Advice from the Aussies & Kiwi's please

[BigDisneyOE]

We are planning the big trip to SoCal this year. We'll have seven nights in Carlsbad and seven nights just outside Disneyland before our Disney cruise. Hubby and I have been debating the merits of some of the attractions in San Diego.

We'll have nearly five year old boys at the time and Legoland will be at least a two day thing for them as they are Lego mad, I know others have said they've spent a day and done it but my kids will want at least two days there.

Now we know we want to go to the Midway and and Seaworld. We didn't get to Seaworld on the GC when we went as the kids were two and just wanted to dig a hole in the beach the whole visit, so I have nothing to compare Seaworld to and we aren't planning another visit to Aussie inside the next five years.

We are going round in circles about the San Diego Zoo, a lot of people say it's the 'best in the world', but I do take that with a pinch of salt as it's subjective - I've been to zoos all over the world and they are all different. However, the boys LOVED Australia Zoo and we had two days there. For those of you who've been to both Australia Zoo and San Diego Zoo, how do they compare? Aussie Zoo set the bar for the kids so high they don't want to go to NZ zoos (and they've done a few) any more. If it were not for the kids we wouldn't go be contemplating the San Diego Zoo at all. Anyone have any opinions?

(To throw it into the mix we are intending and extended holiday in Southern Africa in three years, so we will be doing several safaris, visiting raptor parks etc)

 

[Anaheim boy]

If your kids are super Lego mad I think they'll enjoy it. I haven't been there, but I heard it's cool. I would maybe reconsider staying 7 nights in Carlsbad though. For what you want to do, you'd be better off staying closer to San Diego rather than commuting down for Seaworld and the Zoo and stuff like that. Traffic can clog up really bad, especially around where the I-5 splits off to another freeway and can be bad going all the way down to SD. Other than Legoland, there isn't much else to see around Carlsbad. I'd stay one night in Carlsbad for the 2 days at Legoland (maybe 2 nights) and then move down closer to SD, then you've got your stay in Anaheim. Just my thoughts on it.
Australia Zoo, that was Steve Irwin's zoo, right? The SD Zoo is quite different from Aus Zoo. I found the Aus Zoo to be a little more interactive than I thought it would be, in some cases getting closer to animals than I was expecting. But SD Zoo's scale is huge comparatively. There are tons more animals in different enclosures and a few more "shows" (not exactly like the croc show at Aus Zoo) that the kids may or may not find entertaining. It's different to Aus Zoo. Haven't been to any of the NZ zoos so can't compare there.
Seaworld.......I haven't been there in YEARS, but from what I remember it was great. I had a thing for sea animals, whales and such and so it totally grabbed me as a kid. If your kids are the same, you should definitely go. And I think that SD is the original Seaworld (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, I would definitely do that one.
Have fun on your trip. Sounds great!! Wish we were hitting the cruise most of all....

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Thanks for your response. Our accomodation in Carlsbad is locked in at Grand Pacific Palisades for seven nights. It was the only place we could find we really liked that could do twin beds (every other place seemed to think it was a good idea to have doubles or queens in a second room). We are really happy to be staying there are we got a steal of a rate and distance wise it's like the Kapiti to Welly commute. Hubby used to drive a lot for his UK jobs, so the distance and traffic doesn't worry us at all.

I'd be keen to hear other Aussie & Kiwi opinions on the SD Zoo vs Aussie Zoo. The kids loved the Croc Shows, Bird shows etc and getting, as you say, 'that' close to the animals.

 

[Aust]

I haven't been to San Diego Zoo so can't comment on that. But we went to Seaworld in San Diego when our girls were 6 and 3 and they both loved it, especially the 3 year old - they loved the killer whale show and the touchy-feely type exhibit. Last time I went to Sea World on the Gold Coast was about 20 years ago so I can't compare it to now, but I'd say it's worth going to the SD one just for the killer whales which you can't see at the GC.

 

[aussietravellers]

We are zoo people Well my son is a zoo person. We do not go to a city and not visit the zoo, he loves animals, wants to be a vet. We have done Australia, Taronga, Melbourne, Vienna, London, Honolulu, Central Park, Bronx, Singapore, San Diego (can't remember the others off hand)

Anyway we have been to Australia Zoo many times, actually my son has had his birthday party at Australia Zoo twice, we love that zoo, its so clean.

Now San Diego Zoo... We liked it but we didn't get a good day, it was raining, pouring in fact, when we were on the trolley/tram thing that goes around, when we would round a corner we would be drowned by the water off the roof , it was FREEZING! Being wet and freezing was not pleasant. I lost my gloves, there were no places open for a coffee/hot choc to get inside and thaw out and dry off after about 2pm (until the restaurant opened for dinner), so we it would have been better I think if we had a fine day. We had all of these photos taken with an armadillo and on the trolley and they lost them, I left my details and they found them a few days later and I ordered them online, but not the ones from the trolley, they were gone forever. I hardly took any photos that day as it was so wet, too wet for the camera

That being said, it is a nice zoo. My DS loved it, they had some interesting animals. My DS saw the Naked Mole Rat in the flesh for the first time and it created a lot of amusement for the rest of the day as it is the ugliest animal on the planet, he has only ever seen it in books and there it was at a zoo for the first time. If/when we go back, we will go again and make sure it's a sunny day and we will also probably do the other one too (the safari park). It is a very hilly zoo, certainly gives you a work out walking around all day and it is a pretty zoo, clean. Quite different to Australia Zoo, but still good. If you are a zoo loving family or have a child that loves zoos, then they will love this zoo, just make sure it's a fine day. They do have some hands on interactive things, but not as much as AZ. They do little talks where you can pat animals.

That little armadillo was SO cute, we had never seen one before, well in the flesh and up so close. She put it on the ground too and it walked around our feet, gorgeous, such a funny little thing.


We have only been to SW in Orlando, but again it was quite different to SW on the Gold Coast we felt. We enjoyed our day there and I would love to go to the one at San Diego.

Legoland.... I really can't see doing more than one day there, well maybe if it was a busy day the first time and you didn't get right the way around the park, but the day we went, there weren't any queues. It was straight onto every ride, we did many over and over again, even played a round of mini golf, saw the shows and had time to do the SeaLife thing next door. My DS is a complete Lego maniac, maybe he could have spent another day there, actually he liked it better than Disneyland But I don't think I could have coped with a whole second day

 

[Sugarglider]

I understand your accommodation booking for 7 nights - but be prepared to do a bit of driving everywhere cause besides Legoland there is not much else at Carlsbad. Sounds like you can easily spend the time at legoland though.

I thought San Diego Zoo was very similar to Taronga. I really enjoyed it - especially as they had some different animals on display. I LOVED the hummingbird aviary. Could get close and lots of easy viewing.

The Zoo also has a free range version, north of SD, much like Western Plains or Werribee. Although I thought both of those were done better. Cause at this Zoo you just get on a train and circle around looking; or you can pay extra and have a tour in a truck into the middle and hand feed the rhinos and giraffes.

I really enjoyed the zoo's and there were plenty of kids there - they also had some special kiddie activities running but as I don't have kids I didn't pay attention and just walked past

 

[Tara2004]

We Just did LEGOLAND in Orlando and 1 day was enough.Even if you are LEGO mad, and we love lego, We did everything in the 1 day and couldn't see another day in it. Saying that I think the one in California is better than the one in Orlando as Orlando has only just opened.

Hope this helps

 

[Anaheim boy]

Actually, that might be a good idea doing the SD Wild Animal Park. It's a bit north of SD comparatively and would be easier to get to from Carlsbad since you don't head down into the city. The main attraction of that is touring the great safari and plains. It is a huge wide open space where most of the plains animals (zebras, elk, giraffes, elephants, etc..) roaming freely. You hop on this monorail type open air tram and ride around the outer edges getting views of the animals as they roam. I've heard that they do have adventures where you can take jeep trips out on the savannah and actually get to touch the animals. I think (correct me if wrong) you can even spend the night in tents out on the savannah. Might be something to look into. It's a bit of a different experience to the zoo from what I remember.

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Thanks for everyone's replies. We are stoked to be staying in Carlsbad and have no problems with the drive time as we do that sort of drive every day, plus we'll be in the carpool lane, which moves quite fast aparently. We are also looking at taking The Coaster as it's $14 for the day for adults on all trains, trolleys and busses and my kids are under six, so free.

I'll let everyone know how we go with Legoland. Like Aussietravellers son, my kids are more Lego than Disney to be honest. One son will spend a minimum of six hours a day with Lego if we let him. He's that addicted to it. So it's going to be at least two days for us at Legoland and I don't have any problem with it. We will do the Danish one when we get back to Europe - we are Block Heads!

I loved the indepth review of the zoo by Aussietravellers, thank you so much. I've shown it to my husband and I think we've decided it's worth a day out, we may even do the SD Zoo on the day stop on The Wonder. I loved the pics too, in fact the pic of the Toucan and Sugargliders comment on the hummingbird avairy would have been enough to sway me - I'm a birdier and it's tempting to ditch the family and spend the day with the birds at the zoo (we as a family will be doing raptor rehab in South Africa when we visit).

Aussietravellers, try and get to Chester Zoo when you next visit the UK. It's my favourite and I was lucky enough to live within a couple of miles of it. Your son would love it.

 

[Anaheim boy]

Ahhh, just be aware, the carpool lane doesn't exist the whole way down to SD, it's only part the way down. Just be prepared for that

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Thanks for that AnaheimBoy, good to know. We aren't in a hurry and won't be driving rush hour. More looking forward to taking the train, the resort we are staying at will drop us at the station and collect us in their free shuttle.

 

[Melbourne5]

We did 4 days in sd in '10.

Legoland was a good Day for us but if your Kids are younger you will Most likely enjoy a Couple of days. You don't mention when you are travelling but if its Summer or at least warm there is a New waterpark at legoland that opened just a few weeks before we visted so everything was New and Lots to do.

Carlsbad also has Premium outlets.

Didnt Visit the Zoos but did seaworld. Much better than Gold Coast for two reasons. First the shamu-Killer whales Show. Very entertaining. The Second a Couple of good rides- Atlantis rollercoaster/flume Ride and Ship wreck rapids Water Ride.

Don't Discount also a Quick Trip over the border to Mexico. We did Tijuana Tour. Soaked up half a Day. Fully escorted by grayline USA. Good trinkets,tequlia tshirts and Time for Lunch in a 'real' mexican restaraunt.

From Memory there is also a big Aircraft Carrier in sd Harbour that you can Visit too ( its decommisioned).

Last of all if you have a Vehicle the coronado Hotel and Beach is a Must and Perfect Day for the Kids to do the Beach plus a magnificent Grand old Hotel for a Special Lunch... ( i was told the Grand floridian at wdw is modelled from it.)

Hope this helps !
Hope this helps.