MY Febuary trip

[aussietravellers]

pooh bum fart.....

ok, now thats over

I think i'm so nervous re DLR is that my DH is such a bad traveller/flyer and I'd hate for him to have a bad time and not want to travel again, also disappoint him with bad planning due to inexperience....but also I have so much drama in my life at the moment that I tend to stick to familiar as security...gosh...this is better than therapy and cheaper.

the ski option was put on hold as the DH has to have knee treatment/surgery possibly in the next 6-12 months so skiing isnt exactly good for recoveryand his knees are so painful now, I'm concerned he cant do the padi course this sept..he cant keep popping tablets like candy

UST sounds awesome on a week day, we will be there superbowl weekend so that should be interesting as well. I'm just FREAKING re accom, but have been looking at HOJO's for an option the days we cant get GCV..any thoughts..$105 p night compared to $445 @ GCH

I dont want to drive in LA, or pay $20 + perday parking, so may do some mears/greys tours to UST and seaworld.....help me with info...

ok..freaking out now, need lie down and a bex

today was a bad day to give up equestrian water polo

Oh boy, there is no way your DH could do a skiing trip with a bad knee, ouch

I am one who has only stayed onsite at DL, in the years before GCH, it was at DLH and then in recent years GCH, but I have looked at HoJo's for our next trip and I think it looks great! They certainly get rave reviews when it comes to service to which is good.

There isn't any reason that you can't fly into LAX, take the DL express to GCV or HoJo's (whichever you choose) and stay there the whole trip! I have done a 2 week stay at GCH before and we have loved every minute of it! We took the shopping shuttle from PPH to South Coast Plaza and had a fabulous shopping day and did day tours with Grayline. They were just fantastic, all so very easy! No stress at all. They picked up at GCH (and they do pick up/drop off outside of HoJo's too if you ended up there). You drive to their depot where you pay (remember to take your RACQ/V/NRMA card for the discount ) then get on your tour bus. Do the day, where ever it may be and that bus drops you back at your hotel.

We have done LA/Hollywood tour, SD Zoo, Legoland with Grayline and every one was excellent, easy and stressfree (until the driver on the LA/Hollywood tour whipped out his "medical marijuana" bottle and proceeded to pass it around the bus including to my then 9 yr old DS , just to look at, not to sample but still not the thing to pass around with kids on the bus) aside from that it was great . Next trip we will do Universal with them too.

I think if your trip is well planned, then your DH won't have a stressful trip. And if he is stressed, then take the LA/Hollywood tour and if you get the driver we had (he's been there for years apparently), then you DH could get very very relaxed

 

[australiankaren]

Oh boy, there is no way your DH could do a skiing trip with a bad knee, ouch

I am one who has only stayed onsite at DL, in the years before GCH, it was at DLH and then in recent years GCH, but I have looked at HoJo's for our next trip and I think it looks great! They certainly get rave reviews when it comes to service to which is good.

There isn't any reason that you can't fly into LAX, take the DL express to GCV or HoJo's (whichever you choose) and stay there the whole trip! I have done a 2 week stay at GCH before and we have loved every minute of it! We took the shopping shuttle from PPH to South Coast Plaza and had a fabulous shopping day and did day tours with Grayline. They were just fantastic, all so very easy! No stress at all. They picked up at GCH (and they do pick up/drop off outside of HoJo's too if you ended up there). You drive to their depot where you pay (remember to take your RACQ/V/NRMA card for the discount ) then get on your tour bus. Do the day, where ever it may be and that bus drops you back at your hotel.

We have done LA/Hollywood tour, SD Zoo, Legoland with Grayline and every one was excellent, easy and stressfree (until the driver on the LA/Hollywood tour whipped out his "medical marijuana" bottle and proceeded to pass it around the bus including to my then 9 yr old DS , just to look at, not to sample but still not the thing to pass around with kids on the bus) aside from that it was great . Next trip we will do Universal with them too.

I think if your trip is well planned, then your DH won't have a stressful trip. And if he is stressed, then take the LA/Hollywood tour and if you get the driver we had (he's been there for years apparently), then you DH could get very very relaxed

thanks for the info.....its just I am now so used to WDW planning....I do like the idea of little day trips...and the crowds at DLR according to trip planner is from 2 to 5 level.....nice

outlet shopping..do they have one nearby??? tours??

so tours we'd like to do are..
Universal
Sea world
shopping...
NRMA discounts???? cool

has anyone gotten the 14 day hopper thru expedia...??? easy to get? or can we get it at the gate?

HOJO's sounds like a good alternative..ok, its not the GCH but it'll do if we need it.

 

[aussietravellers]

thanks for the info.....its just I am now so used to WDW planning....I do like the idea of little day trips...and the crowds at DLR according to trip planner is from 2 to 5 level.....nice

outlet shopping..do they have one nearby??? tours??

so tours we'd like to do are..
Universal
Sea world
shopping...
NRMA discounts???? cool

has anyone gotten the 14 day hopper thru expedia...??? easy to get? or can we get it at the gate?

HOJO's sounds like a good alternative..ok, its not the GCH but it'll do if we need it.

There is the outlets at orange, which I believe now has a shuttle. It's not that great, not like the two outlet centres in Orlando. There is another outlet mall near legoland, on the say to San Deigo, it's not bad.

The NRMA discounts are with Grayline Tours. On the back of your NRMA card you have the AAA symbol, that gives you AAA discounts in the US and we got the discount with every tour we did with Grayline (I think it was 10%, but may be wrong, can't remember)

I got the 14 day hopper through Expedia. It was a voucher that I printed up and when we checked in at GCH they exchanged the voucher for the ticket right there at check in. But you can exchange the voucher for the tickets at the gates. You can't buy the 14 day pass in the US. It is something that has to be purchased here before you leave

You really don't need to plan as much with DL, it's much easier to decide the day before where you are going to eat tomorrow and make a booking. It's easy to call up the day or two before you want to do the grayline tour and book in. In fact, I have called dining, made an ADR for Carnation Cafe for in 30 mins time. Walked from GCH to DL park, up to Carnation Cafe and bypassed the massive long walk up line and was seated straight away. It is much easier to make dining reservations last minute at DL.

 

[Kangarucci]

HOJO have some retro entertainment card rates out for Feb. if this helps.

 

[Andona]

Karen, I really don't think you or DH will be unhappy with going to DLR, as long as you don't go expecting it to be the same as WDW. It just isn't

I love both places and they both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Yes, it's much smaller than WDW but for a short trip I think that's a real advantage. You can walk everywhere, to both parks from your hotel, downtown Disney is a 3 minute walk instead of a 30 minute bus trip. It's just so convenient!

ALL the rides I really love are so handy too, If I want to ride ST and SM and TSM they are all within 10 minutes walk of each other

And only DLR has the Indy Ride, it's one of my absolute favorites!!

Only DLR has the Blue Bayou, so nice to eat by the water and watch the pirates boats go by...

Now they've added Carsland etc to DCA I think the DLR has just so much going for it. You can walk down to the big shopping, dining, movie mall nearby ( can't remember it's name) and there are so many great tours you can do to other at sights etc if you don't want to drive.

Don't get me wrong, I love WDW but DLR is definitely NOT a poor , second best. If I was going to WDW in September, I'd definitely prefer to mix it up, and do something fresh and different only 5 months later.

It's Disney, you'll love it

Andona

 

[Caroline NZ]

We have in the past bought the 14 day passes from both Expedia and the Flight Centre in NZ. You then redeeem them at the ticket booths before you get to the turnstiles.

Citadels Outlets are reasonably close ( 1/2hr to 3/4 hr drive from DL).
Las Americas Premium Outlets in San Diego is really good...

We have stayed at Hojos twice ( well 3 times for me, I also stayed as a teenager with my Mum back in the eighties). Nothing flash, but comfortable, clean and convenient.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Maybe you will fall in love with DL and not want to go back to WDW.
Like everyone has said they are so different for us DL will always be our fav place I think it's because it's the original and it was always our dream to get there.
The bonus is if you don't like it you only paid $850 for your flights that's a bargain to experience a new place you haven't been.
Be brave pirate Karen try something new enjoy the ride of not having to be OCD with your planning book your accommodation and relax and enjoy the ride

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Hi Karen

We used anaheim411.com. Tom was great and can do smaller sized outlet shopping trips.

We did half day LA, to tie in with Warner Bros studio tour. That was great. You can also combi ethis with Universal I think We had a can just the 6 of us allowing to personalize just a bit. In a normal can too which was great. They also organise big day trips to San Diego. Also can find a town hire car that was 130Us one way between Anaheim and San Diego. Another alternative to car hire.


Might even finish my trip report this weekend. cannot believe how crazy life has been since we have been back.

Mia

 

[australiankaren]

Ordered Disneyland 2012 from book depository last week in the UK, just came today.....ohhh I love a good read.

so really looking forward to this trip now.

All I have to do is book accom GCV studio thru DVC on this coming sunday night @ exactly 10pm (8am EST) 7 months out..so once that is done I can breathe...just hope I can get the nights I want....i wouldnt want to pay the $4500++ for DLH / GCH room

really looking forward to seeing all the rides they dont have at WDW...

so maybe 9 days at DL wont be enough....and I MUST get the world of colour hats to flash along with the music..so that's another $50 @ $25 each....

I really should be looking at my sept trip, but these days they fairly much organise themselves

so excited, so excited

 

[australiankaren]

till I can try & book my first 7 nights at GCV..this waiting is killing me

wish me luck

 

[Travel Mum]

That is crazy you have to wait this long - why is that?!

 

[australiankaren]

dvc member guidelines...

for my home resorts BLT & Vero beach I can book 11 months out
for non-home resorts..every other DVC property..I have to wait til 7 months out.

great when I want to stay at BLT..not so great for GCV or Aulani...it just encourages you to buy where you want to stay....

but for us to add on BLT points, they are now @ $165 per point, whereas with resale we paid $45 a point for VB saving $7200......and we can use them just as well as the BLT points...

make sense.....

 

[australiankaren]

not that I am counting or anything

 

[australiankaren]

here is a pony to look at while we wait

 

[WAMUMOF4]

here is a pony to look at while we wait

Is that your pony cause if it is I think he needs to join our getting fit for your trip thread

 

[australiankaren]

no, this is a pony i had prepared earlier

he's a dalmation pony..no seriously, he is

i always wanted a pony, just so i could say "I have a pony"

 

[Caroline NZ]

We actually have a similar looking pony, here is Rosie

She is an Appaloosa

 

[Travel Mum]

Oh Caroline, how gorgeous she is! That must be so fun to live on a lifestyle block and be able to have ponies!!

 

[australiankaren]

I want a pony
a pretty pony like yours..
and I'd love it, and feed it, a call it Dan..or frank
and we'd be BFF..

 

[australiankaren]

I was just able to book 7 nights at Grand Californian Villa's (Studio) using my DVC points...now all I have to do is wait a week to book 1 more night

have been stressing on this for 2 months..now I can sleep

awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I luv my DVC