Desperate UK Bloke on 1st Family trip seeks friendly US advice for perfect trip!

[Hornetboy84]

Howdy.

I last visited DL 20 years ago on the cheap as a student.

In mid-July this year I am bringing the family to a bonus/credit card fuelled California adventure. The plan is to arrive in SF, get rid of the jet lag for 2 days then head to Yosemeti for 4 days. Then its a blast down to SCal to let the kids have the time of their lives.

Its the trip of a lifetime so i'm kind of prepared to ignore cost and just go for it and then work out afterwards how long it will take to make trip 2!!

We have 10days to burn in and around DL. The DDs (is that right ?) are 7 (Katie) and 6 (Hannah)- well Hannah will be on July 29th!

What should our plan be!

- Should we stay all our time in DL and trip out from there to San Diego or beaches etc. (We dont want to keep unpacking)

- Should we stay in DL hotel or PP ?
We want kids to have downtime in the pool meeting cool American friends and I cant find a good "outside" hotel that seems to offer both the experience and amenities

- will we go stir crazy in the hotel room for that long vs. splittng trip and maybe renting an condo for a few days at the beach?

If anyone wants to suggest the perfect itinerary for us and change all our plans - feel free.

I'm also getting worried reading this site that we are leaving booking too late for July !! (we are at the mercy of my company booking this as our bonus prize ,,, and I want to put them under pressure to sort it - but I want to suggest some options.)

Thanks in advance and thanks for a great site - I need another suitcase for all the paper I have printed (Yes you Hydroguy!!)

Ta Muchly all

John Debbie and the DD's

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks in advance and thanks for a great site - I need another suitcase for all the paper I have printed (Yes you Hydroguy!!)

I refuse to take responsibility for the number of trees killed when printing out my threads.

 

[deletedpenguin]

Howdy.

I last visited DL 20 years ago on the cheap as a student.

In mid-July this year I am bringing the family to a bonus/credit card fuelled California adventure. The plan is to arrive in SF, get rid of the jet lag for 2 days then head to Yosemeti for 4 days. Then its a blast down to SCal to let the kids have the time of their lives.

Its the trip of a lifetime so i'm kind of prepared to ignore cost and just go for it and then work out afterwards how long it will take to make trip 2!!

We have 10days to burn in and around DL. The DDs (is that right ?) are 7 (Katie) and 6 (Hannah)- well Hannah will be on July 29th!

What should our plan be!

- Should we stay all our time in DL and trip out from there to San Diego or beaches etc. (We dont want to keep unpacking)

- Should we stay in DL hotel or PP ?
We want kids to have downtime in the pool meeting cool American friends and I cant find a good "outside" hotel that seems to offer both the experience and amenities

- will we go stir crazy in the hotel room for that long vs. splittng trip and maybe renting an condo for a few days at the beach?

If anyone wants to suggest the perfect itinerary for us and change all our plans - feel free.

I'm also getting worried reading this site that we are leaving booking too late for July !! (we are at the mercy of my company booking this as our bonus prize ,,, and I want to put them under pressure to sort it - but I want to suggest some options.)

Thanks in advance and thanks for a great site - I need another suitcase for all the paper I have printed (Yes you Hydroguy!!)

Ta Muchly all

John Debbie and the DD's

I'll give it a go...

I'm from San Diego originally so I can say that you'd have fun visiting SD, but if you're looking for just beach time, and no other attractions, you'll be fine going to some of the nice beaches in the OC/LA region. The beaches in San Diego are great, don't get me wrong, but they're not different enough to make a drive for. If you want to go to the SD Zoo/Sea World/Legoland, that's another story altogether.

As luck would have it, I also currently live in San Francisco, so if you have time after recovering from the jetlag (going back will be worse than coming here IMO), Fishermans Wharf and Alcatraz are must dos. Get a bowl of Clam Chowder.

Yosemite is a wonderful place, and I could be partial as I spent alot of my childhood there. If you're an active outdoor family, you'll have alot of hiking and sights to see, and at that time of year the waterfalls should be flowing still and the animals will be out, including bears (so don't leave out your trash/food). If you're more inclined to see the sights from the valley floor, 4 days may be a bit much. I love the place.

Since you're traveling with young ones who want pool time, I'd suggest the DL hotel over PP. It's got a better pool setup just out the door. There will be more people in that area as well, so a better chance for your children to meet new friends.

I think you guys might have fun at a condo, to break up 10 days. Perhaps schedule a condo in the middle somewhere before doing last day at DL to keep the memory fresh in everyones mind? A great site to rent houses/condos from for less than what you might find elsewhere is http://www.vrbo.com. It's cheaper because you're renting directly from the owner instead of a rental agency.

Hope this helped!

Are you flying out of SF again or flying home from LAX?

 

[pindecisive]

Lol.

Well you simply must have the clam chowder in a bread bowl when you get to San Fran.
Just trust me on this.


I thought about staying at the DLH for the pool and atmosphere, but to be truthful if you're spending all your time at the park, it won't matter much.

The Grand Californian is cheaper than the DLH, but I've heard good things of PP.

Wow...that's a lot of time at DL.

Definitely get into Pin Trading. There's a bunch of info about it on this site.

Have a great trip and enjoy Cali!

 

[CalGal]

Wow! Sounds like an awesome trip!

I'd definitely opt for DLH over PP if you can. (Right now, the availability for July looks fine). You'll feel much more like you're on-sight at the DLH over PP since DLH is adjacent to DTD, and is more "themed". It also has a more festive pool and overall atmosphere. The difference in cost is usually quite justified, especially with kids.

If you stay at DL and go on many day trips to San Diego, you may find you are doing a lot of driving. It's a good 1 1/2 hour drive each way. Rather than staying 10 days at DLH, I'd probably spend a few nights closer to San Diego.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Well, just to be contrary.....PP may actually have more of a "hotel" feeling since you come and go via the lobby, where as at the DLH I can almost feel like "motel wings" but of course nicer.Also if your DDs are slide people, PP has a much superior slide...it does not empty into the pool which helps if their not strong swimmers.

I would consider going to SD for at least 3 nights to see the zoo and Sea World, then come back to DLR for your remaining time.

also. if you enjoy the beach, consider adding a few nights in Santa Barbara on the trip down the coast 2 nights Santa Barbara, 3 nights San Diego, 5 nights DLR.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am also going to reccomend that you read kevin Stringers excellent trip reports from a similar trip he did. here is link to the first report
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=894068

 

[Adi12982]

The Grand Californian is cheaper than the DLH, but I've heard good things of PP.

I believe this is incorrect - GC is the most expensive, then DLH, and PP is the least expensive. . . though none is cheap.

Sounds like you will have a great time . . . I'm currently planning our first trip to Cali, so I have no tips. HAPPY PLANNING!

 

[blackjackdelta]

Lol.

The Grand Californian is cheaper than the DLH, but I've heard good things of PP.

No offense meant, but I think you check prices. I have never found the GC cheaper or I prefer less expensive(nothing is cheap) than the DLH.)Apples to apples) There is a UK guy called simbaone(I think that is correct) who can give out a vast amount of ideas of what to do along with Trey, of course.

Jack

 

[dizzyami]

I believe this is incorrect - GC is the most expensive, then DLH, and PP is the least ex*****e. . . though none is cheap.

You are correct that the GCH is the most expensive - I must laugh though (since I have done this before in the past) - you had a minor mispelling on "expensive" that can't actually be posted on the board

 

[dizzyami]

I love the title to your thread - so I keep coming back to it!!! The only thing I can suggest is that you do spend a couple days or so separate at San Diego, for as much as I love the mouse 10 days might be a tad to many for DL. What I like to do on multi-stop trips is pack separate suitcases for each event, rather then pack per person. Then all the dirties go back in the one suitcase, and it doesn't get opened again until you get home .

 

[HydroGuy]

I am trying to put myself in your shoes and decide what I would do. I am not a big SF fan, so two days there sounds right to me.

I haven't been everywhere but have been to a lot of places, and for me Yosemite is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. But it is hard to get accomodations in the summer. Do you have them yet? If not you may find it hard to visit there for four days. If you are into hiking then you should plan to spend a couple days hiking there as well as visiting the locations around the valley assuming you can get a place to stay.

It sounds like you are planning to rent a car. Here is a big word advice: Drive on the right side of the road! For me personally I have never dared to drive in the UK. So best of luck to you.

If possible you should drive from Yosemite back out to the coast and drive down to SoCal along Highway 1 through Montery, Big Sur, etc.

You might consider stopping and spending a half day at Hearst Castle in San Simeon on the way down.

I liked Judy's suggestion to stop in Santa Barbara which happens to be the location of my alma mater, UCSB (go Gauchos!). But that would involve an extra stop and luggage unloading, so you will have to make the call. Santa Barbara is a beautiful city.

OK, so 10 days in SoCal with emphasis on DLR...

If you want to not move around too much I would suggest 6-7 days staying at DL and 3-4 days in San Diego. Of the days at DLR, I would say four days or so at the parks and a couple day trips to nearby beaches. If it was me I would go to Newport Beach (an old favorite from my teen days) which is maybe 15 miles (25km) from DLR.

I would take a day to drive up to Hollywood and spend at least one entire day there on Hollywood Blvd. Take a bus tour of Beverly Hills or something like that for a couple hours.

In San Diego a day at the SD Zoo and Sea World would be fun. The zoo is really good but, to some degree, a zoo is a zoo is a zoo. Sea World is more unique and I would guess harder to experience something equivalent in the UK. So do Sea World. The zoo depends on your priorities.

Make sure you visit La Jolla. There are shops, nice restaurants and some beautiful spots on the rocks there.

Seaport Village is another place to spend half a day. Go on a hot air balloon ride in Del Mar (north San Diego).

Check to see if the Padres are in town and catch a baseball game in San Diego. Or catch the Angels in Anaheim (only a few miles from DLR).

If you want something more cultural/historical you may want to visit the mission in San Juan Capistrano in south Orange County and maybe 20-30 miles (30-40km) from DLR.

You may want to take a day to visit Catalina Island.

Well, I think that is more than 10 days worht of stuff. Make your Yosemite plans as soon as possible, and then DLR after that.

 

[pindecisive]

Lol.

The Grand Californian is cheaper than the DLH, but I've heard good things of PP.

No offense meant, but I think you check prices. I have never found the GC cheaper or I prefer less expensive(nothing is cheap) than the DLH.)Apples to apples) There is a UK guy called simbaone(I think that is correct) who can give out a vast amount of ideas of what to do along with Trey, of course.

Jack

None taken.

I saw i'd made a mistake when I reread it but got distracted and forgot to change it.

Sorry if this caused confusion.

But like I said, PP is my vote as thats where my friends have stayed before. They said good things of it.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Hi Hornetboy! Welcome to posting on the DIS! I agree your title and post cracked me up! I love it

Sounds like you have a fabulous trip coming up! I would definitely stay onsite at DL and take maybe 4-5 days there.

I think San Diego is a must. I love La Jolla and Coronado! They are not to be missed for us and we go there quite often. It's absolutely gorgeous. The gas lamp district is fun to go have dinner in! We've taken kids to the restaurants there and have had a blast.

Good luck on all your planning and have a great trip!

 

[JennCa]

I will 2nd the recommendation to finding out about Yosemite ressies 1st. In my opinion it makes sense to stay in Yosemite and spend the money there, it's worth it! Driving back and forth each day isn't nearly so fun. (if I had to cut from the budget, looks like you don't... but if I did I would cut out the fancy hotel by Disney.) I would do a couple days in San Fran, then only 3 days in Yosemite, and I would stop at the seqoia trees on the drive south to anaheim. I think the trees are amazing and completely worth while. (if you prefer the coast trip that is doable also, but I don't think you can realistically do both)

As for the so cal thing I would want to see San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park as well as at least 1 beach day. I would skip Catalina just since there is a lot of travel time and not sure you would want to deal with the traffic to get to the port during the week or brave the crowds on the boat for the weekend. Are you flying out of San Fran again?

How many total days?

Cheers,
Jenn

 

[LucyKate]

Hi Hornetboy.

Australian family here who did something very similar to you 2 1/2 years ago (and dad is originally from Manchester UK BTW).

Unless it's too late, I would change your schedule to have a a bit more time in SF. It's a great city, and needs more than 2 days to see properly, especially when you need to get over the jetlag. Check out our trip diary to see the amazing fire engine ride we had across the Golden Gate.

You'll love Yosemite - the most beautiful spot on the planet IMHO.

We stayed at the Howard Johnson in Anaheim - partly due to cost, but also because it came with such great recommendations here and on tripadvisor, and it matched up. It had a nice heated pool, great rooms, very good service and was a very short walk to the parks. We met many other families in the pool.

I think 10 days is too long in Disneyland. I also think that if you want to see San Diego you should travel there for a few days rather than commute. It's about a 2 hour drive but if traffic is bad this can easily blowout. The zoo and Seaworld are both superb and well worth a visit. They are both the sort of attractions that you won't find back home.

We were VERY disappointed with Santa Monica, but have since been told other beaches such as Newport, laguna etc are much more attractive.

We spent a day doing Hollywood etc on our own in a rented car and we're also disappointed with that. In retrospect I would recommend you instead take a proper tour of the stars homes to get full value out of this. many tours pick up from Anaheim.

Have you thought of Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon? It's possible to drive to vegas in 5 hours, and from there take a day trip by coach or plane to the Canyon. We loved vegas and many of the great attractions and sights are free. If you go mid week the hotels are very cheap.

 

[Hornetboy84]

Wow - thanks all for the advice so far .... i'm subtlely changing my plans in my head and all the advice is helping greatly.

I guess every trip and experience is individual. The hard bit for me is the kid factor --- our family trips for the past 4 years have been to Spanish Islands where we play in the sun for 14 days and dont move anywhere !!!
We are keen to expand the horizons but not deprive our kids or ourselves of the relax factor. I studied at DUKE for a year and had a friends at UCSB, SF and Palo Alto - so spent 3 months in Santa Barbara one summer and have travelled around most of the area before.

The tricky bit for me is to make sure we dont over travel (I would rather come back again some time) and Debbie has never been to Ca so I want her to experience as much of it as she can whilst not making it one big suitcase trip.

For background

I first went to DL when I was 21 (20 years ago) and loved it. I then travelled twice with an ex round Ca and so have been back to DL 2 further times (again 16 years ago). Always a day trip though. Love Yosemeti and Highway 1 route. Love the beach at Santa Barabara, have had a short trip to Sea World and Old Town San Diego. Got really drunk at a Britich Pub in Santa Monica and many fun happy memories. But all a bit of a blur now.

I'm not sure who is more excited me or the DD's. ! (what does that stand for by the way !!! Disney Diddy's?

So Where's my head now after all the great ideas!!

1. I think the front end of the trip for 6 days is about right (SF and Yosemeti) - but I want to try and get a Cabin or something in Yosemeti right in the valley - so depending on that I will split the days up (maybe 3+3 nights in each). This is unwind time for us. Prepare for the Disney full on experience.

2. Take a slow drive from there down Highway 1. Is Hearst Castle cool for kids? I had a couple of hours there once so unsure. I think we will do that al fresco .... just as it comes!!

3. Will split back end 10-11 days between DL and San Diego. Maybe 8 & 3.
we fly out of LAX home. Consensus is that

- A long time at a DL resort is not an issue for me. Its more to have the hotel as a playground and base and have some real R&R..... that way we might do the resort on 6 days but in smaller chunks. (The other 2 days go to Hollywood or just do nothing!!) Maybe the overlal budget wilL scare me and i will have to adjust.

- Just got to work out logistics now ..... Do we finish in San Diego or DL?

4. On other ideas Vegas is a trip for me and the misses in the future. I got out there on Business last year - Grand Canyon for me is when the kids are bigger. I want to see them live the Disney Magic mainly.

5. You will be all glad to know I have refused to take the DDs to Disneyland Paris. I dont see the point of going to France. Its not real Disney !!!

6. For those who have sent personal e-mails - I have tried to respond but cant for some reason..... We aren't going to WDW Florida as the basis of my bonus trip is a free package to California. I'm throwing in our usual holiday budget (plus more) to top it up to a special special trip. But our original plan was WDW as I have a cousin in Florida and liked the idea of the resort.

7. Anyone get married in DL. Me and the better half have yet to tie the knot. We would rather have holidays than spend the money feeding our friends!!!! --- maybe I might surprise her !!!


Thanks y'all again

Anyone want info on the best pub in UK .... please ask.

John AKA Peter Pan

 

[anabelle]

7. Anyone get married in DL. Me and the better half have yet to tie the knot. We would rather have holidays than spend the money feeding our friends!!!! --- maybe I might surprise her !!!


John,
Marry that girl !!! Do you think you could take a side trip to Vegas?

 

[HydroGuy]

1. I think the front end of the trip for 6 days is about right (SF and Yosemeti) - but I want to try and get a Cabin or something in Yosemeti right in the valley - so depending on that I will split the days up (maybe 3+3 nights in each). This is unwind time for us. Prepare for the Disney full on experience.

Yosemite cabins can be and are reserved 1 year ahead of time. I doubt you will find anything like that at this late date. Whatever you might find, you had better start NOW.

2. Take a slow drive from there down Highway 1. Is Hearst Castle cool for kids? I had a couple of hours there once so unsure. I think we will do that al fresco .... just as it comes!

It depends on the kids. I threw that out as an idea, but as you have been there you can make the call. I visited once as a young teen. Your girls may be a little too young.

5. You will be all glad to know I have refused to take the DDs to Disneyland Paris. I dont see the point of going to France. Its not real Disney !!!

I am very curious to hear you say this. I have business trip to Spain and France coming up and was thinking seriously about doing DLP solo for 2-3 days. I know the park got off to a rough start, but it is my understanding they have got things going in a good direction now. Is there something I don't know?

 

[newfamilyman]

I would be totally depressed if I flew all the way from the UK to stay at the PP. That hotel is a TOTAL dump, depressing even if you are only coming from an hour's distance (which was our case). The water slide is great, but you can always visit it from DLH or GCH; there is no security there to stop you. Unlike the other two hotels, a significant number of guests were smoking in the patio area, and it just feel really cheap and trashy. It is so obvious that the hotel was taken over by Disney and lightly themed. Do yourself a favor and do the vacation right.