The Disneyland Resort has more to offer than some might expect. Located next to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, the Downtown Disney Shopping District offers several shops, eateries, and other activities that make for a fun experience beyond the typical theme park trip.
Indeed, in a time when shopping malls have fallen by the wayside, Downtown Disney feels like a beacon in a vast wasteland. Locals know the ins and outs. For everyone else, we’ve got you covered with the best tips, tricks, and information for your next trip.
Parking: Know Before You Go
Guests visiting Downtown Disney have several parking options. Currently, guests who wish to visit the shopping district exclusively, rather than the theme parks, can park in the Simba Parking Lot, located near the Disneyland Hotel. This lot is the closest, easiest, and most convenient. However, that convenience comes with a caveat: a parking fee.
On the Simba lot, parking costs $10 for the first hour, increasing to $14 for each additional hour, capping at $66. To avoid that high price, don’t forget to have your parking validated. Guests can receive three additional free hours with a $20 merchandise purchase or five hours with a meal at a table-service restaurant. Note: This only includes restaurants in Downtown Disney, not the hotels.
If you wish to save money and don’t mind a walk, visitors can also park in the nearby Garden Walk. Located nearby on Katella Ave, SuperCaliLand on YouTube highlights how to get here and its benefits.
Security Checkpoints
Like the theme parks, Downtown Disney has security checkpoints at the main entrance and the pathway from the Grand Californian Hotel. The same rules that apply to the parks also apply to the shopping center, so please avoid bringing prohibited items, such as wagons, glass bottles, alcohol, or weapons. Strollers also have size limits- no larger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long.
Security checks each bag and item thoroughly upon entry, and all individuals are required to pass through a metal detector. For a complete list of prohibited items and activities, check out the Disneyland website.
Also note: if you head to one of the hotel restaurants nearby and want to return to the shopping district, you will have to go through security again.
Food Expectations
Whether in search of a quick snack or a full meal, guests will find 24 different options for food in Downtown Disney and 14 among the three hotels: the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the Pixar Place Hotel.
With something to suit virtually any food preference, visitors can find a diverse range of cuisine, including sandwiches, burgers, corn dogs, steak, pizza, street tacos, sushi, and more. Eateries abound, from numerous scrumptious sandwiches at Earl of Sandwich to the Italian dishes at Naples, to the elevated dim sum cuisine at Din Tai Fung, and the delicious burgers and “crazy shakes” at Black Tap.
Guests should also definitely not sleep on the hotel restaurants, especially Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar and Tangaroa Terrace at the Disneyland Hotel, and the GCH Craftsman Bar and Hearthstone Lounge at the Grand Californian. All of these offer unique menus and a beautiful, more relaxed atmosphere.
The key is to know ahead of time where you want to eat, especially at busier times. Download the Disneyland app and familiarize yourself with all of the menus. Many also have prices listed, which will help when budgeting your trips.
Make Dining Reservations
Beyond knowing ahead of time where you want to eat, making dining reservations proves crucial. Like in theme parks, reservations alleviate stress and save time. Of course, not every restaurant takes reservations. However, for the places that do take reservations, it remains invaluable, even if you think it’s unnecessary.
In Downtown Disney, the following restaurants offer reservations: Céntrico, Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio, Naples Ristorante e Bar, Paseo, and Splitsville.
At the three hotels, you can reserve dining at GCH Craftsman Bar, the Hearthstone Lounge, Goofy’s Kitchen (for a character breakfast), Great Maple Modern American Eatery, Palm Breeze Bar, Storyteller’s Cafe, and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.
Quick Service, Express Dining, and Sweet Treats
Although not every place offers reservations, that does not have to dampen your visit. On the contrary, many quick-service eateries will take very little time, especially food carts and places like Earl of Sandwich, Ballast Point, and Black Tap Burgers.
A few places also offer what’s called “express” dining. If you’re looking for a milkshake only, head to the Crazy Shake Window next to Black Tap. For pizza, try The Pizza Counter, located by Earl of Sandwich. For the New Orleans staple, head over to Beignets Expressed, next to The Jazz Kitchen.
Indeed, Downtown Disney offers a variety of desserts and sweet treats, including ice cream, churros, sugary pretzels, candy apples, and Rice Krispies treats. Salt & Straw offers creamy, delicious, and unique ice cream flavors. At this popular, often very busy, favorite spot, I recommend the Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons. Wetzel’s Pretzels remains an underrated treat, while anyone with a sweet tooth will love all the choices at Disney’s Wonderful World of Sweets.
Lastly, visitors can find Jamba Juice and, unsurprisingly, Starbucks.
Relaxing Areas
On those days in between theme park visits or people looking to enjoy a day or night out with friends or family, Downtown Disney provides visitors with many places to relax. Whether engaging in people-watching, soaking up some Vitamin D or crisp night air, or sitting down to eat or chat, the entire district has numerous peaceful spots.
For shade, sit at the multitude of tables located between Din Tai Fung and the D-Lander and Avengers Stores. Nearby, there is a large grassy area with benches for eating picnic-style, sitting for a spell, or letting your kids release some energy.
There are also multiple benches and stone seats throughout the district near fountains and underneath trees to rest your feet or enjoy the ambiance.
At the far end of Downtown Disney, you’ll find the large area between both park entrances, aka the esplanade. Pro tip: Guests can also find benches and tables here, and in the evenings, the area offers a decent view of the fireworks at Disneyland.
Live Music, Entertainment, and Bowling
Guests will never be at a loss for music at Downtown Disney. In addition to the Disney instrumental tunes you hear throughout, live musicians play many evenings on the sleek, mid-century modern stage next to the grassy area and across from the Star Wars trading post. Passerbys will often see guests enjoying this live entertainment, sometimes dancing along to the music.
Many people might also be unaware that Downtown Disney has a bowling alley- and a sleek, modern, yet retro one to boot. Splitsville Luxury Lanes may be pricier than one’s typical bowling alley, but the fun atmosphere more than makes up for it.
With 20 lanes, 25 big-screen TVs, and yummy food offerings, Splitsville blends modern amenities with vintage vibes. You can also catch live entertainment inside at the Splitsville Kingpin Stage. Walk-ins are available, or guests can reserve a lane.
Disney Shopping
The most obvious feature of the shopping district is that travelers and even locals may be surprised at the array of Disney-themed shops. Indeed, long gone are the days when visitors could only find this merchandise in theme parks. While guests cannot get everything available in the parks, the various stores still come pretty close.
The Star Wars Trading Post offers fans everything they could want from a galaxy far, far away. Similarly, Marvel fans will adore Avengers Reserve, while Lego lovers will go crazy over the elaborate store with huge displays of Disney characters. Art fans can peruse the WonderGround Gallery, those looking for unique housewares can visit the Disney Home Store, and fashion enthusiasts should check out the D-Lander Shop and Disney Storyland Boutique. Visitors will also find some delectable sweet treats at the Wonderful World of Sweets, which has fresh goodies and pre-packaged food. My favorite is the chocolate-covered toffee.
Finally, the crème de La crème of Disney stores, the spacious World of Disney Store, offers just about everything under the sun. If you only want or have time to visit just one store, World of Disney should be the number one choice. Merchandise includes various clothing, mugs, pins, ears, plushies, toys, magnets, pens, collectibles, and more.
General Shopping
Some folks might also be surprised at the non-Disney stores located in Downtown Disney. In fact, visitors will see many different types of shops interspersed with Disney-themed ones.
These stores include the LEGO Store, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, Curl Surf, PANDORA Jewelry, LovePop, Kaman’s Art Shoppes Inc., and Pelé Soccer.
When To Go and What To Expect
No matter who’s attending, knowing what to expect during various times will help tremendously. The important thing will be to decide your goals and comfort levels. Those looking for a more relaxing, low-key, and less crowded experience should visit in the mornings through midday.
Mornings will often be very sparse, creating a peaceful atmosphere and making photo opportunities a breeze. Weekdays typically do not get excessively busy until the evenings, and weekends around late afternoon.
Those who don’t mind or enjoy crowds and lively atmosphere should attend at night. You’ll have to wait longer in store lines and to get into restaurants without a reservation, so be prepared. If you prepare yourselves ahead of time and go with the flow when necessary, you will enjoy yourself at Downtown Disney as much as any other shopping mall from the past or present.