Anyone Offering Good DL Packages?

[DisneyFans4]

We're going to DL for the first time in August and DH and I just got back from our AAA office and saw what offers they had.

Can anyone recommend anyone that is offering good packages besides going right to the DL site?

Thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

Besides those two, there's Costco Travel if you belong, and getawaytoday.com (they offer 2 EE days with hoppers 3+ days). Those are the Big Four (including your mentions) that I know of!

 

[jonsmom57]

We're going to DL for the first time in August and DH and I just got back from our AAA office and saw what offers they had.

Can anyone recommend anyone that is offering good packages besides going right to the DL site?

Thanks!

DisneyFans4:

I would be interested in your itinerary for your first DL trip in August.

We are contemplating August (09). I just noticed on the calendar the Labor Day is late in 2009 (Sept 7), so we thought we would try visiting during the last week of August, first week of September.

We are thinking 10 days would be good.

Where will you fly into? We thought about flying into Santa Ana and returning from San Diego.

Will you stay on property?

Do you plan on purchasing the 6 day So. California ticket? It seems like a good buy.

I am so used to the dining plan at WDW, from all the posts that I have read, it isnt worth it at DLR and it doesn't compare.

Having been to WDW so many times, I really feel lost planning this trip.

Thanks for sharing any advice!

jonsmom

 

[DisneyFans4]

I think I'm going to make a change in plans and not do San Diego but fly into San Fran for a few days and then onto DL.

I never did the dining plan at WDW but the dining plan doesn't seem worth it at DL and the one at WDW is much better.

Yes, we want to stay on property. I don't think I want the So. Calif. pass. Not really interested in the zoo and have done Sea World many times.

I would really love to see San Fran because I hear it's beautiful.

I too feel very foreign trying to arrange this trip.

Being WDW veterans and after 11 straight years I can plan that trip so easily but now I'm having a hard time.

 

[ter-moo]

Because you want to add other places than DL to your trip, I would recommend NOT getting a package.

Go to the library and get some tour books on California. Once you've picked some places you'd like to visit, check tripadvisor.com for hotels in the area. I always start there, and then go to each hotel website individually to check prices, pictures, etc.

Carrentals.com is a good site for rental cars. They seem to get the best prices. You can also look for rental car codes on various sights (just do a google search).

If you decide to stay in San Francisco, let some of us on the boards from that area know, and we'll be glad to advise you on the best areas to stay, etc.

I think you'll save a ton of money doing it all separately yourself.

Just wanted to add also that staying on property at DL is not at all like staying on property at WDW. Two of the three hotels are actually FARTHER away from the front gates than many of the off-site hotels on Harbor. There isn't a "world" in the same way. The park is plopped right in the middle of a city, so you don't get the same "on-property" feel. There are many recommendations for various hotels on this site, so just ask and we'll be happy to help you out with that part!

 

[DisneyFans4]

Thanks so much ter-moo!

I am trying to book the trip on my own but my TA has been to CA many times so she has plenty of ideas.

The only package I would want to have her book is the DL resort package because sometimes the TA's get better deals.

 

[ter-moo]

Thanks so much ter-moo!

I am trying to book the trip on my own but my TA has been to CA many times so she has plenty of ideas.

The only package I would want to have her book is the DL resort package because sometimes the TA's get better deals.

No problem.

Note I just edited my last post and added a paragraph while you were posting!

 

[tink2dw]

Check this page of the DIS,
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/discounts.htm#dreams

For DL Discounts including $150. Disney Gift Card + Dreams Unlimited Gift Card promotion. (Travel must take place between January 7 and April 24, 2008.)

Plus other discounts!

 

[CoolPool]

I wanted to plug staying at one of the DL onsite properties. The 3 Disney hotels are unlike WDW in that you are not "a world apart" but they do offer the kind of amenities that WDW veterans frequently expect. (I'm a Poly/AKL fan.) For example, they offer more interesting pools (great for August), full service restaurants and BARS, onsite childcare, shops, easy access to DTD, character meals, Disney theming, etc. I live an hour and a half away and I still stay onsite when I go to DLR because I like to stay 24hr Mouse-style.

I think you need to sit down and plan what you want to see and how much is in your budget for the trip. I'd recommend about 3 days for DLR but you can easily do a few more at a leisurely pace or less if you are a commando; the parks are not as large or overwhelming as WDW and you will be surprised at how many rides DLR crams into a small space.

California has a bit of traffic. That's my only warning. LoL.

 

[Tink208]

Just wanted to add also that staying on property at DL is not at all like staying on property at WDW. Two of the three hotels are actually FARTHER away from the front gates than many of the off-site hotels on Harbor. There isn't a "world" in the same way. The park is plopped right in the middle of a city, so you don't get the same "on-property" feel.

Admittedly, I have never been to WDW, but I have to say that there is definitely a different feel when staying "on-property" compared to staying off-property. We used to always stay off-property but then my older son and I stayed at the DLH for a quick weekend trip...we have not stayed off-property ever since, and I plan never to do so, if at all possible.

 

[disney-super-mom]

We always stay on property when visiting DL whenever possible. It is a world of difference for us as well. One of the main reasons being that most of the places on Harbor Blvd are motels and not hotels. They certainly don't offer anywhere close to the same amenities/services as the Disneyland Resort hotels, and most have teeny-tiny pools. Also, virtually none of them have anything but hardscaping around them.

However, if we're on a tighter vacation budget, we wouldn't hesitate to book at: HOJO or Candy Cane Inn.

 

[bumbershoot]

And I'm the opposite of the last two posters. I've stayed on-site and just don't see the point. Too spendy for too little value, IMO.

Another issue I had was specifically with the hotel vs motel point. In a hotel you're inside, so anything going on anywhere just sticks around. In our case, I feel strongly that there had been cigarette-smoking going on, and from the way the room was when we checked in late, I think they were caught and kicked out for it. The smell hung around, and you could also smell weird smells in the hallways.

Whereas when you're in a motel, when you step outside you're outside, and nothing will linger with you!

We used the fancy pool once, and walked past the pools at the offsite hotels b/c we didn't feel that swimming was something we felt like doing. Service at the restaurant at the Anabella was FAR better than at PP, b/c you could just order "to go" rather than going through Room Service, which was required by PP (and the hefty room services charges that go along with it).


But ultimately, you have to figure out what you want, and then find things to match what you want. Same goes for the rest of your trip. Figure out places you want to go (cities or sites) then go back to your TA and see what she has within that category, rather than just going with what SHE says is worth seeing.


And with that I step aside, since I probably just made it harder.

 

[DisneyFans4]

Since it's our first trip to DL I definitely want to stay on property to take advantage of the theming, just being able to walk over and of course, package delivery!! I'm sure I will be making many purchases this trip.....

Now it's a matter of finding the right package at a good price.....

 

[CoolPool]

How long are you staying? At a certain point it becomes economical to have one person in your party buy an annual pass for the purpose of getting special AP rates at the DL hotels. Not sure if there will be deals in early August though - I remember the AP4 rates started around August 21 in 2007. Those rates started at $129 for PP, I think $159 for the DLH, and $199 for the GCH.