Disneyland Trip Transportation & Questions!

[DisneyDellsDude]

Hello everyone,

Myself and a friend of mine plan on vising the Disneyland Resort next month.
I have a few questions, as this will be my first big trip out there (I've only been to DL for one day in 2008).

1) We plan on flying into LAX. What is the best way to get to the Disneyland Resort from there if we don't plan on renting a car? We'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel I believe.

2) If we wanted to go see Hollywood stuff for a day, what would be the best way to get from the Disneyland Hotel to there? And then back again?

3) How close is Knott's to the Disneyland Resort?

I think that's it for now. I'll update you all if I think of any more questions to ask!!

 

[svickersart]

Hello everyone,

Myself and a friend of mine plan on vising the Disneyland Resort next month.
I have a few questions, as this will be my first big trip out there (I've only been to DL for one day in 2008).

1) We plan on flying into LAX. What is the best way to get to the Disneyland Resort from there if we don't plan on renting a car? We'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel I believe.

2) If we wanted to go see Hollywood stuff for a day, what would be the best way to get from the Disneyland Hotel to there? And then back again?

3) How close is Knott's to the Disneyland Resort?

I think that's it for now. I'll update you all if I think of any more questions to ask!!

1) do a google search for lax ground transportation, there are several companies that go to the DL resort area.

2) You would be best to rent a car. Dont go after dark. There may also be some tours that go from the DL resort to Hollywood.

3) about 6 miles. You can take public transportation to knotts I'm sure. Or rent a car for a couple days and do knotts and hollywood.

Steve

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

DisneyDellsDude you must be reading my mind because I am also planning a trip out there.

I'm still planning transport from LAX but because of the time I get in I'm not doing Disneyland Express so I might pre arrange a taxi it looks like it will be $80 about each way.

We are planning a city tour through either grayline or starline tours to see Hollywood and also to the San Diego Zoo.

I'm going to add a question....we want a character meal (either breakfast or lunch) where is the best option?

 

[alissafalco]

Hollywood is pretty seedy and sketchy...you will be dissapointed, I personally wouldn't waste any time there. But i guess if you've never been there you have to go at least once to see it for yourself and to say that you did. You really also only need about 1 hours time out of your day for that...

 

[TP2000]

Gray Line is your friend if you need to get to Hollywood from the Disneyland area. Check out their website.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a better bet than downtown Hollywood itself, as Universal Studios is an actual and very busy working movie studio that is peppered with some pretty good theme park rides, unlike Universal Orlando which is a theme park pretending to be a fake movie studio.

If you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel, I would call them directly and ask for their advice on transportation to LAX. They'll probably tell you to book a ticket with the Disneyland Express bus that picks up outside baggage claim at all eight LAX terminals. LAX is a really crummy airport to arrive at, so you will need to have your transportation plan lined up very well before you arrive, but you can still expect dilapidated facilities, dirty surroundings, and maddening crowds pushing and shoving on tiny traffic islands outside baggage claim trying to flag down the right bus at an extremely busy airport. Good luck with that LAX thing. Most SoCal locals try to get flights into the four other SoCal airports; Long Beach, John Wayne, Burbank, or Ontario. :lookaroun

Hollywood is a rather scary part of town. Don't be there after sundown, and don't stray far from your tour bus. Don't try to do it alone. Think of any only-slightly-renewed-but-still-down-on-its-luck urban district in any big city in America, and you've got Hollywood. Except the homeless people in Hollywood generally have more mental issues, and some of them may have been an extra in a 1984 Dr. Pepper commercial before the drugs took over. The only value there is the Walk of Fame stars on the sidewalk, staring at the hand prints at Graumans Chinese Theater for 10 minutes, and maybe looking at the exterior of the Kodak Theater if you are an Oscars fan. But Kodak is now bankrupt and can't pay to keep their name on the theater, and the Oscar committee wants to move the show across town to the Nokia Theater near the convention center. Hooray for Hollywood.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

The person I'm traveling with really wants a good view of the Hollywood sign. Is it clearly visible from by the chinese theater?

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

If I recall correctly, no it isn't. In fact I didn't find it to be visible during most of my tour through Hollywood, but maybe I was looking in all the wrong areas.

 

[TP2000]

The person I'm traveling with really wants a good view of the Hollywood sign. Is it clearly visible from by the chinese theater?

Not from the Chinese Theater, but from a block away you can get a great view of the famous sign.

The Chinese Theater is on Hollywood Blvd. on the same block as the Kodak Theater and the Hollywood And Highland Center.

At the west end of that city block is the Chinese Theater.

A few steps further east down the block is the Kodak Theater where the Academy Awards are normally staged. (Kodak can't pay to have their name on the theater, and the Oscars people want to move the show across town to the Nokia Theater).

And immediately connected to the Kodak Theater is the Hollywood and Highland Center, basically a typical urban shopping mall. But the center has some pedestrian bridges that are custom built to give great views of the Hollywood sign in the hills just to the north.

Directly across the street from Hollywood & Highland is Disney's El Capitan Theater. It can be fun to visit, even if you don't see one of the movies or splashy stage shows that Disney peforms there regularly. There is an attached Disney Soda Fountain and Disney Studios Store that is fun to visit for any Disney fan.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Thanks for the info about the sign. We are thinking of taking the grayline city tour and we know there is a stop at the chinese theater area, so knowing where to go to get a good view of the hollywood sign is great. Any other tidbits would be welcome! :wave: