Anyone going to Disneyland last week of April?

[Minnie824]

I'm starting to plan for next year, and I've never been to Disneyland before...just WDW. We'd like to go in 2007 towards the end of april, or beginning of May. If youre going this time, can you tell me your plans? How many days at the parks, anywhere else you may be going (we'd like to do 1 day at legoland, 1 day at universal, beverly hills, etc). We'll be traveling w/our DDs then aged 5 and 3. If anyone has gone at this time, how is the weather? Is there a best day to do the Disney parks? We were thinking of doing Disney for the last 3 days of our trip. Thanks for any info!

 

[Freyja]

We´re going earlier this year, but still in April. We fly in on April 6 and our itiniary look somewhat like this:

Friday: DL
Saturday: Hollywood and Beverly Hills
Sunday: DCA, Princess character lunch to celebrate DD1 and DD4 year old birthdays.
Monday: Drive to Vegas
Tuesday: Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon
Wednesday: Vegas and Celine Dion in the evening.
Thursday: Day trip to Utah to meet with family.
Friday: Drive to San Diego
Saturday: DD´s 4 real birthday. She gets to choose what we do.
Sunday: Sea World
Monday: Beach?
Tuesday: Maybe the ZOO and drive back to Anaheim
Wednesday: DL
Thursday: Fly back home

 

[Minnie824]

Can I ask where you're staying? While at DL, we're planning on staying at the Grand Californian, but not sure what other hotels we should stay at while visiting other areas...we would like to stay at the beach a night or two, but not sure where yet.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

We are going the last week of April this year. We'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel, which seems to be the favored one for small children, more of the Disney 'magic' feel to it I think. (If we can afford it when the kids are older, we'd stay at the Grand Californian.)

We are staying the whole week at Disneyland. DH (who went to DL twice as a kid) thought that was too much time, but when I said we could hit the beach for a few days then, he decided 7 days at DL was just fine. Didn't want to have to change hotels, get a rental car, deal with LA traffic, so we're staying at DL the entire time.

I don't think this will be too much time there though. Of course, I have never been there, and certainly not with two small children, but I expect we'll be moving slower, stopping a lot for snacks or meandering a bit with the kids. And the experts say to take the kids out of the park, if not for a mid-day nap then just to get a break from the sensory overload of the park, so that's the plan. We'll hit the pool with DS5 while DS1 naps, then play in the room or around the hotel a bit before heading back to the park for the late afternoon/evening. I'm hoping 6.5 days in the 2 parks will be enough to see most everything!

I'm expecting the weather to feel warm to us (it was a few days ago, we were running around without jackets or sweaters, and the weather report said it had been only 56F!) We'll bring lots of summer clothing, but also some pants and sweatshirts or fleece jackets for morning/evening.

Would have loved to combine a trip to San Diego Zoo, the beaches and some of the other SoCal sights, but maybe next time. (I'm already thinking ahead to our next visit!)

 

[RADOPT]

We will be there April 30 - May 5. We are staying at the GC the whole time. Our plans are

sunday - arrive mid afternoon (we are driving)
dinner in DL and the fireworks for my mom.
monday - DL/ DCA - my daughter's birthday
tuesday - San Diego Zoo
wednesday - La Brea Tar pits & the Farmer's market, evening @ DL
thursday - DL/DCA
friday- home My daughter has to be back by 4 to go to weekend camp.

The weather is ok usually. We've been down there a few times in May and have had sun, a little rain and once it was pretty warm. I can't give an opinion on the number of day because my daughter doesn't do many rides but we have spent 5 days at Dl before. I added it up the other night and I think there were 12 rides (including the train) that she will go on. Our friend's 4 yr old will do every ride, so it really depends on your children. We don't do breaks but other will go to Dl in the morning and to the hotel later to swim, etc. Also, we are up at 6am every morning so EE is good for us. Others don't wake early and skip EE. Also, we skip the weekend if we can. We are going sunday night so my mom can see the fireworks - we'll be hiding out as my daughter don't like the noise.

Have fun planning.

 

[arliepooh68]

we usually go early april around DD bday, but this year we are going the last week of april. Gnerally the weather is magnificent, not too hot, just perfect and were a san diego family so we like that nice climate. . we went in may one year and it rained on us,so we stick to april. . . works for us cuz I always try to plan it on the "off" season around kids being on their break.

 

[Freyja]

Can I ask where you're staying? While at DL, we're planning on staying at the Grand Californian, but not sure what other hotels we should stay at while visiting other areas...we would like to stay at the beach a night or two, but not sure where yet.

We´ll be staying at the Embassy Suites Buena Park, at the Flamingo in Vegas and at the Old Town Inn in San Diego.

 

[laura&fam]

We'll be going the last week in April and I have a wierd question. Will it be hot enough to melt chocolate? I was considering buying a big bag of trail mix (with M&M's in it) to take with us for snacking. Will it just turn into a melted mess?

We found super deals and are making a quick, cheap Disneyland only trip for three days.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I'm going to check the weather forecast before we leave, but the average temp that time of year is 70F. Of course that's an average, it could go much higher (I think the record high was 89F?), but wouldn't think it would be below 60, so I'll be thrilled as long as it isn't raining.

 

[cfrith]

We are going the last week of April this year. We'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel, which seems to be the favored one for small children, more of the Disney 'magic' feel to it I think. (If we can afford it when the kids are older, we'd stay at the Grand Californian.)

We are also going the last week of April- and also staying at the Disneyland Hotel! It'll be me, dh, dd4 and dd7. We'll be there the 23-27. Then we're driving to San Diego to see my best friend and her fiance for a few days....going to Sea World, the beach, golfing for dh at Torrey Pines. I always end up wishing we had more beach days, one of these years I'm going to have to go to San Diego for a full 2 weeks with the kids to hang out with my friend. That would be so relaxing. This will only be a 4 days at DL and 3 in SD so our time in San Diego will feel so rushed.

 

[Pir8girl]

We'll be there from 4-26 to 4-30. We're only doing DL as DH is not accompanying us on this trip and I'm not renting a car. If he was, we'd add at least 3 more days for 1 day at Legoland, 1 day at SeaWorld and 1 day for the Wild Animal Park.

We're staying four nights at the Grand Californian and since we don't leave until late Sunday we'll have four full days in the parks.

We usually get up early, hit the parks and play until about 2 or 3 when we head back to the hotel to swim and relax. We go back at night for more rides and fireworks. We usually meet friends for dinner at least one night offsite.
Four days feels like enough time for us.

As far as chocolate goes, yes it can be hot enough to melt it if it's in your pocket. But if you keep it in a backpack it should be okay.

 

[Chicago526]

We're going the last week of April, this month (yippee!). We are arriving Monday and leaving Friday. Here's our itinerary:

Monday: Land at Orange County airport at 1:30, check-in hotel by 2:30 and be in DL park by 3:30. Dinner in park, rides, then fireworks.

Tuesday: 7 AM breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. Meet up with my parents, who will arrive by car around 9 AM. DL for whole day. Lunch at Golden Horseshoe, dinner at Carnation Cafe, fireworks again.

Wednesday: Breakfast off-site at Mimi's. DCA all day, DTD that evening with dinner at ESPN Zone.

Thursday, DL in moring, say goodbye to parents who will leave about 12 noon. Afternoon at DCA, then dinner at Yamabuki's at PP hotel. Finish at DL park with firworks that evening.

Friday, check-out and head to airport for flight home.

Never been this time of year, so I hope the weather will be warm! Weekends are the busiest, which is one of the reasons we're going mid-week.

 

[mAlien13]

We are going the last week of this April, too! We arrive the 23rd and leave the 28th. Here are our plans.

We are staying at the Candy Cane Inn. My DH, our 2 DS's,my sister, and myself are driving from Washington State. We will arrive on Sunday about 10:00 am or so, leave our stuff at CCI and head to DL. My mother is flying in (the drive is too much for her) and will meet us outside the park for dinner at the Rainforest Cafe at about 6:00pm.

Sun- we will bounce between the parks catching the shows and parades that won't be happening the rest of our stay (Electric, F!, ect).

Mon- USH for the day, with dinner at Hard Rock Cafe (Unofficial Guide day)

Tue- DL, Early Entry, lunch at the Golden Horseshoe, dinner at the French Market (RideMax day)

Wed- Character breakfast for DS 9th birthday at PCH Grill, then DCA till closing, Mimi's for dinner (RideMax day)

Thur- Both DLR parks, revisiting our favorites or catching anything we missed. Everything will be spontaneous, mostly up to the kids, so I have a little pocket list of the good restraurants...when we are hungry whatever is closest is where we will go.

We will leave in Friday morning after checkout.

It's funny, Chicago, we will be in the same place a lot of the time.

 

[Pir8girl]

Seems as if a lot of you are leaving as we're arriving. When I booked this trip I had no idea about the kids fly free special. We didn't qualify because our trip had to conclude by the 27th . Oh well.

mAlien13, you are my hero, lol. I don't think I could make that drive with my kids and arrive at DL sane. We're flying out of PDX

 

[Chicago526]

It's funny, Chicago, we will be in the same place a lot of the time.

Yes, in fact we may even be at the Golden Horseshoe for the same show! BTW, if you've never seen it, it's the best deal going in DL, counter sevice prices for a dinner show! And the act is just fantastic, you guys will love it.

 

[Pir8girl]

I haven't been inside the Golden Horseshoe since I was a tike. Do you need a ps for this? Or do you just walk on in?

 

[kella]

We'll be arriving on the 28th, staying at the DLH! First time ever to DL!!!!!
Have to stay over a Saturday for our wonderful sweepstakes package! DD won a Disney sweeps - staying until the 3rd of May! Can't wait!!!!! Have been reading and posting and gathering so much valuable info! Our son who is developmentally disabled is a huge Disney fan! This is so wonderful for all of us!!!

 

[mAlien13]

mAlien13, you are my hero, lol. I don't think I could make that drive with my kids and arrive at DL sane. We're flying out of PDX

LOL..they are getting older now, one DS is 11, the other turning 9 on the trip. Also, we just moved from Washington to Maine and then back to Washington in the last two years...this drive seems pretty tame to us now. We are stopping over night in Buttonwillow, CA on the 22nd.

 

[Pir8girl]

Washington to Maine & BACK? OMG!!
I dread taking them to Lincoln City
Mine are 6 & 10. DD10 would be able to handle it, but I have my doubts about DS6. They're both home with a bug and have started to fight. Must be getting better

 

[mAlien13]

LOL..the trip there was tough, they were younger and had never been in the car for more than 5 or 6 hours...they are great now, though...definately one of the benefits of them growing up.

Each stage brings new Disney adventure...no more character autpgraphs or hugs this trip, I'll bet, but they get to be so active in the planning and so excited of their own merit...it's really special.

We have a list of more mature movies they get to watch on the trip, unlike the animated festivals preceeding past trips.
They are going to watch Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Carribean (even tho it will be closed ) and a few others related to USH.

We are all excited for the drive across Oregon and into California. I have done this several times in the past, and am glad to share it with my DF.

It's going to be so fun!! Woo-hoo, almost time to go!!