DL Guide - Accomodations - Rental Car

Deciding whether or not to rent a car is one of the more important decisions to make when visiting Disneyland. Depending on where you're staying and what you plan on doing other than Disneyland, having a car can make all the difference in the world.

Getting to Disneyland
If you don't have a car you have the following options for getting to Disneyland

• Walking: Depending on where you're staying a walking to and from the park might be the best choice. Disneyland has two walking entrances: on Harbor Blvd and on Katella. You cannot walk into Disneyland from Disneyland Drive (formerly West street). You can, however, board a tram in one of the parking lots located on Disneyland Drive.
• Monorail: If you're staying at the Disneyland Hotel or the Disneyland Pacific Hotel, the Monorail is a very convenient way to get to the park though the lines can get long at busier times.
  Note: The Monorail will be running one-way only until mid-November. This means wait times for going to and from the hotel can be much longer than normal.
• Hotel Trams: If you're staying at the Disneyland Hotel or the Disneyland Pacific Hotel a tram is available to take you to and from the park and hotel. Depending on exactly where you're staying at the hotel the tram stop may be closer than the Monorail, and the wait for a tram is usually pretty short.
  Note: You do not have to be a hotel guest to use the Disneyland hotel trams.
• Shuttles: All of the local hotels and motels have shuttles or buses to take guests to and from the hotel and park. The shuttles usually run on a regular schedule, but often that schedule is every half hour or hour. Also, some hotels and motels share shuttles which can significantly affect crowds. Shuttles are usually for use by guests of that hotel only.
• Taxi: There is a taxi stop at Disneyland. Obtaining at taxi at the park is usually very quick and easy.
• Public Transportation: The only public transportation available in Disneyland area is busses. There is a bus stop at Disneyland and depending on where you're staying, this may be an option. For more information, visit the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) official site.

If you will be driving to Disneyland, keep in mind parking in the Disneyland parking lots is $7 for cars, $8 for Autos with Trailers / Campers / RVs / Limos and $9 for Buses / Tractors. You can leave and return the same day if you hold on to your receipt. Overnight parking is not allowed. Parking at the Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland Pacific Hotels is free for three hours with each validation (purchase required). You can get up to two validations but they must be from two different locations.

Getting To Other Places
In addition to transportation to Disneyland, another consideration is getting to other Southern California theme parks and destinations. Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland and several other theme parks as well as beaches and shopping are all within driving distance of Disneyland. Many hotels and motels offer bus service to some of these locations and taxis are also an option. But for the maximum flexibility, especially if you plan on traveling to several locations, you'll want to have a car available. When inquiring about bus service to these destinations, be sure to ask about the departure times and estimated travel times so you'll know exactly how long you'll have to enjoy them.

Rental Car Locations
There are six major rental car chains located very close to Disneyland. If you only need a car for one or two days (perhaps for a trip to another theme park), this is very convenient.

• Budget Car and Truck Rental (714) 772-6550
  located at 1700 S. Harbor Blvd. 1/2 mile from Disneyland
• Enterprise Rent A Car (714) 991-7195
  located at 1734 S. Harbor Blvd. 1/2 mile from Disneyland
• Alamo Rent A Car (714) 748-7368
  located at 1855 S. Harbor Blvd. 1/2 mile from Disneyland
• National Car Rental (714) 774-6250
  located at 711 W. Katella Blvd. 1 mile from Disneyland
• Hertz Rent A Car (714) 772-0425
  located at 221 W. Katella Blvd. 1 mile from Disneyland
• Avis Rent A Car (714) 776-6689
  located at 200 W. Katella Blvd. 1 mile from Disneyland

Note: Disneyland is located at 1313 S. Harbor Blvd. at the corner of Harbor and Katella

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-- Last Updated 6/1/2000 (except reader suggestions)

 

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