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Zigen
04-22-2004, 10:08 AM
Hi all,

I'm thinking about taking Am Trak to DLR from San Diego and hoping some of you here have experience doing so. Ive usually drive but I thought it might be fun if it was just me and my 2.5yo with me on the train.

Questions:
1. Did you like AmTrak? Would a 2.5yo like it?
2. How early do you have arrive at the Station?
3. After being dropped off in Anaheim, do they have cabs or buses that take you to DLR? How much do they cost?
4. How easy is it to find a cab/bus back to the Anaheim station after leaving DLR? How much do they cost?

sediment
04-22-2004, 10:34 AM
I don't much about this, but that doesn't usually stop me.

1. Haven't been on Amtrak for about 20 years. Sounds like fun, though, going up the coast. $51 rt total for both passengers. Nice late trains, too. Two hours each way, according to Amtrak web site.
2. Unsure, due to 9/11 and all. I suggest buying the tickets in advance, if possible, to avoid any line.
3. Cabs and buses at the Anaheim station. $5 (?) for the cab ride. $1.25 each for the bus. Drop you off at Esplanade, east side, I believe.
4. Same, in reverse.

Buses:
Orange County Transportation Authority - OCTA
714/636-RIDE

Cabs:
A-AAA Taxi Cab
714/444-1234
Yellow Cab of North Orange County
714/535-2211

Best part will be sleeping on the way home instead of trying to stay awake driving.

ToursbabeC3po
04-22-2004, 11:37 AM
I think if you show your Amtrak tickets you can use the OCTA bus system for free. I would call and find out for sure. I know they do that for metrolink. The number is...
714-636-RIDE

The OCTA bus that goes down harbor is a Night owl bus now and runs every 15 mins durning the day and every 30 mins at night! 24 hours a day!

Have fun ((((((((((hugs))))))))
Jennifer

Hakuna Makarla
04-22-2004, 02:03 PM
you mean I can get a city bus and go down town and back again from Harbor? That would be awsome! where do you catch the bus? I would like to catch a bus and go around looking with the kids. thanks

Gregmh48
04-22-2004, 02:17 PM
you mean I can get a city bus and go down town and back again from Harbor? That would be awsome! where do you catch the bus? I would like to catch a bus and go around looking with the kids. thanks

I'm interested in knowing too! Taking the train and having an accessable bus would make getting to DLR so much easier!

Hakuna Makarla
04-22-2004, 02:43 PM
Gregmh48, I see you have a web site for rollercoaster versions of disneyland? I went there and it says its been disabled? soundercool what happened?

West Covina Dave
04-22-2004, 08:47 PM
I do this all the time from Los Angeles on the Metrolink (on Friday nights to meet the family at the park). I get off at the Fullerton station, which is the next station north from Anaheim (Amtrack stops at both the Anaheim and Fullerton station). You then grab the 43 OCTA bus south, it goes straight down Harbor and there is a stop right outside of Disneyland, next to the taxi cab stand. Depending on the traffic, it's about a 30 minute bus ride from the train station to Disneyland. To get back to the train station, cross Harbor to the east side and take the 43 north.

I don't know if you get a free ride with an Amtrack ticket, but I know that when I show my Metrolink ticket I get a free ride. Even if you have to pay, I think it's only $1.

Zigen
04-22-2004, 10:34 PM
Thanks for the info everyone.

I found some good info at this web site on AmTrak(i dont know how to make a link)

http://www.mousesavers.com/train.html

The AmTrak Station is 2.5 miles away from Disneyland (long walking distance). You can call for taxi service and it wont cost much. It says nothing about the bus =( but it does say its fully staffed so if/when you have questions, hopefully someone will know the answer there. You can also rent a car at the station, Hertz but call ahead of time.

That brings me to my next question:
Do a lot of taxi's wait and hang out at the main entrance to DLR? or Would it be better to call and have a taxi wait for me?

BornieoTheLoveBug
04-22-2004, 11:21 PM
I've taken the Amtrak many time in the past and as recently as last summer. It's really relaxing and the view from San Juan Cap to SD is wonderful, especially at dusk. The station near DLR is at Angel Stadium (or whatever they're calling it). I've never bought an advanced ticket. I've just boarded and then when the guy comes buy I pay for my fare.

When I was a kid our family took the Amtrak from LA to San Diego and on the way back that evening, we could see the fireworks at Disneyland.

kkmickey
04-23-2004, 08:52 AM
A couple of tips with Amtrak - if you are transferring trains, make SURE that they transfer your luggage as well! Once they ticketed me and my three year old to Anaheim, but only ticketed our luggage to LA! When we got to LA, we had to run and get our luggage, and then try and cram it onto a very crowded train late at night. I was pregnant and by myself with my son, and I almost couldn't get off the train in Anaheim because it was so crowded and people were so rude.

The other hint is to make sure you arrange travel to your hotel ahead of time, especially if it's at night. The hotel shuttles will leave you for last because they are picking up people at the park, and the taxi drivers will drive in circles just to charge you as much as they can.

disneylandia
04-23-2004, 08:55 AM
I've taken the train (with my nephew) from Oceanside-Anaheim occasionally, and its a fun experience. Especially since the trains are fairly new and double-decker. After you pass Oceanside you travel along the coast for quite a while, and there are some beautiful sights. I've always found it a relaxing ride, especially when you're zooming along leaving the cars along I5 in the dust. :)

I would suggest you arrive at the station about 1/2 hour before its scheduled to leave to get your tickets.

I've taken the bus from the Anaheim station to Disneyland, but for a small child it is a long walk through the Angels stadium parking lot to cross the street and get to the bus stop. (Reminder, the Anaheim train station shares the same parking lot as the Angels stadium.) To save a few bucks I wouldn't recommend it. However I'd say the cab is more like a $10 trip one-way. If there is no cab waiting, there are phones that dial directly to a local cab company outside*. (*at least there used to be when I last took the train)

spectromen
04-23-2004, 11:47 AM
As Disneylandia says...if you don't mind walking out of the parking lot to the corner of Katella & State College, the bus is a great deal and requires no transfers. Once you get on, get a copy of the schedule for the Katella line (sorry, don't know the number) to see what the latest return time is. It's gonna be pretty late, though, that's a major thoroughfare.

I'd highly recommend SD visitors to take the train vs. driving, especially with the current gas prices! Have fun.

DCAWhites
04-23-2004, 02:19 PM
Theres a bus (Octa line 430) that makes limited runs, weekdays only, RIGHT from the station (not katella and state college) to the disneyland hotel as well as near the east entrance to the esplanade. The bus starts running early (around 6:30am) but it stops running early (5pm). So a cab would be necessary to get back at night. As for the train, its very nice and relaxing. BE SURE TO ARRIVE early if you need to buy a ticket as most of the time there is only one clerk at the smaller amtrak stations, and even if only 5 people are needing to buy tickets it can be a 15 minute line. AND WHATEVER YOU DO, BUY YOUR TICKET BEFORE BOARDING. Otherwise they'll charge you a a VERY hefty fine. if you have your tickets already, show up at the train station 10-15 minutes early. No security checks.

nice thing about amtrak is the tickets don't have to be used at any specific time. For example if you planned to depart anaheim at 7pm, but want to stay late, you could get on the other trains that night NO PROBLEM. I'd reccomend it for you since it'll only be you and your child. WHen its many people travelling, driving becomes much more cheap.

disneylandia
04-23-2004, 05:19 PM
While I was checking out the schedules for the Metrolink (a good alternative to driving, however it doesn't go all the way to San Diego ~ just Oceanside), I saw that they are offering free rides on the Orange County Metrolink this Saturday, April 24. The schedule is here (http://www.octa.net/busrail/metro/anniv.asp) . These rides are only between San Juan Capistrano and Fullerton, but for those of you in that area, take advantage!