How to get from LAX to Anaheim without breaking the bank

Tootsie62

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
We are regular travelers to WDW, so we are spoiled and very happy with the Disney Magical Express. Well we aren't so lucky in California. I don't want to buy a car or bus, that about how much it is from LAX to our good neighbor :( There is a public bus service that is advertised to be a Disney transport, but it's VERY expensive and doesn't drop off at our hotel. So we looked into rentals, again we don't want to purchase a car. The shuttles are also very expensive and it's hard to find one of those with an OK review. Someone then suggested an UBER, well we get there during peak times, so supposedly there is an upcharge and getting one in a timely manner is also an issue. Are there any suggestions, our hotel doesn't offer a shuttle, but we are getting a cast member discount for the room, so changing hotels is not an option. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
For me I usually rent a car at LAX which is usually cheaper then a shuttle for me. The shuttle Disney recommends is expensive but I have heard nothing but positives reviews from people who have used it. If its possible to change your flight into Santa Ana you would be closer but not as many airlines service that airport so it might not be an option. I would say Uber/Lyft will be between $50 to $100 depending on time of day due to the traffic. Long Beach airport is great and has some shuttles that do flat rate to Disney but I feel its expensive also.
 
We are regular travelers to WDW, so we are spoiled and very happy with the Disney Magical Express. Well we aren't so lucky in California. I don't want to buy a car or bus, that about how much it is from LAX to our good neighbor :( There is a public bus service that is advertised to be a Disney transport, but it's VERY expensive and doesn't drop off at our hotel. So we looked into rentals, again we don't want to purchase a car. The shuttles are also very expensive and it's hard to find one of those with an OK review. Someone then suggested an UBER, well we get there during peak times, so supposedly there is an upcharge and getting one in a timely manner is also an issue. Are there any suggestions, our hotel doesn't offer a shuttle, but we are getting a cast member discount for the room, so changing hotels is not an option. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

We rented a car at the airport (we had to take a shuttle to get to the car rental, I think it was Alamo or Enterprise). I waited until about two weeks before our trip to make the reservation, and we we paid less than $200 for the week long rental (oh, and we picked up at LAX and dropped of at San Francisco Airport).
 


Y'all are some brave souls to drive in LA area.
We used a limo service last trip and will be using Uber on our trip in December.
 
We used SuperShuttle to get from LAX to Anaheim. They were pretty inexpensive, but it's a shared shuttle so you may have other stops. You can pay extra for a private shuttle as well.
 
Y'all are some brave souls to drive in LA area.
We used a limo service last trip and will be using Uber on our trip in December.

If you have done it enough times it is nothing. I am from SF so we use to drive down all the time so for me it doesn't bother me at all but it can be very overwhelming for sure. I always try to fly in at a time that works best if I do fly. Honestly the very best to fly to is Long Beach. You can take the street out of Long Beach airport all the way to Disneyland. I have gone from Long Beach Airport and back and have not had to put any gas in the car. When I got back to the airport it was still full. Cost me $50 for the rental total. Plus you can stop at a store too.
 


When is your trip?

I like a rental car there. I’ve also taken Karmel Shuttle, which I like quite a lot.

With SuperShuttle price it out using the hotel name dropdown, not with zip code, and you’ll get a better quoted price.

I don’t love the Disney resort express, but ice also never found it to be very expensive either. So we might have different expectations for being driven about an hour to my destination.
 
If you have done it enough times it is nothing. I am from SF so we use to drive down all the time so for me it doesn't bother me at all but it can be very overwhelming for sure. I always try to fly in at a time that works best if I do fly. Honestly the very best to fly to is Long Beach. You can take the street out of Long Beach airport all the way to Disneyland. I have gone from Long Beach Airport and back and have not had to put any gas in the car. When I got back to the airport it was still full. Cost me $50 for the rental total. Plus you can stop at a store too.
Once upon a time I lived near San Francisco myself (Mountain View) but now I don't even live in a town with a rush hour, unless there is an accident. LOL So yeah, it's rather overwhelming. I was going to fly in to SNA this time but we used a companion ticket and LAX worked better to fly out of our home airport (2 flight changes vs. 3)
 
Once upon a time I lived near San Francisco myself (Mountain View) but now I don't even live in a town with a rush hour, unless there is an accident. LOL So yeah, it's rather overwhelming. I was going to fly in to SNA this time but we used a companion ticket and LAX worked better to fly out of our home airport (2 flight changes vs. 3)

I know Mountain View very well. Yeah LaX has way more offerings. I am glad Southwest goes into Long Beach now. But I have been flying Jet Blue into Long Beach for years. Best Airport in the LA area for sure.
 
You should definitely post this on the Disneyland board because you'll get a lot of replies there. A lot of people on that board use Lansky. According to their website (https://www.golansky.com/services.html), LAX to Disneyland round trip for up to 6 people is $240 round trip or $125 one way. Lansky includes one 20-minute stop at a grocery store if you like, but no stops between 10 pm and 7 am. A lot of DISers have used them with good success. I've heard mixed reviews of the Karmel Shuttle. Disneyland does not offer any sort of equivalent to Magical Express like WDW has.
 
Any chance you can change your airport? LAX is a haul from DLR; it's a much easier drive from SNA or ONT (even though ONT is farther out.) If you can fly to Long Beach you're absolutely golden; it's just down the road from DLR.

Rental car rates will depend on your dates. The best rates require a Saturday-night keep. Costco rates are generally the best I find for leisure dates, buy if you are not there over a Saturday night, Priceline bidding would definitely be your best bet.

If you prefer to be driven, I'd go with Lyft; they offer a lot of coupons for new users. (The DLR board folks may know of some good local car services, of course.)
 
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Lyft was $38 last July.
RideGuru is showing about $50 from LAX to Disneyland right now. LyftPlus/ÜberXL are about $75.

There is no specific time for an update with either company. It depends on supply and demand.

A midsize SUV from Budget through Hotwire today - so, extremely last-minute - is about $70 total.

Now, if the OP is able to buy a car or a house for under $100, more power to them. If these amounts are going to break the bank, two words: don't go. Personally? Not impressed by hyperbole.
 
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RideGuru is showing about $50 from LAX to Disneyland right now. LyftPlus/ÜberXL are about $75.

There is no specific time for an update with either company. It depends on supply and demand.

Now, if the OP is able to buy a car or a house for under $100, more power to them. Personally? Not impressed by hyperbole

To me Uber/Lyft is worth it, you go straight to your hotel. As I mentioned, Super Shuttle took 3 hours to make multiple stops at the airport, multiple steps along the way. My friend was an hour behind me landing, she used Lyft and we got there about the same time. We used Lyft going back.
 
Have you already booked the flight? It's a LOT easier to go into Orange County (SNA) instead of LAX. Even if it costs a little more you will gain time at your destination. If you do go with LAX leave LOTS of time (LOTS of time) to get to LAX for your departure. I would leave no later then 4 hours before my flight (I commuted between ATL and Orange County CA, near DL, for 8 years... I have done all the airports and the drive to LAX can be an adventure!)

(but I do agree with an earlier poster if a $100 is "buying a car" then I would love to see what you drive)
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions, there are three of us coming from 3 different states, it would be very easy for me to to get to SNA, but the other two, not so much, one from Tennessee and the other from Orlando, so I compromised and decided on LAX, I actually found a budget renatal car for the trip to DL, but trying to find an affordable shuttle, with somewhat decent reviews, for the return to the Airport, we have until September, so I have time to continue to search, again thanks everyone!!
 
I'll chime in, as someone coming from TN, and a small regional 5 gate airport, it's tough to fly in to the other regional airports. I wanted to get SNA but it would have been 2 plane changes to do it. When you are looking at a 5 hour flight, just air time, and you add in 2 flight changes, all the flights were an avg of a 9 hour travel day, with the lay overs. Just to avoid LAX where I am getting a 6 hour travel day? No thanks, I'm taking LAX. I do realize the issues getting back there but it's still going to be worth it
 

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