DLH/fly or cheaper hotel/drive/VIPtour

[sherilaine]

I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to planning. I guess I should have said that I've already familiar with off property hotels. I'm just deciding what to splurge on.

People here are just trying to help - good luck with your decisions.

 

[sheetz]

If there's something in particular you really want to do then you should do it, but I have a problem with the idea of needing to spend more money to make something more "special." This is your first vacation in 6 years and you are spending time with your lovely family at Disneyland! It will be super special no matter what.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'd fly. Get 2 Alaska air credit cards and use the companion tickets. $500 seems way too high. We're flying from farther away and it was only $450 rt.

Skip VIP. Enjoy some nice sit down & character meals in the AC. The park hours are nice and long. With 5 days you won't be rushed. We went in early August one year with a big group and Got everything done in less than 5 park days.

How much time will you spend at the hotel? We were in the park most of the time, just one nap now at 2, right? That Marriott with the water park looks really fun. And it has a shorter walking distance.

With the money you don't spend you can come again next year.

 

[planningjollyholiday]

I agree with the pp. $500 flights from seattle sounds like a huge ripoff to me. We always fly from seattle and i would say that during peak summer season you should expect to pay $200-$250 roundtrip, taxes included and 1 bag free. Look into flights with southwest to sna or with jetblue into longbeach. Definitely stay at the DLH, it is so magical and your kiddos will love it. Do not do the VIP tour, your kids are too young to really make it worth your while.

 

[Lucysmom2]

I would skip the VIP. We did a DLR week at Christmas and stayed on-site. Caught EMH every day, so really got to ride everything multiple times. On VIP day, it was just like a really long EMH! So not worth that money for us. If you stay on-site and get up early, you can enjoy the parks till lunch, head back to nap and enjoy the hotel in the afternoon, then go to the parks for dinner and shows/parades all rested in the evenings. If the budget allows for it, work in some character meals. They are so much fun.

 

[Indiana Scott]

We drove down to DLR a few years ago. It's a very long drive to say the least - we started at 1:00AM and got there at 7:00 PM.
One thing you don't think about when doing a trip like that is how tired you will be if you drive all the way in one shot like we did.
It actually took a few days to get to the point where we felt full of energy and rested again.

 

[my*gracie*girl]

When we drive from Portland, we have to stop one night along the way. We are just not drive all night types and would need several days to recuperate. We are driving down in March, but are shooting off a necessary trip to southern Oregon....so feels like we are part way already Still spending the night in Redding and finishing the drive the next day. My husband is self-employed though and the extra driving days/time off work usually makes flying more economical for us. We love to fly Jet Blue into Long Beach, but now that they have changed their free checked bag we will probably go back to SW.

I think this trip, you should definitely splurge on an on-site hotel. You will love having the convenience of going back to that room/pool with the 2yr old. It will be well worth the money spent. Wait and do the VIP for a quick trip when they are older and you are more crushed for time and 'need' the help getting on the rides!

 

[Ndusmama]

Having lived in Poulsbo I can tell you it will take you two long days of driving to get to Disneyland. Do you really want to be exhausted before you even get to park? The nice thing about the Disneyland hotel itself is the pools and water slides. Paradise pier is ok for there pool and one water slide. I wouldn't do the grand with little ones. It's a really nice hotel but not as entertaining for the kids. Did you check prices for all 3 hotels? Calling sometimes can get you a discount. If you decide that you want to stay off property go with the Marriott on harbor Blvd. it's not a far walk and the splash zone for kids is nice in summer heat. You don't want anywhere that you have to drive or pay to get to park. Plus I know most places charge for parking a night.
Skip the tour and buy a hidden Mickey scavenger hunt book.

 

[amazonfamily]

I was including the bag fees , needed ground transportation , etc. I used Jet Blue when my daughter was 3, loved the flights but Long Beach airport was not large enough to handle the amount of traffic coming through it that day. It was no fun with a 30 minute line for a bathroom.

I am thinking I will probably choose the Disneyland hotel as my splurge. Flying triggers my autistic tendencies
and then I get fixated on stupid stuff that others can blow off. For some reason driving doesn't get me wound up. Still thinking about the flying. If I can't get as much time off as I want I will fly and just take my anxiety meds.
It's a bit embarrassing to admit I still have issues at 40.

I will save the tour for when my kids are big enough to enjoy it.

The feedback was valuable, thanks.

I agree with the pp. $500 flights from seattle sounds like a huge ripoff to me. We always fly from seattle and i would say that during peak summer season you should expect to pay $200-$250 roundtrip, taxes included and 1 bag free. Look into flights with southwest to sna or with jetblue into longbeach. Definitely stay at the DLH, it is so magical and your kiddos will love it. Do not do the VIP tour, your kids are too young to really make it worth your while.

 

[jammyjam25]

Please don’t be embarrassed about being nervous about flying! I’m also from Seattle and go to Disneyland annually and we always make the drive because I am TERRIFIED of flying. To me, the longer trip is worth not having to deal with the horrible anxiety that flying brings.

 

[5forMickey]

.
It's a bit embarrassing to admit I still have issues at 40. .

I wouldn't be embarrassed. I think the only problem to be embarrassed about is one that you aren't willing to acknowledge and/or try and work on. We all have our idiocracies/issues. My great big, strong, manliest man of them all cries up like a baby at the mention of us trying to get him on a plane (hence why we drive) and he's a bit beyond 40. Anxiety is a horrible thing and I say whatever you have to do to make it better - do!!!!

I think you will really like the Disneyland Hotel being your splurge. Take time and really enjoy the Hotel as it can be a vacation in itself and it's a great escape from the crazy crowds.

 

[hootey]

We lived just south of Tacoma for eleven years, we drove and flew to DL several times with children. With a two year old, I would fly it. I would fly Alaska Air from Seattle to SNA airport, catch the DL Express bus to the DL Hotel and relax at Disneyland for a while. Take advantage of everything the DL Hotel has to offer Forget the real world for five days and enjoy!

 

[amazonfamily]

What's funny is the actual being 30000 feet up is not scary. It's the "is the taxi going to be on time", "oh did we lose our bags", etc type of stuff. That and my 2 yo is the kid nobody wants sitting next to them on the plane. I would have to bring earplugs and buy a beer for all the adults on the plane. Alaska first class does have free entertainment devices and 2 free bags though.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I wouldn't put a loud kid in first class.