Do we add Disneyland to our vacation?

[KCmike]

We are doing Yosemite for 3 days, Monterey for 1 day and San Fran sort of like a drive thru......

To add Disneyland it would cost us an additional $500 just for park tickets...and an additional 6 hours of driving.

We are driving from KC to Yosemite (25 hrs in a car) then 3 hrs to Monterey then it would be the additional 6 hours down to Anaheim.

We just went to DL for our first time last year and loved it so very much. We are concerned with the crowd levels for the first week of June. We did the first week of June at DW about 10 years ago and it was unbearable. How bad is the middle of the week in DL for the first week of June? Compared to the middle of the week in October?

Is it worth $500 and all that extra driving for two days at DL resort? Or should we just stay and enjoy Northern California?

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

The answer to this question is always YES!!!

 

[avalon451]

I just read the title to your thread and, Dis addict that I am, thought to myself, "Well, duh! Of course!" But then I read your trip plans and can sure see your dilemma.

Wow, if you can swing it financially, I'd say do it, it would be so fun. Do you have kids? I think it might depend on how your kids will do with that much driving, and that much stuff to take in. Sensory overload might be a problem.

We did northern California, redwoods etc. two years ago as a family, taking our time driving down from WA along the coast of OR, enjoying the beaches and the sights. It's almost a whole different kind of vacation, and a very enjoyable, slower-paced kind. I'm glad we did Disney separately. On the other hand, if you can handle the extra time and expense, it could end your trip with a very fun bang!

Not a lot of help, here, I'm just musing out loud! Any way you decide, it sounds like a very enjoyable trip. Have fun planning!

 

[IluvDISNEYLAND!]

I say if you can financially do it then DO IT! You are already going to be in CA it actually will save you money if were going to come back to CA just to go to DISNEY in the near future!!

HAVE A WONDERFUL VACATION!!!

 

[stopher1]

If you can do it financially and have the time to do it - then YES! You'll already be "in the neighborhood" and would be "practical" to do it in the same trip, vs. waiting and doing a separate trip!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

If you can do it, absolutely. We go in the beginning of June almost every year, and it's not crowded. Most of the schools are still in, so that helps a great deal.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

I automatically thought "YES!" when I read your title, too. I think that most of the people around here will say absolutely go!

 

[rentayenta]

I vote yes too. You'll be SO close and I promise if you don't, you'll wish you had and be thinking about it those 2 days.

 

[pixiewings71]

If you can afford it then YES, do it. BUT as a Nor Cal native I would suggest doing more than just a "drive-thru" of SF, you will love it and you may not want to leave. Will you be coming back to DL in the future? If so then I would skip DL this trip and just do SF a couple extra days.

 

[Hound 109]

We are doing Yosemite for 3 days, Monterey for 1 day and San Fran sort of like a drive thru......

To add Disneyland it would cost us an additional $500 just for park tickets...and an additional 6 hours of driving.

We are driving from KC to Yosemite (25 hrs in a car) then 3 hrs to Monterey then it would be the additional 6 hours down to Anaheim.

We just went to DL for our first time last year and loved it so very much. We are concerned with the crowd levels for the first week of June. We did the first week of June at DW about 10 years ago and it was unbearable. How bad is the middle of the week in DL for the first week of June? Compared to the middle of the week in October?

Is it worth $500 and all that extra driving for two days at DL resort? Or should we just stay and enjoy Northern California?

Hi Mike....I remember you from your last trip.

A few thoughts:

- I was at DL the "first week" of June last year (a Sunday Monday Tuesday) & the crowds were light to moderate. (Very light early in the day.....to moderate later in the day).
- The Fireworks (& Aladdin) were on Sunday only for us (that first week in June).
- We saw many visitors from Texas & AZ (as school was out). I suspect the more crowded late afternoon & evening had some SoCal AP types stopping in for a few hours. (But with FPs in pocket for the evening it was very manageable.)
- If you decide to do it, you MUST go down the PCH from Monterey to SLO. The most amazing beautiful first 60 miles of driving...then Elephant Seals, Hearst Castle (which you may or may not want to do because of expense & age of kids), Morro Bay & SLO. Also, a short stop in Solvang & Santa Barbara might be worthwhile. What I am saying is don't look at it as a "6 hour drive" to DL....look at it as an all day amazing side trip with 4-6 stops along the way.
- I recommend you look at SpartanGirl's Trip Report for alot of great pics & info on her trip (to Yosemite, Monterey, the drive I outlined & of course DLR).
- If you try to do this, it might be "worth it" to bite the bullet & get the 3 day pass (a few $$ more than the 2 day, & it would give you MM & that extra night at DL).
- Or you might want to just visit San Fran, the Gold Rush country, Santa Cruz & other points of interest in the Bay Area & save the DLR portion for a time when you can give it the 3+days it deserves.
- However....i suspect 2 nights at the HOJO & a 3 day pass at DLR would actually be "less" than 2 nights in the Bay Area & 3 days of "activities" in the Bay Area....fwiw.

Whatever you decide, you'll have a great time in a beautiful part of the world.

 

[NostalgicDad]

We did a Yosemite/DL trip last summer. We started in Yosemite and orginally planned to go to SF/Monterey before finishing up in DL. We ended up not doing the SF leg since we wanted more time in DL. But, if you're able to do it then I would certainly recommend it. I've been to the SF area and it is something to definitely see.

The only real advice I can give you is think about your feet! We did a lot of trekking and hiked up to some waterfalls in Yosemite then walked for 5 days in DL. It was almost comical how bad our feet hurt. It was still a fantastic trip though. Have a great time!

 

[KCmike]

This is going to sound absolutely crazy.....My wife and I want to go back to DL very badly but of my three kids only one wants to go back. After we finish our Yosemite and Monterey portion of our trip we basically have two days. I looked at the schedule for DL and it is open late each night except Thursday because of a grad nite. That worries me because I have read that if it is open late then they expect big crowds. The reason we have only two days is because it will take two days of driving to get back home.

If we do drive to Anaheim we would drive back through I-70 thru Vegas which I personally have never been to. It would be exciting to see the Bellagio Fountains etc...even though we wouldn't have much time to enjoy them.

I really like the thought of driving down the coast and making three or four stops and my wife threw in that she would rather see Sequioa Natl Park than drive down the rest of the coast. We would definitely do the 17 mile drive but is it worth it to keep trucking down the PCH?

HOUND thanks for all your advice. We are planning people and this trip has us stumped. I think I would really enjoy San Fran very much. Time is flying and the trip is getting so close. So I guess another wrinkle to this question is if we do decide to head south do we drive along the coast or stop at Sequioua?
I know in Mariposa they have a few trees but would that be enough for us?

Please advise.

 

[KCmike]

First thanks for the great advice and second let me tell you how much I love your photos. Everyday I get on the boards and check out the dis pic of the day. Yours just blows me away. In fact I send them to my wife at work to brighten her day.

All the walking is something to think about. We have been to Disneyworld many many times.....sometimes I think about what I would do with all the money if I have never gone....then I think about all the memories we've shared....anyway DL never made us tired. The park is so small....the only thing we didn't like was having to stand during fantasmic. Our children couldn't see.

 

[DevilDuckie]

I wouldn't. I'd spend the time in San Francisco and Berkeley instead and do DL in a separate trip sometime. If you want a treat, sign up at Goldstar.com and get discount tickets to something fabulous in San Francisco, ride cable cars, see the lemurs at the zoo, explore Chinatown... you will sell that experience short if you try to jam DL in too.

 

[LindaM]

We were in the same situation last October, we did a road trip from Canada down the Oregon/California coast. That drive alone was incredible, I also wanted to see DLR with all the Halloween decorations up, but my DH and DS were not so keen on the idea, because the most we would be able to spend in the park is a day, so we decided to spend a couple of extra days in the SF/bay area, it is beautiful there, there is so much to do and see. DH kinda felt bad that I didn't get to see the decorations, so DD and I are going to DLR in June, he hopes this will cure our Disney fix for a couple of years

 

[KCmike]

Still haven't decided.

 

[KCmike]

Anyway I can talk the wife into going again?

Any suggestions?

 

[ShawnaF]

Ya know, we're Disneyland addicts here too and that's basically the only vacation we do. BUT, considering all the driving you're doing and that you're containing the rest of the vacation in Northern California, I might have to vote skip it this time due to the time of year and crowds (I can't even believe I'm actually saying that) and the fact that you guys are going to be EXHAUSTED with all of that activity and driving. Wait and do it properly when you have the time and energy to do it and enjoy it.

Northern California has some really wonderful things for you and your family. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is not to be missed, San Fran can't possibly be done in one day, Apple Hill isn't that far out of your way and that's great for families as well. Marine World is also pretty neat.

To be honest, if I were in your shoes, I'd do Disneyland for the majority of time and do one or two days at one No. Cal location. But if I couldn't convince my husband for real time in DL, I'd do No. Cal fully.

 

[ShawnaF]

Oh, and PCH is amazing, yup, worth it - at least for the adults, not sure about your kids...

I've driven I-70 from CA thru to CO many, many, many times. Piece of cake and Utah has the cleanest restrooms on the planet! It's a great drive and lots of things to see on the way there too. Hoover Dam is pretty neat, kids might like that as well and don't forget the Grand Canyon and Sand Dunes. Actually my parents took me that route as a kid many times and there are some very interesting attractions.

If you email Chevy Chase (or my dad), he might have info on the biggest ball of twine...lol!

 

[ashbyyokosuka]

i just moved from Monterey
are you going to do *just* the aquarium? or are you going to drive to Carmel (very short drive)

i LOVE SF
love love love
but it is a totally different type of trip than DL

i've done Hearst Castle too (and saw the elephant seals, it was baby time in Dec., so little seals too.)
we took our 8 & 4 yr old to Hearst and they really enjoyed it (a little long for the little one... but she still liked it well enough)
we did that in 2 days~

Big Sur is fun to see
but
driving it for 60 miles... if anyone gets CAR SICK
is REALLY LONG
there is also a neat waterfall not far off the road at Pfieffer (like Michelle, i think i'm spelling it wrong though) State park (look it up b/c there are 2 very close together)

if you like the outdoors
stay in Monterey/ SF area

Big Basin is neat to see as well (the Mystery Spot) isn't far from there~

my parents live in KC (Lenexa) and we drove once from Biloxi, MS to KC (14 hrs) stayed for 3 days--
then out to Las Vegas then to Monterey.
it was a BLAST (saw the Grand Canyon too--if you want to go that route)

good luck and have fun!
personally i don't think 1 day in monterey is enough... (i forgot-- Point Lobos is BEAUTIFUL) and there are a couple of light houses along the way too...

so much to do! so little time