Cheap non-park day via Metrolink or Amtrak

[ChanaC]

I live in Burbank and thought it might be fun to have a cheap Disneyland non-park adventure day on one of my days off. The idea is to take the Metrolink train (via a connection in Union Station) or the Amtrak down. Has anyone arrived via train and have any tips? I see there is the ART buses, but are they a safe and reliable way to get to the resort? How frequently do the buses run? Time isn't a huge issue since it's not like I'm rope dropping, although I'll want to make sure I make it back to the station for the return train since they leave pretty infrequently.

And once I get to the resort, is there enough to do for several hours without going into the parks? I've been to Disneyland twice (each for a one day trip) but I used to work at WDW where there is a TON to do without a park ticket. I've never been into any the resorts, so I thought it might be interesting to go in a walk around them, especially the Grand Californian. I would also explore Downtown Disney, which I had only previously walked through.

Does this seem like a doable plan?

 

[starry_solo]

Depends on the day/season. There are nice things to do around the holidays in the lobbies of each hotel (gingerbread houses) and other things around Downtown Disney.

 

[ChanaC]

Depends on the day/season. There are nice things to do around the holidays in the lobbies of each hotel (gingerbread houses) and other things around Downtown Disney.

I’m thinking more about within the next few weeks but I could always make a return trip around the holidays.

I remember reading about the “Art of the Craft” tour at the Grand Californian pre-Covid, but I can’t find any info about if it is back or not. I think the Disneyland hotel also had a free walking tour too? If either is back, or something similar it would be something interesting to do!

 

[Ryan120420]

I've done it. Before the Covid shutdowns, I would sometimes take the Metrolink train on the weekends to the parks.

1. I highly, highly, highly suggest you getting off at Fullerton Metrolink station and taking OCTA 43 or 543 to the parks. The buses run every 15 min and your Metrolink ticket allows you to board for free both ways.

2. ART buses are very safe. The problem with them is they run very infrequently to and from the ARTIC train station. The trip to and from the station can take up-to 40mins. Also, since the reopening of the park, it now seems like the line that services the train station (route 15) is an on-demand route where you have to get the ART app and request a pickup. Not sure how reliable that is.


And if for some reason you miss your train back to LA, there is an LA Metro bus 460 that will take you into Downtown LA from Disneyland.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I think you could spend a day at Downtown Disney. It's mostly shopping, but it's fun to browse even if you don't buy anything. Think of Downtown Disney as a giant outdoor shopping mall. There's tons of great places to eat everything from small snacks to full meals.

 

[brightlined]

In January, I arrived at DLR on a Magic Key blockout day, so I just wandered the area. There's not a ton to do, but you can definitely burn a few hours.

Trader Sam's might be worth a stop if you haven't been. It's different from WDW. If you can't get an ADR, try the Walk-Up List - when I did that as a solo (mid-day, around 1pm I think), they let me sit inside (at the bar).

It felt a bit weird to me to wander through the various DLH lobbies, but nobody seemed to mind. One of the DLH buildings (Frontier) has a really cool ride model of Thunder Mountain.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...

1. I highly, highly, highly suggest you getting off at Fullerton Metrolink station and taking OCTA 43 or 543 to the parks. The buses run every 15 min and your Metrolink ticket allows you to board for free both ways...

Agree with this.

 

[RoseColored97]

Thanks for asking this! We enjoy taking the bus/metro sometimes in different cities because it's a different way to view the area. We took an Uber to Universal Studios back last year and I think we would rather do the train if we did a daytrip again. The traffic was pretty gnarly.

 

[starry_solo]

You could possibly kill a few hours at Downtown Disney and the hotels. Trader Sam’s is nice. So is Craftsman Grill, formerly Whitewater Snacks.

Paradise Pier is currently undergoing construction so not much can be seen.

 

[midnight star]

not sure how long you will stay, but if you are there in the evening hours, you can see fireworks from the esplanade. Just make sure it’s a day fireworks are showing, not just projections.

 

[starlite_]

We did that on December, it was fun! We mostly window shopped and had a drink at Trader Sams.

 

[DizMe]

Sometimes there are fun musical entertainers (more commonly in the evening). A while back I happened upon a Beatles cover band on that stage near the DLH-end of DTD. I could've stayed there for ages but I had to meet up with family.

You could go bowling, though I've heard that it's pricey.

I agree with those who have recommended a trip to Trader Sam's/Tangaroa. That's a great atmosphere. Or have a nice lunch someplace like the upstairs terrace at Ballast Point or a pretty outdoor spot at Naples. Another wonderful option is the Craftsman Bar & Grill inside the GCH.

There are some nice shops, but there aren't enough for a whole day of shopping IMO.

For me, DTD is an interesting visit for maybe a half a day. You can definitely extend that out if you go to a fun restaurant. Trader Sam's is ideal for that because of the "crowd sharing" interactions.

(had to edit my post because I used the word "fun" about 500 times in the original)