Downtown Disney District Reviews

Downtown Disney would be a good add-on to your Disneyland or nearby hotel experience. Having only gone to Downtown Disney, we only ate supper and walked through the LEGO store and other shops. Parking is free if you make a purchase in DD and get your ticket validated. Otherwise, parking will be $14.

We arrived at lunchtime the day before we had park tickets so spent a lot of time shopping and dining at Downtown Disney. It's a great atmosphere, lots of entertainment and things to see. The Disney monorail station on-site is very convenient.

Stores, food, and music all packed in Downtown Disneyland! Every type of food option, tons of stores to shop, and live entertainment happening.

Mask up, shop, explore, and enjoy. Others complain about the Disney rules and mask requirements. The parking lot requires a walk. Plus special efforts are required to visit the parks. It’s still fun. Relax, enjoy, and wear your mask.

A Caveat: we are ex-WDW CM and still reside in the area where we frequent WDW. On a recent trip to DL in Anaheim we visited DD and were severely disappointed. By comparison to Disney Springs, this is a joke and a waste of time. There are minimal choices as to activities or restaurants. Shopping is negligible. Prices are worse than WDW with far less options to being about 1/20th the size of DS. I guess Disney had some land set aside between DL and CA so they filled it as best as possible. Why anyone would go here is beyond us and after going to DS on a regular basis it solicits a "that's it?" response

We loved walking around Downtown Disney and ate at Naples restaurant and were pleased that we could see the fireworks from our table. That added to the evening fun. We have been to Downtown Disney in Florida and found this one to be charming and well done.

Unfortunately, staying at one of the properties in Disneyland makes you trek through this shopping area before you can get to the park. (The Grand Californian hotel does allow you to enter directly into Adventure Park.)

Of course this downtown Disney location can’t compare to Disney Springs in Florida but there’s a decent selection of restaurants and shopping and of course you can’t beat world of Disney. Just try to avoid peak hours or the place is a zoo

...not as good as the one in Orlando. Nice little area before you go into the park, but it's kinda small and not a lot of options. I was expecting a lot more, and when I went 20 years ago in Orlando, that place was big and hopping!

This was my first time in Downtown Disney California. It is also the only part of Disneyland that is open at this point in the COVID19 pandemic. We walked in with the family and everyone was asked to put on a mask PROPERLY (No noses hanging out or vented masks) you then walk through a temperature check point and on you go. There are many hand-washing stations and lots of hand sanitizer stations all around. The stores and restaurants follow strict capacity rules, but even in the longest line (Social distanced line) the wait was not unbearable. People seem to understand that there are others waiting and want to be considerate of this.
The staff is great (as always) and even when they are asking guests to adjust their masks properly they are doing all they can to ensure that everyone is having a good day. Gotta say though, the empty parking lots are a strange sight.

I spent an hour and ten minutes there just to see it and parking cost 24 dollars
They are mostly random stores, with nothing to do with Disney.
As I went the week after Christmas, everything was crowded, the place was difficult to navigate, which was made worse by so many construction sites.
The parking area for electric cars had several problem areas. It was my worst experience in Anaheim. If it's not within walking distance, it's best not to go.
Those in Paris and Orlando are much superior

Nice place to spend time in Anaheim without paying an entrance fee. Variety of food options with music and shopping.

On a 4 night stay in The Grand Californian, we ate in the parks, in Disney hotel restaurants and in Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney was the best value BY FAR. The restaurants here are independent, so you don't get saddled with the "Disney premium." There is plenty of variety to choose from, so something for everybody. The quality of food and service here at all of the places we ate was every bit as good, if not better, than the Disney locales. We just wish we figured it out sooner.

Each store offers great values, expensive imports, great selections, reminders of the past reinvented.

Growing up going to Disney World and knowing about Downtown Disney in Florida (now called Disney Springs) I wasn't sure what to expect from Downtown Disney in California. What I found was a much smaller, although still very enjoyable, location. I walked around on multiple occasions eating and shopping and genuinely enjoyed my time. This is a fun place to go for a couple hours or to enjoy while taking in the theme parks. The nice thing about Downtown Disney is it gives you the feel of being in the theme parks without the cost of the tickets. You do have to go through security prior to entering Downtown Disney, which I appreciated. Their cast members were always amazing, as you would expect from Disney.

Lots of places to eat and shop. Good place to watch the fireworks and watch the families come and go.

I felt like a kid again walking through Downtown Disney, only disappointment was seeing quite a few vacant spots which I find to be very unusual for Disneyland. Outside of that, love the environment!

At a conference, walked down along the downtown district. Plenty of shops, plenty to eat. I highly recommend to get reservations for sir down places, can have long waits. Lots of people, crowded. Worth the walk.

Downtown Disney is a free shopping area between Disneyland and California Adventure. It’s full of restaurants, candy shops, souvenir shops, artists, musicians, etc… I think they may even have a movie theater. You may be familiar with some of the shops or snack stores such as Build a Bear or a shop where boys can build their own little cars, pretzel shop, clothes shops, jewelry shops, Jamba Juice, cute socks shop, many great sit down restaurants , bars etc… it’s fun to stroll through that area. I believe they’re even open an hour or two after the 2 parks close.

Talk about an amazing Lego store and Disney Store, a few great restaurant options and lots of different types of entertainment

It’s great to look around Downtown Disney. I just love looking in the shops and looking in the windows. Entertainment for all ages young and old. ❤️🎃

This area is super busy in the evenings. You have to come in through a security line (bag checks) that takes awhile. There are a handful of busy restaurants and shops, but you don't need to spend a whole lot of time here.

Needs more places to eat(food trucks...). Did not like that you could not use your Disney gift card at food places like you can at Springs.Need to move out the fountains and add more options.

There are some very good restaurants and shops here, and it makes a wonderful place to take a break from the theme parks. If you are in Disneyland for the day, you may want to come here just because there are no alcoholic beverages in that park (unlike California Adventure). It's only a short walk from the parks, or you can take the monorail from Tomorrowland, or the California Grand Hotel from California Adventure. One of my favorite things to do is to take a break from the parks around 4 or 5 PM and get a in the lobby or bar of the Grand Hotel. I like to soak in the atmosphere while we rest. Then dinner at the Jazz Kitchen or on the outside balcony of Catal is a must. My only complaint is that you must go through security screening to get into Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney is now open... &&& Doing it SPLENDIDLY amidst Covid 19. Not every restaurant is open yet & you are paged to enter the Disney Store. But done very SAFETY & Welcoming! Wear your mask & be prepared to get your temperature screened. I LOVED being back. I’m a local who is the same age as Disneyland😂👍🏻💋💋💋💋💋JUST GREAT!

Enjoyed an afternoon touring Downtown Disney. Lots of nice restaurants and shopping, all while walking amidst the sounds of Disney. Nice, affordable alternative to the park itself.

While we've visiting Disneyland park a number of times, this is the first time that we stopped at Downtown Disney. We're glad we did. The shopping is great (in our view, better than in the parks) and there is a good selection of food. Definitely worth the visit.

I treated my teenage Girl Scouts to "linner " downtown...seeking out Mexican food. We had some time to do some limited wandering in Downtown. Pleasant experience overall.

the lady that was checking us was mad disrespectful! NO MANNERS! And was not letting us in because we had a speaker (we left the speaker in the car and she did not believe us) she ruined my afternoon

Went there more than once week of July 27th thru August 3rd. Small place compared to Disney Springs. One complaint, Starbucks would not take a disney gift card. We did not take much cash so we just walked out.

I like going through security entering downtown Disney and not messing with it at the parks. The DTD area is filled with color, live music, food options, shopping and sweets. It’s a great time.

Having restaurants and shops outside the entrance to the parks really gave us a chance to ponder our purchases and get meals easier.

It is Disney, so it is expensive and crowded. No surprise. But guests rarely had facemasks, there was no distancing, coughing and sneezing was common and quite audible. I was most frustrated by the lack of "normal" dining, most establishments are specialized. Surprisingly, there is not one seafood restaurant. The stores were all boutique, highly specialized, and pricey. I personally will not return unless things change.

I have the Magic Key pass that allows me a discount on restaurants & shopping. When I need a boost… I just walk thru Downtown Disney & buy some goodies for my Grand kids & then top it off with a Grand meal❤️. I always buy one balloon before getting in my car, even going solo. The balloon stays longer than flowers @ home😂🤣❤️!

Tips: get there early. Parking is difficult and entry in to downtown Disney can take up to an hour or more. Also, know which shops you want and get in line early. Those lines can be very long just to get in because the number of people allowed in is small.

Overall a great time.

For those of us spoiled with FL downdown Disney, you will more than likely be diapponted. Not many places to shop or eat and the World of Disney store is much smaller. Disney should consider investing ilke they did in FL if they wish for people to cmeo back. Totally disappointed and thought this was a waste of time visiting.

We enjoy going to downtown Disney in touring all the shops we expecially enjoy the Disney store entering the lobby of the California Grand hotel is extraordinary....

The day we arrived in Anaheim we went Downtown Disney. We checked out all the stores and the cool shops here before our Disneyland adventure began. There are some great restaurants and shops here. Worth checking out while in Disneyland!

I really like beignets ever since I tried them in New Orleans. We've been to Disneyland a couple of times and always look for the beignets. We tried them inside the park and they were fine but at the end of our visit I wanted to try the new Beignets Expressed version. I like the plain version and they looked very good in the display case. Nice and fluffy. We ordered a small bag of them to take back to our room and enjoy with coffee. I was very disappointed. They were flat and still a little gooey in the middle. The shop was not very busy yet it seemed like they rushed to fill our order and as a result we got undercooked mushy beignets. Next time in Disneyland I'll skip the beignets.

The best restaurants & shopping & entertainment! It even snowed as bands are playing!❄️❄️❄️❤️!! Great way to ring in the New Year 2025🎉🎊!

We held off on all shopping during our Disney day because we didn't want to carry anything around all day or have to go somewhere to pick up our purchases for the risk of any errors/mistakes so we decided to make this place our last stop. The World of Disney was kind of a let down for us in regards to things to buy and for the "world" of Disney they were missing quite a bit of characters but I suppose if you forgot someone's souvenir or last minute shopping this could do the trick.

Downtown Disney has a fun atmosphere and feels like you are in the park without the cost 😊. There are plenty of places to sit down and eat as well as faster fare places. I enjoyed the shopping at Pandora and Sephora as well as the Disney dress shop!

the new buildings are really nice, I enjoy the ballast point brewery. I feel there are so many great restaurants to expolore. lots to do even without buying disney tickets

Love that you can get some Disney shopping done without being in the parks. More difficulty finding toilets here rather than in Disney Springs (Florida). We actually had to ask in the end. Love World of Disney store. Big Lego store is a plus!

You can shop in the mall outside the park so there is no need to waste time shopping whilst in the parks,gives you more time for rides. We went back the following day to shop.

I liked Dowtown, it’s a great place to scape and relax a bit without leaving the property. It has many restaurants where you will find less people and more day to day food. And stores where you will find everything you need or buying souvenirs that are from Disney but not so over the top. Also nice to have the World of Disney with much of the merchandise, easier to head there after the park closes or latter in the day an avoid taking the bags around. Essentially is a shopping mall.

Not going to lie, from the front security gate to the start of downtown is a bit of a hike when walking against everyone going to the parks from thr Disney hotels, but, dont let that stop you! There are some fantastic merch places down here as well as many awesome eateries such as Naples & Tortilla Joe's. There is often live bands and street performers.

We had to park a long walk from Downtown Disney. It was not set up very well for handicap people. The better Restaurants have left ESPN and Rainforest. The one we tried was not worth the price. The Disney store had been rearranged as was not as complete as it used to be.

Huge district full of Disney experiences. Feels like a city with multiple amusement parks. Worth spending the whole day

It was nice to take a dinner break from the park to walk around at Downtown Disney. There are some neat shops. It was nice not to have to go back through security to get into the park. It’s much smaller than Disney Springs in Florida, so it didn’t take to long to walk around.

I suggest purchasing Max pass option to reduce some stressful situations and encounters with other patrons. Witness multiple hostile actions due to cutting in line, people in scooters intentionally ramming into people or stopping traffic. My spouse foot and knee injured by these crazy people.Fighting scene broadcasted on national television media. Limited security personnel appears only stationed during bag check stations. Bring water, soda, snacks etc. Max pass provides options of ordering meals rather than waiting in long lines.

Loved Downtown Disney (especially the old school name still) it was far prettier than Disney Springs in Walt Disney World, more Disney details. However, it was way smaller and only took a couple hours to do all the shops and have an Earl of Sandwich.
The World of Disney was the best shop, it was huge! Lovely big starbucks too. Lots of snack places, we got a Sprinkles cupcake which was lovely! It did get very busy though at night so bare that in mind.

There is a very good selection of restaurants and things to do. Most evenings there are live bands performing. Starting right after Halloween they play Christmas music, which gets a little annoying.

Downtown Disney is a magical place to visit! It’s similar to a downtown in any major city, shops, eateries, musicians, but everything is Disneycentric! It’s family friendly, romantic and perfect for friends too! A favorite visit includes an evening walk, sitting under the lights at Starbucks followed by nightly fireworks! It’s free and parking varies depending on the day and time. It’s a great filler for some extra Disney time without the expense.

If you are staying @ Anhiem I believe you should pay a visit to Disney downtown and you may have a lunch or dinner over there.

It is free of charge you can just go there and enjoy the Disney vibe through the stores and some live shows.

I had a great experience at one of its restaurants “ Naples” so you may try it when you are there. Also there are many shops like Sephora, Pandora ...etc the Hand made ice cream is lovely don’t miss it ( the shop is just next to Naples )

Enjoy

Great way to spend an evening. Just shopping and eating. Disney only needs to add a little more entertainment and it would be perfect.

Happy Halloween!!! One of my favorite time of the year!!! Coming here with lots of fun, shopping, restaurants to choose from!!! Love love

My only complaint would be we could not find a “Grumpy” zip hoodie but found one online anyway. Staff at Disney store were very helpful.

Smaller than Disney Springs but easy to navigate. We visited on our arrival day and it is a great way to get oriented to visiting the park. We love Earl of Sandwich! I just wish they still had the silhouette shop!

My family went here tonight and it was a horrible experience. I always bring a pepper spray for self defense. Upon entering the entrance, the security at the gate told me that's not allowed in the park. She told me to take it back to the car or don't enter the place. Ok, reasonable. I told her I will bring it back to the car, but due to the construction and all the reroutes going on, the way was super long so I decided to leave the pepper spray at a corner outside and will grab it on the way back. After doing so, I came back to the entrance and another security guard told me that they have cameras around and saw that I left it at a corner, so now options have changed. I either surrender the spray or don't go in. This security acted all tough and bold like I was a criminal. I explained to her that the spray is for self defense and clearly not a deadly weapon. She didn't care a word. Well regardless, I left it outside. What else did you want? I went back to retrieve the spray and surrendered to her. I even said sorry and guess what, not even a thank you or a word out of her mouth. Still that cold and tough face. I understand that they were doing their jobs but no need to act tough. I thought Disney called themselves the happiest place on earth. I didn't do anything wrong nor was I a criminal. Or do you think you could manipulate me by acting tough? Wrong. I was being polite. I will never take my family back to Disney theme parks and downtown again. Stop treating people like they are criminals.

I went on a family trip with my son n his family. Made reservations at the Paseo. Well I first. Was ok go with the flow. The experience was great. Our server Rudy was A+ we had 2 little kids he was quick to be sure they were taken care of. I got the chicken enchiladas and to be honest probably the best ever. Son n daughter both extremely happy with their choices as well. I recommend and if lucky and get Rudy You will have that enjoyable evening like we had

If you don't have time to spend more than a day at Disneyland, don't spend your time shopping in the park. The night before or after, or the morning you have to leave, you can make the obligatory purchases in Downtown Disney. They have almost all the items you'll find in the park at the Disney store (they may not have something specific to one of the theme parks inside). Plus you can find Disney related items like Legos at the specialty stores. There's also lots of restaurants with meals priced a little less that also can accommodate larger number of people in a party than can be obtained within the Parks.

Nice area for dining and shopping but it’s ridiculously overpriced. The Disney store was cool and we spent a lot of time and money there. Downtown Disney (Disney Springs) in Orlando is far better

Had dinner at Tortillia Joe's. Don't bother. Food is on par with something you would get at a drive-thru, but with a huge price tag. I do have to state that our server was excellent and professional. He was working his butt off. I left him a huge tip in spite of the yucky food and over priced drinks.

The other place we ate was at Naples. The food was better than Tortillia Jo's, but the pizza crust was burnt on half of the pizza and raw on the other, like they forgot to spin it while baking to ensure an even crust.

We grabbed a corn dog one night from the stand on the thoroughfare. The merchant advertised they were 'hand dipped' so high expectations were there. There was no crunch to the outer layer and the hot dog itself tasted like it was made of sawdust. To be fair, I did not expect a corn dog to be a piece of culinary art and inspiration. However, if I'm going to blow 1,200 calories and $15 on a corn dog, I want it to be worth it.

Because it's Disney, there are lots of junk stores to take your money for crap that will be tossed into a landfill in 8-12 months. Please think of the environment and also your budget before shelling out $55 for a stuffed Yoda or a coffee cup in the likeness of Mickey Mouse.

Also because it's Disney, expect herds of tourists going to and fro. This is not the place for a romantic date. It's a place you take your exhausted kids after a day at the park to feed them before tossing them into the hotel room bed, and the adults hope they can grasp a few moments of calmness and consume something served on anything other than on an edible cone with a paper napkin - adding alcohol at this point is a plus.

Downtown Disney is such a great get away from the kids! Catal Bar has amazing choices for beer and other adult beverages. Also, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen is delicious! You couldn’t ask for a better time away from the chaos of home.

We didn't spend a lot of time in this area but we did buy candy in the candy shop and we visited guest services for lost items. I need another day there just to wander and check out all the fun stuff on Main Street! We did enjoy the Christmas parade with all the Disney characters! So fun!

Carmen and Olaf Carmen’s hugging Olaf Carmen went to Disneyland and Carmen got to see Frozen and Carmen loves Olaf

We visited on the day we were flying out of LAX and had a few hours to burn. This was a wonderful place with live music, dancing, restaurants and great little shops. A great family atmosphere.

A wonderful place for all ages but more beneficial if you are at least 8 years old or up. My friends and I are in our 50s and 60s and we had a ball. We had hot weather but if you go later in the afternoon and include the evening it’s cooler and you can see he light parade and fireworks depending on the season. At the moment the Halloween theme is in. You can get an app for fast passes but we found the queues not too bad.

We spent quite a bit of time shopping and eating in downtown Disney. You could spend several days just eating, drinking and shopping. So if you ha e not been to Disneyland before you need to check out the pintrading tradition.

We had so much fun in Downtown Disney! Mini makeovers at Sephora, shopping at the Disney Home Store, Beignet's and coffee and more! There really is something for everyone. 😁

After spending a day in Disneyland, my sisters and I decided to have dinner at Tortilla Joe's in Downtown Disney. It was confusing at first to locate a menu: with a cell phone, one must scan a barcode at the center of the table to view the menu online. Then, one flags a server to order. One gets 2 choices to go with beans and rice. Our choices were Chicken Enchilada and Chile Relleno. Tortilla chips and dip were presented as appetizers. It was a chilly evening; the patio heaters warmed us.

Second time back to Downtown Disney since the pandemic. Went with our adult daughter.

Parking: DTD does not open until 10am. Please note that parking does not open until 9:45am. So, we had to go around “the block” and come back to park once it opened. The Simba Parking is behind the Disneyland Hotel Frontierland Tower. Very easy walk.

Entrance: Very well marked, very few folks there on a Thursday at 10am.

We walked to California Adventure in search of a Mickey Pretzel. It is hidden away in an alcove near the entrance to Cars Land. Our daughter almost cried since it had been so long since she had one. Yummy. Went through some shops and picked up sweets and clothes for her friend coming in from Idaho and two cornflower blue ears for her Backstreet Boys friends. We were pleased to see how the guest traffic flowed from store to store and expect that the same safety measures can be put in place on Main Street in Disneyland. Backlot Premiere Shop is still a waste of time, although the wife was tempted to purchase the adorable Small World items and hubby liked the Indiana Jones display. We would like to see more clothing/masks for Marvel.

World of Disney: Spacing outside is great. Last year the inside was scary with too many guests. This time, much better and we purchased clothing. Our daughter is still on the hunt for a Ray the Firefly pin (Princess and the Frog)/ Unfortunately on one cashier was working in the middle checkout.

At about 11am, while we were in line to get into WofD, our daughter walked over to scan into Star Wars Trading Post. Two hour wait. Which would work for us, since we were going to eat lunch at about noon. At 1pm we received the 2nd text informing us of our opportunity to visit SWTP. Hit: great selection. no lines in the store. Purchased a couple of masks and shirts. Miss: After receiving text and expecting to go in, we were placed in another line and had to wait 30 minutes. Cast Member was not at the back of the 1st line so guests were jumping the line where those of us were told to wait. Not cool.

Earl of Sandwich: Easy to order, and all the tables are preset more than 6ft apart. We chose to eat again in front of the theatres. Miss: With so many guests ordering by the app, walk-ups are placed in the back of the queue. This is happening in a lot of restaurants with mobile ordering and it seems like there should be staff working separately based on order type. Maybe we are just old-fashioned.

In November we suggested that Disneyland should consider moving one or two of the most popular shops from Disneyland over to the empty storefronts at DTD. SWTP is an excellent addition and now that Buena Vista Street is open, being able to go to Trolley Treats with no line was great.

Downtown Disney was our first stop after checking into our hotel. We spent the evening strolling the main boulevard, checking out the expensive shops and marveling at all the Starbuck's. After eating at Earl of Sandwich we visited the World of Disney to scout some potential souvenirs. There were only a few items that really interested us and the store was much smaller than the one in Florida. Disney Springs (FL) also has a nice lake, more strolling space, and a better variety of entertainment. The district is a pleasant place to catch some of the pixie dust without buying a park ticket, but comparing DD to its Orlando cousin I walked back to the hotel a little disappointed.

Entry is impossible if we have a dog. There are no signs to confirm the dictates of an employee. Very disappointed and angry

If you aren't interested in visiting the Disney park itself, this is a great alternative that allows you to be close to the action.

Great place for the entire family. Plenty of different activities for adults and children. Nice restaurants with a great ambiance.

On a late Saturday night was bananas
Went into the world of Disney to purchase some souvenirs for me and the kids

They have a great selection and three separate register locations

they are fast and effective despite the chaos of all the customers

There seemed to be something going on at all times in the Downtown Disney area - one night it was a tap dancing display, another was a very good band. The shops are fun to look in especially Lego land. Lots of restaurants although we did need to put our name down to get into one.

Downtown Disney was enjoyable. Live music and lots of interesting things to see. The atmosphere was right at the top with the coolest Christmas decorations. The Christmas music playing around was a nice touch. Good job Downtown Disney

Great extension of Disney. You can still enjoy Disney before you head to the parks. Lots of restaurants and shopping. More geared towards adults and open late.

a great place to visit when coming to Disneyland/California Adventure, the stores are a bit pricey but non-the less a great place to shop. during the day would be a better time to visit the stores and shop around, at night when the park is closing is a rush around for all visitors, last minute shoppers. expect to wait in line to check out when shopping at night or when the park is just about close.

We could not bear to go to the park as it was too hot but wanted to sample a little bit of the Original Disney.

Sadly having spent a lot of time in Orlando we found downtown Disney very disappointing compared to Disney springs. This might be an unfair comparison as DS is purpose built with no limit to land but this place has limited restaurants and minimal activities for children.

The Disney shops are good of course and unlike Disneyland the restaurants do serve alcohol. The place is clean, feels safe and has validated parking.

Lots of stores and restaurants. Big parking lot.can see the fireworks from there. Great place to walk around

After being to the downtown Disney location in Florida this one was a let down! This location is super small compared to the downtown Disney in Florida. If you have been to the Florida location don't bother with this one unless you are attending the Disneyland park or are already in the area. We did a quick walk through and left.

This area is close to both Disney parks, they all share a plaza and tram stop, the stop is actually closer to Downtown Disney than the parks
There are plenty and shops in this area, which a lot of people visit later in the day, so if you want to go when it is quieter it is worth going earlier, there were very few people about when we visited
It is much smaller than the one in Florida, so it does not take as long to get round it and there is not as much to do, it is fun but not somewhere I would make a specific visit to if I was not already going to the parks
There are some good shops but everything was expensive, but I did find a couple of things that I had not seen in the parks, so I did make a purchase

Our boys 11 and 12 enjoyed Disneyland and California Adventure, but their favorite part of our weekend trip was this VR experience. It was $40 per kid, much less than all the money spent at the 2 theme parks. Apparently it’s super immersive, and they can interact with each other in the VR world as Marvel heroes. You shoulda seen the joy and amazement on their faces- totally worth it!

Many of the stores carry the same items inside the parks, bit you don't have to have a ticket to get in. There were a few restaurants and snack food kiosks as well to visit in between shopping. Be aware that just like the parks, your bags will be searched and you pass through scanners. My 4 rating is due to the difficulty getting in on the west entrance vs east side.

I went with my girlfriend and two guys here for an evening. We hand so much fun with restaurants, music, the fireworks and a late night drink. A great place to go and just see what everyone likes to do...and connect.

Downtown Disney is such a lovely area. As guests of Disneyland Hotel we walked through here twice a day or more. Nice atmosphere, shops and dining. While dining reservations were impossible to secure in the park, we appreciated the delivery options available from the restaurants here.

Nice place where to spend time, and have some good shopping and eat at the many restaurants and kiosks there.

BEWARE DOWNTOWN DISNEY PARKING & THEIR VALIDATIONS AS IT'S VERY LIKELY YOU WILL RECEIVE THE WRONG VALIDATION WHILE SHOPPING/DINING AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY, AND THEN YOU'LL BE FORCED TO PAY A MUCH HIGHER PARKING FEE UPON LEAVING THE LOT. TRYING TO RECEIVE A REFUND OF THE IMPROPERLY CHARGED FEE IS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE AND TAKES MONTHS.  

This is my experience: I dined at Uva and spent $75 dollars to receive a 6hr validation; our server incorrectly gave us a 4hr validation. There is no way to tell when looking at your parking ticket which validation you received. Upon leaving I was expecting to pay $10 - the amount I budgeted for - but the parking attendant rang me up for $24 and told me my validation was for only 4hrs. I told her it was a mistake since I dined at a sit down restaurant for a 6hr validation. She said there was nothing she could do and my options were (1) return to Downtown Disney to find the server and have him correct the error (the line to exit the parking lot was 6 cars deep so it wasn't physically possible to reverse back and return to the lot; or (2) pay the incorrect rate and call customer service to refund me the overcharge. I went with the latter option and asked what number to call - the parking attendant gave me the number for the Anaheim Police Dept - obviously wrong. I found the correct number myself and called it; it leads to an automated message telling you to email their customer service team. I emailed the team and waited a few days for a response: I was asked to send a picture of my receipt from Uva and from the parking lot. I responded that I didn't have the receipt but could tell her the approx amount as well as detailed descriptions of our server, the host, and exactly what we ordered. This wasnt good enough for Disney's customer service. They instead told me that "as a one time only exception and goodwill gesture" they could send me a gift card for the amount they improperly charged me. I'm not sure if the higher ups or whoever is coming up with these customer service responses/standards at Disney understand what a monthly budget is? Whoever it is - they need to realize that a lot of people who visit Disney parks are not 1% and live/die by their budgets, and that money has value. I personally drill my budget down to the dollar so being overcharged for parking, paying in USD and then being offered a Disney gift card as a "one time only exception and act of goodwill" is mind blowingly infuriating. I asked for our conversation to be escalated to management. This was denied and instead the cusomter service rep offered to call me. At the same time, I reached out to Uva's management to track down a copy of the receipt, which took them a few days to find. I finally sent that copy to Disney's customer service and they said they would be sending it to their processing team to review. No mention of an actual refund, just a review. I've waited now 8 business days and have been told they cannot provide me with a ballpark date that I'll be refunded. Normal businesses will advise 3-5 business days. For some reason, Disney, which has been in operation for decades, cannot manage the 3-5 business day refund turn around, and cannot even give me a ballpark. I have no idea if my stolen money will be returned in days, weeks or months. 

Honestly after visiting Disney Springs in Orlando Florida this was very underwhelming. There’s really not much else to say

I guess if you do not go to Disneyland, you could soak up some atmosphere of it at Downtown Disney. The food is good and you can buy some of the same items as Disneyland. Get your car park stamped. Otherwise very expensive.

Lots of food choices, a bowling alley and theater and a few retail shops. Considerably smaller then Orlando. Nice stop but not a destination on its own. One of the highlights was watching them make caramel apples into characters

Disney Feeling but without entrance nor parking fees - I know what you are thinking - how can this be Disney if they don’t try to rip you off with every breath you take? Yes it can and believe me it is quite nice.
So what did I not like about it ? I just miss the old version of it … the beautiful decors in the stores and all the small stores.

Just a very beautiful place to be - great shops good food and you have to try Swirls on the Water! All the Dole Whips Form the park - you simply have to love it!

World of Disney and Disney home have to be my 2 favorites in the downtown area. The also have a stage for live performances.

Expected Downtown Disney to be smaller than Disney Springs, but didn't expect how small. Downtown does contain several Disney shops like the art gallery, home store, and dedicated World of Disney store; but it's missing...something. The World of Disney store does not contain a lot of the small items I would expect at a Disney Parks location (no Duffy bears, no car antenna ornaments, etc). The pin trading locations were decent though and had friendly cast members. Visited Jazz Kitchen for dinner, and I would say, that dinner made the visit worth it. We did not visit Disneyland or Calif. Adventure, but I'd suggest making souvenir purchases and such inside the parks rather then Downtown. As far as a theme park shopping district, I'd suggest CityWalk over Downtown Disney.

Went to Downtown Disney tonight just to walk around and see what is new. Hadn't been there in a long while. We didn't realize they charge $14/hour for parking unless you spend $20 or more at one of their shops. We had to pay $21 to park for one hour and 11 minutes. We were suspicious that they had changed their policy but we told by an employee upon entering the parking lot that the first three hours were free. Classic bait-and-switch. Thanks a lot, Disney.

It's very pretty here, and lots of good restaurant and some good shops. Definitely needs more shops, though. The restaurants seem to far outnumber the shops.

Starbucks was great to hang out and stay, colorful area, lights at night, greenery during the day. Great shops to browse or make purchases at. Friendly staff at all the locations

There is plenty of shopping opportunity in downtown Disney!!! The variety of shops is impressive and no need to enter the park to shop here! Very good variety!

We enjoyed our time “stepping” at Downtown Disney. We arrived at 10 am on a Thursday and were able to visit all the open shops and see the fun Disney merchandise again. Many restaurants are open as well. Ppe required and temperatures taken. Cast all in good spirits and kind

There were some fun souvenir shops, unique brand shops, and several restaurants here. The restaurants had long waits and were pretty pricey, but I think the food is a bit better here than at the parks. We spent about 4 hours here and left very full!

You can see the fireworks in the park from here. The restaurants are popular and a little pricey. It is an enjoyable way to spend an evening. It is free to walk around, but you pay a premium for the restaurants and shops. They have an awesome Lego store.

We use Downtown Disney as a break from the park to have a sit down meal and shop away from the park. The area is busy year round and reservations are highly recommended. It's a bustling, entertainment packed area. Love it here as its clean like the parks and very family friendly.

We stopped by on NYE to check out the Downtown Disney area. Did a little shopping, had dinner and just took our time exploring the area. Great variety of shops and several restaurants to choose from. Enjoyed our time in Downtown Disney!

On my recent visit I discovered a few changes some good some not so good. First If you're a fan of the Rain Forest cafe or the ESPN zone ,or the House of Blues they are no longer open. The house of Blues has moved to the garden walk along with the AMC Theaters. Some new restaurants have opened and many of the other ones remain. Also there are some new shops, some I enjoyed ( the dress shop) and others I don't expect to still be there when I return in two years but that's just my opinion. I do hope the Rinse gets a better spot and stays I enjoy the products I purchased . Always a good place to grab a bite outside of the parks and spend time in the World of Disney staying cool.

So this is where the dummies bring their “hard” earned money to piss it away? Everything is wayyyyyy over priced, nothing that special. I guess if the security checkpoint makes you “feel” safe then go for it. This makes hawaii and Japan feel cheap.

Downtown Disney is in between The California Adventure and Disneyland. You don't need to buy tickets to get in, if you just want to shop, you can. I've seen a lot of people who don't have the park tickets watched the fireworks from outside.

Fun to walk around, not really a necessity if you do not have time to walk it all. Most of the shops have things that are inside the park as well.

This is a great place to hang out. It's totally free and wits between the two Disney parks. Great shops and eateries, Places to view the Disney fireworks display every evening. Fun atmosphere and great souvenir shopping.

Anyone can go here, between the 2 parks, great variety of shops, bars and eateries, with such an amazing vibe, great place to take a break from the 2 parks

$10 parking in the Simba lot off Katella, easy walk to Downtown Disney, no packed crowds but vibrant atmosphere with music and people walking around on a beautiful sunny day. No lines for temperature and security check. All stores and restaurants with indoor dining were open and nice to see the Disney hospitality and workers.

The last time we visited Disneyland and Downtown Disney was 3 1/2 years ago and quite a bit has changed since then. Security/bag check has now moved to the outside of Downtown Disney so even if you aren't going into the parks, you need to go through bag check before enjoying the restaurants and stores.

Salt and Straw has opened a branch in Downtown Disney which is awesome as it always offers at least one vegan ice cream flavor. Even though we have been to their stores in Seattle and Portland, we went for ice cream in Downtown Disney.

Parking is free if you spend $20 (if I remember correctly). We got drinks at Starbucks for the 4 of us and that was enough to get our parking stamp. When we were walking around in the evening, there was live music which was really nice. I am not sure if that only occurs during the holidays but it was enjoyable.

I loved it here.We got to go to many places to see.There was some statues made of Legos and since it was this year (2022) Hocus Pocus 2 was just new.And there was a poster of hocus pocus to take pictures.I also liked it because when you walk all the way to the end that’s the start of Disneyland and California Adventure.You can go eat there and buy gifts and even more stuff.

We enjoyed walking around, shopping and having dinner at Downtown Disney. We were able to walk from our hotel, and there is a pick up/drop off area for ride shares. It’s beautiful at night! World of Disney is a HUGE shop with all things Disney. The LEGO store has most impressive huge LEGO figures. There’s also a bowling alley and a virtual reality experience.

Downtown was really nice and quiet and gave us a break from the park. We ate here and walked around checking out the shops and various desserts outlets. Really nice place ri escape the house and eat at more upmarket places. Highly recommend Ballast for vegans.

Great shopping, dining, and entertainment without the need for a theme park ticket! Not as extensive as the Disney Springs area in Orlando, but still worthy. We love to buy souvenirs here the first night of our trip (especially breakables like Christmas ornaments) so we don’t have to carry stuff around the parks. Dinner & shopping at Downtown Disney is always the way we ease into a Disneyland vacation.

There is such a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment that no one will go away without finding what they want. We especially enjoyed dinner on a cool evening at Splitsville. Warm, cozy, and yummy.

We parked in the Disney parking lot. We were killing time before we could check into our hotel (not a Disney property). There's not much to see at Downtown Disney and the lines were long at the restaurants so we walked off property to go to Denny's. When we finally left, our parking bill was $38! The attendant told us it would have cheaper if we purchased something! Wish I knew that in advance.

There’s something for everyone here at Downtown Disney. I have spent many nights here with friends and loved ones just enjoying the many possible things to do. Your kids will love the huge Disney store and Lego store and they’ll enjoy one of the many places to eat. I remember going to the ESPN Sports Zone to watch games and eat. The lights, sounds, smells are all exciting for kids and adults and there’s rarely a dull moment.

Lots of shops and restaurants. Nice to get away from the park and have some shopping time and good food.

We just walked around the area as we were burned out from being at Disneyland all day in the sometimes pouring rain. Beautiful at night with shopping and restaurants a plenty. Probably try and eat here next time. Very nice place to take a stroll and enjoy the colors.

We went to the Disney District for dinner at Jazz Kitchen (highly recommend). Parking is nearby and $10 with validation. The area is primarily a shopping/dining attraction with close access to the park. It was crowded on a Monday night. The area is clean and nicely maintained.

The restaurants are fabulous to look at, the Lego store filled with wonders, but ... Too rich for my blood.

Fantastic walk through downtown Disney ... yeah there’s a load of time overpriced shops n stuff!... but it’s disney !! Great place to see a few street shows , each some food ( which we found great!!)

Can’t wait to go back !!

This review goes for Rhonda at the guest relations/ticket booth right in front of the Disney and DCA entrance. We spent Saturday and Sunday at both disneyland theme parks and Sunday we wanted to check on the status of a refund before heading into DCA. We arrived at the guest relations window around 1:30 pm Sunday February 13 2022. We only wanted to inquire about the status of our refund for some tickets that had already been approved over the phone. Since the refund was taking longer than anticipated we decided to quickly check the status.

We came up to the window and Rhonda asked us what we wanted and we explained the situation. From the moment we arrived you can tell she didn’t want to be at work. Her eyes glazed over when we explained the simple situation and why we are waiting for a refund. When we explained, she said “nah they wouldn’t have done that.” Keep in mind this refund had already been approved. So I don’t understand why she was trying to tell us they wouldn’t have done if it was already approved. This goes to show that instead of looking up our information she wanted to argue with us about what she thought she knew. She didn’t seem to understand our problem so my fiancé broke it down for her and said “look so we came to the park yesterday right? and what we are trying to do is…” she quickly followed up with a full blown attitude saying “I don’t know, did you?!” This clearly wasn’t a question on his part. This was completely disrespectful and unnecessary.

Since she couldn’t understand the simple problem she called another cast member to look us up. This other cast member immediately understood the situation and checked the computer then graciously told us the status of our refund. If Rhonda couldn’t comprehend a simple situation she could have kindly referred us to somebody else without the unneeded attitude or the huffing and puffing. I really hope Disney can do better and choose employees who actually want to be at work and who align with their core values as a company. This service sticks out like a sore thumb at a park like Disneyland and is completely unacceptable. I honestly thought I was at six flags amusement park for a moment.. and that’s insulting to six flags. It completely ruined the mood for the first couple hours at the park. We were very upset at the patronizing and disrespectful way we were spoken to. I can only imagine how she treats other guests, especially as this was just a brief encounter.

I always enjoy the Downtown Disney District. Shopping is fun & the dining choices are great. Today I just went to Starbucks & got in on the Anaheim Ducks Day celebration going on in Downtown Disney District. Music & meet & greet. I enjoyed hugging the Mascot😂🥅🏒🐧

Downtown Disney is always a nice treat. The shops and the restaurants are always delightful. Everyone is happy and the grounds are well maintained always for the high number of visitors. Naples Ristorante was our pick for dinner and it was perfect for our group of 15.

I felt like a little kid, as I was waiting in the lines to go on rides based on my favourite movies and just walking around looking at all the amazing things Disney has done!

We loved Downtown Disney - we had a number of meals here and found lots of great options with a ton of variety. We are big Salt and Straw fans and were happy to see one of their ice cream stores in Downtown Disney. We also love Black Tap but the line was always so long we did not eat at this one.

Good place to spend some time away from the frantic fun of the adjacent Disney parks. A mix of Disney and non-Disney shops, and some nice places to eat. We had a good dinner at the Italian themed Naples Ristorante e Bar, accompanied by great service from our waiter Gary. We also wanted to try the handmade icecream in Salt and Straw but didn't have the time. My daughter shopped in Pandora and Sephora and loved both.

The parking lot is large, and not that close, so you might have to walk a bit to get to the shops, but you can get free parking if you have your ticket stamped ("validated") when you spend money - I think it was 3 hours free if you spend over $20, and possibly 5 hours for $50 spend. DO NOT park here to visit the theme parks without doing this as the parking charges soon ramp up dramatically.

There's a Disney attraction here too - the Void, but we didn't use it so can't comment.

Looking at Downtown itself, it is a nice little place to shop and eat. That being said, when compared to Springs, there isn't even a comparison. Springs has more things to do, places to eat, places to shop. I understand Downtown can't expand much more, but after going my first night I didn't have much interest to go back during my trip.

Had a lovely walk-around and did some light shopping. Parking is validated, so if you spend a certain amount while there, your parking is free. :)

We ended up spending more time in Downtown Disney on our recent trip than I had anticipated. There are plenty of dining options ranging from cajun/creole to burgers and shakes. There is no shortage of shopping either. There is a rather large World of Disney store and then multiple other stores in the area. While we were there, we encountered a number of bands providing entertainment on the stage too. Of course, it sits conveniently between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure. It was fun to have Downtown Disney to escape from the parks and grab a meal in the middle of the day.

Great place for a shop for Disney stuff and lots food options with varying prices.
Monorail gets very busy from here into park so be careful if you want to go back into park for fireworks etc

Downtown Disney is always a fun place to be but even more so during the holidays. Be prepared to wait for restaurants. There are fun stores and great places to get food/dessert. Shop at the biggest Disney Store.

I wasn’t impressed with this place... just a lot of shops, food places,... kind of like a very expensive outlet mall! We only stayed an hour... walking around looking and then left. It is easy to get in and the parking is free and easy exit. Feels very safe too.

As I said, "Some of the joy of Disneyland - with restaurants and shops -entry to park NOT needed".

We learned about Downtown from our son who lives in Torrance - what a find. great restaurants, - our favorite Earl of Sandwich. And nice shops including a Disney store and a Lego store.

If you purchase XX dollars (can't remember) parking is free for the first two hours.

A go to area ...Enjoy...

Magical place every time you visit... day or night.. tons to do and lots of places to spend money. I prefer it at night, I think the atmosphere is so much better.. there is plenty of parking all around, bring some patience as its a very busy place... but you are on vacation, so you should not be in a hurry.

This is the perfect place you you don't wanna be in the park but still want that Disney Magic. World of Disney will most likely have all you Disneyland and California Adventure needs if you forgot to buy something.

Good atmosphere, lots to see and do, some good eating, reasonable shopping and a GIANT World of Disney store.

Loads of seating if eating from carts, and the seasonal displays are great.

This area is between Disney hotels and adjacent to both Disney parks. If you are staying at the Disney hotels you must go through here. You can catch the monorail to Tomorrowland at Disneyland from here. There are the usual Disney and Legos stores. Splitsville, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Earl of Sandwich are also familiar from Florida. But there are also some unique restaurants here as well, Black Tap Craft Burgers, Paseo and Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill to name a few. It is quite small compared to Florida, and gets very crowded at night, just like Disney World.

First time in CA, and although didn't have time for Disneyland, had to go to Downtown Disney just to get the Disney vibes. Since only minutes from my hotel, my sister and I went there for dinner and shopping. District was decorated for Christmas, stores and eateries were busy. We shopped and then ate at Ballast Brewery. Excellent service and great food. Fun night.

We visited August 22, 2019 before the Disney D23 expo. It was a clean and inviting atmosphere. I do wish it was as extravagant as Disney Springs was in Florida but it’s still nice to explore.

Nice way to end the evening, ice cream, Starbucks Frappa and Churros...maybe I need Jenny Craig's phone number.....800 something 😂😘

Nice place to wander around with a little hand holding. Not the cheapest place to go for food $9-15 milkshakes,$6-11 candy apples, burgers and sandwiches as well. Dusk is a great time to go.

Pros:
Great eateries and lots of places to shop. The space catered for large crowds and families. The attention to details was second to none and a great place to explore before entering the parks.

Cons:
The lines to enter the security checkpoint are massive as they search every bag. By the time we finally got to the front we were refused entry as we had a ten centimeter GoPro shorty selfie stick. We had to return to our accommodation which was luckily nearby and drop off the selfie stick. We then had to line up again for an additional half hour before we could enter the park. We thought this was a little unrealistic and silly considering how tiny the GoPro short is. Once inside the park we found someone with a giant selfie stick.

Omg. I am a Huge Disney fan. Been to the Disney World many times. But Downtown Disneyland didn’t disappoint. The smell is in the air of sweetness and food! The Villains are out in full dressed. Such a sight to see. Masks are full forced but it’s good to know Disneyland is taking it Safely!

Downtown Disney seems to have lost its mojo since our last visit. Rainforest Cafe shutdown, House of Blues gone and out on the street the many homeless and unwell people make the neighbourhood feel much less safe particularly when some one is raving and yelling obscenities and the Police and Security look the other way.

We visited on St. Patrick's Day, just prior to a Touch of Disney opening up. We knew that Buena Vista street was going to be closed during this time. For us, this was our first trip to the Disney area in over four years, and also our first venture into anything theme-park related since COVID. This was a real treat for us.

Parking was easy, and the lines were non-existent to get into the Downtown Disney shopping area. There were lines to get into each of the stores, but they weren't too bad. I'm sure they will be longer once Touch of Disney opens up. We spent quite a bit of time at the Star Wars store, and the main Disney store, also the candy shop (no fudge though). We also had a lovely lunch at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen.

As expected, masks are expected everywhere, including temperature screenings to get into Downtown Disney. The castmembers are vigilant to ask you to stand 6 feet apart. They will remind you to keep your nose covered at all times. There were some areas a little more crowded than others, but overall they do a good job of managing the crowds.

There were two things that stood out to me during this visit: (1) the well-known Disney hospitality, and (2) the Disney music played throughout. Of course it would have been more fun if the amusement parks were open, but for now during the pandemic, the music and the hospitality alone were good enough to make us appreciate these small touches which made for a really fun day. It was great to be back at the happiest place on earth - well, almost.

You aren't really here for Disney Downtown, but whilst here you can shop and eat. Its all pretty pleasant. You need to go through security to access Downtown Disney.

There's sometimes bands in the evenings on the pavilion towards the Disneyland Hotel, check the Disneyland website for show times.

fabulous days visiting downtown disney, great bars restaurants, brew pub, and the best bread pudding next door beside brennans
xmas is a great time to visit the district great to see soooo many smiles on everyone

I actually traveled here in March 2018, but it wouldn't let change to correct month. shortly after you enter the park you come across Downtown Disney and see the shops right away, cash grabbing you to buy many merchandise, souvenirs, and clothes.

Used to be a nice diversion to get something to eat or drink, shop and people watch.
Not really a destination on its own anymore. Don't bother unless you happen to be at one of the parks. It's just a big mall with inconvenient parking for which you pay at least $10, more if you don't buy anything. Better off going to South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island, park for free, eat, shop whatever in a nicer setting.

Lots of restaurant choices with waiting lines. We stopped here at the UVA Bar and Grill for a fancy margarita after visiting "The Void", just outside their doors! The weather was sweatshirt appropriate. Good stop before heading to the beach. Bartenders were great, very quiet on a chilly day but open and attractive. Plenty of awesome food for the kids - fancy barstyle apps (priced accordingly but it is Disney), also salads- kids are not up at the bar but at a nearby table so Adults can chat. Fun specialty happy hour beverages. Must be great on a warm day. I believe you can see fireworks at night.

After sixteen hours on a plane we dropped our luggage at the hotel and headed to Downtown Disney to stretch the legs. A wonderful place to begin the Disney experience.

We stopped here as we walked from our hotel to Disneyland. We visiting Ballast oint Brewery for dinner and it has great food with nice view of downtown area if seated next to a window. We also went to Marceline's Confectionery to share a Disney cookie and did not like the cookie at all-very disappointed. Stopped at the Starbucks and they were good as usual and not too busy when we stopped by. Also Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe which was good.

Downtown Disney is always a fun place but it is extra fun during the holidays with all the great decorations and music. It mainly consists of shopping and food. There are lots of sweet treats and some delicious restaurants.

It's always fun to come in and people watch. You've got to go through security first but then you have an abundance of places to choose to eat, drink, dance and be merry! There was a live band playing when we came in – which was at about 9pm on a Friday – Valentines Day actually! It's busy and bustling with a mixture of families and groups of friends who have spent a little too long at the park and are walking around ready for bed, and also lots of young people, coming in to socialise for the evening; it's quite the eclectic mix. Note that it is possible to see the fireworks in Downtown Disneyland – your view will be a little skewed by fairy-lit trees, but it is possible! We ate at Le Brea Bakery (see separate review), and you could see the fireworks right outside! Rather exciting. Note that there is ample parking, so pay attention to where you've parked! There are lots of Simba signs around with a letter and number to make a note of your row. It was a little bit of a walk from here but not a problem.

Very different from Disney springs in Orlando. Smaller. This is at the gates to Disneyland. A nice area with plenty of parking. We enjoyed walking around for a few hours.

Much smaller than I imagined with a few stores and a half dozen food outlets. I expected more choice. Good to just wander around in the day, no queues to get it on Sunday, however Monday night was a different story. The queue to get in was so long we abandoned the challenge and had dinner elsewhere.

This is technically a large open-air mall with plenty of shopping choices and mostly above-park-fare type food. A good place to unwind at the end of your park-going exploits.

We walked here from our hotel whilst attending a convention. It is just what you expect. An excellent mix of shopping, restaurants and bars that appeal to the whole family.

We walked through Downtown Disney each time we went to Disneyland from our Hotel. This was such a great area to grab a snack from a vendor or a meal from a restaurant. If you need souvenirs, don't waste your valuable park time, just grab them in your down time at the World of Disney store or one of the many other places at Downtown Disney. Need makeup? Just run in Sephora before or after hitting the park. This place has all kinds of stores to keep you busy :)

A very nice place, there are good shops and restaurants, by the way they are expensive, it is better to go out and look for another option. There is live music and places to have a good drink

Great choices of resturants. A great walk if you want time away from the parks. Great entertainment . We enjoyed out time

Most hotels you check out at 11/12. and while you're sitting in your hotel wondering what to do, downtown Disney is what you do. There's nothing very major there but there's a lot of shopping and a few restaurants. So we did some shopping, had lunch, and then checked out of our hotel and went home.

Downtown Disney is so much more than just Disney!! There is amazing food and some great shopping and entertainment!! It is always a must when we were at Disneyland!!

Having visited Downtown Disney Orlando and the new Disney Springs in Orlando, we were a bit disappointed with what we experienced in Downtown Disney Aneheim, it is much much smaller with limited options of restuarant and activities to keep the kids entertained without visiting the actual parks. You can walk across from the one end to the other in 15min! However we enjoyed lunch @ Black Top Craf Burgers and Beer, they have a crazy selection of milkshakes!

We walked around downtown Disney after taking a really hard roller coaster ride on the Increda - Coaster . We spent so much time at the Disney store and spent even more money. But it’s a cool place to go to and it’s got a lot of restaurants to check out and you don’t have to have Disneyland Park tickets in order to get there. By the way the Legoland store was CRAZY! .

I Love the snickerdoodle ice cream I look forward to trying more of their flavors in the future I hope !! The whole experience was wonderful going there this place is unique & special and I loved the snickerdoodle ice cream is the best ice cream ever !!!!

This is a great place to go out on a date night or with the family. It can be very challenging now to get into Downtown Disney, parking is very difficult and getting through security can take awhile. Once inside Downtown Disney, it is fun, many restaurants to get apps and drinks at. You can go bowling or just get beignets and watch the fireworks. I would say allow yourself the time but it is worth the visit.

Truly enjoyed being back on Disney property! Felt very safe and secure here. Disney has done a great job! Loved the music, the shopping, the food, the atmosphere and time with my loved ones. Can't wait to come back again and hopefully the parks & hotels will be open soon!!!

I was sooooo excited to get back to the Magic.
I haven’t been here since Friday March 13, 2020, I flew down for the unprecedented closing day.

It’s a very new experience, but I felt Disney kept me safe.

Let me take you through the steps of gaining admittance. Do not arrive before 9:45 am. City of Anaheim Police will not allow you to turn in to Simba lot 1 second before. So we followed a train of cars driving back and forth in front of the Simba lot. At exactly 9:45 we were allowed to turn into lot.

After parking follow the crowd to a series of social distancing lines on the ground. Keep your party together on the line. A health professional will summon forward to your first check. A health care professional will take your entire parties temperature. If you or any member of your party fail this temperature check your entire party must depart the premises.

Next you walk through a canopied covered area past the drug dogs. Follow the crowd with social distancing to the security tent. The security set up is the same as before the Covid Virus. You will emerge in front of the Earl of Sandwich.

Lines are clearly marked to enter every store or restaurant. Strict adherence to social distancing is expected. I only saw 1 man with his mask on incorrectly he was quickly caught by a cast member and the situation was dealt with expeditiously.

Surprisingly fun night with the family at Downtown Disney. Convenient parking that all stores will validate so it is free parking. Great vibe walking through the "village" with families all with smiles on their faces. Very clean and well-maintained grounds. Various shopping options from Disney to clothing to jewelry. Lots of dining options. talented street entertainers and musicians.

You have to pay 30.00 for 3 hours of parking, or 50.00 for the whole day, unless you validate your parking ticket by buying > 25.00 worth of gifts or dinner, in which case you can park for free. disney store is nice, restaurants have to be booked several weeks in advance and if you have a change in your schedule orareunable to make it, they have a customary policy to charge you $10/person for cancelling within 48 hours, which means you cannot make a change in your plans within 2 days of the reservation. This is a little too much, especially for people on vacation whose plans may change due to various circumstances.

You don’t need Disneyland tickets to wander through Downtown Disney. The atmosphere here is great, lots to Disney shops, Lego Shop and great restaurants.
Security checks to get into the area, but a great place to visit

The Disney product push is on in full steam here! Crowded and expensive. There are plenty of shops and opportunity to do the disney thing. Food options are better elsewhere.

Unreal, Disney parking is criminal, $59.00, yes fifty nine dollars, NOT $5.90, I nearly fell over, I thought it was a mistake, but nope.. 4hrs parking, waiting for a table, slow service, mediocre food, and so so surroundings.. We live local and have never been bent over so hard by ANY parking lot anywhere.. I urge you to stay away unless you want to empty your wallet at the pay station.

I live in Florida and feel a little like I am betraying my state by admitting it, but the downtown Disney in Anaheim was better than the one here in Orlando.

Takes more time to get in and out of the parking lot then there are things to see or do. Huge waste of time, save yourself and visit other attractions and dining. Not worth it.

enjoy it as much, try to make it when the weather is good, make sure you have all the maps , where to go , the timings of different acitivites, most of all not to miss the big parade, for that you need to sit on the site an hour ealier, once it starts you will be in lala land

Fun place to spend a few hours. Liked the shops. A lot to see and quite a few interesting restaurants

I love going here just to walk around, looking in the shops, have something to eat or drink. A really nice place to be.

We visited Downtown Disney before we visited the parks and it was a nice way to get the kids excited. It’s got a lot of nice Disney stores and food in a compact space. Good for a short visit

We visited here while staying in the Disney area, as we had visited Disney springs in Orlando and Disney village in Paris we kind of knew what to expect.
There was a good selection of shops and restaurants, but do be aware some restaurants can be pricey while others are budget friendly.
The shops were a like for like with Orlando really but there was plenty of Disney merchandise at the world of Disney.
We did eat at a restaurant called the black tap where we had some great burgers and shakes.
Overall at great family oriented place.

I LOVE shopping & dining thru the Downtown Disney District. Right now it’s decorated BEAUTIFULLY for Christmas. Do your Christmas shopping here!🎄🥰

We've eaten at Downtown Disney many times over the years and more recently come away feeling that we over paid for just okay food. There are lots of choices of places to eat here but Catal would be our favorite of all of them. There are lots of shops and of course the big Disney Store is found here. There are performers, music and lots of people most of the time. It is walk-able from most of the hotels in the vicinity and certain from the Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotels right in the area. It is very safe here too as everyone is checked with a pass through the security line before you get in. We prefer the restaurants on Katella Avenue nearby.

Absolutely love this place! Currently no mask available but will have to go through security to enter the district.

Always a great place to go for dinner. ALWAYS a good idea to make a reservation ahead of time since walk-ins will usually take a lot of time.

Always a good time just to walk around as well and enter Disney without a theme park ticket or reservation.

If you can’t find a gift in Downtown Disney you don’t need it. Crowded and expensive, but worth your time when at Disneyland.

Stopped in today and sorry to say I was not impressed. I really wanted to have a good time but I just found it to be lacking. This place is much smaller than the Downtown Disney in Orlando. The store options were lacking. They only had a handful of stores outside of Disney Merchandising stores. They have several dining options which seemed ok but ultimately I was not impressed by the options.

There are lots of food and drink options. There is a location with a lot to offer. We love earl of sandwich. Great fast way to start or end the day. Kettle corn on the way past to eat all day. Massive Starbucks fix in the middle. You can go in and out of the park if you want a break and a feed. The massive Disney shop has everything that you would need. Lots of options to explore.

Everything was overpriced , especially the food; price for pizza was ridiculous. selection was very good and the employees were pleasant.

Downtown Disney was great, beautifully decorated, and offered many places to eat (at high, but lower than hotel food rates). Of course everything there is pointing to the Disney brand and their characters. It felt very secure, and provided a great buffer from the parks to the hotel. We spent a lot of time in ‘downtown’.

I was so impressed with their preparations for Halloween. They had some of the cutest setups. We walked from the convention center, and it was quite difficult to find where to enter, so make sure you map it out before you just take off walking, like we did. The ambiance was perfect, and it wasn't too big an area to explore, so we were able to in just 2-3 hours. The bengiets were super delicious, and the Disney merch for Halloween was out in full force. Loved it!

This is your "Everything Disney" shopping fix. Pins, toys, games, apparel, accessories, and more can all be found in the area of a couple of city blocks.
For eats, I would recommend Earl of Sandwich. For souvenirs, I would check out World of Disney. You van pretty much find what you're looking for if you look hard enough. Not really a must see, but worth the time to check it out.

Downtown Disney is amazing and has lot going on. Once we discovered how much there was to do, we planned our trips to Disneyland around it. The first day we arrive early, check into the hotel and drop off bags, and head to Downtown Disney.

The Lego store got the ramps back (hurray!) so kids can build and race little cars down ramps. If you came with pins you can trade some. We usually hit the huge World of Disney store and let the kids pick something (rather than doing this in the park).

We did the bowling alley (we had an hour of bowling and ate during that time) and the kids loved it.

There are tons of other restaurants and shops and sweets. They also have performances in Downtown Disney you can go to with kids.

We find that not going into the park the first day makes sense for us. We can do all the boring things like unpacking and get rested and ready for early Disneyland the next day!

This place use to be the BUZZ of Disney. We've been here many times over the last 7 years and this time was the most disappointing.

The new trees they have put in place are fluorescent but look reasonably artificial.
The far end of the street everything has been closed (movie complex, rain forest cafe etc.) The ice cream shop that used to be there is a new one and it's terrible compared to the last one.

It's still busy but just missing that spark. You used be able to build a car from "Cars" but that's also gone. It's become more of shopping district rather than a bit over everything...

Came to Downtown Disney with IPW Conference. It was really nice to get to visit Downtown Disney during this conference. Would return to be able to enjoy more activities.

Food was average, expensive and often just something to eat because its close to Disney. It has the same songs playing on loop which can do your head in.

Nothing impressive here. Some good dessert options for after the park and good restaurants. Shops are very typical of Disney. It is past Disney security but no ticket required until you enter the park. Also a monorail stop on one end.

This place is amazing or nuts or both. It is between the two Disney parks but you don't have to pay for the parks to get in. We at churros and wandered the shops, especially the Disney Store (same prices and selection as inside the park, but all in one place FYI) and the Lego store. I really wish we had stopped in around mealtime for us as the Brennan's Jazz Kitchen looked awesome. There were definitely people everywhere, which is something people either don't mind or really hate these days. I think I might have had some overload here having just finished a day and a half inside the parks.

Did not go into Disney but wanted to have the feel of Disney while in Anaheim on a business trip. Was able to walk from my hotel to downtown Disney and ate at the Ballast Point Brewery - great food. Good experience walking around and feeling the Disney spirit.

I had never been to the California version of this and was expecting it to be like Florida. However it’s much smaller and more crowded. The waits for restaurants was really long. It’s still ok, but not great.

Visiting Downtown Disney during the holidays, seeing the Disney holiday decorations, and listening to the holiday music is so very uplifting. Shopping at the shops and eating at any of the different restaurants is a great Disney experience without even paying to go into Disneyland or California Adventure. I often visit Downtown Disney just to walk through the venue to get that “happy” place feeling.

Nice stripe to walk through. Plenty of entertainment, shopping and food options for everyone. Nuzzled in between the parks and the Disney resort.

Disney Downtown is a nice shopping place right in between the Disney parks where you can take a stroll, take selfies, sit around nice decorated areas, and maybe buy some souvenirs at sky-high prices just to say you bought them AT Disneyland! LOL.

Guess which one is the biggest store in Disney Downtown? DISNEY STORE of course. Adding yet another way to cut into your pockets and make Disney billions!!

Having been to Downtown Disney in Orlando, we decided to visit the Anaheim, California version. First, you have to pay for parking where in Orlando its free. However, parking is free if you spend over $20.00 in the Anaheim version and get your parking ticket validated. We did spend over $20.00 as you will easily do that in this over-priced spot.
Be prepared for a 10-20 minute wait going thru security which is a good thing with all the craziness going on. Finally, they did have a nice cover pop band singing music, but overall this place was so-so for us. We won’t be back anytime soon!

Put in a reservation for dinner then check out the shops including a Disney Store. If shopping isn't what you want to do, then find a place to sit with a refreshing drink and listen to the live entertainment. Save room for a sweet treat like ice cream, Caramel Corn or candy apple after dinner. Be prepared to go through a security check now! Bags and backpacks will be checked. Don't let that stop you. DD is an excellent way to spend an evening after a long day of work or workshops!

A very nice place to walk outside the Disneyland park, where you can eat good food, have a desert or coffee, or just go shopping, that place the biggest Disney store where you can buy all types of souvenirs, or jus walk to the Disneyland hotel.

I really wanted to love this, but this was both underwhelming and overpriced. I do like the one in Orlando, but even though it has some of the same layout and shops, it still seemed lacking. I feel like it needs its own identity separate from the Orlando one - something uniquely SoCal. At the time, some construction is still going on so perhaps improvement is on the way,

It of course has been years since I have visited this place. I miss The Rainforest Cafe. It is now a Star Wars store, and a small one at that. I was hoping they would have the holocrons, but nope, clearly in park purchase only. It is also sad that the Build-A-Bear that was here is gone. They used to have special bears for just that location.

There were a good variety of shops out there, something for everyone. We went specifically for the Lego store, however a few other ones caught our eye as well and some food places. Most places will validate your parking too with a purchase or meal so you can save a bunch.

loved it so much brought my child hood and had a tear in my eye we did all the rides and my wife and me had so much fun and we would love to come back .

There is good shopping and good places to eat here. You do not need a park pass to get here, but you do still need to through security to get there.

To visit this area, visitors must pass through security checkpoints. The area has several very good restaurants, fast food locations, snack and candy stores, bars, coffee-spots and souvenir shops (mostly Disney related businesses).
It can be a place to find those special gift items or grab a bite to eat without having to pay a park entrance fee. You can spend several hours exploring, shopping or dining the downtown. There is even a bowling alley/cafe to enjoy.

Some love it, some hate it...seems like a forced walk past the Disney retail and restaurants to reach parking.

Our favorite place in downtown Disney was the big Disney store. Now it’s all boutique Disney like Disney Home and stuff like that. We usually eat at Ralph Brennans and love thier beignets. It’s sad that you have to go through security just to shop there. Be prepared to pay for parking unless you buy something and get your ticket validated. The choices for stores in Downtown Disney I think is quite limited and really all you’re going to find is five sit down restaurants. If you’re looking for that then be sure to stop by.

Lots to see and do.Shopping is great lots of food options.Very close to Disneyland and great option for eating out.

On our day of arrival we didn't have park passes and didn't know what we could do, but one of the hotel staff told us to go to the Downtown Disney area. So off we headed and found much more than we expected. Lots of shopping here including the Lego store that the kids loved! There was also a brewery experience for their parents while we babysat the little ones. So many treats available ~ great ice cream! And a live band was perfoming which the kids really enjoyed dancing to. Even when we had park tickets over the next few days, we stopped here to enjoy our lunches.

DD is blah food,overpriced and crowded. You would do better a little further away from Disney. Get an Uber and get away from Disney

The Disney magic continues with Downtown Disney. You pass throught iton your way to the park from Disneyland Hotel, ie, unless you take the monorail. It is pricey but, hey, it is all part of the experience. I would rather walk through a street bustling with activity rather than an empty one.

I love walking though Downtown Disney area. The Starbucks there is AWESOME. There are so many food choices and the shopping is exquisite.

Great place for friends and family to visit. No entry fees. Lovely place to see,shop and have meals. Great places to have dinner.i do recommend visiting and enjoying a day or evening.

Great way to take a break from Disneyland park, enjoy the views from the monorail . I'd suggest going earlier in the morning in order to miss the crowds.

Shopping and dining all things Disney. Not as many choices as Orlando Disney Springs but same idea. Was nice to have lovely CA warm evening to stroll outside and have a late dinner

Downtown Disney was a brilliant experience, it was a perfect place to visit on the last day of our holiday for family gifts, Christmas presents, lovely food and relaxing time.

When I need a “Pick me up” I come here to Downtown Disney. Shopping is TERRIFIC & the Restaurants are GREAT🙏🏻❤️! Even if I stop by Starbucks for coffee☕️puts me in a HAPPY PLACE😍💋💋💋💘! Validated parking gives you time to spend here💘

used to be free and good to park for 3 hours free w enterntainment they know your going to eat and drink. another thing used to be much better. less to do there now much more money no movies no espn no rainforest lousy entertainment much higher food prices even the parking is worst today location they had a closer free lot plus no security hassles to enter. younger people think its good today ha ha couldnt apply a earlier dates this form is messed up too

Downtown Disney is a great place to avoid the often loud nature of the rides at the parks and enjoy some much needed family time in a different kind of setting. There are a large array of restaurants and shops which can leave visitors occupied for hours. If you do not want to pay the hefty entrance fee to the parks but still want to experience the Disney magic, this is the place to be. There is a great nightlife scene suitable for all ages and it is bustling with activities and eats.

Downtown Disney was a fun place to walk around, look at shops (or souvenirs I'm not going to buy), and people watch. There always seemed to be something going on with musical performances at particular times. There were a variety of Disney and non-Disney themed shops selling everything from housewares to artwork to toys to baby clothing. There are quite a few restaurant options but there also places to eat just outside the area as well.

While this in no way compared to Florida. We shopped and had a wonderful dinner. Not to crowded. Stay away from Pandora. They were rude!

I just love coming to Downtown Disney. So much going on and so much to do. Restaurants galore and entertainment everywhere. You don't need to go anywhere else when in Anaheim.

Everybody can have a pleasant walk around Disney world there, where the district includes gift shops, restaurants, coffeeshops, and Disney icons everywhere.

There was a shopping and dining but we planned a separate trip to visit the area. It was a quick trip. There was nothing exciting about it.

WE always take a break from the Parks and go to DTD. Lego Store is a must, just to see the amazing Lego sculpters

I actually liked this DT better than world. The stores were closer together and they had a nice play lawn for the kids to run around on. Best thing is their world of Disney is not jam packed and you can actually move around in it.

I usually enjoy Downtown Disney. We have visited many times. However, this time was not so great. There was a lot of construction. And many of the shops and restaurants were closed. Having a large area shut down just took away from the ambience that we would typically expect. Hopefully things will be reopened soon..

Enjoyed the food and shopping in the downtown district. You still have to go through the security/bag check, but tickets to one of the parks is not required to enjoy Downtown.

First time back to Downtown Disney since the pandemic. Went with our adult daughter.

Parking: DTD does not open until 10am. Please note that parking does not open until 9:45am. So, wee had to go around “the block” and come back to park once it opened. The Simba Parking is behind the Disneyland Hotel Frontierland Tower. Very easy walk.

Entrance: Very well marked, very few folks there on a Thursday at 10am. Additionally, bathrooms and entrances to each restaurant, store are toilet are clearly marked with tape for social distancing. Please note that many folks do not pay attention to “no sitting here signs” on the seating areas around plants.

Big Disappointment: There are no holiday decorations up in Downtown Disney. You would think garland and lights could have decorated the main walkway. How difficult would it have been to bring in a crew for two nights and make the area more special?

Backlot Premiere Shop, waste of time, but a nice walk past the entrance to Disneyland.

World of Disney: Spacing outside is great. Inside can be scary, we think there were too many people allowed in and it is very difficult to maintain social distancing. The checkout lines are fine, though.

Pandora: No browsing but once you are allowed in, you basically have your own personal shopper so this was a pleasant experience.

The Dress Shop: Limited people but displays make it difficult to socially distance, for example, by the Alex and Ani display. We left without purchasing anything.

Marceline's Confectionery: Please note you must scan in and wait for a TEXT to enter. We scanned in at 11:26am, went to lunch, walked around a little bit and were finally allowed in at 1pm. Very few people allowed in store, but you pick a number and are served very quickly.

Earl of Sandwich: Easy to order, and all the tables are preset more than 6ft apart. We chose to eat in front of the theatres. Many diners, however, immediately remove their masks once they sit down, rather than staying masked until the food is done.

Overall, a good trip. Disneyland should consider moving one or two of the most popular shops from Disneyland over to the empty storefronts at DTD.

We have dined and entertained several times and always something new to try and enjoy. Evenings are best for adults only. Great for last minute Disney shopping before heading home with no entrance fees.

We hadn't been to Disneyland in many years and had never seen Downtown Disney which we enjoyed. There are so many store and restaurants.

Great restaurants, wonderful scenery, good shopping, and all the glitz of Disney. They are in the middle of a remodel and new building in some parts, but that will not diminish your experience. You can eat to your hearts content, for relatively decent prices. Trip advisor is missing a lot of the new restaurants, and still shows many of the closed restaurants. Din Tai Fung is Highly recommended restaurant.

Packed with restaurants and shops Downtown Disney is the best way to the parks if you stay on property. A little pricey but food was good and you get the Disney feel. There are Security checks to get in so be prepared.

Great place to be in the evening. Lots to do. Lots of great restaurants. lots of entertainment and its fun till quite late in the night. Actually a good mix of locals and tourists.

We were expecting an experience similar to Orlando Downtown Disney, but instead found mostly restaurants. There is a Lego Store and a World of Disney Store, and a few others, but not the shopping we had hoped for. If you're looking for Disney Souvenirs, you're better off buying them IN one of the Parks, as there is only a fraction of the items in the World of Disney Store.

In town visiting family and wanted to jump start the holiday spirit by visiting here to see decor! I shopped the many shops, dined, had a drink and just enjoyed the music and spirit of the holiday.

Downtown Disney is amazing. Plan to have at least a 1/2 day to a day to check it all out. Lots to eat, lots to see and do and set up for Halloween which looked great.

This place has a lot of stores not necesary related to Disney products. It's nice to visit and walk by. Theres a lot of different restaurants . We dinned at an italian one, after a 75 mins waiting list. The sevice was very good, as was the wine, but the food not. It was far from aur expectations for the price paid.

When in Anaheim Down Town Disney is alway a great choice for food shopping and drinks. They even have a Bowling Alley. Sprinkles validates parking with purchase.

Our family didn’t have time to do a full day of Disney but wanted a taste of the experience, and that’s exactly what we got! It was so easy to park and walk into Downtown Disney. We were able to eat at a fantastic restaurant and shop in the fun stores. We were greeted with Disney hospitality and got to enjoy some great entertainment. Fun evening!

We had fun. It was an afternoon walking around and having something to eat. There’s not much to do when you’re in Anaheim and the price for a Disney ticket is almost $200 a person. So we did the best we could we leave on a cruise on Sunday.

Good place to go shopping for Disney stuff and to have lunch and/or dinner. Most places validate your parking ticket. Be aware that some places only validate for 3 hours and others for 5 hours. Plan on staying the full 5 hours!
Hope that helps and enjoy your day!
RABBIT

Spent the day at Disneyland, "escaped" to Downtown Disney for lunch at Naples Restaurant and dinner at Black Tap, plus enjoyed the shops, and whimsy of the whole area. Especially appreciated the much smaller crowds than in the park!

Downtown Disney is a great place to take a theme park break. With a wide variety of dining options, you are afforded the opportunity to experience a sit-down meal with table service, get an adult beverage and eat something flavorful and not mass-produced. The area is beautiful and relaxing. What a great way to take a break from the crowds and people watch, regroup, and get some energy for more rides and late-night shows. World of Disney is the anchor store and offers ALL things Disney. It's huge!! Literally, it's like three stores in one! HINT: This stores closes at midnight, so don't wait until the parks close to visit.

At a convention center hotel, wanted to experience a little Disney without paying extreme park fees. Able to walk in for free, just get past a bag check and security to keep the homeless out. There is pay parking available also. Many restaurants to choose from. We ate at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen which was very good. Lively street scene of bands and Disney fans dressed as characters. Nice shops. Plenty of snacky snacks.

The Downtown Disney District is conveniently located next to both of the parks, making it easy to drop in for a meal or some shopping. As an Orlando local, I avoid Disney Springs at all costs. But this was cute! Tons of restaurants and shops.

My wife and I had not been to the Disneyland Park for about five years. We were annual pass holders for some time, but had decided to pay-as-you-go for the last few years, and indeed did not see the need to visit more than just the Downtown Disney area. Recently, we returned to the Disneyland Resort and purchased an annual pass. Clearly there have been some changes during the time we had not visited – some good, some bad.

The Star Wars area inside Disneyland – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – is fantastic! A thorough immersion into the Star Wars genre. Cast members in costume and in character give the illusion you have landed at a spaceport and are part of some ongoing plot. We particularly enjoyed the attention to detail and the interplay between the Star Wars films (iconic structures and graphics) and the live experiences within the attraction.

There is a huge volume of people waiting to experience the flagship ride in the new attraction: Rise of the Resistance. In order to get on to the ride, you must download the Disneyland app to your phone, then once you are actually at the resort itself, you can petition to be included in a “boarding party.” Up to four can be included when securing a boarding time, however we understand that unless you are actually actively using the app within the first thirty minutes of the opening of the park (yes that includes early access hours) the ride fills up.

Parking in the two huge parking structures now costs $25 (up from $20), and the Downtown Disney parking area has been shifted to a more inconvenient place, way south of the Disneyland Hotel – plan on walking…. a lot. Even the handicap parking spaces string away from the main access to Downtown Disney (instead of capturing the first few spaces of the nearest rows – kind of stupid). I asked one of the countless security people what was happening with the old parking lot. His response was that it was given over to cast member parking – (even more stupid, unless you’re a cast member).

To gain access to the theme parks and/or Downtown Disney you will pass through a security check point – do not bring any smoking materials, pen knives, or wrapped packages (we watched as one young lady was required to tear open several newly purchased gifts she was bringing to a birthday party – wrapped for her, at cost, in one of the hotel shops with Disney paper. The magnetic scanner was within a couple of feet, but the security person refused to use it. You can make up your own mind about this, but I thought it was a little Nazi).

The reinvention of areas in both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure made affording the annual pass worthwhile. I still marvel at the tone created by the theme parks, lots to see and do even if you visit often. I am also saddened by the decline of customer-based policies in favor of vacuuming out a few more bucks wherever possible.

All in all, Disneyland is still fun, safe and well maintained – seems to me that it shouldn’t be as expensive to enjoy the day with your family though – for a family of four it can quickly run well over $500 for one park, one day - spending only modestly for food. Yet, crowds still pack both parks to the point of really restricting what you will actually be able to experience for your investment. Choose your visit date with care.

Lots of great shops and eateries also
Entertainment ongoing all the time!
Really enjoyable and fun for families and children of all ages!A great brewpub makes for an adult experience,salt and straw has the best ice cream as well!
Check it out!

This visit was a Tuesday, early November 2020 in the time of covid. The parking lot (Simba) was free (but had to wear a mask driving in) and a close walk to the entrance where you were checked for wearing a mask, standing six feet from the group in front of me, my temperature was taken, dog sniffed at my purse, then they checked the inside of my purse. God knows what else. At that point it stopped being a good idea but I went in anyway. I worked at WoD for a short time years ago but it has changed so much that the interior is unrecognizable. I went in looking for anything that resembled a lunch box I could use for work...Disney style. Big zero on that front. The only thing I bought was a tied-dyed mask with a Mickey on it. Six bucks, not bad. (Other people were carrying out bags and bags of stuff so Disney is not hurting in any way, shape or form.) There were more people than I would have expected to be walking around and only a couple of the stores had lines early on but the later it got the lines were longer. It didn't really seem like people were caring about how close they got to others...but other than that, it just felt like I was at an open-air mall, not anything Disney. It was disappointing overall. I will not do that again during covid.

We finished up as Disneyland early and wanted to find some lunch. We hit up the Ballast Point brewing. We couldn't be seated quickly in the restaurant so sat in the bar with no table service. The service was not friendly. We couldn't use our gift cards so we decided to just share an entree and try a tasting tray of beer. Initially we were brought the wrong food, but we got the fish and chips. They were fine but not worth the price. The beer was OK.

Some of the other stores were interesting but we just headed back to our hotel to spend less money.

We visited Disney Downtown 3 times at night while on vacation. Each time we saw something different. The decorations are amazing. Many great placed to eat. Try the Crazy Shake...it's very Large and yummy

We spent a lot of time here with the kids back in 2012 and were excited to go back. We'd been to Disney Springs in Orlando a few years ago, were really impressed and were keen to see what had changed at Downtown Disney. Turned out not much at all. 8 years and just a couple of new stores. Other than that nothing. Really disappointed that Disney hasn't invested to upgrade this area to something that's closer to a world class entertainment precinct.

Nice atmosphere. There are a lot of shops and restaurants in the area. Good place to walk and buy souvenirs.

Stopped for a beer and light lunch before phase II of hitting the parks, lol. Sat outside. It was great. Plenty to keep everyone occupied.

We took advantage of all the options for food, shopping and fun here while we were in town! It's not hard to get your parking for free as the minimum of $20 is easily met. It was a nice way to get the kids more excited about their upcoming days at the parks and also get them warmed up for the walking!

I'm just here to complain the security check at the entrance. It's so slow and low efficient. They really need to upgrade the equipment. In FL, you just walk right through the detectors with the bags on your shoulders. Here, it feels like 20 years ago, just a metal detecting door with some slow moving employees.

We enjoyed wandering through this downtown shopping area to window-shop and looking into all of the various stores. Some of the resorts border this area, and the monorail passes through it.

Downtown Disney has tons of enjoyable restaurants, shops and music. The evenings are so much fun because there is always live music. The many fountains and lovely lighting and landscaping make this a magical area to unwind and enjoy a beverage, meal or treat. It is a great place to people watch, too. There is a restaurant or food cart to fit almost any appetite. The shops are fun to browse around in, too.

This area is a cool place. There are a lot of stores and restaurants and other eateries. We took photos and enjoyed snacks and we even toured the near by Disney hotels. There are musical performances and it was wonderful to hear Disney songs.

Fire each and every security guard, cast member, and manager who oversees the security at both entrances to Downtown Disney and both parks! I was harassed, disrespected and yelled at from several Disney employees and TSA officers. I had an electric scooter during my stay due to health issues. The added security and being patted down was all new to me since it's been years since the last vacay. But they were so rude and belittling to me. I now have a new perspective on how people with a disability get treated! It sucks ass! We exist no matter how much people want to ignore us or push us aside. As an old ex cast member, I'm shocked that Disney hires people like that!

Downtown disney was great to visit. Lots to see and do. Great for all ages. Worth a vist for experience

All the staff were very friendly and helpful, even helping us locate stores that may have the items we were looking for. No crowds. Easy to shop and checkout. Food prices were as high as in the park.

We visited Downtown Disney one night with our team. Perfect location to walk to from our hotel. It was busy but manageable. We ended up eating at Splitsville Bowling which was able to accommodate our large group. Food was delicious and drinks good. It was a great place to walk and shop. Everyone walked around and bought souvenirs.

Nice area for shopping and eating. With some fancy restaurants. Overall pretty expensive, although sandwiches at werk of sandwich are affordable and good.

I would like to Thank an amazing employee in Downtown Disney District parking who helped us. Her name is Wendy.
We very much appreciate her help.
Thanks again for your kindness.

Downtown Disney is a very nice place but very expensive. We went due to visiting the Pop Up Disney attraction. It is an overpriced attraction in which the main function is to take pictures for your facebook or Instagram feed. So if you want to spend $38 per person just to take pictures in 7 halls by all means go. I was very disappointed.

There were a lot of social distancing markers and cast members that were always on top of all guests following mask use protocols. I felt safe and confident to go in and out of shops, have lunch and walk around the District.

This is the area between Disneyland and California Adventure but is not inside either park, so you can actually come here for shopping and eating without having to pay for the park tickets. I am not sure how many people actually do that, as it does seem to be mainly filled with people staying in the Disney hotels or that are already in the area for the parks. We stopped in to go to the giant Disney store and possibly the Lego store on our way out of a day at California Adventure. There are little food carts in the walkways as well as sit down restaurants, but make sure you have a reservation or plenty of time to wait to get in. Since you are likely in the area and already interested in the parks, you probably don't have an aversion to big crowds. If you do not like big crowds, this is not the place to go as it has always been packed every time I have been nearby.

We can't go to Disney without going Downtown. That is where we mostly, usually buy our stuff to take home and/or munch on.

Love the fact Downtown Disney is nestled right between the two parks!such easy access. Great shops and food as well.

It's always fun to relax and shop at the World of Disney Store. The kids love the Lego store and we all love Tijuana Joe's for dinner.

Fun place to hangout, shop, eat, and people watch. My husband had a business conference so I decided to head over to Disneyland. It was a peak day so I decided to spend my money in other ways. I had a great time walking through downtown!

We always go here before we get our tickets into the park and it's so fun to see our kids' faces and get them excited to explore the park the next day. Great good and great scenery.

We visited downtown on the day before going into the parks. Which worked out great because I don’t think is would had the energy to shop on the Disney days.

Having said that be aware not everything sold in the parks is in World of Disney. We saw loads of stuff extra in the parks.

There are a few restaurants and other shops. This area is in no way on the scale of Disney world equivalent.

Band playing was a nice touch and created atmosphere. Area was beautiful in places, especially at night when lit up.

Beignets ( hollow donuts) sold in Downtown are awful, don’t waste your money.

Our family liked strolling through Downtown Disney District for breaks from the park, as well as shopping for souvenirs and gifts on our way out of town. There is a variety of dining options, with a few a lot less expensive than eating in the theme parks. There is a HUGE World of Disney store that is only rivaled by the big store on Main Street in Disneyland. Our child especially liked the huge LEGO store, which had a shaded outdoor build area. There are a few impressively huge, Disney-inspired LEGO displays, too. There are bunches of other shops and treat places, and two Starbucks. There are lots of benches, too (shaded and I shaded). Also, the monorail has a stop in Downtown Disney District and takes you to Tomorrowland. You can actually enter or re-enter Disneyland through there and it’s much quicker than walking back to the main gate, especially if you want to go to Tomorrowland or Toontown or Fantasyland.

Why go to the mall Disneyland, okay downtown Disney. plenty of parking have you eaten the restaurants they will validate your parking for up to four hours. Slight about half mile walk from the parking lot to the shopping district, the crowds were tolerable.you definitely get the Disney experience and slip into the Christmas holiday season with all the decorations and the music.

It is a must to visit just to walk around or to have lunch or do some shopping. There are variety of restaurants, ice cream places and stores. Restaurants charge 15 to 18% gratitude for group over 5, however there is no waiting time and you could also reserve in some via open-table. Very pleasant experience. Highly recommended.

Downtown Disney keeps the magic going! I love just walking in and out of the shops and seeing what's new. If you don't have time for a full day at the parks, you can get your Disney fix here!

I cant believe the Rainforest restaurant in Downtown Disney has gone. We went with friends and their 5 kids and hyped them up about the restaurant with interacting animals then discovered it had been demolished. Good shopping in Downtown Disney where you can buy everything and anything. Lego shop is amazing!

A fantastic foray outside the parks! We indulged in chicken strips at GG’s that were surprisingly delicious and good value. Mom nabbed a long-sleeved vintage look shirt; the kids picked up fun souvenirs.

Would love to spend more time here next visit.

Located near the Monorail Station and Pin Trader shop in Downtown Disney, this very popular stand serves not only corn dogs, but also pickle dogs, dragon dogs, a meatball sub dog, and a kids size version. Being a small stand, there is a bit of a wait to get your order, but since each corn dog is made fresh, well worth it. Plenty walkway benches in the area, so while the ones closest to the stand are always filled, you should be able to sit down an enjoy your dog somewhere nearby. Works out very well if you're not going to be in the parks, and you get the craving for one.

No entry charges here. Plenty of shops and restaurants to splurge on and an enormous Disney shop to top up your purchases.

The food and shopping. If you love the house of mouse this is a must. We had a wonderful lunch and the shopping hurt the wallet some but it was so worth it. The selection of quality Disney gear is incredible.

We went here to get some of our souvenirs ahead of visiting Disneyland park. It was very easy to get to , everything was well stocked, clean and well organized.

The best thing to keep in mind is if you buy anything from the Disney shops, if you have your receipt, you can ship through a Disney hotel which was very very reassuring for me..!

Clean, safe and fun environment. We arrived to shop and enjoy some Disney atmosphere. You are not able to walk and eat or drink so that was a little challenging with minimal seating open. We can not wait till it opens back up to more capacity

Enjoyed a stroll around here. Some good and unusual Disney themed merchandise. Didn’t stop for a meal, but had a coffee break whilst walking round.

I used to live in this area, granted it was 20 years ago. I went to go shopping with my wife and walk around. Being a cop I always carry at least a pocket knife. To my surprise there's a security checkpoint to go shopping? I placed all my items in the tray and got in, knife included. I realized I forgot a bag in my lyft and left security to go get it. On my way back I did the same thing, except this time my knife is a no go. WTH? They tell me to put it in my car or surrender it. I don't have a car, mentioned I'm a Leo and they don't care. Fine ok. I left security and buried my knife in a bush so I could retrieve it later. Figured it wouldn't be an issue as it was not in the security zone. Upon my return to the checkpoint, a security officer very sternly tells me it has to leave the property and that there's cameras. I I felt like a full on criminal now. So the property being overtly large I just surrendered my knife in disgust. A knife given to me by a fellow officer as a gift. I understand rules and such, and had I known I would be going through checkpoint charlie I wouldn't have brought it. Way to treat people like criminals, especially LEOs. Then after I get in there's three or four shops and a lot of food places. SO NOT WORTH IT, SAVE YOUR TIME. maybe offer lockers or something for situations like this where legal carry items can be safely secured. I guard TOP SECRET facilities and allowed people to bury their crap or something else as long as it isn't past my checkpoint. Just saying.