Pre-purchase DLR Express or wait and buy at airport?

[niklynn1]

When I booked my DLR vacation package, they asked if I wanted to add in airport transfers via the DLR Express.

Before I call back to make my final payment, I'm trying to decide if I should or not. It seems like one less thing to worry about if I pre-pay them, but I'm a bit concerned with being "locked in" to this mode of transportation.

I read another thread where someone prepurchased, but then had to wait forever for them to show up and since they had already paid they weren't as free to just grab a cab or a different shuttle.

Anyone else pre-booked DLR Express and been pleased?

 

[californiamomof4grls]

So I just went online and looked up the schedule. It basically looks like it picks up once an hour. So your best bet is to check what time your flight arrives and how long you think it will take you to get off and get your luggage. Then try to figure out if you would have just missed it or if you could still have time to catch it. It does clearly state you don't have to by them ahead of time. I don't think you'll get any discount booking through the Travel Co. You may want to leave it off so you have that freedom when you get there to make a choice for either.
I have a family of 7 so that would make me way to nervous! I would have to book ahead of time! But if you are a smaller family I would say wait so that you have the freedom to leave the airport ASAP!
HTH
Here's the link. http://graylineanaheim.com/shuttles.shtml

 

[Amysita]

I'm one of those people that has to have my vacations planned & paid for in full in advance...LOL...I even have all my tips for Mousekeeping all ready to go, with the tip for each day in their seperate envelopes...same with my daily spending allowance for food & merchandise. I like it that when I get to the airport & step outta my car, I don't have to do a darn thing but be on vacations, no thinking, no worries, no planning, left to do...I can be in total vacay mode. It would put me into an absolute panic if I knew when I got off the plane, I still had to figure out how I am getting to my hotel. I would rather wait an hour for the transport that I've lined up and paid for...than spend an hour running all over the airport (and knowing me - I'd get lost several times) trying to figure out who could get me to where the fastest. Wait an hour relaxing waiting for a bus I know will come...or run around frantically trying to find trasnport...I choose the former.

 

[michellelovesthemous]

We are in the same dilema on our June trip and I called DLRE to find out about what time the bus would depart on a Tues w/a arrival time of 8:30am and I was told to plan on a 10-10:30 bus-eeeekkkkI want to be there by then!!! I am leaning towards the super shuttle as the express folks also told me since we were staying off-site there would be a bus transfer too and then on to BWPPI. They are also about the same price but the super shuttle sounds maybe faster w/o a transfer for us! Good Luck and have a magical time!

 

[Susie63]

I vote for leave it off.Better deals can be found through Anaheim.org or even Southern Grayline themselves.

 

[skiingfast]

With DLRE, it's simple to get on a a shuttle bus at the airport, and pay when you get to the transfer point the DLH. This allows some flexibilty.

Does it have hourly runs? Yes, at the shoulder parts of the day. It's more of a by demand situation at night. Every 30 minutes during the middle of the day.



You may want to book ahead because GAT has a good deal. $12 each way child or adult. http://www.getawaytoday.com/tickets/DisneylandResortArea

 

[lyssgirl89]

We always buy the transfers from the airport to our disneyland hotel before leaving and have always been pleased! I have been more times then I can count! We have never had to wait more then 15 minutes for our shuttle either, so I would recommend prepaying for the transfers

 

[lalasmama]

We just bought our DLRE tickets this last week. It was $30/RT for 1 adult, which is a $2 savings from the "buy on the way" tickets... and only $6 more than Get Away Today (didn't realize I could order through them without buying anything else from them!).

For me, personally, I needed to know that it was "all lined up". When I got to SNA for the first time (on our last trip a few months ago), I got to their "transportation terminal" and was shocked at the number of people (shuttle staff) milling around, waiting to whisk us away for significantly more money that the DLRE.

I was sold on DLRE after riding on it. It was fast, efficient, and the gentleman who was driving, while hard to understand (thick accent), did his best to let us know exactly what the schedule would be, what places would be in what order, where we would pay, etc.

 

[thunderbird1]

We've used DLRE every time we've flown for the last several years and it's worked great. Only once did we have an unusually long wait for a bus, but even that was only 45 minutes.

We buy our passes directly through the Grayline web site. They have a round-trip for up to 5 people for $99.99.

With DLRE, it's simple to get on a a shuttle bus at the airport, and pay when you get to the transfer point the DLH. This allows some flexibilty.

Does it have hourly runs? Yes, at the shoulder parts of the day. It's more of a by demand situation at night. Every 30 minutes during the middle of the day.



You may want to book ahead because GAT has a good deal. $12 each way child or adult. http://www.getawaytoday.com/tickets/DisneylandResortArea

This is a great deal for groups of less than 5, especially for one-way travel (which we'll need in June). Do you happen to know if they send you an actual ticket, or whether it's just an email printout/confirmation that you bring to show the "ticketman"? Just wondering if I need to purchase more than 14 days in advance. Thanks!

 

[mrsmith9]

I’m trying to determine if the DLRE is a better option then simply taking a cab.

Even with the getawaytoday.com discount it almost cheaper for a party of 4 to take a cab, and you get the added luxury of getting dropped off at your hotel door w/o making stops at other hotels. And the return trip back to the airport is more flexible.

 

[skiingfast]

We've used DLRE every time we've flown for the last several years and it's worked great. Only once did we have an unusually long wait for a bus, but even that was only 45 minutes.

We buy our passes directly through the Grayline web site. They have a round-trip for up to 5 people for $99.99.



This is a great deal for groups of less than 5, especially for one-way travel (which we'll need in June). Do you happen to know if they send you an actual ticket, or whether it's just an email printout/confirmation that you bring to show the "ticketman"? Just wondering if I need to purchase more than 14 days in advance. Thanks!

You will recieve email vouchers to print out. Hop on any of the regularly on schedule DLRR buses on arrival, and show the vouchers at the DLH stop wher they take payments. DLRE will tell you your pickup time for your return trip.

Even with the getawaytoday.com discount it almost cheaper for a party of 4 to take a cab, and you get the added luxury of getting dropped off at your hotel door w/o making stops at other hotels. And the return trip back to the airport is more flexible.

With DLRE, you get dropped of right at your hotel door, usually the closest bus stop. Buses can't easily or can't at all, pull into many hotel parking lots.

 

[Rhonna]

I have a question about DLRE - we are two adults and at the end of our trip will need to leave from DLH to John Wayne/SNA - one way only.

What does one way cost?

Also, can we buy it at the DLH right before we leave?

We did it years ago but it was round trip and I'm sure it's changed.

Thank you.

 

[skiingfast]

What does one way cost?

Also, can we buy it at the DLH right before we leave?

$15 to SNA John Wayne. Though in the link I posted above you can get voucher for $9.

Yes you pay at the DLH in either direction.

 

[msheriffm]

Has anybody checked into cab prices? I have a hard time believing that a cab would cost $50 each way. Just curious

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Skingfast link above for the GAT deal at 12 a person is a really good deal! I don't think a cab would be cheaper then that. I would buy ahead at that price!

 

[skiingfast]

Has anybody checked into cab prices? I have a hard time believing that a cab would cost $50 each way. Just curious

From/to LAX, about $125

From/to SNA, about $50

 

[Karenann*]

Do you know about best transport DL to Longbeach Airport? Flying into LAX and out of LGB.

 

[skiingfast]

Do you know about best transport DL to Longbeach Airport? Flying into LAX and out of LGB.

Probably Super Shuttle, or Prime Time Shuttle.
You can find a supers shuttle discount of a couple dollars in the link.
http://anaheimoc.org/coupons

 

[bitohoney]

I booked the DLR express already for my May/June trip via the graylineanaheim.com website. I like to have as much paid for before I leave home and I don't mind if I have to wait a bit. After all, I will be in CA!

 

[mrsmith9]

With DLRE, you get dropped of right at your hotel door, usually the closest bus stop. Buses can't easily or can't at all, pull into many hotel parking lots.

But you don’t necessarily get a direct/nonstop trip from the airport to your hotel. In many cases you make stops at other hotels first.