Possible end of June trip-Help!!

[emilymad]

DBF has to go to LA for a week at the end of June for business. I won't be working at that time and I am considering going with him. We will be staying at the downtown financial area. Does this have a better name? How far would the drive be to DL during the week? I am considering going for the day since I am never been but I am not sure how much trouble it would be. I am assuming it would be crowded but would it at least be somewhat doable? Any help/advise would be great! I have never been to LA so I am hoping it will work out and I can go.

Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

If you have a car it is doable, but you should leave LA early (like by 6AM sharp - maybe 5:30AM). And if you have a choice of days for a day trip, choose a day that does not have Early Entry. EE is usually Mon/Tue/Thurs/Sat. But when they have grad nights in May/June they move EE around or cancel it for certain days.

If you are going the last week of June (week of June 24) grad nights are over and I would choose Wed as the best day of the week for a day trip.

If you can't go Wed then the next best day depends on whether you want to get to the gates early or plan to arrive 1-2 hours after the park opens. If you want an early start, Friday would be better because there is no EE. If you plan to arrive late then Tue or Thurs would be better because there will be lines everywhere when you arrive anyways and it will be less crowded Tue/Thurs over Fri.

 

[Hound 109]

I am curious. Maybe some locals can post. How far is the "downtown financial district" from the downtown train station? (And isn't it interesting to see on it's own merit?)

And do trains "run" from downtown LA to Anaheim early in the morning? And from Anaheim to downtown LA in the evening?

Maybe a couple of $15 cab trips & a train ride makes this doable?

Or am i all wet?

(& to the OP.....I'd get a room and spend two days at DLR. )


hound

 

[emilymad]

I am sure I will have a car and any day of the week is fine. I will look into the EE hours.

I too would like to know how far it is from downtown by car or train. A train would be great if at all possible.

I would love to get a room closer and spend two days there but the hotel in downtown will be paid for hence why I am even going to LA. I am just trying to squeeze the DL thing in on the side. I will be so close how can I not try!

 

[Quest4Kingdom]

But when they have grad nights in May/June they move EE around or cancel it for certain days.

Hi, I was wondering, do you think Grad night would be done with by the June 15th? I had thought they only did them in April and May, I didn't realise they still do it in June as well.
Thanks. Just want to know what to expect as we plan our next trip in June.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Hi, I was wondering, do you think Grad night would be done with by the June 15th? I had thought they only did them in April and May, I didn't realise they still do it in June as well.
Thanks. Just want to know what to expect as we plan our next trip in June.

Well the 13th and 14th are both Grad nights, so yes they go well in to June. I'm not sure if there are any after the 15th, my guess is not many if there is.

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi, I was wondering, do you think Grad night would be done with by the June 15th? I had thought they only did them in April and May, I didn't realise they still do it in June as well.
Thanks. Just want to know what to expect as we plan our next trip in June.

Here is a list of gard nights this year:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=dl070521xx#Events

MK does them in April/May. DL does them in May/June.

 

[emilymad]

I looked at Google Maps from where I am staying (Century City) to Disneyland. It says 45 minutes down I-5. How long should it really take? What times are the evening rush?
Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

I looked at Google Maps from where I am staying (Century City) to Disneyland. It says 45 minutes down I-5. How long should it really take? What times are the evening rush?
Thanks!

Rush hour is not only evening. If there is traffic it could take 2+ hours. Your best bet is to wait until after 8PM or go before 5:30AM in the morning, or on weekends. Mid-day on weekdays will usually work, but one never knows.

 

[beatleman]

Emily:

As a fellow Pennsylvanian (and LA native who grew up with Disneyland), I recommend the following:

If you need to complete a trip to Anaheim & return in 1 day and are not a confident driver on congested highways, I recommend using public transport. Depending on what hotel you are staying, they may have an arrangement with a coach bus or limo van already available - which might be the most affordable option. If not, you could cab it to Union Station in downtown LA, and take the metro train to Anaheim (about 30 minute trip), and cab it to Disney's entrance.

I am not sure how late you could return to downtown LA in the second option though.

If you wanted to rent a car -- this may sound crazy -- you might want to rent it the night before you leave, and hit the I-5 going south by 6:30 am. There would be some traffic, but you could pull into Disney's lot by 7:30 am and cool your heels until the park opens. Once inside at opening, you would have shorter lines on all key attractions.

 

[emilymad]

beatleman,
Thanks for the advice! I am not too concerned about driving in the traffic. I drive on all of the highways around Philly to get to work everyday. They can be pretty crazy sometimes so how much worse can LA be?

My plan is to leave the hotel around 6am and then be out of the parks around 2pm each day. I have two days so I think I will see everything. I am going Tuesday and Wednesday the last week of June. I am going to rent a car at LAX when we arrive on Monday so I will be ready to go on Tuesday.

I hope it works out but I am just so excited to be going either way!

 

[beatleman]

Emily:

You sound confident enuf to do the LA thing and drive!

Just be advised, that if you aren't able to do the early entry business,
you will need to cram as much as you can in between 8am and 10:30 am or so since all the popular rides will be jammed by that time.

Allow 1 hr. to return to LA in the middle of the business day (until 3 pm).

Harry