Are we going?

[CrazyMe]

We are looking at taking a trip to DL in May 2012. My hubby is wondering if we should go to DL or not now... He is thinking that maybe we should go to DW instead. As we have been to DW before and there is "so much to do." I think he is worried that the kids will not have enough to do in DL...

Can you let me know some of the great things about going to DL. Must see things, things that we must do while there.

Right now we are looking at doing 3 or 4 days in the park and then doing some other things, maybe Sea World going to the beach...

Please help me plan things out... right now I am on the fence on what we should do...

All your info would be great! Thanks!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

So I'm assuming you've never been to DL before?

3-4 days in Disneyland is still quickish paced (I'd say 3 is semi fast paced..4 is more relaxed).

There are just so many amazing things that make DL unique. There's a lot to explore. You will NOT feel like you're lacking in things to do, I promise. We did 5 days and were still finding things to do

And there really are a lot of other great things in Cali to do. Sea world, like you mentioned is only one.

 

[skiingfast]

In DL's 2 parks are almost as many attractions as in WDW's 4. No golf or waterparks. And everything is close so you don't spen as much time travelling around. No buses to worry about, you can spend the whole visit walking.

3-4 days is good for May in the parks. But early Spring keep your eyes open. If Carsland opens then it will be a crowded time and 4-5 days may be better.

The beach and SW are good supplements. There is also Universal Studios and Knotts. San Diego Zoo. Hollywood. With a car a trip up highway 1 to San Fransico is incredible.

 

[CrazyMe]

It's been years since I went to DL... I think I was 7 or 8 years old when I went and the only thing I remember is the tea cup ride and getting splashed at Sea World... lol

We have 4 kids, 17, 14, 9 and 7 at the time that we will be going. We will be driving so we will have a car...

I have been sold on DL from what a couple of friends have told me, but my hubby not so much.

I don't even know where to start on all the planning as I have NO idea where to stay.....

Thank goodness we have sometime before we go!

 

[skiingfast]

I don't even know where to start on all the planning as I have NO idea where to stay.....

I'm not sure how many times you have been to WDW, but this may be for you.

DLR guide for WDW vets.

 

[KCmike]

There is so much to do in SoCal.
Not sure how long your planning on staying or where your coming from but here is my suggestion.
Disneyland 4-5 days. Stay onsite if you can afford it.
Stay in San Diego 2-3 days. Visit SeaWorld and stay at Hotel Del Coronado if you can afford it. Visit if you can't. It's where the Grand Floridian got its idea from.
Visit the beach one day. I say Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach. You can also take a boat ride ($15 a person or so) where they take you around the harbor and then onto the ocean to see the sunset. We had a great time.
Hollywood is dirty and not worth it at all. As much as you would want to see it I strongly suggest you bypass it.
If you have more time (and since you have a car) you could go north and see Yosemite National Park. Simply breathtaking and the single most beautiful place I've seen. Heaven on earth. There are waterfalls, redwoods, Sequoias, scenic vistas (glacier point) and trails galore. It is about 6 hours north though.

I don't think Carsland will be done by May 2012 though. I've read in a few places that DCA won't fully be renovated until July.

Disneyland is amazing by the way and there is plenty to do. My kids love Disneyland so much more than WDW and we were vets of WDW. We usually take 5-6 days for Disneyland. We spend 4-5 at DL/DCA/Downtown Disney and have a hotel day and a beach day. The more you can pack it in the better.

 

[CrazyMe]

I have to look at how much time my hubby can get off before I know how much time we will be traveling for.

We are coming from Denver, Colorado and the kids would like to stop and see Vegas... so I think our first day we will drive to Vegas and stop for the night, not sure if we would spend more time that that there or not but I wouldn't think we would spend to much time there as they all really want to go to Disney but the thought of Vegas intrigues them.

We may only do 3 days in Disney as we can get a pretty great deal for the 3 day hopper pass (96.50 each). But do want to do other things. My son really wants to go to Lego Land ($45 for one day... is it that great?) We will possible do Sea World and the SD Zoo. I would guess that each of these will take a whole day. Now I am going to look into the boat ride mentioned above as that sounds wonderful!

Then depending on how long we have we would be able to take the drive up and see the views! (if I can talk the family into another 6 hours in the car)!

Still lots to look into, I thank you all for replaying and giving me info at least now I know more of what to look forward to and what to plan for!

Keep the great info coming as the more I can get figured out the better!

 

[sonnyjane]

We may only do 3 days in Disney as we can get a pretty great deal for the 3 day hopper pass (96.50 each). But do want to do other things. My son really wants to go to Lego Land ($45 for one day... is it that great?) We will possible do Sea World and the SD Zoo. I would guess that each of these will take a whole day. Now I am going to look into the boat ride mentioned above as that sounds wonderful!

Then depending on how long we have we would be able to take the drive up and see the views! (if I can talk the family into another 6 hours in the car)!

Still lots to look into, I thank you all for replaying and giving me info at least now I know more of what to look forward to and what to plan for!

Keep the great info coming as the more I can get figured out the better!

Wow! Do you mind me asking how you're getting a 3-day parkhopper for $96.50 each? That's an awesome deal, as they currently sell for $224 ($214 if you buy online).

As far as Legoland - how old is your son? I wouldn't recommend it for anyone older than 8 really, so if it's something he's really, REALLY into and he's young, then maybe just you and him could go - but I wouldn't take everyone in the family.

The zoo and Sea World are definitely a full day each, so I'd recommend doing your Disneyland time, then moving to a San Diego hotel for the other portion of your trip, as it is about 2 hours in between Anaheim (Disneyland) and San Diego.

As far as if there's enough to do at Disneyland - absolutely yes. I'm not sure how you convince someone of that if they're being closed-minded, but I assure you there is

 

[skiingfast]

Because it's a long drive from Denver to LV you might think of that as day one. And day two, visit LV during the morning day, end leave in the evening(never do this on a Sunday, the traffic is aweful) so you do SD first or Anaheim arriving at night.

Legoland will be ok for the two younger kids, and probably bore the older two. The park is pretty to look at but the rides are for the 10 and under kids.

If I was you I'd focus on the Zoo and Seaworld giving a day to each, but the bay cruise after the Zoo might work.

I'm curious where are you getting your ticket prices from? They are super cheap and possibly not legitimate.

 

[CrazyMe]

My hubby is in the military so the price is for the "Armed Forces Salute" for Disneyland they offer the 3 Day Park Hopper for $96.50 but do not show prices if we want to add a day... but just going through the military it looks like the 3 day hopper would be Adult $160.50, Child (3-9)$149.50 and the 4 day hopper only goes up by $8... So I will have to ask whenever I make it back to the base.

I pulled up Lego Land and showed my son... he really LOVES his Lego video games and was sold on going till we looked at the rides and such. He is pretty tall for his age and seeing the little kids in the pictures he wasn't even sure he would fit into some of the rides. So we have tossed that out!

I am thinking that if we can pull it off time wise we will do at least the 3 days in Disney and then head down to San Diego for 3 or so days. It's hard not knowing how much time my hubby will have off and since we are driving we have to take that in to account as well...

 

[CrazyMe]

BTW... sat everyone down and asked all the kids where they want to go. All 4 of them said Disneyland since we haven't been there before. The hubby is ok with it!

And the kids are totally looking forward to the road trip (do they not remember how cranky they can get in the car... it's been a couple of years but we went to Michigan in the car)....

My son will be 9 at the time we take this trip. We will also have a 7, 14 and 17 year old girls... this should be fun!

 

[KCmike]

I wish I lived 9 hours closer to Disneyland! If I did I would probably become an annual passholder. Currently for me its 24hrs in a car or a plane ride. From Denver though I thinks its 15 hrs? Still a long drive don't get me wrong but to be within a day of the ocean or Disneyland would be heavenly!

Good luck on the research portion of your trip. For me its part of the fun.

 

[CrazyMe]

The research gets to be a bit overwhelming... but it is fun. The kids are starting to ask me more and more about it which makes it even funner. We still have quite sometime left before we go but I do like to have the details nailed down. But I also know having 4 kids that things don't always go as planned so really it's all just an idea of what is going to happen.

It does look like if we drove straight through it would be just over a 15 hour drive. But once again with 4 kids I don't think we would be able to do that. It will probably take us the 15 hours to drive to Vegas! We will stop there for the day/night and head to DL the next day!

I think now that I am gathering info it's all becoming more real... should be lots of fun!