Originally Posted By fidoprincess Getting really nervous reading all the driving/traffic horror stories. We need to drive from DL to Hollywood on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (busiest traffic day of the year!?) We can't check into the hotel there until 3 or 4 so initially we just planned on spending the morning and having lunch at DL then heading up around 2 or 3. I keep reading traffic will be horrible so what time would be best to go? Right when we check out of DLH at 11? After dinner? I really don't want to give up any DL time but don't want to spend hours in the car either when we could either be a DL or sightseeing in Hollywood. Also, on Turkey Day, we have to drive from that hotel(Renaissance in Hollywood) out to Ventura. About how long of a drive is that, 2 hours, more? Thanks for any hints, tips or help!
Originally Posted By Phantom Okay.... day before Thanksgiving... The I-5 is probably the freeway that will take you most of the way towards Hollywood from Disneyland (at least until you hit the 101). The I-5 is almost always bad traffic- wise. It's just awful, but it is the most direct route. Nothing else comes close. It's pretty much going to be bad any time before 8pm. So, what do you want to do? Spend the bulk of the day at Disneyland and see less of Hollywood? Or spend about 2 hours in traffic (if there isn't an accident) and see more of Hollywood? As for Thanksgiving, my guess is that traffic won't be too bad going from Hollywood to Ventura, but I have a lot less experience with the 101 than the I-5. The I-5 is the bane of my existence.
Originally Posted By fidoprincess Hi Phantom, thanks for helping! Yes, I guess that is what we have to decide, either go up at night when the traffic is better and spend the whole day at Dl or go up early in the morning and see more of hollywood. I guess we will just see how DL goes and how bad the crowds are before we decide. We will have Fri,Sat, Sun, Mon and Tue in DL so that should be plenty but I swear, they have to drag me away from DL kicking and screaming so we might just have to stay for the whole day Wed too! I-5 is a bear of a road, no matter when we travel up and down CA, it is always packed esp through LA.. I have to close my eyes on the Grapevine, good thing I am not driving-lol!
Originally Posted By oc_dean Day before Thanksgiving???? Please expect heavy traffic. Just like any holiday weekend .. people living in the area are looking to escape town .. whether north or south. This is a region of 17 million people. You have to expect not only this rush .. but also the normal rush of people getting off from work. I grew up in Buena Park all my life .. now living in the Hollywood area. I can speak from experience. From my home near the "Hollywood" sign to DL's front door is 35 miles. In no traffic (late at night) .. I've done it in 35-40 minutes. The worst I've ever encountered (in my 20 years as a driver) is about a 90 minute drive .. in the worst traffic I've ever been in. So .. I would count on no less than an hour from Anaheim to Hollywood city limits. I've posted detours which are super easy to me .. but for out-of-towners leary of possibly getting lost ... then the Santa Ana 5 is the best way. But just to throw in my detours anyway ... I bypass the 5 freeway just north of the 91 Riverside freeway. The freeway comes to a crawl because it goes from 6 lanes down to 3. Just before that mess ... I take the 91 WEST .. then the 605 North .. then back on the 5. I end up adding about 3 miles on to the odometer ... but I save myself the headache of 6 lanes merging into 3. Next ... I never deal with the East LA Interchange where the 5,101, and 10 freeways split. It's alway slow on the 2 mile stretch leading up to it. Just past the Citadel Outlet .. is the 710 freeway which I pick up (North) .. then I pick up the 10 West ... then I hook up with the 101 Hollywood freeway at the foot of downtown LA. Hope some of this helps.
Originally Posted By mickeynewe Okay, time to go to AAA for some maps and start marking them up! Thanks for the advice. We'll mark it on paper and see if it makes any sense to us! LOL Thanks for the input! How do you think the traffic will be the day after Thanksgiving? Heading home from DL to the Bay Area. What would be the best time to leave? We actually added Thanksgiving night and were considering getting up REALLY early to get out of town. Thoughts? Necessary or can we sleep in?
