6 hr layover at LAX...now an 11 hr layover. DL here I come!

[Ariel224]

I will be traveling to Oregon at the end of the week for my grandmother's funeral. I will be returning home on Sunday. Due to the time of year, the short notice, and the crummy choice of frequent flyer mile itineraries, I will have a layover at LAX from 9:45 to 3:20. Trying to turn lemons into lemonade, I had an idea......

Would I be nuts to try to get to the parks for a couple of hours? I'm thinking if I can get on the Disneyland Express by 10:30, I would easily be in the park by 11:30.....spend a couple of hours and head back to the airport at 1:30. Is this possible, or am I pushing it timewise?? I've never done DLE....I know they pick up on a pretty regular schedule from the airport, but how does the pickup for the return trip work? Will I need a reservation for the return? Are the times pretty reliable? Could I get away with leaving the park later than 1:30?

I really want to ride IASWH and perhaps see Tianna's Showboat Jubilee.....things I won't get to do at any other time. My DH is going to be so mad though...

****UPDATE: Flight pushed back 5 hours. I will have time to do this now!!

 

[Todd Lee]

Sound pretty risky time wise. I'd be so nervous about missing my flight that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my few hours in the park. There are so many factors that could make you late getting back to the airport. Traffic, vehicle trouble, airport security, etc...

 

[FlameGirl]

You could get stuck in unpredictable LA traffic, and burn up 2 hours each way getting there.

I would see if there is an earlier flight you could try to fly standby, but I would definitely not try to make a trip to Disneyland from LAX with only 6 hours to spare.

Sorry.

 

[tink2dw]

Call AAA Travel Or DL and ask them about the Disneyland Bus!! Can you change your flight to a later flight??

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't even think I would try that...

The DL bus, at that time, does pick up every hour. But if you're delayed, then down the drain with your plans. If you bags are delayed (and you can't leave them at the airport), down the drain.

Our bus was a bit late b/c of some nonsense he was blathering about...they make all the buses sign in at a "corral" outside of the airport or something, and that delayed him, so of course each of his stops at the airport (there are seven terminals I believe, and they stop at each terminal) was delayed. Then you generally stop at the DLH, which is fine for your purposes, but you'll want to sit at the very front of the bus so the ticket-taker gets to you first. Then you'd get off the bus, jet through DTD...if you have bags, you'll need to find a locker (I'd recommend the big lockers at the "picnic area" to the left of the bag check area, when coming from DTD, before you actually get to bag check, because those lockers are bigger. Then reverse it all...and you'd be getting in just as everyone else is starting their day...the lines aren't going to be fun...

And you should have a reservation coming back, though they say you don't have to have one leaving the airport.


Of course, a 6 hour layover is going to be torture if you don't do something or go somewhere, but I think this is just too precarious. If you could get it changed to SNA, then I bet all of our stories would change, b/c you're getting a 20 minute drive instead of an hour.

I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you either chance the trip and have a good time, are or able to switch things around, b/c doing something bright and childlike will probably be just what you need...

 

[GrandBob]

I agree with the others. I would probably rent a car and go somewhere closer by -- Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Getty Museum, etc.

-Bob

 

[Diznut84]

If money is not an object, I'd consider trying it. You won't have much time at the parks, and it probably won't be as relaxing as leaving the airport and having a nice dinner and/or perhaps a short walk on the beach. But to each their own!

 

[the donut]

The one time I took the Disneyland Express from the Disneyland Hotel, it left about 40 minutes late. Just to echo everyone else, it would be risky to say the least.

 

[pixiewings71]

Ya, I don't think I'd try it with only 6 hours. If you could move your flight back then maybe....or if you could fly into SNA maybe....but LAX is just too risky IMO. I'm sorry for your loss, I hope you find something to do during that layover time.

 

[Ariel224]

I should have clarified that these flights were booked with mileage program miles. Any other options would have connected me through different airports altogether with much longers days of layovers & plane changes. This was truly the best I could do from one obscure destination to another on such short notice with the involved airlines. So no, no changes are possible without huge $$$ outlay, but if I were to miss the connection it wouldn't be the end of the world either.

Should have clarified too that i have a DAP, so no ticket purchase required. And all i will have with me is a small backpack with boarding passes preprinted.

So, I guess another way to phrase the question would be, if you were staying at GCH or DLH and you needed to decide what time to catch the DLR on your departure day, how much time before the flight departure would you allot? I can't imagine that the average person would leave 4 hours ahead of time.....but maybe I'm wrong.

So, does LAX have free wi-fi? I can always have Disboards entertain me I guess!

 

[bumbershoot]

I once almost missed a flight at LAX, so we pad our already normally padded times. We like getting to the airport a full 2 hours before a domestic flight; even when the airport/airline says 90 minutes it can feel too rushed sometimes.

Since the bus generally doesn't leave exactly an hour before one's specific flight, yeah, we're generally catching a vehicle at least an hour before, which of course means leaving the park well before that time.

If you can get onto a later flight if you were to miss the first one, without any financial problems, go for it.

I've been feeling like an absolute traitor, telling someone that I don't think they should try it...felt bad enough when DH had a 4 hour layover at LAX and there was just no way he could get to DLR...but given all the little time-suckers that happen...walking through DTD, waiting in line, getting through Main Street, etc etc etc...I'm just not sure it would be something fun for me, especially if there's stress over catching the flight.

But if you go and do this, PLEASE write about it in the trip report section!!!!! I'm sure we'd all be very excited to read about it.

 

[Ariel224]

The plan in my head was to catch the monorail in DTD, then "walk with purpose" to IASW. If that's the only thing I got to do, it would be worth it. The last forecast I saw said light rain. The thread this last week about DL in the rain made me really itch to go back. My very first DL trip in 1986 was during a very wet Spring Break. It was glorious!

I guess we'll see how brave i'm feeling that day.

 

[Katink]

So, I guess another way to phrase the question would be, if you were staying at GCH or DLH and you needed to decide what time to catch the DLR on your departure day, how much time before the flight departure would you allot? I can't imagine that the average person would leave 4 hours ahead of time.....but maybe I'm wrong.

You'd think 4 hours would be plenty of time but let me tell you about one of our recent trips to LAX. We live about the same distance to LAX as Disneyland - but to the north. We had a late evening flight to catch from LAX to Anchorage. We left 5 hours ahead of time anticipating traffic, a bite to eat, took routes we knew would be less crowded. Breezed through PCH, came to a dead stop at the 10, took us an hour to go less than a mile. Saw helicopters overhead, thought there was an accident and the TV stations traffic copters were reporting. Nope, they were LAPD, there was a gunman on the loose, the freeway was closed, and SWAT was all over the place with weapons very visible. It's only because DH knew surface streets from his commute that we finally made it - with a measly 1/2 hour to spare.

Hey, it's LA, anything can and does happen and you have to plan accordingly.

Katink

 

[Luv Bunnies]

As some of the others said, I wouldn't do it. That's an awful lot of time spent on a bus for one or two rides. And the traffic can be so heavy in LA that I think it would be very risky. Plus, I know I wouldn't be able to go into Disneyland for only an hour or two. It would be worse for me to have to leave so soon than not to have gone at all!

 

[Maddle]

I don't think I would try it either, although I can understand the temptation. It's a long time to spend on a layover, and not enough time to get much done.

When the roads are good, as they may be on a Sunday, they are very good...but when they go bad, they go very bad very quickly.

Since you are on a FF ticket, maybe you would be able to get on a standby list once you are in LAX. (Maybe you could even get on a standby list for your "LAX to home" leg of the trip at the time of your departure from Oregon.)

Good luck.

Maddle

 

[MAH4546]

frequent flyer tickets can be changed at absolutely no *** and airlines are always adding FF ticket availability constantly. Since they are freely changeable you can often find some good tickets close to departure. Check with Alaska which I presume you are flying but even United and American have no change fees.

 

[Ariel224]

I was actually able to push back the connecting flight by 5 hours without penalty, creating a layover of 11.5 hours! DH was even supportive.

I really just want to do some of the things that were either closed or impossible to do due to "kid constraints" when we had our family vacation last month. It's going to be a rough couple of days due to my grandmother's funeral. I'm going to really need the pick-me-up.

 

[jory29]

Oh, thank God you are able to have an 11 hour layover! Just a couple of hours ago, I was talking to my husband about you, and saying I hoped you wouldn't try a 6 hour layover DL trip. (Too risky it was, IMO as well.) Phew! You will have more time now, and can enjoy your time there. Have a really great time, and please do make sure to make up a TR when you get back!! I was really happy to hear you will get to go, after all. Thanks for updating your title on your post, so we'd all know.

I am so sorry to hear about your Grandmother, too. Peace.

 

[GrandBob]

Yes, condolences about your grandmother. But she'll be with you in spirit at DL.

As I suggested before, I would still rent a car rather than go with DL Express or Supershuttle. You'll be in control of the timing of your trip, and I'll bet it would cost no more than the shuttle.

Have fun!

-Bob

 

[DizneyDogs]

yeah!!! glad it will work out for you to make a quick trip to Disney