Freeway tips: Universal to DLR

[shosh1530]

I'm heading to California in two weeks with 2 nights at Universal and then three at Disneyland. We've been a few times before, driving from Arizona, BUT this will be my first time driving alone (with just my 10 year old).

It has probably been 20 years since I've been in the driver's seat on L.A. freeways and I'm tad nervous. I plan to use Google Maps and am trying to get a sense of all the freeway interchanges I'll need to do. I can handle traffic jams, but am nervous about quickly needing to get across five lanes of traffic for an exit. My recollection of L.A. is lots of fast, crazy drivers with quick lane changes.

Any advice/tips on:

• Getting to Universal when coming on I-10 (probably arriving 3 or 4 in afternoon on a Sunday).
• Best time of day to leave Universal to head to DLR? Would 10 am be decent on a Tuesday).
• Route/freeway tips for the journey from Universal to DLR? Any exits that aren't marked well in advance?

Appreciate any insights!

 

[China Expat]

I would use WAZE to see the best routes, traffic accidents, etc. The traffic is bad ALL THE TIME,

 

[DLgal]

Stick with Google Maps. It has more data than Waze so it's more reliable.

10am on a Tuesday is an excellent time to leave.

You will have to do exactly one interchange. 101 to 5 south. It's easy. 101 basically just becomes 5 South. You don't have to actually do anything. Just stay in the lanes for 101S/5S. Let your Google Maps voice navigation guide you. Just don't go too fast and stay in either the second from right lane or middle lane so you can move over easily when needed. Let the crazy drivers be crazy around you.

Once you get near Anaheim, your exit will depend on where you are staying.

 

[shosh1530]

10am on a Tuesday is an excellent time to leave.

You will have to do exactly one interchange. 101 to 5 south. It's easy. 101 basically just becomes 5 South. You don't have to actually do anything. Just stay in the lanes for 101S/5S. Let your Google Maps voice navigation guide you. Just don't go too fast and stay in either the second from right lane or middle lane so you can move over easily when needed. Let the crazy drivers be crazy around you.

Thanks so much for your response! You've put my mind at ease.