Trip 5/13/11 - 5/19/11

[lovebug33]

Another random question: I keep reading about how bad traffic is in LA. Is THAT bad? How much extra time should one allow if one is driving to the Hollywood area (we will be going to many different places. I just randomly picked Hollywood as an example)? In general, are there any tricks (for example, time of day, alternate routes) for avoiding bad traffic?

Thanks!

I don't know about tricks, but LA traffic IS THAT BAD! We were in San Diego and left 3 hours for about a 100 mile trip, In Vegas, it would be an hour and a half, two hours. Yeah, four hours later we made it! That was leaving at 6:00 in the morning! It took us three and a half back!

 

[roma1625]

Roma, welcome to the left coast.

Similar questions were posed last week & here are essential threads (& posting HG's "DLR for the WDW veteran" link again because it's important):



All the tip threads above will provide LOTS of good info & after reading them, you'll be back posting further questions.


Roma.....I'll be the fourth (or fifth) person to tell you to STAY WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE!!!!! of the park. (In other words cancel your current reservation & book a hotel on Harbor Blvd). There are 10 different reasons why this is important, but with only 2-3 days at Walt's Park, why mess with driving, parking, AAA, buses, etc........when one of the 26 great things about DLR is that IT'S NOT WDW.......& YOU DON'T HAVE TO RIDE BUSES!
(or park, or worry about AAA, etc.)

Many of us often stay at nice hotels when traveling & virtually all of us have partner points with hotel families (that we might use when we travel).....but it doesn't matter. AT DLR.......If you only have 2 (or 2.5 days), one stays onsite.... or one should stay on Harbor Blvd within walking distance.


(& fwiw.....if you're gonna devote 2.5 weeks on this trip, consider giving DLR 3.5 days minimum.....if you don't, you won't be able to do it right.....Dump a day elsewhere).

Have a great time planning a visit to Walt's Park.

Thanks for the advice. I will consider it, but actually one of the reasons I chose not to stay within walking distance is that I know us and I don't want to tempt us into taking the easy route by going to Disney too much. I really didn't necessarily want to stay in Anaheim at all, but I happened to find a good deal on a hotel there.

The 2.5 weeks includes AZ, NV, and CA so it's not like we're in LA for 2.5 weeks. I know I'm on a Disney-centric forum, so I realize people think Disney is the greatest thing on earth (I think it's great too, but there are other things in life). Also, we go to Orlando a minimum of once a year (usually 2 or 3 times) so we can skip many things at DLR if we don't have the time. But I know we will have time because we know how to do things very fast inside the parks. We know what types of things we like and what types of things we don't like.

 

[Hound 109]

No worries. From your comments i suspected you wouldn't be staying on Harbor. Many of us WDW vets (who now prefer Walt's park) provide info with the thought that an OP might be asking the question......but dozens more in a similar boat might be reading.

Other comments below:

Thanks for the advice. I will consider it, but actually one of the reasons I chose not to stay within walking distance is that I know us and I don't want to tempt us into taking the easy route by going to Disney too much.

But if one only wants to stop in for a few hours in the morning & then in the evening (a great way to tour to avoid crowds by the way)....then it makes even MORE sense to stay walking distance. My experience with driving, parking etc. is that one won't slide in & out of the parks....it's too much of a pain (just like it's a pain at WDW). But staying within walking distance gives one flexibility to hop from hotel to a park... to another park.... to a hotel.... to DTD & then maybe back to a park.....all in one day if one wants to & it's quick & easy.

I really didn't necessarily want to stay in Anaheim at all, but I happened to find a good deal on a hotel there.

The 2.5 weeks includes AZ, NV, and CA so it's not like we're in LA for 2.5 weeks. I know I'm on a Disney-centric forum, so I realize people think Disney is the greatest thing on earth (I think it's great too, but there are other things in life). Also, we go to Orlando a minimum of once a year (usually 2 or 3 times) so we can skip many things at DLR if we don't have the time. But I know we will have time because we know how to do things very fast inside the parks. We know what types of things we like and what types of things we don't like.

Cool.

But for most folks visiting DLR for the first time (& I'm providing an opinion to those who are "thinking" about visiting Walt's park)..... two days won't get it done (any more than 4 days at WDW would get it done).

Agreed that this is a Disney centric forum.....but even if it wasn't......if i had a friend who enjoyed non disney attractions as much as disney attractions, then i still would advise them to spend a minimum of 7 days at WDW (& recommend that they stay onsite) & a minimum of 3.5 days at DLR (& recommend that they stay WALKING distance onsite or on Harbor Blvd.).

Because that is the advice that I would want to get.

 

[TeddiBarra]

We've been to WDW a million times, but have never been to DLR. I have some basic questions that I would greatly appreciate if someone could give some advice on:

1. Best way to buy tickets. We'll probably do DL two or three of the days we're in LA. If we buy a two-day hopper, can we add a day later? (Never bought tickets this way for WDW, always have had an AP).

2. Our hotel is about 2 miles from DLR. They mentioned a shuttle to DLR for $4, I believe. Is that a good way to get to the parks or do you waste a lot of time because the shuttle stops at a bunch of other hotels? Parking is $15, do I understand that correctly? (We will have a car)

3. I read somewhere that Fastpasses between the 2 parks are disconnected. Is that correct?

4. Best days to go to DLR? I'm gathering that weekdays are least crowded, but the downside is the parks close earlier than weekends. If we decide to go on a weekend day, is Sunday better than Saturday? Are weekends so crowded that we'll be miserable compared to weekdays?

5. Which other parks in LA are worth going to, if any? Knott's Berry Farm? Six Flags?

6. Is US Hollywood much different from US Orlando? It looks like from what I've seen that there are no (or few) thrill rides. We want to tour a movie studio. Is it worth going to US mainly for the studio tour? Or are there other studio tours that are better (Paramount? WB?)

Any advice would be great!

1. I agree that it is just worth it to buy the 3 day hoppers. If you upgraded, you upgrade to the ticket box price. That would be $45 for the extra day (or more if you paid less than the $161 disneyland.com price). Even if you did half a day - like an evening for your 3rd day, it gives you more flexibility.

2. ART is the shuttle you are talking about. You should not discount ART. It will actually probably take you LESS time to use ART than it would to drive and park. I've used ART before and made it from hotel to esplanade in *4* minutes. Now, I've also had it take 20 minutes. From a hotel 2 miles away, I've never been able to beat 20 minutes getting from hotel to INSIDE the parks. A) there can be traffic on the streets getting to the parking structure. B) there is almost always a small to not small line to pay to get into the parking structure C) it's massive and can take you 10 mins to get parked and walked down to the parking structure tram. Then you walk from the drop off for the tram (in downtown disney) thru bag check, and into the gates. ART drops you off outside of bag check area, and then you go into the esplanade. ART can be the easiest on your feet, and the shortest timewise to get around. Google ART and look at your hotel. See where the stop is, see how many stops are on the route. Years ago, I hated ART. Buses were unreliable and there were lots of stops. Recently, I've used ART and like it. Only one stop before the park, and usually two before my hotel on the way back from the parks. Your route may be different but it's a good option.

3. Yes.

4. I would go on a wednesday or thursday to the parks. I would also suggest doing one day on the weekend because of the entertainment schedule being fuller.

5. IMO, Knotts yes. Six Flags, no. But i dislike MM. If you love thrill rides, then maybe it's for you.

6. No idea cuz I've never been to FL. I like going to US, like... one day every 8 years. It's ok, but not my favorite. I AM going to do US when we get to WDW, but i'm all about Harry Potter World.