Last Updated on September 8, 2019 by Laurice Wardini
Planning to visit the happiest place on Earth? When you’re taking a trip to Disneyland, your budget will start depleting before you even get to the park. Luckily, a ride to your hotel doesn’t have to cost a fortune. We’re sharing the cheapest options to get there from nearby airports, including public transportation and Disneyland shuttle options.
Most Popular Disneyland Airports:
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- John Wayne Airport (SNA)
- Long Beach Airport (LGB)
- Ontario International Airport (ONT)
- Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
If you’re looking for the cheapest flight, LAX is typically the winner. Even so, make sure to compare all of the airports for your travel dates!
Ways to Get to Disneyland From the Airport
Los Angeles Metro & Public Transportation
The LA metro is becoming one of the most convenient ways to travel around the city (and by far the cheapest way to get from LAX to Disneyland). Although it will be more time consuming, using the metro to get there isn’t too difficult.
How to ride the Metro to Disneyland from LAX:
- Once you’ve departed your flight, wait under the LAX Shuttle & Airline Connections sign on the Lower/Arrival Level islands in front of each terminal.
- Ride the bus or shuttle marked “G” to the Aviation Station and go to the west end of the platform.
- Board the Metro Rail Green Line headed east toward Norwalk.
- Once you’ve reached the Norwalk Station, board the Metro Express Line 460 bus headed to the Disneyland Resort.
If you’re flying into another airport, there will still be options for public transportation to hotels near Disneyland (typically buses, but the metro is available at a few as well).
Take a Disneyland Airport Shuttle
Airport shuttles are still an excellent form of inexpensive and convenient transportation. Shuttlefare helps you search, compare, and reserve an airport ride. We’ll take you to or from any nearby airport in a shared van, private van, or even a limo. We partner with top shuttle providers to bring you the lowest prices – including Super Shuttle, Execucar, GO Shuttle, and many more.
Cheapest Shuttles to Disneyland on Shuttlefare:
SNA to Disneyland – $46 for 3 people
LGB to Disneyland – $57 for 3 people
LAX to Disneyland – $60 for 3 people
ONT to Disneyland –$65 for 3 people
These are currently our current prices for shared shuttles to Disneyland. In addition, prices increase when you select a private van or luxury vehicle (such as a limo). Some of the fares include tip – if not, see our guide for tipping shuttle drivers, taxis, and other transportation services.
Renting a Car
If a Disneyland shuttle doesn’t seem worth it and you’re willing to shell out a little more cash, you might consider renting a car during your trip. The price of renting a car for one day could be just as much as using a ride share service to get to your hotel in Anaheim. If you plan to visit other sights in Los Angeles or stay for a few days, renting a car is cheaper than buying multiple taxis or Uber/Lyft rides.
Visiting Disneyland over a couple of days is great if you feel forced to buy park hopper Disneyland tickets – you can spread it across these days instead.
Although you’ll have to account for the hefty price of parking at Disneyland hotels or at the theme park, it might be worth it. It’s also much easier to rent a car when taking a family vacation with kids. Car rentals can be found on Turo or a variety of other car rental websites. Make sure to browse around to find the best prices!
Taking Uber + Lyft
If you want a cheap Uber, LAX to Disneyland is not the route to find an inexpensive ride. The only way to maybe pay under $60 is if your group has fewer than four people and your luggage can fit in the small sedan trunk. Otherwise, you’ll need to request a larger car for $90 or more. Uber and Lyft prices depend on the time and day. At busy times, a larger car can cost over $100 and still only holds six people.
Disneyland shuttles are cheaper and spacious – you can typically bring two entire bags per person. A shared shuttle for three people will cost $60. Although this price is close to the smallest Uber or Lyft prices, you won’t be cramped into a tiny sedan with your luggage.
Cheapest Transportation Around Anaheim
Aside from your initial airport ride, there may be a chance you’ll need to travel around Anaheim. Luckily, there are a few ways you can get free rides around the city. There is a free Disney shuttle bus as well as an inexpensive public bus that can take you around nearby cities.
ART (Anaheim Resort Transportation)
ART connects you to Anaheim hotels, theme parks, restaurants, shopping, dining, and other destinations within the resort area. This includes Anaheim, Garden Grove, Buena Park, Costa Mesa and Orange. Their buses run 7 days a week. Service typically begins one hour before the Disneyland Resort opens and continues until 30 minutes after close.
You can see daily schedules and route times on the ART website.
One way fare – $4
One day pass – $5.50 adult, $2 child
Three-day pass – $14 adult, $3 child
Five-day pass – $23 adult, $5 child
If you buy online, they’ll deliver your pass free to your Anaheim hotel (make sure to buy it at least three days in advance).
Complimentary Disneyland Shuttle + Other Transportation
Although many of the Disney hotels and resorts are within walking distance, each offers free trams and shuttle service to conveniently transport you to the main gate of the park. Aside from the big resorts, any hotel near Disneyland or other hotels in Anaheim typically offer a shuttle of their own.
In addition, the Downtown Disney Monorail offers convenient transportation directly into the Tomorrowland area of Disneyland Park. You’ll need a valid admission ticket to ride this.
The following locations are all conveniently located within walking distance of each other (half-mile radius):
- Disneyland Park
- Disney California Adventure Park
- Downtown Disney District
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
- The Disneyland Hotel
- Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
Non-Disney hotels in Anaheim with free shuttles: Days Inn and Suites at the Park Anaheim, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Orange, Radisson Suites Buena Park, Anaheim Sheraton, Embassy Suites North, and Holiday Inn & Conference Center Buena Park.
Hotels inside the Anaheim resort area are required to use ART for transportation. In addition, many non-Disney hotels are close enough to walk to Disneyland.
Bottom Line
Overall, there are many ways to get to Disneyland from the airport. While public transportation will be your absolute cheapest option, you might prefer a Disneyland shuttle to save time. It’s typically the cheapest option when it comes to ride services. In addition, there are plenty of transportation services to get you around Disneyland and nearby areas. We hope we were able to share a few tips that help you save money on your Disney vacation!
