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TempoNZ
02-26-2007, 12:29 AM
Hi all, I'm after a bit of advice.

My wife and I are on our way to WDW in December (Sat 2) however we have a stop over in LAX 12 hours. We will be arriving at LAX at 10:25am but by the time we clear "friendly" US customs it'll be 12:25pm before we get our luggage (That's if theya re being really nice, longer if not). Our flight to Orlando leaves 10:10pm that night so I guess we'll need to be at the airport by 9:00pm at the latest (Anyone know how long in advance we'd need to be there.

Anyway... to break it down
LAX 1:00pm -> Disneyland -> LAX 8:40pm?

So can we get from LAX to Disneyland and back? How long would it take to get from point to point? And... anyone recommend a shuttle company?

The next question of course is is it worth it.... that I'm not sure about but the idea of being in LAX for nearly 12 hours doesn't sound that fun either (Anyone got any other ideas?).

Any help is much appreciated

samsma
02-26-2007, 07:09 AM
You might find it vey snug! Especially since it's a Sat.Without bad traffic, you could get to DL in 45 min. Any kind of traffic on the way back, and you could miss you're flight. Since you are on your way to WDW, why don't you go to Universal studios during that layover. It won't take long to get there, and you could see it all in the time you have! I don't know about shuttles to Universal though, a cab might be the best bet there, as its really close to the airport.

yohomama212
02-26-2007, 08:32 AM
I would go, but I'm obsessed. At that time of day you can indeed get from LAX to DL in 45 minutes. But it will take you closer to an hour and a half to get back to the airport at night. I've always allowed two hours for check-in and all the security and fun airport stuff (but the last time I flew I was alone with my then 17 month old DD and before that was before 9/11 so there was all the usual family moments that took time). So if you leave LAX by 1:00, then you'll probably arrive at DL at 1:45 and get through the gates by 2:00pm. To make it back to LAX in time for check-in and all the airport business, you'll have to leave DL beteween 6:30-7:00pm. Is 4 1/2 to 5 hours, or less, in the park worth it for you? Like I said, I'd do it, but that's just me. My other sugesstion would be to check into a local hotel and get some rest!

Liz :cool:

sierranevada
02-26-2007, 11:09 AM
Well, with good luck, I think you could be out of LAX earlier than 1 pm. If you land on time, it should not take 2 hours to clear customs and pick up your luggage. Will you luggage be checked through all the way to Orlando? If so, you would just put in back on the transfer belt after clearing customs. If not, you should go check in it so you don't have to worry about it which will take a little more time.

I agree with the other posters, you could probably get to DL in about 45 minutes but to make sure that you arrive back at LAX in time, you would need to leave DL no later than 7 pm.

Universal is much closer to LAX and is always fun. Or you could go to Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach - even if it is not summer, it can be nice to walk around the pier areas.

Bytebear
02-26-2007, 11:20 AM
Ooh, I second Manhattan Beach. It's only 15 minutes south of LAX and can be a fun change. I would be very hesitant to leave the LAX area. You just never know what might happen, and you don't want to miss your flight.

emmah
02-26-2007, 02:00 PM
hi there fellow kiwis ... the last couple of times i have cleared customs in LA it has taken less than 10 minutes. i am a fast walker and always sit up the front of the plane, but still, customs is much faster than it used to be. the only sticking point is waiting for luggage - it can taken an age at LAX, which is why I fly with a carry on bag only (its a different story going home!); last time I flew into LAX I was on a shuttlebus heading for DLR inside of 20 minutes from the plane pulling into the gate. thus, it is entirely possible that your 2 hour scenario is far too generous.

assuming it isn't, then yes, I would still consider making the trek. you might want to allow more time for the shuttlebus (the traffic can be unpredictable and i am imagining that lunchtime saturday might be pretty busy). you can store your luggage in the luggage lockers (check the sizes of your bags agst the lockers before you leave), and have 6 happy hours at the magic kingdom - enough time to relax and unwind. you'll want to catch a shuttle at 8pm to be sure of a 9pm airport arrival. actually the quickest way to DLR is the magical express bus but you have to time it right because it only leaves on the hour and half hour - if you miss it, then you'll want to catch a shuttle (super shuttle is ok, but pick a full one or you can spend half an hour cruising the airport while they look for more passengers!).

another option would be to head to santa monica - good food, good shopping, lovely to walk along the beach and clear your head. it's only a short taxi ride (about 15 minutes max) from the airport and you could think about renting a hotel room for the day maybe, to leave your bags in, have a shower etc.

another of my favorite things to do with a spare day in LA is to go to the guggenheim museum = its gorgeous up there!

the one thing you definitely don't want to do is spend any more time at LAX than you absolutely have too; it's a pit of an airport (no offence intended to our american friends) and even the airline lounges i've used there (the admirals club, qantas club) are nasty!

Bytebear
02-26-2007, 02:07 PM
another of my favorite things to do with a spare day in LA is to go to the guggenheim museum = its gorgeous up there!

I think you mean the Getty Center, which is amazing and well worth the trip. The Guggenheim is in New York!

Leofoenget
02-26-2007, 08:27 PM
hi there fellow kiwis ... the last couple of times i have cleared customs in LA it has taken less than 10 minutes. i am a fast walker and always sit up the front of the plane, but still, customs is much faster than it used to be. the only sticking point is waiting for luggage - it can taken an age at LAX, which is why I fly with a carry on bag only (its a different story going home!); last time I flew into LAX I was on a shuttlebus heading for DLR inside of 20 minutes from the plane pulling into the gate. thus, it is entirely possible that your 2 hour scenario is far too generous.

Well the last time I flew LAX International, we didnt even have a connecting flight until the next day and it took us 2 hours to get out of the airport. Customs was fine but getting the luggage TOOK FOREVER. Honestly, I think you are pushing it, or will be so dead tired it won't be any fun.

thats just me

TempoNZ
02-26-2007, 09:21 PM
I'm hoping we will be able to check our bags (non carry on) at the transfer desk as our connecting flights are United so we should be ticketed right through from Dunedin to Orlando (about 39 hours from leaving my gate here to getting to bed in WDW, mostly due to stopovers).

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm thinking it is down to Santa Monica or "just do it" and do DLR. If I can get say 7 hours in park it'd probably be worthwhile. I think what we will do is play it by air and see how we feel after the flight.

I totally agree, LAX would be the worst airport facilities wise I have ever been to. Singapore is by far my favourite but I'd rate even little ol Auckland ahead of LAX (way ahead).

emmah
02-26-2007, 11:23 PM
I totally agree, LAX would be the worst airport facilities wise I have ever been to. Singapore is by far my favourite but I'd rate even little ol Auckland ahead of LAX (way ahead).

me too; akld can compete with many airports! good luck with your trip!

emmah
02-26-2007, 11:23 PM
I think you mean the Getty Center, which is amazing and well worth the trip. The Guggenheim is in New York!

yep, right you are!

mommy-san
02-27-2007, 06:32 AM
I was telling my husband about this situation and i couldn't believe that i married a man who could actually suggest that maybe checking into a hotel for some sleep would be a better idea than going to Disneyland for 7 hours!

VickiC
02-27-2007, 07:14 AM
I do not think you are allowed to check luggage more than 6 hours before departure. Would it be faster to rent a car for one day and lock the luggage in the trunk?

sierranevada
02-27-2007, 07:41 AM
I do not think you are allowed to check luggage more than 6 hours before departure. Would it be faster to rent a car for one day and lock the luggage in the trunk?

If he is on the same carrier or partner airline, he should be able to check it through all the way to Orlando when first checks in. If the airlines are different but are partners, ask them to "interline" your luggage.

stan4d_steph
02-27-2007, 11:13 AM
IMO it's way too stressful to try to get to DL and back to LAX. I would stick to a location closer to the airport. I get stressed when I travel, so I always want to be at the airport with plenty of time, especially given the long lines due to elevated security that we encounter now.

The old man
02-27-2007, 11:31 AM
I could name 20 great things to do in LA (based on your interests). Makes more sense to stay in LA then do a mad dash to Anaheim.

TempoNZ
02-27-2007, 12:13 PM
If he is on the same carrier or partner airline, he should be able to check it through all the way to Orlando when first checks in. If the airlines are different but are partners, ask them to "interline" your luggage.

Correct. All my flights are with Star Alliance (AirNZ and United). Basically it means I can check my bags in here in Dunedin, see them breifly again when I go through customs in LA (even though I would have been through 2 other NZ airports by then), check them in the transfer desk at LA and see them again (hopefully) about 24 hours in WDW using Magical Express.

TempoNZ
02-27-2007, 12:19 PM
I could name 20 great things to do in LA (based on your interests). Makes more sense to stay in LA then do a mad dash to Anaheim.

I've been to LA a number of times but never with such a short time frame and actually wanting to do something (I did fly from NZ to LA once for a key note I was giving and then headed back that night but that is another story.....)

I guess there are 2 real options really. Do some shopping (big mall nearby?) or head to the like of Universal. Santa Monica could be a goer but I can't imagine being there for 10 hours etc so it would have to be combined with one of the above (Again i'm not sure after a 12 hour flight I want to shop for more than 3 hours.... my wife might disagree though if there is a big bookstore there).

Ok all, what woudl you do, you arrie in LA at 12 Noon and have to be back at LAX at 8:30pm... what do you do??? (Ps - You might be a little tired to and will want to use shuttles, taxis etc as you can't be bothered driving (on the wrong side of the road) after not sleeping for 20 hours).

Drince88
02-27-2007, 12:23 PM
A couple years back I had a fairly decent layover at LAX and spent part of that time having a VERY leisurly meal at Encounter. It's a pretty cool restaurant - right in the center of LAX. Maybe not something you'd want to do with kids, but a cocktail or two and full meal can suck up some time for adults with a long lay over.

CarlieB
02-27-2007, 12:31 PM
Hi from another Kiwi:)

A friend of mine managed this a couple of years ago - it's pretty tight, time-wise, but do-able. Otherwise you can do what we did on the way back from New York a couple of years back and check out a mall near(ish) to the airport (we had plans to go to Santa Monica, but the weather wasn't great).

The old man
02-27-2007, 01:55 PM
Ok all, what woudl you do, you arrie in LA at 12 Noon and have to be back at LAX at 8:30pm... what do you do??? (Ps - You might be a little tired to and will want to use shuttles, taxis etc as you can't be bothered driving (on the wrong side of the road) after not sleeping for 20 hours).
First go eat at the real Farmer's Market--not the Grove. Then go on the approx. 2 hour tour of the amazing personal art collection at the Fredrick Weisman house. http://www.weismanfoundation.org/
Then, if you still have energy, go up to the Getty Museum or if you've done it, the Skirball (they are both nearby).

You may want to post your interests so I can tailor a tour more specifically.

Missapsy
02-27-2007, 03:20 PM
first, i have to tell you how much i absolutely adore NZ! i went there last june, and it is quite frankly the loveliest place i've ever seen. i met a friend playing an online game, who lives in methvan. i dont' know what i would have done without her! my husband and i spent a few days in auckland, then she set up my entire south island tour (including a LOTR tour of course!) and i have not spent a day without thinking about queenstown since! NZ is probably the only thing that can get me to move away from disneyland! incidentally, now i have a different friend from auckland coming out here in a few weeks, and i told him i'd book his hotel and get him disney tickets. but, on to the subject at hand!

i suppose i'm sorta with the other fanatics who say to just go, only because you'll get to see the holiday decorations. maybe if it were just a regular day, it might make me think that it wouldn't be worth the hustle. but, it's not something you get to see every day. and also, you could probably do DCA in that amount of time, if you've never seen it. if you want information about shuttles and such, i wouldn't mind doing the leg work for you and finding out about times and fares. heck, if i'm around on dec. 2 i will drive you to disneyland! i live about 20 min from l.a.x. , in fact, i live about 5 min away from santa monica and the getty center. just send me an email to: j@dirty.org (but if you are wary of strangers, i understand ;) ) let's see..there is a large bookstore on 3rd street (santa monica) and a lot of little shops, and a really good gelato place. or if you really just want to kill time, you could swing by the el capitan theater and see a disney movie and eat at the disney soda/ice cream parlor next door. that is also across the street from the touristy kodak theater (mall in there too).

i just think it would be a good opportunity to see the holiday stuff at disneyland, if you want to try it. like everyone already said, getting there shouldn't take too long, it's coming back to the airport that might hold you up..but using our carpool lanes, you might have a fighting chance. otherwise, if you just need a place to sit for a couple of hours , and you don't want to go through the stress of sightseeing in la. in only a few short hours (traffic can really kill you), go to third street in santa monica and plop yourself down in the bookstore..it's very close by, next to a mall and long streets full of shops/restaurants, rather large, and depending on how much you like to read/browse, you could spend all day in there without getting bored (i do!).

Bolivar
02-27-2007, 03:39 PM
There are United flights all day long from LAX to Orlando, why don't you just take a flight 12 hours earlier and then spend those 12 hours at WDW? I can't imagine that those flights are booked.

The old man
02-27-2007, 04:34 PM
i suppose i'm sorta with the other fanatics who say to just go, only because you'll get to see the holiday decorations. maybe if it were just a regular day, it might make me think that it wouldn't be worth the hustle. but, it's not something you get to see every day.
I hear the decorations at WDW are quite nice that time of year too.:rolleyes:

Missapsy
02-27-2007, 05:27 PM
yeah, but wouldn't you want to see the decorations at all the parks if you had the chance? i think if you want to see the nightmare before christmas holiday mansion overlay, this is a good chance.

i'd like to see WDW at christmas time if i had the opportunity, but to each his own.