Feb 20, 2011 - Presidents' Week - Mexican Riviera

[Jennifer_W]

Thanks for the info. Are there any car rental places that do reasonable one way rentals? That's what we do in Florida. Guess that's my next step...well that & finding airfare! I think we are going to end up looking for the cheapest deals, as frequent flyer tickets are going for 40,000 miles and up...x 5 people is a LOT for one trip!

 

[LKFan]

Thanks for the info. Are there any car rental places that do reasonable one way rentals? That's what we do in Florida. Guess that's my next step...well that & finding airfare! I think we are going to end up looking for the cheapest deals, as frequent flyer tickets are going for 40,000 miles and up...x 5 people is a LOT for one trip!

Legoland closes early in the winter. If you go to the website, you can see that they are only open from 10 am - 5 pm in Feb 2011. http://california.legoland.com/Plan/opening_hours/?month=2&year=2011.

If you fly into LAX and stay there on 2/18, you're going to want to get up early Saturday morning to drive to Carlsbad. It probably won't take you two hours on a Saturday morning but you never know.

There are a few hotels near Legoland but, considering the park is going to close early, you might want to pick up a bite to eat and head up towards Long Beach/San Pedro and stay there.

As far as rental cars, Enterprise is the only rental car company in San Pedro and they have very limited weekend hours. From what I've read, they charge something like a $40 surcharge for one way rentals (check into it yourself as that is just what I've read on this board as well as cruisecritic). There are, however, several rental car companies in Long Beach so, if you rent at the airport you probably have more options for one way rentals if you look into returning a car in Long Beach. If that is the case, you can spend Saturday night in Long Beach and pay $25 for a cab ride to the port.

 

[Mich123]

I've been looking at car rentals and failing to find deals! We are flying into San Diego and then going to Long Beach. So far, the best "deal" (and I'm not so sure I'd call it this!) on a one way would be to rent at the airport in San Diego and return to the airport in Long Beach on Saturday, taking a cab to the hotel in Long Beach and then a cab in the morning to the port.

Carlsbad is a very convenient city, we're actually headed there, too, to visit family. There's a Marriott by the ocean near Carlsbad and Legoland. Legoland is located on Palomar Airport Road, so if you do a search for hotels near to this airport, you should end up quite close to Legoland.

 

[Mich123]

PS: San Diego International Airport is about a 40 minute drive to Carlsbad (if the traffic is moderate).

 

[minie_meese]

We are flying in on Tuesday and need a car for at least 6 people. I found renting a minivan was considerably cheaper than renting an SUV. We ended up renting through National. We are picking up the car at LAX where we are arriving on Tuesday and returning to Long Beach on Sunday morning. We figured we would drop everyone with luggage off at the port and have one person take the car to the Long Beach Airport and take a cab back to the port.

 

[LKFan]

We are flying in on Tuesday and need a car for at least 6 people. I found renting a minivan was considerably cheaper than renting an SUV. We ended up renting through National. We are picking up the car at LAX where we are arriving on Tuesday and returning to Long Beach on Sunday morning. We figured we would drop everyone with luggage off at the port and have one person take the car to the Long Beach Airport and take a cab back to the port.

I know you've traveled in So Cal before. Just remember that Long Beach Airport is 15 miles from the port. Make sure he has a good hour to get to the airport, return the car and get back to the rest of the family.

 

[Jennifer_W]

I thought there was a hotel that had shuttle service to the port? Am I going on old info? If there is, that would save a lot of hassle in not having to drop off a rental car the morning of the cruise, no?

Or with a family of 5 (incl. 1 toddler who would need a carseat), and luggage, we'd need something bigger than 1 taxi, wouldn't we?

 

[minie_meese]

I know you've traveled in So Cal before. Just remember that Long Beach Airport is 15 miles from the port. Make sure he has a good hour to get to the airport, return the car and get back to the rest of the family.

Thanks - I know we'll need to allow for a good amount of time both to be at the port and to return the car. It's not idea but we are not staying near the port and need the car till the day we leave.

 

[Jennifer_W]

I thought there was a hotel that had shuttle service to the port? Am I going on old info? If there is, that would save a lot of hassle in not having to drop off a rental car the morning of the cruise, no?

Or with a family of 5 (incl. 1 toddler who would need a carseat), and luggage, we'd need something bigger than 1 taxi, wouldn't we?

OK, I looked in my e-copy of the newest Passporter DCL guide, and found that they list 3 hotels in San Pedro with shuttles:

Clarion Hotel (111 S. Gaffey St.)

Doubletree (2800 Via Cabrillo)

Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor (601 S. Palos Verdes St.)

I am off to reprice car rentals....

MINIE_MEESE---Have a WONDERFUL trip to WDW!!! Wish I was getting to eat my way around Epcot this week. That's like my favorite thing!

 

[Mich123]

Jennifer W.--does the Passporter give a lot of info regarding our trip? I have the old Passporter and was contemplating the new one, but wondering if it's worth it. TIA!

 

[minie_meese]

MINIE_MEESE---Have a WONDERFUL trip to WDW!!! Wish I was getting to eat my way around Epcot this week. That's like my favorite thing!

Thanks Jennifer - it's just my husband and me - no kids - we're celebrating our anniversary - a bit late. Besides eating around the world we're looking forward to AKL Savannah view, meals at Jiko, Cal Grill, Bistro de Paris and a Pinot Noir wine school - we're very excited

 

[Jennifer_W]

Jennifer W.--does the Passporter give a lot of info regarding our trip? I have the old Passporter and was contemplating the new one, but wondering if it's worth it. TIA!

I am not totally sure, as I haven't received the paper copy yet. I ordered on Thursday (they have free shipping through today, I think), and got to download the e-version of the book, but I don't know if it's the whole thing. I also ordered the southern California book, and should really wait to book hotels and transportation options till I see it, I suppose, but now that we've committed I want to get everything DONE! I'll let you know what the book covers once I get it.

Anybody else have it already?

 

[Jennifer_W]

Jennifer W.--does the Passporter give a lot of info regarding our trip? I have the old Passporter and was contemplating the new one, but wondering if it's worth it. TIA!

OK, I just downloaded it again, and NO it does NOT have info on ports/shore excursions/or much of anything specific for the MR cruises. BUMMER!!! It says that stuff will be in e 2011 book, but that does not do a whole lot to help us out, does it? I wonder if I will have access to the 2011 updates since I just bought this book now??? I am going to post over there and see if I can get an answer. Let you know if I hear.

 

[LKFan]

I thought there was a hotel that had shuttle service to the port? Am I going on old info? If there is, that would save a lot of hassle in not having to drop off a rental car the morning of the cruise, no?

Or with a family of 5 (incl. 1 toddler who would need a carseat), and luggage, we'd need something bigger than 1 taxi, wouldn't we?

Both the Crowne Plaza and Doubletree have free shuttles to the port. You should be able to find good prices on both on Priceline. I think people on CruiseCritic (on the westcoast departure board) posted about getting $65/night rates.

 

[Jennifer_W]

OK, I just downloaded it again, and NO it does NOT have info on ports/shore excursions/or much of anything specific for the MR cruises. BUMMER!!! It says that stuff will be in e 2011 book, but that does not do a whole lot to help us out, does it? I wonder if I will have access to the 2011 updates since I just bought this book now??? I am going to post over there and see if I can get an answer. Let you know if I hear.

OK, Dave Marx got back to me and said that the specific cruise itinerary info is included in the guide for the year in which those cruises take place--thus, the 2011 MR info would not be in the 2010 guide, but will be in the 2011 PP that will "be coming out a little later this fall". Thye are trying to get the e-version out shortly. Soooooo...that's all I know. I love the Passporter guides, & always enjoy getting a new one, so I guess I'll have the 2010 & ebook of 2011.

 

[Mich123]

OK, Dave Marx got back to me and said that the specific cruise itinerary info is included in the guide for the year in which those cruises take place--thus, the 2011 MR info would not be in the 2010 guide, but will be in the 2011 PP that will "be coming out a little later this fall". Thye are trying to get the e-version out shortly. Soooooo...that's all I know. I love the Passporter guides, & always enjoy getting a new one, so I guess I'll have the 2010 & ebook of 2011.

Thanks, Jennifer! I like the Passporter Guides, too...I'll have to look for the 2011 book.

 

[preedymtnwest]

Hi - we will be on this cruise (and were lucky enough to get KSF).

It will be me (Kristina), DH (Jeff), DS 13, and DS 10. Right now we have a GTY 5A and are supposedly in 7048.

We will be traveling with my DSis (Susan), and her DH (Mike), DD 11 and DS 6. They have a GTY 5C and are in 6532 right now. You can add them to my screen name as she doesn't have one.

This will be our 3rd DCL (after we go on our DVC incentive 3-night Bahamas cruise in November!!) and my DSis's 2nd cruise (we all went together on a 3-night Bahamas on the Wonder in Feb. 2009).

We're interested in doing the FE exchange, but I'd like to reserve final commitment until after I get back from my November cruise - we've signed up to do a rather small (12 families) exchange on that one and I'd like to see how stressed out it makes me...

We're lucky to be flying in from Seattle that morning, into John Wayne because the LB flights weren't good times. Any good ideas on the best way for us to get 8 of us to the port from the airport? We tried looking into the one-way rental, too, but it didn't look promising. There's a zillion van services but it's hard to tell from the websites what exactly they're like and what's included!

We'll be on here a little more from now on; we're getting very excited, but I need to get my FE stuff together for November and packed etc., but I'm sure my DSis will keep me focussed on February, too!

 

[XMom]

I just got my clearance passporter for $4.00. It was last years edition, so I figured it was pretty up to date. As far as the ports, we have been to Mexico plenty and will probably only get off in Cabo as we really enjoy it there. I read a lot of info on the other boards (C.C.) in their ports section. You can get some pretty good info.

I am stressing. I have tried to start potty-training my DD. She will be 3 in late January and is 100% against training. I am starting to get nervous. Both of my boys were trained 3 months before they were 3. Maybe girls are different. I just really want her to be able to go to the kids club...for us and for her. I didn't really plan on hanging out with her there. She will hold it for 6-8 hours then start crying and holding herself until she can't hold it anymore and pee. She's happy after but for the last 2 hours she freaks out. I stopped last week because I know it shouldn't be a power struggle. Any advice?? Sorry for venting...

 

[Jennifer_W]

I just got my clearance passporter for $4.00. It was last years edition, so I figured it was pretty up to date. As far as the ports, we have been to Mexico plenty and will probably only get off in Cabo as we really enjoy it there. I read a lot of info on the other boards (C.C.) in their ports section. You can get some pretty good info.

I am stressing. I have tried to start potty-training my DD. . . . Any advice??

Thanks for the info on Cruise Critic--I always forget about them!

As far as potty training goes, I only have 3 boys, so don't have experience wih a girl. I had forgotten (blacked out?) the experience from my first 2, but got some advice from my playgroup. They said to try putting sweat pants (thick or thin, doesn't matter) on my son with no underwear. And to stick to your guns...at home, they're commando in sweats. And it worked for him! He quickly associated the "before" feeling with the wet pants and didn't like it one bit. I don't know, it just worked for him. If you haven't tried it, might be worth a shot.

 

[XMom]

Thanks...I will give anything a try at this point.

Charlene