What is cheapest transportation from LAX to Grand Cal.? do they have Mag Express?

[Jillpie]

Is there a Magical Express going back and forth from LAX? thanks.

 

[lalasmama]

No Magic Express like at WDW.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks. So what do most people use to get to Disney resorts? I'm so used to Magical Express!

 

[lalasmama]

Sorry my reply was so short last time. There was a crying baby that started demanding my attention. So, there's Super Shuttle and Karmel Shuttle, Disneyland Resort Express, taxis, rental cars, and hired car services like Lansky's. We always do Disneyland Resort Express, but, honestly, we avoid LAX like the plague now, as we've fallen in love with Long Beach Airport. It's cheaper to fly in to, significantly closer, easier to navigate, and it's a $45 taxi ride to the parks.

 

[goooof1]

PrimeTime Shuttle is another one to check out......reasonable and reliable.

 

[Mividadisney]

We always fly into LAX when we go to Disneyland. We have only used the Disneyland resort express. The bus picks you/family up and they play a Disney movie and before you know it you are at Disneyland! Bus is comfortable and clean seems safe in all that Calforina traffic. Kids enjoyed it and since its themed it got the kids pumped before we even got there.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks everyone! I can't understand why Disney doesn't do a Magical Express? Don't they want people to stay on property like DW, or don't they care?

 

[SMD]

Thanks everyone! I can't understand why Disney doesn't do a Magical Express? Don't they want people to stay on property like DW, or don't they care?

The majority of traffic to the resort does not pass through LAX. There are a relatively small number of on site rooms, and they regularly sell out without offering any extra incentives.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Thanks everyone! I can't understand why Disney doesn't do a Magical Express? Don't they want people to stay on property like DW, or don't they care?

At WDW, the numbers are something like 70% of the guests fly in for their vacation, 30% are local (or driveable). At DL that number is 100% opposite...only 30% fly and 70% are "local" since there is much more population within driving distance...and those that do fly have numerous airports to fly into in Southern California vs one major airport in Orlando...so they leave it up to contract services to get people to the resort.

 

[taffy]

Basically the Disneyland Resort Express is the official transport to the on property hotels. I think it is not worth disney running shuttles like orlando as a lot of people drive and the fact that there are many airports that people fly into to get to DL.

We like the DRE but have also take the smaller shuttles on occasion.

 

[lalasmama]

We always fly into LAX when we go to Disneyland. We have only used the Disneyland resort express. The bus picks you/family up and they play a Disney movie and before you know it you are at Disneyland! Bus is comfortable and clean seems safe in all that Calforina traffic. Kids enjoyed it and since its themed it got the kids pumped before we even got there.

While we have been on equipped busses every time, we've never had a movie playing on ours... But, we haven't taken it in the last 18 months or so.

Thanks everyone! I can't understand why Disney doesn't do a Magical Express? Don't they want people to stay on property like DW, or don't they care?

WDW is essentially a city in itself, built as such to "encourage" staying on site. In contrast, DLR was started in the middle of a city (albeit, a little town at the time!), and was quickly "land-locked" by enterprising people buying up the property around Disneyland. So, DLR has been able to build/buy 3 hotels. In contrast, in the immediate vicinity around Disneyland, there's something like 120 hotels. DLH has approx. 990 rooms. GCH has approx. 745. PPH has approx. 480. So, that's essentially 2215 rooms. (By contrast, WDW has 30,000--more than 15 times as much). There's approx. 100,000 hotel rooms in the greater LA area. A fair amount of DLR visitors aren't just there for Disneyland, so they may do a day or two at DLR, then the San Diego Zoo, or SeaWorld, or Universal Studios, or Legoland, or Knotts, or Garden Grove, or "Hollywood," or Beverly Hills, etc. So, for the 5% of the market that DLR holds in the overall area, it doesn't make much sense financially to run a free transportation service that they (Disney) may not benefit from. (Numbers from allears.com, and discoverlosangeles.com)

There are also 5 (I think!) different airports in the nearby vicinity (LAX, SNA, LGB, Ontario, and I think there's one more). So, while LAX has a fair amount of those on-site guests, so does SNA. So, when you parcel out that 5% of rooms in the overall area between the 4-5 airports, it means even less reason for Disney to run an official, free transportation option.

(Sorry, I total geek out over breaking these things down )

Basically the Disneyland Resort Express is the official transport to the on property hotels. I think it is not worth disney running shuttles like orlando as a lot of people drive and the fact that there are many airports that people fly into to get to DL.

We like the DRE but have also take the smaller shuttles on occasion.

As is noted on their website, DLRE isn't owned or operated by Disney. I think calling it "official" is a bit misleading. Had I used my experience with DLRE as a Disneyland-related product, I'd have a hard time going back... A front door to the bus that didn't close all the way, driver talking on a cell phone about dinner plans, different rates for different people on the bus despite no one pre-buying tickets, sometimes wrapped in Disney photos and sometimes not, trying to drop my bags off before me, waiting 2 hours for a pick-up... Overall, their customer service is incredibly spotty at best, their "rules" change on a dime (dropped me off at my hotel once, then refused the next time, then agreed to do it the next time, etc), but we've used the 6-8 times before giving up on them (and LAX, lol).

 

[KalamityJane]

While we have been on equipped busses every time, we've never had a movie playing on ours... But, we haven't taken it in the last 18 months or so.



WDW is essentially a city in itself, built as such to "encourage" staying on site. In contrast, DLR was started in the middle of a city (albeit, a little town at the time!), and was quickly "land-locked" by enterprising people buying up the property around Disneyland. So, DLR has been able to build/buy 3 hotels. In contrast, in the immediate vicinity around Disneyland, there's something like 120 hotels. DLH has approx. 990 rooms. GCH has approx. 745. PPH has approx. 480. So, that's essentially 2215 rooms. (By contrast, WDW has 30,000--more than 15 times as much). There's approx. 100,000 hotel rooms in the greater LA area. A fair amount of DLR visitors aren't just there for Disneyland, so they may do a day or two at DLR, then the San Diego Zoo, or SeaWorld, or Universal Studios, or Legoland, or Knotts, or Garden Grove, or "Hollywood," or Beverly Hills, etc. So, for the 5% of the market that DLR holds in the overall area, it doesn't make much sense financially to run a free transportation service that they (Disney) may not benefit from. (Numbers from allears.com, and discoverlosangeles.com)

There are also 5 (I think!) different airports in the nearby vicinity (LAX, SNA, LGB, Ontario, and I think there's one more). So, while LAX has a fair amount of those on-site guests, so does SNA. So, when you parcel out that 5% of rooms in the overall area between the 4-5 airports, it means even less reason for Disney to run an official, free transportation option.

(Sorry, I total geek out over breaking these things down )



As is noted on their website, DLRE isn't owned or operated by Disney. I think calling it "official" is a bit misleading. Had I used my experience with DLRE as a Disneyland-related product, I'd have a hard time going back... A front door to the bus that didn't close all the way, driver talking on a cell phone about dinner plans, different rates for different people on the bus despite no one pre-buying tickets, sometimes wrapped in Disney photos and sometimes not, trying to drop my bags off before me, waiting 2 hours for a pick-up... Overall, their customer service is incredibly spotty at best, their "rules" change on a dime (dropped me off at my hotel once, then refused the next time, then agreed to do it the next time, etc), but we've used the 6-8 times before giving up on them (and LAX, lol).

This was DRE with actual busses and not Disneyland Express (the ones with shuttles/maxi vans?)?

 

[lalasmama]

This was DRE with actual busses and not Disneyland Express (the ones with shuttles/maxi vans?)?

Yep. DLRE isn't ran by, or associated with Disney, beyond paying for the ability to use the name and wrap the busses.

 

[Mividadisney]

While we have been on equipped busses every time, we've never had a movie playing on ours... But, we haven't taken it in the last 18 months or so.



WDW is essentially a city in itself, built as such to "encourage" staying on site. In contrast, DLR was started in the middle of a city (albeit, a little town at the time!), and was quickly "land-locked" by enterprising people buying up the property around Disneyland. So, DLR has been able to build/buy 3 hotels. In contrast, in the immediate vicinity around Disneyland, there's something like 120 hotels. DLH has approx. 990 rooms. GCH has approx. 745. PPH has approx. 480. So, that's essentially 2215 rooms. (By contrast, WDW has 30,000--more than 15 times as much). There's approx. 100,000 hotel rooms in the greater LA area. A fair amount of DLR visitors aren't just there for Disneyland, so they may do a day or two at DLR, then the San Diego Zoo, or SeaWorld, or Universal Studios, or Legoland, or Knotts, or Garden Grove, or "Hollywood," or Beverly Hills, etc. So, for the 5% of the market that DLR holds in the overall area, it doesn't make much sense financially to run a free transportation service that they (Disney) may not benefit from. (Numbers from allears.com, and discoverlosangeles.com)

There are also 5 (I think!) different airports in the nearby vicinity (LAX, SNA, LGB, Ontario, and I think there's one more). So, while LAX has a fair amount of those on-site guests, so does SNA. So, when you parcel out that 5% of rooms in the overall area between the 4-5 airports, it means even less reason for Disney to run an official, free transportation option.

(Sorry, I total geek out over breaking these things down )



As is noted on their website, DLRE isn't owned or operated by Disney. I think calling it "official" is a bit misleading. Had I used my experience with DLRE as a Disneyland-related product, I'd have a hard time going back... A front door to the bus that didn't close all the way, driver talking on a cell phone about dinner plans, different rates for different people on the bus despite no one pre-buying tickets, sometimes wrapped in Disney photos and sometimes not, trying to drop my bags off before me, waiting 2 hours for a pick-up... Overall, their customer service is incredibly spotty at best, their "rules" change on a dime (dropped me off at my hotel once, then refused the next time, then agreed to do it the next time, etc), but we've used the 6-8 times before giving up on them (and LAX, lol).

Interesting. We are using the DL Express service again in December so I will let you know how it goes. We were really impressed with the service in May 2015. The reason why we always land in LAX because from TX To LAX our flights are $75 round trip ( nonstop).. Cheap flights = hotel upgrade for us. Instead of staying at the PPH this trip we upgraded to GCH.

 

[RedAngie]

There are also 5 (I think!) different airports in the nearby vicinity (LAX, SNA, LGB, Ontario, and I think there's one more). So, while LAX has a fair amount of those on-site guests, so does SNA. So, when you parcel out that 5% of rooms in the overall area between the 4-5 airports, it means even less reason for Disney to run an official, free transportation option.

().

Burbank Airport

 

[taffy]

Thats the interesting thing is Disney has listed the DLRE on its website in the few ways over the years. It now suggests that it is "the most convenient " way to get from LAX . And yes I should have been clearer that it is not operated by Disney as i have been clear in other posts about that.

Sorry if you had a bad experience but for us we have not had a bad experience with them in many trips

 

[SMD]

Thats the interesting thing is Disney has listed the DLRE on its website in the few ways over the years. It now suggests that it is "the most convenient " way to get from LAX . And yes I should have been clearer that it is not operated by Disney as i have been clear in other posts about that.

Sorry if you had a bad experience but for us we have not had a bad experience with them in many trips

They also sell airport transfers in shared vans and town cars, it doesn't seem like the represent the express buss any differently.

 

[taffy]

They also sell airport transfers in shared vans and town cars, it doesn't seem like the represent the express buss any differently.

The Disney website lists it first and specifically states it as

" The Disneyland Resort Express provides the most convenient mode of transportation between LAX and the Disneyland Resort area — "
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/transportation/


Thats the only reason I consider it to be the first choice from Disney. But we all see and read things differently which is all good.

 

[petals]

We used Super shuttle last year and they were cheap enough and also really quick! We got to our hotel within 25 or 30 minutes