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

[Andona]

Actually the worst list for us is the electronic gadgets and charger list,

Keptwoman,
I'm glad we're not the only ones who haul a vast array of electronics stuff. We've also found the power board simplifies things tremendously.

The three of us have our own phones, cameras, MP3 players and sound reduction headphones and with the extras like GPS, PSP and Laptop , car chargers for everything as well as ordinary chargers it makes for quite a pile of cables!

Andona

 

[Flea]

Is that right about the Ibuprofen??? Why would that be?

I have no idea - I thought I'd read it somewhere so wanted to know before hand as I'd like to take our kids stuff too. I'll see if I can find where it's mentioned (I thought it was in this thread somewhere)

 

[keptwoman]

Keptwoman,
I'm glad we're not the only ones who haul a vast array of electronics stuff. We've also found the power board simplifies things tremendously.

The three of us have our own phones, cameras, MP3 players and sound reduction headphones and with the extras like GPS, PSP and Laptop , car chargers for everything as well as ordinary chargers it makes for quite a pile of cables!

Andona

Yes and I'm also looking at getting a portable power pack for the iPhones or they will be well out of battery before we get there. Car charger is a good idea, hmmmmmmm.

 

[Flea]

I have no idea - I thought I'd read it somewhere so wanted to know before hand as I'd like to take our kids stuff too. I'll see if I can find where it's mentioned (I thought it was in this thread somewhere)

Ok so maybe I was imagining it - forget I said anything I have a prescription for the kids stuff anyway so it shouldn't be a problem

My brain is too overworked haha

 

[kylieh]

I have no idea - I thought I'd read it somewhere so wanted to know before hand as I'd like to take our kids stuff too. I'll see if I can find where it's mentioned (I thought it was in this thread somewhere)

Nurofen/Ibuforen should be fine, it's only the types with codeine with it, ie Nurofen Plus, that would cause problems. Codeine is a controlled substance in the US and would upset customs. You cannot have it there without a Dr's prescription.

 

[dave73]

Brilliant idea, Dave!

Our flight change now has us flying out at 11.45pm. I was aiming to get us to the DL gates by 6 am that day as its our only Early Entry day and I've been worrying about how tired we'd be by the afternoon. Was trying to think of ways that we could relax and rest a bit in the park but you're plan looks much better.

So, I've just booked us an extra night at the BWPPI, even though we'll have to leave there by 8pm It will make the packing up and checking out much more relaxed.

Now I just have to convince Dh that it's worth the extra expense

Andona

Last year we left San Fran at 10ish and had to check out early and it was a pain. This way we can go back, have a shower and change after our day out and finalise packing and relax before getting picked up. We felt it was worth the extra expense for 1 night.

 

[Flea]

Nurofen/Ibuforen should be fine, it's only the types with codeine with it, ie Nurofen Plus, that would cause problems. Codeine is a controlled substance in the US and would upset customs. You cannot have it there without a Dr's prescription.

Aha that's where I probably got it from - thanks for clearing up the confusion

 

[Czardas]

Last time we went to WDW and then skied in Canada, we had a range of clothes for every season. 2 suitcases with all our ski gear and 2 suitcase with everything else.
This year we will have 10 days in disney/vegas, 2 weeks skiing in canada then 9 nights in Hawaii/Fiji. So summer winter and everything in between again, as well as 1 snowboard/3 pairs of skis and 4 pairs of boots. Every airline we are using allows 2 bags except Pacific blue from Fiji, Oh well I think I may have a little extra luggage allowance

Oh gosh we did the same thing. Lugged all our ski gear and ski boots (left skis at home though) through LA, then to Vegas then on to Steamboat Springs in Colarado. I was over it by the time we got home.

 

[Jade+3]

I notice a few people are taking photography equipment. I have only had my DSLR (Canon 450D) for a couple of months, and am still trying to figure out how to use it. Anyway, what lenses will you be using at Disneyland? I only have one lens which is a Tamron 17-50 2.8, and am looking at taking advantage of some duty free shopping and getting another before we go.

Still not happy with VAustralia. The guy I spoke to on Saturday said there were plenty of bassinets available on the flight they have changed us on to. I rang today to get our seating assignments and the (very rude) girl said that they will 'try' and get a bassinet for us.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I notice a few people are taking photography equipment. I have only had my DSLR (Canon 450D) for a couple of months, and am still trying to figure out how to use it. Anyway, what lenses will you be using at Disneyland? I only have one lens which is a Tamron 17-50 2.8, and am looking at taking advantage of some duty free shopping and getting another before we go.

Still not happy with VAustralia. The guy I spoke to on Saturday said there were plenty of bassinets available on the flight they have changed us on to. I rang today to get our seating assignments and the (very rude) girl said that they will 'try' and get a bassinet for us.

I'm taking a 30mm, a 50mm and a 70-200mm. Not bothering to lug a tripod, that could potentially tip DH over the edge, hehe. Am planning on doing some mini shoots with the kids as we travel, definitely Central Park, maybe under Santa Monica pier, and if I can find it when we are in Vegas, there is a kind of neon sign graveyard that I have seen used in shoots before, I would so love to find that place. Not sure if there will be time though.

 

[keptwoman]

When I was young and single I spent a month skiing Colorado and Europe. I backpacked, I had a pack on my back and a daypack on my front and a ski boot bag, boy getting around between hostels and trains was a mission!

Ms. Shuttergirl, I'm not taking our main tripod (thankfully because the kids managed to break it grrrrr... still all the more reason for me to buy a new one mwahahahaa) but I'm taking a gorilla pod.
We only have the kit lenses, so 28-80 and 70-300 but I'm really lusting after a plain ol 50mm one. Still working out if I can convince DH.

 

[gogo65]

Gosh doesn't anyone here work,
Go to work for a day and feel like I am reading a novel when I get home

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

When I was young and single I spent a month skiing Colorado and Europe. I backpacked, I had a pack on my back and a daypack on my front and a ski boot bag, boy getting around between hostels and trains was a mission!

Ms. Shuttergirl, I'm not taking our main tripod (thankfully because the kids managed to break it grrrrr... still all the more reason for me to buy a new one mwahahahaa) but I'm taking a gorilla pod.
We only have the kit lenses, so 28-80 and 70-300 but I'm really lusting after a plain ol 50mm one. Still working out if I can convince DH.

Buy yourself the 50mm 1.8, rather than the 1.4 and it is cheap as chips. I think they are only $169. If you bought one in the US it would be heaps cheaper too. The 50mm's are brilliant for just about anything.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Gosh doesn't anyone here work,
Go to work for a day and feel like I am reading a novel when I get home

Hahaha, I work for myself and work from home so I can't help myself. I just keep checking in here to see what's happening and whoops, another hour is gone

 

[jacs1234]

Anyway, what lenses will you be using at Disneyland?

I've heard the 70-200mm is perfect for Disney. I took my 50mm last time and it was great but a zoom lens would be more convenient.

 

[dollarmite]

Hahaha, I work for myself and work from home so I can't help myself. I just keep checking in here to see what's happening and whoops, another hour is gone

This is my situation too, lol.

Also, I usually book most of the stuff for our trip at night so I can bounce ideas off DH and you just never know what someone on the Disboards may have the answer to one of your queries...

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I've heard the 70-200mm is perfect for Disney. I took my 50mm last time and it was great but a zoom lens would be more convenient.

I think it's really essential to have a zoom and a prime like a 50mm to cover all bases. The 50mm is great on the dark rides apparently, I look forward to finding that out. And the zoom will help you capture all of those far away details, a great combo.

 

[dollarmite]

I'm considering booking our Orlando-NY flight through Expedia, as it's all in Australian dollars.

The best deal I can come up with is with Delta. I just can't find out how to prepay the baggage fee. Has anyone else had experience booking a flight with Expedia and prepaying the baggage fee?

To answer my own question if anyone else needs this info...

I booked the Delta flight through Expedia and tried many times to find somewhere to prepay the baggage. Only after reading the same thing 50 times did it sink in that the baggage is prepaid when you do the online check in.

Even with the baggage fees Delta worked out the cheapest and most convenient flight for us and I was able to pick our seats too. The airline automatically assigned us seats, but they were scattered throughout the plane. I went into the booking and rebooked the seats - there were plenty of 4 seat groupings so I don't know why they separated us.

Anyway, hope that info may be of use to somebody.

 

[Andona]

Hahaha, I work for myself and work from home so I can't help myself. I just keep checking in here to see what's happening and whoops, another hour is gone

Ditto!
I run a business from home and today I was trying very hard to restrict my Disboarding to my lunch break but the lunch break got longer and longer...

I've been thinking that Disboards should consider setting up a forum for Aussies and Kiwis. They have one for UK people as so many of them travel to WDW. There seems to be more and more Aussies/Kiwis traveling to Disneyland - this thread is now huge!

The thread has been a fantastic resource but it would be so much better if it was possible to post separate messages relating to those particular issues that we have in relation to our Disney trips that US residents don't have to worry about ( foreign exchange, airlines, dealing with customs, driving on the wrong side of the road etc)

Andona

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Ditto!
I run a business from home and today I was trying very hard to restrict my Disboarding to my lunch break but the lunch break got longer and longer...

I've been thinking that Disboards should consider setting up a forum for Aussies and Kiwis. They have one for UK people as so many of them travel to WDW. There seems to be more and more Aussies/Kiwis traveling to Disneyland - this thread is now huge!

The thread has been a fantastic resource but it would be so much better if it was possible to post separate messages relating to those particular issues that we have in relation to our Disney trips that US residents don't have to worry about ( foreign exchange, airlines, dealing with customs, driving on the wrong side of the road etc)

Andona

I agree that it would be great if we had our own area. I wonder though if we have enough people on the Disboards to sustain it. Many of us will have completed our trips in the next few months, and I wonder if some of the posting will die down a little by the end of the year???

Does anybody on here have a connection with any of the moderators? Surely we could just have one little section, hehe