For guests that have never been to Disneyland that are considering a local area hotel, many ask the question is the area around Disneyland safe? This is a reasonable question to ask about a new area you're visiting especially if you are wondering about walking back to your hotel after dark.
As a single mom that has been taking her son to the Disneyland resort alone since he was seven, I can speak to the safety in the area around Disneyland. Keep reading to see why I think the area around Disneyland is safe for everyone.
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Is the neighborhood around Disneyland safe?
Yes, I absolutely think the immediate neighborhood around Disneyland is safe. You will never be walking alone to your hotel as the sidewalks will be filled with other park goers heading to the parks at the same time or heading back to their hotel. Even if you stay at Disneyland until closing, you will not be walking alone! This is actually one of the busier times of the day to be walking back to your hotel as everyone is leaving the park at the same time.
Disneyland closes as late as midnight during peak times of the year so if you do plan on staying at the parks until close it is likely you will end up walking back late at night. But since this is a crowded time of year, you will be walking back to your hotel with plenty of other families.
If you feel uneasy about walking, there is also the option to take the Disneyland ART shuttle bus. The Anaheim Resort Transit is a system of buses that take guests to and from Disneyland and their local hotel.
It is not uncommon to see homeless people at the bus stops surrounding Disneyland and this is often where some of those worries about the area around Disneyland being unsafe originate from. In my experience, they mostly keep to themselves and mean no direct harm to guests walking to the resort. Most of the time they are just sleeping! But for myself, I am generally used to occupying space with homeless people as my hometown has a large homeless population in our downtown area. This doesn't make me uncomfortable because I am used to it. Now if you have never encountered anyone experiencing housing insecurity, this can definitely be a shock at first. Again, this is another reason the ART shuttle bus might be a good fit if you want to avoid any of those potential interactions. The ART bus stops are separate from the public city bus.
Some guests really prefer staying on-site at Disneyland at one of their three hotels in order to mimic some of that “Disney bubble” atmosphere that makes Walt Disney World so popular. If you stay in one of their hotels you can literally never step foot off Disney property if you wish during your vacation. I have stayed both on-site and in the Good Neighbor hotels. I must say, my stay at the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa was one of my favorite trips because of the beauty and the hotel plus the convenience of being inside that Disney bubble. But these on-site hotels are extremely expensive in comparison to the neighboring hotels which makes them a bit out of reach and some guests might not be able to justify that cost.
Is Anaheim near Disneyland safe?
Compared to other US communities with a similar population size, Anaheim's crime rate is lower than average. In fact, if you compare cities of the same size of Anaheim to those around the US you will find that Anaheim is actually safer than many others.
A lot of crime that does take place in Anaheim is property crime. Property crimes typically include burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson. According to one source, Anaheim has one the largest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation. But even then, that doesn't mean your car is guaranteed to be stolen and especially is not likely in the immediate Disneyland area.
As for violent crime, your chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Anaheim is 1 in 281 which is a lower rate than the state of California's average of 1 in 227.
Are the hotels around Disneyland safe?
Many of the hotels surrounding Disneyland have 24/7 check in desks and on-site security that monitors the parking lots. You have the choice of a hotel (interior rooms) and a motel (hotel room is an exterior door) when selecting your Disneyland hotel. I have stayed at both during my visits to Disneyland and felt perfectly safe. Again, the hustle and bustle of the resort really does act as a natural crime preventative as you will find yourself sharing the hotel space with plenty of other families visiting Disneyland.
How is the crime around Disneyland?
Most of the crimes you will see on neighborhood safety sites for Anaheim did not take place anywhere near the immediate area around Disneyland. Aside from Disneyland, you also have the Anaheim Convention Center in the area which draws many professional organizations and businesses so the entire area is constantly populated with tourists and professionals. The streets and sidewalks are all very well lit and the traffic is constant.
What kind of security does Disneyland have?
Disney has great security measures in place to keep all their guests and cast members safe. These safety measures include the presence of uniformed police officers using specially trained dogs to help patrol the parks and resorts, and bag checks and security checkpoints at our theme park entrances, the Downtown Disney District, and Resort hotels.
How many security checkpoints does Disney have?
Any guests entering the Disneyland area which includes Downtown Disney and the entrance to both theme parks will need to go through a security screening. This involves a bag check and walking through a metal detector. These security check points are located on opposite ends of the resort. The two hotels with their own dedicated park entrance (Grand Californian and Pixar) have their own security check point.
Due to these comprehensive security checks, the Disneyland Resort is an extremely safe place to be and one of the reasons I picked Disney as our first travel destination when my son was small when we were traveling alone. I was uneasy about traveling with him for the first time by myself which made Disney such a perfect destination choice for my small family.
Overall, I find the area around Disneyland to be safe for families visiting the resort. After traveling as a single mom for years to this area I have never had any concerns about my safety. When my son was small I did utilize the ART bus more often as an extra precaution at night. But as my son got older we began walking back at night and it was easy to see how safe it was.
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I’m a 71 year old solo female visitor. I usually stay in a “Good Neighbor” hotel within walking distance from Disneyland. I have been confined to using a mobility scooter for the past 4 years. I stay until the Park closes. I was taught since I was a wee feral child to be situationally aware…head up, look and project confidence. I must say that the area around Disneyland, aka a 1 mile circumference, has NEVER presented any safety challenges for me. I have, as my mobility has become limited, curbed my free wandering of yore but not because of feelings of safety insecurity. Disneyland is one of my few solo travel opportunities left. I am and never have been fear dominated but I am not stupid or unaware. I’ve always held these words true: “Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life, it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid”
Heads up, fellow travelers, be situationally aware, trust yourself and project that magical Disney spirit. Love really is all there is. Please be kind to Cast Members and fellow guests.🫶🏻
Thank you for sharing, Barbara!