Flying into SNA - realistic timing expectations?

[Skjhjb]

We fly into SNA for our first trip ever to California. We land around 2pm. We plan to take a Lyft to DLH.

This is not a park day for us, just check in, hit Downtown Disney area, have some dinner and try to stay awake until 10pm (we are coming from Ontario so a 3 hour time difference and our flight leaves at 7am EST, so early morning).

Realistically, by the time we collect luggage and order a car and drive the 25 minutes to Disneyland, how long does that process usually take?

I'm used to the huge Toronto airport where it can take 30 minutes to an hour to get through customs and get your luggage and stuff.

Same for SNA?

 

[Congo Queen]

SNA is smaller than YYZ so it shouldn't take as long as your experience at Pearson. But I have to admit that as a No Californian I am never clearing customs at SNA so I don't know how long that process takes. Baggage claim is fairly efficient though. I would say 10-15 min wait at the luggage carousel. Where you really might see added time though is the Lyft from airport to Dland. Just depends on the time of day and the mood of the traffic gods. So if your are getting into your Lyft at 2:45pmish should be decent but on the edge of the start of the afternoon commute. Last month we took an Uber from SNA to GCH at about 5pm on a Friday and it took us 50 min to get there.

 

[longboard55]

SNA goes pretty fast and you should be a little before real heavy traffic, I think you could do 1 hour- 1 1/2. Stay in the car pool lane, it is free and stay to the left on the 55 to the 5

 

[tlcdoula]

Do you clear customs at the airport before you fly out of Canada? When I fly from Vancouver we clear before we leave which is nice so we just walk out and grab our bags and jump in a cab or uber. Usually takes us 45 min to 1 hr to get to the hotel depending on traffic..

 

[CharleneTheDM]

Woot hello my fellow Canadians!

I flyed in to LAX twice and found the shuttle drive to Anaheim exhausting, so have started flying into SNA.
I personally find the process to be much more smooth and enjoyable as you can get to your hotel within half an hour or shorter

 

[Skjhjb]

Do you clear customs at the airport before you fly out of Canada? When I fly from Vancouver we clear before we leave which is nice so we just walk out and grab our bags and jump in a cab or uber. Usually takes us 45 min to 1 hr to get to the hotel depending on traffic..

I'm going to say yes? We are leaving Toronto, layover in Vancouver for 2 hours then to SNA. So I'm assuming somewhere along there we would clear before we leave the country.

 

[CharleneTheDM]

I'm going to say yes? We are leaving Toronto, layover in Vancouver for 2 hours then to SNA. So I'm assuming somewhere along there we would clear before we leave the country.

I fly out from Vancouver and basically do the customs clearance in YVR and once you land in SNA, you're good to go!

 

[tlcdoula]

I'm going to say yes? We are leaving Toronto, layover in Vancouver for 2 hours then to SNA. So I'm assuming somewhere along there we would clear before we leave the country.

Perfect, then you will just follow the signs to baggage claim grab your bags and head to the uber lyft area. Somone else might be able to expand on this but last time we took Uber we had to go upstairs to the pick up area. It was well marked.

https://www.ocair.com/groundtransportation/tnc

 

[goooof1]

Also, taxis are right outside the baggage area of the terminal, just waiting. Get in and go..... I believe there is a flat rate to DLR area and as stated above, and without traffic about a 20 minute trip.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

Yes, if you are flying YVR through to SNA, you will clear customs at YVR. Which airline? I think Westjet has a policy on time to have bags to the carousel - I believe it's 20 minutes? SNA is a small airport, so it won't take long at all to collect items. Then you're right out the door to ground transportation.

 

[Skjhjb]

Yes, if you are flying YVR through to SNA, you will clear customs at YVR. Which airline? I think Westjet has a policy on time to have bags to the carousel - I believe it's 20 minutes? SNA is a small airport, so it won't take long at all to collect items. Then you're right out the door to ground transportation.

Westjet! I have the WJ Mastercard that has the companion flight voucher, so our flights were super reasonable combined with my WJ dollars. Yay!

 

[Where's Wall-E]

Also, it's a bit of a hike from domestic to transborder at YVR, so be prepared for a bit of pre-Disney walking!

My best advice once you arrive at Downtown Disney, walk from one end (which conveniently starts at the DLH!) to the other to take it all in, and examine your dinner options. We can certainly offer opinions based on food choices and budget, but it's a good way to get to know your surroundings.

 

[Skjhjb]

Also, it's a bit of a hike from domestic to transborder at YVR, so be prepared for a bit of pre-Disney walking!

My best advice once you arrive at Downtown Disney, walk from one end (which conveniently starts at the DLH!) to the other to take it all in, and examine your dinner options. We can certainly offer opinions based on food choices and budget, but it's a good way to get to know your surroundings.

LOL I currently have more spots I want to eat at than we have meals!

 

[cdatkins]

on July 5 we landed at SNA at 2:25pm and we arrived at the GCH at 3:45pm.

We pre-booked a Super Shuttle which we only had to wait for 2 minutes for after collecting our luggage and heading out to the third island for ground transport.

Hope this helps.

 

[Disney_Alli]

We take that flight from YVR to SNA a lot (we start in YYC) and I'd personally be shocked it you were at your hotel any later than 4pm and generally shortly after 3pm.

 

[MillauFr]

Yes, if you are flying YVR through to SNA, you will clear customs at YVR. Which airline? I think Westjet has a policy on time to have bags to the carousel - I believe it's 20 minutes? SNA is a small airport, so it won't take long at all to collect items. Then you're right out the door to ground transportation.

Lyft used to pick you up right outside the doors of baggage claim. Now you have to go to the top floor of the parking garage and they have Lyft/Uber pickup. We usually request Lyft as soon as we have all of our bags at baggage claim. The drivers are waiting outside of the airport and it takes them 5-10 minutes to show up at the pickup area.

 

[geergirl]

Also, it's a bit of a hike from domestic to transborder at YVR, so be prepared for a bit of pre-Disney walking!

My best advice once you arrive at Downtown Disney, walk from one end (which conveniently starts at the DLH!) to the other to take it all in, and examine your dinner options. We can certainly offer opinions based on food choices and budget, but it's a good way to get to know your surroundings.

That walk through YVR was a bit of a surprise to us on a previous trip. Our kids were toddlers and we were hauling their car seats (big heavy Dionos no less). That's the experience that convinced us to buy lightweight seats for travel. It shouldn't be a big deal most of the time but if you have young kids, mobility issues, or similar I can see if being an unpleasant shock. We're going through YVR to SNA again in September for the first time since and I'm excited for the kids to be way more independent (and faster moving).

 

[baozi]

https://www.ocair.com/terminal/passengerservices-intl?fr=departuresBTW, I even took OCTA bus (cost $4.5/day) to Disneyland and arrive at Disneyland within an hour...

I'm going to say yes? We are leaving Toronto, layover in Vancouver for 2 hours then to SNA. So I'm assuming somewhere along there we would clear before we leave the country.

 

[Disney_Alli]

That walk through YVR was a bit of a surprise to us on a previous trip. Our kids were toddlers and we were hauling their car seats (big heavy Dionos no less). That's the experience that convinced us to buy lightweight seats for travel. It shouldn't be a big deal most of the time but if you have young kids, mobility issues, or similar I can see if being an unpleasant shock. We're going through YVR to SNA again in September for the first time since and I'm excited for the kids to be way more independent (and faster moving).

Oh man that walk is LONG!!!! We laugh every time we have to do it and call it our Disneyland warm up. I swear that walk is the reason that I still get over 10,000 steps even on travel days.

 

[Skjhjb]

Also, it's a bit of a hike from domestic to transborder at YVR, so be prepared for a bit of pre-Disney walking!

My best advice once you arrive at Downtown Disney, walk from one end (which conveniently starts at the DLH!) to the other to take it all in, and examine your dinner options. We can certainly offer opinions based on food choices and budget, but it's a good way to get to know your surroundings.

Well at least we have over 2 hours to do it! LOL

DH has a cousin who lives in Vancouver, and had the layover been a long one we would have tried to have her meet up with us. But it just isn't going to happen with only 2 hours!