Hi! I need advice from Anaheimers(and frequent visitors) too!

[Rella Bella]

Wow! I got inspired by narth's post asking for freeway information. I've been wondering and worrying when here I have friends to ask!

We will be driving from LAX to Disneyland on a Friday evening... the plane lands at 4:20, so by the time we get luggage and our rental car it will be about 5:00.

Our directions tell us to take
I-105 to I-605 to I-5 to Harbor Blvd exit.

At 5:00 pm on a Friday night is this the best way to go? How slowed down will it be? Is there a better or faster way? The map says it should take 40 minutes, does that sound like an accurate estimate?

DH says if it's slow we can just stop to eat until it picks up... would that work or would it just be as slow or slower an hour later??

I really hope we're not spending two hours driving instead of at DLR!!

Looking forward to your good advice! Rella

 

[blackjackdelta]

Last year it took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to go from LAX to the convention center for a meeting. That was at 6pm on a Thurday evening. I think it would have been quicker to go on surface roads.

Jack

 

[SparklePower]

Those directions are accurante, but not the best route. I would take that route, but instead of going 605 to the 5, I would take the 605 SOUTH to the 91 EAST. The 91 has a carpool lane that will take you directly onto the 5 SOUTH right to Disneyland. If you take the other route, the 5 only has 3 lanes and no carpool until you're almost at Disneyland. It will take you twice as long if you go that route. I would recommend getting on the freeway as soon as possible. The traffic will be bumper to bumper until after 8 pm. Just go for it and don't stop. Have fun!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

From a Sticky Thread I have at the top.

To get to the hotels on Harbor Drive: From the rental places, drive south to Century Blvd, and turn left (east). Get in your right lane, and on Aviation, turn right (south). Get in the left lane. (About 1.5 miles will be a restaurant called Proud Bird - if you're hungry, get a bite to eat here. It's a nice restaurant.)

Turn left (east) on Imperial Hwy - it will be the big street after Proud Bird. (Wave hello to Northrop Grumman on the corner of Aviation & Imperial Hwy - that's where I work )

As soon as you turn left, get in the right lane, and get on the 105 fwy going east. Get in the carpool lane, and take this freeway all the way to the end. Take the 605 fwy south & stay in the right lane. About 2 miles down you'll hit the 91 fwy east. Get in the carpool lane and stay there until you get to the 5 fwy south. Use the carpool lane to get on the 5 south. Stay in the carpool lane until you see Euclid, and then edge over. Go past the Disneyland Drive exit. The next exit is Harbor. Turn right on Harbor. Disneyland will be on your right & you'll see the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Monorail track... The Harbor hotels will be on your left, but are blocked by an island. Go past many hotels until you get to a left turn lane that will let you make a U-turn. Make the U-turn, and then go into your hotel parking lot. Continue straight to the Candy Cane Inn on your right. Cross Katella and you will get to the other Harbor Street hotels (Embassy Suites, Marriott Suites, BW Raffles, Doubletree Guest Suites, etc.) Turn right on Katella to get to the Marriott, Hilton, Anabella, Stovalls, etc.

To get to the Disneyland Resort Hotels: Stay in the carpool lane on 5 fwy and take the carpool lane exit to Disneyland Drive (very convenient). Turn left when you get off of the freeway. There will be a gas station on your right side (corner of Disneyland Drive & Ball). Stay on your right lane or you will end up in the theme park parking structure. Disneyland and Paradise Pier hotels will be on the right side of the street, and the Grand Californian will be on the left side, across the street from the Paradise Pier Hotel.


Click on picture for a bigger view of map


In short:

Century Blvd (away from the airport) - Aviation & turn right - Imperial Hwy and turn left - 105 fwy east - 605 fwy south - 91 fwy east - 5 fwy south - Harbor Blvd & turn right

or

Century Blvd (away from the airport) - Aviation & turn right - Imperial Hwy and turn left - 105 fwy east - 605 fwy south - 91 fwy east - 5 fwy south - Disneyland Drive & turn left



ETA Map w/LAX Airport. Zoom in for streets

 

[darph nader]

To Mary Jo ,WOW!!

To Rella Bella, It's darph,not narth. No biggy,i'm not that sensitive.

 

[SparklePower]

Perfect, Maryjo!
BTW, The Proud Bird is super YUMMY!

 

[Fridye]

Mary Jo -- Your directions are incredible! Perhaps you could help me. We are arriving at 9:20am on a Friday morning. I'm not sure how the carpool lanes are set up -- if they're only for a certain time of day. Would your directions also apply to my arrival time?

Thanks so much!

 

[MulanFan]

Mary Jo, thanks for the wonderful directions!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My pleasure, guys. I still want to refine them w/maps.

Fridye -- the carpool lanes are open at all times. You just need two or more people in the car, and you get into them at the broken white lines. Do not enter them when there is a double yellow line & you'll be fine.

 

[Fridye]

Mary Jo -- Thank you so much.

 

[Rella Bella]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your help so much! I never would have thought of a car pool lane!
(Sorry Darph!)

 

[mtblujeans]

Thanks, this will be very helpful down the road!

 

[darph nader]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your help so much! I never would have thought of a car pool lane!
(Sorry Darph!)

It's okay Rella Bella,you probably were'nt refering to me any way.