Planning first DL trip - a little overwhelmed.....

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Hi everyone,
Hoping someone here can help me out a bit. I'm planning our first family trip to DL this coming spring, and I am feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of info out there. Hoping someone more experienced out there can help me out.
I am basically looking for answers to every question: Where to stay, when to go, how much to budget for daily spending, etc....
Here's a few details of our family and what we want out of our holiday:
Hubby and I will be travelling with Ds1 - 5 yrs, Ds2 - 3 yrs and Dd - 1.5 yrs. We are really looking for a 2 bedroom suite hotel, since at least 2 of the kids will need naps in the PM. Fridge and microwave are a necessity (late nite snacks and bottles for baby). We are thinking a 'good neighbor' hotel is probably our best option, but not sure which hotels have suites and how close they really are to the park - long walks with 3 little ones won't be much fun, and we won't have a car.
We are also wondering about timing - we can go anytime from March to May, but not sure when is best for less busy times, good weather (not too hot with 3 little ones!), etc...
We are also condsidering a day trip or two away from the park - Sea World and Legoland are two possibilities (a car rental would be involved, I guess).

I also have a really dumb question - we've never flown with the kids before, and I am wondering how to deal with the issue of carseats. Do we have to tote the carseats with us in order to get from the airport to the hotel in a cab, or do cabs work like busses in that you don't have to strap down your kids? (I know, a ridiculous sounding question, but 3 carseats will weigh us down just a bit!)

Any advice/help would be appreciated - I've already gotten some great information from past posts on this site.

Everyone says our kids are still too young to enjoy it, and we are "wasting" our money and time, but we are all so excited!!!

Thanks so much,
Carmen

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi everyone,
Hoping someone here can help me out a bit. I'm planning our first family trip to DL this coming spring, and I am feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of info out there. Hoping someone more experienced out there can help me out.
I am basically looking for answers to every question: Where to stay, when to go, how much to budget for daily spending, etc....
Here's a few details of our family and what we want out of our holiday:
Hubby and I will be travelling with Ds1 - 5 yrs, Ds2 - 3 yrs and Dd - 1.5 yrs. We are really looking for a 2 bedroom suite hotel, since at least 2 of the kids will need naps in the PM. Fridge and microwave are a necessity (late nite snacks and bottles for baby). We are thinking a 'good neighbor' hotel is probably our best option, but not sure which hotels have suites and how close they really are to the park - long walks with 3 little ones won't be much fun, and we won't have a car.
We are also wondering about timing - we can go anytime from March to May, but not sure when is best for less busy times, good weather (not too hot with 3 little ones!), etc...
We are also condsidering a day trip or two away from the park - Sea World and Legoland are two possibilities (a car rental would be involved, I guess).

I also have a really dumb question - we've never flown with the kids before, and I am wondering how to deal with the issue of carseats. Do we have to tote the carseats with us in order to get from the airport to the hotel in a cab, or do cabs work like busses in that you don't have to strap down your kids? (I know, a ridiculous sounding question, but 3 carseats will weigh us down just a bit!)

Any advice/help would be appreciated - I've already gotten some great information from past posts on this site.

Everyone says our kids are still too young to enjoy it, and we are "wasting" our money and time, but we are all so excited!!!

Thanks so much,
Carmen

Hi Carmen! Welcome to DIS!

Your best bet is just to hang around here (it can get addicting) and read threads that look interesting. Over time it is amazing how much you learn.

This thread is geared for the WDW vet but will have lots of insightful info:

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

This thread has some good hotel links with walking distances:

"HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

The first place I thought of based on your priorities is Residence Inn. It is a bit of a walk - maybe 20 minutes - but has a suite, etc.

When to go? If you want March to May then you mat want to stay away from Spring Break crowds mid-March to Mid-April. Personally I like it warmer if I am going to be outside and would choose May - also there is less chance of rain in May. Early to mid-May would be nice. Warm, but not too warm IMO.

I would recommend four days at DLR. IMO the best four if you are not going during a busy time is Wed-Saturday.

If you stay at the Residence Inn you can get groceries and eat many of your meals there which will be easier on the wallet.

It has been about 7 years sinbce we have to deal with carseats so I will let someone else help you there.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We recently stayed at the Desert Inn and Suites, right across the street. We walked to the main gate in less than 10 minutes. They also have 2 bedroom suites with a fridge and microwave. It is motelish but was very clean and we will be staying there again in the future.

Oh and don't let anyone ruin your fun. We took both our kids when they were just 1 and yes they probably won't remember it but we all still had a wonderful time.

 

[bumbershoot]

For a cab you need carseats, as far as I know.

Until this very last flight, taken less than 2 weeks ago, I had my son in a carseat ON the plane. I even had him in it on the flight down to DL 2 weeks before that. They are safest in the carseat, though I think once they are 40 lbs the plane doesn't allow it...so if you feel the same way you'll have the littlest one in a carseat (on our first flights with DS he was just under the age of your littlest, and he was a lap baby, and my arms were never so tired from holding him), and depending on weight your middle one might be too...so you'll have them anyway!

And the reason I gate-checked the carseat at the very last minute (while entering the plane) was b/c it was so heavy and bulky, the flight was full, it was just the two of us and I felt like a pack mule, and I was just tired of banging it down the aisles. So I definitely understand that they weigh you down!


People are so odd about taking little kids. I mean, first, the littlest ones are free to get into DL. So even if they don't remember, you're maybe out airfare if you buy them a seat, but not much else. My guy doesn't seem to remember his first trip at around 1.5 years. But a year later we went, and he definitely remembers that trip. For a few months he didn't talk about it (though that might have been b/c we came back to his grandpa in the hospital, then grandpa's passing away and all the stuff I helped my MIL with for 2 months), but then suddenly started chattering about all the rides we had gone on...we didn't have pictures printed (still don't, oops), we didn't talk about it much, but he remembered things that WE barely recalled! And we've gone twice so far while he's three, and he LOVES it. We were so happy to finally get to pay for his ticket, since we'd already had two "free" trips for him.

So forget the naysayers and have fun.

 

[ga9497]

Take a look at these two

Marriott Fairfield Inn is right across the street and have many connecting rooms. They have a lot of Disney pictures and decor around the hotel making it feel very Disneyish
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laxoc-fairfield-inn-anaheim-disneyland-resort/

Raffles Inn has many different type of rooms that will give you the option of separate bedrooms - also in short walking distance to the theme parks
http://www.bestwesternrafflesinn.com/

Also check these through disneyland.com to see if they are offering any specials for your travel dates. Since you are feeling overwhelmed you may also look into getting a travel agent to help you out. One that is well versed in Disney travel destinations

Car seats - if you take a cab you will need one for all, if you take Disneyland motor coach transfer you will not as they are large tour bus types and do not have seat belts.

Sea World and Legoland will be about 2.5 hours and 1.5 hours away from Anaheim and if you aren't planning on staying at least a week in the area I would suggest skipping this. You will need a car to get to either. The other option would be to add it to a package booked through disneyland travel co as they offer a few days in San Diego with a few days at Disneyland. Or you can add these as an add on to a package with transportation

Car seats on the plane - it really depends on your children. My DD was fine without one and we have been taking her on the plane since she was an infant. My DS, on the other hand, was a different story as he is more active and we found that having his car seat made him sit for the flight rather then wanting to walk around the plane all the time

One other thing I would strongly suggest is to purchase a seat for your 1.5 yr old. Technically she doesn't need one but it would make your life easier to have a seat for her especially when traveling with more then one child as it leaves your hands free. Also children under age 2 usually pay 1/2 price for a seat on the plane

 

[PrincessSitka]

Go you and the children will love love it there.

 

[pumpkin5156]

I've stayed at the Fairfield that someone above recommended and it is clean and nice. It does have connecting rooms. I would, however, stay somewhere with breakfast included! The Fairfield did not have microwaves. Whatever you do, stay on the opposite side that the fireworks go off at. We were in bed with our son and they woke everyone up!

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Another question to add - what about the " _ days of dining" plans? Has anyone tried these? Are they rather limiting, with little kids? I had kind of figured just to pick up quick snacks and meals on the run while at the park, and stock the fridge at the hotel with healthier options. I've heard a lot of mention about reserving for meals and such - is this necessary for each meal, or just if one wants a relaxing 'sit down' experience? With 3 little ones, sit down meals aren't usually on our schedule, so, if possible, we would probably just "wing it" for mos of our meals. Is this reasonable, or crazy?

thanks again for all the responses - I feel a little less snowed under by information....

Carmen

 

[Nora94]

Don't bother with DisneyLAND dining. At DW it is worth every penny, but after investigating it isn't worth it at all at land. You basically get restricted places to spend the exact amount of money you put in, no change given.

I have traveled with little kids and imo carseats are a must on the plane. You can get a cart right at the gate to haul them around the airport, and if the kid falls asleep in it, it really is a lifesaver (but hand killer, lol)

We went to DW when teh girls were almost 6 and 2 1/2 and they both remember and loved it. The magic was SO there for the younger one on that trip. She truely believed that the characters were real.

Nora

 

[Hound 109]

Another question to add - what about the " _ days of dining" plans? Has anyone tried these? Are they rather limiting, with little kids? I had kind of figured just to pick up quick snacks and meals on the run while at the park, and stock the fridge at the hotel with healthier options. I've heard a lot of mention about reserving for meals and such - is this necessary for each meal, or just if one wants a relaxing 'sit down' experience? With 3 little ones, sit down meals aren't usually on our schedule, so, if possible, we would probably just "wing it" for mos of our meals. Is this reasonable, or crazy?

thanks again for all the responses - I feel a little less snowed under by information....

Carmen

Welcome to the DL board, Carmen!

Nora is correct. The DL dining plan is NOT worth considering. Further, dining should be the last thing to plan or "plug in" at this point (given your comments). Plenty of places to eat in DLR, & you'll be far more knowledgable about your schedule & DLR restaurants in a week or two after reading here.

I would read & re-read all of HydroGuy's tip threads. (with maps handy to locate rides/walking patterns & hotels).

I would decide on your dates. - My recommendation would be 3 nights/4 days or 4 nights/5 days. Like HydroGuy, I recommend May & would avoid 3/10 - 4/25. I also would avoid Thurs - Mon. of Memorial Day holiday.

I would recommend a motel near the crosswalk on Harbor (for easiest nap time walks) or be prepared to take a shuttle (which might not be bad for you....just not what I would want). Hopefully more folks will recommend suites or describe rooms in near that crosswalk that will meet your family's needs. 2 Adults & 3 small children? Also price the Paradise Pier (a DLR property) for comparison.

After reading several pages of threads & the several tip threads we've suggested you'll have a good feel for the best motels/restaurants/dates might be best for your family & you'll be back asking specific questions.

Legoland is an easy 90 minute drive. Easy to do in one day. But.....San Diego is also a great 2 night 2 day visit as well if inclined.

Have fun planning a trip to Walt's Park.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I got conflicting advice on carseats when I planned our first trip. Apparently some people have taken cabs and vans and NOT been required to use the carseats. However, according to CA state law, they are required, and if you go without and are caught, it is the parents (NOT the transportation vendor) who will pay the price. Besides, as one wise mom pointed out to me, would you really go without at home? Then why do it on vacation?

We used the carseats on the plane on our first trip ~ Kids were 6 and 2yo. It was a real hassle, so on our next trip we checked them at the gate. It was a much easier air trip without them.

I would recommend using it for your baby, however, it does seem to help them understand it's just like riding in a car and they need to stay seated (or better yet, fall asleep!) It's a little easier if you can put the carseat at the window seat; trying to get yourself or another child around a carseat is next to impossible.

 

[dl5]

My vote would be for May. The weather has always been good and not too crowded when we have gone. We have have 3 kids age 5, 3 and 1.5. This was the first time we have went since having our 3rd. The kids had a wonderful time as long as they didn't have to wait long in lines. I think this is a great age for the kids to go and they will love it. You just might need a vacation by yourself afterwards We always stay at the resort just because we like staying on the property. Also I like to go to Downtown Disney to shop after the kids go to bed. I would recommend renting a car if you can. If you fly into Orange County which I highly recommend it is not a bad drive at all. It's nice to be able to go out of the resort to eat or go to the store if you need to. Plus you can leave the car seats in the car and not worry about them taking up half of your hotel room. We brought a double stroller for the smaller kids and even though my daughter is 5 we brought an umbrella stroller. This was one of the smartest things we could have done. I don't think my 5 year old would have lasted as long as she did without the stroller. We did eat out every day on our trip. Sometimes in the park and at places like Red Robin off site. My guess is we spent between $125-$150 each day on food and beverages. Even more the days we did character dining. I would also recommend going during the week. You said you have never flown with the kids before. We always check in the car seats and take our stroller to the gate where they will check it in before you board and have it waiting for you when you get off the plane. Take your own stroller to DL. You can rent them but you can't take them out of the park or even between parks. You don't want to get stuck trying to carry 3 tired kids back to the hotel. Also I don't know much about the good neighbor hotels but do one that is in within walking distance from the park. Trying to break down a stroller with overly tired kids to get on a shuttle is not fun. Another tip would be to take advantage of the rider switch since your little one won't be big enough to go on all the rides. You can ask a cast member for a rider switch pass when entering a ride which allows you to enter back through the fast pass line. If your 3 year old is not big enough your 5 year old will be able to ride it twice. The rider switch pass just needs to be used by the end of the day.

 

[nurse.darcy]

Good advice so far. Here is some more that may help you.

Dining:

Do NOT use the dining plan. You will spend twice as much as you need to for kids that won't eat 1/2 of what is served. Disneyland resort is all about the quick service meals. They do have some healthier options, it doesn't always have to be burgers and fries. In fact, at the quick service places, most of the time you can get an "uncrustable" (those smucker's pbj sandwiches) with apple wedges or carrots and milk or juice. There are also fruit stands which sell fruit, trail mixes, nuts and other healthy options. If you want to do sit down dining at some time during your trip (such as a character meal), just call disney dining and make a reservation. Don't wait till you get there or you might not get a seat. I would not plan too many of these types of meals. Myself and two teens spent about $90 to $120 a day on food on our recent trip.

Lodging:

Someone recommended the Desert Inn and Suites. This is THE closest hotel to the main entrance. I have never stayed there but people say its nice. I just recently stayed at the Portofino Inn and there is a review of it here on this board.

Several things to note: Let your kids dictate the pace of the trip. You will have much less headaches if you don't try to cram everything into the days - that always leads to screaming and tantrums, which is no fun for anyone. With kids as small as yours, I would stick to the Disneyland Resort for this trip. Extra traveling time to see other things might be fun, but not having to move around with little ones is usually wise. Enjoy fireworks one night while there, don't try to do it every night, its just too much with little ones.

Most of all, enjoy yourself. You will have a great time.

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Thanks so much, everyone, for all the great advice.

Here's what I am figuring so far, thanks to all the fabulous suggestions:

3 or 4 day parkhopper pass - we are planning to spend a full 6 or 7 days (depending on flights, etc...), but I think the munchkins will be exhausted after 4 days. Arrive early AM when gates open (kids always up by 6 am anyway), spend 3 hrs, go back to hotel for lunches and naps, return to park around 3 or 4 for another few rides, etc, before dinner. Kids also have early bedtimes (by 8, or Meltdown Mania begins!!), so we will spend quiet evenings at hotel, just Mom and Dad. Hopefully can find a room close to viewing balcony so we can enjoy fireworks from room.

Looking at Desert Inn, Camelot, or Carousel for hotel options - all seem to be close to main gate, and have the size of rooms we will need (kids NEED seperate room if we are to be stuck at the hotel from 8 in the evening - Mom and Dad need somewhere to watch tv and unwind and plan for next day) Any suggestions about these hotels?

A few other questions, however. Please bear with me!
Airport - where does everyone fly in? Not sure right now what our options are, but which airport would be better (ok, yep, country bumpkin didn't realize there was more than one! )

Many people have mentioned buying groceries locally - can anyone give me an idea as to where the nearest grocery store to the above hotels would be? Driving or walking distance? We do a lot of snacking, and it would be nice to have some stuff in the room for before bed and early morning snacks.
I think we've scrapped the Legoland idea (kids probably too young to appreciate it) but we still think we'd like to do Sea World, since there's nothign even remotely like it up here (except the National Geographic channel), and we may not make another trip for a couple years. What would be best - rent a car and drive it ourselves, or go with an organized tour? The tour part has me a bit nervous, because with 3 kids we have to be flexible, and a tour usually isn't.
Also, based on advice, I am now thinking of taking the "sit and stand" type stroller (one kid rides in seat, other sits on step in back) and a backpack for the baby (she's very tiny for a 1 year old). Most of the time, baby will ride, 3 year old will ride or walk, and 5 year old will mostly walk. Backpack will come into play when 5 year old is too tired, then baby will move to backpack, 3 year old and 5 year old will ride. Think that will work?

Regarding rides - are there any rides the baby will be able to come on with us? I've seen some height restrictions on some rides, which will allow the oldest 2 to ride, which is fine. But are there any rides we will be able to go on as a family?

Thanks again, everyone! It's really great to be able to pick all these brains!

Carmen

 

[DangerMouse]

I can answer a couple of your questions:

The best airport to fly into is SNA (Orange County). It is close and offers shuttles, taxis and even the Disneyland Express bus. It's less than 15 miles away from DLR. The other closest airport is Long Beach (LGB). It is also very close, but the Disneyland Express bus doesn't go there.

As far as rides, you can take your 1 year old on any ride that doesn't have a height restriction. So, all of Fantasyland dark rides, Casey Jr. Storybook, Alice, Teacups, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise (may be closed during your visit), Winnie the Pooh, etc. There are many, many rides you can go on as a family.

You may want to learn how to utilize the child swap pass as well, so that your older kids can do rides with height restrictions with dad, then you can go on immediately after with a child without waiting in line.

 

[BlueBayou]

Someone recommended the Desert Inn and Suites. This is THE closest hotel to the main entrance. I have never stayed there but people say its nice. I just recently stayed at the Portofino Inn and there is a review of it here on this board.

I have stayed here a couple times, I would highly recommend it for location, space and cleanliness. We always would the best deal by using the motel's website for booking.

We have also stayed at the Camelot Inn (twice), HOJO (twice), and Best Western Park Inn (once). I would stay at any of those again - but if you are looking for space and location - The Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites is probably the best fit. We also loved our stay at the Grand Californian, but the rooms are small for the price - but it is sure nice to have room service...

Sher