Last Minute, First Time & Over Easter Trip to Disneyland. NEED HELP!!!

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

We have been to Disney World 5 times, and a last minute opportunity to go to Disneyland! Problem is I know nothing about Disneyland and we would potentially be there Easter weekend. I have so many questions...

What Hotel should we stay at? Assuming it is available!
Any restaurants we should try to eat at?
Will 3 days be ok?
How busy will it be?
What are must do's?

We are a family of 4, with our two girls being 9 and 7. Any and all help is welcome!

 

[smartlabelprint]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599 WDW guide

Hotel Guide https://www.disboards.com/threads/choosing-the-right-dlr-area-hotel-for-you.3656512/

Recommend for cheap & close: desert inn & suites. Avoid pool, crappy breakfast.

I’d recommend for close: Camelot inn, park vue inn, best western park place inn (call).

I recommend for a bit of a walk: HomeWood suites convention center, Hyatt house, Springhill Suites convention, there’s a newer suites hotel available-I forget the name.

3 day parkhopper MINIMUM we go annually minimum of 5 days. Purchase at last minute travel club for cheapest. Add maxpass. It will be *very* busy.

Restaurants: French market, blue bayou if you want table & Bengal bbq. DCA: I love the veg sub at award wieners. We always eat at Boardwalk pizza & pasta. Many like plaza inn fried chicken.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

3 day parkhopper MINIMUM we go annually minimum of 5 days. Purchase at last minute travel club for cheapest. Add maxpass. It will be *very* busy.

We would be there 3 full days. We wold be squeezing it in the beginning of the girls spring break and before my husband would need to be at work in LA. I know it will be busy, and not the best weekend to be there. Which is part of why we are still debating! Not sure whern we would get to Disneyland regardless. So, kind of thinking it is an opportunity worth taking.

Hotel Guide https://www.disboards.com/threads/choosing-the-right-dlr-area-hotel-for-you.3656512/

Recommend for cheap & close: desert inn & suites. Avoid pool, crappy breakfast.

I’d recommend for close: Camelot inn, park vue inn, best western park place inn (call).

Thanks!!! I will take a look.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Country inn & suites is the other one

 

[azdisneylover]

I say go! May sure you are at opening daily. If you can, get Maxpass so you can pick fass passes even when you are sitting at Whitewater Snacks for a quick lunch. Make a list of what each of you really want to ride, see, do, eat, etc and try to fit those in the days you are there. If something is closed, no problem, add it to the list for your next trip to Disneyland! Have fun.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

After you read through the two threads linked above (must reads!), come on back with all your questions. Your trip dates will be busy, but with good planning, Max Pass or good free FP knowledge, and a positive attitude, you can still get a lot done and have a great time. If you were planning on seeing F! (reviews consistently report that DL has the better show) and/or WOC, look into making reservations for a dining package now. Reservations open 60 days ahead, so you are within your window. If the budget allows, look into the WOC Dessert Party -- a really fun treat and the only WOC viewing option that gives you a chair.

 

[Simba07]

We did almost the same trip last Easter. We were at DCA on the Saturday before Easter and DL on Easter Sunday. It was crowded but much less so than I feared. Even with my DFiL on a scooter, we were ahead of our touring plan (set at relaxed pace). We stayed at the Residence Inn (the older one) and walked / scootered the few blocks each day. We did the dessert party for WoC and dinner package for PtN. Both were worth it for avoiding the crowds.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Country inn & suites is the other one

Thanks! I will take a look. I requested no obligation quote with Dreams Unlimited last night. It doesn't help that a lot of the hotel are already all booked up since it is Easter Weekend.

I say go! May sure you are at opening daily. If you can, get Maxpass so you can pick fass passes even when you are sitting at Whitewater Snacks for a quick lunch.

We are def leaning towards it! I just need to see if I can get us plane tickets that don't cost an arm and a leg. DH need to be out there for work. So, his ticket will be covered by work, but we will need to pay for mine and the girls. I hope it works out!

I had heard about MaxPass! So I will def do that!

Your trip dates will be busy, but with good planning, Max Pass or good free FP knowledge, and a positive attitude, you can still get a lot done and have a great time.

Thanks! WE have been to Disney World a few times, so we know how to navigate the crowds there. And I think we know that we won't be able to do everything, which I think is a big let down for folks some times.

If the budget allows, look into the WOC Dessert Party -- a really fun treat and the only WOC viewing option that gives you a chair.

Oh! I will look into that, for sure. Do they sell out? I obviously wouldn't want to buy ticket till we knew we were going for sure.

Even with my DFiL on a scooter, we were ahead of our touring plan (set at relaxed pace). We stayed at the Residence Inn (the older one) and walked / scootered the few blocks each day. We did the dessert party for WoC and dinner package for PtN. Both were worth it for avoiding the crowds.

Thanks! Fingers crossed that we can swing it!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...Oh! I will look into that, for sure. Do they sell out? I obviously wouldn't want to buy ticket till we knew we were going for sure...

Read the first post in the WOC Superthread on this forum. That will give you pretty much all the general WOC information to get you started. The Dessert Party doesn't always sell out, but if your family wants to sit together (which most families do!), then it would be wise to book now. You can check the cancellation policy. I think your credit card might be charged in full at the time of booking, but that you will be refunded in full if you cancel within the allowed time frame. (Double check the fine print on this.) Other choices for WOC include dining packages at WCT or CCR -- lunch or dinner. Those reservations require a credit card number, but nothing will be charged unless you are a no show. Those packages have reserved sections for viewing WOC, but the areas are standing only and will require some waiting for a good spot. There are free FPs for general standing viewing which will require the most waiting. For F!, good viewing can be complicated with free FPs. Generally, during busy times, dining packages are recommended. The packages have sitting-on-the-ground viewing (BB comes with a hard foam cushion), up front and center, waterfront, reserved areas. There is one package that has dinner and the first F! show while seated on the RBT patio (the view is further back and off to the right side) -- call to reserve that one since it isn't available online. If you do a dining package for the first show of F! and there are fireworks that night, you will be invited to stay in your viewing area to watch the fireworks over the ROA. It isn't the same as the castle view, but it is still pretty nice. If you want to try the viewing packages for either show, I would go ahead and reserve what you can now (since you will be able to cancel later if you have to). Your dates will be crowded, and I'm not sure you'll get what you want if you wait much longer.

 

[Baptist]

I agree with the other posters, go regardless of the crowds. If you have MaxPass and park hoppers, you will have plenty of opportunities of fast passes. Be sure to check out the Frozen live show, it's fantastic.

 

[Winnowill]

We were there the week after Easter last year, and crowds were perfectly manageable for us; however, Easter was late last year and didn't coincide with many Spring Breaks (except Catholics - which was why we had ours then). This year's crowds are likely to be heavier, given its two-weeks-earlier timeframe. Still MaxPass and a good understanding of which passes are the most useful should mean a productive time in the parks!

 

[GenGen22]

Howard Johnson is a hotel favorite on the DIS. We have stayed there and the beds are comfy and they have keurig coffee machines in the room. Its a 10 minute walk to the parks. We like Carnation cafe's breakfast, Plaza inn's fried chicken and Storyteller's cafe character breakfast. They have an amazing salted caramel French toast and chip and dale are really fun as they are always playing jokes on you.

 

[DLmama]

We've stayed at a few of the hotels on Harbor and the surrounding areas. We definitely prefer staying on Harbor because nothing beats being able to walk to the parks. Our go to is Desert Inn & Suites if the price is right. We've also stayed at Del Sol, Grand Legacy at the Park (back when it was the Ramada), Anaheim Hotel (back when it was the Plaza, but we are booked there again in Dec.), Castle Inn & Suites. We like to stay as cheap as possible, but still be within walking distance.

Easter weekend will be busy, but not unbearable. Definitely utilize Max Pass if you can, especially if you're used to FP+ at WDW. It's great being able to book fast passes while waiting in line or standing at the front of the park in the morning waiting for rope drop.

Our favorite places to eat:

DL: Plaza Inn fried chicken (!!!), Corn dogs at the Little Red Wagon on Main St., Rancho del Zocalo for QS and Carnation Café, Café Orleans and Blue Bayou for TS

DCA: Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Smoke Jumpers Grill, Award Wieners, Flo's for QS We've never actually eaten TS at DCA. LOL. One day we'd like to try Carthay Circle.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

It isn't the same as the castle view, but it is still pretty nice. If you want to try the viewing packages for either show, I would go ahead and reserve what you can now (since you will be able to cancel later if you have to). Your dates will be crowded, and I'm not sure you'll get what you want if you wait much longer.

Thanks!

Howard Johnson is a hotel favorite on the DIS.

Howard Johnson is all booked up. I just checked.

Our go to is Desert Inn & Suites if the price is right. We've also stayed at Del Sol, Grand Legacy at the Park (back when it was the Ramada), Anaheim Hotel (back when it was the Plaza, but we are booked there again in Dec.), Castle Inn & Suites. We like to stay as cheap as possible, but still be within walking distance.

Thanks, I will take a look at these now!

 

[smartlabelprint]

check prices on costcotravel.com too
or getawaytoday.com

If you can buy your park tickets through last minute travel club you'll save quite a bit.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

check prices on costcotravel.com too
or getawaytoday.com

If you can buy your park tickets through last minute travel club you'll save quite a bit.

Thanks!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I think I have found decent airfare for us. So, I think we are a go! Now I just need to decide on a hotel. Anyone stay at the Tropicana? The price and location seem fairly good to me. As long as it isn't gross. I know it won't be super fancy.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I think I have found decent airfare for us. So, I think we are a go! Now I just need to decide on a hotel. Anyone stay at the Tropicana? The price and location seem fairly good to me. As long as it isn't gross. I know it won't be super fancy.

It should be good. I’ve stayed at their sister hotel the Camelot inn and I’d stay again.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

It should be good. I’ve stayed at their sister hotel the Camelot inn and I’d stay again.

Thanks. I assume we will spend 95% of the day in the park, so it seems silly to spend a lot on a room.

 

[Astylla]

I think I have found decent airfare for us. So, I think we are a go! Now I just need to decide on a hotel. Anyone stay at the Tropicana? The price and location seem fairly good to me. As long as it isn't gross. I know it won't be super fancy.

I loved the Tropicana the one time i stayed there last Thanksgiving weekend. They were finishing up a refurbishment of the rooms which are awesome and we ended up with one of the new ones. The walk is so quick and convienent and their store is well stocked as well. Lots of quick dining options walkable too. I would book it now because things change quickly and you can always cancel within 48 hours i think it is.