Driving to DL from Carlsbad in weekday traffic

[adorelc]

We are staying in Carlsbad next month and would like to go to DL for just one day during the week. Will the traffic be bad in the morning driving from Carlsbad? We are AP holders but have only ever stayed within walking distance from the park so driving and parking will be new to us. Thanks for your help!

 

[jenjersnap]

We are staying in Carlsbad next month and would like to go to DL for just one day during the week. Will the traffic be bad in the morning driving from Carlsbad? We are AP holders but have only ever stayed within walking distance from the park so driving and parking will be new to us. Thanks for your help!

I'd like to know the answer to this too! We'll be moving to the GCH from our hotel in Carlsbad on a Monday morning. We have PSs at 10:15 at Goofy's Kitchen and I am not sure what time to leave as we've only made the drive on a Sunday morning in the past and there was little traffic. We're debating just packing up and being there super early in time for rope drop, if it would lessen the time we sit in traffic (but that would make for a long day if we can't get into our room until 3 p.m.).

 

[ScooterL]

Traffic going north from San Diego/Carlsbad really isn't bad at all in the mornings. I drive to DL from San Diego on weekdays generally about once a month - driving right by Carlsbad. If I leave San Diego at 8:00 I can easily be at the park (having parked and ridden the tram to the entrance) by 10:00, with very little traffic along the way. Since Carlsbad is about 25 minutes away, if you leave Carlsbad about 8:25 you should have the same experience. I've also left San Diego at 7:00 and been to the parks by 9:00 with about the same level of traffic. Coming back from DL you want to wait until about 6:00 (or later) to leave Disneyland, and then you shouldn't have too much traffic going south.

Now, one other thing I do - I always take the Harbor Blvd exit off I5 and park in the Mickey & Friends garage instead of taking Disney Way...if you take Disney Way off I5 you *might* get to park in the Timon lot if you arrive early enough, but otherwise they have to route you around to Mickey and Friends, and that takes a lot of extra time. So instead of Disney Way, I get off on Harbor Blvd, go right on Harbor, then turn left on Ball, and then turn left on Disney Way to go to the Mickey & Friends garage. I find that it's a lot easier getting out and back onto the freeway that way, too.