How does this itinerary sound?

[bangzoom6877]

We are getting close to booking hotels for next summer for a Southern California trip. Tentatively, here is what we have planned:

1. Fly into San Diego for a 2-night stay, and rent a car
2. Second day (full day in San Diego), go to the San Diego zoo
3. Third day, check out of hotel, go to Legoland and then Drive to Anaheim for a 6-night stay
4. 3-day park hoppers for Disneyland, but not going there 3 days in a row (definitely hitting the parks our last full day though!)
5. One day at Universal Studios Hollywood
6. One day to visit with my cousin and tour Hollywood a little, go to Rodeo Drive, and see Santa Monica later in the day and go to the pier in the evening
7. One pool day/relaxation/Downtown Disney day
8. Fly home from LAX

This is what DH, our 2 boys (ages 8 and 10 at the time we go) are planning to do. The rest of the family (my parents, my sister, brother-in-law, nieces, ages 11 and 14 when we go, and nephew, age 18 months when we go) will only be staying with us in San Diego, and for 4 nights in Anaheim, doing 2 days with us at Disneyland, also Universal Hollywood and the visit with our cousin. Then they ate driving up to San Francisco and staying there for 2 night and flying home from there. Are 3 days enough to see everything at Disneyland? Should we do a 4th day at the parks instead of the pool/DTD/relaxation day? So, how does this itinerary look? The idea is to do family friendly activities, see a beach in California even if just to dip our feet in the Pacific and be able to say we went into both USA oceans, see the above places I mentioned, visit with my cousin a little (he always comes to NYC to tour around and see Broadway shows and stuff, and we always see him once when he does this), and of course just have a great time!

 

[PHXscuba]

Three or four days at Disneyland should work pretty well, as long as it's not a super-busy holiday week like Christmas or Fourth of July. Your post didn't say when you are going. If you have a choice of any 3 days out of 6, you can choose your days -- weekends are most always busier, but sometimes the only time they have all of the fireworks or Fantasmic.

If I had three days I'd focus for sure on what is unique to Disneyland (from your signature I see you have been to WDW before) and riding your children's favorites.

PHXscuba

 

[bangzoom6877]

Three or four days at Disneyland should work pretty well, as long as it's not a super-busy holiday week like Christmas or Fourth of July. Your post didn't say when you are going. If you have a choice of any 3 days out of 6, you can choose your days -- weekends are most always busier, but sometimes the only time they have all of the fireworks or Fantasmic. If I had three days I'd focus for sure on what is unique to Disneyland (from your signature I see you have been to WDW before) and riding your children's favorites. PHXscuba

The plan is to go middle or end of July 2015. So it will either be during the 60th anniversary or right after. It depends on the rest of the family and work schedules.

Do they have fireworks during the week in the summer? We are definitely planning on the 2 days with the rest of the family at DL and DCA to be during the week, as we will be in San Diego over the weekend for 2 nights first. We will probably arrive in San Diego on a Friday, arrive in Anaheim on a Sunday, and leave the following Saturday. So an 8-night trip total.

It would also be nice to see some sea lions while we are there. Is it possible to see those in Southern California?

 

[ahutton]

If you do the Harbor Cruise in San Diego you will see lots of sea lions - they are a hoot! They have 1 and 2 hour cruises - I believe there is a north loop, a south loop and the two hour is both. I think the sea lions are on the north loop.

I believe DL does fireworks in the summer evenings on weekdays - I'm pretty sure it was just the slower times where they did them on the weekends.