I want to go to disneyland...NOW!!!

[JennyLynn21]

Well My mom & went to WDW in March, my fifth time. I loved it, as always. I started thinking I would like to visit Disneyland once. So.. as I started looking I wanted to go asap!.. So with my works permission I am going in OCTOBER!!
I have not officially booked it yet but I am looking at going Oct 20 - 27.

Here are my details...
*Oct 20 - 27.. How is October for Disneyland? Weather? crowds?

* Booking right through disney and staying at the Marriott Fairview. Now I debated between this and HoJos. But in the end, We do not care much for pools (Which seemed to be the big thing at HoJos) Just a nice clean place to sleep and rest!! And with fairview being right across the street I think it's the better option for us!! What do you think?

* We will be going to the Halloween Party one night. I have been to the one at WDW and loved it. Are they pretty similar, from what I've seen already looks like they are?

*We will be doing the World Of Color picnic!! We both however just wanted to order the kids meal.. the adult meals were not appealing! Is this ok? They are all the same price!!?

*Now when you go to WDW they have the magical exspress. Disneyland does not right?? Will we be just as easy for us to grab a cab??

*Do they have photopass? Can I preorder the cd?

*We will also be booking through disney they give you the option for add on days. We will be doing San Diego Zoo with transportation and admission!

*How far in advance can I make my ..priority seatings.. at resturants? and I can only do them over the phone right?? I like how WDW has it online!! I am interested in Breakfast with Minnie & Friends, and Carnation Cafe!

I know I have alot of Question!! Any answers or help you can give me will be great!! Thanks so much!! I also read hydro's post and that helped me out alot!!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Well My mom & went to WDW in March, my fifth time. I loved it, as always. I started thinking I would like to visit Disneyland once. So.. as I started looking I wanted to go asap!.. So with my works permission I am going in OCTOBER!!
I have not officially booked it yet but I am looking at going Oct 20 - 27.

Here are my details...
*Oct 20 - 27.. How is October for Disneyland? Weather? crowds?


* Booking right through disney and staying at the Marriott Fairview. Now I debated between this and HoJos. But in the end, We do not care much for pools (Which seemed to be the big thing at HoJos) Just a nice clean place to sleep and rest!! And with fairview being right across the street I think it's the better option for us!! What do you think? I don't think the Marriott is right across the street. Hojo is close, but can be a walk for some. Other hotels to consider...Candy Cane Inn, Park Vue, and Anaheim Desert Inn.


* We will be going to the Halloween Party one night. I have been to the one at WDW and loved it. Are they pretty similar, from what I've seen already looks like they are? The biggest differences are the parade and fireworks. The fireworks are better at DL, imho. They feature Jack and the characters of Nightmare Before Christmas. If you are a fan, you will LOVE the fireworks. The parade is more of a mini parade at best. Nothing like Boo to You. DL does have the holiday overlays of both HM and SM, but you don't have to go to the party to enjoy them.
*We will be doing the World Of Color picnic!! We both however just wanted to order the kids meal.. the adult meals were not appealing! Is this ok? They are all the same price!!? I think you can order the kids meal, but at the adult price.

*Now when you go to WDW they have the magical exspress. Disneyland does not right?? Will we be just as easy for us to grab a cab?? Taxi would be expensive. What airport are you using? I would recommend Disneyland Express or Super Shuttle. Look at the transporation sticky here for good links and discount info.
*Do they have photopass? Can I preorder the cd? Same as WDW, but a lot less places to take advantage of it. One of my big complaints about DL. There is a thread on discount savings here.

*We will also be booking through disney they give you the option for add on days. We will be doing San Diego Zoo with transportation and admission!

*How far in advance can I make my ..priority seatings.. at resturants? and I can only do them over the phone right?? I like how WDW has it online!! I am interested in Breakfast with Minnie & Friends, and Carnation Cafe! 60 days for PS. No online option yet.

I know I have alot of Question!! Any answers or help you can give me will be great!! Thanks so much!! I also read hydro's post and that helped me out alot!!

One thing I would recommend is Fantasmic! It is so much better at DL! They do offer VIP seating and a dessert box. Some would say it is expensive, but I think it's worth it. Also be aware there are some refurbs happening during your trip, mainly that Pirates will be down. Pirates is so much better than WDW. I just wanted you to be aware. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[blackjackdelta]

One thing I would recommend is Fantasmic! It is so much better at DL! They do offer VIP seating and a dessert box. Some would say it is expensive, but I think it's worth it. Also be aware there are some refurbs happening during your trip, mainly that Pirates will be down. Pirates is so much better than WDW. I just wanted you to be aware. Have a wonderful trip!

I would also go with the dessert seating, it is something of a tradition for us.

Jack

 

[SeattleTink]

I think the OP means Marriott Fairfield, not Fairview.

The Fairfield is closer than Hojo's and is right a across the street on Harbor.

BTW - I like the Fairfield (well, I like HoJo's too...but FFI is closer).

Have a great trip.

 

[JennyLynn21]

Yes.. i meant right across the street! haha! What airport should I fly into? . I did not realize they had a shuttle!!

Pirates will be down?? aww rats!! Where can I find what else will be closed for my trip? I looked at allears and they don't have october up yet!!

 

[aroseinwintr]

Ok here is my 2 cents.... Anaheim Fairfield Inn is a good clean place to stay, they are also doing a stay 3 nights get the 4th night free.
4 Days in DL is more than enough to do everything you want, 5 is ok too but 6 is tooooo many.
I am also going to be there is Oct. and I booked via Costco and got a great deal, and it is kinda like booking via Costco / Disney.

Good Luck and happy travels!

 

[SeattleTink]

As far as I know, no hotel has it's own shuttle to and from the airport. Super Shuttle is a shuttle for hire.

The best airport to fly into is either:

1) Santa Ana (aka Orange County or John Wayne)
2) Long Beach Airport
3) LAX

I would recommend either SNA or LBG....they are much closer and smaller airports that are easy to fly in and out of.

Both of these airports are close enough that taking a taxi is just as easy and expensive for 2 as scheduling a shuttle.

To look at scheduled ride closures you can look at www.disneyland.com and find the calendar. They post current schedule around 90 days in advance for routine closures. Those that are "unexpected" could show up at anytime. But at least, this gets you started.

 

[oc_tony]

*Oct 20 - 27.. How is October for Disneyland? Weather? crowds?

* We will be going to the Halloween Party one night. I have been to the one at WDW and loved it. Are they pretty similar, from what I've seen already looks like they are?

*How far in advance can I make my ..priority seatings.. at resturants? and I can only do them over the phone right?? I like how WDW has it online!! I am interested in Breakfast with Minnie & Friends, and Carnation Cafe!

October weather can be unpredictable. It can be quite warm or very pleasant. Rain is unlikely, and humidity is usually non-existent. Even if days are warm, nights and early mornings are usually cool enough to need a sweatshirt or light jacket. Check the weather about a week before you leave.
Crowds have grown for October, but still not as bad as summer or Christmastime. Halloweentime has become more popular over the last few years, but even with the increased crowds, it's still a fun time. Be sure to check out Haunted Mansion and Space Mt with their overlays.

We've done MHP the last two years. We haven't done the WDW version, but know friends who have. From talking to our friends, both parks have things that are better than the other. DL seems to have better trick-or-treating/candy and decorations, but WDW has a better parade. Both have a great fireworks presentation. Not sure about the differences in character photo ops and wait times for attractions. Overall, we've enjoyed our time at MHP.

We like WDW's on-line system too, but it is so much easier to get reservations for DLR restaurants. You can call 60 days in advance, but even 2-4 weeks is fine. If you know when you want to do "special" meals (like character meals, Blue Bayou, Napa Rose) it is better to call sooner than later. We even call the day of, just to avoid waiting. I did a DIS blog on Minnie & Friends. Here is the link. Finally, don't forget to check out the restaurants in the hotels. Everything is within walking distance at DLR.

Have a great trip!

 

[vettegirl]

October is an amazing time to go. My DH and I went back in Oct 07 and we were blown away by the Halloween Decor, and the Holiday Haunted Mansion. DL goes overboard in it's Halloween decor compared with WDW. The weather was perfect and the only time it was crowded was at night on weekends. Have a great time, you are going to love it

 

[jacs1234]

Well My mom & went to WDW in March, my fifth time. I loved it, as always. I started thinking I would like to visit Disneyland once. So.. as I started looking I wanted to go asap!.. So with my works permission I am going in OCTOBER!!
I have not officially booked it yet but I am looking at going Oct 20 - 27.

woohoo

* Booking right through disney and staying at the Marriott Fairview. Now I debated between this and HoJos. But in the end, We do not care much for pools (Which seemed to be the big thing at HoJos) Just a nice clean place to sleep and rest!! And with fairview being right across the street I think it's the better option for us!! What do you think?

Hojo's is nice and clean but nothing that spectacular if you just need a bed to sleep in and it is a fair hike late at night.

*We will also be booking through disney they give you the option for add on days. We will be doing San Diego Zoo with transportation and admission!

Oh I'd love to go to the San Diego Zoo

*How far in advance can I make my ..priority seatings.. at resturants? and I can only do them over the phone right?? I like how WDW has it online!! I am interested in Breakfast with Minnie & Friends, and Carnation Cafe!

I think it's 60 days, but I'm sure someone else has probably answered this. But Minnies Breakfast and Carnation Cafe are both fantastic.

Ok here is my 2 cents.... Anaheim Fairfield Inn is a good clean place to stay, they are also doing a stay 3 nights get the 4th night free.
4 Days in DL is more than enough to do everything you want, 5 is ok too but 6 is tooooo many.
I am also going to be there is Oct. and I booked via Costco and got a great deal, and it is kinda like booking via Costco / Disney.

Good Luck and happy travels!

I totally disagree with that

 

[Kittyskyfish]

Well, I love the Fairfield Inn!
But - I checked to see if the HOJO Entertainment Rate is available and it is for a portion of your trip. You can pay as low as $59/night on these nights: October 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

All you need is a subscription to the Entertainment Book and their card. The book price varies and usually goes really cheap this time of year. You don't need an Orange County book - I used mine from Dallas. You just need to be a Entertainment book member. Also, you need to call the hotel's In-House Reservations for the reservations. Online booking or Marriott's 800 number doesn't work for it. Also, you need to be an Entertainment book member and have your card onhand at the *time of check-in* - not when you make your reservations over the phone. So you can watch the book online to see when it goes in deep sale mode.

Here's their link (with contact info): HOJO Entertainment Rate

Also, I fly into LAX or SNA (John Wayne) and go with whatever location offers the best rate. SNA is the closest.

 

[JennyLynn21]

Oh thank you so much for the wonderful imformation!

I know I've never been to DL so I Don't know if 6 is too many, however this is probably a once in a lifetime trip for my mom & I and I just feel I would like to see everything. We get tired out easy and Don't want to cram everything in to one day. Also one day we will be going to the San Diego Zoo and likely won't be visiting the parks those days

 

[Sherry E]

October is an amazing time to go. My DH and I went back in Oct 07 and we were blown away by the Halloween Decor, and the Holiday Haunted Mansion. DL goes overboard in it's Halloween decor compared with WDW. The weather was perfect and the only time it was crowded was at night on weekends. Have a great time, you are going to love it

HalloweenTime is great as a season, and I love it, but DLR doesn't treat it like it's as special of a season as the holidays by a longshot, so what they do for Halloween is not as grand as the Christmas season, I guess. I really want them to build up Halloween Time and do more, but I don't think there's a chance of that happening until all the work in DCA is complete.


vettegirl -

I remember the Halloween decorations of 2007 - that was a really, really good year for Halloween decor!! Sadly, the Halloween decor has been scaled back considerably since 2007 (much to my annoyance). There is just less of it - nothing in DCA at all anymore (including no Halloween or monster-themed music blasting over the speakers anymore), no more Halloween floral Masked Mickey at the DL entrance, etc. Haunted Mansion Holiday is still wonderful, with a fresh, new gingerbread centerpiece in the ballroom scene every year.

October has also gotten much more crowded at DLR in the last couple of years as the Halloween season has gotten more popular.



JennyLynn21 -

Make sure to join us over in the Halloween at DLR Superthread!

 

[oumagic]

I think 6 days is great for a fall trip. The hours are reduced for the weekdays (like 10am-8pm) and we would take a break in the day so we were probably only in the parks for 6-7 hours. We did a 5 day trip last year in the fall and felt we could have had one more day. We started one of our days at 4PM (on a midnight closing) so if we had started that day early, 5 days might have been enough. This fall trip we are spending 6 days there, getting a 5 day hopper and spending the 6th on the Halloween party. On our day (Oct 3), we will go to the beach and then return to the park for the 3PM early entry to the party.

It really depends on how much time you want to spend in the parks each day and how you like to vacation. My family liked going from open to approximately 1pm and break for lunch/swimming/shopping and then head back to the park at 4 or so.

 

[GrandBob]

Well, I love the Fairfield Inn!
But - I checked to see if the HOJO Entertainment Rate is available and it is for a portion of your trip. You can pay as low as $59/night on these nights: October 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

HoJo at the Retro rate is the best deal going in town, at one of the two best walking-distance hotels (Candy Cane Inn being the other one). Since this rate is available for most of your stay, you'd be crazy (IMHO) to stay anywhere else! I prefer the Deluxe 2 Queen room for $69 (NQQ2), but it's a great deal for any of their room types. This is a major score!

And the 2011 Entertainment books are on sale right now, since it's getting close to the end of the year. Two for $10. You could get Orange County and one for your home city.

http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml

-Bob

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I checked to see if the HOJO Entertainment Rate is available and it is for a portion of your trip. You can pay as low as $59/night on these nights: October 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

All you need is a subscription to the Entertainment Book and their card. Here's their link (with contact info): HOJO Entertainment Rate

OP ~ that's fantastic - we love HoJo and the ent rate is hard to beat!! Technically all you need is a card *can be bought on ebay - heck perhaps I'd send you mind, we aren't visiting DLR till Thanksgiving time and it expires at the end of Oct *I think*

HoJo at the Retro rate is the best deal going in town, at one of the two best walking-distance hotels (Candy Cane Inn being the other one). Since this rate is available for most of your stay, you'd be crazy (IMHO) to stay anywhere else! I prefer the Deluxe 2 Queen room for $69 (NQQ2), but it's a great deal for any of their room types. This is a major score!

And the 2011 Entertainment books are on sale right now, since it's getting close to the end of the year. Two for $10. You could get Orange County and one for your home city.

http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml

-Bob

My preferred DLR area airport is LGB *I do not care for LAX and haven't tried SNA - have gotten great deals in to LGB.