Planning for Disneyland

[Zeke370]

How far in advance you to plan a Disneyland vacation after you last one. My DW and I went for my first time to Disneyland for our honeymoon in 2011 and we went back in 2013. This year we are doing a DCL in August.

We seem to take 2-6 months before we will finalize when we are looking to go. As we need to save up usually to make payments to go. So my question is when you are planning how do you decide on where to stay, Park Hopper option, and do you do the dining plan?

TIA
J

 

[l4dyj8]

With any vacation, my planning starts with deal availability. If I have flexible dates, I start with hotel prices. I have found that those are best to book early. I always check their cancellation policy. You can always cancel when a new one comes along. Or, I've heard call Disney directly if you booked through them.

We are (LA) local and AP holders but we do make a weekend of it when budget and time allows. AP discounts don't always happen and sometimes I get deals with other sites that have discount codes. (Did have an AP package that included a free dinner at Carthay Circle. For a family of 3, that was huge savings. But I booked early and over the phone because it was a popular deal.)

No dining plan needed for DL. But once dates are secure, I book dining. But when is dependent on time of year, guest size and time of day. Like booking at key dining hours requires booking early. But again, I've always heard far advance reservations isn't really needed. I've been fine within the month.

Imo, DL is pretty low key and no need for excessive planning. But that's just me cause I grew up near there. But really it just hotel and restaurants. If I were flying, do that first in research because those are generally non refundable

 

[kitayama]

Park hopper tickets are a must!
If is way too easy to switch parks... Not giving yourself the opportunity to do that is not advisable.

 

[Canuck16]

We always stay somewhere close so we can walk to and from the parks.

Park hoppers are a must IMO.

No Dining Plan.

DLR is so much easier to plan than WDW

 

[YukonMommy]

We are going in 2017 (last visit January 2014) and I already am planning and saving! It will be a whole new ballgame for us as we have to go at a busy time (March break, due to kids entering high school and my going back to work in the school system) We already know where we are going to be staying (offsite). I have a book with my numbers (ex, what hotel will cost, tickets (and change it as the prices change). Our only big unknown will be flights and for 6 people the cheaper the better!

 

[Zeke370]

All great suggestions, please keep them coming. The two times we have went together we have stayed off property, once at the Motel 6 Maingate with the ART option and the other at the Alamo in just down Katella from the Disneyland Dr intersection.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

LOL. Let's put it this way. We're planning a trip to WDW in about 9 years and I'm already budgeting.

Disneyland is different for us because we're locals. But, if we're planning over the night trips, I start looking at hotel deals as soon as I get the idea in my head to go, which is typically the day after our last trip. FYI, I've got a trip planned for August and am already trying to decide how to budget/where to stay for my twins' birthday in January.