First Time in California and Disneyland

[linda d-isney]

My DD and 2 friends are booked for a trip to DL OCT 14 to OCT 21. We have Oct 14 check in to Oct 18 check out at Paradise Pier. My friend and her sister are heading to Universal and Hollywood area and my DD and I are going somewhere else. I do not have any hotel booked for the 18th to the 21. I have 4 days park hpper and plan to do the Halloween evening.

I'm torn between renting a car and going down to San Diego or staying in Annaheim and doing some of the bus tours from their. the two I am interested in is Annaheim tours Deluxe LA tour which includes a 2 hour trip to a movie studio and a tour that includes a whale watching time.

In San Diego I would do the zoo safari, beach stops and hopefully finding a whale watch or boat trip up the coast a bit, maybe a winery stop.

My delema is how is the drive to San Diego and then Back and then to LAX. We are booked to return home on a redeye Saturday evening boarding at nine. Also is it possible, as we are booked for Disney tranportation both from the airport and back, to still keep that airport shuttle back to the airport at the end even though we are not staying anymore at Disney. We could Saturday stop in at DL for a few last hours before we need to head to airport buy either extending to a 5 day ticket or using the one park hopper day when we go to the Halloween party and only go in at night that day.

 

[dmcdixie]

I think San Diego is a great add on ( I live in SD). How old is DD? IF you already have booked transportation you could rent a car out of downtown disney and then pick up and return there. If you want to explore San Diego and LA I would make anahiem my base. It would be about a 1:45 min drive to SD for a day trip and then about an 1 hour to LA!

 

[only1mouse]

San Diego is amazing. Driving in SoCal is always a challenge and sometimes from Disneyland to San Diego can be rough, it just really depends. Other options would be are Universal Studios and Hollywood like your friends are doing. At Universal you can do your tour of backstage, plus see CityWalk and Universal. Or you can go to Knotts Berry Farm (essentially down the street from DLR), or even Magic Mountain (Valencia). Depending on what your DD likes there's the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Malibu beaches, Ventura County Beaches etc. There's really an endless supply of things to do, just depends on your preferences. I live in Ventura County, near the Reagan Library.

 

[Nevada Jen]

How old is your dd and what does she like? San Diego is pretty amazing if you don't get to the ocean often. I have no interest in LA but a lot of people think the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and rodeo drive is very cool. Especially teen girls!

 

[linda d-isney]

My daughter is 30. We have been to Universal many times in Florida and feel I'd rather not go to the one in California. I probably will not get to California again as my spouse is not quite the traveler I am and I am nearing retirement. I feel that going to California and being so close to LA is like going to Las Vegas. You simply can't come home without that camera shot of the famous sign. So much to do and so little time to do it I guess. I think I'm leaning towards staying in Annaheim area I very nervous about driving in California.

 

[SMD]

If you move to a hotel in San Diego or LA I wouldn't go back to Anaheim just for the airport shuttle. If you want to go whale watching, you can do that from Dana Point or Long Beach. If you want to go to wineries you may be able to find a day tour that does Temecula. You could also go north to Santa Barbara and then stop in LA to see the Hollywood sign on your way back to LAX.

 

[chickapin parterre]

when you sign for the whale tour....in 2017...make sure there are whales to see.....something peculiar is happening with whales in the pacific ocean this year. It is June here in oregon and Whale sightings are historical scientifically. they should be west of BC now but are instead holed up west of Oregon and Washington......when March is their passing time to the north......never been seen before in the scientific history of oregon. So search internet in October the status of whales in Oregon headed south.