Amtrak to Disneyland?

[spiderdust]

Has anyone taken the train to Anaheim before? How difficult would it be to get a cab from the train station to the HoJo at 11pm at night, especially one that can accommodate 4 adult sized people and a toddler with a car seat (which we'll bring)?

 

[nunzia]

Has anyone taken the train to Anaheim before? How difficult would it be to get a cab from the train station to the HoJo at 11pm at night, especially one that can accommodate 4 adult sized people and a toddler with a car seat (which we'll bring)?

I take it all the time, but arrive at 6:30 AM in Fullerton and there are lots of cabs waiting.. That late at night, I'm not sure. I'd find a couple cab companies online and enter their number in your phone before going just to make sure. I would guess the Anaheim station would have cabs hanging around when trains are expected in.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

I looked into the Amtrack trains for our last visit. Since you live in San Jose, you're not too far off from me and likley will have a similar route. For two adults and two childern, we were looking at over $300 round trip. We would have to take a bus to a train in Stockton (I think), the train went to a city that begins with a "B" just before the grapevine, then switch back to another bus to go over the mountain, then back onto anonther train. Everytime you got off each mode of transportation, you had to claim your lauggage and make sure it got on the next leg of transportation. The entire trip was scheduled to take 10 hours. It's a six hour drive from my house. It was cheaper, quicker, and less hassel to drive ourselves.

 

[NVDisMom]

Same deal from Reno. We'd be bussed to Sacramento, then Stockton, get a train from Stockton to Bakersfield, then a bus again to LA and another train to Anaheim. I think that is how it went. It ended up being over 10 hours of trip and three times as expensive. We can fly for a tad bit more. Why bother?

But to answer your question...I would guess that cabs will be waiting. They usually have larger vans to accommodate larger groups too.

 

[bumbershoot]

Plus, doesn't the train take you to LA, and then you change to get to Anaheim?

Since the train is ALWAYS late, people tend to miss that second train, and then you might be stuck on a bus going to Anaheim...

If you were in San Diego I'd say "take the train!" but coming from SJ it's a different story. Though if you wanted to stay in LA that night then take the first train down in the morning it might be different.

 

[spiderdust]

I looked into the Amtrack trains for our last visit. Since you live in San Jose, you're not too far off from me and likley will have a similar route. For two adults and two childern, we were looking at over $300 round trip. We would have to take a bus to a train in Stockton (I think), the train went to a city that begins with a "B" just before the grapevine, then switch back to another bus to go over the mountain, then back onto anonther train. Everytime you got off each mode of transportation, you had to claim your lauggage and make sure it got on the next leg of transportation. The entire trip was scheduled to take 10 hours. It's a six hour drive from my house. It was cheaper, quicker, and less hassel to drive ourselves.

Looks like the route is different, or at least we have a different option available to us (since I did see the route you mentioned on the Amtrak site). We could ride the Coast Starlight from San Jose to Union Station in LA, then the Pacific Surfliner from LA to Anaheim. For 3 adults and 2 children it would cost us ~$565 (w/ AAA discounts). We'd leave San Jose at 10am and get to Anaheim at 11pm.

Our current car doesn't hold all of us comfortably for long trips (bought it before we realized we were having another child; usually use public transit or have fewer people in the car, so we never needed to upgrade), so long driving trips require renting a bigger car. Taking the train would mean not renting the car and filling it with gas periodically, so the money budgeted for the car expenses would be similar to the costs for the train.

Taking the train would also mean not having to deal with LA rush hour traffic (which seems to be its constant state), not deal with the Grapevine over the mountain, and not deal with holiday traffic on top of that (going at Christmas time).

There's a chance we could find a cheap flight instead, but... airport at Christmas time?!? Then again, flying all 5 of us would still probably run around $1000, even with cheap Southwest flights.

I am worried about the hassle factor though... especially getting us from the Anaheim station to the hotel late at night.

 

[yupikgal]

Can't speak for the lateness that cabs run, because when we've taken Amtrak it's during the day, we are going down with them to San Diego and then back to Anaheim, but getting back around 2pm..we are heading up to the central coast area, and back around dinner time on our return to the Anaheim area, although I know there are later trains..maybe google the cab companies and call them to see what time they will pick you up, or see if they have a website and email them?

 

[nunzia]

Plus, doesn't the train take you to LA, and then you change to get to Anaheim?

Since the train is ALWAYS late, people tend to miss that second train, and then you might be stuck on a bus going to Anaheim...

If you were in San Diego I'd say "take the train!" but coming from SJ it's a different story. Though if you wanted to stay in LA that night then take the first train down in the morning it might be different.

There are bunches and bunches of Surfliners that run from LAX to Anaheim so you could catch one of those if you miss your scheduled connection. I have been on horribly late trains as well, but I have to say that within the last several years everything went fine and was on time..

 

[bumbershoot]

Looking at the schedule, it seems that those "surfliners" are buses. Which isn't a big deal, it still gets you there, but it's good to know in advance!

 

[spiderdust]

It has both buses and trains. The route/time schedule I was looking at was train only, but it's good to know that there are several!

 

[jlmarr]

Has anyone taken the train to Anaheim before? How difficult would it be to get a cab from the train station to the HoJo at 11pm at night, especially one that can accommodate 4 adult sized people and a toddler with a car seat (which we'll bring)?

The cab drivers are aware of when there's a train coming in and there'll usually be a few waiting, often minivans. If not you can call 714-999-9999 or 800-649-1222 to arrange for a Yellow Cab.

The north-south train route is the Pacific Surfliner and always stops in both Anaheim and Fullerton (and Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, etc). Someone coming in from Northern California would generally connect with the Surfliner in LA.

The east-west route is the Southwest Chief which starts in L.A., stops in Fullerton, and then heads east to Chicago. Doesn't stop in Anaheim.

Amtrak California is a good site: http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com/index.cfm/destinations/disneyland/

 

[spiderdust]

Thanks, jlmarr! That was very helpful. I'll save the cab company number in my phone.

 

[nunzia]

Looking at the schedule, it seems that those "surfliners" are buses. Which isn't a big deal, it still gets you there, but it's good to know in advance!

wow..I didn't know that..the one I missed so spectacularly was a train..where do you see what ones are busses and what ones are trains? Also..since they are coming in so late..yes..that would reduce the options..I forgot about that. If worse comes to worse you can take a cab from the LA train staion to Anaheim for about $75... I am not glad that I know this.

 

[nunzia]

The cab drivers are aware of when there's a train coming in and there'll usually be a few waiting, often minivans. If not you can call 714-999-9999 or 800-649-1222 to arrange for a Yellow Cab.

The north-south train route is the Pacific Surfliner and always stops in both Anaheim and Fullerton (and Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, etc). Someone coming in from Northern California would generally connect with the Surfliner in LA.

The east-west route is the Southwest Chief which starts in L.A., stops in Fullerton, and then heads east to Chicago. Doesn't stop in Anaheim.

Amtrak California is a good site: http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com/index.cfm/destinations/disneyland/

..and the Sunset Limited is the southernmost long distance route that goes through El Paso into LA and then requires another train to Anaheim. Thank you..I am bookmarking the Amtrak California site.

 

[jlmarr]

..and the Sunset Limited is the southernmost long distance route that goes through El Paso into LA and then requires another train to Anaheim. Thank you..I am bookmarking the Amtrak California site.

Right - the Sunset Limited doesn't go through Orange County at all, so the Surfliner from L.A. is needed there. (Or cab, as you say.)

 

[spiderdust]

Super Shuttle also picks up at the LA train station and will transport to Anaheim, so that's another option for us to consider too. I think we'd have to plan that in advance though.

 

[nunzia]

Super Shuttle also picks up at the LA train station and will transport to Anaheim, so that's another option for us to consider too. I think we'd have to plan that in advance though.

it does!!?? That's great..I tried to look up Super Shuttle from other areas but no dice..when I looked I only saw airport pick ups..where did you find the train option? Great news.

 

[spiderdust]

It was actually listed under the airports... scroll all the way down to the bottom of the airports menu & you'll see "Train stations/Amtrak Los Angeles".

 

[nunzia]

It was actually listed under the airports... scroll all the way down to the bottom of the airports menu & you'll see "Train stations/Amtrak Los Angeles".

Thank you.