A Couple of Rookie Questions: Transportation, Room Requests & Tours

[Tbone17701]

1.

Hi all! Looks like we will be flying into SNA, but departing from LAX. We are staying at GCH and I feel like I read somewhere that the Disneyland Express will drop off at the DLR hotels first and pick up there last? If I'm not nuts and that is indeed the case, it seems like that should make that option less time consuming for DLR hotel guests overall. Is that a safe assumption? I'm more tempted to give Disneyland Express a whirl if I know I'm not stopping repeatedly each direction.

I posted the above question in another thread, but it seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle (busy thread), so I thought I'd give it a little spotlight. I should add that I am still very much considering Lansky for overall convenience, but just need to convince my wallet.

2. We have a Premium Pool View Room booked at GCH and I did request a daybed as our number one priority followed by being located near the Napa Rose elevators. This sounds silly I'm sure, but we are traveling with my mom who has a medical condition which makes being still while lying down imperative to her overall stamina and well being the next day. So, sharing a queen with my whirling dervish of a teen daughter for 6 nights is less than ideal. Unfortunately, I'm not much better and no one wants to share with the sleeping bear that is my darling husband. Besides advising reservations by phone, how else should I submit our request for a daybed? I read calling (or maybe it was faxing) the front desk directly, but is that accurate? If so, do we know where to find the correct number for that? I'm used to WDW where room requests are not typically submitted directly to the resort's front desk.

3. Since CA overall is new to all in my party but myself, I was thinking of doing a general tour of LA & Hollywood mid-trip. I see Disney uses Starline Tours and that they offer a Deluxe Los Angeles & Hollywood Tour. Has anyone here done this before? I'd like something that picks up and drops off at GCH and isn't too grueling, but covers the basics. Trying to appease a 15 yr old girl who is honestly game for anything, husband who has a love/hate relationship with "new" things and my mom who would rather be going to Europe. I'd love any input!

 

[gerilyne]

About the transportation, the DLE does drop off at the DL hotels first before going off to the good neighbors. I know DL hotel is first/last in the pick up but it has been so long since I used them I can't remember the order after that; I want to say GCH is after DLH. The reason I stopped using them though was the fact if we landed and didn't make the bus, we had to wait an hour for the next one to get to the parks and then on the return it always seemed to be running late which made me super nervous about getting to the airport on time. Last year we tried Lansky and I just loved it even though the price is higher than other options. I like that they were there to greet us, even helped with the luggage. For the return trip they schedule your pick up time so you get to the airport no earlier than you need to, and they were on time for the pick up so that stress of will I be late isn't there. The convenience of not having to wait on the bus was worth the extra money for us; but I would think even Uber or a taxi would be better than the DLE.

I have always just called the reservation line for Disneyland to make my room requests; which is only ever just a room with the king bed. I have never not gotten the room I requested by doing this, but others may have more information on how best to make the requests you want.

Sadly I cannot help with the rest of CA since we only ever seem to go airport to DLR and back again. But I no matter what you chose I am sure you will all have a blast!

 

[gottalovepluto]

1. I’d stay away from DLE with your mom in tow. If Lanksy looks pricey Uber XL or Lyft XL (technically 4 people fit in a normal Uber/Lyft but your luggage won’t, get an XL).

2. I would call the number on your reservation a couple weeks before and ask them to confirm your room requests. If they do your request is attached, you can’t make it “more attached”.

 

[avalon451]

On the DLE thing: Just Uber/Lyft. Perfectly acceptable and far cheaper than Lansky, esp. from SNA. We're talking maybe $25, more for an XL to be comfortable for the 4 of you (I just googled Lyft; it's $21.42 for standard, $34 for Lyft Plus, without tip). Or taxi; I believe they do flat rates of $30 from SNA (but i think you have to ask the concierge for a coupon to get the same rate back).

 

[pharmama]

I agree with Uber/Lyft instead of DLE.

As far as your room- is your whole party on the reservation? If I'm counting correctly there are 5 of you? With that many in the room I think you're pretty much guaranteed to get a daybed in order to accommodate everyone but it doesn't hurt to still put in your request as you already described.

 

[B3rlingirl]

I think with transportation it really comes down to comfort and price...
I used DLE last summer (my parents and I) and we really enjoyed sitting in a “big” bus... just sitzing and waiting till we arrive at our hotel without worrying about anything else...(by the way we went from LAX and were the second to last hotel to be dropped off but after 11h in the air we didn’t mind the time and it really wasn’t too bad... because my excitement grew with every minute)
For the three of us the DLE shuttle was actually a good price...(way cheaper than lansky and we didn’t want to do super shuttle because of the unknown stops with DLE you at least kind of know the stops and they are all in the resort area)

And yes the DLR hotels are first to be dropped off and last to be picked up... I think (1 DLH, 2 GCH,3 PPH)

 

[goooof1]

Taxis are lined up right outside the terminal..... no wait and I believe there is a flat rate to the DLR area. easy !

 

[Tbone17701]

Thanks for the input all! I hear the lack of votes for DLE loud and clear! I didn't even think about the potential wait time at the airport for them upon arrival. We do Uber occasionally, so that's a viable, less costly option. As for the room requests, I will just verify closer to arrival that they are on the reservation and ask upon check-in if we had any success. We do only have 4 total in the room, but that third bed would be a life saver for my mom. I'm thinking the whole "touring LA & Hollywood" thing isn't as common as I assumed from DLR? I'll have to do some non-Dis research on that one.

 

[Skjhjb]

I just booked a tour with Anaheim Tour Company. It is a 10 hour Hollywood/Warner Bros Studios tour that picks us up in Anaheim at our hotel> We are at DLH for 3 nights then switch to an off-site for two nights before heading off up the coast.

I liked this tour - it was 8 people max in a van, so a smaller crowd and covered everything we wanted to see. Can't wait!

 

[Tbone17701]

I just booked a tour with Anaheim Tour Company. It is a 10 hour Hollywood/Warner Bros Studios tour that picks us up in Anaheim at our hotel> We are at DLH for 3 nights then switch to an off-site for two nights before heading off up the coast.

I liked this tour - it was 8 people max in a van, so a smaller crowd and covered everything we wanted to see. Can't wait!

Wow! I'm guessing they cover quite a bit in 10 hours, but I'm not sure I want anything quite that long this time around. I will definitely check out that tour company though, so thanks for sharing!