Need quick help - Anaheim-Newport Beach Commute?
 

My husband is attending a conference in Newport Beach in early January. Can anyone tell me what the commute would be like for him to travel from Anaheim to Newport Beach (Hyatt Hotel area) each morning? We are too late to book the conference rate at the Hyatt and I would prefer to get a jump start on the Disney vacation we planned, if possible. On the other hand, if traffic is going to make his life miserable, we'll stay somewhere in Newport Beach & then head to Anaheim.

Many thanks.

By the way, the point of being in Anaheim is obviously to hang at Disneyland - I'd be more exited about a trip to NB if it were summertime & we could take advantage of time at the beach. As it stands, we're a young family traveling on a budget, so we don't exactly fit the Newport Beach scene. Many thanks to anyone who can help - need to get this info to my husband before his secretary books a room this AM - (Thursday)

I'm assuming your husband needs to be in NB early in the AM. With peak rush hour(s) you can count on anywhere from 45 min to 2+ hours.

If you stay in NB area and head to Disneyland around, say, 9:30-10:00, you can probably do that in 45 min.

What?!?

I think 45 minutes would be the top end of the time involved. Thirty minutes is more like it most days.

The main routes involved would be I-5 south to CA-55 south to CA-73 south (this portion is, as I recall, not toll); get off at Bristol, then a right on Jamboree, follow that a few miles to the Hyatt Regency NB. It's about 20 miles all in.

rjw -

When was the last time you were in No. OC? 45 min is a very optimistic estimate!

the 55 freeway during rush hours is a nightmare. i agree with the other poster about commute being anywhere from 1-1.5 hours. it might be better to commute northbound fron NB to Disney resort area. rush hour traffic is usually southbound in the morning and northbound in the afternoon. my suggestion is stay in the NB area on the days of your husband's meetings and then transfer to the Disney resort area afterwards, if that makes sense in your schedule. also, hotel room rates in the anaheim area might be more reasonable compared with NB hotels, bec you have wider choices of hotel categories. have fun in Disney!

I will defer to the others' judgment. I'm in north OC fairly often, but I don't commute south to Newport on weekdays....

The suggestion to stay down in NB for the conference is a good one. Besides, even in winter, the OC coastal cities are lots of fun.

You definately don't want your husband commuting from Anaheim to NB during morning rush hour! Not even to mention attempting to get back to the hotel in the afternoons. Irvine/NB is the center for quite a few offices and industrial complexes, not to mention the airport, and large numbers of people from Orange, LA, and Riverside Counties work there. Advice? Avoid heading into NB during the morning commute, and avoid heading out during the afternoon commute.

If you can stay in NB during the conference and then move, that should work nicely. Otherwise, I would suggest finding a place in NB or the surrounding area that is within reason.

How about Irvine as an alternative. Although I prefer the Newport, Laguna or Huntington Beach areas, there are quite a few hotels to choose from in Irvine, a Hyatt being one of them that might fall within your price range. Close enough to Newport Beach and not too far to Disneyland in the later morning hours.

THANK YOU everyone who responded for the much appreciated advice. It clearly makes sense to stay near the conference & then head to Disney. I'll check out Irvine, too, for other options. I sincerely appreciate the advice (and my husband, who just told me he'd be willing to go with my Anaheim plan, is grateful too).

Thank you all again!