Aussie Disneyland Planners come on in and lets plan together :)

[jacs1234]

I'm still here too. I've got 7 weeks left to go!! Some days that feels like forever!!

I rang Disneyland yesterday to book my dining reservations, which was exciting! I'm having breakfast with Lilo and Stitch and Christmas Day dinner at Goofy's Kitchen!! I was considering breakfast with Minnie and Friends too but decided that might be overdoing things!!

That's so cool. Goofy's kitchen on Christmas day. Is everything open Christmas day?

 

[dollarmite]

Has anyone ever booked their Disneyland or Disney World holiday through dreamsunlimitedtravel.com or yourmagicaljourneys.com ?

I am about to book our Disney World trip for next year, dates are confirmed, trip is definate, just waiting to see if the $ goes up a bit more before booking. We are also thinking of squeezing in a Disneyland trip in in Early December or early January. I have all of the brochures from different travel agents and thought that I may get a better deal as the pricings in those brochures are set and they would have been set when the $ was not so good, so it may be cheaper to go through one of the two agents above. I head that magical journeys, when you book will automatically change your booking if say a better deal comes along for your stay (like free dining at WDW), don't know about dreams unlimited though.

So I just thought I would see if any other Aussies had used either of these online disney booking companies.

Thank you in advance

We booked both our WDW package and DL hotel room only through Dreams Unlimited. Each booking had a different consultant and I have been very happy with both of them; I'd definitely recommend DU. Our WDW agent got us free dining. It was great not having to deal with the hassle of making ADRs as they did them for me and got me exactly what I wanted.

We are in NY at the moment and will be in WDW next week and DL a few weeks after that so will be able to give a more updated answer after that.

 

[LesleyP]

That's so cool. Goofy's kitchen on Christmas day. Is everything open Christmas day?

Yes everything's open. I've read that Christmas Day gets really crowded, not sure why, I would have thought most people would be at home with family.

From what I've read of previous years, Goofys and some other restaurants have a special menu for Christmas eve and day, with more festive type foods as well a their traditional menus. I'm hoping for some yummy desserts!!

 

[marvel]

I have used both DU and Small World and prefer small world, I think the person we had at dreams couldn't really be bothered. THe only problem is that the $200 is not refundable so if you end up not going for whatever reason you lost the $200. I am pretty sure.

Weird about Blue Bayou, wouldn't go back there personally. Server was hopeless, could not be bothered. The ambience was nice, good to do once, but the food was average, and that was across all four of our meals. Sorry. Had plenty of meals of far better quality at California pizza kitchen, but to each their own. It was the only place on our entire trip that I did not tip.

 

[mareeld86]

How is eveyone going with ther planning? we have all gone very quite lately!!
I am slowly counting down the days until i go i guess once christmas is out of the way it will start to go faster!
At least I have most of my christmas shopping done.

 

[soak01]

Gosh, I just looked at the calendar, only 4 weeks to go!

We fly out of Adelaide on Monday 30th November to Los Angeles via Hong Kong (long way round but hey, I'm not driving) and arrive Monday night (LA time).

Tuesday - Slow am and then DL here we come.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - DL, DCA, Garden Walk, The Block

Saturday - Private tour of LA/Hollywood/Beaches (got a great price) and one last trip to DL

Sunday - Fly to Calgary (Canada) for xmas and new year with family (-40C can't wait)

 

[jacs1234]

Gosh, I just looked at the calendar, only 4 weeks to go!

We fly out of Adelaide on Monday 30th November to Los Angeles via Hong Kong (long way round but hey, I'm not driving) and arrive Monday night (LA time).

Tuesday - Slow am and then DL here we come.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - DL, DCA, Garden Walk, The Block

Saturday - Private tour of LA/Hollywood/Beaches (got a great price) and one last trip to DL

Sunday - Fly to Calgary (Canada) for xmas and new year with family (-40C can't wait)

OH WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Disneyland AND a white Christmas. That is soooooooooo great.

 

[jacs1234]

Just an update about the Delta guy at LAX who wouldn't give me any info unless I paid him - I sent Delta an email and they sent us a $50 credit voucher.

jacs1234, every time I see your ticker it is a reminder of how many days we have left.

Just don't look. I drove past your house today and I was thinking of where you were. At least you have had a long trip. Ours will only be short.

 

[becpee]

Here we are in Anaheim (or Garden Grove), we're doing Disney on last leg of our trip but did head to Downtown Disney yesterday to rent a car, very helpful guy at Alamo there
So we didn't head into the park but already the family are very excited, they still had their Halloween stuff up outside, we took a couple of pics, so cute!
Did some shopping yesterday at Brea Mall, very cool, spent a bit of $$ but the rate is so good how could we not??
Tried Joe's crab shack, not bad (cheap margarita's ), Red Robin burgers are awesome and people everywhere are so helpful and wanting to talk to us
Target is also very very cheap, licenced products are nowhere near as expensive as here, we must get hit with massive markups and taxes at home, the prices seem ridiculous.
We are loving it here and I am already planning a return trip

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Here we are in Anaheim (or Garden Grove), we're doing Disney on last leg of our trip but did head to Downtown Disney yesterday to rent a car, very helpful guy at Alamo there
So we didn't head into the park but already the family are very excited, they still had their Halloween stuff up outside, we took a couple of pics, so cute!
Did some shopping yesterday at Brea Mall, very cool, spent a bit of $$ but the rate is so good how could we not??
Tried Joe's crab shack, not bad (cheap margarita's ), Red Robin burgers are awesome and people everywhere are so helpful and wanting to talk to us
Target is also very very cheap, licenced products are nowhere near as expensive as here, we must get hit with massive markups and taxes at home, the prices seem ridiculous.
We are loving it here and I am already planning a return trip

HOw exciting Becpee. Sounds like you are having so much fun. Enjoy yourself.

 

[aussiegirls]

becpee, we just got back 3 days ago and I too am already planning a return trip.

I took a bit too much spending money (I never thought I would say that sentence) and had a bit left over when we got back and the first thing I did was to figure out if it was enough to buy some more plane tickets for the next trip.

I am not sure if I am still on a holiday high so I think I might wait a few weeks or so before making a definite decision, but I think I want to go back at the end of next year. I want to see Christmas at Disneyland.

Anyway DD asked me this morning if we will ever be able to go back. I told her that if I ever see a $1000 return air fare again I will just buy it

xxx

 

[aussiegirls]

Oh my gosh, you know what I have just realised now - days after we are back in Australia. I had booked to go to the Pat-e-cake party thing on my DD's birthday and I completely forgot. I didn't remember it the whole time we were there and it has only just occurred to me right now. Oh well

xxx

 

[LesleyP]

becpee, we just got back 3 days ago and I too am already planning a return trip.

I took a bit too much spending money (I never thought I would say that sentence) and had a bit left over when we got back and the first thing I did was to figure out if it was enough to buy some more plane tickets for the next trip.

I am not sure if I am still on a holiday high so I think I might wait a few weeks or so before making a definite decision, but I think I want to go back at the end of next year. I want to see Christmas at Disneyland.

Anyway DD asked me this morning if we will ever be able to go back. I told her that if I ever see a $1000 return air fare again I will just buy it

xxx

Aussiegirls : If you have money left over, you obviously weren't shopping hard enough!!

What have people been buying while in the US? Clothes? Food? Has anyone scored any good bargains?

I'm hoping they have some good post Christmas sales while I'm there.

 

[aussiegirls]

I know LesleyP!!! I thought I was shopping hard enough but clearly I was mistaken

On my last day when I realised that I had lots of money left I went into Guess and shopped up a storm though. They even invited me to join their VIP club or something like that because I spent so much money

 

[jacs1234]

I agree with LesleyP. You should have done better than that I was also planning a return trip while I was there. Little did I know that I'd be going the same time the next year. Gotta love airline price wars

Becpee Already planning your next trip and you haven't been in the parks You've got it bad. You just wait till you get in there.

We want to go to Joes crab shack too but we'll have to go the night we get home from legoland. It's either crabshack or back into disney, just the two of us as grandma will be babysitting the munchkins that night. Is it worth it? Dh loves crab.

 

[becpee]

I agree with LesleyP.
Becpee Already planning your next trip and you haven't been in the parks You've got it bad. You just wait till you get in there.

We want to go to Joes crab shack too but we'll have to go the night we get home from legoland. It's either crabshack or back into disney, just the two of us as grandma will be babysitting the munchkins that night. Is it worth it? Dh loves crab.

We actually didn't have crab at Joe's LOL I had popcorn shrimp and DH had a burger which he liked alot, it was pretty good though and cheap.

Tonight we had Bubba Gump after Universal and I it and DH also it, he is a real critic LOL

Another thing I must let you know is that Macy's have a discount card for O/S travellers to offset the taxes, cuts 10% off their prices (which may amount to a bit depending on what you spend )

 

[darren123]

Hi all
Do you think we will see cheaper airfares in the New Year
I understand they are cheap now at under $1200 we paid $2000 in May 2008
It would be interesting to if they go under $1000
11 weeks to go and I still have not booked an Airline yet just waiting to see what happens.

 

[aussiegirls]

That's an interesting question Darren, and one that I have been thinking about. When I bought mine it was $1100 and I thought I got a great deal. They did end up going lower though, I think to about $995.

I will book tickets at $1000 ish but as I said before I want to go next December and they haven't even released tickets for then yet. I think they sell them about a year in advance, so in Dec I will seriously start price hunting.

I am not sure if they will get to rock bottom again. We can only hope. But I think even if they do it won't last forever. I say, if you find a cheap flight, grab it. I will definately be doing that if some appear during my dates and in my price

xxxx

 

[jacs1234]

Our tickets were sooooooo cheap. 500 and something for the kids and 600 and something for us. I can't imagine prices ever being that low again though we're hoping they will be.

 

[kylieh]

We're going in April, with Qantas. School holidays, just under $4000 for 2A + 1C.

When I was speaking with Qantas the other night the consultant metioned he wasn't booking many international flights, mainly domestic.