This is an entry for “Downtown Disney District” in our Disneyland 101 Glossary: Disneyland Resort definitions in under 101 words, from Mouse Brief. Please keep reading after the entry for answers to frequently asked questions about this area of Disneyland Resort.
Downtown Disney District is a section of Disneyland Resort that can be visited without paying for admission; it is a collection of dining, retail and entertainment options in a pedestrian corridor bordered by Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel. Visitors wishing to access Downtown Disney will need to pass through a security checkpoint. Shops include Star Wars Trading Post, The LEGO Store and World of Disney, while dining ranges from snacks stops like Salt and Straw to quick-service restaurants including Tiendita or table-service dining like Din Tai Fung.
Thanks for reading this entry in our Disneyland 101 Glossary. Downtown Disney District is a nice place to spend a day at Disneyland Resort without a ticket. See our tips in Terrific Ways to Have Fun at Disneyland Without a Ticket, and keep reading for answers to frequently asked questions about Downtown Disney District.
Downtown Disney District, FAQs
It’s not a theme park, but it is part of Disneyland Resort. Here are answers to freuqently asked questions about Downtown Disney District.
Where is the Downtown Disney District?
Downtown Disney District is located inside Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California. Downtown Disney District is west of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. It is bordered by the parks and the three Disneyland Resort Hotels.
Is Downtown Disney District the same as Disney Springs?
Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida has similar attributes to Downtown Disney District in Disneyland Resort. Both are shopping, dining and entertainment areas inside Disney Resorts but outside the parks. Neither Disney Springs nor Downtown Disney District require admission to enter.
There are some differences. The selection of shops and restaurants are not the same at both locations.
And while Downtown Disney District borders both of the Disneyland Resort theme parks, Disney Springs is further from the parks at Walt Disney World Resort. This does mean that it is pretty easy to exit the theme parks at Disneyland Resort, have a meal at one of the Downtown Disney District restaurants and then re-enter the theme parks. This is especially easy because the parks and Downtown Disney District are all inside the resort security perimeter. Plus, you can even take the Disneyland monorail between Disneyland Park and Downtown Disney District.
Do I need to pay admission to enter the Downtown Disney District?
No. You do not need to buy a ticket or pay any kind of admission to enter the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort.
There is however, a fee for parking at Downtown Disney District. You can find more information on our parking information page here.
Do I need to pass through security in order to enter Downtown Disney District?
Yes, you will need to pass through Disneyland Resort security in order to enter Downtown Disney District. Security is located on the west and east side of the resort, and there are additional security checkpoints inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
For guidelines on what is permitted through Disneyland Resort security, we suggest visiting the Park Rules and Regulations on the Disneyland website before your visit.
Can I ride the Disneyland monorail around the Downtown Disney District?
The Disneyland monorail does pass through the Downtown Disney District. It has just two stops. One is inside Tomorrowland in Disneyland Park and the other is near Disneyland Hotel but inside the Disneyland Resort security perimeter.
You can ride the Disneyland monorail through Downtown Disney District. Just keep in mind that you must have valid admission to Disneyland Park to ride the monorail. The monorail is considered an attraction of Disneyland Park even though it has one of its two stops outside of the park.
Are all of the shops and restaurants operated by Disney?
No. Several locations in Downtown Disney District are owned and operated by Disney. These include the massive World of Disney Store plus several smaller shops including Star Wars Trading Post and Disney Storyland Boutique. Many more locations are run by third parties including The LEGO Store, Earl of Sandwich and Starbucks.
If you wish to dine at a Disney restaurant outside of the parks, we suggest checking-out some of the restaurants at the Disneyland Resort Hotels. You do not need to purchase a park ticket in order to dine at hotel restaurants or Downtown Disney District.
Is there anything to do in the Downtown Disney District?
Many folks who enjoy shopping like browsing in the Downtown Disney District. Even if you are not much of a shopper, you might enjoy some of the more heavily themed stores. The LEGO Store typically has play stations stocked with Duplos and traditional LEGO bricks.
Restaurants in the Downtown Disney District of Disneyland are generally well themed and pleasant places to eat. Splitsville is both a dining location and a bowling alley.
There is regularly live music in the Downtown Disney District. You can find the schedule for entertainment on the Disneyland Resort calendar. In certain seasons this schedule also includes some extra offerings like scavenger hunts.
For our ideas on what to do during a day at Disneyland Resort without a ticket, see our post here: Terrific Ways to Have Fun at Disneyland Without a Ticket.
What are the hours for the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort?
The Downtown Disney District typically opens an hour before the theme parks and stays open an hour after they close. However, we suggest consulting the Disneyland Resort daily events schedule for the dates of your visit.
Thank you for visiting this Disneyland 101 Glossary entry for Downtown Disney District.
We hope you have found this post helpful. For more Disney definitions and answers to frequently asked questions about Disneyland Resort, we invite you to explore Disneyland 101 Glossary. If you are planning or even considering a visit to Disneyland Resort visit, we hope you will visit our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep. Thanks again for reading!