One Day at DL in Nov - I need your help!

[mm6mm6]

Business is sending me to San Diego for a convention the first weekend in November (Veterans Day weekend). My DW is a grade school teacher and neither she nor our DD11 have off for Veterans Day. They are both supposed to be at school Friday and Monday. My DW can only take two personal days. The convention is Sunday and Monday and I must attend. I'm trying to work in one day at DL for the three of us since we'll most probably never have the opportunity to go again (we love WDW and figured we'd never make it to California due to the cost...we drive to WDW from northern Illinois).

We could fly out late Friday from Chicago's O'hare. We could then go to DL all day on Saturday. The hotel room in San Diego would be paid for by my company as would my airfare. My hotel room could be for Sat, Sun, and Mon night. That means we would fly back to Chicago on Tuesay. My DW would only have to take off Mon and Tues from work.

So...do we fly to San Diego, stay at the same hotel my work is paying for, drive in a rental car to DL early on Sat morning so that we're there when they open and stay all day? Then we would drive at night back to San Diego to stay at our hotel again and I would be able to go to the convention Sun and Mon while my DW and DD11 relax at the hotel and swim and see California a bit?

Or...do we fly somewhere else closer to DL? And stay Fri night or Fri and Sat night at a DL resort? Then drive early Sunday to San Diego to check in to the hotel my work is paying for?

Is there a closer airport we could fly into nearer to DL than San Diego?

Which resort should we stay at if we choose to stay at DL?

We plan to get a one day park ticket for just DL. We want to see Walt's original magic! Will it be crazy ridiculously crowded on a Saturday the first weekend in November? It's Veterans Day weekend, but the schools here don't get any days off to make it a long weekend. Will Veterans Day make DL more crowded than usual?

I have to decide if this is "do-able" right away to book the flights and hotel/resorts. And for my DW to get the two days off.

Your knowledge is greatly appreciated everyone and thanks in advance for your responses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Steve

 

[casiland]

I would definately recomend staying at Disneyland Saturday night. The drive down to San Diego will be hard and looonnngg after a full day at Disneyland. John Wayne (SNA) airport is about 20 minutes from Disneyland. Close by you also have Long Beach, Burbank, and Ontario. Heck even LAX is closer than San Diego. I would personally fly out on Friday so you can make the most out of your one day as Disneyland.

As for resorts there are a lot options, it would just depend on your preference and what you want to pay. Some good options are the HoJo, The Candy Cane, the Best Western Park Place, and The Desert Inn and Suites.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

id fly to the closest to dl and check in there have disney there and then you go to your convention and that hotle at least youd have 1 in half maybe two days at dl.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

fri sat sunday are all open late id try to make it three days even if two are half days you can get alot in at night (sorry two posts )

 

[Gisele]

Off hand, I am not positive to the length of time to travel from SD to ANA. via Amtrak, I figure it would not be a long trip. This way, you do not have to do all of that driving, for it does seem to me, that it would be tiring for you and y our family, to be driving up to ANA. in the early morning, then to reverse the trip at night? personally I would not want to do that. Then there is the matter of your being in an area that you are not familiar with, when it comes to driving, I personally dislike the possibility of becoming lost, or ending up in some kind of chulo territory. Please check out Amtrak, it is a good trip, and it definitely travels to SD. from ANA. and back. The ANA. Amtrak station is not far from Disneyland, too far to walk, yes, however by cab, no problem. Checking into a property for that evening, may very well be a good idea, that way, you can just take the train back to SD. in the morning. Anyway, my ideas are but a tentative theory, for it may or may not be something that will work out for you and your family, or it might just be a great alternative, I just figured that I would add an additional option.

 

[SamanthaSSJ]

It is roughly a 2 hour drive from L.A. to San Diego. Saturday at Disney shouldn't be a problem, but maybe your wife and child can also go on Sunday and/or Monday while you are at the conference? Depending on when the conference starts and ends, perhaps you can drive to join them afterwards in L.A.?