Taking a vacation is supposed to be a relaxing, fun filled time away from the hustle of everyday life. This can get a bit muddled when planning the smaller details comes into play, especially if you are venturing to an area you have never visited before or know little about. Navigating the streets surrounding Disneyland can be a bit intimidating for first time visitors, especially if you are looking at facing the traffic that comes with leaving the airport. It can also be a bit pricey. Let us help you make an informed decision about how to find the cheapest way to get from LAX to Disneyland!
A Bit About the Trip
When you arrive in California, there is a good chance you are going to land in the Los Angeles International Airport, which is generally known as LAX. From there, you are looking at around thirty five minutes if you travel by car to get to Disneyland, give or take a bit depending on traffic.
Other methods may shave off a bit of time or add a few minutes to your trip but may end up being more cost friendly and offer additional perks. Typically, people choose from three different travel methods when making the drive from LAX to the parks: Disneyland Express (a type of bus that goes directly back and forth several times a day), rent a car through an agency, or Uber/Lyft. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each of these options.
3 of the Cheapest Options to Get from LAX to Disneyland
1. Disneyland Express
Disneyland Express is the cheapest way to get from LAX to Disneyland. It’s also one of the most popular choices for those leaving the airport and pretty much anyone else looking to get from an external venue to the parks. The shuttle system is approved but not owned or operated by Disneyland and makes for an effortless, low hassle option that gets you from point A to point B with ease and little required planning aside from considering the bus schedule.
If your hotel is on the list of stops you could even get dropped off there to freshen up in your room and then hop back on the shuttle system to go into the parks at a later departure time! Truly, the Disneyland Express is an amazing asset to have if you are looking for a safe, simple method and can wait around for the arrival and departure times.
The Disneyland Express makes several ventures everyday around a set path. It drops patrons off at the hotels near the park and lets them walk from there to Disneyland. Looking at the schedule online it does not appear that there is an option to be dropped off directly at the park’s front gate but choosing to be dropped at any of the Disney owned and operated hotels will give you a short walk that is easy to make.
Currently, rates for the Disneyland express from LAX sit at forty eight dollars for adults with one child under the age of eleven riding free with each adult ticket purchase and thirty six dollars for any additional children, which may seem steep but, given the convenience of the bus service, does hold value.
The shuttle runs from a bit before 8 AM to around 8 PM, giving a twelve hour window to those looking to utilize the service; if your flight arrives before or after this time you will have to find a different service or wait for the next departure time. Also, if your hotel is not on the Disneyland Express stop list you can still request a drop off if there is time and if your hotel is along the route. If it is not, you will be dropped off near the park or at the nearest stop to your hotel.
One upside for those considering using the Disneyland Express is that it does not required car seats for small children. Unlike the public bus system, Ubers, or other transportation methods to the park, you do not, under California law, have to bring along a car seat. Other methods would require you to bring one along on your flight. Car seats must be checked, which means that they may or may not be handled properly and therefore damaged on the flight.
Car seat rentals can also get rather expensive, especially if you have multiple children who require one, and can be unsafe since many may have been involved in undisclosed accidents or not properly taken care of. If you have small children and are not going to be in a vehicle aside from going to and from the airport, this is definitely the way to go from a monetary and safety standpoint.
The bus schedule for leaving LAX and going to a Disney Disneyland Hotel (one of the closest to the park) is as follows; for additional options for arrival points and more information on the Disneyland Express shuttle service, you can click here to view their bus schedule.
2. Renting a Car to Go to Disneyland
A classic choice for vacationing families everywhere, car rentals are popular for a reason. They are convenient and give you the freedom to come and go as you please, which is definitely a plus when you are on longer vacations. Depending on the type of car you rent and the duration of your vacation, you can come out very, very cheap.
Some companies advertise basic cars as low as seventeen dollars per day, making it a great investment point. Minivans will be more expensive but offer the ability to move about more, which is a great asset to have with larger families or small children who may not want to be in the parks all day.
You can find rentals and discounts on a ton of different sites. Undercover Tourist has a great tool that compares many big name companies against one another to assist you in finding the best deal on multiple different types of cars. Simply enter your filters including date, place, and car type and they will list out where to find the absolute best deal possible after checking with reputable local sites and comparing coupons across dates. All in all, the Undercover Tourist tool is a great way to make sure you are getting the best rates possible for your vacation.
There are some definite downsides to renting a car, though. For one, you are entirely responsible for any damages or accidents that may happen unless you purchase an insurance plan. There are also restrictions placed on who can drive the car and you will have to rent or bring along your own car seat and many car rentals do not allow pets in the vehicles since they could potentially damage the seats and interior.
Be sure to check the terms and conditions of your rental when you make the reservation to ensure that no extra fees will be applied and to make sure you are in compliance with all rules associated with your rental company and car selection.
3. Ride Sharing Services
If you are looking for something that is much more affordable, ride sharing services are the way to go. Companies like Uber and Lyft have a considerable presence in the Anaheim area and pretty much all of California, making them a great option for someone needing to travel through the state.
With Uber, Lyft, or a similar service, you will also notice a drastic decrease in the overall cost of getting from LAX to the parks. Typically, Uber or Lyft will cost around forty to sixty dollars to get from the airport to Disneyland, give or take depending on traffic since the pricing is dependent on the distance and amount of time the ride takes. Typical cabs can also be used in a similar way but will cost almost double what an Uber or Lyft would.
For those who do not know what Uber and Lyft are, think of it as a freelance taxi service. People sign up for the app and work through the site to give rides in their own personal vehicles. They do have guidelines for behavior and there is a customer service center to reach out to with concerns, the drivers just use their own cars and are independent in that way.
There are some concerns about the safety of using an Uber or Lyft but generally crimes are not committed by the drivers since a report would likely get them kicked off of the platform permanently. Uber and Lyft both would be significantly cheaper since you pay for the time and can fit multiple people in one car. For two people, it would be like a buy one get one free on the shuttle!
If you are going to use Uber, Lyft, or a similar ridesharing service, it is important to keep yourself safe. Never get into a car if the driver’s name does not match the name on your reservation. You can easily find a full safety guideline list online, so be sure to check up on any needed information even though the company works really hard to make sure everything is safe.
Additionally, if you have children who need car seats, you will either have to bring one along or rent one unless you get lucky and find a car that has one installed already. In general, though, it will be the cheapest option for most people to opt into using a rideshare service when going from the airport to Disneyland. Plus, you can find discount codes that offer discounts or even free rides so search around a bit before making a decision!
Related Questions
Can you schedule an Uber or Lyft to bring you from LAX to Disneyland?
With Lyft, you can schedule a ride with ease. Lyft will remind you that you have a ride scheduled seven days before your date and send a second reminder the thirty minutes before your rider is set to arrive.
Scheduling a ride will ensure that you have a car ready for you and also locks in your rate, making it great for those planning a vacation. With Uber, you can only reserve Uber XL cars. With this scheduling, your rate is also locked in and you will receive a reminder thirty minutes and twenty four hours in advance. Both services are quite handy and make transitioning from the airport to the parks a breeze!
Where can you rent car seats?
The best way to find an available car seat is to look online. There are tons of different websites that rent out cribs, car seat, strollers, and other necessities for travelling with babies and toddlers. You can even find boosters and assets for bigger kids, too, making having a safe vacation easier than ever! Pricing will range from five to ten dollars or a bit more, depending on where you rent from. Do your research and check reviews and you will find something suitable quite easily!
Conclusion
You can find a way from LAX to Disneyland easily; weigh your options and figure out what would best suit your individual family’s needs. There is something for everyone, be it shuttling with Disneyland Express, renting a car, or hopping in an Uber or Lyft. Good luck!
