Thinking About California

[ClarabelleCow]

So discussing with the family last night about heading to California to go to Disneyland, I know absolutely nothing about the area. If we stay at the new DVC there, is it a good area to use as a home base, what else is there to do in that area besides Dsineyland? Thanks, just in the prelim stages of research!!

[CarolMN]

The location is excellent! The DVC resort is attached to the Grand Californian Resort which has its own private entrance to the Californaia Adventure Park. You will be only a few steps away from DisneyLand, Californai Adventure and Downtown Disney.

I will move this thread to the Disneyland Forum - those folks will have lots of ideas and information for you.

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by ClarabelleCow

So discussing with the family last night about heading to California to go to Disneyland, I know absolutely nothing about the area. If we stay at the new DVC there, is it a good area to use as a home base, what else is there to do in that area besides Dsineyland? Thanks, just in the prelim stages of research!!

GCH may or may not be a good base depending on what you want to do. If you want to see Hollywood and nearby Universal Studios you can do it from DLR. But it may be better to stay closer to Hollywodd - maybe 40 miles a way but potentially jammed freeways in between.

GCH is a good place to be near the beach. But you can also get closer there too. GCH is not a good base to see San Diego or further north into Yosemite National Park - IMO the most beautiful place on this planet.

For info on DLR and other things to do in So Cal see this lengthy thread from my favorite poster -

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

[MomofM&M]

If you have never been to Disneyland before, one thing you should know is that it is much smaller than WDW. My hubby grew up going to DL and I to WDW and the first time he went to WDW he said it was like going to another country. I just wanted reiterate Hydroguy's point that it really depends on what you plan on doing on your trip to Cali. If it's just, do Disneyland and California Adventure. Using DVC points at Grand Californinan Hotel would be a great way to go. If you are planning on going to other places too, be forewarned, California traffic stinks! Picking a good location to stay as a base will depend on what you plan to visit. If you get some ideas about what you want to do and post them, you will get tons of helpful advice. Have fun planning!

[toby78]

You can easily go to San Diego and back in a day, you can see the World famous San diego zoo, wild animal park, legoland,Balboa Park,,in Orange county you can go to the beaches like Laguna, Huntington, easily drive or take the Amtrak from Anaheim up to Santa Barbara for a day trip, maybe Union Station in LA, Also there is The Pirates dinner theatre in Buena Park, and Medieval Times dinner theatre...there is a lot to do in southern california, there are even casinos within driving distance if thats what you like.

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by toby78

You can easily go to San Diego and back in a day

I have to respectfully disagree. I lived in SoCal for 28 years and SD for over 5, and while it is true you CAN go back and forth between DLR and SD in a day, it is not necessarily easy at all. Unless you consider the frequent 2-3 hour traffic jams easy. It depends very much on what day you travel, what time of day, and the whims of the traffic gods.

[ClarabelleCow]

thanks for the suggestions, daughter wants to see "hollywood", rodeo drive, Sunset Strip, I want to see the SD Zoo, and the beaches. Not even sure when we would try this trip maybe next fall.

[lillybug]

When we were in Anaheim last year we went through Gray Line tours and did Sea World in a day. It was very reasonably priced, and we didn't have to worry about driving or changing hotels like we had in the past (they picked us up at our hotel). We plan on doing some of their other tours next time we're in Anaheim.

Here's their website, they might have tours to your areas of interest... http://www.coachamerica.com/grayline.../tours_ana.cfm

[ClarabelleCow]

lilybug - perfect! this is sounding better and better!!

[jlmarr]

Originally Posted by ClarabelleCow

...what else is there to do in that area besides Dsineyland?

Baseball - Angels nearby, Dodgers in LA (30+ miles away), Hockey - Ducks nearby, Kings in LA, Basketball - Lakers and Clippers in LA.

Btw, kudos to Hydroguy, responding to your post from his hotel room at Tokyo DL.

[smiley_face2]

Originally Posted by lillybug

When we were in Anaheim last year we went through Gray Line tours and did Sea World in a day. It was very reasonably priced, and we didn't have to worry about driving or changing hotels like we had in the past (they picked us up at our hotel). We plan on doing some of their other tours next time we're in Anaheim.

Here's their website, they might have tours to your areas of interest... http://www.coachamerica.com/grayline.../tours_ana.cfm

Even though we drive all the way to California, and have driven around a lot down there, like up to Universal Studios, down to the beaches etc. hubby really likes to do these tours because then he gets a chance to see the sites too, not just the back end of traffic....We did the one day tour down to Tijuana, and it was an easy trip with lot's of time and stops along the way... (having said that we would never go back there again....) We did the San Diego Zoo trip, the Seaworld trip, the Hollywood tour that stops at the farmers market. I would suggest doing seperate trips as apposed to the combined ones, it gives you much more time to see what it is you really want to see. During our early years of travel we even did the "trip" to Knotts Berry farm, and Universal Studios... Now that we've been there so much and have driven around so much, I laugh at the expense of a tour to Knotts and Universal, but we come from a very small town (7000) and that kind of traffic there was daunting to us then.... This next trip we are seriously considering a trip to Las Vegas...it would be an over night trip because it is an approximately 4 hour drive one way. There is even another bus line that does tours there too....
The la brea tar pits and park area might be fun if you have kids.... that would be a self drive trip....
so yes...I think the DVC would be a great place to do a first time trip to explore the area!

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by jlmarr

Btw, kudos to Hydroguy, responding to your post from his hotel room at Tokyo DL.

To set the sotry straight, I ws not that dedicated. I wrote this while still in China. After I got to Tokyo Disney I did not have time to respond to this forum. Got back home last night and am now looking over the threads of the last 4-5 days.

[DangerMouse]

Originally Posted by HydroGuy

To set the sotry straight, I ws not that dedicated. I wrote this while still in China. After I got to Tokyo Disney I did not have time to respond to this forum. Got back home last night and am now looking over the threads of the last 4-5 days.

No, no, no! You need to update your Tokyo Disney TR with details and pics FIRST!

Then, and ONLY THEN, can you look over the threads from the last 4-5 days.
We're waiting . . . .

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by DangerMouse

No, no, no! You need to update your Tokyo Disney TR with details and pics FIRST!

Then, and ONLY THEN, can you look over the threads from the last 4-5 days.
We're waiting . . . .

Hopefully on Friday. In between putting Christmas lights on the house and a poker tournament with my kids and out-of-town friends visiting.