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

[marvel]

AirNZ allows you to pick your seats once you have done your booking online. Very handy, have seatguru open at the same time and you can check them out. The only bad seats in cattle class IMHO are near the toilets or way at the back of the plane where they end up running out of food choices.

 

[lovintheland]

There are 5 of us and we had the 3 on the window and then 2 across the aisle, however, both there and back we had the 3 in the middle as they didn't seat anyone else there. Which was really nice! Both flights weren't overly full, so if you're lucky you will end up with an extra seat too.


Huge thumbs up for V Australia. Loved them!

 

[~ButterflyKisses~]

For those going to DL in September, are you worried about rides being closed and no fireworks during the week? And isn't Haunted Mansion closed around this time of year getting ready for the Halloween display?

We're going in September and I'm not too worried about some rides being closed. We've never been to Disneyland before so if we miss out on some rides I figure we won't really know what we are missing IYKWIM. I would like to see the Haunted Mansion though. I'm hoping it stays open until later this year.

I would love to have the fireworks showing every night though. Would give us heaps more flexibility. We'll be in the parks from Tuesday to Sunday so I figure we'll get at least 2 chances to see them. Praying they don't get cancelled! Are the fireworks only on Firday & Saturday nights? What about fantasmic? I heard that's only showing on Saturdays & Sundays?

Anyone know what rides are likely to be closed? We're going from Sept 21-28th.

 

[keptwoman]

You'll definitely see the Haunted Mansion as that opens with the holiday layover on the 25th or 26th.
Not sure about other rides or fireworks, just going on what others have said.

 

[~ButterflyKisses~]

keptwoman, how do you know that HM opens on the 25th/26th? Was it announced somewhere?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I have a secret plan - I am trying to talk my husband into taking a quick trip to DL through the September school holidays. Am thinking 5 nights there, 3 nights in LA, 2 in San Fran and maybe 2 in Vegas. Not sure if he's taking the bait yet but will keep plugging away. If he gives me the go ahead (it's probably only a 50/50 chance at the moment) then I will need everyone here to help me plan this trip quickly. Haven't been OS yet so will definitely be relying on all you experienced peeps.

Fingers crossed.

 

[melbarkwith]

I have a secret plan - I am trying to talk my husband into taking a quick trip to DL through the September school holidays. Am thinking 5 nights there, 3 nights in LA, 2 in San Fran and maybe 2 in Vegas. Not sure if he's taking the bait yet but will keep plugging away. If he gives me the go ahead (it's probably only a 50/50 chance at the moment) then I will need everyone here to help me plan this trip quickly. Haven't been OS yet so will definitely be relying on all you experienced peeps.

Fingers crossed.

Good luck!
One thing that I have done for a while (and I know how sad it is!), is to check the airfare prices a couple of times a week and write it down each time. That way you'll know an extremely good price when you find it - our V Australia adult fares were $615 plus taxes.

My dh couldn't argue with that A week ago he wasn't even considering going, now we are booked.

Melissa

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Good luck!
One thing that I have done for a while (and I know how sad it is!), is to check the airfare prices a couple of times a week and write it down each time. That way you'll know an extremely good price when you find it - our V Australia adult fares were $615 plus taxes.

My dh couldn't argue with that A week ago he wasn't even considering going, now we are booked.

Melissa

Whoa, $615?????????/ that is amazing. What time of year are you going?

 

[melbarkwith]

Whoa, $615?????????/ that is amazing. What time of year are you going?

We are going at the end of October. Even with taxes, that price was lower than what they were advertising

Mel

 

[keptwoman]

keptwoman, how do you know that HM opens on the 25th/26th? Was it announced somewhere?

Halloween Information

Whoa, $615?????????/ that is amazing. What time of year are you going?

We are going in September to NY and we got it for $747 plus taxes. So adult fare return to NY was $1100. Which is SPECTACULAR!! In my travel agent days it was never that cheap!! It took a bit of playing with dates to get that fare, and if we had booked earlier we could have flown on the Qantas A380 for even less, but we needed the wedding dates confirmed before booking. I think it's a matter of keeping an eye on the fares and being a bit flexible with flights/dates/airlines.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

So are you guys using Expedia to get those prices, or are you going to the individual airline sites?

 

[marvel]

hope you do get to go, we have done that exact trip, LA, San Fran, Vegas, DL and San Diego, it is a great trip.

Our airfares were $989 per adult including all the taxes and I think around $700 for the kids, thereabouts. Ridiculous prices. Being with AirNZ frequent flyers I had enough points for all our fares where I had been counting on paying for maybe 2 if lucky.

They were quoting $700 fares to FIJI the other day, I think I would just do the US instead if the fares stayed like this.

Good to see the dollar back up above 80c. I am wishing it up to 90C

 

[keptwoman]

Individual airline sites, using their "flexible with dates" settings to get it to search more than one date.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

So let me run a vague itinerary past you, let me know your thoughts:-

5 nights DL - probably Disneyland Hotel/Grand Californian

3 nights LA - a few of you have mentioned the Rennaissance, might look at that. We would just want to do the usual, one day at Universal, half day exploring Santa Monica and Venice Beach, half day touring Stars homes, other day to include Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, etc.

2 nights - San Fran, desperate to check out Alcatraz, the pier and Fisherman's Wharf, and a little look around

2 nights - Vegas, just checking out all of the cool hotels, and some shopping and relaxing (would love to renew wedding vows but feel sure DH could never be convinced, hehe)

We'd be flying to San Fran and Vegas, we would both be too nervous to drive on our first visit.

So that is what I am thinking, it's whirlwind for sure and with two kids, 11 and 7, even more crazy. Could even add another day to the Vegas leg and do the Canyon too. I'm not sure whether we might need more time than that to see the Canyon. Has anyone been? What do you think?

So this of course is all just pipe dreams at the moment until I can convince DH to actually do this trip.....

 

[gogo65]

So let me run a vague itinerary past you, let me know your thoughts:-

5 nights DL - probably Disneyland Hotel/Grand Californian

3 nights LA - a few of you have mentioned the Rennaissance, might look at that. We would just want to do the usual, one day at Universal, half day exploring Santa Monica and Venice Beach, half day touring Stars homes, other day to include Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, etc.

2 nights - San Fran, desperate to check out Alcatraz, the pier and Fisherman's Wharf, and a little look around

2 nights - Vegas, just checking out all of the cool hotels, and some shopping and relaxing (would love to renew wedding vows but feel sure DH could never be convinced, hehe)

We'd be flying to San Fran and Vegas, we would both be too nervous to drive on our first visit.

So that is what I am thinking, it's whirlwind for sure and with two kids, 11 and 7, even more crazy. Could even add another day to the Vegas leg and do the Canyon too. I'm not sure whether we might need more time than that to see the Canyon. Has anyone been? What do you think?

So this of course is all just pipe dreams at the moment until I can convince DH to actually do this trip.....

Any chance on adding on another day or 2?
I think 2 days in San Fran and 2 in Vegas is a bit tight.

We did the Grand canyon but hired a car and drove from San Fran-Yosemite-Bryce canyon-Grand canyon-Vegas over one week. I think the Grand Canyon is worth it once in your life, but it is a really long day trip, not sure that the kids would be to happy.

We loved Vegas which is why we are going back again, we had 3 nights there our first trip and felt it wasn't enough, at the time our kids were 5 and 7 and we spent the mornings relaxing around the pool and the afternoon/ evenings visiting all the hotels.

if you are going to spend the money getting there then you may as well extend the trip for as long as possible

 

[keptwoman]

I haven't been to Vegas so can't comment on that. Not sure I could go that close to the canyon and not go to the canyon though.

We spent 3 nights in San Francisco with a very late flight on the last day and found that our time was pretty full. So I'd say you are pushing it with 2 nights. You will see the main sights I guess but there is so much more to see. We hired a car and did a driving tour on the last day... we drove up to a lookout and around the coast. We saw the bridge then drove across it to a lovely little town. I often find that it's the things that we don't plan that end up being the best and you leave little room for those things with only 2 nights in one place.
Whatever you do make sure you book Alcatraz before you leave home! We didn't and we weren't able to get there because all the boats were fully booked.

Your 3 nights in LA sounds about right and so does the 5 nights Disney. We only spent nights at Disney the first time and it was enough... just. But this time we are spending 5 because there is a lot of stuff we didn't see and didn't even realise we didn't see LOL.

I'd be tempted to ditch either Vegas or San Fran and spend more time in just one place. Either that or go for longer and spend more time in both.

Planning is such fun!!

 

[keptwoman]

Gogo we were planning to do the same drive around the canyons you did on our next US trip. Then the wedding was arranged on the east coast so we had to change it all around. Maybe next time!

 

[Saskiwi]

Originally Posted by Ms. Shuttergirl View Post
So let me run a vague itinerary past you, let me know your thoughts:-

5 nights DL - probably Disneyland Hotel/Grand Californian

3 nights LA - a few of you have mentioned the Rennaissance, might look at that. We would just want to do the usual, one day at Universal, half day exploring Santa Monica and Venice Beach, half day touring Stars homes, other day to include Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, etc.

2 nights - San Fran, desperate to check out Alcatraz, the pier and Fisherman's Wharf, and a little look around

2 nights - Vegas, just checking out all of the cool hotels, and some shopping and relaxing (would love to renew wedding vows but feel sure DH could never be convinced, hehe)

We'd be flying to San Fran and Vegas, we would both be too nervous to drive on our first visit.

So that is what I am thinking, it's whirlwind for sure and with two kids, 11 and 7, even more crazy. Could even add another day to the Vegas leg and do the Canyon too. I'm not sure whether we might need more time than that to see the Canyon. Has anyone been? What do you think?

So this of course is all just pipe dreams at the moment until I can convince DH to actually do this trip.....

I agree doing SF and LV with only 2 days in each is pushing it, especially with kids - I would be tempted to ditch SF unless you REALLY have to see Alcatraz, (SF is nice but for us Kiwis it was a bit like Wellington NZ, but bigger! -The Fisherman's Wharf and Pier is not that special IMHO - touristy Darling Harbour on steroids kind of thing...)

Instead, I would suggest you spend longer in LA and LV -and do the Grand Canyon, which is pretty cool. You can do it as a day trip from Vegas. Was last in Vegas 10 years ago so won't offer any other suggestions there, except to say the drive from LA to LV is a breeze - you just get on the I-10 freeway and stay on it! Of course it is 4-5 hours depending on traffic and where in LA you are starting from...

We stayed in Santa Monica after our DL visit in April - it's a good spot for kids with the beach, pier, Venice craziness etc - and handy for getting to Universal Studios and the Getty Centre - don't miss the Getty - it's great and free ($10 for parking of course though!) There is good shopping at Third St Promenade and the Santa Monica Place mall should have finished its redevelopment and reopened by the time you go - it was closed when we were there in April.

Accomm in SM is expensive - we ended up at the Best Western Gateway which doesn't have a pool but is pretty handy to most things. It has free parking which is important if you did end up getting a car. If you don't get a car, maybe look at somewhere closer to the beach and shopping - the Best Western was at 20th - ocean is at First, so you get the idea...

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Thanks so much for chiming in everyone. I can't tell you how great it is to hear from other's who have experienced this.

If we had to drop either SF or Vegas, it would have to be Vegas as my husband really wants to visit San Fran.

The background on all of this is we were supposedly to be going for 3-4 weeks over Christmas, had been planning and saving for 2 years to do the big once only holiday there, ending in 6 days in New York for Christmas. In Feb my DH's father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and so the trip was cancelled. His treatment has been going well and luckily he will still be with us at Christmas, but of course we will need to be here with him since it may be the last one, but hopefully he has more time than that. His health is great at the moment and his treatment is continuing on until August/Sept and his results have been really miraculous so far. I'm desparate for a holiday, my husband and I work huge hours and I have felt so flat since my "light at the end of the tunnel holiday" was taken away. I feel if we can go away over the September school holidays, whilst his father is still travelling along well, then I can get it out of my system, and frankly the next year or so are probably going to be tough going with his health so I would love to go now. Kinda selfish of me but I think I will go mad if I don't get away and popping to Queensland or something like that just won't cut it. We aren't huge beach people and my daughter and I are desperate to go to DL. I'd just do that and nothing else, hahaha but of course my husband wouldn't be keen on that.

So I guess this travel plan I'm working on here is me trying to fit the DL part in, and while you're there may as well do some other stuff, all the while trying not to keep us out of the country for too long. DH says we should just wait and do the whole big trip later. I believe we will get back to the US for our New York stuff, and probably DL again, so I'd like to do San Fran and Vegas this time, in case I can't make that portion of it happen in the future. I think 2 days in Vegas is plenty for us, since we will have younger children with us, no gambling, partying all night for us, just some sightseeing and shopping. You are right, ridiculous to not do the Canyon when so close so I would definitely add a day trip in for that.

Hmmmm, I better stock up the bar fridge tonight and get some candles and make a nice meal or something if I'm going to convince him to do this trip

 

[kylieh]

I think 2 days in Vegas is plenty for us, since we will have younger children with us, no gambling, partying all night for us, just some sightseeing and shopping. You are right, ridiculous to not do the Canyon when so close so I would definitely add a day trip in for that.

Try and stretch another day in LV. We had Miss 6 with us, hence no gambling, etc. We had 4 nights and there are things we missed. And that was without the Grand Canyon! We're planning on heading back in Sept/Oct next year.