Airports Near Disneyland California: Best Airports and Shuttles from LAX, SNA, and More

We’re Going to Disneyland!

Since opening in 1955 Disneyland has been known as “The Happiest Place on Earth”. The second most popular U.S. theme park with nearly 18 million visitors in 2024 (Disney World in Orlando by comparison welcomed 59 million guests), this translates to nearly 50,000 Mickey Mouse fans on average visiting each day. Not too shabby for a small park of just 500 acres. (The original Disneyland was even smaller, at just 160 acres!). Compare this with Disney World which is 53 times the size of Disneyland with more than 27,000 acres to explore.

Which Airport is Closest to Disneyland?

With six airports offering commercial flights within 100 miles of the park, vacationers going to Southern California with plans to visit Disneyland have plenty of flight options. Since in all likelihood you intend to visit a lot more than this theme park during your time here, it may not be all that important which airport you choose.

What it really comes down to is the airfare cost, flight schedules, and be sure to take a close look at how much you will have to shell out for a rental car. Prices can vary quite a lot, so the cost of your air, car, and hotel accommodations should all enter into your choice of airport.

If your decision pertaining to which airport to fly to was based solely on proximity to Disneyland, both John Wayne/Orange County Airport and Long Beach Airport are 14 miles away. Next closest is Ontario International Airport at 35 miles, followed by LAX at 42 miles, Hollywood Burbank Airport (Bob Hope) at 43 miles, and San Diego International Airport which is 97 miles to the south.

Let’s take a look at these airports individually. Drive time to Disneyland is based on “normal” traffic conditions where you can move at the speed limit. Of course, this is Southern California where anything goes, and rarely does traffic move at the posted speed limit. Well, okay, maybe in the middle of the night. Since you probably won’t be arriving, picking up a rental car, and heading straight to Disneyland, the time from the airport to the theme park isn’t particularly important.

To Drive or NOT to Drive. That is the question.

You are not alone if just the thought of driving in Orange County, home to Disneyland, and Los Angeles County which is just to the north, rattles your nerves. Although there are mass transit options including buses and some rail service, the overwhelming majority of people rely on a personal car for transportation.

If you have yet to experience Southern California’s freeways, prepare yourself for massive traffic jams even though some of the roads offer five, six, even seven lanes in each direction. Most freeways have carpool lanes adjacent to the center median, but they also require 3+ riders in each vehicle. If you have the kids along, you’re in luck, though you still have to merge onto the freeway and somehow get all multiple lanes to reach the carpool lane. And then do it again when you are getting close to your exit.

By all means, do everything you can to avoid the a.m. and p.m. rush hours, as it can take an exceptionally long time to reach your destination. You will also quickly realize that during non-peak times when the traffic is moving along nicely that the speed limit doesn’t mean a lot. Most drivers operate well above the posted speed, and the police pull over very few violators. This doesn’t mean driving as fast as you want, but to go with the flow and you should be fine.

Best Shuttle Services from the Airport to Disneyland & Anaheim

For a myriad of reasons, some travelers choose to travel by airport shuttle service to their hotel at Disneyland or elsewhere in Anaheim, where the theme park is located. There are three Disney-owned hotels within the park’s boundaries: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, and the Pixar Place Hotel. With Anaheim also being the home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and baseball’s California Angels, there is no shortage of hotels to choose from in the area.

Making shuttle arrangements is easy to do online with both of these companies. Be sure to book your arrival transfer as far in advance as possible, but no later than 48 hours before your flight pulls up to the gate. Text messages are used to advise the shuttle company that you have arrived, and also to tell them that you are ready to be picked up. If you don’t have a smartphone, the shuttle company will provide a phone number to call when you have gathered your bags and are ready to hit the road.

Pre-designated pick-up points are quite easy to find either in front of the terminal or outside of baggage claim, though at LAX this is more of a challenge since there are so many exits from the terminal and multiple roadways to cross to the pick-up zone.

Because there are multiple shuttle companies, and often multiple vehicles operating at each airport, the shuttle vehicles are clearly numbered, and you will be provided with a license plate number to match with your ride.

Still More Ways to Get Around Town

If Lyft or Uber are your preferred way to travel when you aren’t driving yourself, both companies offer private and shared rides to Disneyland from the area’s airports. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to download the rideshare company’s app, plus add your personal information and payment method to get started.

Next, plug in the name or address of the specific hotel you are transferring to, and the app will give you the price and estimated travel time. You will also be advised how long it will be before your driver arrives to collect you, any other passengers, and your belongings, as well as his/her name, car type, and license plate number.

Both rideshare companies now offer upgraded private cars that will be competitive with local executive limousine services.

Which Hotels Have a Shuttle Bus to Disneyland?

If you are staying at one of the on-site Disneyland hotels or at a handful of nearby hotels that operate their own shuttle service to the park, you are indeed fortunate. However, there is no need to choose your hotel based on whether they offer a Disneyland shuttle or not, as the Anaheim Regional Transportation Authority runs what is called the ART shuttle bus service. These incredibly convenient buses travel throughout Anaheim, stopping at or within an easy stroll of most of the city’s hotels, and the Anaheim Convention Center. So, even if you do have a car with you, it may be a clever idea to keep it parked at your hotel while you visit the park.

When making your travel plans be sure to download the official ART app which is aptly named “A-Way WeGo”. You will find detailed information about the location of each stop on the multiple routes run by these buses, as well as the cost and operating schedule. Shuttles start running an hour before Disneyland opens and continue to depart the park up to 30 minutes after closing. And yes, service is seven days a week.

The ART app makes it easy to purchase shuttle passes, board the bus with a touch-free scan (which is great with so many people in close proximity), and to view the route system, plus departure and arrival times.

Signage on the front and side of each ART bus specifies which hotel line it operates on, and whether it is going to or from Disneyland. When you’re ready to disembark there is no need to signal the driver to advise that your stop is coming up. All ART shuttle buses stop automatically at each and every designated stop on the route.

ART buses deliver riders to the Disneyland Main Transportation Center, a perfect location to clear security and enter the resort at the Esplanade which is smack dab in between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

When it’s time to head back to your hotel just come back to the Transportation Center, find the bus route for your hotel – you will need to know the bus route number, and climb aboard when it arrives. Routes are color-coded and numbered to make finding the correct bus a breeze.

Current ART bus passes are $4 per adult one-way or $6 per adult for a one-day pass. Three-day passes are $16 for each adult, and four-day passes cost $25. Kid and senior citizen rates are available when you make your purchase on the app. IMPORTANT: multi-day passes are for consecutive days, so don’t buy a three-day pass expecting to visit every other day over five days. Your pass will expire, and you will have to pay for the last day again.

Let’s Make Those Disneyland/Southern California Hotel Reservations Today!

When you are ready to book hotels for your Disneyland/Southern California vacation, remember that Travelated offers a vast array of competitively priced properties at all price levels. In addition to Disneyland, we have great hotels close to all of the most popular sightseeing spots including Santa Barbara, Hollywood/Universal Studios/Burbank, San Diego downtown and closer to their must-visit zoo, La Jolla/Del Mar, Laguna Beach, as well as nearby all of the airports listed in this article.