First trip questions, lenght of DL time and car questions? Thanks!

[Fall1]

Hi - we are planning out first California trip! We are planning on flying into San Diego and doing SD/LEGOLAND for a couple days before going to DL.

Is it easy to return a car before checking into DLH and then just take a bux/shuttle to LAX so we don't have to pay for the car while at DL and pay to park it? We're trying to figure out the best/cheapest option.

Secondly, would you say a 3, 4 or 5 day PH for DL/DCA would be best for a first and most likely last trip out West?

Thanks!!!

 

[Imdboss]

I'd always suggest a 5 day PH if time/budget allows. We go annually for 5 days and never fit everything in, although we do favorites multiple times.

Not sure on the rental car as we never have one. There are rental car places close by DL. I'd price it though for drop off at one of them, it might be pretty costly since it wouldn't be at a major location like LAX. Getting to the airport though will be easy. Just want to factor that expense when comparing keeping the car vs returning it.

 

[figment_jii]

If this is your only trip to Disneyland, I would do as many days as possible. It does depend on how much you want to do (e.g., attractions, shows, characters,etc.). With five days, you'll have enough time to see most things without having to really feel like you have to race from activity to activity. With three days, I think you can still get a pretty decent amount of things done, but you will need to prioritize what you want to do/see and be prepared to forgo some things.

When in August are you planning on going? There are some differences between the first part and second part of the month (mostly in terms of operating hours and entertainment offerings). August is generally the transition month as they wind down from the peak of the summer season and start prepping for HalloweenTime. In the later portion of August, HM is likely to be down getting the HMH overlay installed.

I've also never had a rental car, but according to the Disneyland Hotel website, they charge $20 per night for self-parking for hotel guests. Alamo has a rental car location in Downtown Disney, so there might a drop-off option (although, there might be fees if you pick-up at one location and drop-off somewhere else).

 

[Fall1]

We're planning August 21/22-25/26. I think the beginning timeframe we should be ok with Haunted Mansion I think/hope!

 

[dshimel]

Since doing Legoland, I am going to assume little ones.

They burn out with too much theme parking without breaks. It is really fun to hit the park at opening for a few rides. Then maybe some character interactions/autographs/photographs. Then back to the room for a nap. Back in time for the afternoon parade, a show like Mickey and the Magical Map, couple more rides, fireworks.

With 3 day, you will feel like you need to get the most out of each day. You will find yourself skipping the nap, or cutting it short.. with the result being a melt-down by sunset.

With 5 days, you will actually enjoy the moments more since the pressure will be off.

Extra Magic Hours are early and fireworks are late, so take a good, long mid-day break.

 

[figment_jii]

We're planning August 21/22-25/26. I think the beginning timeframe we should be ok with Haunted Mansion I think/hope!

That's a tough one! Haunted Mansion has historically closed for 18-days to have the HMH overlay installed. It all depends on when HalloweenTime is going to start this year, but that's something that probably won't be announced until mid-summer.

 

[Hatwriter456]

I would definitely do the 5 day PH - you could do it in 3 if you had to. LAX is pretty far from Disneyland - can you fly out of John Wayne/Orange County instead? You could save a bit of money on parking and shuttle costs to LAX to make up the difference of the plane ticket. Many CA kids will be back in school during that time so it won't be as busy. Halloween/fall decorations are up by mid-September and Haunted Mansion goes down a few weeks before that for the Nightmare before Christmas overlay - I would check to see last years dates for when it was down.

 

[agamble]

If you have the time and means I would definitely suggest 5 days, especially since you don't plan to return. August will be hot, so even if your kids are beyond napping you'll likely need a break midafternoon. Expect the evenings to get busy as APs begin to unblock at the end of August. Some CA schools will be back in session, but not all.

 

[Fall1]

LAX is the only airport that flies back home nonstop. The shuttle for all 4 of us from DLH to LAX is $60 total, so that's not bad.

 

[dshimel]

Picking up a rental car and returning to a different location is always a lot more than returning to same place you picked it up.

Disneyland to LAX is a long drive and probably pretty expensive.

Looks like some added transportation costs on your trip. I would consider (if flights not already booked), flying in and out of John Wayne Orange county Santa Anna airport (wow, that is a long name). Then drive down to San Diego (1 hour to legoland, 1.5-2 to an Diego proper). That allows you to return it back to the same airport.

Maybe drop everyone at the hotel, one person return the car, tehn only need to pay to shuttle 1 to DL.

 

[VandVsmama]

The other posters are correct...dropping off a car at a different location from where you picked it up is more expensive. Here are a few options in terms of the car situation:

1. rent car at SD airport. Return car at SD airport. Use an airport transfer/limo/shuttle service to take your family from SD airport to DLH. Use a shuttle service from DLH to LAX at end of your stay.
2. Rent car @ SD aiport. Drive to DLH. Deposit family & bags @ DLH. Return car at SNA John Wayne airport. Take taxi or Uber from SNA to DLH. Use a shuttle service from DLH to LAX at end of your stay.
3. Rent car @ SD airport. Keep rental car throughout DLH days (keep in mind $20/day to park at the hotel). Return car at LAX. This is probably most expensive option.

I'm going to assume that you've already purchased your airline tickets, so switching to arrive & depart from LAX (instead of arrive at SD airport & depart from LAX) is probably not an option.

To figure out the cheapest option, you would need to price out all of the above 3 options. For example, I just looked on Budget Rental Car's website and put in a random pick up date in March from San Diego airport, dropping off 3 days later at John Wayne airport. It's showing a rate of $162 for an intermediate sized car. If you rent for 3 days and pick up and drop off at San Diego, the rate for that same sized vehicle is about $102.

Of course, this is without any special discount codes or anything that you might qualify for. Shuttle service from San Diego airport to DLH will probably run you more than $60, so if you're comparing just those 2 options, then it's cheaper to do a 1-way rental and drop off at SNA airport. Even when you add in the cost of a taxi from SNA to DLH, it's still cheaper than pickup and drop off at San Diego airport and then paying shuttle fees from San Diego to DLH.

Another option is way more complicated time wise and probably the most expensive option would be to do pickup/drop off at San Diego airport, then use public transportation to an Amtrak station, take Amtrak to Anaheim, then get on an ART bus to DLH...but ART doesn't drop off right in front of the DLH, so you'd have to hoof it with your bags or pay a taxi from the Anaheim Amtrak station to DLH. This will take the longest in terms of time.

Also, if this will be your one and only trip to Disneyland, then do a 5-day park hopper ticket if your budget allows. You'll be able to enjoy everything the parks have to offer without feeling rushed. You can do a lot in 3 days, but you kind of have to go commando style and it's really tiring after 2 days in commando mode (park open to park close).

 

[Leopardstars]

If this trip has the potential to be your one and only trip to DL, then I would do 5 day park hoppers. Even more so if you have kids because older kids can benefit from downtime away from the parks. There is also a lot more to do in the parks than people realize. 5 days gives you the time to see what you want at a reasonable pace AND the chance to do your group's favourites a second time.

I would recommend you look at "The Unoffical Guide" and it's touring plans. My husband and I used them when we went in 2010 and got so much done we did everything we wanted to and some rides multiple times in 4 days. We are going to use them again for our March trip so that we can do everything we want without tiring our daughter out too much.

 

[SleepingUgly]

Definitely - dropping off a rental car to a different location than where you picked it up is ridiculously more expensive than returning to same location. We, too, are planning a West Coast trip this summer and I was planning to fly into SFO, pick up our car, and drop off at LAX @ two weeks later. Fee would have been @ $2500 for the length of our stay and the type of vehicle we wanted. If we dropped off at the same location where we got the car, the rate dropped down to $800. Seriously. It was too much to justify so we had to change our plans a bit, which is fine ... especially if it means "saving" us @ $1700!!