Originally Posted By lysa Hi! We're planning our trip to Disneyland for the weekend of March 2 - 4. It looks like flights into Orange County, Long Beach, etc, from our town are much more expensive than flights into LAX, plus only the flights from here to LAX are non stop. Can you nice folks give me an idea how long it will likely take us to get from LAX to Anaheim? What are our options for transportation? There will be two adults, two children travelling. Would you rent a car or take a shuttle? Any idea how much shuttles cost? We would arrive at around 9 pm on Friday. Finally, we found a pretty good price for a room that weekend at the Ramada North Maingate - $75/night. Anyone stayed there? Is it a long walk? Thanks for your help!
Originally Posted By SuzieQ The airport web site is a great source for all of the transportation options. Here's a link to their Ground Transportation page. <a href="http://www.lawa.org/lax/laxGT.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.lawa.org/lax/laxGT. cfm</a>
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Hotwire.com has a mid size car (something like a Toyota Corolla) for $17.95 per day, that is just over $44 including tax for 48 hours (Friday night thru Sunday night). Add $10 to $20 for gas, and so long as you have rental car insurance in your own policy, or thru a credit card, that is the cheapest option. The next option is the Disneyland Express Airport Bus <a href="http://anaheimsightseeing.com/anaheimairport/" target="_blank">http://anaheimsightseeing.com/ anaheimairport/</a> Adults would be $25 a person round trip with the $3 off coupon available in the link above, kids are $17.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Ramada North Maingate offers free parking, so if you take the ART to the park, there should be no parking fees. And ART is usually better than parking at the resort.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Now see, I disagree. I can't stand ART! I want to be able to come and go at my convenience, not the shuttle's. People at our hotel had to request taxis because ART was on a mid-day break and not running for another hour, and people wanted to go to the parks! The only time I took ART on that trip (Jan 3-6), I wasn't feeling well and decided to go back to the hotel. I had to stand on a packed little bus for 10 minutes before the driver pulled away from DLR. I could have been back at the hotel and in my room in that amount of time if I'd taken the car.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer ^ Huh? It normally takes me 20 minutes to get from the Main Entrance Plaza to my car with the waits for the Parking Lot Tram and then the walk to the car (sometimes a long walk, depending where in the structure you are sent). Then a few minutes to leave the structure, and then you are only going north on Disneyland Drive, no other choice. As for entering the parking Structure, waits are usually 5 to 10 minutes to just get to the Toll booth, and I have waited over 30 minutes on a busy day. Then a few more minutes to be directed to a parking space. Then unloading the car, walking to the escalators, getting in the queues to catch the tram, getting off the tram and walking to the Security check. My preference, WALK if that is an option. SHUTTLE, ART or a hotel bus. And last, CAR, in fact, I have been parking in Pummba when available on busy days, since there are no trams, the walk isn't bad, and the waits to show your parking pass and find a space is quick, and leaving is a LOT easier too.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Wow Darkbeer! I've never waited for a tram. If I can't get on the one currently loading, there is another one waiting as soon as the first one pulls out. Never, ever had a delay getting out of the parking garage. Never had to wait more than 5 cars to enter the structure! I've been parked in the very back corner, cati-corner to the escalators (that's as far as you can get, lol). I timed the walk out of curiousity. 3 minutes. I was at Embassy Suites South on this trip, down Harbor. When I exit the parking garage, I simply turn right onto Ball Road (the first signal), then right on Harbor. It's one block across on Ball, and about a block on Harbor's difference than if the garage had let you go left at the exit. I KNOW it took longer on the shuttle because a family I walked out of the park with was already seated, cocktails in hand, when I got back to the hotel. If the shuttles had been on their "afternoon break", I'd have been in Disney's first aid station instead of about to pass out standing on a crammed, stuffy shuttle. If I'm not a short walk from the parks, I'll take the convenience of having my vehicle and living by my own schedule while on vacation any day.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ This applied during the holidays, too. I was there Dec. 2-6; Dec. 27; and Jan. 3-6.
Originally Posted By lysa Thanks everybody for the info. We have decided to rent a car. Thanks Darkbeer for that suggestion, I didn't realize that would be such an affordable option. As for actually going to/from Disney - Is Ramada North really too far to walk to the park? I was thinking maybe we'd walk to the park and take the shuttle back, if the little boys (and/or us grownups) are too tired. I think I'll ask about Ramada North under another topic. Thanks again!!
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Please remember to factor in traffic/travel times, getting to the rental lot from LAX,..Will you really need a rental car once you make it to Anaheim? Will your husband be driving and yelling at you or stressing out about the traffic on your vacation? I just want your vacation to start on a happy note.
