Santa Monica to Disneyland..?

[npoon]

I am staying in Santa Monica but would like to do a day trip to Disneyland. Other then renting a car, is there any other way of getting to Disneyland?

 

[Sherry E]

I am staying in Santa Monica but would like to do a day trip to Disneyland. Other then renting a car, is there any other way of getting to Disneyland?

You and I are in a similar boat, but it sounds like you will be making a trip sooner than I am. Can you let me know what you ultimately end up doing to get to DLR, because I may do the same thing if it works! Maybe PM or something and tell me what you ended up doing? I am not in Santa Monica, but close to Beverly Hills area, which is not too far from where you are. I don't have a car (unheard of in Los Angeles) and I may either be making a day trip to DLR by myself soon OR going there first by myself and meeting up with my friends later.

You could take a shuttle service which will pick you up directly from where you are and bring you back - but I warn you, those are costly. The 'cheapest' one I found was willing to pick me up and take me to DLR for $130, and another $130 to bring me home. $260 is a lot of money just for transportation for a one day trip, but if you are leaving in the wee hours of the morning (like 5:00 a.m.) and coming home late at night, like midnight, it is not necessarily a comforting thing to be waiting at stations by yourself and transferring around to different methods of tranportation, so that is where the shuttle seems like a good idea. Plus, it is more direct - someone picks you up and takes you home. No switching or transferring or waiting.

You are in Santa Monica, though, which is closer to LAX than I am. You could take a taxi or shuttle to LAX, and then catch the Disneyland Express Bus (Grayline) to DLR, and do the same on the way back. That might be your cheapest way to do it if you don't mind the switching off at LAX to the Express.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I am staying in Santa Monica but would like to do a day trip to Disneyland. Other then renting a car, is there any other way of getting to Disneyland?

There are a few options for you, other than a car. Admittedly, LA and OC are not areas that are made for people using public transportation. Everyone drives. That said.....

Option 1
I have never personally done this, but it was posted a while back from someone and I saved it because this question seems to pop up from time to time here. From Santa Monica, take the express line #10 on the Big Blue Bus to Amtrak Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. Take Amtrak or Metrolink trains to Fullerton Station. From Fullerton Station, take an short bus ride (few minutes) on an Orange County Transit bus to Disneyland. Big Blue Bus web site Knowing the LA/OC area, this plan makes logical sense, but...Remember that the bus sits on the same freeways as the rest of the world in Los Angeles. So, you are not escaping traffic - which can be bad (i.e.: add lots of time) depending upon time of day.

Option 2 - which I would probably do if it were me

There are bus tours that will provide roundtrip transportation from LA hotels and 1 park / 1 day admission ticket. This is one that I know of, though have never personally used. DL ticket is $69. VIP tours charges $115. I would imagine you would find other tour bus companies with similar offers. The key here though is, when does the last bus leave? In other words, how much time are you actually getting at the Park? Basically, you are paying $45 for door to door round-trip transportation. Not bad if you factor in "hassle-free."

Anyway - just a few ideas to help you get started in your research. Hope these help.

- Dreams

 

[Winks At Tink]

i'm about 5 min from Santa Monica and besides what the poster above me said, I think Renting a car would save you time, headache and the option to leave when you want to.


Oh, Lax is about 15 min. away in no traffic

high traffic an 1 hr to 1 1/2 hrs

mild everyday la traffic 35 min.

 

[Sherry E]

Just in case you don't drive (some folks don't) and can't rent a car...it was actually suggested to me by another very wise member of DISboards to take a taxi to LAX (or get there some way) and then take the Disneyland Express bus to DLR, and then reverse that plan on the way back. You are much closer to LAX than I am, so I still think that would be the best way. The taxi would be relatively cheap from where you are, and then the Express is not expensive at all. Going to the Amtrak station would be way out of the way for where you are. It is not even close to me and I am closer to it than you are. To me, the only downside of doing the taxi-LAX/Express route would be timing, like if the Express didn't leave or arrive at the times you wanted.

But if I don't end up doing the point-to-point expensive shuttle thing, I will take the DISboard member's suggestion and do the taxi-LAX/Disneyland Express route. I would just go early in the morning and come back late at night, if possible, and avoid traffic. Or call a taxi company that has a flat rate for LAX (some of them do). That sounds pretty decent and manageable. DLR is 45 minutes from me with no traffic at all, so with extra stops thrown in, it would take a bit longer to get there.

 

[trulyunique]

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Forget all that! 75 cents will take you from Santa Monica to the airport. Take the Big Blue Bus #3 (marked "Airport" or "LAX") from either Wilshire or Lincoln. It's only 75 cents!!! Go to terminal #1 (or any terminal) information desk and take the Disneyland Shutle for $20 bucks each way. Leaves every hour before 10.30AM and after that every half hour up until 7.30PM. Better to book 48 hours in advance to secure your passage. I forgot the website address. It's something like the "Anaheim express" or some such name. You can google all this and look on the disneyland web site for more info.

 

[Sherry E]

********** AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*************
*************** STOP!! *******************************

Forget all that! 75 cents will take you from Santa Monica to the airport. Take the Big Blue Bus #3 (marked "Airport" or "LAX") from either Wilshire or Lincoln. It's only 75 cents!!! Go to terminal #1 (or any terminal) information desk and take the Disneyland Shutle for $20 bucks each way. Leaves every hour before 10.30AM and after that every half hour up until 7.30PM. Better to book 48 hours in advance to secure your passage. I forgot the website address. It's something like the "Anaheim express" or some such name. You can google all this and look on the disneyland web site for more info.

This is an old thread! I don't know how you picked up on it today, but I think the OP has long been to DLR by now!

By the way, you and I had the same idea - get to LAX and take the Disneyland Express from there! So I beat you to it long ago! The only difference is, I was taking into account that many people don't like taking buses, and prefer the privacy, convenience and more direct route of a taxi or a shuttle!! Obviously buses are cheaper, but they are a more circuitous way of getting to LAX and you have longer waits and drive times, etc. But, either way, getting to LAX was the goal!

In any case, since the OP never followed up with us, we have no clue as to whether or not they rented a car, took a bus, a taxi, a shuttle, a helicopter or if they even went to DLR after all!

Oh, by the way, I thought of taking the Disneyland Express myself, but if I were to go on a solo day trip, I would want something that was not so limited time-wise. I would want to get there at park opening and stay closer to closing than when the Express leaves. That is another thing to be considered, and another point in favor of taxis and shuttles and buses, if one is so inclined. You can arrive and leave when you want rather than when the Express leaves.