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

[marvel]

hi bec, good to hear from you again.

Ok Darren, you have all these trips planned, share your secret on how I can pay for some more myself

good idea about the sim cards aussietravellers. we have phones from last time so hoping we can upgrade them. But also have an old phone so might even buy a sim card before we go, good idea.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

aussietravellers, thanks for that info. I had a look at the Amazon stuff and came across the world roaming sim card, found one on Aussie ebay for $5 so have bought two. Here is the link for anyone wanting to know more:-

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Global-Roami...ms=65:1|66:2|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

I'll let you know if it is good or not.

 

[darren123]

Ok Darren, you have all these trips planned, share your secret on how I can pay for some more myself

Our Secret is doing short trips, When I talk to most people who travel to the USA they normally do the LA to NY to LV trip nothing wrong with that but it does cost a lot of money. One friend who went to the USA recently spent over $35000 in 4 weeks, I said to him we did 12 days last year and that cost us $8000 all up including spending money. So how do I do it well we try to put $200 to $250 or more into a account each week this our Disney fund, then start planning, spend about 1 to 2 hours per day going over Dis boards, Trip advisor, Qantas etc. The best way is to be flexible with your travel when I find a good airfare then start working on Hotels. With airfares just changing one day either way can save over $500 per person. And then book my holiday time at work. Normally book tickets through the Disneyland website and get them sent out to us. Transfers by Disneyland Express booked online and before we go I have bus time tables for food shopping, Disney Discount shop, Knotts berry Farm, Aquarium of the Pacific etc all worked out. Universal Studio 2 days for 1 day ticket online Knotts Berry Farm coupon from subway and Magic Mountain ( X2 is a must ) online, we get car hire from Alamno in Katella street for one week pre book online and also did 2 day trips into LA to Santa Monica Pier, Olvera Street, Farmer’s Market, Kodak Centre and Griffith Observatory all a must see. Compare with booking from a travel agent you will save. I will not do a tour again as we were rushed at least with driving yourself you can take your time. Also we did a day trip out to Calico Ghost Town at Barstow only using car hire for other travel waste of money having a rental parked at the hotel when you go to Disneyland for 6 days. Hotels are a hard one to pick, stayed at the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate last time and looking at the Alpine Inn next time I will keep on looking until I find what meet our needs. Early this year we did a 4 day trip to Hong Kong had to get other Disney fix, after our last trip to Disneyland in May 2008 I had the Disney Blues real bad. Tip; do not have your last day on your birthday you will end up with very mixed emotions. Really short trips is my answer and research plan and I really do not have a life LOL.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Our Secret is doing short trips, When I talk to most people who travel to the USA they normally do the LA to NY to LV trip nothing wrong with that but it does cost a lot of money. One friend who went to the USA recently spent over $35000 in 4 weeks, I said to him we did 12 days last year and that cost us $8000 all up including spending money. So how do I do it well we try to put $200 to $250 or more into a account each week this our Disney fund, then start planning, spend about 1 to 2 hours per day going over Dis boards, Trip advisor, Qantas etc. The best way is to be flexible with your travel when I find a good airfare then start working on Hotels. With airfares just changing one day either way can save over $500 per person. And then book my holiday time at work. Normally book tickets through the Disneyland website and get them sent out to us. Transfers by Disneyland Express booked online and before we go I have bus time tables for food shopping, Disney Discount shop, Knotts berry Farm, Aquarium of the Pacific etc all worked out. Universal Studio 2 days for 1 day ticket online Knotts Berry Farm coupon from subway and Magic Mountain ( X2 is a must ) online, we get car hire from Alamno in Katella street for one week pre book online and also did 2 day trips into LA to Santa Monica Pier, Olvera Street, Farmer’s Market, Kodak Centre and Griffith Observatory all a must see. Compare with booking from a travel agent you will save. I will not do a tour again as we were rushed at least with driving yourself you can take your time. Also we did a day trip out to Calico Ghost Town at Barstow only using car hire for other travel waste of money having a rental parked at the hotel when you go to Disneyland for 6 days. Hotels are a hard one to pick, stayed at the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate last time and looking at the Alpine Inn next time I will keep on looking until I find what meet our needs. Early this year we did a 4 day trip to Hong Kong had to get other Disney fix, after our last trip to Disneyland in May 2008 I had the Disney Blues real bad. Tip; do not have your last day on your birthday you will end up with very mixed emotions. Really short trips is my answer and research plan and I really do not have a life LOL.

Darren I think you have the right idea for sure. I anticipate our 3 week trip will cost us around 25k in the end and I am kinda fine with that for this trip. We are sparing no expense in many areas, Bruce Springsteen tickets, Broadway show, Vegas show, major sporting event (haven't decided yet), nice hotels everywhere we go, staying at DLH, limo transfers for some stuff, and tons of spending money. Flying everywhere internally, no driving. I feel okay with the expense because I doubt whether I will get DH back there, unless he falls in love with DL (which isn't kinda his style, but have my fingers crossed). If I never get to go back then I want to do it in style.

However, if it is to become something a little more regular, I would totally do it the way you are suggesting, quicker trips, saving where I can, being alot smarter about money. I really applaud you for making this happen for your family over and over. I hope that I can take after you once I have been once.

 

[becpee]

Our Secret is doing short trips, When I talk to most people who travel to the USA they normally do the LA to NY to LV trip nothing wrong with that but it does cost a lot of money. One friend who went to the USA recently spent over $35000 in 4 weeks, I said to him we did 12 days last year and that cost us $8000 all up including spending money. So how do I do it well we try to put $200 to $250 or more into a account each week this our Disney fund, then start planning, spend about 1 to 2 hours per day going over Dis boards, Trip advisor, Qantas etc. The best way is to be flexible with your travel when I find a good airfare then start working on Hotels. With airfares just changing one day either way can save over $500 per person. And then book my holiday time at work. Normally book tickets through the Disneyland website and get them sent out to us. Transfers by Disneyland Express booked online and before we go I have bus time tables for food shopping, Disney Discount shop, Knotts berry Farm, Aquarium of the Pacific etc all worked out. Universal Studio 2 days for 1 day ticket online Knotts Berry Farm coupon from subway and Magic Mountain ( X2 is a must ) online, we get car hire from Alamno in Katella street for one week pre book online and also did 2 day trips into LA to Santa Monica Pier, Olvera Street, Farmer’s Market, Kodak Centre and Griffith Observatory all a must see. Compare with booking from a travel agent you will save. I will not do a tour again as we were rushed at least with driving yourself you can take your time. Also we did a day trip out to Calico Ghost Town at Barstow only using car hire for other travel waste of money having a rental parked at the hotel when you go to Disneyland for 6 days. Hotels are a hard one to pick, stayed at the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate last time and looking at the Alpine Inn next time I will keep on looking until I find what meet our needs. Early this year we did a 4 day trip to Hong Kong had to get other Disney fix, after our last trip to Disneyland in May 2008 I had the Disney Blues real bad. Tip; do not have your last day on your birthday you will end up with very mixed emotions. Really short trips is my answer and research plan and I really do not have a life LOL.

Some great tips there Darren, we are planning a trip on a budget, only 4 months away now and I am taking in all of what you've said

 

[keptwoman]

I also have an iPhone. I did a ton of research trying to find a cost effective way to use it in the US. All those wonderful travel apps!!
Anyway. I haven't found anyway of using my phone with data included.
What I do know is that in order to use your iPhone overseas you need to unlock it with your telco (unless you bought it unlocked) and apparantly this can take a while so it's best organised upfront. Then you need to completely reset it on iTunes.
Then you need to make sure any card you put in it is 3G which constrains you to limited networks in the US AT&T and another one or two. I've completely given up using data at any decent rate. I'm taking my phone and only using it on wifi at the hotels. I'm getting Telstra to turn off international roaming. We will buy two prepay phones in the US.
However if anyone finds different... I'd LOVE to hear it!!!

I checked out that card that was linked but at $15/MB it would be cheaper to get a AT&T prepay card and put it in my phone with their dreadful data rate of US$10/MB. Or even just use Telstras Data daylight robbery charges. Sigh.

A friend has the same issue and so that they can continue to use their phone overseas (they are going to Europe) they have bought Vodafone prepay cards to put in their phones. That gives them an Aussie number to give out and the ability to use it in Europe without inadvertantly clocking up data charges as it has no data component.

 

[marvel]

hey darren, good tips. How was the Calico Ghost town? Worth a visit? We will have a car for our drive to vegas and then back to anaheim, haven't heard much about it.

We also plan to do Griffith Obs and Santa Monica Pier. Was the farmers market worth a look? We went over 10 years ago without kids and cannot really remember it being that great.

 

[jacs1234]

'we had our phone put on international roaming last time and we could call Australia with it no probs but we couldn't call anywhere in the US. I tried and tried to call our room but there wasn't a way so I had to use a payphone.

 

[lovintheland]

Hi Marvel,
We stopped at Calico on our way to Vegas last month. Definately thought it was worth the look. It was very interesting and we spent longer there than I thought we would. The kids enjoyed it too.

Also enjoyed our stop at Farmers Market. We had morning tea there before heading next door to the Grove to go to American Girl. Yummiest fresh donouts! (they were better than Krispy Kreme). It was interesting just checking out the different stalls. There was a bakery especially for dogs Wat the?????

Have fun and happy planning!

 

[staceyinaustralia]

When we were os we took our laptop and used skype to call all our loved ones and freinds, then we got to see them, and we could show them our rooms/veiw/cool stuff we had bought. And of course we could talk as long as we wanted for FREE!! Just had to make sure an internet connection was available in our hotels...we stayed at the Desert Palms which has free internet...bonus!
Just an idea for those who are taking their laptop and hadn't thought of using it

 

[darren123]

Darren I think you have the right idea for sure. I anticipate our 3 week trip will cost us around 25k in the end and I am kinda fine with that for this trip. We are sparing no expense in many areas, Bruce Springsteen tickets, Broadway show, Vegas show, major sporting event (haven't decided yet), nice hotels everywhere we go, staying at DLH, limo transfers for some stuff, and tons of spending money. Flying everywhere internally, no driving. I feel okay with the expense because I doubt whether I will get DH back there, unless he falls in love with DL (which isn't kinda his style, but have my fingers crossed). If I never get to go back then I want to do it in style.

I think that is awesome to go in style If you have not done a major sports event eg baseball etc is is well worth it to go just the atmosphere of beening there is amazing. I hope you really enjoy Bruce Springsteen how many Aussies can say I travelled to the US to see the Boss, cool.

 

[darren123]

hey darren, good tips. How was the Calico Ghost town? Worth a visit? We will have a car for our drive to vegas and then back to anaheim, haven't heard much about it.

We also plan to do Griffith Obs and Santa Monica Pier. Was the farmers market worth a look? We went over 10 years ago without kids and cannot really remember it being that great.

I wanted to see Calico Ghost Town after going to Knotts Berry Farm and seeing some of the buildings from there Mr Knott once owned Calico it cost us $12 for the day very educational to see how it was. With Griffith it is open Weekdays (Tuesday – Friday), open Noon – 10:00 p.m.Weekends (Saturday – Sunday), open 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.Mondays – CLOSED we went twice once in the day and once in the night the city lights are beautiful.Farmers Market was ok Olvera St is 30 minutes away and very good tourist stop.Brought a Mexican Blanket for about $20 much warmer then a doona.

 

[keptwoman]

Our Secret is doing short trips, When I talk to most people who travel to the USA they normally do the LA to NY to LV trip nothing wrong with that but it does cost a lot of money. One friend who went to the USA recently spent over $35000 in 4 weeks, I said to him we did 12 days last year and that cost us $8000 all up including spending money. So how do I do it well we try to put $200 to $250 or more into a account each week this our Disney fund, then start planning, spend about 1 to 2 hours per day going over Dis boards, Trip advisor, Qantas etc. The best way is to be flexible with your travel when I find a good airfare then start working on Hotels. With airfares just changing one day either way can save over $500 per person. And then book my holiday time at work. Normally book tickets through the Disneyland website and get them sent out to us. Transfers by Disneyland Express booked online and before we go I have bus time tables for food shopping, Disney Discount shop, Knotts berry Farm, Aquarium of the Pacific etc all worked out. Universal Studio 2 days for 1 day ticket online Knotts Berry Farm coupon from subway and Magic Mountain ( X2 is a must ) online, we get car hire from Alamno in Katella street for one week pre book online and also did 2 day trips into LA to Santa Monica Pier, Olvera Street, Farmer’s Market, Kodak Centre and Griffith Observatory all a must see. Compare with booking from a travel agent you will save. I will not do a tour again as we were rushed at least with driving yourself you can take your time. Also we did a day trip out to Calico Ghost Town at Barstow only using car hire for other travel waste of money having a rental parked at the hotel when you go to Disneyland for 6 days. Hotels are a hard one to pick, stayed at the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate last time and looking at the Alpine Inn next time I will keep on looking until I find what meet our needs. Early this year we did a 4 day trip to Hong Kong had to get other Disney fix, after our last trip to Disneyland in May 2008 I had the Disney Blues real bad. Tip; do not have your last day on your birthday you will end up with very mixed emotions. Really short trips is my answer and research plan and I really do not have a life LOL.

We are doing 24 days this trip, both NY and Disney and a road trip on the East Coast for a total of $11K for 3 adults, a 15yo, 10yo and 6yo. Plus food and spending of course, but as we plan to have cereal in the hotel room, large picnic lunches and BBQs in parks, with lots of fruit and sandwiches for most dinners, well food won't be much more than it will be here. So that is all flights, accommodation, rental cars, museums, public transport, a football game in NY etc. My answer is not short trips, although 3 weeks isn't hugely long, but lots of research, lots of price comparisons and most importantly of all a willingness to stay in hostels and other cheaper accommodation. I read read read Trip Advisor and I won't stay somewhere that gets very bad reviews in terms of cleanliness and noise or ANY mention of bedbugs, but other than that I'm just fine with 2 star places and family rooms in YHAs. And honestly, some of the small and/or cheap places we have stayed have been the most interesting, big chains are sooooo yawn inducing!! If we restricted ourselves to nice hotels all the time then we would only ever get to Fiji or the Whitsundays.... not that I don't LOVE Fiji and the Whitsundays LOL. And there is too much of the world to see to be restricted to the islands.

I think that 11K (might end up 12K, or if the exchange rate is kind, 10K!) for 24 days for that many of us, given we don't fit in many hotel rooms so our choice is very limited is spectacular LOL.

 

[aussiegirls]

I will be doing my tax return tonight so fingers crossed for some extra spending money

xxx

 

[Czardas]

Just booked Hollywood Renaissance Hotel
Also booked the convertible cadillac tour today. Got sick of waiting for the $$ to rise. What's a few cents anyway???

I am starting to get excited, so much has been happening in our personal and business life, that I really need a holiday. Also I have more of a chance of getting Swine flu in Melbourne now than I have in Mexico

 

[rossip]

HI all ,

Just wondering who everyones favorite tour company was from Anaheim for day trips to Universal and Sea World etc ?

We've looked at both All Anaheim tours and also Southern California Grayline tours both seem reasonably priced - has anyone got an preferences or other suggstions ?

TIA

 

[Czardas]

HI all ,

Just wondering who everyones favorite tour company was from Anaheim for day trips to Universal and Sea World etc ?

We've looked at both All Anaheim tours and also Southern California Grayline tours both seem reasonably priced - has anyone got an preferences or other suggstions ?

TIA

We used Grayline to universal and hated it. The bus driver drove us nuts. He had a crap sense of humour by saying "hello" into the microphone every 15 minutes for the hour or so trip. It wore off after the third time. We also drove around the block about two times as they needed to pick someone up that didn't turn up, resulting in us wasting time.

Now the following is no fault of the tour company, we had a little one screaming the whole way and the most obnoxious family with teenage boys that kept puttig their feet up on the headrests, yelling, hitting each other etc.
Put the whole lot together and it made for a really loooong bus ride.

At the end of the day after a fantastic day at Universal, we make it back to the bus only to see the same driver
We board the bus and he has the aircon going full blast. We are freezing and everyone is grumbling, so I ask if he can turn it down as we are cold. No problems he turns the heating on full bore and we are gasping. So hot, I couldn't wait to get off that bus. We alighted the bus inhaling the cool night air, like fish starved of oxygen. Never again!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Just booked Hollywood Renaissance Hotel
Also booked the convertible cadillac tour today. Got sick of waiting for the $$ to rise. What's a few cents anyway???

I am starting to get excited, so much has been happening in our personal and business life, that I really need a holiday. Also I have more of a chance of getting Swine flu in Melbourne now than I have in Mexico

This is where we are staying in Hollywood too, yay. If you hate it, don't tell me

Kinda love the idea of the cadillac but DD has her heart set on the stretch limo, hehe.

 

[Czardas]

This is where we are staying in Hollywood too, yay. If you hate it, don't tell me

Almost changed at the last minute to Roosevelt Hotel as it had great reviews on tripadvisor and wotif.com.au had some good deals.

Paid for the room with Breakfast $269.00 U.S could of gotten a AAA discount but none of our cars are with RACV

 

[~ButterflyKisses~]

Just booked Hollywood Renaissance Hotel
Also booked the convertible cadillac tour today. Got sick of waiting for the $$ to rise. What's a few cents anyway???

Can I ask who you booked the convertible cadillac tour with? We are looking at doing something similiar. How much did it cost and how many passengers do you have? Also are you doing a set tour or do you get to choose where you want to go and see?