folding a stroller

We did a new thing at Disneyland this past visit, we parked on-site and rode the resort tram service into the park. To do so, we had to fold our jogging stroller and squeeze it into the bench seat with us. All while managing our 3-year old and multitude of small coolers, backpacks, and diaper bags.

I'm saying all this because we weren't expecting to take the Tram but that's how it works if you park in the Mickey & Friends parking structure. You are funneled from the elevator or escalator, to the security and bag screening, to the Tram. Once our kid saw the Tram, of course he wanted to get on it. 

These tips would have been good to know ahead of time: The front seat of each tram car is wider if you need extra space for your folded stroller. Also you don't need to rush to board the tram. After we got on, they waited a bit for it to fill up so really there was no need to hurry. Also, the tram seats have doors which you need to be able to hold open. So you really need a second or third adult to hold the door, move the stroller, and wrangle the kid.

If you don't have a stroller, you can take this cool escalator.

Since we are magic key holders with an Imagine Key, we could get 25 percent off parking at the Toy Story Parking Area, just South of the GardenWalk. Restrooms inside the Toy Story Parking Area are located near the bus stop. If you park in the Toy Story lot, bus service will take you from the parking area to the parks. The bus will drop you off on the opposite side of the Disneyland Esplanade from where the trams stop, on the Harbor Boulevard side. You can also walk to the parks; it is about a 15-minute walk up and across Harbor Boulevard. (for $22.50)

"From the second floor of the Pixar Pals structure, there is a pedestrian ramp that takes you to the Downtown Disney entrance. You can enter security there and then walk through Downtown Disney to get to the Esplanade. It’s about a 15-minute walk. Once inside Downtown Disney, you may instead opt to take the monorail into Disneyland Park instead of walking. (The monorail does close early at night, so don't count on it taking you back later at night). The monorail turnstile counts as a park entrance, so once you scan your ticket, you can use or purchase Genie+ to start making Lightning Lane selections. We like to mobile order breakfast from the monorail and pick it up at Galactic Grill after disembarking."
https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/disneyland-parking/

"Toy Story is a surface lot. There is no covered parking, so you won’t have to deal with escalators/elevators/stairs like you do at the parking structures. However if it is raining, windy, very cold or very hot – you’ll be loading and unloading in the elements. Many people find the Toy Story Parking Area more convenient than the parking structures, as there is rarely a back-up of cars waiting to enter and once you’re in you don’t have to drive up a ramp and circle the levels to a spot. Exiting is quicker, too!"
https://www.californiafamilytravel.com/disneyland-parking/

All this to say that by folding the stroller first thing in the morning and then having to cram it in the tram, I hurt my back. Also the walking was killer that day, I was not prepared. We got so many steps. You can't actually cross Magic Way or Disneyland Drive on the street level, we had to backtrack to catch the ramp to the second level. So I have some training to do to get my steps back to where they need to be to be able to enjoy a day at Disneyland.