Who's heading to the USA in Sep/Oct this year?

[AussieMumma]

Hi everyone,

I just did a search to see if a thread had been started for Sep/Oct this year and was so surprised to not find one! Normally it is the most popular time to go and there are posts everywhere!

We just decided a couple of weeks ago to head back over for the school holidays
We said that we weren't going to go this year as we were very spoilt last year with a trip to Hawaii in April including Aulani, and then a big Disney trip in Nov/Dec for my eldest daughters graduation, going to Universal Orlando, Disney Cruise, Disney World and Disneyland all in the one trip!

But of course we couldn't resist! We knew we couldn't do too much due to lack of funds and also we only have the two weeks school holidays to use time wise, so we tried to decide between just Southern California or Hawaii. Turns out the cheapest flights we could get were to LA via Honolulu, so that helped sort out the plans of what we were going to do!

Our itinerary is:

Sep 15th - Fly Brisbane to Honolulu, stay overnight in Waikiki (hotel yet to be booked)
Sep 16th - Fly Honolulu to LA, stay overnight at the Embassy Suites LAX
Sep 17th - Rent a car and drive to Needles CA (hotel yet to be booked)
Sep 18th - Drive to the Grand Canyon staying overnight at Yavapai Lodge
Sep 19th - Drive to Phoenix in the afternoon for a 5:20pm flight back to LA. Get a transfer to Anaheim.
Sep 19th to 27th - Anaheim staying at the Camelot Inn & Suites, 10 day Disneyland passes, will rent a car over the weekend for some shopping and sight seeing etc.
Sep 27th - Fly from LA to Kauai via Honolulu, rent car.
Sep 27th to Oct 3rd - stay in Kauai at Waipouli Beach Resort
Oct 3rd - Fly home Kauai to Brisbane via Honolulu arriving home on the 5th.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Enjoy! Your trip sounds wonderful.

Not on the cards for me this year.

 

[macNZ]

Yes. We are going Sept/Oct. We last went in 2011 to WDW and traveled around a bit. This time we have a much smaller budget!

Arrive LAX 14 Sept
15 Sept - Universal Studios
16 Sept Drive up highway 5 to San Francisco
17 Sept - San Francisco City tour
18 Sept - Explore San Francisco
19 Sept - Alcatraz
20 Sept - Drive to Monterey Down Pacific Coast Highway
21 Sept - Drive to Pismo Beach
22-25 Sept - Ontario (visit friends, shopping, day trip to Magic Mountain)
26-30 Sept - Anaheim (4 day Disney passes)
1-2 Oct San Diego (maybe stay another night)
3 Oct Anaheim
4 Oct Fly home

 

[Caroline NZ]

We are going from October 10-28th
Big road trip in a convertible from LA to Austin,Texas and back. Lots and lots of miles to be covered

We also went in April just gone, which was 10 days in Anaheim and 7 days in Yosemite

 

[Minniesgal]

We are going to Aulani from Brisbane in October.

 

[zanzibar138]

So jealous! Nothing planned for me for the first time in a while due to busy period at work

We will be heading to Vietnam the last week of October though. I guess technically it's still September/October, but won't have anything to do with Disney

 

[Montanabel]

Count me in too

1 Sept - Fly to San Francisco (Comic Con, Alcatraz, other sights)
4 Sept - Fly to Orlando (Disneyworld, Universal Studios, DH and friend are going to visit KSC + considering Daytona)
18 Sept - Fly to Las Vegas (Shopping, shows)
23 Sept - Fly to Los Angeles (Universal Studios, Warner Bros Studios, DHS and friend are off to Knotfest)
27 Sept - Drive to Anaheim (Disneyland!)
3 Oct - Fly home

 

[Saskiwi]

We are! Disgeek parents and 2 teenage sons- their 4th time to DL. Last time was in 2013, so it's been a while!
We are last minute travellers so nothing confirmed but hopefully:
Sept 15 NZ to LAX - maybe via SYD or MEL ( we fly standby so it's always last minute)
15-19 Anaheim - no accom yet but hopefully a condo nr DL. DS13 gets to celebrate his bday at DL( I love that he is still excited about that)
19-23 Las Vegas- overwhelmed by accom choices there at present...
24-28 LA - maybe Venice/Santa Monica? Teenage sons want to do day at Magic Mountain and 1 or 2 at Universal.
Anyone have 2 bdr accom reccomendations around there? Can be hotel or condo rental..?

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

Looking forward to following all of your travel plans (jealously! ).

2017 for us, but the countdown is on! ;-)

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

Oh, and I'd love some recommendations and feedback on the new photopass set up at DL from anyone who uses it. Thanks!

 

[Caroline NZ]

We are! Disgeek parents and 2 teenage sons- their 4th time to DL. Last time was in 2013, so it's been a while!
We are last minute travellers so nothing confirmed but hopefully:
Sept 15 NZ to LAX - maybe via SYD or MEL ( we fly standby so it's always last minute)
15-19 Anaheim - no accom yet but hopefully a condo nr DL. DS13 gets to celebrate his bday at DL( I love that he is still excited about that)
19-23 Las Vegas- overwhelmed by accom choices there at present...
24-28 LA - maybe Venice/Santa Monica? Teenage sons want to do day at Magic Mountain and 1 or 2 at Universal.
Anyone have 2 bdr accom reccomendations around there? Can be hotel or condo rental..?

Hi Saskiwi, we travel standby too Did you know that the Anaheim City Council is trying to ban vacation rentals? I'm not sure of the latest news, but I think you will still be able to stay in one this year. They are looking to ban them within 18 months I think, but there are legal battles ahead.

 

[xxpinksaltxx]

We are also heading off in September. Just to Anaheim this time. We haven't been since 2013 (and are also desperate for some outlet shopping). We also travel standby (Qantas) but flights are looking pretty good for our dates so far. Fingers crossed for you both (Saskiwi and Caroline) that your flights have low loads.

 

[karen1987]

Count us in!

DFi and I are off to DLR (first time!) and a West USA road trip in October:

- 16/10 - DLR (Park Vue Inn)
- 21/10 - Zion (Bumbleberry Inn)
- 23/10 - Bryce Canyon (Bryce Canyon Log Cabins)
- 24/10 - Capitol Reef (Capitol Reef Resort)
- 25/10 - Monument Valley (Desert Rose Inn & Cabins)
- 26/10 - Lake Powell (Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel)
- 27/10 - Grand Canyon (Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire)
- 29/10 - Las Vegas (New York, New York)
- 31/10 - LA (Hollywood Celebrity Hotel)

After DLR, we're flying from LAX to LAS, where we pick up the car from McCarran International, drive out to Zion from there and do a few nights in Vegas on our return.

We then fly back home to NZ on 2/11 (but we don't land until 4/11 because of the change in time zone!)

 

[Caroline NZ]

Karen, we will be in some of the same places as you, but on different days in Oct ( Bryce Canyon on 13th, Monument Valley on the 14th)
However are staying at the Grand Canyon on 26th and 27th, so will be there the same time as you!

 

[CareBear88]

Long time reader and planner, first time poster!

Finally have everything in order for our first trip overseas to California and of course DLR!!!! (DP, DS 11, DD 7 and myself)

We have a 3 week trip planned with lots of distance to cover on our road trip. I say we however at this point the kids have no idea, they think we are heading to QLD for the school holidays. Thinking we may surprise them at the start of September with the real plan so they can plan some must do rides etc themselves.

Arriving in LA Sept 21
Yosemite 24th
SF 26th
Anaheim October 1st
San Diego October 7th
Fly home October 11th

 

[Tigerlily75]

Yes, me! Myself, my 17 year old daughter and her two best friends. We (my daughter and I) first went in January, we couldn't wait too long to go back

Our itinerary:

Sept 15 Fly to LA, one night in Santa Monica
Sept 16 Fly to NYC for 6 nights
Sept 22 Fly to LA, 6 nights in Anaheim (Park Vue Inn), 5 day park hoppers + a Mickey's Halloween Party ticket (when they go on sale!)
Sept 28 Universal Studios, Fly home

So excited!

Enjoy your trips everyone!

 

[AussieMumma]

Yay, so great to have others to plan with

 

[macNZ]

We are! Disgeek parents and 2 teenage sons- their 4th time to DL. Last time was in 2013, so it's been a while!
We are last minute travellers so nothing confirmed but hopefully:
Sept 15 NZ to LAX - maybe via SYD or MEL ( we fly standby so it's always last minute)
15-19 Anaheim - no accom yet but hopefully a condo nr DL. DS13 gets to celebrate his bday at DL( I love that he is still excited about that)
19-23 Las Vegas- overwhelmed by accom choices there at present...
24-28 LA - maybe Venice/Santa Monica? Teenage sons want to do day at Magic Mountain and 1 or 2 at Universal.
Anyone have 2 bdr accom reccomendations around there? Can be hotel or condo rental..?

How do you fly standby?

 

[Caroline NZ]

How do you fly standby?

Staff travel

 

[Aussie Wendy]

So jealous of all of you! Minimal local travel only this year for us but looking forward to reading all your trip reports so I can pretend we were there!! Sounds like lots of west coast fun.