disneyland to disney soda fountain???

[DizneyDogs]

best way to get to DSF from Disneyland? anybody know about how much a taxi would cost? or where to rent a car? staying at HOJO - or other transportation alternatives?

 

[glendalais]

best way to get to DSF from Disneyland? anybody know about how much a taxi would cost? or where to rent a car? staying at HOJO - or other transportation alternatives?

It's actually quite a distance. If I were to eyeball a guess, I would say a Taxi from the DLR area to the Soda Fountain would cost approximately $120.00 each way.

If you're willing to make a Day Trip out of it, you could take the Metrolink from Anaheim Stadium to LA Union Station. There, you could transfer to the Metro Red Line (subway) heading towards North Hollywood. Get off at Hollywood and Vine station and the Soda Fountain would be right across the street.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I need to correct my esteemed forum colleague......
It's not the Hollywood and Vine station - it's Hollywood and Highland.

You'll be two or three blocks east (down the road) if you get off at Vine. Coming out at Highland puts you literally across the street. You can also tour the H&H complex, which hosts the Mann Chinese theater (with the footprints) and the Kodak Theater - home of the Oscars.

Taking the train is the most direct and cheapest route.

 

[RuthieT]

your best bet is to probably rent a car for the day and drive up to Hollywood and any other places around there and make a day out of it.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

You can't rent a car as easily from DL as you can from WDW. You most likely will need to go back to the airport or get an Enterprise car, where they pick you up. I wouldn't do it, unless you are positive that is what you want.

Also, it's not a good straight drive into Hollywood. Parking is also expensive there - if you don't know what to do. (I know - we live just 5-10 minutes over the hill from Hollywood and we go to the El Capitan for movies.) I wouldn't do the drive unless you are good at crowded freeways and busy streets. Hollywood is similar to an mild inner-city/downtown environment - not glitzy at all.

That being said, if you do decide to go that route. Take the 5 North to the 101 North. Take 110 North (passing the Downtown area) to the 101 North. Exit Highland Avenue (Stay on right-hand side of the freeway as exit splits). The street winds down and becomes three lanes towards Hollywood Bowl. Turn left onto Highland Avenue. The parking structure is on Highland Avenue next to the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa, north of Hollywood Blvd.

Park there, but also hit one of the shops there for validation. Otherwise it will cost you an arm and a leg to get out.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

If you are interested in renting a car, I would recommend some more investigation. There is an Alamo rental agency in Downtown Disney, and there are a few rental agencies locally. I know they have an office at the Ramada Inn Maingate (forget which one), and sprinkled around on Harbor & Katella.

 

[jlmarr]

If you're willing to make a Day Trip out of it, you could take the Metrolink from Anaheim Stadium to LA Union Station. There, you could transfer to the Metro Red Line (subway) heading towards North Hollywood. Get off at Hollywood and Highland station and the Soda Fountain would be right across the street.

If you're taking a taxi to the train station then either Fullerton or Anaheim stations would work for you. If you're taking the bus to the station then - from HoJo's - it would be easiest to take the OCTA #43 bus northbound on Harbor Blvd to the Fullerton Station - it makes a stop right there. Also note that if you take Metrolink (the commuter train) then the subway fare is included - just keep your round-trip Metrolink ticket.

(Also I've fixed the Hollywood/Highland reference above.)

 

[Disneyfn420]

I rented a car for a day in LA and went to the Disney Soda Fountain. There is a parking lot behind Hollywood and Highland that validates and it's $2 for 4 hours. The Disney Soda fountain particiaptes so just get your ticket stamped.

 

[StitchFan1973]

I've never heard of the Disney Soda Fountain before. I checked out the website. I think we'll definitely have to make a side trip during our Dec. visit.

 

[kkheburn]

Cant wait to check this out. On our last day in LA we are going there for lunch. I think it would be neat for my girls to see the prints on the ground too. Anything else around for us to do there?

 

[DizneyDogs]

thanks for all the responses - about how much would the train cost?

 

[jlmarr]

thanks for all the responses - about how much would the train cost?

From Fullerton it's $11.75 round trip on weekdays, $8.75/rt on weekends. From Anaheim station it's $14.00/rt weekdays. That's for Metrolink the commuter train, not Amtrak, and remember it's good for the subway fare too.

 

[Just2DisneyKids]

I have no help for the DSF (although it seems like you got lots of help already!), but I had to say that your garden is amazing! Is that your backyard? Do you have more pictures? Those little purple flowers look like they have hidden Mickey's, are they real? Really, really beautiful!

 

[Leofoenget]

You can't rent a car as easily from DL as you can from WDW. You most likely will need to go back to the airport or get an Enterprise car, where they pick you up. I wouldn't do it, unless you are positive that is what you want.

Also, it's not a good straight drive into Hollywood. Parking is also expensive there - if you don't know what to do. (I know - we live just 5-10 minutes over the hill from Hollywood and we go to the El Capitan for movies.) I wouldn't do the drive unless you are good at crowded freeways and busy streets. Hollywood is similar to an mild inner-city/downtown environment - not glitzy at all.

That being said, if you do decide to go that route. Take the 5 North to the 101 North. Take 110 North (passing the Downtown area) to the 101 North. Exit Highland Avenue (Stay on right-hand side of the freeway as exit splits). The street winds down and becomes three lanes towards Hollywood Bowl. Turn left onto Highland Avenue. The parking structure is on Highland Avenue next to the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa, north of Hollywood Blvd.

Park there, but also hit one of the shops there for validation. Otherwise it will cost you an arm and a leg to get out.

OH Please. I am an "out of towner" Last September we decided to make the drive from DL to the Soda Fountain. I can't remember the exact directions, but it was not that bad. It was the day Tink opened. Honestly I wasn't that impressed with it. I would not make a specific trip to see it again. Just map quest from your hotel to Disney Soda Fountain. We went on a Friday morning and started the drive back about 1ish. Any later in the afternoon we would have hit mega traffic.

 

[pixiewings71]

Well, you can rent a car in DTD so that would be very easy actually. The rental "store" is at the far end of DTD around the corner from Compass Books. It's not hard to find at all. I'm sure you could mapquest the DSF from your hotel and find it with no problems. Actually, I think this is something I'm going to try to do in Jan. too, I've never been and always wanted to, just so I can say I did.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

OH Please. I am an "out of towner" Last September we decided to make the drive from DL to the Soda Fountain. I can't remember the exact directions, but it was not that bad. It was the day Tink opened. Honestly I wasn't that impressed with it. I would not make a specific trip to see it again. Just map quest from your hotel to Disney Soda Fountain. We went on a Friday morning and started the drive back about 1ish. Any later in the afternoon we would have hit mega traffic.

You know, it's funny, most folks that aren't from here go to the extremes of "EEEK!!! Noooooo!!!!" or "LA traffic - no problem!". Obviously, you match the profile of those who are comfortable driving here.

I have found it safer, on this forum, to advise on the conservative "eek" side, if folks don't mention rental cars in their first post. Plus, you can't recommend rentals to someone under 25, as they probably won't be allowed to rent (used to be a travel agent back in the mid-90s...).

 

[Leofoenget]

Well, you can rent a car in DTD so that would be very easy actually. The rental "store" is at the far end of DTD around the corner from Compass Books. It's not hard to find at all. I'm sure you could mapquest the DSF from your hotel and find it with no problems. Actually, I think this is something I'm going to try to do in Jan. too, I've never been and always wanted to, just so I can say I did.

I have it saved from Desert Inn but it doesnt matter.
Desert Inn & Suites-Disneyland: 1600 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802, (714) 772-5050 1: Start out going NORTH on S HARBOR BLVD toward S MANCHESTER AVE. 0.5 mi
2: Merge onto I-5 N toward LOS ANGELES. 23.0 mi
3: Keep LEFT to take US-101 N toward LOS ANGELES/CIVIC CENTER. 10.1 mi
4: Take EXIT 9B toward HIGHLAND AVE/HOLLYWOOD BOWL. 0.1 mi
5: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ODIN ST. 0.2 mi
6: Turn LEFT onto N HIGHLAND AVE. 0.6 mi
7: Turn RIGHT onto HOLLYWOOD BLVD. 0.0 mi
8: End at 6834 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028


B: Disney's Soda Fountain: 6834 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, (323) 817-1475

 

[DizneyDogs]

I have no help for the DSF (although it seems like you got lots of help already!), but I had to say that your garden is amazing! Is that your backyard? Do you have more pictures? Those little purple flowers look like they have hidden Mickey's, are they real? Really, really beautiful!

Thanks!! It's actually in the front of the house along the walkway leading up to the front door. I will have to take more pictures next year. And yep the pansies are real while the topiaries aren't LOL - For Christmas they will get decorated with big red bows.

 

[BecBennett]

When we went to the Soda Fountain we went in a tour group. We had I think an hour around that area. Longer would have been much better, especially if you want to have lunch there and see the sights as well. But I didn't think we'd make it if we tried to make it on our own.

However, here are the directions I got when I was considering it:

The easiest way is to take the train from Anaheim rail station to Los Angeles Union Station. Depending on whether you take the Metroliner (run by the local county) or the Amtrak train (run by the national rail company), the ride will be between 45 minutes and 1 hour. If you go by car or bus, your time will be longer since there is a "rush hour period" from about 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the motorways.


Here is the train information:


TO UNION STATION, FROM ANAHEIM...

Take either the Metrolink Train (metrolinktrains.com) or the Amtrak Train (amtrak.com) from Anaheim (station code: ANA) .to Los Angeles Union Station (station code: LAX). Use the station codes when researching trains on the Amtrak website.


(Note: The Metrolink is an above-ground commuter train line that is not related to the 'metro rail' below-ground metro lines). Metrolink trains might be a little less expensive depending on the number of children in your party and they are a little faster (45 minutes). Also, MOST IMPORTANTLY, Metrolink runs VERY FEW trains on the weekend, so be sure to ask for an AMTRAK train to Union Station or else the clerk will tell you there are no trains leaving soon. You may not purchase tickets for metrolink in advance online. You MAY purchase Amtrak train tickets online in advance. Amtrak trains take approximately 58 minutes to get to Union Station.


Total travel time to Union Station: between 45 and 57 minutes at a cost of between $6.75 or $8.50 depending on whether you take Metrolink or Amtrak.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

If you're going to the Soda Fountain just because the Disney name is on it, I don't know that it's worth the time, effort, and energy it takes to get up there. It's just a little ice cream shop with Disney merchandise for sale.

However, if your really want to see the Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and all that stuff, then it's a slightly different matter. The El Capitan is a fun place to see a movie, but matinee prices there are more expensive than evening showtimes in just about every state, so I'd only see a movie there if you are just dying to see a movie there or the film there is a Disney film not otherwise available in theaters.