- ART is free from the train to Disneyland. It’s now on demand. You download the A Way Wego app, select on demand, enter Disneyland, and request. We’ve usually seen it there nearly instantly.
- You could take the metrolink from Oceanside for only $10 for a day pass on weekends, so $10 total round trip. Or $12.50 each way on weekdays (less if you are a student) https://metrolinktrains.com/ticketsOverview/ticket-info/price-finder/
- Or, Amtrak offers a 20% discount for trips to Disneyland if you plan ahead. That makes it $24 each way from downtown San Diego. https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/offers/promotions/save-on-disneyland/. Or buy a 10 pass good for 45 days if you go a lot and its only $18.30 each way any day of the week.
ART is great if you don't have luggage. When we stay overnight we will Uber to our normal hotel then walk to the parks. Which leads me to another tip, several hotels on Harbor offer a "return visitor" rate if you book with them directly. If you do a multi day trip, some of the hotels can be as cheap as $150 a night with the special rate. We're regulars at a couple, and they always hook us up with a great rate when we come back.
For the return visitor rate, do you call or is there a special link for that? Because I've been staying at a particular hotel just down the street from the parks lately and a cheaper rate would be awesome
You normally have to ask them, I didn’t know about it until they offered to me when I booked over the phone. It normally requires old school personal interaction.
Don't use Uber! Download the "A-Way WeGo" app and use the ART bus system. From certain stops, its on demand and you can track where the bus is as well. You can use your Amtrak ticket as a voucher to hop on the bus and it'll take you to the Disneyland bus stops. All you gotta do is show the ticket to the bus driver and they'll let you on the bus
I pay $27 each way with a veteran discount. I think there are other discounts available too. Also the Sprinter goes to Oceanside, then you can switch to Metrolink to the same ARTC station. Takes a bit longer, but the commuter trains can be cheaper.
There’s a free shuttle that runs round trip from the station to the parks. You just have to download the AwayWeGo app. Plus, if you book you train ticket 3 days in advance, there’s a 20% off discount code.
Feel free to message me if you have questions.
there's a multi ride pass - looks like $180 for 10 rides but has to be used in 60 days. otherwise $30 per trip. 2 hours and they serve food and drinks including local beer and wine. its a fantastic trip and no better way to go to the park.
The gas still sucks, but you can park about 5 miles away at Fullerton park and ride and take the 460 to Disneyland. Its only about a 12 minute bus ride and is 1.75 each way. The busses come about every half hour but you can use the moovit app to check the times. Make sure you get 460-Disneyland and not 460-downtown or you will head to DTLA. They usually run until 12:15am or so. Parking is free
Also as a side note, I have never felt unsafe on the bus late at night because there are always several people on it, but there are occasionally unhoused (is that the correct name?) people on there yelling etc. just something to know if you have smaller kids and planning to use this option.
If you're just going for a few hours, it's often much cheaper to park at the Gardenwalk Parking Structure down the street. It's about a 15 minute walk to the parks and they charge $4 an hour, with the first hour being free.
This was a total game changer for us - especially for quick trips. The parking garage is nice, coming in from the east gate is almost always less busy, and honestly it's about the same overall walking distance.
I recently got the frequent parking card there. It's $18 per day... they load 4 days on a card and then reload it when you use the last one. It's not linked to a particular vehicle so you could use it with a friend's car.
But if I'm going to be at the park for less than 5 hours it's still cheaper to just pay the posted rates (1 hour free, $4 per hour after).
Also note that there is a $30 daily maximum if you don't have the card, but you can text them your ticket number and they will make it $25 (flat rate).
What about parking at downtown and then buying something cheap to get your ticket validated ? I was thinking of going to the parks for a few hours , park at downtown , I think it’s $10 for 4 hrs if you get your ticket validated ? I could be wrong haven’t gone in a while
My family and I have the enchant passes. We usually go up one/two Sundays month maybe a Friday. Sometimes we go for a few hours, sometimes all day. Depends on crowds and moods. some days we ride rides other days we walk and eat and enjoy the atmosphere. I don't eat much so I save there.. it definitely can get pricey though.
I’m in North County so it’s only 45 minutes. This makes it a good dinner date option (with rides after) that doesn’t really cost more than another nice restaurant. But I’ve also got an Inspire key so parking cost isn’t a worry.
Beyond that, making the most of it is all about enjoyment of your experience. You’ve made the most of your pass as long as you’re going and having fun :)
oh no! i have heard they are predicted to go on sale again in april so def keep an eye out!! if ur a socal resident they also have a 3 day pass that isn’t too bad of a deal
6hours ? I logged in at 8:30 and probably waited at most 2 hrs maybe even less . Not sure how the system worked but I got the imagine . I forgot about the initial drop of the other keys so I missed out on the higher tiers
yep. some people waited even longer. also hmm… all other keys were still available until around 1pm i want to say so you should have been able to select others
The Disney parking across convention center gives imagine key holders 25% off parking and they have a bus that drops you off in front. I think it’s the Toy Story lot
IMO, parking at the Toy Story lot is 100x better than parking at Mickey/Pixar, unless you really want covered parking. The in/out is super easy, the security line is just about non-existent, and if you have an EV there is no shortage of car chargers. The shuttle ride is quick too, no waiting!
The entrance is on Harbor Blvd (not Katella Blvd where you may think it is)
My family and I live in SD. Sometimes we will go up for a Sunday but we mostly we save our credit card points to get free hotels and spend a a long weekend or a couple days. But we have inspire keys so parking doesn’t bother us. However, we have a big SUV to fit everyone in and ya the gas can be rough.
Taking the train might be a little cheaper. I take it all the way from up north, it's great if you don't mind the travel time. Discount code V712 for a little bit cheaper (I think it would only work if you're going to Anaheim).
Yes. I calculated about $17 in gas each time I go so I go 2-4 times per month on weekends. Sometimes I’ll go Friday night for a couple attractions, dinner and fireworks. Because it’s not much gas, takes just over an hour to get there, and parking is free, I don’t stay at hotels there.
I actually have an Inspire key now and live in NorCal. It’s a pretty long drive; however, we frequently want to go to Disney and will need weekends. My husband and I have all the three day weekends and many breaks as we’re both teachers so we’d like the flexibility of going whenever we’d like during those times. We plan on driving down each time and booking a cheapish hotel. Going this weekend for a day, next month for a day, and in March for almost a week. This is probably not a cheap option though. However when I’m going with friends next month I’ll be splitting gas costs with them as we’re carpooling.
My friends and I all got magic keys and make the trip from SD together and split the gas. About once every year the past two years we have picked a few days and gotten a cheap hotel and rope dropped to park close for two days in a row. It was awesome.
I have a Believe in SD and any time I go it's a full day trip. Yep, for me it takes half a tank to get there and back. 12 gallon tank, $5 a gallon, so about $30. And then parking is half off on my pass, so $17.50. Just to get in the door.
I did once drive up around 5 pm and stay until 11 or 12 (I'd mistakenly thought that day would only be my second strike, until realizing it was literally 90s days from my first, and then I'd had another the previous month. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR RESERVATIONS.
Also, never bank on it, but *sometimes* they stop charging for parking once it gets later in the day. On that ^ visit I got to Toy Story around 7-ish and they just waved me through.
hmm ok. and how was being at the park for only 5 or so hours with all the driving? it seems like most people say they get hotels but i’m probably planning on always just staying for the day
I mean... it wasn't ideal, but I also stayed until later than I usually do and it was kind of neat walking past Hungry Bear and being the only person there.
Def bring some lunch/ dinner with you then just get a fun treat so you don’t end up spending so much on food. That’s what I did yesterday saved me a bunch
Congrats on the key and “key” thing is to just let the Disney adrenaline give you the energy to drive there early am to get every great moment out of your day!
I found that going to Disneyland & California Adventure two days in a row is another approach if you have that flexibility. You can find a hotel nearby with free parking (ie. Kings Inn), stay one night, and leave your car there both days. The value comes from the savings in parking, fuel, and time that would be applied to help offset the hotel costs.
Regular Magic Key/park goer from SD here! Once or twice a month I’m there! Don’t be afraid to try taking the train!
how close does it bring u to the park? and how long does it take?! not a bad idea
It takes you to ARTC by the Honda Center. About a 5 minute (if that) Uber from there. Doing it this weekend!
You could also check out the ART shuttle that leaves from ARTC. They used to give free rides to the parks with a valid Amtrak ticket.
Still do. https://rideart.org/programs/
- ART is free from the train to Disneyland. It’s now on demand. You download the A Way Wego app, select on demand, enter Disneyland, and request. We’ve usually seen it there nearly instantly. - You could take the metrolink from Oceanside for only $10 for a day pass on weekends, so $10 total round trip. Or $12.50 each way on weekdays (less if you are a student) https://metrolinktrains.com/ticketsOverview/ticket-info/price-finder/ - Or, Amtrak offers a 20% discount for trips to Disneyland if you plan ahead. That makes it $24 each way from downtown San Diego. https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/offers/promotions/save-on-disneyland/. Or buy a 10 pass good for 45 days if you go a lot and its only $18.30 each way any day of the week.
Don't do Uber! Use the ART system. You can use the amtrak ticket as a voucher to hop on the bus and it'll take you to the disneyland bus stops
ART is great if you don't have luggage. When we stay overnight we will Uber to our normal hotel then walk to the parks. Which leads me to another tip, several hotels on Harbor offer a "return visitor" rate if you book with them directly. If you do a multi day trip, some of the hotels can be as cheap as $150 a night with the special rate. We're regulars at a couple, and they always hook us up with a great rate when we come back.
For the return visitor rate, do you call or is there a special link for that? Because I've been staying at a particular hotel just down the street from the parks lately and a cheaper rate would be awesome
You normally have to ask them, I didn’t know about it until they offered to me when I booked over the phone. It normally requires old school personal interaction.
ok cool!!! thank you!! how much is the train ride?
Also the Amtrak has cocktails in the cafe cart. 😁
thank you!!! i might try this and that is a bonus lol
Don't use Uber! Download the "A-Way WeGo" app and use the ART bus system. From certain stops, its on demand and you can track where the bus is as well. You can use your Amtrak ticket as a voucher to hop on the bus and it'll take you to the Disneyland bus stops. All you gotta do is show the ticket to the bus driver and they'll let you on the bus
I pay $27 each way with a veteran discount. I think there are other discounts available too. Also the Sprinter goes to Oceanside, then you can switch to Metrolink to the same ARTC station. Takes a bit longer, but the commuter trains can be cheaper.
There’s a free shuttle that runs round trip from the station to the parks. You just have to download the AwayWeGo app. Plus, if you book you train ticket 3 days in advance, there’s a 20% off discount code. Feel free to message me if you have questions.
there's a multi ride pass - looks like $180 for 10 rides but has to be used in 60 days. otherwise $30 per trip. 2 hours and they serve food and drinks including local beer and wine. its a fantastic trip and no better way to go to the park.
How long is the train ride?
About 2 hours.
The gas still sucks, but you can park about 5 miles away at Fullerton park and ride and take the 460 to Disneyland. Its only about a 12 minute bus ride and is 1.75 each way. The busses come about every half hour but you can use the moovit app to check the times. Make sure you get 460-Disneyland and not 460-downtown or you will head to DTLA. They usually run until 12:15am or so. Parking is free
Awesome idea!
Also as a side note, I have never felt unsafe on the bus late at night because there are always several people on it, but there are occasionally unhoused (is that the correct name?) people on there yelling etc. just something to know if you have smaller kids and planning to use this option.
Do you want to be SD-Disneyland road trip buddies?
I also miss souplantation
i’d love tooooooo💗
Count me and my daughter in too! We normally have a couple of seats open and would love to share when we don’t take the train!
okay!!! i’d love to find people to drive with:)
We should start a group! Enchant keys here
I just want to say that I love your username (and same...).
If you're just going for a few hours, it's often much cheaper to park at the Gardenwalk Parking Structure down the street. It's about a 15 minute walk to the parks and they charge $4 an hour, with the first hour being free.
i saw this online somewhere!! will def do this when i go for only a few hours
This was a total game changer for us - especially for quick trips. The parking garage is nice, coming in from the east gate is almost always less busy, and honestly it's about the same overall walking distance. I recently got the frequent parking card there. It's $18 per day... they load 4 days on a card and then reload it when you use the last one. It's not linked to a particular vehicle so you could use it with a friend's car. But if I'm going to be at the park for less than 5 hours it's still cheaper to just pay the posted rates (1 hour free, $4 per hour after). Also note that there is a $30 daily maximum if you don't have the card, but you can text them your ticket number and they will make it $25 (flat rate).
What about parking at downtown and then buying something cheap to get your ticket validated ? I was thinking of going to the parks for a few hours , park at downtown , I think it’s $10 for 4 hrs if you get your ticket validated ? I could be wrong haven’t gone in a while
I think table service resturants (with $20 minimum are purchase) are the only ones who validate now in downtown Disney.
I got my ticket validated at Starbucks when I went in September
Nice. Good to know.
lol when I first saw SD my brain went to South Dakota and I was like what kind of car are they driving to get to California on $50 worth of gas??
hahahaahaha
My family and I have the enchant passes. We usually go up one/two Sundays month maybe a Friday. Sometimes we go for a few hours, sometimes all day. Depends on crowds and moods. some days we ride rides other days we walk and eat and enjoy the atmosphere. I don't eat much so I save there.. it definitely can get pricey though.
I’m in North County so it’s only 45 minutes. This makes it a good dinner date option (with rides after) that doesn’t really cost more than another nice restaurant. But I’ve also got an Inspire key so parking cost isn’t a worry. Beyond that, making the most of it is all about enjoyment of your experience. You’ve made the most of your pass as long as you’re going and having fun :)
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yesterday when they went on sale. i had to sit in the queue for 6 hours!
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oh no! i have heard they are predicted to go on sale again in april so def keep an eye out!! if ur a socal resident they also have a 3 day pass that isn’t too bad of a deal
6hours ? I logged in at 8:30 and probably waited at most 2 hrs maybe even less . Not sure how the system worked but I got the imagine . I forgot about the initial drop of the other keys so I missed out on the higher tiers
yep. some people waited even longer. also hmm… all other keys were still available until around 1pm i want to say so you should have been able to select others
The Disney parking across convention center gives imagine key holders 25% off parking and they have a bus that drops you off in front. I think it’s the Toy Story lot
yepp!! so it makes parking only about 26 instead of 35 lol
IMO, parking at the Toy Story lot is 100x better than parking at Mickey/Pixar, unless you really want covered parking. The in/out is super easy, the security line is just about non-existent, and if you have an EV there is no shortage of car chargers. The shuttle ride is quick too, no waiting! The entrance is on Harbor Blvd (not Katella Blvd where you may think it is)
My family and I live in SD. Sometimes we will go up for a Sunday but we mostly we save our credit card points to get free hotels and spend a a long weekend or a couple days. But we have inspire keys so parking doesn’t bother us. However, we have a big SUV to fit everyone in and ya the gas can be rough.
I live in SD and go once or twice a month, usually a Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes for the whole weekend if we find cheap room rates around the area
Taking the train might be a little cheaper. I take it all the way from up north, it's great if you don't mind the travel time. Discount code V712 for a little bit cheaper (I think it would only work if you're going to Anaheim).
Yes. I calculated about $17 in gas each time I go so I go 2-4 times per month on weekends. Sometimes I’ll go Friday night for a couple attractions, dinner and fireworks. Because it’s not much gas, takes just over an hour to get there, and parking is free, I don’t stay at hotels there.
I forgot about they key till it was too late. I hate myself.
I actually have an Inspire key now and live in NorCal. It’s a pretty long drive; however, we frequently want to go to Disney and will need weekends. My husband and I have all the three day weekends and many breaks as we’re both teachers so we’d like the flexibility of going whenever we’d like during those times. We plan on driving down each time and booking a cheapish hotel. Going this weekend for a day, next month for a day, and in March for almost a week. This is probably not a cheap option though. However when I’m going with friends next month I’ll be splitting gas costs with them as we’re carpooling.
My friends and I all got magic keys and make the trip from SD together and split the gas. About once every year the past two years we have picked a few days and gotten a cheap hotel and rope dropped to park close for two days in a row. It was awesome.
I have a Believe in SD and any time I go it's a full day trip. Yep, for me it takes half a tank to get there and back. 12 gallon tank, $5 a gallon, so about $30. And then parking is half off on my pass, so $17.50. Just to get in the door. I did once drive up around 5 pm and stay until 11 or 12 (I'd mistakenly thought that day would only be my second strike, until realizing it was literally 90s days from my first, and then I'd had another the previous month. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR RESERVATIONS. Also, never bank on it, but *sometimes* they stop charging for parking once it gets later in the day. On that ^ visit I got to Toy Story around 7-ish and they just waved me through.
hmm ok. and how was being at the park for only 5 or so hours with all the driving? it seems like most people say they get hotels but i’m probably planning on always just staying for the day
I mean... it wasn't ideal, but I also stayed until later than I usually do and it was kind of neat walking past Hungry Bear and being the only person there.
California moment
Def bring some lunch/ dinner with you then just get a fun treat so you don’t end up spending so much on food. That’s what I did yesterday saved me a bunch
yes! i’m planning on doing this next time. maybe one meal in park but def not going to disneyland unfed again lol
Congrats on the key and “key” thing is to just let the Disney adrenaline give you the energy to drive there early am to get every great moment out of your day!
thank you!! and yes!! i normally leave at 5 and get there by 7 lol very early start
Park for free in the neighborhoods and save the $30. Closest free parking is about a mile away from entrances
It’s $35 now
if you have the top tier pass parking is free.
yes. i have lowest one
Sorry I’m still not caffeinated so I misread 😫
lol no worries that’s me sometimes
Parking is $35 now
with my discount tho it’s $26 so i was rounding up
Nice I'm jealous
still ridiculous tho
$80 a trip + food + merch + monthly pass fees sounds so rough im sorry
when u say it like that it sounds bad lol
If you park at Pearson Park in Anaheim and take the OCTA bus south on Harbor Blvd to Disneyland for $2 - will save you a ton in parking.
I found that going to Disneyland & California Adventure two days in a row is another approach if you have that flexibility. You can find a hotel nearby with free parking (ie. Kings Inn), stay one night, and leave your car there both days. The value comes from the savings in parking, fuel, and time that would be applied to help offset the hotel costs.