Best route to Disneyland in rush hour traffic!

[Elle23]

Hello!

I will be flying into LAX at the end of the month. My plane lands at 7:15, and I will be renting a car and driving straight to the Disneyland area.

Can anyone give me an idea of highways that would be better and those I would need to avoid during rush hour? Any tips and insight you can give me?

I live in a big metroplex with lots of traffic, so I’m not scared, per se, but the horror stories I have heard about LA traffic does have me a little on edge! ( and my mom’s rants from all those years ago about the traffic must have scarred me too! )

ETA....sorry, that should have been a question mark and not an exclamation mark in the title! Guess I’m already too excited about my trip!

 

[disneydad84]

On Wednesday (6-6), our plane landed at 6:40 am and we left Alamo at 8:15. We took the 405 to 22 to harbor. We were at our hotel at 9:15. Have a fun trip!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just a question: do you have to rent your car at LAX? There are several rental offices near DLR, so you could pick up and return there. You could get a car service, Uber, Lyft, or take the Disneyland Express Bus from LAX to your hotel, thus sparing yourself the stress of L.A. freeways and traffic, especially after an international flight. Then pick up your car in Anaheim. (By the way, check Mousesavers.com for any deals on car rentals. Also, Priceline.com.) I really think this would be easier than driving yourself in morning rush hour traffic after a long flight.
The rental agencies at LAX are off site, so make sure to allow time in your itinerary for catching the shuttles. If you decide that you will be driving yourself, download the Waze app to help with traffic.

 

[cmpeter]

I would check and use Waze when you get in your car. A good route can change from day to day/hour to hour.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Is that evening? Or morning? If that is PM then by the time you land, collect your bags and your car, traffic will be pretty light. If that is AM, I would just take it slow, have breakfast in the airport, and then by the time you get on the road it will be a little lighter. As for route, there are a dozen ways to get there. I would use Google Maps and let it tell which is faster!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Download WAZE app. It uses Google Maps back end but will route you to wherever you are going based on real time traffic conditions and the fastest route. It will take you on an adventure scenic route and through city streets and neighborhoods if it is fastest.

If you wanna stay on what will be quickest but still keep ya on the major roads and highways, use Goole Maps

Both are free.

 

[Elle23]

Just a question: do you have to rent your car at LAX? There are several rental offices near DLR, so you could pick up and return there. You could get a car service, Uber, Lyft, or take the Disneyland Express Bus from LAX to your hotel, thus sparing yourself the stress of L.A. freeways and traffic, especially after an international flight. Then pick up your car in Anaheim. (By the way, check Mousesavers.com for any deals on car rentals. Also, Priceline.com.) I really think this would be easier than driving yourself in morning rush hour traffic after a long flight.
The rental agencies at LAX are off site, so make sure to allow time in your itinerary for catching the shuttles. If you decide that you will be driving yourself, download the Waze app to help with traffic.

I’m from Texas, so it wouldn’t be an international flight.

I will have the rental for a week and am returning it in Sacramento. I hadn’t thought of renting close to Disneyland and taking a shuttle. I’ll look into it. Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I’m from Texas, so it wouldn’t be an international flight.

I will have the rental for a week and am returning it in Sacramento. I hadn’t thought of renting close to Disneyland and taking a shuttle. I’ll look into it. Thanks!

Sorry about that -- got you mixed up with another poster with a similar name! The nice thing about renting near DLR is how easy it is. Renting at LAX can be such a hassle sometimes.
What hotel will you be staying at in Anaheim? Some hotels have rental offices either inside or next door.

 

[Elle23]

Is that evening? Or morning? If that is PM then by the time you land, collect your bags and your car, traffic will be pretty light. If that is AM, I would just take it slow, have breakfast in the airport, and then by the time you get on the road it will be a little lighter. As for route, there are a dozen ways to get there. I would use Google Maps and let it tell which is faster!

It is in the morning. And I want to get to Disneyland ASAP since I will only have 1 day there!

And yes....I checked Google maps and saw all the routes. I was wondering if there were any “no way” routes I needed to know about.

I know where I live, there are certain highways we always avoid due to traffic or construction or whatever that non locals wouldn’t know about !

 

[Elle23]

On Wednesday (6-6), our plane landed at 6:40 am and we left Alamo at 8:15. We took the 405 to 22 to harbor. We were at our hotel at 9:15. Have a fun trip!

Thanks for sharing your experience, as one that lived through it and survived!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It is in the morning. And I want to get to Disneyland ASAP since I will only have 1 day there!

And yes....I checked Google maps and saw all the routes. I was wondering if there were any “no way” routes I needed to know about.

I know where I live, there are certain highways we always avoid due to traffic or construction or whatever that non locals wouldn’t know about !

The route to avoid is the one with any accidents or construction! Google Maps and Waze will help you with that. At that time of day, I would probably avoid the 405. Will you be alone or will you be able to use the carpool lane?

 

[dina444444]

The route to avoid is the one with any accidents or construction! Google Maps and Waze will help you with that. At that time of day, I would probably avoid the 405. Will you be alone or will you be able to use the carpool lane?

405 South is actually pretty ok during morning rush hour, it's north bound towards Century City that's the pits.

 

[Elle23]

Sorry about that -- got you mixed up with another poster with a similar name! The nice thing about renting near DLR is how easy it is. Renting at LAX can be such a hassle sometimes.
What hotel will you be staying at in Anaheim? Some hotels have rental offices either inside or next door.

No problem! Texans probably seem like foreigners to Californians!

 

[Elle23]

The route to avoid is the one with any accidents or construction! Google Maps and Waze will help you with that. At that time of day, I would probably avoid the 405. Will you be alone or will you be able to use the carpool lane?

I’ll be alone.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

405 South is actually pretty ok during morning rush hour, it's north bound towards Century City that's the pits.

I'm probably scarred for life by my commutes on the 405 N! We usually take the 105 to the 605, but that's using the carpool lane.

 

[Elle23]

I would check and use Waze when you get in your car. A good route can change from day to day/hour to hour.

Thanks. I’ll download it.

The GPS I use right now (it’s not Google...I’ll have to see what it is) isn’t the best with up to date traffic notices. We were almost late to my son’s high school graduation recently because it didn’t notify us of a traffic jam up ahead!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I’ll be alone.

Then the 405 S is a direct route -- easy to follow and remember. Just keep an eye on Google Maps and Waze.

 

[Elle23]

Download WAZE app. It uses Google Maps back end but will route you to wherever you are going based on real time traffic conditions and the fastest route. It will take you on an adventure scenic route and through city streets and neighborhoods if it is fastest.

If you wanna stay on what will be quickest but still keep ya on the major roads and highways, use Goole Maps

Both are free.

Thanks!

 

[Elle23]

Then the 405 S is a direct route -- easy to follow and remember. Just keep an eye on Google Maps and Waze.

Thanks!

 

[dina444444]

Thanks!

I prefer Google Maps, but check the route it wants to send you on. I've ended up on some sketchy streets before due to reroutes around traffic. The freeway routes from LAX to Disneyland would be one of the following, 105 E to 605 S to 91 E to 5 S, 105 E to 710 S to 91 E to 5 S, 105 E to 110 S to 91 E to 5 S, 405 S to 110 N to 91 E to 5 S, or 405 S to 22 E to 5 N.