Southern California Uber, Lyft or Taxi in LA

[A Squared]

As the title says really. We're planning a Disneyland/ LA celebration trip for 2025 but won't be hiring a car. I've been reading its possible to do without a car but DH will have a wheelchair. Any advice/thoughts are welcome. Thank you

 

[DonnerB]

As the title says really. We're planning a Disneyland/ LA celebration trip for 2025 but won't be hiring a car. I've been reading its possible to do without a car but DH will have a wheelchair. Any advice/thoughts are welcome. Thank you

Will you need any special accommodations beyond extra space to store the wheelchair? If not, I would say totally doable.

Lyft has the XL option. I have the taxi app RideYellow downloaded on my phone (have not actually used it), and they also have a minivan option.

Right now, a Lyft from work to my home is running about $7 cheaper than a taxi based on the apps. The larger options for both are essentially the same price as standard sizes also.

Many folks on here (myself included) will advise that ridesharing isn’t as reliable or easy at it once was in LA. Wait times for rides have definitely gone up, along with prices. If you give yourself enough time and flexibility, you’ll be fine.

 

[bcla]

At least around the Anaheim/Buena Park/Orange area, there's Anaheim Regional Transportation (ART). It was formerly called Anaheim Resort Transportation and is a quasi-public agency that's supported by local businesses including Disneyland.

They have modern electric buses with plenty of spaces for wheelchairs/scooters.

https://rideart.org/art/

They have a hybrid operation model that includes defined routes - especially around Disneyland to the local hotels. They used to have defined routes to less visited places (like the Anaheim train station or Knott's Berry Farm) although they might only have those for limited hours (like morning commute). However, they now have an "on demand" system where they can pick up and drop off passengers at any of their approved stops. and it's been bizarre because there have been times when I (or my kid with me) was the only passenger on an 8 mile ride. It's kind of like requesting a ride on Uber other than the limitations on where they can stop.

They have an app that can be used to purchase/display tickets and to find out the best way to travel using their service. It will either recommend a defined route or will give the user the opportunity to request an on demand ride.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/a-way-wego/id1589114302
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.rideart.awaywego&hl=en_US&gl=US

 

[A Squared]

Thank you both. Dh can walk a few steps so wheelchair can fold and go in the car trunk if that's permitted. I'll certainly look at the Art shuttle

 

[bcla]

Thank you both. Dh can walk a few steps so wheelchair can fold and go in the car trunk if that's permitted. I'll certainly look at the Art shuttle

A lot of hotels in Anaheim claim that they have a Disneyland shuttle, but it's really only a stop on ART. And it's much cheaper than Uber, and they have no congestion pricing.

https://rideart.org/fares/

The stops can be tricky to figure out. Most stops have signs, but not all. A few times I was in an unfamiliar area and couldn't exactly tell where the bus was supposed to stop and had to react when I saw the bus. Some of these stop right inside the parking lots at hotels, while others stop at street side bus stops. The stops are also centered on hotels in Anaheim, Disneyland, and other points of interest like The Outlets at Orange, Knott's Berry Farm, Medieval Times, etc. There are also some huge gaps, especially in Buena Park where they basically only have three stops (Knott's, Medieval Times, Fairfield Inn). We were trying to get to the big strip malls in Buena Park and ART had no service to them and we ended up walking.

It's been surreal being the only passenger (or just my 11/12 year old and myself) as the only passengers going from the Anaheim train station to the stop across the street from Medieval Times/Porto's in Buena Park. That was about a 7 mile ride in a 40 passenger bus. I mentioned feeling guilty to a driver about taking such a ride, but was told it was the way their service worked and they're OK with it.

I got around LA/OC several times last year without a car and I never used Uber/Lyft once, although I could have in an emergency. However, there can be some interesting activity on public transportation other than ART, which is primarily used by Disneyland visitors. I remember seeing a few Disney employees riding. ART has a lot of people visiting Disneyland or coming back, and they're either very eager or dead tired going back to their hotels.

 

[Steven G]

For me, it depends on how many different places you wish to go to. When I am in Orange county, I don't usually have a large list of places I am interested in, and thus, a Lyft/Uber/Taxi or ART is the way to go.

Once I go to Los Angeles, everything is so spread out, and I want more flexibility, and thus I get a car. I also happen to know a few people in LA that I would want to visit, so it makes more sense to me in that respect as well. It's hard for me to envisage relying completely on Uber/Lyft/Taxi or other public transportation in LA, unless you are just interested in a really small area of it.

 

[bcla]

For me, it depends on how many different places you wish to go to. When I am in Orange county, I don't usually have a large list of places I am interested in, and thus, a Lyft/Uber/Taxi or ART is the way to go.

Once I go to Los Angeles, everything is so spread out, and I want more flexibility, and thus I get a car. I also happen to know a few people in LA that I would want to visit, so it makes more sense to me in that respect as well. It's hard for me to envisage relying completely on Uber/Lyft/Taxi or other public transportation in LA, unless you are just interested in a really small area of it.

I've actually managed getting around with just ART and public transportation in LA. However, even my kid commented about the people talking to themselves on LA Metro.

I managed a whole week in LA/OC on public transportation. It was mostly using a 7-day LA Metro pass. It was $12.50 at the time, but they now have a different pay as you go system now. I also discovered that there was no express bus surcharge charged (which I thought would be there for a 7-day pass) and I actually used LA Metro 460 just for local transportation between Buena Park and Anaheim that ART didn't cover. The 460 bus doesn't have frequent service though, but I found that the real time bus info I got on Apple Maps was very accurate. I was able to get there without having to wait too long, other than maybe one time it was very accurate in LA waiting to get down to Anaheim.

I went everywhere from LA Union Station to Santa Monica and Pasadena. Of course the issue is being very patient.

I did have some weird stuff going on though. Like taking Gardena Transit (GTrans). Or the time I was on the E line where it stopped and the doors didn't open. Ended up getting off at the next station and then doubling back.

 

[A Squared]

Thanks all! I've not been ignoring you, just been super busy, I work in retail!! LOL

 

[AJruns]

I've actually managed getting around with just ART and public transportation in LA. However, even my kid commented about the people talking to themselves on LA Metro.

I managed a whole week in LA/OC on public transportation. It was mostly using a 7-day LA Metro pass. It was $12.50 at the time, but they now have a different pay as you go system now. I also discovered that there was no express bus surcharge charged (which I thought would be there for a 7-day pass) and I actually used LA Metro 460 just for local transportation between Buena Park and Anaheim that ART didn't cover. The 460 bus doesn't have frequent service though, but I found that the real time bus info I got on Apple Maps was very accurate. I was able to get there without having to wait too long, other than maybe one time it was very accurate in LA waiting to get down to Anaheim.

I went everywhere from LA Union Station to Santa Monica and Pasadena. Of course the issue is being very patient.

I did have some weird stuff going on though. Like taking Gardena Transit (GTrans). Or the time I was on the E line where it stopped and the doors didn't open. Ended up getting off at the next station and then doubling back.

@bcla I’m thinking of taking the 460 to/from Disney and downtown LA to visit family while I’m there. Time is not a problem- I’m very patient when I’m saving $$… is there any reason though you wouldn’t recommend that route for a solo female traveler with luggage (traveling in the afternoon each way)?

 

[bcla]

@bcla I’m thinking of taking the 460 to/from Disney and downtown LA to visit family while I’m there. Time is not a problem- I’m very patient when I’m saving $$… is there any reason though you wouldn’t recommend that route for a solo female traveler with luggage (traveling in the afternoon each way)?

I didn't have a serious problem and I used it on 4 separate trips.

My first time was a bit tricky since I didn't have a TAP card and didn't have enough time to order one. I tried to buy on board but the driver said he was out. He actually let me on for free, and I promised that I would get a couple (including one for my 11 year old) when we got to downtown LA (which I did) and buy a day pass. That ride was a little bit bizarre because of a woman on board who was talking about attacking her sister if she ever saw her again. Apparently her sister saw her from outside the bus and tried to attack her by throwing coffee at the window. But she eventually left and others on the bus were rather relieved.

For the most everyone minds their own business. Luggage can be a problem because there may not be good places to place them (like on an airport bus). We had backpacks and there's a couple of seats in the back of most buses, where there's a spot in front of each seat that might be a good place for something maybe the size of an airline carry on.

My wife took the 460 bus from Buena Park from near our hotel. We went out to Disneyland and she met up with us.

I won't say it's the greatest experience. You might see some homeless and mentally ill, but for the most part they keep to themselves. But it's generally pretty reliable and safe.

 

[AJruns]

I didn't have a serious problem and I used it on 4 separate trips.

My first time was a bit tricky since I didn't have a TAP card and didn't have enough time to order one. I tried to buy on board but the driver said he was out. He actually let me on for free, and I promised that I would get a couple (including one for my 11 year old) when we got to downtown LA (which I did) and buy a day pass. That ride was a little bit bizarre because of a woman on board who was talking about attacking her sister if she ever saw her again. Apparently her sister saw her from outside the bus and tried to attack her by throwing coffee at the window. But she eventually left and others on the bus were rather relieved.

For the most everyone minds their own business. Luggage can be a problem because there may not be good places to place them (like on an airport bus). We had backpacks and there's a couple of seats in the back of most buses, where there's a spot in front of each seat that might be a good place for something maybe the size of an airline carry on.

My wife took the 460 bus from Buena Park from near our hotel. We went out to Disneyland and she met up with us.

I won't say it's the greatest experience. You might see some homeless and mentally ill, but for the most part they keep to themselves. But it's generally pretty reliable and safe.

Thank you! After I wrote that message I saw the rest of my “460 bus” search results where you summarized it more for others- thanks for taking the time to reply here and to everyone else. I’m used to taking public transportation where I live and was sort of baffled my first time in LA when I was told it was impossible- and managed just fine. In the end I think I won’t take that bus, because of the luggage, but normally I travel lighter and will keep it in mind for the future.

 

[bcla]

Thank you! After I wrote that message I saw the rest of my “460 bus” search results where you summarized it more for others- thanks for taking the time to reply here and to everyone else. I’m used to taking public transportation where I live and was sort of baffled my first time in LA when I was told it was impossible- and managed just fine. In the end I think I won’t take that bus, because of the luggage, but normally I travel lighter and will keep it in mind for the future.

It really depends on what public transportation. The LAX FlyAway bus is meant specifically for airport trips, and they have baggage holds.

I went on the Metro E Line and I did see people with luggage, where the wheelchair spots were ideal, and even had enough room with a wheelchair.

I think ART is pretty good around Anaheim for luggage since many riders are going to/from their hotels. At the least nobody is going to look with disdain at someone with a lot of luggage, which might happen on a crowded commuter bus.