We Need a Transportation Super Thread

[HydroGuy]

In recent months it has been cool to see a few of you endeavoring to create explanatory threads on specific topics. Hound and DLR29 in particular have created a few. Mary Jo as a moderator has several threads she has created and maintains, as well as links to other threads. LauraBear started one a couple weeks ago on estimated SoCal travel times to DLR and other popular SoCal locations.

After being away from my computer for the weekend I was reviewing this weekend's posts and noted how many questions there were on transportation at DLR. This reminded me about how when I went to DLRP last June and spent time on the DLRP forum here on DIS how they have a very organized transportation sticky thread that was very helpful to me. They had links to airport maps so you could find you way around, links to trains and schedules, and much more.

The transportation information on the DIS DLR forum is dispersed among many threads which answer specific questions and then scroll away. So the same questions get asked over and over and the same answers get posted over and over.

Unfortunately I am not the person to write this thread as I always drive to DLR - usually from a relatives home in SoCal - and always stay at a walking distance hotel. I usually ignore the transporation threads here as I never use them and usually have nothing to add.

So I am issuing a challenge to a DIS participant who will not only write this thread but maintain the thread.

IMO here are some essential elements the thread should eventually contain:

1. List of airports:

o John Wayne
o Long Beach
o LAX
o Ontario
o San Diego
o Burbank

are the ones that come to my mind first. If possible, links to airport terminal maps should also be provided. This can be added over time by the OP.

2. Ground transportation options from airports to DLR.

This should cover the following:

o Links to maps of SoCal with airport location and major freeways
o List of Disney and non-Disney transportation services with links to service providers
o Links to maps of SoCal with directions to DLR for people coming from out of the area (south on I-5 or US-101, SW from I-15, or West from I-10)
o Train (Amtrak) information which some people especially use from San Diego

3. Transportation options from DLR to other popular SoCal locations

People want to know how to:

o get to the beach from DLR (rent a car? take a bus? etc.)
o get to Hollywood and USH
o get to San Diego for SWSD, the SD Zoo or LegoLand

4. Parking at DLR

People want to know:

o how and where to park at DLR - this entire process should be explained including links to maps - and advice given on which exits to use based on which direction the visitor is coming from
o how to use hotel shuttles and ART - links to service providers and maps

IMO in this section visitors should be advised of the benefits of staying at a walking distance hotel. If they decide to drive from their hotel they should be made aware of the traffic issues around DLR.


I suspect that none of us has all of this information at the ready and thus no one may feel up to the task. However, a person who has flown into SoCal for DLR visits and used transportation services will likely be best to get the thread started. Once started, other contributors can offer their own advice and the OP can organize it back into the original post and maintain it.

Now, who is up for the job?

 

[KSDisneyDad]

As I've never been to DL (or Southern California), I'm not up for starting the thread. However, I have an additional topic to address. Transportation for the Disney Cruise Line from DL, especially if one has lots of luggage!!

 

[DLR29]

I would, but I never fly to DL and we always walk to the parks (crossing out the parking). Plus, I am certainly not an expert on the So. cal area. But I totally agree with doing a Transportation thread.

 

[tinkermell]

Well we usually drive down too. But this coming April , I'm taking the train for the first time. Once in Anaheim, there is supposed to be a link on the ART from the train station to DLR. So I will report on how everything went, and the cost.

Thanks Trey!

 

[tinkermell]

In recent months it has been cool to see a few of you endeavoring to create explanatory threads on specific topics. Hound and DLR29 in particular have created a few. Mary Jo as a moderator has several threads she has created and maintains, as well as links to other threads. LauraBear started one a couple weeks ago on estimated SoCal travel times to DLR and other popular SoCal locations.

After being away from my computer for the weekend I was reviewing this weekend's posts and noted how many questions there were on transportation at DLR. This reminded me about how when I went to DLRP last June and spent time on the DLRP forum here on DIS how they have a very organized transportation sticky thread that was very helpful to me. They had links to airport maps so you could find you way around, links to trains and schedules, and much more.

The transportation information on the DIS DLR forum is dispersed among many threads which answer specific questions and then scroll away. So the same questions get asked over and over and the same answers get posted over and over.

Unfortunately I am not the person to write this thread as I always drive to DLR - usually from a relatives home in SoCal - and always stay at a walking distance hotel. I usually ignore the transporation threads here as I never use them and usually have nothing to add.

So I am issuing a challenge to a DIS participant who will not only write this thread but maintain the thread.

IMO here are some essential elements the thread should eventually contain:

1. List of airports:

o John Wayne
o Long Beach
o LAX
o Ontario
o San Diego
o Burbank

are the ones that come to my mind first. If possible, links to airport terminal maps should also be provided. This can be added over time by the OP.

2. Ground transportation options from airports to DLR.

This should cover the following:

o Links to maps of SoCal with airport location and major freeways
o List of Disney and non-Disney transportation services with links to service providers
o Links to maps of SoCal with directions to DLR for people coming from out of the area (south on I-5 or US-101, SW from I-15, or West from I-10)
o Train (Amtrak) information which some people especially use from San Diego

3. Transportation options from DLR to other popular SoCal locations

People want to know how to:

o get to the beach from DLR (rent a car? take a bus? etc.)
o get to Hollywood and USH
o get to San Diego for SWSD, the SD Zoo or LegoLand

4. Parking at DLR

People want to know:

o how and where to park at DLR - this entire process should be explained including links to maps - and advice given on which exits to use based on which direction the visitor is coming from
o how to use hotel shuttles and ART - links to service providers and maps

IMO in this section visitors should be advised of the benefits of staying at a walking distance hotel. If they decide to drive from their hotel they should be made aware of the traffic issues around DLR.


I suspect that none of us has all of this information at the ready and thus no one may feel up to the task. However, a person who has flown into SoCal for DLR visits and used transportation services will likely be best to get the thread started. Once started, other contributors can offer their own advice and the OP can organize it back into the original post and maintain it.

Now, who is up for the job?

Well I just read your post again, and realized you looking for someone to write it.

How about you??? You do such a good job of it, you write well, and have good computer knowledge. ( Well, that's a no-brainer!)

We can report what we know to you!!!!!!!!!!!!

What say you?

 

[BC Disney Lover]

Hydroguy,

I really can't help you with this information because we drove the one time we've been. But I do want to say that this kind of thread is the reason I love coming on here everyday. People going out of their way to add all this information really helps those of us who only make it there every 3-4 years.
Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

Well I just read your post again, and realized you looking for someone to write it.

How about you??? You do such a good job of it, you write well, and have good computer knowledge. ( Well, that's a no-brainer!)

We can report what we know to you!!!!!!!!!!!!

What say you?

I like writing threads which reflect personal experience so I can go beyond "here are the facts" and add "and this is why you should do it this way". I do not have the right experience to write a thread like that for transportation. I would need to depend on everyone else to supply 90% of the info.

If someone who has flown into SoCal multiple times for DLR will step up, that would be best. If not, then I will probably take a crack at it and ask for help.

 

[HydroGuy]

As I've never been to DL (or Southern California), I'm not up for starting the thread. However, I have an additional topic to address. Transportation for the Disney Cruise Line from DL, especially if one has lots of luggage!!

Excellent point. I agree this would be a valuable addition.

 

[OutbackBelle]

A transportation super thread would be so helpful. I've been doing some research in the last day or so on transport between LAX and DLR. There are quite a few options from Greyhound, shuttles, rental cars and limo services. Depending on whether your priority is speed, convenience or cost, the options will vary.

It would be wonderful if someone decides to compile all the information and I'd be happy to share what I've discovered.

I'm in the middle of getting limo/towncar quotes at the moment and am surprised to be getting prices lower than I expected, $85 - 90 each way. This may be the way we choose to go in the interest of speed, since we only have an afternoon/evening to spend there. I just have to convince dh about this.

Bernie

 

[Danauk]

I'm in the middle of getting limo/towncar quotes at the moment and am surprised to be getting prices lower than I expected, $85 - 90 each way. This may be the way we choose to go in the interest of speed, since we only have an afternoon/evening to spend there. I just have to convince dh about this.

Bernie

I'd be very interested to hear about the companies you get quotes from. DH and I are planning on taking a town car from LAX on our trip.

 

[mindylovesmickey]

I'm not good with all the maps and stuff, but I've had opportunities to drive in several different ways, from I-5 North and South, and from the 91 via the 215 and 10 freeways. I'm not sure exactly what info would be pertinent.

 

[OutbackBelle]

Danauk, I recieved my quotes through a website that I found on Mousesavers. It's limos.com, when you put in the approx locations just use North Orange County as the destination in the drop down list. You can choose from many companies but can only ask for 8 quotes at a time. All the companies I chose (I only picked those with a good feedback rating) were quick to reply.

Hope this helps.

Bernie

 

[HydroGuy]

Bumping - still looking for someone to gather this info.

 

[BecBennett]

The problem I see with it is that the people who go most are local, so of course don't need to worry about planes, or even the ART, because they drive, so they could really only post about traffic, the best places to park and that sort of thing.

The people who fly in most often, usually stay close enough to the park to either walk or only use the ART when they need to, so they wouldn't be able to comment on traffic or parking...

Would it be possible to perhaps do it a little more like the Disneyland secrets thread? Posting tips on what we've done and what worked and what didn't? Perhaps where we found good deals and the like?

 

[mousiemom]

i am getting a trip together for me, dh, and our 7yr dd for this June and we have never been to disneyland and i do not know my way around. so, i've been looking on the grayline bus tours and i saw where you can get the 4 day unlimited ticket for $125 ea. and it will take you to universal, seaworld, zoo, and hollywood tours and i was thinking this would be great for us. you also have to think of all the fees for parking at the hotels, and themeparks and the fact i wouldn't get lost!!! has anyone ever used this ticket before?
mousiemom

 

[S. S. Columbia]

o how to use hotel shuttles and ART - links to service providers and maps

FWIW, providing a link to the ART web-site would be useful: http://www.rideart.org.

Here's a link to the ART route map: http://www.rideart.org/ART-Map.pdf.

All things being equal, I agree that it's better to stay at a hotel that's in walking distance. But this kind of information can still be useful.

HTH.

 

[hawkaye19]

We're coming in on the Magic and have no clue at all about what is a good limo company in the LA area.

We've been to WDW many times and learned a lot from the WDW transportation threads

 

[S. S. Columbia]

1. List of airports:

o John Wayne
o Long Beach
o LAX
o Ontario
o San Diego
o Burbank

1. List of airports (distance from DLR):

o John Wayne (SNA): 14 miles
o Long Beach (LGB): 19 miles
o Los Angeles (LAX): 35 miles
o Ontario (ONT): 35 miles
o Burbank (BUR): 42 miles
o San Diego (SAN): 95 miles

Let's keep the Transportation Super Thread alive!!!!!!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I think this thread is a GREAT idea! I haven't yet been to DL (and hence there's a thread around here by me about Parking at DL ?'s), but a thread like this would have answered those. ) I can't help, though - anything I do know is from different threads anyway, not personal experience, but I just think it's a great idea!

 

[blackjackdelta]

bUMP