Go Los Angeles Card & Plan

[Disbabe]

I've started on the planning even though I have 10 months to go!!
I've been looking at the Go Los Angeles Card and reading the free Guidebook that you can download for Free. Having read through I have come up with a plan!!

Sunday 31st July - Seaworld
Monday 1st August - Los Angeles City Tour & Movie Stars Homes (9.15am) & Santa Monica ($54)
Tuesday 2nd August - Paramount Studios Tour (10am) & Warner Bros. Studio Tours (2pm) ($88 for both)
Wed’day 3rd August - Starline Tours (1hr @ 9.30am), Kodak Theatre Tour (1/2hr @ 11am), Red Lines Tour (2hrs @ 2pm) ($59.95 for the 3)
Thursday 4th August - Madame Tussauds AM, Hollywood Museum PM. ($39.95 for both)
Friday 5th August - Universal Studios ($74)
Saturday 6th August - Six Flags Magic Mountain ($59.95)
Sunday 7th August - Knotts Berry Farm ($54.99)
Monday 8th August - Disneyland
Tuesday 9th August - Disneyland
Wed’day 10th August - Disneyland
Thursday 11th August - California Adventure
Friday 12th August - California Adventure

So from the 1st (Monday) until the 7th (Sunday) - we'll need the 7 day card. If we pay for each place seperately it would amount to $430.84 each. The website currently has a 10% discount charging $229.49 - that would be a saving of $201.35!!

What do people think of my plan? I have printed off all the direction maps to the various places which gives directions and driving times and they don't appear too bad as we'd be setting off early each day. We're staying at HoJo Plaza Hotel, Anaheim.

 

[wayneg]

My 1st thoughts are personally I wouldn't stay in Anaheim the whole trip if the first 8 days are elsewhere, you have a lot of un-needed driving there. Its not like driving in Florida. I remember 1 day we left HOJO to goto Universal about 1 hour there but coming back it was bumper to bumber(happens every rush hour) over 2 hours to get back to hotel. So a lot of back and forth to Anaheim for no reason.

2nd thoughts dare I say this, too much Disney, 5 days at WDW yes no problem, 5 days at DLR & Cali Adventure possibly too much.

Invest in a Sat nav, although I have never needed one in Florida I wouldn't do the West coast without.

Waiting to hear what others think.

 

[Disbabe]

Yeah- we'd already decided on getting a sat nav - been advised to buy one as its cheaper than hiring (and we can use it for other vacations in the US).

Surprised you say 5 days is too much Disney as I was advised we'd need 5/6 days for a 1st visit on the Disneyland Forum - we plumped for 5 days as we can't spare 6!

 

[wayneg]

They have re-done Cali Adventure since we were there so not sure now but 1 day was enough for us but we did go back in for Mickeys Halloween party for another evening. Disneyland itself we would have enough with 2 days, just think MK at WDW, 2 full days would be enough for me but we are all different, I can spend 3 days in Busch Gardens but struggle to spend a full day in AK.

Just thinking about the driving again, Imagine staying in Anaheim is like staying at WDW, then every day you are driving something equivelent of Busch Gardens and back just to goto your hotel(even further for Seaworld) but not an easy journey like down to Busch it can be crazy traffic.

For Satnav keep watching ebay, you get them on there from about £50 with US maps. I got a bargain a few years back, HP PDA with TomTom maps like new worth about £300-350 but it was badly worded, I knew what it was from the picture but the write up was really bad, I paid about £30, still using it now.

 

[heatherbelle]

I agree with everything that wayne has said.

You are going to be wasting so much time driving about from where you are staying. We made this mistake last year when we based ourselves at Anaheim for 1 week.

For example to get to SW it will take you 1 and half hours each way. To get to Warner Bros and anything else over that side it will take you the same amount of time.

Your next nearest park is Knotts and I think that would take up to 45 mins to get to depending on rush hour traffic.

If I went again, I would do three or 4 nights staying in cental La. Have a look at the Renaissance Hoolywood, this gets good reviews. You also pretty near to some nices beaches from there that shouldn't take more than 30mins. Santa Monica and Venice. Whilst here do the studios tours, I can recommend the Warner Bros one. My DS loved the Harry Potter stuff. You can also get a lovely meal in the staff canteen. Universal is good too, much better than the Orlando one IMO.

Then move to Anaheim, to do Disney and Knotts and SW.

We did one full day in each Disney park and it wasn't enough for us. It was really really busy and we got there early we went in August. I didn't feel like we did the park justice and when we went in again one evening, you coudn't move for the crowds, we came away without seeing fanmantastic. I wouldn't go again in the main holiday times, but would consider going out of season, if I could stand the 11 hour flight again. I'm still saying never again to that flight.

Personally I would also recommend some time in San Diego, this exceeded all of my expectations. Lovely place.

When we were in SD I had a go SD card and saved a ton of money, so the cards are excellent value.

I think you will be very, very tired doing the itinarery that you have. The traffic is draining and a sat nav is a must. At some points on the highways, they are 8 or 9 lanes wide, and bumper to bumper most of the time.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

I think I answered your post on the DL board and was one of those recommending a good few days at DL We did 6 this year - and there were things we didn't get round to doing. So yes 5 days is good, personally I wouldn't go for any less than that - but what I would do is mix up the DL/CA days. The two parks are right opposite each other (similar to the 2 parks at DL Paris if you've been there) - park hopping at DL is really easy - it literally takes a minute to walk from one park to the other - so not the same as at WDW.

I also think there's a lot of driving in the first half of the holiday - I would stay somewhere closer to Hollywood/Universal area if you plan to spend that much time there. It once took us over 2 hours each way to drive there from Anaheim - traffic on the I5 can be a nightmare, and there isn't much of an alternative route if it's blocked up, as all the roads around it seem to get chockablock as well. Honestly Hollywood is not that nice - the area round the Kodak theatre is nice but a few minutes walk either way and really it is quite 'grotty' (JMHO of course!). I would say you can do the Weds/Thurs plans in one day - I definitely wouldn't give it 2 days (don't forget to plan lunch at the Disney Soda Fountain ).

We've never been to Sea World but Sunday seems like a good day for the drive as I've heard that traffic can be really bad midweek. Be aware as well that Six Flags can be a LONG drive - it's really quite far out and again, the traffic can be horrible. We drove past there on the way from San Francisco a few weeks ago, and it took us a good 2 hours from there to Anaheim (it may even have been longer).

I would really consider splitting your stay - move the seaworld day down the itinerary and start with all the Hollywood/studio/Six Flags days, then move to Anaheim and visit DL/CA/seaworld/Knotts from there.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

(sorry HeatherBelle, I didn't mean to repeat you! It seems we were posting at the same time!)

 

[MinnieMouse73]

Also on the 'how long to spend at DL?' question, although there are only the 2 parks they have a lot of attractions packed in there - don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure I've read that their 2 parks only have about 10% fewer attractions than WDW's 4 parks. The figures may not be quite right (I'll try to check it out properly!), but I know there are a LOT of things to do and see in DL

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Just to echo everyone else, last time we did LA we stayed in Anaheim for a week, and it was something I wouldn't do again. Like someone else said it took an hour to get to Universal and two hours to get back! Same with getting to Hollywood.

We are doing California again next year. This time we have booked 4 nights at the Park Vue in Anaheim as it is in walking distance of the parks - judging by what we did last time we are planning on 2 days DL, one day at CA, and that gives us a spare day if needed in the parks, if not we will go and do something else nearby that day.

We have booked the Hollywood Orchard Suites for 3 nights in Hollywood - this was recommended by a fellow Disser and is apparently just a two minute walk from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and comes with free parking. It wasn't a bad price either. That will be our base for our more central LA, touristy stuff.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

We stayed at the Park Vue this year - it was great

 

[paulh]

as others have said Disney California is only a few days, we did 3 days at Disneyland hotel a couple of nights at Knots berry hotel(there park is great)traveled up to las vageas for 5 nights then back to Disney s paradise pier
We went to universal(do the tour first thing it sets the day up),San Diego zoo,knots berry park and the disney parks and wasnt rushed
Paul

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

We stayed at the Park Vue this year - it was great

That is good to know, thanks!!

 

[Disbabe]

Can anyone recommend Hollywood hotels as I've just spent 2 hours looking on expedia/Trip Advisor and there's either low availability or the cost is soo expensive per night - there's 2 adults and a 17, 15 &12 year old - we also need free parking.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

What sort of price are you looking at? I've just had a very quick look on expedia and this hotel ...

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/hotels/best-western-royal-palace-inn-and-suites

comes up at £745 for Sat 30th-Sat 6th - it's cheaper on their own website if you do the advance purchase (no changes) reservation. Free parking, internet, breakfast. The only slight problem is that it shows as 2 queen beds, but it would usually tell you if there are too many people for the room? It says suite though, so maybe there's a sofa bed? I guess it would need an email to check whether it's ok for your family?!

I should emphasise that I don't actually know this hotel! Just found it on expedia, but just seeing at a glance what sort of prices might be around. I'll have a proper look for you later...

Have you asked the same question on the DL board? There are lots of locals on there that would probably have a better idea

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Only the one I mentioned above- it has suites so you should be able to fit a family in

 

[Disbabe]

Thanks minniemouse73 - have taken a close look at this hotel as most of the best western's wouldn't accommodate us in 1 room, but this one can - have now booked for 6 nights 7th - 13th August. At least it won't be as far to travel to the Airport either as flight is at 08.30 coming back!!
Was beginning to think I wouldn't get a hotel near hollywood as I was reading about some seedy areas and was putting me off big style. Feel happier now

 

[saintrob]

We did Los Angeles for the first time in summer and stayed six nights at the Disneyland Hotel. We had one day on a tour of LA and spent the rest of the time in the parks with a little time relaxing by the pool. For us it was just enough but we still didn't sample all the attactions and we want to go back.