If you’re planning to visit the Disneyland Resort, getting around is easy—walk or take the monorail! Other Southern California attractions aren’t within walking distance of Disneyland, however. Most folks will drive, but there are a few other options if you prefer public transportation.

Whether you’re driving your own car or a rental, you should get to know the “lay of the land” before you arrive. California is the land of the freeways, with up to 12 lanes of concrete criss-crossing and connecting you to the places you want to be. Study the area maps in this guide, and pick up a good driving map of the area. The two main north-south freeways are Interstate 405 (San Diego Freeway) and Interstate 5 (Santa Ana Freeway). I-5 passes right through the northeast corner of the Disneyland Resort. Several freeways go east-west, including Route 22 (Garden Grove Freeway), Route 91 (Artesia/Riverside Freeway) and I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway). Learn both their numbers and names so you can recognize them as you’re zipping along the highway.

Local streets around the Disneyland Resort are well-marked. The major streets to know are Harbor Blvd. along the east perimeter of the Disneyland Resort, Katella Ave. along the south, Disneyland Drive along the west, and Ball Road along the north.

L.A. traffic is notoriously bad, and it’s worse during rush hour or in rain. Always leave plenty of time for travel. Tip: Tune in to traffic reports on your car radio— try 1070 AM (Los Angeles) or 1670 AM (Anaheim). Or visit http://sigalert.com before you leave. Watch for overhead road displays which alert you to delays.

Driving laws are straightforward. All passengers must wear a seatbelt. You can turn right on a red light and make U-turns unless otherwise posted. Kids under 6 years of age or under 60 lbs. must use an approved child safety seat.

Get driving directions before you depart. Use your smartphone, GPS, or Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) for point-to-point directions and maps. We provide general directions for the airports below and directions for each park or attraction later in this guidebook. Disneyland Resort’s web site also provides customized driving directions to the Disneyland Resort—go to http://www.disneyland.com and search on “driving directions.”

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM THE AIRPORT TO DISNEYLAND

From LAX:  Take I-105 East about 6 miles, and exit onto I-110 South. In 3.5 miles exit onto SR 91 East. In 18 miles exit onto I-5 South. In 4 miles exit onto Disneyland Drive. About 35 miles.
From Ontario Airport: Take CA-60 West for 12 miles, merge onto CA-57 South for 14 miles, take the Ball Rd. exit (#3) and follow signs. About 33 miles.
From John Wayne Airport: Take I-405 (San Diego Freeway) north to I-5 (Santa Ana Freeway) north, then take the Katella Ave. exit, go straight to Disney Way, and follow the signs. About 14 miles.
From Long Beach Airport: Take CA-19 (N. Lakewood Blvd.) north to CA-91 east, merge onto I-5 south, then take the Disneyland Drive exit and follow signs.