John Wayne Airport

[Canadianmag]

Do I want to fly into John Wayne airport or LAX? John Wayne is cheaper ($100). Staying in garden grove area. Keeping in mine I will probably priceline my car rental.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Don't know where where Garden Grove is, but John Wayne is closer to DL and easier to get in and out of. It's my airport of preference for DL.

 

[Canadianmag]

Its like 2 miles from DLR, not far at all. Do you know how priceline car rentals are from that airport?

 

[Disney Dreams]

Yes, you want to fly into John Wayne airport.

Is there a reason you are staying in Garden Grove? It's near Disneyland, but there are better places to stay that are closer. Just trying to help you.

- Dreams

 

[specialks]

We've always chosen SNA and had no problem getting good car rates from Priceline there. Not as cheap rates as LAX, but very good. We've also stayed in Garden Grove (not anymore bc we've decided walking distance trumps the garden grove hotel perks) and its right by Disneyland and no issue getting there from SNA highway. Also there's a target nearby for easy purchases and lots of sit down restaurants.

 

[bumbershoot]

If it's cheaper, go for it.

I've only hotwired a car (OK that does NOT sound right....Hotwire, not "hotwire") and it was out of LAX, and I didn't do comparisons to other airports.

But just get a price you can live with and don't overthink it, IMO.

 

[bcla]

Bidding or just PL as an online travel agent? I got two PL rates w/o a deposit and fully cancellable at SNA. In the end I found $87 a week at SNA for Enterprise both on PL and direct w/ Enterprise. I cancelled the previous two reservations and booked direct (I got points w/ Enterprise and additional rewards points w/ a partner).

You can always book, look for better rates and cancel previous reservations as long as you don't prepay.

 

[Canadianmag]

Thanks all>

i selected Garden Grove because there was not a hotel closer that I like. Booking tonight at the Hyatt Regency Orange County or Anaheim Marriott Suites.

on PL i would be bidding for the car, name your price.

 

[stargazertechie]

I just flew in and out of SNA- and I highly recommend it, especially if it is the less expensive option.

 

[mrswh]

SNA is great - we actually pay more to fly into SNA because LAX is so chaotic and the drive is much longer. SNA is small, modern, clean, easy to navigate, and has good food options. As far as cars go, I haven't found much of a price difference between LAX and SNA, but I guess it depends on the dates, type of car, etc.

 

[isisisme]

I agree. We always try to fly into SNA. It is much more relaxing to fly in and out of than LAX.
We have not rented a car because we don't leave the resort.

 

[Lucille1963]

We've paid $100 more each to fly in to SNA instead of LAX and it is worth it. It is a much smaller, easier to navigate airport with better service (in our experience) and much closer to DL to boot!

 

[yankeepenny]

OP

we just did two straight John Wayne airport trips.

1) very clean, and very, very, friendly and just the right size

2) no freaking pretentiousness-no hollywood crap, and no insanity

3) the car rental prices are unbelievable- I priced ALL THE RENTALS available at both John Wayne and Lax and every company saved me at least 60.00 every time at John wayne, and the ticket prices were several hundred cheaper.

you will be a ahappy, un stressed customer.

AND---Garden Grove was our choice as well, once at Hyatt OC- very nice town actually. better than MOST sides of Anaheim, I can tell you. we street cruised-and what we saw right in Anaheim was not pleasant in most sections.

 

[snesguy]

SNA is great - we actually pay more to fly into SNA because LAX is so chaotic and the drive is much longer. SNA is small, modern, clean, easy to navigate, and has good food options. As far as cars go, I haven't found much of a price difference between LAX and SNA, but I guess it depends on the dates, type of car, etc.

I too vote for SNA. MUCH better than LAX: Easier to navigate. Car rentals onsite versus offsite for LAX. Much closer to DL and an easier drive if you have at least two people in your party and can use the carpool lane. You can get in the carpool lane near SNA and stay in a carpool lane all the way to the exit off I5 at Disney. You have maybe two freeway transitions all in the carpool lane and can take a dedicated carpool exit off the freeway (left hand side) when you get to DL (although if you are headed to a hotel instead of the park this might not be the closest exit).

I'm not sure I would describe the food options at SNA as good but they are OK. Which food options were you thinking of?

In the past I've noticed the cars at LAX are cheaper but nowhere cheap enough I'd choose LAX over SNA.

Typically I end up forcing myself to fly LAX occasionally (hopefully only one way) because the airfares can be much cheaper there and the more people in your party the more it tips toward cheaper airfares. But I'm looking for SNA first, LGB second, and LAX last.

 

[ToodlesRN]

We've been flying into SNA for about 3 years now and totally prefer it over lax. For rental cars I use Alamo with Costco codes and never pay more than $120 with tax and that was a 7 day rental. The trick is to keep checking prices to see if it drops then cancel and rebook. Our upcoming trip I have 4 days for $100.

 

[mrswh]

I'm not sure I would describe the food options at SNA as good but they are OK. Which food options were you thinking of?

OK, I may have overstated that. I didn't mean actual good food, I meant decent food with some healthy options too, rather than just the fast food junk many airports have. I can't recall exactly what the places are called but you can get pizza, sandwiches, salads, etc.