Rose Bowl Parade & Game

[jfis1020]

We will be arriving in LA New Year's Eve am and staying at the Disneyland Hotel DVC rooms. Wondering is anyone has suggestions for transportation to the Rose Parade? I am purchasing my parade tickets next week and hoping to be on Colorado Ave closer to the stadium. I assume public transportation would be our best bet, but looking for advice. From what I have read thus far, a rental car is not the best option.

 

[LKing]

There isn't easy public transportation from Disneyland to the Rose Bowl. You would need to get to the Anaheim Regional Transit Center (ARTIC), take metro to Union Square and then transfer to get on another train to Memorial Park Station. @LAS2AMS is the pro on public transportation.

Ride share might be your best bet. If you decide on ride share, many roads near the parade are blocked and accessing that area is going to be difficult. For the game, have you looked at the Rose Bowl Stadium shuttle from Parsons? If so, you might take ride share to that lot and walk to the parade route. Not sure of the availability or price of ride share after the game. You might want to wait it out and get something to eat before heading back to DLH. It is going to be a very long day.

 

[China Expat]

I would take UBER as all streets are blocked with float line ups. One could walk to the Rose Bowl...it's not a bad walk. See you there! I am a white suiter parade volunteer!

 

[irlandaise]

@jfis1020 Once you know where your seating will be, you can scope out a destination south of there to provide to a rideshare driver. Normally it would be about an hour's drive, but I'd allow more that day. I think you'll want to arrive by about 6:00 a.m. (@China Expat does that sound right?)

I recommend booking your ride the day before so you're assured of transportation. (And maybe not get caught on surge pricing?)

@China Expat that's very cool that you're among the famous Rose Parade volunteers! What are your duties?

 

[felice]

I would take UBER as all streets are blocked with float line ups. One could walk to the Rose Bowl...it's not a bad walk. See you there! I am a white suiter parade volunteer!

My wife and I have started to watch the parade as part of our Christmas & New Year's traditions, as it airs in the mid-afternoon here in the UK. It is so wonderful to see the work which has gone into the floats !

 

[irlandaise]

My wife and I have started to watch the parade as part of our Christmas & New Year's traditions, as it airs in the mid-afternoon here in the UK. It is so wonderful to see the work which has gone into the floats !

Yes, the floats are amazing accomplishments. Sometimes you can find webcams of the final decorating process in the days leading up to January 1st.

 

[China Expat]

@jfis1020 Once you know where your seating will be, you can scope out a destination south of there to provide to a rideshare driver. Normally it would be about an hour's drive, but I'd allow more that day. I think you'll want to arrive by about 6:00 a.m. (@China Expat does that sound right?)

I recommend booking your ride the day before so you're assured of transportation. (And maybe not get caught on surge pricing?)

@China Expat that's very cool that you're among the famous Rose Parade volunteers! What are your duties?

Thank you! My duty last year and again this year is working the post parade Float Fest at Pasadena High school where all of the floats are on display Jan 1-2-3!

 

[LAS2AMS]

Public transportion will be both the fastest and least expensive option. It’s simple - you take a train from Anaheim to Union Station, then transfer to the light rail “A” line. There are several stops in Pasadena within a short walk of the parade route.

https://www.metro.net/riding/go-metro-to-the-2025-rose-parade-rose-bowl-game-and-floatfest/

For the train, note that Metrolink operates a weekend schedule on January 1st. The first train from Anaheim isn’t until 9:30am, so you’d have to take Amtrak. It’d look something like this:

* Walk to Katella & Disneyland Drive (about 10 minutes)
* Take OC Bus 50 from Katella & Disneyland Drive (West St) to the Anaheim train station. Bus leaves at 5:15am and arrives at 5:25am. If you’re feeling lucky, there’s also a bus at 5:55am that arrives at 6:05am.
* Take Amtrak to Union Station. Train leaves at 6:10 am and arrives at 6:57am.
* Take the A line to Pasadena. Train leaves at 7:07am and arrives in Pasadena 25 minutes later.

Purchase an all day Metrolink pass for $10. This will cover the OC buses, your Metrolink home (last train to Anaheim leaves at 4:30pm, so leave an hour or so before that), and segments on the A line. Use one of the many discount codes and your Amtrak ticket will be $14, for a grand total of less than $25pp. You can upgrade to business class for $10pp and enjoy a self-served continental breakfast.

—-

I wouldn’t recommend a ride share unless you’re okay in paying around $250 to $300 RT for the day. It will be easier but not faster.

I would prefer a rental car over a ride share. Be aware that while you could pick one up at a rental lot nearby DLR for less than $50, you’ll pay $50 to $100 to park near the parade. If you’re DVC, you get free parking otherwise you’ll have to return the car the same day to avoid the steep DLH parking fee (and most agencies will close early for the holiday).

 

[irlandaise]

Public transportion will be both the fastest and least expensive option. It’s simple - you take a train from Anaheim to Union Station, then transfer to the light rail “A” line. There are several stops in Pasadena within a short walk of the parade route.

https://www.metro.net/riding/go-metro-to-the-2025-rose-parade-rose-bowl-game-and-floatfest/

Although the 2026 schedule should be the same or similar, note that that page is about the 2025 Rose Parade. I just checked the MetroLink website and couldn't find a page about the 2026 parade yet.

 

[bcla]

The one time I went to the parade, I got a pair of grandstand tickets and a parking pass. Not sure how much parking is now, but about 20 years ago it was $20 and we parked in a Pasadena Community College garage. I did scout the area the day before, and noticed a lot of people setting up seats along the sidewalk, which is legal. But there's a requirement that at least one person be there at all times for every X number of seats. And they were clearly set up by professional companies.

Oh - it was crazy. Even with a "guaranteed" parking space we got there early. Our garage was about 2 blocks away from our grandstand seat. When we made our way to our grandstand seats, we passed though the humanity of people who slept in sleeping bags on the sidewalk, all manner of trash, and the remnants of way too much Silly String. And it was cold.

We did end up going to McDonald's, although it was different. Customers weren't allowed inside. I think it was cash only, and only breakfast Extra Value Meals - Egg McMuffin/Sausage McMuffin with egg/cheese, and maybe a biscuit, with coffee and hash browns. Orders were taken outside by and employee. I think it was their regular price, which might have been less than $4 back then.

It was certainly fun. The place looked like a mess when it was over, but it's pretty cool and I'm sure they work a while cleaning up the mess.

As far as parking goes, it might be possible to park a couple of miles away, then take the bus. Obviously that would require figuring a good location.

 

[bcla]

There isn't easy public transportation from Disneyland to the Rose Bowl. You would need to get to the Anaheim Regional Transit Center (ARTIC), take metro to Union Square and then transfer to get on another train to Memorial Park Station. @LAS2AMS is the pro on public transportation.

Ride share might be your best bet. If you decide on ride share, many roads near the parade are blocked and accessing that area is going to be difficult. For the game, have you looked at the Rose Bowl Stadium shuttle from Parsons? If so, you might take ride share to that lot and walk to the parade route. Not sure of the availability or price of ride share after the game. You might want to wait it out and get something to eat before heading back to DLH. It is going to be a very long day.

Oh - there's public transportation. Will take a long, long time though. Not sure if it can be done in time for the parade unless one is willing to go out with a sleeping bag the day before.

But I'm thinking LA Metro alone. A day pass (automatically from cash value on a TAP card) is $5, although the card costs $2. Bus 460 gets to downtown LA and there are different ways to get to Pasadena from there. It's not terribly cooperative with what I'm thinking of, but I broke it up from Disneyland to Union Station (about 2 hours on 460 and 40), followed by Metro E (Gold) from Union Station to Lake Station (more or less randomly chosen since it's near the parade rout) in Pasadena. But there are more stations that run parallel to Colorado Blvd.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Disneyland+Park,+Anaheim,+CA+92802/Los+Angeles+Union+Station,+North+Alameda+Street,+LA,+CA/@33.9321578,-118.2441816,36362m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m19!4m18!1m5!1m1!1s0x80dcd7d12b3b5e6b:0x2ef62f8418225cfa!2m2!1d-117.9189742!2d33.8120918!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2c737bb90b4cf:0x6a32194f48a74e10!2m2!1d-118.2365021!2d34.0562196!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1767243600!3e3!5i5?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA3MUgBUAM=

Google Maps doesn't seem to want to cooperate with the Metro A line. I've taken it from Union Station to Pasadena which only takes about 25 minutes. But here's the schedule:

https://cdn.beta.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17124631/801_TT_09-21-25.pdf

I think a better route would be Metro 460 to Pico, then a short walk to ride the Metro A Line to Pasadena.