Don't know what to do for Thanksgiving...

[TravelingJen24]

I am registered for a conference at the GCH over thanksgiving. Therefore, we got a stellar rate on a room. We have stayed at all the hotels several times so I know what to expect; however, now I am concerned about costs. I need to get four park hoppers and I know food is going to be out of control. I guess I am just looking for some outside thoughts. I love being able to get a great deal and see the magic of the holidays, but I am not sure that it is worth all the extra costs and crowds. What would you do??????

 

[ArchOwl]

I am registered for a conference at the GCH over thanksgiving. Therefore, we got a stellar rate on a room. We have stayed at all the hotels several times so I know what to expect; however, now I am concerned about costs. I need to get four park hoppers and I know food is going to be out of control. I guess I am just looking for some outside thoughts. I love being able to get a great deal and see the magic of the holidays, but I am not sure that it is worth all the extra costs and crowds. What would you do??????

Sometimes the conference will provide discounted tickets, so I would check into that for sure. If not, I believe it was just posted that Costco has some 4 day hoppers (of course check for blackout dates).

Otherwise, I am not sure there will be any extra costs associated with going over Thanksgiving. Yes it will crowded, but staying on site gives you early entry and a good touring plan will serve you well.

Food costs will be the same as they always are. You can avoid some costs by having quick breakfasts in the room and bringing your own snacks. You can also go off site for some meals. But it won't be more expensive than any other time (barring character meals which do go up in price during peak season).

This is a good opportunity if you got a nice rate at the GCH, but only you know if it will work in your budget. If it doesn't work out, Disneyland will still be there. Good luck!

 

[mellers]

I am registered for a conference at the GCH over thanksgiving. Therefore, we got a stellar rate on a room. We have stayed at all the hotels several times so I know what to expect; however, now I am concerned about costs. I need to get four park hoppers and I know food is going to be out of control. I guess I am just looking for some outside thoughts. I love being able to get a great deal and see the magic of the holidays, but I am not sure that it is worth all the extra costs and crowds. What would you do??????

Somebody recommended getting vouchers for the character meals, to avoid the markups that happen around this time of year:

http://arestravel.com/77_DisneylandResort.html

They're not usually that much of a savings (sometimes, not at all), but they are usually good during the holidays when they raise the prices.

Another possibility to consider--are you planning to take a Disneyland vacation next year? If so, it might be worth it to plan on getting an annual passport. It will not only take care of your admission, it will offer you a lot of discounts on meals and merchandise. If you are doing some Christmas shopping, and use it for another vacation next year, it may pay for itself. Also, it's worth remembering that it isn't only the Disney hotels that offer steep discounts for APs, other hotels, like the HoJos and Del Sol Inn, also offer discounts to AP holders. Whatever you wind up doing, I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[TravelingJen24]

Thank you for the tip on the vouchers. I think we will try to hit target on the way and stock up on snacks so we can cut cost there. Other than that, we can also cut back on souvenirs since the kids are there so frequently.

 

[ChrisSD]

Thank you for the tip on the vouchers. I think we will try to hit target on the way and stock up on snacks so we can cut cost there. Other than that, we can also cut back on souvenirs since the kids are there so frequently.

Seriously - get a $7 locker and pack your food in. There is no point in paying Disney 100s of dollars for mediocre food. Other than Flo's V8 Café, corndogs, Dole whips, and Carthay Circle, it's all garbage.

 

[Cinderpamela]

We to are staying at the GC during that same time and are planning to do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner over at Mimi's across the street from the park entrance on Harbor.

We have friends who have really liked it there in the past, so we thought we would save a little over the high priced resort buffets and use that money on other things.

 

[mellers]

We to are staying at the GC during that same time and are planning to do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner over at Mimi's across the street from the park entrance on Harbor.

We have friends who have really liked it there in the past, so we thought we would save a little over the high priced resort buffets and use that money on other things.

I second the recommend--it's one of our favorite places to eat when we visit DL.

 

[TravelingJen24]

Mimi's. What a great idea. We have done the DLH banquet some years ago and I would never pay for that again. It was like herding cattle, plus we didn't get seated for over an hour after our scheduled time. Mimi's sounds perfect. Thanks for the tip.