🚗 From LAX to Disneyland in a Rental Car: Survival Guide with Kids, Car Seats and Money-Saving Hacks ✨
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Traveling to Disneyland with small children is a chaotic experience, and the logistics can either make or break your entire perception of the trip. Every year my family and I travel to Disneyland, and we like to rent a car for convenience (you don’t have to wait for a shuttle), the price is reasonable, and the distance from LAX to Anaheim is short. We know there are other options like Uber or buses, but the one that suits us best is renting a car. 🚙💨
Here I’ll walk you through our arrival step by step, how we handle car seats, and a golden trick with the rental car that saves a good amount of money. 💡💰
✈️ The flight and arrival at the National hub 🏢
We flew with Alaska Airlines (you can already read our detailed review on the blog). Once we landed at LAX and picked up our luggage, we headed to the airport’s central island. 🧳
There you need to look for the purple zone 🟣, which is the exact spot where the authorized rental car shuttles pass. We took the little bus that takes you directly to the National hub. 🚐 The process with their Emerald Club program is very fast; we just picked up the vehicle, installed the car seats and headed straight to our hotel in Anaheim (Disneyland Hotel). 🏰
🛡️ Travel safety tip: The best travel car seats 💺
Traveling with your own car seats not only guarantees that your children ride safely, but it also saves you from renting seats of questionable quality or hygiene. This is what we use and what saved our lives: 🙌
- 🍼 For my 6-month-old baby: We travel with the Doona stroller, which converts into a car seat automatically. It’s an investment that saves you from carrying a huge stroller and a separate seat; for this baby stage it keeps you from hauling too much and is an undisputed travel essential.
- 👧 For my 4-year-old daughter: We use the Wayb Pico, a car seat I’ve had for three years. In my opinion, it’s the best travel seat on the market because it’s ultra light, safe and comfortable. (In another review I’ll tell you in detail why I love it ;).
Since it was a Sunday afternoon, the freeway played in our favor and in exactly 45 minutes we were already parking at the Disneyland Hotel. ⏱️🏨
💡 Smart saving tip: The trick to avoid paying for parking 💵
If you’ve looked into the costs of staying on Disney property, you already know that hotel parking is notoriously expensive. If you, like us, only need the car for the initial transfer from the airport to the hotel and the return trip, here’s the best money-saving hack of the trip: 🔑
National has a local office in Anaheim that’s only 5 minutes from the Disneyland Hotel. This is what we did: 📍
- 🏨 We arrived at the hotel, pulled into the driveway and left the family with all the luggage and the stroller comfortably in the lobby. 🧳
- 🚗 My husband went to return the car right away at the National office in Anaheim. 🏢
- 🚶♂️ He walked calmly back to the hotel along a completely flat route that took him barely 15 minutes. ⏱️
With this simple move you save the days of parking fees they’d charge you for leaving the car sitting at the hotel, money you can put to much better use inside the parks. 🎟️✨
In the next blog post I’ll share the full review of what my family experience was like staying at the Disneyland Hotel! 🏰💖
✈️ Where to Stay Near LAX with Kids: Quick Comparison
If you have a late-night flight and need to stay near LAX, here’s my hotel recommendation:
| Hotel | Location | Why choose it with kids | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Regency LAX | Century Blvd (right by the terminals) | The closest hotel; full soundproofing from jet engines, heated pool and continuous 24/7 shuttle. | See Rates ➔ |
| Hyatt House LAX | Century Blvd | Apartment-style suites with a fully equipped kitchen (ideal for bottles/snacks) and breakfast included. | See Rates ➔ |
| The Westin LAX | Century Blvd | Heavenly Bed beds for restful sleep after the flight, free shuttle and full-service restaurant. | See Rates ➔ |
📌 My Top 3 Near LAX in Detail
1. Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport — The fastest, most friction-free option
- Location: Century Blvd (practically at the foot of the terminals).
- Best for kids: If you land late and exhausted, this is the closest hotel to LAX. You can take their continuous shuttle or even walk over from Terminal 1. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with full soundproofing so the little ones can rest without the noise of takeoffs, and there’s a heated outdoor pool.
- 👉 Check availability and rates on Booking.com
2. Hyatt House LAX Century Blvd — Comfort with a kitchen and breakfast included
- Location: Century Blvd (5 minutes by shuttle from the terminals).
- Best for kids: Their studio or apartment-style suites include a full kitchen with a large refrigerator and microwave, essential for sterilizing bottles, warming milk or preparing quick breakfasts before getting into the rental car. Plus, the hot buffet breakfast is already included in the rate.
- 👉 Check availability and rates on Booking.com
3. The Westin Los Angeles Airport — Deep rest before driving to Anaheim
- Location: Century Blvd.
- Best for kids: Known for its comfortable Heavenly Bed beds that guarantee you reset your flight fatigue before the road trip. It offers a free continuous shuttle, a heated pool and options for quick bites or room service so you can have dinner in pajamas when you arrive without any hassle.
- 👉 Check availability and rates on Booking.com
💡 Booking tip: Airport hotels see high turnover from business and vacation flights. Book with a free cancellation option to lock in an affordable rate and modify it if your flight itinerary changes.
🗺️ Explore Hotels Near LAX in Real Time
Compare availability, rates and proximity to the terminals and rental car centers:
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