Just how bad is LAX?

[noladave]

after reading all of the past comments about which airport is the best, it appears that LAX is the least favorite. However, after checking all of the air fare prices, LAX can save us close to $500 over flying into SNA or ONT. It will be myself, DW, and DD8 and DS13.

Is it really that bad flying into LAX?

Also, I probably won't get a rental car until later in the week (for fri, sat, sun), so is the shuttle available for LAX to DL (we are staying at GC).

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

LAX is the only airport I have used here in LA. I've taken a taxi there, I have parked in the long-term parking there, and I have parked at a nearby hotel and used that hotel's shuttle to get to the airport. I have never had any problems there, as long as I arrived with time to spare. It's when I cut corners, and have to check in luggage at Southwest, getting there less than an hour before my flight that I have had problems.

There are shuttles and the Disneyland Resort Express bus that goes to the Anaheim hotels from LAX. We have a transportation link at the top of these DL discussion boards, and if you click on that, or Planning and then Transportation, you will get different options available to use.

 

[autumnbaby9]

If your going to save $500 I say do it. LAX is big and busy but it's not so bad that it is worth that much to go somewhere else. Just give yourself plenty of time to get checked in when you leave, security can be a long line. There are multiple shuttles that work out of LAX: Primtime shuttle, super shuttle, Disneyland shuttle (not free like at WDW ). They average about 30 pp RT.

 

[Tink33]

I may be the only one, but I like LAX. Lots of parking spaces, restaurants in the terminal and shops to pass the time.

 

[Shelebeen]

We have never had any issues with LAX... we have flown in and out of there a number of times. We have used both the shuttles and a rental car to get to DL from there.. again no issue, get off the plane, grab your luggage, head out the door and find the shuttle or rental car posts...

 

[noladave]

thanks for the quick replies, seems like the thing to do. I can easily get a rental car for the $30 per person shuttle, so I think that I might go that route.

Man, I love the information you can get from this board!

 

[Stacerita]

I have never had problems flying in or out of LAX. Its busy yes, and can be crowded at times. But if you plan ahead and give yourself enough time, its not an issue. The only time I really had it be crowded was around holiday time. But there are no issues with it for me.

 

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

If your going to save $500 I say do it. LAX is big and busy but it's not so bad that it is worth that much to go somewhere else.

ITA!!!

 

[LittleWoodenHead]

I may be the only one, but I like LAX. Lots of parking spaces, restaurants in the terminal and shops to pass the time.

No, you're not the only one.

Flying in to LAX should not be a problem. However, as mentioned above, make sure you allow plenty of time to get through security for your return flight. Depending on the airline and terminal, the wait can be substantial (with Southwest's Terminal One usually being the worst).

If you find yourself with time to kill before your flight, check out the Encounter Restaurant in the Theme Building (the "space age" building in the center of the airport). The interior was designed by folks from Disney Imagineering and is straight out of the Jetsons. (The food is really very good there, too!)

Enjoy your trip!

 

[hlbtimes2]

Also, I probably won't get a rental car until later in the week (for fri, sat, sun), so is the shuttle available for LAX to DL (we are staying at GC).

Be sure to check the price difference between renting the whole time (pick up and drop off at one locaction) vs picking it up mid trip and having a different return location. It might not save you any money to only have it part of the time. We've found that its very expensive to return it to a different location.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I picked up a car at National's LAX location (well, on Aviation Blvd) on a Saturday morning at 7 am and returned it to the Katella location in Anaheim on Sunday around 1 pm (so 2 day rental....was going to keep it until 7 pm but we finished our running around and was ready for some park time). Total cost was $45 after taxes. Now...I booked that car way ahead of time (probably 6-7 months ahead of time) and I used one of the discount codes for AMEX that's listed on Mousesavers. Taking the Supershuttle from LAX to
Anaheim would have been $15 each way each person...there was only 2 of us so it would have been $30 BUT we wouldn't have been able to to go into Hollywood for the Saturday morning or the Character Warehouse in Fullerton or to pick up some supplies before dumping the car off. I think that extra $15 we spent on a car was worth it. Mind you...gas was rather expensive when we went so that was a $20 fillup. LOL

 

[Albort]

well, i think flying out, it might take longer... if there is a lot of ppl...

 

[mermaidlagoon]

We were just there ...Yeah it "saved " us lots of $$$$ too. Arrived at 4:30 , got baggage (30 mins), got car (30-40 mins) drove down in carpool lane and got there a little after 7pm..... Yucky!!!!!and Grumpy!!!!!

 

[Echo queen]

We were just there ...Yeah it "saved " us lots of $$$$ too. Arrived at 4:30 , got baggage (30 mins), got car (30-40 mins) drove down in carpool lane and got there a little after 7pm..... Yucky!!!!!and Grumpy!!!!!

It sounds like you hit rush hour traffic

 

[DisneyPhreak]

Last time we went to DL we flew into LAX while friends took off about half an hour after we did and landed at OC. We got our luggage and took a shuttle to our hotel. We were standing at the counter of our hotel checking in when the others came pulling up. So our time to DL was only a little bit longer flying into LAX and we saved $100 per ticket flying there, definately worth it for us.

 

[Captjackson]

I'll avoid LAX if I can, but for $500 savings, no problem!

 

[Leofoenget]

It's a zoo but it's doable.What airport isnt' these days? I flew out of Burbank the other day, and THAT was a bit zooish. Just give yourself plenty of time and you will be fine.

 

[twinmommyks]

We fly into and out of LAX (me, dh, ds5, dd5,ds10) and had absolutely no problem. Actually, we made it through security and check-in in less time than it took is in KC, Missouri. We went to the airport much earlier because of everything I had read but because it took us less than 30 minutes total, we had to entertain our kiddos for several hours. This was over Memorial Weekend, too.

I was really worried about flying LAX but it saved us about $500 and we could fly non-stop so I decided to risk it and was glad I did, because it worked out great for us.

 

[epcotfan]

Wow, we flew into LAX a couple of weeks ago and it was awesome. Much calmer than our airport in Toronto. Also returning from LAX was a breeze. Mind you we were departing from Terminal two on a Saturday afternoon, so it was pretty dead. But I found the gate agents and securty to be really friendly and less stressed than those agents I've seen in other airports.

 

[Twinprincesses]

We are saving about $600 flying into LAX. I would rather spend an extra bit in an airport andhave more $$ to spend at DL.