Am I crazy????

[CDolacki2003]

Ok, I am going to be in San Diego for a conferance the first week of October. I have a full day to myself and thought it might be a perfect time to go to Disneyland. I have never been to Disneyland or California. I have been looking at posibly renting a car for the day and drive to Disney or taking the train, any thoughts? Also am I crazy to think that I can see the park in one day? I will be by myself so I dont have to worry about anyone else. Are there any must do's in the land, where should I eat, what should I see........ugh my mind is spinning. I just hate to blow the opportunity of being within a stones throw of Disneyland and not at least seeing it(I know its 90 minutes away). I dont mind doing it commando style, I dont know if I will ever get the opportunity again to go. Oh such decisions. I hope all you wonderful Disneyland fanatics that Pete talks about on the podcast can help me out.
Thanks

 

[BillyFan]

If you're looking for somebody to push you over the edge and tell you to GO FOR IT, you've come to the right place!

My suggestion would be to try to drive out the night before and get a hotel within walking distance to DLR. It will make it so much easier for you to be at the park at least 30 minutes before opening and hit the ground running.

 

[CDolacki2003]

The problem is that I already have a hotel in San Diego. I was just looking at Amtrak and that seemed like fun. I could leave San Diego at 6am be at Anahaim station at 8am take ART or a cab? (any comments appreciated). Then reverse the process in the evening. I can walk to the San Diego station from my hotel near Seaport Village. I dont mind the travel I think the train will make the adventure more exotic. I hate to waste the money on another room when I could be donating it to the mouse.

 

[LavenderPeach]

BillyFan is right, you've come to the right place if you want to be convinced that you should go! We're really good at enabling each other with our addiction.

You should definitely go since you think this will be your one opportunity to go there. I think you could get a lot done in 1 day, especially since you'll be by yourself. I've never taken the train but I thought I remember someone posting about the train always running behind schedule. The train sounds like fun but if you want to make sure that you're there by opening, you might want to rent a car. If the train is part of the adventure for you and you're not overly concerned about getting to DLR right when it opens, then you should take the train!

 

[trekkie2]

I am doing the same thing this month!! I am attending a 5 day confrnce in San Diego with my sister. We are flying out 2 days early to San Diego, renting a car to drive to Anaheim. We are staying at the Alpine Inn for 2 nights, visiting Downtown Disney on Sunday afternoon, Disney ( with a one day single park ticket) on Monday and Universal Studios on Tuesday then driving back to San Diego Tuesday night. We have had to arrange an uber cheap trip to manage this, but there is no way I could be this close and not go, even for a day!!

Have such a great time!!!

 

[disneymama83]

You are not crazy at all! GO FOR IT! You will be oso happy you did!

 

[bumbershoot]

The early morning train is lovely. Just catch a cab once you get to the ANA station (it's in the Angels parking lot if I recall correctly). When you get off the train, just follow people. It looks like you're in a desolate wasteland, but once you follow the path, you'll suddenly see that you're actually at a station with cabs and such. It's about $13 by meter to the Disneyland Hotel, but I would recommend just being dropped at the entrance plaza b/c it's just a minute or two quicker and it would have been $10 by meter.

You'll need to be very aware of what time the last train leaves, though. Make sure there's enough time, make sure you're there ontime. To catch a cab back, just walk out the entrance plaza to where the cabs sit!

Now as for leaving...I know that at least one of the "train" stops in San Diego is actually a BUS stop. The one that I went to (when I was staying in a condo near the stadium in SD) was:

Station Building (with waiting room)
1050 Kettner Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92101

Then there's the Old Town station:

Platform only (no shelter)
4005 Taylor Street
San Diego, CA 92110

At the latter, there's nothing and no one to help with anything, so you'd need to have your ticket in hand, etc etc. The proper Station Building has the ticket machines, etc.


And of course you'll probably want to budget a cab back to your SD hotel since it will be nighttime.


You could definitely just rent a car...but when leaving SD (on a weekday at least) you want to leave VERY early, before rush hour, or after 9am. Otherwise it's just traffic traffic traffic.


Anyway, on my trip to SD where I stayed near the stadium, it was for a friend's 40th b'day to see Madonna, and the "adult" antics my friend and her friends got up to really bothered me. I had already planned on spending the last day of my trip (after Madonna) at DLR, but I was oging to invite the others. INstead, I got up at something like 4am, got ready in silence, the cab came (I'd arranged it the night before), left a note and LEFT. I had my train ticket already, and had planned to catch my plane from the Anaheim area, so I got up to Anaheim, took a cab, stuck my luggage in a locker, played and played all by myself...then got my bags, caught the Grayline Disneyland Express, got to the airport, and caught my plane. I had a GREAT time, and it was such an innocent experience, it really made up for my (married!) friend's behaviour during her b'day trip. Day trips can be fabulous.

 

[KCmike]

It is an easy drive up. We did it 2 years ago. Which day of the week are you thinking of going to the Land?

Disneyland can easily be done commando style (especially one person) in a day. You won't be able to do parks though in one day. Disneyland is amazing. I prefer it over the World myself. Can't wait to hear how you like it.

 

[Casken]

Definitely make it work. You are so close that you would regret it if you did.

Listen to this. My husband went to a training session for running for a week and the guy was at Disneyland's doorstep and did not go. He went to Downtown Disney but that's it. He said he didn't have time. One can make time for Disneyland. We live all the way up in Alberta, Canada and he was a few feet away and didn't go. Now that is nuts.