need trip advice- 1st time to DL and SC

[goofy89]

I'm not a frequent poster, but do listen to the podcast religiously.

I worked at WDW when I was in college and have been back to WDW countless times.

I have always wanted to visit Disneyland and my wife and I have decided to plan a big 15th anniversary trip to Disneyland and Southern California in May 2010.

Never having been to the West Coast, I would like some advice making an itinerary for 6-7 days. Stay in a Disney resort or a "Good Neighbor" hotel? How much time for Disney? I know I want at least two days there. What else should we plan on doing besides Disney? SD Zoo? Universal?

I am a huge Disney fan, so should I drive to Burbank to see the studio? ( I don't think that they have tours).

This could be our only trip out there, so I want to do it right! Please shower me with suggestions.

Thanks

 

[joseph821]

I'm not a frequent poster, but do listen to the podcast religiously.

I worked at WDW when I was in college and have been back to WDW countless times.

I have always wanted to visit Disneyland and my wife and I have decided to plan a big 15th anniversary trip to Disneyland and Southern California in May 2010.

Never having been to the West Coast, I would like some advice making an itinerary for 6-7 days. Stay in a Disney resort or a "Good Neighbor" hotel? How much time for Disney? I know I want at least two days there. What else should we plan on doing besides Disney? SD Zoo? Universal?

I am a huge Disney fan, so should I drive to Burbank to see the studio? ( I don't think that they have tours).

This could be our only trip out there, so I want to do it right! Please shower me with suggestions.

Thanks

HI.
If you can afford it, I would stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotel (Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian or Paradise Pier). I would recommend 3 days at Disneyland and California Adventure. If you stay at a DIsneyland Resorty Hotel, you would get Magic Morning every day it is offered during your stay. Currently, Magic Morning is Saturday, SUnday, Tuesday and Thursday..the days could change in 2010. I suggest booking a hotel/ticket package with the Walt Disney Travel Company. You can also get tickets there to other California attractions. I would do Universal Studios (takes about 1/2 day to tour), San Diego Zoo. You also go to Knotts Berry Farm or Sea World or San Diego Wild Animal Park.
Also you could get a 6 day or 7 day Park Hopper has part of your package so then in the evening after you come back from doing other things yuo can head over to Disneyland. The difference between a 3 day and a 6 day is not that much.

What else are you interested in doing? Hollywood tour? museums? beach?

 

[goofy89]

A Hollywood tour and the beach would be of interest, especially to my wife. As far as the beach goes, not to go lay out, but to take a scenic drive down the coast. If it were up to me, I'd probably stay at DL the whole time, but she wants to see the sites, architectural tours, etc.

 

[joseph821]

A Hollywood tour and the beach would be of interest, especially to my wife. As far as the beach goes, not to go lay out, but to take a scenic drive down the coast. If it were up to me, I'd probably stay at DL the whole time, but she wants to see the sites, architectural tours, etc.

Then I recommend going to the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Pedro - just outside Pasadena. It has beuatiful gardens and grounds and a nice museum as well. Also take a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway - Highway 1 to Malibu. There is a placed called the Adamson House which is a historic beautiful house on the ocean.

 

[HydroGuy]

First the basics. "Disneyland" (aka DL) is a theme park (like Magic Kingdom) at the "Disneyland Resort (aka DLR) which is a resort like WDW. DLR has two theme parks, three hotels and DTD. So technically you would be visiting DLR, with DL a part of the visit.

Here is a good place to start:

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

You need at least 3 days at DLR. That is considered the minimum. Four days would be better.

The advantages of onsite at DLR are not nearly as great as at WDW. There are many around here who stay onsite at WDW but offsite at DLR. Whatever you do my advice is to get a walking distance hotel. This link summarizes this: "HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

Be careful with May. It is considered off-season and off-season at DLR has more drawbacks than at WDW. See "What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889

FWIW, there is lots of construction going on right now. The summer of 2010 should have several news things at DCA including the new World of Color show.

The years 2011 and 2012 will bring to completion to many of the DCA refurb and new construction projects.

See:

Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker III
http://micechat.com/forums/disneyla...california-adventure-project-tracker-iii.html

 

[fairycat]

This thread has some tourist information about Hollywood and the surrounding area

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1741375

I think a great day trip to see the ocean and the sites is a drive down to Malibu. You get to go past the Famous Santa Monica pier. I would set up a stop to see the Getty Villa http://www.getty.edu/visit/ This use to be the main musuem it is now hosts a small part of the collection the home that it is housed in is AMAZING! They have a nice patio restaurant that looks over the garden's and right too the Pacific Ocean. Then after some site seeing I would head to Gladstone's for a sunset dinner right one the beach if you like seafood.

As far as I know about the Studio, I don't believe they have tours, this site has a little information about the Studio. You might be able to get on if you see the right TV show taping though http://www.seeing-stars.com/studios/disneystudios.shtml

 

[Sleepless Knight]

The Walt Disney Studios does not offer tours to the general public at all. Outside of having very good connections and a little bit of luck, you would probably need to book the Adventures by Disney package that includes a visit to the Walt Disney Studios.

As for Disneyland, I think you need 2 days for Disneyland itself and 1 day for DCA. A 4th day is helpful because you have time to revisit highlights. There are plenty of places to experience in southern California, but remember that you may need around 2 hours of one way travel time if you're going to be driving during rush hour traffic. On the day I visited the Walt Disney Studios(I had the very good connection and luck thing), I spent nearly 5 hours in L.A. traffic. 3 to get to Burbank from Anaheim leaving at 8:00am(there was an accident) and another 2 to get back to Anaheim leaving at 3:00pm.

 

[imjen]

Besides, DL/DCA, we had a great time at Catalina Island for our 10 yr anniversary last year. You do have to devote a day to this though. We also had fun touring the Queen Mary. We did the ghost tour they have, it was really interesting and different.

 

[goofy89]

Thanks for all the great replies. This will be fun to plan.