It looks like basically the same costs and same amount of time to go from GSP to any of the SoCal airports.
I hear people mention Burbank and Orange County. I also see Ontario options. I don’t see any Long Beach.
If I could pick any, which would you recommend and why?
Or - is the airline better to go by?
I won’t be renting a car this time, so I could fly into one and out from another.
SNA is the closest airport to Disneyland
LGB is my far the smallest. There’s like 7 gates total!
ONT is a bit east, but it’s not awful.
BUR is farther from LAX, but it’s also a very small airport
LAX is obviously the big boy in the area.
We have flown into and out of SNA (John Wayne Airport) every time. Love the short drive to Disneyland and what a nice, compact airport it is.
Disclaimer: I’ve not flown specifically to SoCal ever. Growing up my family always drove to it and I’ve continued that with my own family. But have read years worth of DLR trip reports and this is what I’ve gleaned from my readings.
I do have a ton of real-life experience, both as a passenger and the driver, getting around SoCal. So have offered up my opinions on that part. Even if you won’t be the one driving through the traffic (i.e. if it will be an Uber or such), then that might not matter quite as much. But I would use it to consider how much of your time you want to dedicate to getting to the end destination. Especially for the LA airports. As rush hour from LA to Anaheim can mean sitting, sometimes for minutes at a time completely at a standill, over 1.5-2 hrs to get door to door.
So here’s what I’ve gleand:
Everyone who I have ever heard talk about LGB has absolutely loved everything about it! It seems like a tiny, quaint airport and there is apparently sand, and palm trees in a beachy area available to enjoy (with sight of the ocean maybe?) at the actual airport, like once you are already past security. The drive is also fairly painless, especially for SoCal. I haven’t driven it enough to experience it in a rush hour, but it’s not far at all and doesn’t seem to get crazy bad traffic like you hear from LA.
SNA (Orange County) is ridiculously close and people who want to maximize their park time love that. But it does seem to offer far less direct routes, so you’ll most likely have to take a connecting (or 2) flights, and also usually have to pay a premium. Also, Orange Country does have noise restrictions for the planes taking off and landing after 9 or 10pm so you won’t have any options to arrive or depart in the evening here.
ONT is one I hear less about the airport itself, but we pass it every time on our drive to DLR and for us it’s the homestretch. When there’s not traffic & we pass the exit for it, it’s a “YAY WE’RE SOOOO CLOSE!” (with a max 35-40 min left). But when there is traffic, it can mean that there’s an hour or even a bit more left, and it just so happens to get the worst starting around the Ontario airport, and stays pretty clogged for the majority of the rest of time until we get to the exit for DLR. So it feels like the worst. 
But you could pick it if there’s a pretty good price or schedule out of there. And the traffic, while never fun, isn’t as bad as LA.
For both LAX and BUR, you’ll need to get from the LA area to Anaheim. I like to drive in general but detest that drive unless it’s wide and clear with minimal traffic. And rush hour always seems to start earlier than you’d think (like getting into LA if you leave at 6am instead of 5:45, it can make a difference how much traffic you’re sitting in, and then the opposite direction for the afternoon, it’s like the difference of leaving at 3pm vs. 2:45). Again, if you’re not the one doing the driving, maybe not so much of an issue. BUT this is the one I would look at the most closely on what amount of time it will eat up to get to/from.
For BUR specifically, I’ve not seen much about it specifically other than its small. But I’ve seen some decent prices anytime I’ve checked from SLC. To me it feels so very, very, very, very far out of the way of DLR, even more than LAX, but traffic I think can be worse from LAX so it might be a wash on the time.
And then specifics for LAX. It always has by far the most choices and the times I’ve checked been the best priced options from SLC (but I’ve also only checked just for funsies since we always drive and have never flown to DLR). One last with thing with LAX is you do have to go to one specific lot/area and may have to take a shuttle to get to it for getting Uber/Lyft transportation. So I would study up on that if you end up going with LAX.
I have flown into and out of all of them, many times. My preferred order:
We have done Long Beach to/from Houston multiple times and love it. Very small and easy to navigate with kids. But ultimately we’re choosing based on where Southwest will go for the cheapest, non-stop options from our home airport. It’s easy to walk out and grab a taxi to the hotel at Long Beach.
Have been in and out of Ontario and LAX over the years, generic airports. Honestly, it’s six of one, a dozen of the other. I’d pick based on what flights work best for you.
I guess this will be a planning thread…?
@Wahoohokie @lolabear_la @Jeff_AZ
I’m about to pull the trigger on my Jan 2026 5-night trip with Marie to celebrate graduating college. It’s only $45 more total to stay at Grand Legacy vs. Castle Inn. I won’t have a car. Is it a much better place, or should I save $45 and spend that on snacks?
I found flights I am VERY happy with in/out of SNA. I’m looking forward to trying that.
I prefer it as it is quite a bit closer to the parks. Are your prices comparing the cheapest rooms? You don’t want to book the cheapest rooms at Grand Legacy (classic I think).
The Castle Inn is fine, it’s just not as convenient. Grand Legacy is as far south as I usually like to go. In January you may be returning to the room before dark for warmer clothes.
Good question! I went for the Luxury Plus Room- 2 Queen Beds - for $98 total more based on your and Jeff’s responses the other day.
Ok. Thank you. Tab and I didn’t think Castle Inn was too far to walk for breaks, so if Grand Legacy is even closer (on the map they look pretty similar, but I don’t recall all the walkways).
I just want to grab something before they start jacking up prices. It’s going to be so cold in January. But she wants to go. I was pushing for DCL but she wants to catch the end of the 70th.
This will be a nice room. I would definitely choose Grand Legacy. There is a big intersection between Grand Legacy and the Anaheim Hotel (which is next to the Castle Inn), so you can get stopped there coming and going to the room.
What are your dates?
I think you’ll be happy with Grand Legacy - it is a fair bit closer than Castle Inn. While I’ve never stayed at Castle, when you are walking back to the hotel at night, you will be so glad you don’t have to keep going when you reach Grand Legacy. 
It’s funny how I didn’t even notice the Grand Legacy as we walked back. I zoomed in on Google Maps and now I can see the walk better.
Get this - I didn’t need super specific dates (which actually makes the cost comparing a little more effort…) so I pulled it back one day and saved $88 which pays for plenty of snacks. And it gets me there on a Thursday, not Friday, so if we have the chance to see fireworks, we won’t be bonkers tired staying up.
So - Jan 8-Jan 13. It’s going to be so cold. 
I will still go in/out of SNA.
I hope there are no wildfires. That’s kind of a January thing.
Whatever. We leave for WDW this Saturday and I just needed to get this booked before the holidays started and next thing I knew it was January.
Thank you both for your help!
And YAY - I’m going to the Best Coast again!!!
The kids and I were there Jan 11-14 this year, so likely similar weather. The days were fine, but the nights were cold. This was just after the LA fires (1/7), and we could not smell smoke in Anaheim. Hopefully there is not a repeat of the LA fires in 2026, that was so heartbreaking.
I will be at UOR/WDW with the family when you two are in DLR.
I saw that in your thread. That’s funny.
I keep hoping I’ll run into Liners!
Thanks for telling me that about your Jan trip. I plan to bring a puffer coat. And gloves and a hat. We’ve done Dollywood in extremely cold temps and still had a blast. I’m sure we’ll make it work. 
These are my exact thoughts on the comparisons! The intersection isn’t terrible to cross and walk that much more BUT it can add a good 3 minutes if you just miss the light cycle. And that can make the walk feel 30 minutes longer when you’re tired and ready to be back.
I am willing to cross that intersection for Pizza Press (inside the Anaheim Hotel right on the corner as you cross that street) but their prices have also skyrocketed so we don’t get it nearly as much as we used to so it’s not as big of a draw to stay across that way.
Re: January weather. Agree with everyone, nights will be cold. Days will be fine especially if sunny. We layered up and for evenings had hats, gloves and for the kids sitting in the stroller, small blankets (that we already just had in the car) for them to be wrapped up in snugly, especially when we were waiting for evening entertainment. For some reason, that’s always the most cold part of any of our winter trips (because of them are near water like WOC/F! or require sitting on the ground like front row of parades on the cold ground).
We usually throw one of those foldable blankets in the basket of the stroller so if you’ll be spending anytime sitting for a parade or F! you might want to consider something similar (even if it’s just the tiniest bit of a small-sized fleece blanket to put a layer between the ground & you).
Oh Thank you!
We leave Saturday for WDW. After that trip I can consider more for DLR strategies. As of now we just have carryon and personal item for DLR. I may pay to check a bag additionally. I am cold all the time. I need to have what I need to be warm enough to enjoy myself. We will get 5-day hoppers so tons of time. We can certainly go back to the room to warm up, rest, etc. change. Thank you. Keep hints coming! I may walk to Walgreens on arrival to grab some small food items - yogurt, etc., for mornings.
I just looked at the TripAdvisor listing with photos. Some are extremely old. Do you remember if there are still some take out places on the property? While I prefer to eat all the yummy things at DLR, I’m literally giving Disney So Much Money in the next three months.
DD12 just pointed out - “You’re going to Disney WORLD in November, Disney SOUTH CAROLINA (Hilton Head) in December, and DisneyLAND in January. Mom! That’s crazy.”
She was correct right up until this part. 
LOL.
She already likes to overshare how Mom did DLR, WDW, and DCL last year. She needs to tone it down. DH is already using words like “vacation budget.”
Oh geez! Hit send too soon 
The last time we were there the donut and boba place were definitely still in business. There is also another food place I don’t remember but all three look like they are still there.
The boba place is one of my daughter’s faves. The restaurant/bar at the top (didn’t get included on my screenshot, but is there and called something like 5th bar?) is also well liked by many regular West Coast regulars to Grand Legacy. Had a great view of fireworks too.
And there is totally a Denny’s on the way that does online ordering and is relatively easy to use, pay online and pick up on the way. We get SO much Denny’s online when we are trying to save some money on the eating and snack budget.
