Disneyland Express from LAX

[thewelts]

We are flying into LAX on December 13 (Noon arrival). We are two families of three. We are flying Alaska Air so we should land in terminal 6. I recently read a review where the bus was full by time it arrived at terminal 5.

How often does this happen? I looked into Lansky as an option but my husband prefers the bus.

Advice?

Have you experienced a full bus at terminal 6?

Our destination is the Grand Californian and Park Vue Inn. One family departs on 12/16 from LAX (Park Vue Inn) and we depart on 12/17 from SNA.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We took the bus in June and again in October from LAX (noon arrival on the first, 7pm arrival on the second) and never had a full bus. Granted, we were terminal 1, but even after picking up everybody up I'd say we had 20 people tops (and we were a group of 12). We'll be taking it again in a few weeks (8:30am arrival) and I'm happy to report back.

ETA: We've also taken it the last 2 Novembers and it wasn't full.

 

[thewelts]

Thanks so much! I was hoping that full bus was unusual and not the norm.
We usually fly into SNA and rarely had a full bus.

Happy travels!

 

[bumbershoot]

Because we generally fly in during the time that there's an hour between buses, we have ALWAYS used that time to walk up to Terminal 1. Gives us some exercise and air, and we're guaranteed to get on the bus.

 

[thewelts]

Another great suggestion... thank you!
How long does the trip between terminals take? I am not familiar with LAX.

 

[travelbug08]

Because we generally fly in during the time that there's an hour between buses, we have ALWAYS used that time to walk up to Terminal 1. Gives us some exercise and air, and we're guaranteed to get on the bus.

Yes, I've never flown in or out of LAX and am wondering if it's a doable walk with 3 small kids? We will also arrive to T6 and read the same review about the bus being too full by the time it gets to the later terminals. When we took the bus from SNA there were maybe 15 people total, so I didn't even think about not getting on the bus because of it being full.

 

[Cholula]

I wasn't really surprised when they cut back their service to hourly because I had never seen a full bus. It was usually so empty it didn't seem economical at all how they were running previously.

Even on the trips I've taken after they switched to hourly the bus hasn't seemed very full to me. The one time I've ever seen it filled up was a Monday in November going back to the airport. Besides that every time I've ridden it there has been more than enough room. Fingers crossed that review you read was just a one time thing and you will be fine!

 

[bumbershoot]

When we first started taking Disneyland Resort Express DS was 4.

LAX is a really strange airport; you can't walk the whole way indoors, so you go outside and walk along the sidewalk. There's the building, then sidewalk, then lane or two for cars picking people up, then islands beyond that where shuttles pick up, then the main driving-through-the-airport lanes. Chaotic for those driving. A little confusing but OK for those traveling.

So you get your bags and then go outside, and walk casually up towards T1. I truly cannot recall how long it takes, but since we generally landed around 15 minutes after a pickup at our terminal, and would get on the next T1 pickup, and tried to not walk fast enough to break a sweat, it should be doable.

I haven't done it in awhile, since the Express isn't really my fave mode of transportation. Right now it's between Karmel (though I've never caught it *from* LAX) and a rental car.