2014 anybody?

[LisaAJ]

Exactly Becpee!! My kids are growing up so fast that I don't want to wait. My son will be 9 and my daughter 7 and I think a great age for this trip

 

[Mumtotwocuties]

Hi there we are planning our first trip to Disneyland in September/October 2014.

Just wondering when these flights will be released or the best time to book (specials etc)

Our kids will be 5 and 7 and also wanted opinions on 1) visiting New York for 6 nights. Is there plenty for kids? AND 2) Las Vegas- would love to see it but with 2 young kids is it a waste? I realise the kids can't go to casinos etc but is there any other things to do with them?

Would love some input

 

[becpee]

Hi there we are planning our first trip to Disneyland in September/October 2014.

Just wondering when these flights will be released or the best time to book (specials etc)

Our kids will be 5 and 7 and also wanted opinions on 1) visiting New York for 6 nights. Is there plenty for kids? AND 2) Las Vegas- would love to see it but with 2 young kids is it a waste? I realise the kids can't go to casinos etc but is there any other things to do with them?

Would love some input

The flights will be out late Oct, but I don't think we'll be booking until abut Feb/March, that's when the prices will drop a bit (unless you get a good cheap, early bird flight).

As for NY, we did it last trip and my 7 year old just didn't get it LOL we spent alot of time exploring (we were there for five days) and to be honest he was bored (except for FAO Schwarz and Central Park)

Vegas however, there are things for kids there, but you will get alot of differing answers on whether people think it's appropriate for children at all.
We didn't come across alot of the seedy things people have talked about on here and we're hopefully heading back there next trip.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hi there we are planning our first trip to Disneyland in September/October 2014.

Just wondering when these flights will be released or the best time to book (specials etc)

Our kids will be 5 and 7 and also wanted opinions on 1) visiting New York for 6 nights. Is there plenty for kids? AND 2) Las Vegas- would love to see it but with 2 young kids is it a waste? I realise the kids can't go to casinos etc but is there any other things to do with them?

Would love some input

Congratulations on your trip!


There might be airline deals in November and January (around Australia Day). My advice would be to jump on a deal the moment you see it at a price you're happy with.

As BecPee said, you'll have lots of different opinions on the boards about taking kids to NY/Vegas/etc.
I think it really depends on the kids.

My DS was 7 when we took him to NYC and he loved it. He loves transport of any kind; so taking him on the ferry to Staten Island and to the Statue of Liberty were things he just loved; as was catching the subway and going on the buses. We did match our NY activities with some of his interests and luckily that seemed to work for us.



Happy planning!

 

[gogo65]

Agree with Becpee,
We took our kids to Vegas when they were 5 & 7, they loved it.
We stayed at Mandalay bay as they has a great waterpark that the kids loved. The kids loved vegas through the day, going from hotel to hotel, shopping etc.
At night we would tend to eat in one of the hotels and then head back to the hotel, we didn't walk the streets late at night and never had a problem, we didn't even put $5in a slot machine!
We also took them when they were 15& 17, this time we were there for new years eve, so we were out and about, the kids still loved it, I just feel that it was two different holidays, the first time when they were younger we found plenty of things to do for them and we had early nights, the second trip, we saw different things, stayed out later, went to shows etc

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

I'm waiting for our flights to become available

Once they're booked it becomes real!

That's us as well! In my mind I'm there already though, does that count??

 

[rachaeld]

Can I join in here?

We are booked for our first USA holiday in April 2014. I have been to Canada twice, but never to the US apart from in transit. My DH has been to Disneyland when he was young but he doesn't remember anything. There will be myself, DH, DD8 and DD7, also my SIL, BIL, and their two boys 12 & 14.

So we leave here on Friday April 11th (one week before the school holidays start), we arrive the same day (love that international date line!). We are in Anaheim for 10 nights, we are staying in a vacation rental (fairly much in the streets behind the Paradise Pier Hotel).

Then we drive to Vegas for three nights (staying at MGM Signature), then flying to San Fransisco, staying in another vacation rental for four nights. We then pick up another rental car (per family) and drive back down the coast with one night probably in Santa Barbara. Lastly we have three nights in San Diego before we fly home again. Total stay is 21 nights.

 

[zanzibar138]

Welcome rachaeld

Sounds like an awesome trip!

 

[FireflyFi]

Love your ticker, rachaeld! It looks like Pluto is really running to Mickey's open arms hehe

 

[gogo65]

Rachaeld, we leave the day before you

Plans look great we did similar our first trip, Vegas, San Fran, San Diego, DL, 3 weeks is just enough!

 

[Franrose]

Our kids will be 5 and 7 and also wanted opinions on 1) visiting New York for 6 nights. Is there plenty for kids? AND 2) Las Vegas- would love to see it but with 2 young kids is it a waste? I realise the kids can't go to casinos etc but is there any other things to do with them?

We took our girls to NYC when they were 4 & 6 for five nights, they had a great time. They are fairly easy to travel with though. We did things like a carriage ride through central park, we visited the Top of the Rock (and the nearby Lego store lol), we took a ferry to Staten Island, we looked through a church near the World Trade Centre and saw the new big building being built (the current memorial was not operating yet), we went through Macy's, we had an afternoon at American Girl Place, we went through the Time Warner building (where talk shows are often filmed) near Columbus Circle and then the Wholefoods Market underneath (lol), and we visited the Natural History Museum. We did Mary Poppins one evening. We didn't even get a chance to get to FAO Schwartz, that is on the list for next time, but we did go through Toys R Us and the girls had a ride on the ferris wheel in there. Agree that the transport is a highlight in itself We stayed in Times Square.

We are going again in a couple of months, this time for 7 nights, they'll be 6 & 7 and I look forward to checking out some of the things we missed last time. There really is a lot that appeals to kids in NY, I guess not least because it is home to lots of children. Our kids love visiting the museums and art galleries (particularly modern art) in our home city because there's often at least something tailored to kids, and I imagine NY is the same so we'll check out some more of that sort of stuff this time. My to-do list is endless lol!

 

[AussieMumma]

We've finally made a decision and booked for next year.
We leave on the 30th March and have 4 nights in Anaheim, so far we've booked the Camelot but still thinking, then we have one night in Miami before doing back to back Disney cruises on the Wonder, first a 5 night Caribbean then a 4 night Bahamian. We then fly out to Chicago for 4 nights (I have family there) and then one night in LA before flying home on Good Friday the 18th April arriving home on Easter Sunday!

Sees like forever away but the weeks to the next school holidays are going super fast so hopefully that 7 months will go fast too!!!

 

[heidispidi]

Sounds like a great trip, Aussiemama! You're going just before us, we depart Sydney 13th April. I love the sound of back to back cruises, sounds very relaxing!

What other hotels are you considering for your DL stay? Have you considered staying onsite?

 

[heidispidi]

Can I join in here?

We are booked for our first USA holiday in April 2014. I have been to Canada twice, but never to the US apart from in transit. My DH has been to Disneyland when he was young but he doesn't remember anything. There will be myself, DH, DD8 and DD7, also my SIL, BIL, and their two boys 12 & 14.

So we leave here on Friday April 11th (one week before the school holidays start), we arrive the same day (love that international date line!). We are in Anaheim for 10 nights, we are staying in a vacation rental (fairly much in the streets behind the Paradise Pier Hotel).

Then we drive to Vegas for three nights (staying at MGM Signature), then flying to San Fransisco, staying in another vacation rental for four nights. We then pick up another rental car (per family) and drive back down the coast with one night probably in Santa Barbara. Lastly we have three nights in San Diego before we fly home again. Total stay is 21 nights.

Hi Rachael! You leave 2 days before us! Our plans keep changing, but are similar to yours. We will stay at PPH for 5 nights from the 13th, then to LA for 2 nights, Vegas for 3 nights (undecided on hotel) and then back to DLH for the last 2 nights. We only have 2 weeks Might see you around!

 

[AussieMumma]

Sounds like a great trip, Aussiemama! You're going just before us, we depart Sydney 13th April. I love the sound of back to back cruises, sounds very relaxing!

What other hotels are you considering for your DL stay? Have you considered staying onsite?

We would love to stay onsite but for six people it is pretty expensive, the Camelot is only around $270 per night including tax. I can't wait for the cruises, we only had the 5 night one booked at first but then a few weeks later when we couldn't decide what to do for a couple of spare nights we had over there we decided why not do back to back

 

[crazy Cat Lady]

Its official! Our flights are booked!

Now onto the rest of it....

Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn resort in Buena Vista? I'm keen to know what you thought if so.

I'll be booking our WDS/US/Kennedy Space Centre tickets via Undercover Tourist in late Feb.

We fly in Friday, plane arrives late that night, so we plan to spend the first day getting our bearings. Pick up the car, visit the outlets, see some of Orlando city and generally recover from the trip etc, then hit the parks hard at rope drop on Day 2.

I cant wait!

 

[becpee]

Its official! Our flights are booked!

Now onto the rest of it....

Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn resort in Buena Vista? I'm keen to know what you thought if so.

I'll be booking our WDS/US/Kennedy Space Centre tickets via Undercover Tourist in late Feb.

We fly in Friday, plane arrives late that night, so we plan to spend the first day getting our bearings. Pick up the car, visit the outlets, see some of Orlando city and generally recover from the trip etc, then hit the parks hard at rope drop on Day 2.

I cant wait!

What date are you headed out??

This is our (current) itinerary

7th Sept Melbourne to Orlando (via LAX and DFW)
7th-12th Sept Universal Studios (not sure which hotel, i'll see what I can get a deal on)
12th-20th Sept WDW accom (still tossing up where)
20th-27th Sept Disney Fantasy Eastern Caribbean Cruise
27th Sept evening fly to LAX
27th Sept-28th Sept LA accom
28th Sept-5th Oct unknown

 

[marvel]

We'll be in wdw from the 13th sept !! At vistana .

 

[becpee]

We'll be in wdw from the 13th sept !! At vistana .

See you there Marvel (and maybe at Vistana as well )

 

[Melbourne5]

Hot off the press....the melb 5 ( now Newcastle 5) are off to San Fran via PCH, Yosemite , Las Vegas & Disneyland for 2 weeks in June school holidays to make it 5 trips to the USA since 2009. Here we come...