LAX vs SNA help!!!!

[vincev33]

I am using airline miles for a surprise trip and LAX is 15,000 miles cheaper to fly into, but I am worried about the traffic. We will be taking the Disneyland express most likely so I am not driving, but I am hearing horror stories of it taking over an hour from LAX. We should land around 11:30 so it won't be during rush hour. Thoughts? Opinions?
Thank you for the help!

 

[benolathe]

If you have enough points to get free airfare into Orange County, I would certainly choose that. It is only about a 20 minute ride to DLR. A cab, with tip, is about $40 or $45 one way. And there are plenty of cabs waiting at the airport when you arrive.

 

[meljensmom]

I am using airline miles for a surprise trip and LAX is 15,000 miles cheaper to fly into, but I am worried about the traffic. We will be taking the Disneyland express most likely so I am not driving, but I am hearing horror stories of it taking over an hour from LAX. We should land around 11:30 so it won't be during rush hour. Thoughts? Opinions?
Thank you for the help!

We live in Northern Calif. and we flew into LAX and took the Disneyland Express...it took about 1/2 hour to get to the DLH but we didn't feel it was excessive. For our party of 5 it was the best option and only cost us $99.99.

We flew into LAX in the morning and we were able to get into Disneyland and play while we waited for our room to be ready. We're hoping for the same thing next summer...early flight and be in the park by Noon.

Hope this helps,

 

[ludari]

I would save the miles and fly into LAX. You didn't say which day of the week you are arriving but you would not be gaining much aside from maybe saving a 20 minute in drive time.

 

[WDWINJUNE!]

We live in Northern Calif. and we flew into LAX and took the Disneyland Express...it took about 1/2 hour to get to the DLH but we didn't feel it was excessive. For our party of 5 it was the best option and only cost us $99.99.

We flew into LAX in the morning and we were able to get into Disneyland and play while we waited for our room to be ready. We're hoping for the same thing next summer...early flight and be in the park by Noon.

Hope this helps,

Glad to hear this as we are also flying into LAX. Supposed to arrive at LAX at 9:45 am...hoping to get to the DLH and drop our stuff off and head to Disneyland to play!

 

[vettegirl]

I would save the miles and go into LAX, it's really not that far at all.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

LAX has always been significantly cheaper for us to fly into so it is the only airport I have experienced in the area. 15,000 points is a huge amount and I would make the arrangements for LAX without even thinking about it if I was you.

The only time it has ever taken me longer than an hour to get to Anaheim from LAX was when I used the Disneyland Express. All the extra stops they do at the airport and at the DLH added up to around 90 minutes. The actual driving time was only around 45 minutes.

Whenever we have used SuperShuttle it has averaged 45 minutes from pickup to drop off.

We will be getting a limo for our next trip in November and I am hoping it takes even less time.

 

[cyclenut]

LAX is a great airport to fly into for DLR. It really adds no more than 20 minutes (on average) over Orange County and it can cost far less.

I'm guessing the airline you have miles for does not fly into Long Beach.

I always suggest that folks check flights into Long Beach if they are planning a trip here. The costs can be cheaper than OC but usually run just a little more than LAX. It all depends on whether or not you have a carrier nearby that flys into Long Beach.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

The one time we used Disneyland Express it took us about an hour and a half due to stops from LAX to Disneyland. It was a total pain. If you are driving from LAX to Disneyland it takes about 45 minutes if traffic is not too bad.

I personally would fly into SNA, just because it makes things so much easier, but if you really want to save your points, then be prepared for things to be a bit more difficult. For me, the extra time gained and hassles avoided are worth the extra cost when you fly into SNA.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

The one time we used Disneyland Express it took us about an hour and a half due to stops from LAX to Disneyland. It was a total pain. If you are driving from LAX to Disneyland it takes about 45 minutes if traffic is not too bad.

I personally would fly into SNA, just because it makes things so much easier, but if you really want to save your points, then be prepared for things to be a bit more difficult. For me, the extra time gained and hassles avoided are worth the extra cost when you fly into SNA.

I fully agree with LisainCalifornia. We had the same sort of experience as she did. We took the DLE from LAX and it was about an hour and 15 as we were staying at a good neighbour hotel and they dropped off at the DLH, PP,and GCH first then carried on to ours. Although I love the DLE and would use them everytime I go, our last experience coming from SNA was so much quicker and easier ( smaller airport and such). We just had a better experience, so IMO if you aren't worried about using the extra miles, I would totally go to SNA, which means, you would be in the parks faster! Which IMO is always better!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I am using airline miles for a surprise trip and LAX is 15,000 miles cheaper to fly into, but I am worried about the traffic. We will be taking the Disneyland express most likely so I am not driving, but I am hearing horror stories of it taking over an hour from LAX. We should land around 11:30 so it won't be during rush hour. Thoughts? Opinions?
Thank you for the help!

An hour from LAX isn't a horror story, IMO. Driving in So Cal is not for the meek!

For us the biggest time-sucker has been b/c we keep landing *just before* a bus leaves, so we have to wait for the next one. And we keep taking flights that land during the "every HOUR" time period, rather than the "every HALF hour period", so that's just obnoxious.

We tend to spend that time walking up to terminal one (we walk outside) so we're first on the bus. Of course that means we then stop at all the terminals we just passed, but at least we KNOW we have a seat and we had our choice of seats.

And yes they do (from SNA too) *usually* stop at DLH first to collect money/vouchers, and you might move to a different bus or you might not at that point. From there they go to the other hotels.


I personally like LAX; on the airlines we take it's simple and straightforward, and although once we had an incident with a too-sensitive metal detector, for the most part it has been pleasant. SNA was OK too, but I have only taken Super Shuttle to and from SNA, not Disneyland REsort Express so I can't really talk in depth about that.

 

[vincev33]

LAX is a great airport to fly into for DLR. It really adds no more than 20 minutes (on average) over Orange County and it can cost far less.

I'm guessing the airline you have miles for does not fly into Long Beach.

I always suggest that folks check flights into Long Beach if they are planning a trip here. The costs can be cheaper than OC but usually run just a little more than LAX. It all depends on whether or not you have a carrier nearby that flys into Long Beach.

They do not fly into Long Beach. I checked.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

It also depends on whether the flights are non-stop or direct-connecting. if it is a non-stop to LAX, your flight time will be at least an hour less than a connecting flight into SNA. There is also less chance of a mis-connect and the opportunity to spend more time than you want in a strange airport. -- Suzanne

 

[vincev33]

Thank you very much everyone! The feedback has been very beneficial. We are flying in on a Monday in December so I don't anticipate it being too crowded. It is a surpise for my wife's Bday. The extra half hour or so is not that important. I think I will save the miles since we are probably going to go to WDW with the kids again in the next year or two. I think the DL express is the way to go still even though I anticipate it being a pain to wait through the stops. We will probably stay in a DL hotel. Only going to have to take it once since we will be flying back home from vegas. We won't have to deal with the LAX check in on the way home which is nice.

Thank you again.

 

[brenda1966]

I think flying into LAX is a good choice if it saves money or miles. But I'm not convinced DL Express is the best choice. We've used super shuttle and had good experiences. They pick you up when you're ready to leave the airport, not on some set schedule. Be sure to check the DL express schedule. There are times the buses only come every hour. Even every half hour can be a pain if you just miss the bus by 5 minutes.

 

[mrswh]

I would pay quite a bit more to fly into SNA over LAX. It's not *just* the drive from LAX to Anaheim (which can be a nightmare in itself), it's everything else. SNA is an oasis to LAX's madhouse. Everything takes three times as long at LAX. It's loud, crowded, and generally the opposite of relaxing, which is what I want to do on vacation! The worst part is not the drive *to* Disney, it's the drive from Disney to LAX. There is really no way of telling how bad the traffic is going to be, so you have to leave a LOT of extra time. I'd say you need to leave at least three hours before your flight. (Shuttle drivers insist on five hours!) Returning a rental car at LAX is WAY more of a hassle. The lines to check in are longer. The lines through security are longer. SNA is soooo easy. Uncrowded. Small. Easy to return a car. Short check-in and security lines. No long delays on the tarmac waiting your turn to take off. People are friendlier. It's the anti-LAX.

Guess what my vote is?

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I don't know what shuttles you have been using but none of the shuttles I have used have ever insisted on leaving 5 hours early. 2-3 hours is the norm.

 

[cyclenut]

I would pay quite a bit more to fly into SNA over LAX. It's not *just* the drive from LAX to Anaheim (which can be a nightmare in itself), it's everything else. SNA is an oasis to LAX's madhouse. Everything takes three times as long at LAX. It's loud, crowded, and generally the opposite of relaxing, which is what I want to do on vacation! The worst part is not the drive *to* Disney, it's the drive from Disney to LAX. There is really no way of telling how bad the traffic is going to be, so you have to leave a LOT of extra time. I'd say you need to leave at least three hours before your flight. (Shuttle drivers insist on five hours!) Returning a rental car at LAX is WAY more of a hassle. The lines to check in are longer. The lines through security are longer. SNA is soooo easy. Uncrowded. Small. Easy to return a car. Short check-in and security lines. No long delays on the tarmac waiting your turn to take off. People are friendlier. It's the anti-LAX.

Guess what my vote is?

I'm going to agree with most of the above, but I'd say for me at least, I'm willing to put up with some of that "loud and crowded" feeling for the additional cost. It can be hundreds of dollars more, depending on where you are flying from, to go into Orange County. I'm also going to add that I've never had a shuttle driver insist on any more than 3 hours. Living in SoCal I've flown into and out of both airports more than a few times and taken a shuttle often. It all depends on your flight arrival and departure times. You can also insist on a later time but the shuttle company will tell you that they will not be responsible for your flight should you miss it.

The last three times I've flown were all this year and I've flown out of LAX every time. I've also had pickup/dropoff duty for relatives a couple times this year, also out of LAX. Maybe I'm just used to it, but it really has been pretty easy/breezy.

I haven't had to deal with the car rental counters though, so I don't really know about those. I think others have suggested skipping renting a car at the airport and rent one near DLR for the days you actually need it. Take a shuttle and instead of stressing about the traffic, sit back and watch the world go by.

Final note. I do agree that Orange County is easier, quicker and nicer. It just isn't enough easier, quicker and nicer to justify the additional cost cost ... for me.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done both. For me, SNA is always a connection. I can sometimes get a non-stop to LAX. So if I can get a non-stop at a reasonable price, I will go into LAX. If I'm going to have to connect anyway, I'll go into SNA. I have rented a car and have also done the Disneyland Express. The Disneyland Express takes a long time, it circles all the terminals at LAX. But it is more comfortable than SuperShuttle and feels safer.

 

[g0lden]

What a thoughtful birthday present!

In July 2011, LAX was about a 40-minute car ride to the Harbor Blvd. area so it's the farthest out of the three airports (we stayed at Homewood Suites). This was during non-rush hours. Not a super-long drive, but there are closer and smaller airports out there. I flew American, which was in a completely separate terminal from the rest of LAX. It felt like a long shuttle ride just to get to baggage claim. The Delta terminal was right next door, so I walked there in no time to meet my family. But other than that, you could be facing a long walk if you are meeting others (I'm sure there is shuttle that can drop you off at the other terminals). It sounds like it's just you and your wife for this trip, so this probably doesn't apply to you.

Your post indicated that you don't have to check into LAX on the flight home, which is great for you! I found LAX check-in to be a little stressful and lengthy and personally would love to avoid it for future DLR trips if I can find affordable, nonstop flights elsewhere. Some of it was American's fault. Plus, the TSA agent honestly started stuff with my sister and me (same agent, two separate incidents)--and we are not the types to stir trouble!

I'm used to flying in and out of chaotic, massive airports (including JFK, LaGuardia and Newark) and found LAX to be on par or worse than Newark.

With all of the above being said, I will always choose a nonstop flight ANYWHERE and ANYTIME over one with connections, primarily because you're flying during winter. I hope that this does NOT happen, but I'd hate for you to have a layover in the middle of nowhere just because you chose a closer airport and then get delayed due to inclement weather. This happened to me one December when I flew to Las Vegas from New York with a stop in St. Louis (I chose a flight with a connection to save money). It was one of the biggest blizzards the country had seen. I never made it to Vegas. Because it was weather-related and "beyond their control," American did nothing to compensate for the trouble.

And a note about the car rental at LAX because someone mentioned it. I did not personally rent the car but was at National when my family returned theirs. Drop-off took seconds, but you do have to take a shuttle that goes to all the terminals before you get to yours.

If it saves you lots of money and miles, which it sounds like it, definitely fly into LAX and build extra time into your schedule (just in case).