Need some west coast expertise

[SpectroMan71]

Hi Dave, glad to hear you are exploring California! Too bad about DVC; I assume you are on a waitlist anyway?

1. True about 3 days, unless you're heavily into repeating attractions more than once, then I would bump it up to 4 more leisurely days. You have chosen some VERY crowded days to go, but at least I believe they are SoCal passholder blockout days, which helps. Make sure to see the Christmas Parade.

2. ABSOLUTELY use the Embassy Suites if it's $1000 less than the cheapest Disney option. It's newly built and will be nice and fresh. The free breakfast doesn't hurt at all, either.

3. Definitely don't do the dining plan. It's not even a plan - it just gives you vouchers to spend on food with predetermined amounts. No savings.

4. Verify that you're really getting a shuttle. Most hotels now use ART, which has a fee, but there are still a handful that have their own shuttles for free. There is a service that takes people from LAX to Disneyland for a reasonable rate which you can use if you don't plan to drive around much. Otherwise, rental cars are cheap around here.

5. It's pretty and it's very cab-able from the Embassy. Less than 2 miles. They're on very shaky ground financially so if you had any curiosity about seeing it, I'd go now.

6. There is a "long way" to San Francisco using Highway 101. 7 hours or so and very scenic. Madonna Inn and Hearst Castle along the way (google both). If you have the time, it would be a quintessential CA experience.

7. Good hotel, but the Wharf is not necesarily a "nice" upscale area at all. Better off near Union Square or Nob Hill, and just take cabs or cable cars down to the wharf.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Thank you, everyone for your advise. lol, I'd forgotten how tough it is to be a newbie.

 

[sdlipton]

My DW and I are HUGE DLR fans, with more trips together since we have been married then i care to count (some are in my sig) and we almost always stay offsite at DLR. My answers are inline and I hope they are helpful:

Here are my questions:

1. Several friends and co-workers have told me Disneyland (both parks) can be done in three days. I was planning to spend 4 nights (Dec 22-26). Is this a good amount of time for a first visit? Any special considerations due to Christmas week crowds with this regard?

4 nights 5 days is MORE then enough at DLR, and the person who told you that three days is good was pretty close though during christmas id say that 3.5 is probably better that way you can park hop to your hearts content. FYI, Christmas Day is one of the busiest days at the park EVER so fair warning that you will do ALOT of line standing and crowd manuvering.

2. It's too late for us to use DVC points for our stay, so we'll be paying cash. There's a heck of a difference between the Disney resort prices and the good neighbor prices. I really like staying at Embassy Suites when I travel on business. There is a room available at Embassy Suites Anaheim South. The suite plus free breakfast sounds like a good deal, and is $1000 less than the cheapest Disney option. We could swing the extra $$$ to stay at Disney if there's a big difference, but wonder if it's necessary. What would we miss out on staying in a hotel that's a mile away? What might we regret?

If you are going to have a car then the Embassy Suites is a great idea, or if you don't mind the busses at WDW and are willing to pay for the Anaheim Resort District Shuttle. However, I would strongly reccomend one of the many motels on Harbor Blvd right across from the pedestrian entrance at DLR. Reminder, the address of DLR is 1313 Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA which you can use to google maps check locations. My DW and I frequently stay at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott which is about a block and a half away from the pedestrian entrance and total about 1/3rd of a mile to the Esplanade/Entrance gates to both parks. Just a note, that if you stay at one of the DLR resorts, especially DLH or Paradise Pier you may have a longer walk to your room there then you would to a motel room on Harbor Blvd.

3. Disneyland dining plan has me so confused. I know being on the WDW dining plan requires a lot of pre-planning and advanced reservations. Is the same true for Disneyland? I'm concerned about being a newbie and not knowing how to get the most out of the plan. I was thinking of the Goofy 3-day plan, but wonder if we'd be better off paying cash for meals.

I wouldn't bother with the DLR dining plans. They are VERY confusing. besides, the food inside the parks isn't all that great except for dinner at Ariel's Grotto and sometimes the places in New Orleans Square. I would plan on paying cash for your meals and eat at Downtown Disney or other in park dining locations.

4. In Florida, we usually use Disney's Magical Express and don't use a rental car. The package we're looking at includes an Anaheim Shuttle, I presume to get back and forth between hotel and parks. Is a rental car suggested, or can we get from/to LAX using a shuttle, town car, or taxi?

LAX is a LONG taxi or shuttle ride to DLR, I would get a towncar if you can swing it cost wise or rent a car, though depending on where you stay you won't really need the rental car.

5. Has anyone ever been to the Crystal Cathedral? We enjoy the Hour of Power, and thought it might be nice to go there for a Christmas service. If we don't go with a rental car, is it close enough to get to by cab?

Being a nice jewish boy from Silicon valley im probalby not qualified to answer this except that it seems like when I drive by it, its only a 5-15 minute drive from DLR. The only concern id have about taking a cab is getting one after the service

6. Where to in California after Disneyland? Such a big state, so little time! I guess LA and San Diego are closer, but San Francisco has more appeal to us. It's a pretty good jaunt away, though. Is it a scenic drive that would make it worthwhile? Any interesting places to stop along the way? Or is a flight from LAX to SFO the better alternative?

Depending on how much time you have I would NOT drive to SF from DLR. Its a long drive up eikther the 5 or the 101 and it would suck up too much of your time. A Southwest Airlines flight from LAX to SFO is usually pretty cheap as long as you buy it soon.

7. We're looking at the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf. It looks to be in the midst of the tourist areas, and has a good balance between cost and rating on hotels.com. Any better suggestions (part of town to stay in, or specific hotel) would be welcome.

My DW and I LOVE all Marriott's so you probably can't go wrong here and Fisherman's wharf is a great location. The fantastic part of SF is that almost EVERYHING is accessible by transit.

Thanks in advance!

Really hope all of this helped, and if you have any other questions feel free to PM me.

 

[jimreuter]

I guess as far as how long to stay - it just depends on how much you love the experience. If you just ride the rides, there is a limit to the amount of time you'll want to spend. If you stop and hang out with Alice and The Mad Hatter with the piano player at Coke Corner --- if you stop and visit with Farley The Fiddler on the porch of the Davy Crockett Frontier Mercantile as you enter Frontierland --- watch the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show at the Golden Horseshoe (they never do the same show twice - you can keep coming back all day) --- see the Dapper Dans performing on Mainstreet --- catch the Bootstrapper Pirate band in New Orleans Square --- stop and watch the show at the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue, maybe visit the petting zoo and be amazed by the Magicians ... and the Jedi Training Academy, and.. and... and ....

You may decide you never want to leave.