Disneyland to Legoland and back - Help!

[ethanwa]

Hi everyone -

Staying in Disneyland on Feb 19-24 at the Grand Californian. We want to do a trip to Legoland in the middle of the vacation.

How can we get there if we aren't renting a car? Any tips on making this happen?

We have a 3 year old girl and 5 year old boy.

Recommendations?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Hi everyone -

Staying in Disneyland on Feb 19-24 at the Grand Californian. We want to do a trip to Legoland in the middle of the vacation.

How can we get there if we aren't renting a car? Any tips on making this happen?

We have a 3 year old girl and 5 year old boy.

Recommendations?

I'm pretty sure there's at least one company that runs an Anaheim to Legoland tour bus. I know nothing whatsoever about this service though so can't help you with a recommendation. It won't exactly be cheap or speedy to go this route though. It only takes bout an hour to drive from Anaheim to Legoland if the traffic isn't bad, but bus tours can sometimes double that time.

 

[ethanwa]

Thanks. I found this bus tour that you mentioned. I went ahead and booked it. It had good reviews and was a nice package deal. Yes, expensive, but it looks fun. Thanks for the tips.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Thanks. I found this bus tour that you mentioned. I went ahead and booked it. It had good reviews and was a nice package deal. Yes, expensive, but it looks fun. Thanks for the tips.

Enjoy Legoland. Your kids are a perfect age for that park.

 

[Hound 109]

I wonder what the cost would be between the "expensive" bus tour & doing the train (using taxis from the train stations to the park)?

hound <-----likes trains

 

[skiingfast]

I wonder what the cost would be between the "expensive" bus tour & doing the train (using taxis from the train stations to the park)?

hound <-----likes trains

Thanks. I found this bus tour that you mentioned. I went ahead and booked it. It had good reviews and was a nice package deal. Yes, expensive, but it looks fun. Thanks for the tips.

What is the bus tour? Could you share, I had never heard of this option to Legoland. Though personally I've had a car and never needed to look.

 

[luckycharms2010]

When I was a kid and would go to Disneyland we always took a train. My dad lives just minutes from the Oceanside Amtrak station and we would get on and then go to Anaheim station and take a taxi to the park. So I am sure it can be done in reverse since Lego Land is only about 10 minutes from my dads house.

Okay, looking at the train schedule now. There are trains that leave almost every hour and go back and forth. For four people the fare round trip is $102.00.
I loved taking the trip and if your kids have never been on a train I'm sure they will really enjoy it.

Otherwise, The Graylineanaheim does tours from Disney to Legoland but they are $100.00 per adult and $90 per child
http://www.coachamerica.com/graylin...our_id/1408/mode/tour_detail/location_id/1021

Your cheapest option is to rent a car... otherwise my suggestion would be Amtrak then a Taxi from the amtrak station to the park.

 

[jodeja]

We have done both options: Amtrak and Greyline Bus.

It was actually much easier and a bit cheaper to take the Greyline Bus. On the way down the driver put on a movie for the kids and also pointed out some of the sights along the way. On the way back we had a different driver who did not put on a movie, but we ended up talking with another family the whole way back so that was fun.

Amtrak was fun too - an experience in itself if your kids have never been on a 'real' train before. And the part that goes along the ocean is really beautiful. It was just a bit of a hassle to have to take a cab to the Anaheim Amtrak station and then another cab from the Oceanside station to Legoland and then repeat that again on the way back. I wouldn't discourage anyone from doing it because it was fun and an interesting view, but it does eat up some of your time making all of the transfers, it adds up to more money than Greyline when you factor in the cabs, and it wasn't as relaxing as Greyline which picks you up and drops you off right at your hotel (well, the bus we were on went to the 3 Disney hotels).

Hope that is helpful for someone!

 

[jodeja]

Oh, and if you choose to go on Greyline, you can do the "transportation only" option. We got our LL tickets cheaper through our local AAA office than they were through the Greyline package. You might also choose to do this if you already have some B1G1 coupons to use for LL.

 

[skiingfast]

Oh, and if you choose to go on Greyline, you can do the "transportation only" option. We got our LL tickets cheaper through our local AAA office than they were through the Greyline package. You might also choose to do this if you already have some B1G1 coupons to use for LL.

How was the greyline? Did it stop near you hotel or at a lot of hotels? Was everyone going to LL or further into SD as well?

 

[jodeja]

Well, I just googled the bus tours to refresh my memory on some of the details. It is actually called Gray (with an 'a') Line Tours. They do have several different tours available, going to: Universal Studios, Legoland, SeaWorld, San Diego City Tour + Tijuana, and many more. Here's the website:
http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/us/anaheim.go

We did the Legoland transportation only. We actually went two days in a row because I got 2 day tickets from AAA. We (myself + 2 DS) really liked it. It was easy and relaxing.
The bus we were on picked us up at the DLH. It only went to the 3 Disney hotels to pick up passengers. NOTE: on the first morning we got to the meeting place right outside of the hotel about 4 minutes before the scheduled pick up time. The bus was there but the door was shut. We walked up and waited for the driver to open the door. Then he grumped at me that we almost got left because we were late! So my advice is to be early. Anyway, that bus took us to a Gray Line Terminal. There we checked in at the desk, and you could pay there if you hadn't already done so online. Then they told you which bus to get on for your tour. Our bus just went straight to Legoland with no other stops. The driver put on Ice Age (either 2 or 3, can't remember) and there were several tv screens on the bus. He pointed out some sights along the way as he drove. Once we got to Legoland he told us when and where we'd be picked up at the end of the day. It was a different driver on the way back. We had 4 different drivers during the 2 days. Some don't say a word and some gave great narration and really enjoyed doing that. On the way back, they stopped at GHC, DHL, PPH in that order, then I imagine they must have gone to other hotels if some guests were staying off-property. That bus also went straight from LL to the hotels with no other stops. Also, it did not stop at the Gray Line Terminal on the way back.
I would really recommend this for ease of travel. It was about as easy as it could get.
As I also said in my previous post, Amtrak was fun too. It's just that having to take a taxi on both ends adds a bit of time/stress and money. We actually did the Amtrak trip twice, about 2 years apart. Both times we sat in business class and we ended up having the same attendant both times and we recognized each other! That was really fun. My boys are about the same age as her grandsons so she gave extra attention to my kiddos and shared pics of her grandsons with us.

 

[spacemouseneer]

I know you've already booked your bus, but when we were there and did the same trip, we rented a car for one day. There is an Alamo right beside the DH and for the week you are going you can get a full-size car for 24 hours for 46.00. For us, it was cheaper to rent the car and have the freedom to come and go as we like.


Spacemouseneer

 

[Disney Dreams]

I know you've already booked your bus, but when we were there and did the same trip, we rented a car for one day. There is an Alamo right beside the DH and for the week you are going you can get a full-size car for 24 hours for 46.00. For us, it was cheaper to rent the car and have the freedom to come and go as we like.


Spacemouseneer

^^^ is exactly what I was thinking as I was reading this thread. The train is fun and it can be part of the adventure, but if budget is your question, you may want to price it out. With 4 (?) people, a rental may be a better option.

- Dreams

 

[Hound 109]

Jodeja & luckycharms......thanks for the detailed info & opinions on the Bus / Train options.

 

[joeysmommy]

We just did the same DL-Legoland-DL in September and it worked out great.

We stayed at GCH, rented a car from Alamo right there in DTD..it was waaay convenient. Pretty reasonable with my Costco membership too. Plus we stopped at the grocery store on our way back before returning the rental car.

I considered the greyline thing but wanted to leave when we wanted not when the bus was departing.
You can also rent booster seats too.

 

[ethanwa]

We just did this Grayline bus trip. It was OK, but a very looong day. Early morning rise and you leave late. We left at 8AM and got back at 7PM. Tough with little kids and no real break (3 and 5 year old).

I think next time we'll just make the San Diego area a separate vacation or just rent a car.

 

[JoRo]

Hi I just saw this post and appreciate the information our kids are 3 and 4.5 (ish) so would you say overall its worth it? Or was it to overwhelming to try and do everything in one day? Maybe we should just stay and relax at the GVC pool ???

Thanks!

 

[AustinTink]

I vote for a one (or two) day car rental. The drive from Anaheim to Carlsbad is nothing. Easy peasy.

If you have two days to spend.... Legoland has an online special right now. Buy a one-day legoland plus water park ticket and get the second day free.

 

[smusiak]

i am also looking this all my options
even looking at urber
we have famliy of 8
just trying to find the math out

 

[smusiak]

we save 100$ one way from Legoland to DL
with urber