Car and Driver for a day

[scrappinsandie]

Hi I am travelling to Disneyland in August with 7 friends. During our week long visit we have 2 shopping days planned. One for everyone where I have been able to get a price for an air conditioned van and driver for 8 hours for $599. On the second trip only 4 people are going shopping and the best price I can find is $499 this is also a van and also for 8 hours.

This is a little cost prohibitive and I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas. We could Uber between the 4 planned stops but then we would have to carry all our shopping. We could hire a car however I would need to drive and the steering wheel is located on a different side to what I am used to and it freaks me out a little.

I'm a bit stumped.

Sandie

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Where are you planning to go on your second shopping day?

 

[scrappinsandie]

We plan to visit a Tuesday Morning, most likely Tustin, then the Sears, Walmart, Michaels at Buena Park, a Hobby Lobby a nd the Target near DL. These are probably boring to Americans but highly exciting for us!

 

[Katiebird]

For a private driver all day waiting for you at those stops, that’s probably not an unreasonable rate. I don’t think there’s a big market for private drivers here so not a lot of competition to keep rates down. I would probably Uber and maybe go back to the hotel halfway through the day to drop purchases off?

I don’t know what days you are going, but keep in mind Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We plan to visit a Tuesday Morning, most likely Tustin, then the Sears, Walmart, Michaels at Buena Park, a Hobby Lobby a nd the Target near DL. These are probably boring to Americans but highly exciting for us!

For the Target and the Walmart (the one in Fullerton on Harbor), the OCTA runs often on Harbor -- check the schedule online -- that is low cost and easy. And I think the ART runs to the Target (or just across the street), too.

 

[WonkaKid]

For shopping, you must (must!) stop at the Citadel Outlet, which is approximately 18 miles north of Disneyland immediately off of the 5 (150,000,000,000,000 kilometers, or something like that. We don’t do metric here ;-)). I’ve been many times (most recently on Wednesday) and the place is amazing. It’s all outlet stores of many of the best brands: Levi’s, Nike, Calvin Klein, etc. Often prices are insanely low. I went in to the Banana Republic about six months ago and bought nine shirts for around $30. Don’t expect deals like that but there are nearly always great ones to be had.

 

[scrappinsandie]

Thanks for the advice all!

 

[ArdyG]

Hi I am travelling to Disneyland in August with 7 friends. During our week long visit we have 2 shopping days planned. One for everyone where I have been able to get a price for an air conditioned van and driver for 8 hours for $599. On the second trip only 4 people are going shopping and the best price I can find is $499 this is also a van and also for 8 hours.

This is a little cost prohibitive and I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas. We could Uber between the 4 planned stops but then we would have to carry all our shopping. We could hire a car however I would need to drive and the steering wheel is located on a different side to what I am used to and it freaks me out a little.

I'm a bit stumped.

Sandie

Hi, I'm from NZ so I hear you about driving on the other side of the road. However, I've been to the States a few times and don't find driving over there too bad. I do have to concentrate sometimes when I'm turning corners but to help me, I just remind myself that as the driver, I should be in the middle of the road Traffic wise, I'm from a little "city" of 140,000 and don't find driving in LA too much of a stretch. Since you're from Sydney, it'll probably be a breeze for you. I looked at hiring a car for a day when I was over in September. It was only going to cost me NZ$60 (not including petrol) so I think it's definitely worth reconsidering. And I second WonkaKid's recommendation regarding the Citadel Outlet. I usually stop there when we move from Burbank/Hollywood to Disneyland; it hasn't let me down yet.

 

[sjmac42]

Missed Citadel this time but we also find the Outlets at Orange quite good, picked up a few bargains at Christmas.
As for driving, we are from Australia and my wife refuses to but do consider it. I might not advise tackling the i5 on your first go but remember that the steering wheel on the other side means the driver is still sitting next to the centre line and the passenger side is still next to the kerb, so it’s really all relative. The tricky thing is exiting driveways (remembering to turn right, not left). Otherwise you just follow the traffic in front of you.
It will also likely be a tenth of the cost of a private driver and car. Plenty of car rental places right near DL.
All the best