DLR Express or Rental Car?

[jlindley9]

I'm looking for opinions on whether to use the DLR Express or just get a rental car. Here are the details of our trip:

Arrive at LAX at 8:20 PM on a Tuesday. We will have checked baggage and the DLR Express would be scheduled to depart our terminal at 8:30 PM, with the next bus leaving at 9:30 PM. We will be spending 2 nights at the GCH, then transfer to the Anaheim Marriott for 2 nights. We depart from John Wayne at 3:45 PM on Saturday.

Pros for DLR Express:

• Cheaper, although this is partly a business trip, so either way, we'll be reimbursed
• Won't have to deal with driving from LAX to DLR at night

Pros for Rental Car:

• Have more control over schedule, don't have to rush to catch the 8:30 bus
• Will make it easier to transfer between the 2 hotels

If we take the DLR Express, we will try and use the Marriott's shuttle to pick us up at DL and take us back to the hotel Thursday morning. I called the Marriott today and explained what I was trying to do, and the lady I spoke with thought that it shouldn't be a problem.

If we get the rental car, it will just be sitting there in the parking lot almost the entire time, as we're not going anywhere else.

So, what would you do?

 

[briangl]

If you get reimbursed I don't see any reason to wait around for the bus. Can you get reimbursed for cab fare?

 

[jlindley9]

Problem with a cab or other shuttle is that we'll have my DD4 with us and need either a big bus or a car seat.

 

[brenda1966]

If your flight lands at 8:20 I don't think there's any way you'll be able to get your luggage and make it to an 8:30 bus. LAX is big.

Now, if your flight lands a bit early, you might be able to make it. I don't think I'd want to wait nearly an hour for the next bus. But I also wouldn't want to rent a car and leave it sit. However if someone else were paying for it and the parking costs, I might just rent the car. The drive to DL is an easy one.

I'd do a taxi if I were being reiumbursed and bring one of those $15 booster seats you can buy at Target for DD to ride in. Since I don't get reimbursed, I'd book a super shuttle and bring the booster seat from Target.

 

[specialks]

I have to say I don't see how you could navigate LAX and make the 830 shuttle in time. That being said -- renting a car can take time too and by the time you get all the paperwork done and your bags loaded it could be 930 and you could have just waited for the shuttle.
If you don't mind driving and have GPS then the drive is very easy and that late in the evening you shouldn't have to many issues with traffic.
However, one other point -- the shuttle is supposed to be all decked out for Disneyland and even show Disney movies so it might help you feel "immersed" in the trip from the moment you leave the airport.
Not really helpful, but maybe I gave you some more points to think about.