DLR Trip Planning Question

[Spencer Wright]

Hello! I am experienced WDW traveler and planner, however not an experienced traveler in general. I have wanted to visit DLR in the past, but really have an overwhelming desire to visit after listening to the reboot of the podcast and looking into it a little but more. But I do have some questions I thought yous guys might be able to help me with.

The first question is, I am thinking about visiting in May, for about 3 full activity days. If I wait till about January or so to book hotel and flights, will it be cheaper? I am finding the cost of visiting the DLR quite substantial. Any savings in terms of booking somewhat last minute? Should I actually book now for the best price? I know thats VERY subjective, but guidance would be appreciated.

One pleasant thing about DLR, from what I can tell, is that not everything needs to be planned months in advance, to ensure you can do what you want!!!

 

[BadPinkTink]

I fly transatlantic and I usually book flights in January for a June visit. The airline I fly with usually has a January sale and flights tend to increase in price the nearer you are to departure date.

I book Disneyland tickets with Last Minute Travel Club. They are usually around $50 cheaper than buying direct from Disney.

I usually book hotel / motel in February for a June visit. The cheapest I have found is Motel 6 Maingate which is on Disney Way. Thats usally about $120 a night. The motels on Harbour Boulevard are the closest to Disney.

This is my June 2018 trip report https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...es-i-survived-with-no-maxpass-no-car.3692412/

 

[smartlabelprint]

I usually book hotel and flights 9-11 months in advance. The desert inn & suites is cheaper the further away you book. We had significant savings at homewood suites convention booking that far out for travel March 2018.

The airline I use will Give a credit, if you request one, if the price goes down.

Did you see the hotel guide thread? That has some helpful info.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This is from another thread but has useful information for you, too:

Here are some threads with great information for you:
A DLR Guide for WDW Vets -- a great overview of the similarities and differences between WDW and DLR.
Highly recommend getting park hoppers since hopping is so easy at DLR and gives you full advantage of MP (should you choose to buy it). 5 days allows for pool time, character meals, shows and parades, plenty of M&Gs, etc. at a relaxed, non-stressed pace -- 3 days is the minimu recommendation for a first trip.
Airport Proximity to DLR and Ground Transportation Information ~ 3TinksAndAnEeyore
Max Pass:
FastPass, MaxPass (make sure to look at the tutorial videos in this thread)
MaxPass
First time MaxPass user...Help with tips and how to use.
Free legacy FP is still in use if you choose not to pay for MP. The above threads should explain the differences between FP and MP.
Choosing a DLR hotel: www.disboards.com/threads/choosing-the-right-hotel-for-you.3656512/
DLR planning: Does Disneyland need strategy?

More good info here: Surviving Summer 2019 at Disneyland!.

Look these over and come on back with more questions!

Saving money can be done at DLR -- lots of tips and suggestions around this board, just ask! One big help: stay off site! There are many hotels within walking distance that are WAY less expensive than staying on site (and some are actually closer to the park gates!). Start looking now. Make sure that the hotel has a no penalty cancellation policy, then book whenever you find a great deal that fits your dates. You can keep checking to see if the rates go down. If they do, book again, making sure there is no penalty for cancelling. Keep playing this game until you get a good/great deal at a hotel close to the parks, Then remember to cancel all the other reservations. Also check Mousesavers.com for any deals that match your dates.
Tickets: Mousesavers.com again and LMT Club (Google for a free membership code).

NB: for May, up until Memorial Day Weekend, DLR will probably be on the low season/non-peak schedule. This means shorter hours, lower staffing, more ride refurbs or rides running at lower capacity, nighttime entertainment on weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), etc. Factor this into your planning. Grad Nites start in early May -- the 2019 dates have already been published. Do a search on this board for those. SWGE may open as soon as Memorial Day Weekend -- only official word has been "Summer 2019." DLR usually offers a SoCal resident promo ticket that expires in May (usually the week before Memorial Day Weekend -- be aware of this because that week can be very busy). Watch the AP blockout calendars -- the week before the lower passes are blocked can be crazy around here. The days when the lower passes are blocked can be very good.

 

[webcreatrix]

Where are you flying from? Domestic 5-6 months out, prices for flights are still high in my experience.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I went mid May this year and here is when I did everything. I went with my sister who has two toddlers. When I started planning all I knew was I wanted to go in May and had it in the back of my mind.

Jan - ordered the 2018 DL Unofficial Guide, reread it and continued my love-hate feelings for the book. LOL

Feb 10 - Word got out DL tickets would be increasing that Sunday (we usually have about a week's warning) so we bought our tickets that night to get them before the price hike.

March 15th- The DL onsite hotel discount for our dates were released (right when I was expecting them), so I booked a DL club level room at $465 a night plus taxes. I also had the option of a non-club room for $323 a night. I don't think I could have done better then those rates. Since it was a room only reservation, I could cancel until 5 days before travel if airfare didn't work out.

March 15ish - My 60 day dining window was open and so a week later I finally got around to it and I booked dining, weeks later I canceled and re-booked things and in the end used none of them.

Early April - Booked a deal on Jet Blue into Long Beach, (a much more relaxed and closer airport) for $126 RT each, we wanted Jet Blue because we were travel with little ones and wanted assigned seats. I don't think you could or should wait that long for cross country flights but I really recommend avoiding LAX at all costs.

May 1st - I noticed the off-site hotels were MUCH lower then I expected and some AWESOME last minute deals were starting to pop up, so I decided to start looking at switching.

May 6th - Booked my car from Costco Travel so we get the free additional driver perk Costco gives you, I paid $204 total for the whole time, I probably could have done better here?

May 6th - I booked a fireworks view 1 bedroom suite at the Embassy Suites for four nights, I paid $576 including taxes for the ENTIRE time and then got a $50 rebate from a credit card promo. The parking was $17 a night so that added a bit. I liked this hotel! We watch the fireworks from our picture window. It included a delicious breakfast and an evening reception with free drinks and free snacks and they gave us a nice bed for the baby. I called and canceled my DL hotel room one day before my cancellation window, the CM told me my room had already been assigned and I had been given a free room upgrade(!) in case that changed my mind, I hesitated, but stuck with our decision to have the bigger room off property for a fraction of the cost.

And that very next week we went, and our trip was completely magical, Long Beach airport is so small, the rental cars are literally right outside the front door. Crowds were all manageable, Paint the Night was the highlight, the snacks were yummy. The newly painted Dumbo had just opened and it is freaking adorable. We met Mickey Mouse. We didn't use a single dining reservation, because it didn't work with nap times. We went to Huntington beach, stopped and grabbed a bag of fast food, and spent a great morning there with the beach almost entirely to ourselves. There were plenty of restaurants in walking distance from our hotel that were frankly dirt cheap.

Was my planning TOO relaxed, yeah probably, but honestly, DL is such a different animal. I am so excited for you. Please let me know if you have any more question.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I went mid May this year and here is when I did everything. I went with my sister who has two toddlers. When I started planning all I knew was I wanted to go in May and had it in the back of my mind.

Jan - ordered the 2018 DL Unofficial Guide, reread it and continued my love-hate feelings for the book. LOL

Feb 10 - Word got out DL tickets would be increasing that Monday (we usually have about a week's warning) so we bought our tickets that Sunday night to get them before the price hike.

March 15th- The DL onsite hotel discount for our dates were released (right when I was expecting them), so I booked a DL club level room at $465 a night plus taxes. I also had the option of a non-club room for $323 a night. I don't think I could have done better then those rates. Since it was a room only reservation, I could cancel until 5 days before travel if airfare didn't work out.

March 15ish - My 60 day dining window was open and so a week later I finally got around to it and I booked dining, weeks later I canceled and re-booked things and in the end used none of them.

Early April - Booked a deal on Jet Blue into Long Beach, (a much more relaxed and closer airport) for $126 RT each, we wanted Jet Blue because we were travel with little ones and wanted assigned seats. I don't think you could or should wait that long for cross country flights but I really recommend avoiding LAX at all costs.

May 1st - I noticed the off-site hotels were MUCH lower then I expected and some AWESOME last minute deals were starting to pop up, so I decided to start looking at switching.

May 6th - Booked my car from Costco Travel so we get the free additional driver perk Costco gives you, I paid $204 total for the whole time, I probably could have done better here?

May 6th - I booked a fireworks view 1 bedroom suite at the Embassy Suites for four nights, I paid $576 including taxes for the entire time and then got a $50 rebate from a credit card promo. The parking was $17 a night so that added a bit. I liked this hotel! We watch the fireworks from our picture window. It included a delicious breakfast and an evening reception with free drinks and free snacks and they gave us a nice bed for the baby. I called and canceled my DL hotel room one day before my cancellation window, the CM told me my room had already been assigned and I had been given a free room upgrade(!) in case that changed my mind, I hesitated, but stuck with our decision to have the bigger room off property for a fraction of the cost.

And that very next week we went, and our trip was completely magical, Long Beach airport is so small, the rental cars are literally right outside the front door. Crowds were all manageable, Paint the Night was the highlight, the snacks were yummy. The newly painted Dumbo had just opened and it is freaking adorable. We met Mickey Mouse. We didn't use a single dining reservation, because it didn't work with nap times. We went to Huntington beach, stopped and grabbed a bag of fast food, and spent a great morning there with the beach almost entirely to ourselves. There were plenty of restaurants in walking distance from our hotel that were frankly dirt cheap.

Was my planning TOO relaxed, yeah probably, but honestly, DL is such a different animal. I am so excited for you. Please let me know if you have any more question.

Re: rental car...How long was your trip? How often did you use it? When we are at DLR we don’t rent a car. If we want a non-park day (rarely) or are going to San Diego after; we rent a car just for the time needed.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

Re: rental car...How long was your trip? How often did you use it? When we are at DLR we don’t rent a car. If we want a non-park day (rarely) or are going to San Diego after; we rent a car just for the time needed.

We stayed four nights, so they were either charging me for four days or five I am not sure. I agree with you and don't always rent one but my sister felt more comfortable with her own car seats, especially her rear facing one for the baby so I accommodated.

This was another benefit of Long Beach because we only had to carry the car seats a short distance to the car rental offices and all the rental cars are just outside. We didn't park at DL, we walked to the park or used the hotel shuttle. We drove at least once a day, made a trip to the grocery store for snacks, we went to a local theme park for toddlers that was adorable, to the beach, to Costco for $1 churros (because we thought it was hilarious), for souvenir shopping, and one night out to dinner.

It was the right decision for our trip but I agree it's definitely not always.

 

[smartlabelprint]

We stayed four nights, so they were either charging me for four days or five I am not sure. I agree with you and don't always rent one but my sister felt more comfortable with her own car seats, especially her rear facing one for the baby so I accommodated.

This was another benefit of Long Beach because we only had to carry the car seats a short distance to the car rental offices and all the rental cars are just outside. We didn't park at DL, we walked to the park or used the hotel shuttle. We drove at least once a day, made a trip to the grocery store for snacks, we went to a local theme park for toddlers that was adorable, to the beach, to Costco for $1 churros (because we thought it was hilarious), for souvenir shopping, and one night out to dinner.

It was the right decision for our trip but I agree it's not definitely always the right decision.

The $1 *is* hilarious!

For her next trip...I always bring my own car seats and we use them on the plane and in the uber.

 

[chickapin parterre]

..........COST OF VISITING DISNEYLAND QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.......... how did you come up with that observation? BadPinkTink trip reports are always very insightful and give insight into the Substantial cost of visiting during high season....because there are different seasons to visit Disneyland, though be it, many sacrifices on what you cannot experience during budget visits.

 

[DnA2010]

..........COST OF VISITING DISNEYLAND QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.......... how did you come up with that observation? BadPinkTink trip reports are always very insightful and give insight into the Substantial cost of visiting during high season....because there are different seasons to visit Disneyland, though be it, many sacrifices on what you cannot experience during budget visits.

I'm thinking you are looking at onsite hotels- we went in May of this year, group of 8 and got a big suite at the Desert Inn and Suites, right across from the gate- our room(s- there were 3 attached) were huge and I think the cost was around $250/night? Oherwise, costs shouldn't be much different from WDW?

 

[Aladora]

The first question is, I am thinking about visiting in May, for about 3 full activity days. If I wait till about January or so to book hotel and flights, will it be cheaper? I am finding the cost of visiting the DLR quite substantial. Any savings in terms of booking somewhat last minute? Should I actually book now for the best price? I know thats VERY subjective, but guidance would be appreciated.

One pleasant thing about DLR, from what I can tell, is that not everything needs to be planned months in advance, to ensure you can do what you want!!!

If you have finalized your dates then I would book a hotel now but make sure you can cancel without a penalty. (Usually 48 hours in advance) That will give you the ability to lock in your hotel costs now but the flexibility to cancel if you find somewhere else that is a better fit for you.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I fly transatlantic and I usually book flights in January for a June visit. The airline I fly with usually has a January sale and flights tend to increase in price the nearer you are to departure date.

I book Disneyland tickets with Last Minute Travel Club. They are usually around $50 cheaper than buying direct from Disney.

I usually book hotel / motel in February for a June visit. The cheapest I have found is Motel 6 Maingate which is on Disney Way. Thats usally about $120 a night. The motels on Harbour Boulevard are the closest to Disney.

This is my June 2018 trip report https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...es-i-survived-with-no-maxpass-no-car.3692412/

I am absolutely going to take an additional look at that trip report! Looks like you did a lot.

I appreciate the tips.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Where are you flying from? Domestic 5-6 months out, prices for flights are still high in my experience.

Philadelphia! I sort of tested things with Orlando, and airline prices seem to be a whole quagmire I don't even want to get into. When I visit WDW annually I basically just pay whatever Southwest is charging and suck it up.

 

[Spencer Wright]

..........COST OF VISITING DISNEYLAND QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.......... how did you come up with that observation? BadPinkTink trip reports are always very insightful and give insight into the Substantial cost of visiting during high season....because there are different seasons to visit Disneyland, though be it, many sacrifices on what you cannot experience during budget visits.

I'm thinking you are looking at onsite hotels- we went in May of this year, group of 8 and got a big suite at the Desert Inn and Suites, right across from the gate- our room(s- there were 3 attached) were huge and I think the cost was around $250/night? Oherwise, costs shouldn't be much different from WDW?

The substantial cost thing was basically just me being dramatic. I did know from the podcast and otherwise that staying onsite was not going to work for me due to cost.

On looking offsite, I started with a twenty minute walking distance radius and found plenty of things less than $200 a night or about that amount. I think I just had some sticker shock as I added estimated costs up.

I think I'll need to be a little more attentive to time of year and cost. I picked May, primarily to avoid the opening of Star Wars, but it is somewhat arbitrary.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I went mid May this year and here is when I did everything. I went with my sister who has two toddlers. When I started planning all I knew was I wanted to go in May and had it in the back of my mind.

Jan - ordered the 2018 DL Unofficial Guide, reread it and continued my love-hate feelings for the book. LOL

.....

May 1st - I noticed the off-site hotels were MUCH lower then I expected and some AWESOME last minute deals were starting to pop up, so I decided to start looking at switching.

May 6th - Booked my car from Costco Travel so we get the free additional driver perk Costco gives you, I paid $204 total for the whole time, I probably could have done better here?

....

And that very next week we went, and our trip was completely magical, Long Beach airport is so small, the rental cars are literally right outside the front door. Crowds were all manageable, Paint the Night was the highlight, the snacks were yummy. The newly painted Dumbo had just opened and it is freaking adorable. We met Mickey Mouse. We didn't use a single dining reservation, because it didn't work with nap times. We went to Huntington beach, stopped and grabbed a bag of fast food, and spent a great morning there with the beach almost entirely to ourselves. There were plenty of restaurants in walking distance from our hotel that were frankly dirt cheap.

Was my planning TOO relaxed, yeah probably, but honestly, DL is such a different animal. I am so excited for you. Please let me know if you have any more question.

I TOTALLY forgot about the unofficial guide for DL! I really enjoy them, and will need to get it. I had a timeline in mind in terms of planning similar to what you did, and am glad it worked out. The Long Beach airport thing was a great tip, as it makes the cost of airfare much cheaper from Philadelphia (i.e. $200+ less). However, there are a decent amount of direct flights to LAX.

DLR seems much more relaxed. I shall certainly reach out with questions.

Thanks!!

 

[webcreatrix]

Philadelphia! I sort of tested things with Orlando, and airline prices seem to be a whole quagmire I don't even want to get into. When I visit WDW annually I basically just pay whatever Southwest is charging and suck it up.

I think it's still early. Keep watching!