Money saving trip.

[spongebobxxx]

I need to scale things back a little so I can plan a trip to Disneyland and other attractions in the area for a week or so and try to keep cost under $3,000 or so.
I went to Disney world last year and that trip was expensive but I was prepared for it. This year I want to do Disneyland but I want to keep things in the budget bracket.
I live in a small town in North Dakota and airline tickets are unbeleivably outrageously priced so I have this idea to take a small airline called Allegiant air which only flys from Bismarck N.D. to Las Vegas Nevada for $100 per person one way. There will be 4 of us going, 2 adults, (my 2 kids) a teenager, and a 10 year old. $800 total roundtrip which would be a HUGE saving compared to taking the only 2 other airlines that run here (NWA and United express).
As we arrive in Vegas I could rent a car, stay a night or 2 in Vegas then drive the 270 miles or so to Disneyland and start our real vacation in California. My wife and I are not gamblers so we will probably run out of things to do in Vegas very quickly but the live shows they have there do spark some interest.

My big questions to all of you here are as follows.

(1.) Where should we stay? We are not that picky on room quality since we don't stay in a room very long when we vacation and a small drive to attractions is not a huge discouragement to us.

(2.) We paln to visit D-land and Universal studios for now. Maybe Seaworld if we are in the mood for the long drive. We also plan to spend a day at the beach since that doesn't happen much for us way up here. Thats about all I know of thats down there becuase this will be our first time in California. I'm hoping for more input before we actually go. So where can I find the best deals on tickets and which should I get? Is 2 days enough at Disneyland? I've also seen some tickets that include passes to all 3 places that I mentioned for around $200 per person on my first attempt to search for tickets.

(3.) Where should I rent a rent a car from and stay in Vegas?

Any other advice would be greaty appreciated for both the California area and Vegas..... I saved alot of money, time , and found a few fun things to do when I planned my trip to Florida last year by visiting forums like these.

 

[colaz]

I found a hotel (havn't tried it out yet) called Park View Inn and Suites for only $49 per night. From reading the reviews...if you are looking for a nice place to stay then this would not be it. It has had bug problems in the past, but from the last year of reviews that has been cleaned up now. It is about 20 minutes from Disneyland, but it is a five minute walk to a free shuttle. There is a breakfast buffet...that isn't very good, but coffee and donuts at least.

They have a fridge and microwave in each room (which is something that we were very happy about. We are planning on cooking and eating two out of the three meals in the room).

Here is their website
http://www.parksidehotels.com/hoteldisplay.asp?hotelid=10

This is my first trip to Disneyland, so that is really all of hte information that I can give you. I'm sure others here will be able to help with your other questions though! Have a fun trip!

 

[colaz]

So, I booked this hotel at least a month ago. I was thinking again, and looked at some more recent reviews and what I read worried me. I am not sure if I am going to keep my reservation there.

There seems to be still a bug problem, dirty socks when walking around, and some safety issues. I am actually going to post a thread for a call for help from my fellow disboarders.

So, maybe do your own research on this hotel some more beforey you make your decision. Sorry lol

 

[jemilah]

If you are staying mid week in Vegas , room rates are great ! las vegas city search can tell you lot's off thing to do and see.
Some fun things are , the shark reef at Mandalay Bay
the secret garden at the Mirage with dolphins and white tigers among other animals
Red Rock , Mount Charleston , Lake Mead and Hoover Dam
The fourm shops at Cesars Palace.
There really is alot to do here with out having to gamble!
Stay away from the Circus Circus buffett and the Rivera Hotel!

 

[amw]

The hotels on Harbour -- walking distance to DL -- are all reasonably priced, under $100/night (some well below that). The Candy Cane Inn has by far the best reviews both on this website and trip advisor. Their rates are around $99, less if you have AAA. Of course, this is if you are all willing to stay in a double queen room.

candycaneinn.net

If you're interested in 2-rooms, the price may be a bit more and the choices less. For suites, the most reasonable walking-distance hotels are Anaheim desert Inn & Suites, and Park Vue Inn (not park view).

anaheimdesertinn.com
parkvueinn.com

This is only from my own research. I haven't been to DL yet so can't attest to the quality of any of the hotels.

Sounds like you have some planning ahead of you

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

I'm not sure you'd be able to do all the things you want to do on a budget of $3000. Tickets to any of the "good" shows in Vegas can run you some serious money, though you could probably get your hotel and meals for cheap enough. Or not, depending on the season.

I see your point on airfare. Looks like from where you're at, it'd run you minimum double ($1600) to get a flight from ND to CA. I vote keep checking on deals and if you can get that number down any, grab it. It could be cheaper, imo, to pay the extra for a complete flight because remember: you'd have to add in gas from Vegas to LA and back ($100 liberal estimate), meals for four, hotel, entertainment. OTOH, at least with your plan you'd get some value for your money (you'd get to see and experience vs. just paying for travel).

Hotels: I'm partial to the off-property walking distance hotels. Many have fridges and microwaves, which helps us cut down on meal costs. We drive so are able to bring our own food from home, but since you'll have a rental you can easily stop by a grocery store and grab some waters, sodas, breakfast foods, snacks, whatever. Also, parking is free at all of what I consider to be walking distance hotels. My personal recommendation for a clean, budget hotel would be Carousel. I got rates last fall of $59 - $69/night (depending on weekday vs weekend).

If you do look into a further away hotel, some things to keep in mind when comparing prices: Some charge a parking fee. ART will cost you $3/day/person -- so $12 extra you need to budget for. Or you could drive to DL and park -- I believe it's around $10/day (someone correct me). On the flip side, some of the further hotels include a free full breakfast and/or dinner -- that could save you some money on meals.

Park tickets: check into the SoCal CityPass: 3 day Disneyland Park-Hoppers, 1 day at Sea World, 1 day at your choice of SD Zoo or Animal Park, and 1 day at........it either was Knott's and is now going to Universal Studios or the other way around (was U.S. but is now going to be Knott's that's included).

 

[spongebobxxx]

THANKS eveyone for the quick responses!


colaz, thanks for the motel link. You'd think the state would shut them down if they didn't take care of that bug problem right away, I don't think you should be too worried about it.

jemilah, Whats wrong with the Circus Circus buffet? I stayed there many years ago with my parents when I was a little kid. I remember the circus on the top floor and all the video games. I was actually thinking that my 10 year old would love that place just as I did way back when, but maybe its a dump today.

amw, thanks for the motel research progress you've made, maybe I can narrow my search and just jump to the best deal to save time.



familyoffiveAZ,
One other thing that might work is this..... Fly from here to Vegas oneway, then depart from California (if) the airfare is less there. I'm not sure if that would make the rental car deal work out though but maybe it can be dropped off at a different city from the same company.

The microware and refrigerator in the rooms will come in handy. Last year in Florida I stayed at a motel on Disney Property and they charged $10 plus tax per day for a little room refridgerator. I did the math and figured out that buying a new refrigerator at Walmart cost less than renting one for the 9 nights we stayed there. So thats what I did since we had to make a stop at Walmart anyway. Also I agree that offsite property is best, atleast at D-world, I found myself doing alot more driving away from D-world than to D-world, and eating up town most of the time was much less expensive and added alot of veriety to meal time. I'm sure glad we had a rental car right from the start. It saved alot of money and we did alot of different and fun things becuase of it..... Full breakfast at the motel will be food for thought when I search for a motel price but definitly not manditory as long as they have Ihops or something similar in California. Thanks for the input!

SoCal CityPass, I think thats what I might have seen for $200 per person. Where can I find a deal? I remember saving alot of money on tickets last year but I web searched my eyeballs right out of their sockets to do it.

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner..... Airfare from Vegas to the airports near DL can be had for right around $100 per person, round trip. The two discount airlines which regularly have good deals from Phoenix to Vegas ($39 per way + misc. airport/security fees) are America West and Southwest. I know I said Phx, that's what I'm familiar with, but the CA airfares have always been comparable.

I'm more familiar with Southwest. Dec 2004 I was able to land tickets for $29/way/person from PHX to SNA (Orange County/John Wayne Airport). A few weeks ago I downloaded "Ding!" onto my computer. Go to the Southwest website and it'll explain how to do that. Basically, it's sort of an instant-message type program which sends you alerts daily on reduced airfares. After watching it a while now, seems to be some stellar deals once in a while. Even with the gas prices, they're still sometimes offerring $39-and-under/way/person deals.

If you still wanted to do Vegas, you could. Wouldn't necessarily have to rent a car there either; shuttle or cab it to the hotel and back. Or if Vegas isn't that big a deal and you'd prefer to do more Southern California touring, book your first flight for $100/person/way from ND to Vegas, then book another flight for around $50/person/way from Vegas to one of the SoCal airports. Rent yourself a car there. Or theoretically you could rely solely on cabs and shuttles, even if you do want to go to San Diego. They have tour busses which'll take you there from the Anaheim hotels (though I'm not sure on the cost).

 

[kuusimo]

Costco sells the citypass for $175 per person and it is Universal right now, 3 days to Disneyland and either Sea World or San Diego Zoo. As far as Vegas- we are not big gamblers either, and so 1-2 days is plenty for us. We also don't do shows. Hence the reason we have not been to Vegas in over 5 years. For a great deal on Hotels to Vegas check out www.fatwallet.com and go to their travel site. I also found this site to be VERY helpful in airfare prices: www.smartertravel.com They also have hotel deals.

We liked Desert Inn and Suites when we stayed there in Feb. They have large rooms for families. Here is a map that has the hotels that are close to Disneyland and links to their websites: http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap.html This is very helpful as well.

Good luck. I sure you will have a great time!

 

[ploeb]

I have stayed at a couple of the hotels listed and really did not like any of them I did however stay at the portofino and it was great! we have 6 in our family and stayed in the Kids Suite, it was $119.00 per night . We live locale so we now stay on site, because we get AP rates, because we can be flexable. Anyhow, ask your employer if they offer discount Disney Tickets, Sea World Tix etc. credit Unions are great for this also, call whatever hotel you are staying at and ask them what type of ticket rates they have to offer also.If you get a room with a fridge, go to your locale grocery store and buy waters and other snacks. Ok have a blast! Good Luck

 

[spongebobxxx]

I have stayed at a couple of the hotels listed and really did not like any of them I did however stay at the portofino and it was great! we have 6 in our family and stayed in the Kids Suite, it was $119.00 per night . We live locale so we now stay on site, because we get AP rates, because we can be flexable. Anyhow, ask your employer if they offer discount Disney Tickets, Sea World Tix etc. credit Unions are great for this also, call whatever hotel you are staying at and ask them what type of ticket rates they have to offer also.If you get a room with a fridge, go to your locale grocery store and buy waters and other snacks. Ok have a blast! Good Luck

Good advise! I'll check into that.

 

[MAGICPOTATO]

I just noticed your post ...sorry for late date of response. Your kids will HATE vegas because everything looks so fun and YOU will be harassed a lot if your kids are ANYWHERE near a casino but with that said, your kids will love Excalibur - a whole floor is devoted to them...arcades, movies etc and hotel VERY reasonable. Circus Circus also has areas devoted to kids and has the Thunderdome (I think thats whats its called - something like that) with tons of rides but I think the nice part of the hotel is pricey and the budget rooms are really run down. There are a lot of roller coasters and such rides at different hotels throughout Vegas but be aware - they are pricey...like $10 a ride. My best advice though for your trip would be to skip Vegas and fly to Long Beach - use Jet Blue...AWESOME airline and great rates. Take a bus or rent a car from there, only about 1/2 hour away from DL. When we go to DL - we ONLY fly Jet Blue!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Check out this DL area hotel map:

http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap.html

We have stayed at the DLR PP hotel, Howard Johnson and Best Western Park Place Inn twice. All are nice. We have converged on getting a suite at the BWPPI. The suites have a fridge and microwave, and we eat breakfast and usually lunch in our rooms which reduces food costs dramatically. Rooms are BW quality, and it is very close to DL - can't get any closer except for certan parts of the Grand Californian. Pool is smallish but decent. Rooms are clean, people there are nice. Did I say that it is very close to DLR?

We got our suite for $130 a night, and that was high season. We have six in our family. The BWPPI also has regular rooms for less - I do not know about fridge or microwave availability in those.

 

[PrincessSitka]

Did you check the airlines. I fly Alaska Airlines and kids fly free. I know at one point Delta did this also. But I am not suree if they do this now. It wont hurt to check it out. See if you can get a package deal.

 

[alaskantwinks]

Did you check the airlines. I fly Alaska Airlines and kids fly free. I know at one point Delta did this also. But I am not suree if they do this now. It wont hurt to check it out. See if you can get a package deal.

Hi Princess Sitka! We live in Palmer near Wasilla, and about 45 minutes from Anchorage. We used to live in North Pole from 1995-1997. My husband commuted to Fairbanks to work for the State. Now he commutes to Anchorage!

Just wanted to say hi to a fellow Alaskan...

In answer to the question about which hotel, we haven't been since 1999, and when we were there we stayed at the Candy Cane Inn and loved it, it included a nice continental breakfast too! They had really comfortable beds with fluffy down comforters and lots of pillows! It was close to DL but we took their shuttle each way. Now that the kids are a lot older, we might stay in an Embassy Suites (we stayed at one in Orlando and loved it) because they have a separate bedroom and a full breakfast and evening manager's snacks and drinks are included! I've also been thinking about doing a future trip there again, because when we were there they were just building DCA! Good luck, Spongebob!

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Vegas is fun for a day or so if you have kids. Kids can't be in the casinos except when walking through (which you have to do to get anywhere). The best way to avoid being hassled is walk along the path, with a purpose and hold their hands. Don't wander near the machines.

Circus Circus has turned into a dive. It's really bad now. Try Excalibur for a budget hotel, or there is a Hampton Inn just off the strip that is pretty nice.

If you do drive, a rental car 1-way + gas + hotel in Vegas may be more expensive then flying from ND to Vegas directly to CA.

Rental companies charge a lot more for a 1-way trip since they have to bring the car back.

 

[freecia]

Hertz has a few One-Way deals right now under "Special Offers". I've copied them below but you'd need hand the printout to the clerk at drop-off (technically, you don't need to b/c they're internet coupons but most staff is trained to insist upon it). There is a Hertz counter in Circus Circus, right on the strip and I think connected to the monorail. I don't believe they charge absurd airport taxes so you could save some money that way.

Vegas- Since you have kids, I'd suggest NYNY Hotel and Casino. Be sure to sign up for their special deals via website since there are some e-mail offers which are quite good, especially during the week. Weekdays are usually cheaper than weekends in Vegas, by as much as 70% for some of the nicer places. The Excalibur may be cheaper but it is really smoke-filled and run-down, especially in the Casino areas which you must venture through in order to exit the hotel. The NYNY is well located around some great arcades (Luxor, I hear, is great) and the M&M factory is closeby.

Things to do which are fun for kids:
See the lions at MGM Grand- Free
See the Tigers are Mirage - Free and special park with admission
See the outdoor night shows - Bellagio, Mirage, Treasure Island = free
Tour the M&M store - Free
Check out the arcade next to M&M store (pay to play)
See the Midway shows at Circus Circus - Free, pay to play
Ride the 'coaster at NYNY- pay, free/discounted with some NYNY hotel offers
Hotel Pool- Some hotel pools in this area rival WDW water parks. I'm not sure how great the NYNY is. The Monte Carlo next door (also Highly Recommended by me if a good deal is to be had) has a lazy river.

The best way to save money while in Vegas- 1. Stay on the strip or as close to it you can get. This relates to 2. Don't rent a car for those few days. You'd have enough to see just walking about. Yes, parking (even valet) is free in Vegas but you must either tip the valet or walk farther in the parking lots to the entrances. 3. Use those coupons is the tourist magazines available at counter, airport, and just about everywhere. There are some great deals in there. 4. Go on a weekday. This could save you $100+ on hotel, easy.


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Having said that, my own budget for Vegas as a non-gambler ASIDE from hotel fees is about $40 a day, sans shows. A three day trip for me, including airfare from CA (San Jose- SJC) is about $500- with food and hotel.

If what you really want is a Disney Vacation, just skip Vegas altogether (unless you need to overnight for flights) and take Southwest/ Ted/ one of the many discounted airfare companies to Disneyland. Yes, you'll spend a bit more on airfare, but you'll be getting to your destination with less hassle. You can shave a few days off your vacation this way and save on hotel fees, gas (Really not Cheap in CA. Up in San Jose it is about $3 a gallon), and food.

Consider getting an AP if that'd help you save enough on food and hotel. Hojo Anaheim offers 15% off for AP members. Many Disney food outlets offer 10% on food, including character meals.


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[kkheburn]

I live in Vegas and plan to spend some dough here. The shows here are very expensive and any good buffet is 25 a person. I have 2 children and we have a hard time finding family things to do. The free things that are here to see you can pretty much see all in one day. I do know a very nice hotel that has a shuttle that goes to and from the airport. The name is the Silverton. It is not on the strip but about 10 minutes away the prices are very good. Good luck

 

[JoeyRamone]

I highly recommend laying out the dollars for the "Blue Man Group"... simply amazing!!!!!!!

 

[Hermosa11]

You have received some awesome!!! advise so far!
I went to LV with son and had a blast and did not spend money expect for food. We just walked and walked and walked , and took the monorail too.
We stayed at Circus Circus (It was just the better price at the time, etc.)
Here are some websites for Vegas info:
CheapoVegas

Hoover Dam

I especially love this site: LV 360
attractions
100 things to see/do
monorail
someone's walking tour

That was inside the astrodome (or whatever) at Circus Circus

Okay, enough sharing from me..............
have fun.