Day trip from Santa Monica to Disneyland?

[RedPanda]

Is it feasible to do a day trip from Santa Monica to Disneyland? We'll be staying in SM for 3 days in mid-July as part of a trip starting in San Francisco, driving down Big Sur, stopping in Santa Monica and continuing on to San Diego (for Comic-con, yay!). I didn't think there'd be time for Disneyland, but because of the Big Sur fire, we may need to cut short the first part of our trip, so I was considering trying to squeeze DL in. However... Google maps says it's a 44-minute drive from Santa Monica, which I think would be fine, but... 2 hours and 40 minutes with traffic! And I'm guessing, given that the route goes through LA, that there'll be traffic.

Any thoughts on this? Is there any way to do it without trying to find a last-minute hotel deal in Anaheim? (I'm not even sure we'll be able to extend our SM stay; I just wanted to figure out the logistics before I went down that road.)

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

 

[honeymom]

I'd either leave for the park at 7AM (does it open at 8A?) and I think you will miss the worst of the rush.

Or, I would leave at 10A, after rush hour.

Also, chances are they have you going across the 10 onto the 5. There are plenty of other ways to go to DL and I think that some of them would work better if you do have to go at rush. I'm a former local, but perhaps some current locals will make suggestions.

 

[RudemanRB]

You can totally do it, Remember the park stays open late. it's not gonna take you 2hrs to get there. it might take you and hr and a half with traffic maybe.

Santa monica is right by the 10fwy, to the 5fwy

if you want to avoid downtown LA, you could take the 10 east, to the 405 south, to the 105 East, to the 605 South, to the 91 east to the 5 south. LOL I don't know if it would be a time saver or not.


either way, I'd make the trip to DL


Rudy

 

[RedPanda]

Thank you for the advice and information, honeymom and Rudy! I think we'll try to do it. I've been in a very Disney mood lately.