There are so many wonderful fun-filled places in Anaheim, California! You’re probably hoping to pack your days as much as you pack your bags, and we don’t blame you- there’s so much to discover!. Whether it’s just you and your significant other or with kiddos in tow, you’ll want to make the most out of the time at the happiest place on earth!
Two popular attractions in the area you’re probably looking to cover are Disneyland and Legoland. These parks are about 70 miles apart and depending on how you plan to get there, can take an hour or more. While you’re setting up your trip, there are many questions you might have, and transportation adds to it.
Questions about bringing lunch into the park, having bags, or how old your kids need to be to ride the rides. What about when you’ll go to the beach? Where’s the cheapest sunscreen? Also, can I fit two amusement parks into a single day?
Planning a trip can be stressful, which is ironic- vacations are our time to relax! The remedy is to be prepared by going in and knowing what you want and having a plan. Don’t lose your cool- just take a deep breath and write everything out.
To best map out your vacation and decide whether you can do both Legoland and Disneyland in a day or need to spread them out, read on to see the best ways to reach your fun destinations!
By Bus
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If you hope to make it by bus, it’ll take a few transfers to get where you need to be. You and your family will board three different buses that will lead you to Legoland. You’ll start by walking to the Disneyland Main transportation center and switch to the Arctic Sports Complex Line.
The Arctic Sports Complex line ride will last an hour and will take you from Anaheim into Oceanside. A final bus from Oceanside will escort you into the lot where you’ll walk a half-hour toward the park entrance. The trip takes about 4 hours and 6 minutes total, but traffic and other unpredictable factors can impact timing.
A bus is a great option if you don’t have a car, however, it limits flexibility in your schedule. Depending on the train company you plan to ride, there are also limited daily trips available, meaning if you miss a train you’ll either be waiting for hours or completely out of luck.
If you’re looking to take a bus, it’s important to have your schedule mapped out and to stick to it. Set certain timeframes for when you need to be somewhere to ensure you’ll get the most out of your experiences. And make sure the kids and everyone at your party are aware of it!
Keeping everyone aware will ensure everyone gets along and enjoys their time together.
By Train
Traveling by the tracks is another fun way to get you and your family to the next adventure and is also the cheapest option if one doesn’t have a car or rental car available.
To take the train, you’ll similarly walk out of Disneyland to the Disneyland main transportation center, as you would for the bus. From there, you take a bus to the Arctic Sports Complex and board a train leaving Anaheim. The train will take you directly to Oceanside.
From Oceanside, you’ll take a bus ride into the parking lot and conclude your trip with a short 30-minute walk into the entrance.
The trains are somewhat more flexible than the bus, as they leave hourly instead of limited day trips. With that, things don’t have to be so rigid in the sense of timing and making sure you’re at a certain place by a certain time.
The train ride is the longest at 3 hours and 46 minutes of travel time but remains the cheapest at between 5 USD and 44 USD.
By Car
If you’re visiting California and came by car driving is appropriate as it adds no additional cost, except for gas if you need to fill up. If you flew into California but have leased a rental car for your stay, driving the rental is worthwhile as you may only have to pay for gas.
Legoland is in Carlsbad, California, 70 miles south of Disneyland in Anaheim. By car, the trip should take approximately an hour. Traffic can occasionally extend the trip depending on conditions.
What’s convenient about the car is that everyone is in one place the whole time, meaning there is no switching off between travels. And the timing is up to you- with your car, you can dictate when you leave for the second park and when you decide to leave for home. That luxury is missing in other modes of transport, with other drivers dictating timing.
How Do I Get There?
In short, you can reach Legoland from Disneyland either by bus, a combination of bus and train, as well as by car. Mapping out those options and determining what you hope to do in the parks will help you decide what mode of transportation meshes the best with your plans.
Remember not to rush yourself- you still want to enjoy everything. While visiting both parks can be a one-day excursion (especially if you have a car), that might not be possible depending on how the schedule plays out.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be discouraged if you have to break up your trip into two days- vacations are to be enjoyed! You won’t be having much enjoyment if you’re stressed out now, will you? Vacations can’t be 100% predictable, but that’s part of their charm- thinking about all the memories you can make!
If Legoland and Disneyland are two check boxes you want to cross off on the same day, allow plenty of time to set those things up and stick to them; you’ll be having fun before you know it!
More about our TFVG Author
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
