We're just concerned that getting around LAX (finding luggage; finding the shuttle) may be crazy and not worth the stress.
What would you do?
Option 1.
LAX is confusing for the residents picking up their friends and relatives. To the traveler, however, it's always been extremely simple, for us at least. The baggage claim area, at least the last time we were there, is right there in the area (I consider them to be "pods"...I haven't looked at a map to see if this is what it looks like, but it's what it feels like to me) where you've landed. It's not like at my airport, Seatac, where you might land and come into the main terminal on one side, but have to walk all the way to the other side to get your bags. I've only seen one, maybe two, carousels in any given area I've ever landed in.
The one complication we run into when taking Grayline's
Disneyland Resort Express, is that we get in really early, when they only run once an hour. And we always managed to land so we miss that hour's pickup. LAX is super-boring to wait in, once you've exited the secure area (and outside the secure area, if I think about it). We tend to deal with the boredom by slowly walking up to terminal 1, so we're first on the bus.
I've never taken a shuttle van *from* LAX that I recall, but since they pickup more on a schedule, especially Karmel, I bet it's easy. Just walk outside the terminal you came into, walk to the island and stand under the big sign. (oh wait, they do like you to call when you have your luggage...don't just stand there and expect them to know, follow their instructions, of course)
I've been enjoying Karmel, by the way. They don't troll the airport. This is a good thing. DS and I once came into Ontario (in a cost-cutting measure that did NOT work out, as I didn't know their shuttle pricing structure was entirely different than SNA and LAX), got into our SuperShuttle van, waited. Finally got going, were just about out of the airport, and the driver turned right back around to slowly troll for more passengers. It was a super-hot day that I was NOT dressed for, DS was little, we were hungry...just not good.
And we take a cab to/from... its quick and I tried the whole pre-reserve a shuttle thing, and we seemed to have a hard time meeting up with our drivers in a timely matter--I think we are faster off the plane then they expect. So now we just step outside the airport and grab a cab.
