2 weeks - need help!

[breick]

Just decided to make a spur of the moment trip to Disneyland. I have been to WDW many times, but this is a first to DL. You will probably see a lot of posts from me over the next 2 weeks.

It is just me and DD - age 11. I have airfare and hotel (but may try Priceline...) Please suggest some web sites I can check out. (All the ones I have happened on seem outdated.) Also, please give me your opinions on tickets, airport transportation, cheap meals, and maybe one other attraction. All help is appreciated.

Yes, I know it will be packed over Xmas - the same or worse than WDW?

 

[LuvTigger]

Let's see if I can address some of your questions.

By tickets I assume you mean park tickets? There's not much chance of a discount on those (at least not from legitimate sources!). DC offers a slight discount on multi-day passes, and you can probably get AAA discounts if you're a member.

Airport transportation...where will you be flying into? If you're looking for a shuttle service, I have a lot of friends who use Super Shuttle and seem to be happy with them. It's probably one of the more reasonably priced options, esp. if you're flying into LAX.

Another attraction...Knott's Berry Farm is pretty close to DL, maybe a 10-15 minute drive. You'll have to consider transportation options if you want to do another park. Universal is about 45-60 min. depending on traffic, and Magic Mountain probably 75-90 min. depending on traffic.

Cheap meals...while counter service prices seem to be about the same as WDW, it seems to me that the prices of sitdown meals are a little less at DL. One of my great finds on my last DL trip was Whitewater Snacks in GC for breakfast, they have something I think they call biscuit and eggs, but it's more like a sandwich. A generous sized biscuit with slices of tasty smoked bacon, egg, and cheese, with a few strawberries on the side, and it was just under $5. Are you looking for counter service, sit down, or both? I like to use www.mouseplanet.com as a menu guideline. The menus not be completely up to date, but at least it'll give you a pretty good idea of what's there and what it might cost.

 

[breick]

Yes, park tickets. The best I have found is get 5 days for the price of a 3 on the official site. It has to be ordered online and I would have to pay express shipping to get it on time. Since we are first-timers and the parks will be packed, we probably could use 5 days.

Flying into LAX (on bankrupt United). I have read old posts on SuperShuttle and AirportBus. Any recent users? Recommendations?

No car, so Knott's might be the easiest to get to. We have been to Universal Florida. What I'd really like to do is find Walt's barn - it's in a Griffith Park in LA? WE have been to Marcelline, MO and helped with the recreated one. Any other out of the way Disney sites? I wonder what happened to his backyard train?

I looked at mouseplanet.com and they were outdated. Could we do counter service (1 adult and 1 kids meal with drinks) for $20?

Thanks!

 

[IandGsmom]

Other DL places to check....
http://www.mouseinfo.com/
http://www.intercotwest.com/

 

[Rajah]

In addition to the two IandGsmom suggested (I love mouseinfo), there are also:
www.laughingplace.com -- some excellent information and a good community here
www.mouseplanet.com -- though they tend to look at Disneyland with a more negative point of view in their articles (which I typically *don't* like), they do have some very good information, especially on restaurants and such.

I'd go for the 5 days for 3 for park tickets, or if you're going to be in the area longer, just go a little bit more and get the Deluxe AP if blackout days won't affect you. If they will, stick to the 5 days for the price of 3. I also had to do the express mailing, and it wasn't that expensive -- something like $10, if that.

As for the meals -- yeah, I'd say in a lot of the counter service places, you could indeed do one adult meal and one kids meal with drinks for between $15 and $25, depending on where you ate and what you got and what you got to drink. I personally find it a better deal to get a bottle of water or soda at one of the kiosks instead of a cup of the same drink, because you can always refill the water anyway and I feel like I'm getting more drink whether I really am or not.

I've never used Super Shuttle, but I did use Airport Bus once and won't do so again. Especially with the poor reviews I've been hearing recently. Stick with Super Shuttle.