Help me choose...is more better?

[Snyders22000]

I posted last week about how we are going to DL for the first time in early October (me, dh, and kids ages 7,6,3). We were supposed to arrive on a Wednesday after 3 days in SD (go to MHP that Wed night) and then stay on at DLH through Monday.

Unfortunately dh is going to have to leave on Friday instead of Monday due to a work change. He has offered to fly back with 3 year old on Friday morning (who will spend night with grandparents back home until I get back) and I can stay on to finish trip with 6&7 year old.

My question is how long to stay on with 6&7 year old. We can stay until Saturday afternoon or Monday am. But there are some nuances that make the decision hard.

Option A
If we stay Wed- Saturday, (I'd fly home with older kids Sat 2:30 pm out of SNA) we could swing a 1 bedroom suite (not themed) at DLH for the whole stay. We'd do MHP Wed night and then have Thursday, Friday, and Sat am for parks, swimming etc. Advantages are nice big room for the 5 of us to spread out (dh and I would have our own room, yay!), & convenient flight out of SNA. Disadvantage, less time at parks.

Option B
Or I could stay on until Monday with 2 older kids (leaving on 7:55 am LAX flight, yikes) and have the additional day and a half in parks. With this option we'd stay in a DLH regular room the whole time. Advantages are more time in parks and downtime to swim. Disadvantages are smaller room and early morning/less convenient flight out of LAX.

And I should mention that since we are flying on points, these are the only 2 flights that will work with the amount of points we have. Flying out Sunday would have been a good compromise but no flights available. If we did the Saturday 2:30 flight out of SNA is it feasible to hit the parks that morning before flying out? What time would we need to leave for airport?

Which would you pick? Option A or B? Thanks!

 

[707MickeyGirl]

More is better! With more days, you'll have more time to relax in between park sessions so your littles don't get too exhausted (er... cranky). Plus, with more days, you don't have to stress that you won't be able to do everything you want to. You'll have time for everything!

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

I would agree, take the extra days, for a little less convenience in the lodging, way worth it. Hit parks hard early, then back for a rest or a swim or both. Then back for an evening stroll.

 

[5forMickey]

Honestly with the ages of your kids I think a regular room would fit you all fine. I would ask for a room with a daybed though. I think it would be a little tourtourist to be that close to the park and not go. I agree with the more park days.

 

[rentayenta]

My first inclination was more days but after reading the specifics.........honestly, more park time sounds great but that flight out of LAX so early sounds terrible. I would go with quality over quantity; bigger room and way better flight.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I would do the longer visit for all reasons pointed out above. But for a 7:55 a.m. flight, you would be better off checking out of the DLH hotel on Sunday (have them hold your bags) and that evening, shuttle over and stay at an LAX airport hotel. There are a lot of nice hotels adjacent to the airport and your kids could enjoy swimming and TV, and use the hotel shuttle early the next morning to get to the airport.

 

[bumbershoot]

If we did the Saturday 2:30 flight out of SNA is it feasible to hit the parks that morning before flying out?

Yes. I personally get to the airport 2 hours prior no matter what, and that includes SNA, AND I've hit nasty traffic on the way to SNA, so I would leave property around 11:30, but that still allows for time in the parks, getting back to DLH to get stuff and hit the road.

Only you can decide if that full Saturday and Sunday are good enough to deal with LAX at just about 8am. That's leaving at at least 5am. Going to an LAX hotel always sounds good, but can feel like a hassle.

 

[ADLFAN]

My instinct would be MORE DAYS! But... that early flight after an exhausting night of fun sounds so terrible. I do like the suggestion of a compromise with a one night stay in an LAX hotel!

Then again, the one bedroom suite sounds pretty nice and would afford you and DH some privacy! I would think you would have an hour or so to say goodbye to Disneyland on Saturday morning, but my experience is that Super Shuttle will want to pick you up pretty early for your flight. They have us scheduled for a 5:30 pickup for an 8:30 flight put of SNA.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We just returned from DL and Sunday was BY FAR the best day in the park, especially in the morning. However, we were at DL and it was a DCA EE day and you're staying onsite so don't know how you'd be doing things. You could easily skip EE that day, get some extra sleep and still have an uncrowded park if you went to DL, though.

 

[GatorChris]

More days! More days!

Let's face it. A bigger room...is just an empty room.