan Your Stay
• Disneyland Fireworks 2024 Guide
• Disneyland Character Dining 2024: Meal Reviews, Tips, Rankings
• Hotels With Shuttles Near Disneyland

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