Best Transportation leaving DLR to USH 4 people

[Trip planner]

We are planning our first visit to DLR and LA area! Our first 4 days are going to DLR so I was planning on taking an airport shuttle to DLR hotel and just walking to the parks for 4 days. We are then planning on going to Hollywood area to do touristy things as well as USH. Can I rent a car in Anaheim and drop it off at LAX when I depart? Is it more cost effective to get some sort of shuttle for my family of 4 and then just uber when we are in the Hollywood area? I prefer to minimize hassle but I don't want to waste money either.

 

[StormyCA]

Yes, you can do a 'one way rental'. But be aware that many rental companies charge a 'drop fee' that can run as high as $200.00 for the 'convenience'. So before you reserve a car, be sure that you speak to someone at the rental company and specifically ask about the drop fee. I once priced a one way rental and the fee never showed up on any of the websites. I happened to call one of the companies about our plan and the agent informed me of the fee.

If I couldn't get a no drop fee/minimal drop fee rental I'd probably Uber from Anaheim to LA as opposed to a shuttle service. I'm not familiar with the shuttles but I'm under the impression that they charge per person as opposed to just a ride fee.

 

[DLgal]

Your cheapest option is probably going to be to rent a car for the whole trip. Rent from airport, return to airport.

 

[StageTek]

I second DLgal - that would minimize the hassle and likely even save money.

Often a week rental from the airport will be cheaper than a "drop off" plus shuttle plus Uber. Is there a car rental company you rent from regularly?

 

[mel2014]

My experience with one-way rentals is that the highest drop fee is usually if you pick up at one airport and drop off at another. If you pick up at an off-airport location and drop at an airport location, it's usually not too bad. Enterprise always shows the one-way fee on their website and they have a couple of locations close to Disneyland, so I'd check there and compare the cost of rental+parking fees to shuttle+one-way rental.

 

[Trip planner]

I second DLgal - that would minimize the hassle and likely even save money.

Often a week rental from the airport will be cheaper than a "drop off" plus shuttle plus Uber. Is there a car rental company you rent from regularly?

Usually we use Priceline to bid on rental cars. We have gotten insane deals this way. ($17/day) I will probably just have to price out different scenarios

 

[DLgal]

Usually we use Priceline to bid on rental cars. We have gotten insane deals this way. ($17/day) I will probably just have to price out different scenarios

You really do need your own car for a trip to explore Southern CA. Things are very spread out and Uber gets expensive with the longer distances and surge pricing during rush hour.

 

[StageTek]

Usually we use Priceline to bid on rental cars. We have gotten insane deals this way. ($17/day) I will probably just have to price out different scenarios

Seems like the best option.

With a rental car you can head to the Hollywood area to do touristy things as well as USH with no thought of tour groups times - see what you want to see dat the pace you want. If you can get a $17/day deal that's not even $70 for the 4 days it will sit at a hotel. Double that insane deal to $34/day and that's not even $150 for the 4 days the car will sit unused. A shared shuttle is about $70 - a direct is about $115.

 

[Trip planner]

Seems like the best option.

With a rental car you can head to the Hollywood area to do touristy things as well as USH with no thought of tour groups times - see what you want to see dat the pace you want. If you can get a $17/day deal that's not even $70 for the 4 days it will sit at a hotel. Double that insane deal to $34/day and that's not even $150 for the 4 days the car will sit unused. A shared shuttle is about $70 - a direct is about $115.

Sadly, I went to bid on a car and Priceline no longer has bidding for cars. It was great while it lasted.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

I’d keep checking the different rental sites and enter codes. On our trip we’re flying into LAX and leaving LGB and have a car reserved for $69 for 3 days. I thought that was good for dropping off at a different location.