Car rental vs. Uber/Lyft for split Disneyland/L.A. family trip

[Apixarfan]

I have a June trip coming up where me and my wife will be taking our teens to L.A.. We’ll be spending the first few days doing more touristy things around L.A.: Universal Studios, maybe Warner Bros tour, Walk of Fame we’ve never seen, etc. We’re still not entirely sure what we’d do the whole time. Spouse has a friend that moved there 10+ years ago that we’d probably visit with for a little bit one day. We arrive on a Thursday early evening in early summer and check out of the hotel on Sunday.

Then we have DVC reservations at VDH for Sun-Thurs.

I’m looking for advice for whether we should a) rent a car for the whole time, b) Uber the whole time, or c) rent a car for the first half of the trip and maybe turn it in on Sunday after checking into the VDH if there’s a car rental option close by with the idea we’d just take Lyft back to the airport on the final day.

Also - any ideas for things to do on the weekend (rough plan is Universal on Friday to minimize crowd)? My son has Aspergers (think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory) but only really cares much for animated movies and video games. Daughter has some anxiety about crowds but loves movies and thrill rides.

I’ve been to LA/Disneyland 10 years ago but that was almost all time spent at Disneyland and a day at the beach when the kids were pretty little yet.

 

[irlandaise]

It sounds like you'd prefer the freedom of having a car the first few days so you can go all the places around L.A. you want to see. But once you get to the Disneyland Hotel, I don't see a reason to pay for a car and parking for five days.

Do your kids like sciencey things? If so, work in a visit to Griffith Observatory. Besides, there are great views of the city from up there. It doesn't have to be a nighttime visit (although they have telescopes for night viewing if you do), because they also have lots of things to do in the daytime.

 

[PiratesMansion]

You definitely don't need the car once you get to DLR, and there are several car rental places adjacent to DLR or, failing that, at one of the airports closer to DLR.

I'd recommend a rental for the first part of your trip, if only because it will give you many more options of what your family could do.

 

[Geemo]

I have a June trip coming up where me and my wife will be taking our teens to L.A.. We’ll be spending the first few days doing more touristy things around L.A.: Universal Studios, maybe Warner Bros tour, Walk of Fame we’ve never seen, etc. We’re still not entirely sure what we’d do the whole time. Spouse has a friend that moved there 10+ years ago that we’d probably visit with for a little bit one day. We arrive on a Thursday early evening in early summer and check out of the hotel on Sunday.

Then we have DVC reservations at VDH for Sun-Thurs.

I’m looking for advice for whether we should a) rent a car for the whole time, b) Uber the whole time, or c) rent a car for the first half of the trip and maybe turn it in on Sunday after checking into the VDH if there’s a car rental option close by with the idea we’d just take Lyft back to the airport on the final day.

Also - any ideas for things to do on the weekend (rough plan is Universal on Friday to minimize crowd)? My son has Aspergers (think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory) but only really cares much for animated movies and video games. Daughter has some anxiety about crowds but loves movies and thrill rides.

I’ve been to LA/Disneyland 10 years ago but that was almost all time spent at Disneyland and a day at the beach when the kids were pretty little yet.

When we have had a trip start in the north for Universal and other places, we fly into Burbank and get a rental car. I generally rent Alamo through Costco. Alamo had an office right there on Disney property. It's moved around over the years. Last time we returned the car to Alamo inside Paradise Pier Hotel after we dropped bags off at GCH.

 

[felice]

It sounds like you'd prefer the freedom of having a car the first few days so you can go all the places around L.A. you want to see. But once you get to the Disneyland Hotel, I don't see a reason to pay for a car and parking for five days.

Do your kids like sciencey things? If so, work in a visit to Griffith Observatory. Besides, there are great views of the city from up there. It doesn't have to be a nighttime visit (although they have telescopes for night viewing if you do), because they also have lots of things to do in the daytime.

Regarding the sciencey thing mentioned - another place worth visiting is the California Science Center. They've got quite a lot on display there which should interest both of your children too, on lots of topics. Entry is largely free most of the time (although check the time of year just to be sure) though there may be some charges on exhibitions. It's good value.