Help make our first trip magical!

[Laurie86]

So DH and I found almost insane cheap airfare to LA that we are tempted to take 3 days from Oct. 8-10 with our two children 3 yrs and 6 months. Only problems are as follows:

1) Would traffic at 7 AM from LAX to disneyland area be crazy? How long of a commute in the car are we looking at? Our flight is 2 hours so I think at that time of morning the kids might be slightly restless. I'm just wondering what we should be prepared for. I've never been to LA so the whole trip is a new adventure!

2) Hotel recommendations near by. I'm looking to spend no more than $150.00 but I would like some place with reliable shuttle service to disney (willing to pay for shuttle service) and not terribly scary.

3) How crowded does disney get near Mickey's Halloween Party start times? We plan on Friday Oct. 9 staying till park close 7 PM and going back to the hotel since our little people won't stay up much later but will it be crazy?

4) Is early entry into the park worth it? We're debating between buying 2 day vs 3 day pass just to get the extra hour early in park. Our last day in LA the flight leaves at 3:40 PM what time do you think we'd need to be at LAX if we don't plan to check baggage and only gate check a stroller?


Thank you everyone! Any helpful websites for newbies is appreciate too! This is our first time doing Disneyland and I'm trying to convince my husband yes with young kids we have to take things at a slower pace, but that it would be super fun!

 

[Geemo]

Full thread here. http://www.disboards.com/threads/2015-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-mhp-and-dlr.3358090/
Here's a list of what's going on for October.
October 2015 (Check-In and Check-In)
Oct 2-4 (Fri-Sun): Gay Days
Oct 7-9 (Wed-Fri): Industrial Fabrics Association International Meeting and Expo (Anaheim Convention Center)
Oct 11 (Sun): 25th CHOC Children's Walk
Oct 11 (Sun): Star Wars Launch Bay (Tentative, Unofficial)
Oct 12 (Mon): Columbus Day
Oct 15-16 (Thu-Fri): UEA Convention (Utah schools out of session)
Oct 18 (Sun): CityRace Disneyland
Oct 31 (Sat): Halloween
MHP: Oct 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31

At this point don't worry about traffic.
Finding a hotel might be a challenge.
Also keep in mind you'll need car seats for the little one.

3 hours before the start of a MHP is when the parks crowds build.
Starting early each day will help you make your way through the parks.
Having a Magic Morning will give you extra time.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday should be fine.

Geemo

 

[Laurie86]

Didn't even think the car seat issue! So even on a shuttle to/from airport and to parks we'd need a carseat? If we took ART we wouldn't need carseats though?

I was hoping to avoid bringing car seats period. I had also thought about using Uber to/from airport as I've heard they have carseats if requested? Can anyone confirm this?

 

[ADLFAN]

Definitely check out the hotels on Harbor, many of them are about or less than 150.00 a night with no shuttle necessary because you just walk to and from the parks. We have tried the Fairfield Inn, the Tropicana, and Best Western Park Place Inn and they were all ok. Fairfield seemed the nicest, in my opinion.

The first few hours of each day are awesome, with or without early entry! You can get so many rides in while the parka are filling up! I would get the 3 day ticket and plan to enjoy every possible minute in the parks!

If you use the full size Disney Express busses, you will not have to provide carseats. We looked into them, but the last bus left right before our arrival. They are scheduled more like a bus, hitting each stop at a designated time, and they didn't stop at every hotel in the area.

Have fun planning!

 

[Geemo]

http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/Default.asp
This is a map of hotels in the area

http://www.disboards.com/threads/walking-distance-hotel-list-w-discussion-details-of-hotels.2796786/
This is a old thread of the walking distances. Please note the date. Opinions on hotel facilities may have changed.

Geemo

 

[chickapin parterre]

The children. How long is the flight? What did it require for family to arrive at airport? Leaving LAX with rental exactly at 7:00? Check into Hotel to park your rental car?
My first response is that you are burning the candle at both ends with such young children with the schedule you posted. Thursday is looking like a parade and fireworks day, meeting characters, Main street exploration, toontown, riding the train, the monrail lots of rest and eating and sitting. making plans for Friday morning and adult activates. .

the age of your children dictates a variety of available attractions for them without much waiting. Toontown, autopia with the 3 year old, buzz, smallworld, casey jr, maybe the canal boats. These attractions are family friendly and do not attract the thrill seekers So there is no earning of attractions by entering the park early Saturday......unless one adult is willing to stay in the hotel on Saturday and the other can use the early entry to ride all the scary E attractions of Star tours, Space Matterhorn.

If you stay late into Thursday evening to catch the night that you will miss on Friday, may I suggest that Friday be a time for one adult to watch the children in lodging while the other explores the E attractions and dark scary rides for children while your children are napping. On Friday Explore the park from early morning to noon with entire family, doing family friendly activities , go back and nap, split the afternoon for each adult. i suggest this because I read the phrase "take things at a slower pace" if it is your first visit, then how would you plan for a "faster pace?"