finally going to DL, to all experts i need help

[yanjan]

hey all

after 4 trips to WDW its finally time to try DL.

i have so many questions. we will probably fly into LAX but from there we dont nothing. i heard there is something like ME but u have to pay for it.

also what hotels are good in area? Hojo,marriott ?

also how many days do we need to do both parks? we would also like to do san diego zoo and sea world (i get in for free) also which other parks could we do in area?

this seems so complicated compared to WDW

tks

nick

 

[BraMax]

Hey there! Welcome to the DL side.
Yes there is the Disneyland Express and you do have to pay for it. It's run by Grey Lines I believe instead of Disney and it services most of the good neighbour hotels. There is a Hojo across the street and a Fairfield Inn by Merriot as well. I've stayed at the Hojo and it's nice hotel. We are staying at the Residence Inn this summer but it's a little farther away (15 minute walk). To do the park fully people say 3 days depending on when you are going.

Depending on the age of your kids there is Universal Studios and Legoland aswell which is half way between LA and San Deigo.

You should check out the Disneyland section on here aswell. There are a great bunch of people who just love to help.

 

[yxe dad]

Hi and congrats on a DL trip!

The Hojo is highly recommended but there are alot of hotels in the area at great prices. I've stayed at the Fairfield Inn, the Carousel Inn, and a Travelodge all within walking distance to DL/CA. The Fairfield Inn is next door to the Hojo and was the best of the three hotels I've stayed at. I usually book early and check back often to see if rates have dropped.

The DL Express is transportation to the resort area but it's not free. I recommend renting a car. If you are interested in Seaworld, the San Diego Zoo and other parks it will probably be cheaper than taking shuttles everywhere.

I would probably go will 4-5 days at DL/CA. 1 day for Seaworld, 1 day for the San Diego Zoo and If you have small kids(up to 12) I would recommend Legoland. Legoland is about halfway between Anahiem and San Diego and my boys loved it. If you have older kids or no kids I recommend Six Flags Magic Mountain. It has some best roller coasters around and other thrill rides that will keep you busy all day. Check the Six Flags website to see which days they are open during your trip because during the slow season they don't open every day. Then there is Universal Studios, I haven't been since I was kid so I can't really give you a good answer but from what I remember it was ok.

Have fun planning,

Shayne

 

[yanjan]

tks all for replies

sorry forgot to mention no kids here

what is a good price to pay for hotels in the area? about renting a car, is driving in cali hard? comparable to gta? is everyting pretty easy to drive to or do you need a garmin type to figure it out?

nick

 

[Camilo]

If you have older kids or no kids I recommend Six Flags Magic Mountain. It has some best roller coasters around and other thrill rides that will keep you busy all day. Check the Six Flags website to see which days they are open during your trip because during the slow season they don't open every day. Then there is Universal Studios, I haven't been since I was kid so I can't really give you a good answer but from what I remember it was ok.

Good tip on the Six Flags Magic Mountain park. I went there in 1998 (wow, it's been 10 years already) and it was the best roaller coaster park I've been to.

 

[dsneygirl]

Have you used Priceline.com before? We have used them twice for DL area and had good results. One time was the Hyatt for like $59.

We have also rented a car and didn't find the driving as terrible as we thought it would be.

 

[michelle1]

I feel your pain. I am planning a trip to California this summer and am getting stressed because it is so unfamiliar. WDW is easy because I know it so well. We are booked at HOJO's because it came highly recommended on the DL boards but there are so many others to choose from. We also wanted a decent pool area for the kids which may not matter to you but some of the hotels have very small pools. It seems that although many hotels say they are within a block or across the street from DL they still are too far too walk. From what I've been reading on the DL forum, SNA is a better airport to fly into..not as busy and closer to DL. Driving seems like it is crazy anywhere if you drive during peak times so we are bringing our GPS to be on the safe side. Check out the DL and Southern California forums for good info. Have a great time!