Planning how to get from your hotel to the Disneyland main entrance can be difficult. Some hotels offer their own door to door shuttles, some are within walking distance, and parking in the Disney lots can add up fast. The Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) shuttles offer a low cost option, but there are trade-offs to using the service.
At first blush, the ART shuttles sound like an ideal solution. For about $5 per day, you can get unlimited rides to/from your hotel with a convenient drop off that is only steps away from the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure main entrances. Multi-day passes save you even more. A 5-day ART shuttle pass is $20 (saving you $1 per day compared with single day passes).
Taking the ART shuttles involves two big compromises, comfort and convenience. The buses run about 20 minutes apart and the drivers load them until completely full. This means every seat and standing area on the bus gets used on every trip. They really pack them in and the lines are usually long for the more popular routes.
Lengthy Wait Times
During our family’s recent visit, we stayed at the Hilton Anaheim which is just outside of walking distance from the Disneyland Resort. The hotel is on ART route #4, but the service is frequently combined with Route #5, which picks up passengers from the Anaheim Marriott and the Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim. The wait time to board a bus in the morning and evening was often more than half and hour because the buses were trying to accommodate passengers from three hotels.
Taking a Taxi
We experienced some rain during our latest stay, which made it uncomfortable to wait an extended time for an ART bus. The taxi pick-up area is just a few steps away from the ART bus loading zone. My family of three took a cab from Disneyland back to the hotel for $5 (before tip).
The reverse route was about $7 (before tip) because of the U-turn involved on Harbor blvd. Taking a taxi cost a few dollars more than the ART shuttle, but it was far more convenient, especially when your family is cold, tired and just wants to get back to the hotel.
Standing Room Only
There are a limited number of ART shuttles on each route and the drivers make every effort to load as many people on the bus as possible. The benefit is that this helps with the wait times. As a parent, the downside is that having my four-year-old stand on a packed city bus doesn’t feel safe.
As the bus loads, you will usually see people giving up their seats for women and children. Because of this, people who need seats usually can get them. But we did have a couple trips during peak times where I ended up holding my son while standing for the trip. It isn’t an ideal situation. Even if you happen to board the bus first and get a seat, the reality is that you will give it to someone else by the time the bus finishes boarding.
Walking to Disneyland
The Hilton Anaheim isn’t that far from Disneyland. We could actually see the theme parks from our room. The catch is that there are only a few entrances to the Disneyland Resort property. This is what requires you to walk a lengthy distance before reaching the main gate.
Hotels like the Howard Johnson Anaheim have an advantage because they are physically located near the Disneyland entry point. If you stay at one of the hotels along Harbor boulevard, you can skip the cost of the shuttle and just walk to the main entrance.
On the east side of the Disneyland Resort, the Anabella Hotel is one of the few hotels where walking is a viable option. You can catch the Disneyland Monorail by walking through Downtown Disney, which makes the trip convenient.
Disney Parking
If you have a rental car, driving to one of the Disneyland parking lots is an option that is unlikely to save you any time or money. Parking is $15 per day at all Disney lots. If you book your vacation package through AAA, you can get free parking with your trip. That said, you still lose the time required to take a tram from the parking lot to the main entrance. The ART shuttles will likely be faster, especially during peak times.
Your Results May Vary
My wife and I had mixed opinions about the ART shuttles, so your results may vary as well. My wife prefers the ART shuttles because of the cost. Although we had a wait for each trip, the wait wasn’t overly excessive unless we tried traveling at peak times (park opening and closing). Someone usually gave their seat to my wife and son, so standing during the trip wasn’t a concern.
From my perspective, time is most important and I would rather spend a few dollars more to take a cab. I am also considering a Disneyland Resort hotel (or a hotel within walking distance) for our next visit because it would eliminate the need for transportation. It irked me that I had to stand on every bus ride we took. At the end of a long day, I just wanted to sit down for a few minutes.
When planning your next trip, give consideration to where your hotel is physically located in relation to the Disneyland main entrance. You might find a deal on a hotel room rate and then later realize it will cost you more in time and transportation costs every day.
Hi – Was wondering if you could tell me exactly where the drop off was at the parks. Is it on the street or does it go up to the main gate. Thanks
The ART buses pick up and drop off in the shuttle area, which is just outside the main entrances of the theme parks. It is a very short walk to get from the shuttle area to the theme parks.
Thanks for the info, I found this very informative for planning my upcoming trip.
Thank you very much for the kind feedback. I am glad to hear that this helped. I hope you have a fun trip!