We are planning a trip this summer and will be flying into LAX. What are the best options for transportation from LAX to Disneyland? It seems like there are a lot less options compared to WDW.
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Transportation from LAX
- Thread starter zero creativity
- Start date
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
I've used a private car service called Lansky and they were very professional and reliable. I have also used Uber and Lyft when I wanted to save a little $$ but I do like the private car a lot. The driver will even stop at a Target or another store for a quick shopping trip if you want to pick up some snacks or bottled water. One time we asked them to stop at an In and Out for burgers instead of a quick shop, but our flight was late. The Lansky driver still offered to stop at In and Out but we just wanted to get to Disneyland after being delayed for a couple hours.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Your options from LAX to anywhere in SoCal are, in no particular order;
For example, right now at 5:50pm Pacific time (rush hour!) on a rainy day in LA, Google traffic is predicting it's a 1 Hour and 11 Minute drive from LAX to the Disneyland Hotel. And right now when buses and commuter trains are running at peak schedules, Google shows several mass transit options that take 2 Hours 51 Minutes (fastest) to 3 Hours and 36 Minutes (longest) to get from LAX to the Disneyland Hotel; they all require 3 to 4 transfers from bus to rail to bus to bus.
Get a car or reserve a shuttle, it's faster and easier and safer.
- Rent a car at LAX
- Take an Uber or Lyft at LAX
- Hire a town car service in advance of landing at LAX
- Reserve a seat on an airport shuttle to Anaheim in advance of landing at LAX
For example, right now at 5:50pm Pacific time (rush hour!) on a rainy day in LA, Google traffic is predicting it's a 1 Hour and 11 Minute drive from LAX to the Disneyland Hotel. And right now when buses and commuter trains are running at peak schedules, Google shows several mass transit options that take 2 Hours 51 Minutes (fastest) to 3 Hours and 36 Minutes (longest) to get from LAX to the Disneyland Hotel; they all require 3 to 4 transfers from bus to rail to bus to bus.
Get a car or reserve a shuttle, it's faster and easier and safer.
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TP2000
Well-Known Member
According to Disneyland.com, they officially recommend a shuttle bus outfit called Karmel at LAX. I've never heard of them, but they can't be all bad if Disneyland.com recommends them. Or perhaps there's a TDA spouse who works/owns Karmel?
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
I used Karmel one time, long time ago in 2012. They were about 15 minutes late, the driver was a little rude, and tried to charge me a second time even though I had prepaid.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Hmm.... My theory on a TDA spouse having a financial interest in Karmel grows stronger and stronger.
It's rather odd that Disneyland.com would have a full paragraph touting a random town car service in SoCal. There's got to be a story there somewhere.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
One other item to consider for @zero creativity , which is one of the best screen names I've seen in a long time by the way, is that LAX is undergoing major construction on terminals, all roadways and support services, and nearby infrastructure. And it's all running 6+ months behind schedule, naturally.
Is it too late to consider flying into John Wayne Airport instead? It's closer, cleaner, safer, and any extra charge to the tickets would be offset at least slightly by the cheaper/faster Uber or town car service from John Wayne to Disneyland, usually a 20 minute ride up the Santa Ana Freeway. Almost all of us who live or lived in SoCal recommend a John Wayne Airport itinerary instead of LAX.
www.ocair.com
This just happened at LAX yesterday. Notice the folks bailing out and walking a mile or more through traffic with their suitcases to try and get to the terminals...
Is it too late to consider flying into John Wayne Airport instead? It's closer, cleaner, safer, and any extra charge to the tickets would be offset at least slightly by the cheaper/faster Uber or town car service from John Wayne to Disneyland, usually a 20 minute ride up the Santa Ana Freeway. Almost all of us who live or lived in SoCal recommend a John Wayne Airport itinerary instead of LAX.
Travelers | John Wayne Airport, Orange County
This just happened at LAX yesterday. Notice the folks bailing out and walking a mile or more through traffic with their suitcases to try and get to the terminals...
Easiest in my experience is find out what terminal you land at and the closest airport hotel to said terminal. Walk to that hotel and order your Uber from there. Every time I’ve looked the prices for an Uber has been way more from the dedicated Uber lot than any of the surrounding hotels. You also avoid the bus from the terminal to the Uber pick up spot.
One other item to consider for @zero creativity , which is one of the best screen names I've seen in a long time by the way, is that LAX is undergoing major construction on terminals, all roadways and support services, and nearby infrastructure. And it's all running 6+ months behind schedule, naturally.
Is it too late to consider flying into John Wayne Airport instead? It's closer, cleaner, safer, and any extra charge to the tickets would be offset at least slightly by the cheaper/faster Uber or town car service from John Wayne to Disneyland, usually a 20 minute ride up the Santa Ana Freeway. Almost all of us who live or lived in SoCal recommend a John Wayne Airport itinerary instead of LAX.
Travelers | John Wayne Airport, Orange County
This just happened at LAX yesterday. Notice the folks bailing out and walking a mile or more through traffic with their suitcases to try and get to the terminals...
We thought about it, but it would have been more expensive and direct flights were not available.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Understood. In that case, just get your LAX car (Uber/Lyft, rental, town car) arrangements locked into place well in advance of your arrival. And give yourself plenty of time to get back to LAX from OC when you are heading back home.
truecoat
Well-Known Member
One other item to consider for @zero creativity , which is one of the best screen names I've seen in a long time by the way, is that LAX is undergoing major construction on terminals, all roadways and support services, and nearby infrastructure. And it's all running 6+ months behind schedule, naturally.
Is it too late to consider flying into John Wayne Airport instead? It's closer, cleaner, safer, and any extra charge to the tickets would be offset at least slightly by the cheaper/faster Uber or town car service from John Wayne to Disneyland, usually a 20 minute ride up the Santa Ana Freeway. Almost all of us who live or lived in SoCal recommend a John Wayne Airport itinerary instead of LAX.
Travelers | John Wayne Airport, Orange County
This just happened at LAX yesterday. Notice the folks bailing out and walking a mile or more through traffic with their suitcases to try and get to the terminals...
I can't wait to see the difference when the People Mover starts doing its thing. An offsite dropoff for people and a consolidated car rental facility linked by this train should have a huge impact.
Yeah, having direct access to and from terminals to the new people mover that takes you to a dedicated rental garage and subway stop will dramatically improve the lax experience.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I really am looking forward to seeing how LAX operates and looks by 2025. Long overdue, but the work and hassle should be worth it.
Until then, I'm trying to get in as many LAX jokes and insults as possible, while I still can.
vikescaper
Well-Known Member
Our vacation in August consists of two parts and it is cheaper for us to fly into LAX. I am leaning towards renting a car for the day (I don’t mind LA traffic) as I have had some interesting ride-sharing experiences lately. For our return flight, we are flying out of the John Wayne airport so I will probably just bite the bullet and do ride-share.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Here's a nice, short flyover video of the $10+ Billion remake of LAX. This video focuses on the PeopleMover system that will connect all of these new LAX components, but it gives you an idea of what the redone airport will look like. All of the terminals will have been rebuilt and/or expanded as part of this too.
Ignore the "Coming 2023" part, as now it's been pushed into 2025, maybe '26? But definitely before the Olympics.
When are the 2028 Summer Olympics again? They do those in the Winter of 2030, right?
Ignore the "Coming 2023" part, as now it's been pushed into 2025, maybe '26? But definitely before the Olympics.
When are the 2028 Summer Olympics again? They do those in the Winter of 2030, right?
truecoat
Well-Known Member
Here's a nice, short flyover video of the $10+ Billion remake of LAX. This video focuses on the PeopleMover system that will connect all of these new LAX components, but it gives you an idea of what the redone airport will look like. All of the terminals will have been rebuilt and/or expanded as part of this too.
Ignore the "Coming 2023" part, as now it's been pushed into 2025, maybe '26? But definitely before the Olympics.
When are the 2028 Summer Olympics again? They do those in the Winter of 2030, right?
I don't have any trips planned right now but can't wait to see the difference.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
To be fair, for the past decade if you could just manage to get yourself through the traffic gridlock and past the security screening mess at the Tom Bradley terminal, things were actually pretty good inside that one overseas terminal itself. The Singapore Airlines and SAS lounges in particular there are stellar. The post-security terminal complex is clean and bright and modern, there's nice shopping and easy dining, and the gate areas are huge and well designed.
It was just getting to the actual terminal and through the TSA mess that kills it. But once that is all fixed by '25 or so, LAX should hold its own with most major airports. It won't win awards compared to the overseas airports that beat almost everything in the USA, but at least LAX won't be an embarrassing mess any longer. I'm hoping the domestic terminals will look and feel as nice as the Tom Bradley Intl. terminal already does...
truecoat
Well-Known Member
To be fair, for the past decade if you could just manage to get yourself through the traffic gridlock and past the security screening mess at the Tom Bradley terminal, things were actually pretty good inside that one overseas terminal itself. The Singapore Airlines and SAS lounges in particular there are stellar. The post-security terminal complex is clean and bright and modern, there's nice shopping and easy dining, and the gate areas are huge and well designed.
It was just getting to the actual terminal and through the TSA mess that kills it. But once that is all fixed by '25 or so, LAX should hold its own with most major airports. It won't win awards compared to the overseas airports that beat almost everything in the USA, but at least LAX won't be an embarrassing mess any longer. I'm hoping the domestic terminals will look and feel as nice as the Tom Bradley Intl. terminal already does...
The last few times I've flown into LAX, the plane always goes to the Bradley terminal but then we get bused to Terminal 1 to pick up luggage. Same for the return, go to terminal one, check-in, and then get bused to Bradley. But being out in this annex, I don't see the place in your picture.
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Mike730
Well-Known Member
As far as I know, a select few carriers do the Terminal 1 check-in/Bradley Bus due to limited space. Are you flying one of these?
Allegiant
Breeze
Cayman
Lynx
Norse
Sun Country
Transat
Viva
It doesn't look like the LAX remake will change this, at least not until the new terminals are built and the dust from reorganization of the larger carriers settles.
truecoat
Well-Known Member
Looks like they are modernizing terminals 4 and 5 to be done by