choices

[JadeDarkstar]

ok well me and my fionce had decied if we can do one trip this year wed do the christmas one.
But now my son just started talkign about "how the day after his bday were going to disney" we were supose to for halloween party and stuff

so were talking and tryign to figuer out whats better
oct trip or dec trip and how do i brake it to my son that we arent going for his bday? lol

 

[biolabetty]

Both times of year you'll find the park decorated. In October they have pumpkins everywhere, and in December it's ready for Christmas. The Haunted Mansion will already be open in October with Jack Skellington, and will stay that way until the beginning of January. I personally feel it is a bit less crowded in October if you avoid the Los Angeles school fall breaks towards the beginning of the month. Depending on when in December you are planning, it could be equal to October crowds. Towards the end of the month is just going to be horrible. The first weekend of December is the Candlelight Processional which will make the park a bit busier, and remember they will close early a few nights of the following week for the Cast Member parties. I like going around the middle of December, it hasn't been too heavy when I've gone, but the hours aren't really long either.

Both times are great, you just have to plan around when the crowds are more likely to show up.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

oct 4th-11th
or dec 10-19th we went last year at christmas and loved it.
I wish we could do both like we planed but money is bad this year

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Instead of going for a whole week, why not just go for a few days each time.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

we have thought of that but we would have to take the bus, and taxis and we would have to down our souviners money but its an idea

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I'd stick with the Christmas trip, and think of something else fun to do for your ds birthday (maybe throw a Disney themed Halloween party?). I'd just explain to him that going to DL is quite expensive, and that you can only afford to do it once this year. I always remind my son how lucky he is to get to go yearly like we do (and sometimes more). And how many friends he has that has never gone at all. Now that he's 10, I made planning this trip as part of our homeschooling. He learned what it costs to go on a vacation like that. I think it gave him even more appreciation for going, and understanding for why we don't go more often!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

oh ya last year i did homeschooling with it to.. we tought him how much he had and that was it and stuff and then i was shocked when he spent it all on my jacket trying to make me fill better for my bday.. We also will this time do the post cards home and have him write the words him self. becosue he is doing well in writing now.

I am doing some price checks to see if we can do both kjust take down the 9days to 5 and the 7 to 4 and maybe not do the taxi from la to disneyland..but take the bus all the way to anihime. Also might cancel the pirates dinner that would save us 150 pluse cab and suviners

also in stead of 400 in suviners we would do 200 each time same amount just split and ill have anual passes so will get 10%off world disney and 15% off food places

We would cut down to maybe two charcter meals each tikme in stead of three Arieals and goffys it sounds like to me

And we will do the fantasmic seating in oct and maybe the holiday tour in dec if we can..if not no big loss
This could actuely work
(bus is 178 no refund in oct for all us, and 221 in dec no refund (i save by doing no refund) 127 in dec and 110 in oct)

 

[cruisin'Mike]

It sounds like you just might be able to make the 2 shorter trips work for you. I've never been to DL yet (August will be our first trip) but have been to WDW for both Halloween and Christmas. If you can do both, even if it's shorter each time, I think that would be a great idea.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

ty every one and me and my fionce decied to just not do pirates meal maybe christmas trip if we can but if not all well

 

[bumbershoot]

When is your son's birthday?

About souvenirs...I have found that if you bring souvenirs from your last trip with you, you have fewer urges to buy more. Wearing my sweatshirt from our December trip kept me from buying one in January. And we're bringing the toys we bought for DS before on our upcoming trip, in order to remind ourselves that we have bought plenty, and remind him that two light chasers are enough (only two hands!) and he doesn't need a third. Etc.

I also read here that the souvenir-urge is lessened by taking up the penny pressing as a hobby. So instead of seeing stores as places to buy plush Mickey and jackets, they are a place to find the penny press machine and add to the collection. A book with space for pennies was something like $6, and compared to buying lots of souvenirs, getting those squished pennies is a relative bargain.

Even if you think you will only go once this year, I really recommend you try to have the funds available to upgrade to APs, like you wished you had done after your last trip! It does make future trips easier to plan, b/c there's no extra money on tickets to be saved up.

Good luck!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

my son has a micky hat we will brang with us we get lightsticks here, we then get one light toy one night and he uses it the rest the trip. His bday is oct 3erd we would go oct7th
we will buy him a 20 autograph book and pen with pics spots when we get there. in less i find a good sell. We will get pins on a website i know..and trade them its one the fun things we did last time..He loved it last time.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

we r doing the aps for sure

 

[JadeDarkstar]

looks like 3k for both trips not including food or suviners thats much better then what i had figuered i think the two trip idea just smaller time..really might have saved these trips ty for mintioning it.. i had almost gave up

 

[TripHHH]

In my opinion, you won't be missing much if you miss the Pirate's dinner. We did it about a week ago and I was not impressed at all! Definitely not worth the money.

Not sure where you're planning on staying, but I saved a lot of money by using Priceline. I chose a 3* in the Disneyland area and bid $46 and got the Hilton. It has mixed reviews, but I thought it was really nice. Rooms were very clean, gorgeous lobby and pool, and they even gave you Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries. There is a $19 for valet parking (or $15 for self-park), so that does add to the cost...but still a great deal! And the ART picks up right out front...no other stops on its route to or from Disneyland. Saving a huge amount on the hotel really can cut the cost down a lot. That being said, I would really like to splurge once and stay at a Disney hotel.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

were staying at desert inn i could of got it 50 dolelrs or 75 a night but i wanted the spa room and have it set for 90 a night or 100 right at the cross walk