Help with a 1.5 - 2 day solo trip

[Jadeey]

Hi all, I'm after a bit of help from the Disneyland experts.

I'm coming to the US for a couple of weeks in September for work. (From New Zealand.) Since to get to and from New Zealand you have to transit either LA or San Francisco, I thought I'd transit LA and take an extra couple of days to go to Disneyland!

What I need help with is where to stay. It'll just be me and I'll be there very early October. I'll be arriving mid-afternoon on the Friday and leaving mid-afternoon on the Sunday. All I need is somewhere to sleep because I plan to spend all the time I can in the parks since it's been a few years since I was there and will be a lot more before I'm back.

I'm looking for on the cheap side and close by (preferably walking distance) so I'm thinking the Good Neighbor Hotels, but I don't know which one to choose. Recommendations?

Also, what is the best way to get to and from LAX? Does Disney provide a transport service?

 

[tlovesdis]

There are a lot of motels right across the street. October is a busy month so you might not find rates under $100 a night, but some may be close. Check out Best Western Park Place Inn & Mini Suites, Park Vue Inn, Desert Inn & Suites, Grand Legacy, Del Sol, Tropicana, and Fairfeild Inn. Those are all right across the street.

Disney does have a shuttle for a fee.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Im doing a solo 2 day in a few weeks. I am staying at Motel 6 Maingate, previously stayed there in 2014 and 2015. Its basic and one of the cheapest at under €100. There is no breakfast but they have vending machines, coffee facilities and microwaves in the lobby area. Its on the ART route, its the last hotel pick up to the park and first hotel drop off from the park, so around 10 minutes travel time. I get a 1 kingsize bed room and the room and bed is huge.

 

[mshoo1]

I'm making a similar trip in two weeks as I have to be in LA and Vegas for business. I've done a similar solo trip each of the last several years. I typically stay at the Fairfield Inn. It's literally right across the street (and they treat me well as a Marriott Platinum member). I would be willing to bet that the walk from the Fairfield to the main entrance of Disneyland is shorter than the walk from the Disneyland Hotel to Disneyland. I also like the fact that there is a Panera Bread restaurant right in front of the hotel.

I've also stayed at the Anaheim Marriott and Courtyard Marriott over by the convention center. The Courtyard is often available for a rate of around $120/night. They are both located adjacent to the convention center, which is a long walk from the main entrance. I typically take an Uber for around $5 each way.

As for getting from LAX to Disneyland, there are several shuttle bus services that run from LAX to Disneyland area hotels. These shuttles cost approximately $15-$25 each way. Several of them leave on an hourly basis starting early in the morning through the afternoon. That is going to be your least expensive option. If you would rather not wait on the shuttle bus and don't like to deal with the bus making multiple hotel stops, then Uber is your best bet. Depending on traffic, an UberX from LAX to Disneyland costs around $35-$55. I much prefer the Uber option. With only 1.5 days, time is precious.

 

[alopez926]

I went solo for a 1.5 day trip in Feb. Stayed at the Carousel Inn for $105/per night. Bed was comfy, but this is definitely a 2 star hotel--no real amenities other than a bed, a flat screen TV and an updated bathroom. Fairfield Inn two doors down looked quite a bit nicer but was about $140 a night. Can't go wrong with either of these. It took me 7 minutes door to door to get to the park entrance. Took Uber from LAX. It was $36 one way. So convenient. Got to California Adventure at around 1:30PM on my first day and stayed til park close. Accomplished everything I wanted to ride as it was blissfully uncrowded that day. Spent the next day from park open to park close at Disneyland. Loved being a solo traveler...it was one of my favorite Disney trips! Hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy the freedom of being a single traveler at Disneyland!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Another thumbs up for the Motel 6. Also check the Super 8 hotels (one on Katella and one on Disneyland Dr.) and the Grand Legacy (on Harbor).

 

[GAN]

I don't mean to hijack -but I'll be doing a similar work-related solo trip in July. Since there seem to be some people with experience ....could you throw out some ideas for solo guests of things to do?

I've been to DL a couple times, but have spent many years going to WDW. I've got two full days and probably one night available. I'll be staying at the Hilton Anaheim. I'll probably hit a few rides, but I'm looking for a more relaxed pace ...stop for a snack or a cocktail(not at DL obviously) along the way. Any tips are appreciated!

 

[BadPinkTink]

I don't mean to hijack -but I'll be doing a similar work-related solo trip in July. Since there seem to be some people with experience ....could you throw out some ideas for solo guests of things to do?

I've been to DL a couple times, but have spent many years going to WDW. I've got two full days and probably one night available. I'll be staying at the Hilton Anaheim. I'll probably hit a few rides, but I'm looking for a more relaxed pace ...stop for a snack or a cocktail(not at DL obviously) along the way. Any tips are appreciated!

Why not have a cocktail in Disney, well in California Adventures to be specific. Thats one thing I'm doing this year. I have booked World of Color dining package at Wine Country Trattoria and I'm looking forward to a Glowtini cocktail. I had one in Disneyland Paris in February and they are yummy

I have also booked lunch in Blue Bayou, I just love this restaurant. One thing I do in Disneyland Paris and Im going to try this year in California, is go on rides multiple times in a row, ie go on Pirates and when I exit, go back in.

Just cos you are solo does not mean you shouldnt do rides, in fact you can do far far more rides solo that with a significant other or with family / friends.

I am also going to do pin trading. I did this in February in Disneyland Paris and now have a load of new pins to trade.

 

[AmberK24]

I did a solo trip last year & had a great time.
First, I stayed at the Eden Roc for several days and while it was nothing spectacular on the amenities side, it was absolutely spotless with hardwood floors, very newly renovated, plenty of extra room, spacious bathroom, very clean, Free parking (!!!!!!), great lighting...did I mention VERY clean?!? highly recommended!!! Additionally, it was fairly short walk to the Paradise Pier & Disneyland Resort (i.e. Trader Sam's) side of Downtown Disney, but because I was walking into the backside of Downtown Disney, there was less traffic & didn't get caught up in the huge swarms of people coming in from other hotels. On top of all that, it was under $100/night. This will be my top choice again if my purpose is going to the parks.
A friend joined me and we moved to the Hilton Anaheim...If you have ever stayed at a Hilton, you know the quality you can expect, however there was a ton of construction between the hotel and the parks, so the walk that should have been just a couple blocks seemed to take a minimum of 40 minutes to get to the gates. The hotel was fine, but the convenience wasn't.
A couple years back, I also stayed at the Quality Inn and it was decent. A little farther away, and could use a remodel, but a little bit cheaper. If Eden Roc was sold out, I would consider staying here again, but not at the top of my list.

Have a great trip!

 

[tzeitel]

For hotels, I suggest checking the usual travel sites but also checking the hotels websites - I have found better deals booking directly with the hotel/motel. Here is a good map that shows the hotels within walking distance.
http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/default.asp

I did a very short trip with DD last Feb and we managed to do tons of stuff in such little time - we did what amounted to 2 days (half a day on arrival day, full day and about 4 hours on departure day). My TR shows how much can be done in such little time.

 

[bswift]

I stayed at the Super 8 on Katella last October for my solo trip. It was $80USD with tax per night, and for me it was walking distance to the parks. It had free breakfast and wifi. I took the SuperShuttle from LAX which was $16USD. It wasn't great but as a solo traveller, I couldn't afford to take a cab. I then used Uber to get to SNA for my flight out.

In terms of tips for travelling solo, I think it really depends on what kind of person you are. As an introvert who has travelled alone before (including to WDW), I was fine. The worst part for me was waiting around for WoC and fireworks, because that's when I really noticed that I was alone. When I was actually walking around and going on rides it was fine. If you're bringing a phone over, keep it charged throughout the day so you can use it when dining alone. I bought a US sim card online (from travelsimsdirect, not sure if they're in NZ too) and it really came in handy for me. If you're going to be over there for a few weeks, I would suggest looking into this so you have access to data.