NYer in need of Anaheim to LAX driving experts

[Matrixleos]

5a is way too early. You don't want to leave before 6a. Even at that hour you will have plenty of dead time and your family will be complaining that you left too early

Rather be complaining on arriving too early, than complaining you missed your flight.

Their flight is at 10:30am, which mean most likely they will start boarding at 9:50am to 10:00am.

Let's say there is no traffic from Disneyland to LAX, then that's an hours drive. Between returning a car rental, Enterprise checking the car, getting loaded onto the next shuttle and the 15 minute drive to LAX, let's say that's another hour (most likely less time but give yourself a cushion). Then factor in checking your bags, getting your boarding passes, going through TSA security checkpoint and finding your gate, let's say that's another hour.....so best case scenario, if you leave the Grand at 5am, you'll be at the gate at 8am and you got 2 hours till your flight starts to board and you got plenty of time to relax a bit and get some breakfast.

Worst case scenario, you only leave yourself a 2 hour cushion to deal with traffic delay during a weekday rush hour on a Wednesday morning. From what I've experienced and been told by friends who commute everyday for work driving up north on i-5, there is no traffic at 5am but if you wait till 6am, that's usually when traffic starts to build up the closer to LA you are. Then factor in other delays from Enterprise, shuttle to LAX, security checkpoint and getting to your gate.

I know I've given a lot of cushion on the above estimates and in a perfect world, if you catch all the breaks, you can do all that in just 2 hours, instead of 3.

Point being, you're going to want that 2-3 hour cushion that you'll have by leaving at 5am. Or you can play Russian Roulette and gamble by leaving at 6am or later and "hoping" everything goes smoothly.

 

[Araminta18]

HIjacking just a little bit -- I live in DC and drive in downtown DC and the Beltway traffic all the time. Any comparison to LA traffic? Thinking about driving between Disneyland and Universal Hollywood midday on a Sunday and curious what we'd be getting ourselves into.

 

[DisSurfer878]

By the way: are you flying Delta?
If so, get an airport hotel the night before. The Delta terminal is an absolute freaking nightmare

 

[MillauFr]

HIjacking just a little bit -- I live in DC and drive in downtown DC and the Beltway traffic all the time. Any comparison to LA traffic? Thinking about driving between Disneyland and Universal Hollywood midday on a Sunday and curious what we'd be getting ourselves into.

LA traffic is way over rated. That drive on a Sunday is way faster than you will experience between Richmond and Springfield on a Sunday

 

[WorldWacky]

Rather be complaining on arriving too early, than complaining you missed your flight.

Their flight is at 10:30am, which mean most likely they will start boarding at 9:50am to 10:00am.

Let's say there is no traffic from Disneyland to LAX, then that's an hours drive. Between returning a car rental, Enterprise checking the car, getting loaded onto the next shuttle and the 15 minute drive to LAX, let's say that's another hour (most likely less time but give yourself a cushion). Then factor in checking your bags, getting your boarding passes, going through TSA security checkpoint and finding your gate, let's say that's another hour.....so best case scenario, if you leave the Grand at 5am, you'll be at the gate at 8am and you got 2 hours till your flight starts to board and you got plenty of time to relax a bit and get some breakfast.

Worst case scenario, you only leave yourself a 2 hour cushion to deal with traffic delay during a weekday rush hour on a Wednesday morning. From what I've experienced and been told by friends who commute everyday for work driving up north on i-5, there is no traffic at 5am but if you wait till 6am, that's usually when traffic starts to build up the closer to LA you are. Then factor in other delays from Enterprise, shuttle to LAX, security checkpoint and getting to your gate.

I know I've given a lot of cushion on the above estimates and in a perfect world, if you catch all the breaks, you can do all that in just 2 hours, instead of 3.

Point being, you're going to want that 2-3 hour cushion that you'll have by leaving at 5am. Or you can play Russian Roulette and gamble by leaving at 6am or later and "hoping" everything goes smoothly.

Very true! They can sleep on the plane if they’re so tired! And if anyone complains, I can remind them of the lovely, once in a lifetime vacation they just got to experience!
If we DO decide to stay at the Grand on Tuesday night, 5am sounds like the best plan for me and my paranoia. I’m still a little worried about all those who keep talking about how unpredictable the traffic is so spending the night by the airport is still in the back of my mind.
Now you just watch, after all this, the flight will be delayed 3 hours!

 

[WorldWacky]

By the way: are you flying Delta?
If so, get an airport hotel the night before. The Delta terminal is an absolute freaking nightmare

It’s United.

 

[WorldWacky]

Just an update…we decided to stay the night in the Grand. (Those beds were just too comfortable to pass up for the night!) We left this morning at 6:30. Got to Enterprise at 7:30. In through security in a jiffy and here we sit (since 8:00), waiting for our flight. Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[DizMe]

Just an update…we decided to stay the night in the Grand. (Those beds were just too comfortable to pass up for the night!) We left this morning at 6:30. Got to Enterprise at 7:30. In through security in a jiffy and here we sit (since 8:00), waiting for our flight. Thank you everyone for your help!

Yay!! So glad it worked out for you!!

 

[sjmac42]

Just an update…we decided to stay the night in the Grand. (Those beds were just too comfortable to pass up for the night!) We left this morning at 6:30. Got to Enterprise at 7:30. In through security in a jiffy and here we sit (since 8:00), waiting for our flight. Thank you everyone for your help!

Great to hear. 90 mins door to gate is excellent. Hope you had a safe flight home.

 

[WorldWacky]

Great to hear. 90 mins door to gate is excellent. Hope you had a safe flight home.

We had a good flight. We did end up leaving about 25 min late due to runway traffic. I felt terrible for the people with connecting flights. The flight attendants asked everyone to please let those trying to get connecting flights to leave first, but people being as they are, jumped up and wouldn’t let them through. I know those headed to Dublin and Malta didn’t make it. We all just need a little more kindness in our world.