Please critique our plan<we FINALLY booked our flights, hotels, etc.> :)

[ErinsMommy]

You all have been so incredibly helpful and wonderful. We FINALLY booked our flights and hotels this weekend and now I'm in full blown planning mode! Please help give your input on the below plan - too many days, not enough days, am i missing a "must see/do". Also we wont be renting a car, no one wants to drive so we'll be relying strictly on Uber.

8/29 Arriving in LAX @ 12:11 p.m.
Uber to Sheraton Universal Hotel - check-in, drop off luggage at bell services as room not likely ready
Uber or public transp. to Hollywood Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater and Griffith Observatory

8/30 Univeral Studios Hollywood day with "Express Pass" tickets.

8/31 Day @ Santa Monica Pier/Venice Beach.

9/1 Check out of Sheraton and Uber to Disneyland (Best Western Plus) - check-in/drop off luggage and spend day at DL/DCA Day 1
9/2 Disneyland/California Adventure Day 2
9/3 Men are thinking if the Angels are home, they'll want to catch a game sometime during the trip--what can us women/kids do?
9/4 Knotts Berry Farm maybe? <Husband keeps tell me its a MUST DO, not sure what he's seeing that I'm not??>
9/5 Disneyland/California Adventure Day 3
9/6 Check-Out of hotel - flight back home at 5:15 p.m.

Thanks so much for all the continued help/advice

 

[BadPinkTink]

Sounds good
You can take the Red Line Underground Metro from Universal City direct to Hollywood and Highland, which is the stop where The Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, handprints in cement, El Captain Theatre, Madame Tusards, Mels Drive in Diner are located. There is also a viewing spot for The Hollywood sign on the upper level of Hollywood and Highland Mall, near California Pizza Kitchen. This area gets very crowded in the afternoon and can be very seedy and dingy in the evening/ night time. Just be aware its a lot of hustle and bustle with the lookalikes hustling for business. Don't take photos with them, as many are homeless and they charge for photos and thats how they earn a living.

Also how are you getting to Santa Monica. Its a big trek from Universal Studios if you are using public transport. UBER will probably cost a lot too. You would best hiring a car.

The same with transferring from Universal to Disney.

I take the Red Line Underground Metro to Union Station, then AMTRAK Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim Artic Train Station and then ART local bus to the Disneyland area. The journey usually takes me about 2 hours to get from hotel in Hollywood to my hotel in Anaheim. Also remember you will have to haul your luggage around yourself. I manage fine as I usually have a 50 pound rolling case and a backpack. But if you have more than that or if someone in your party can not haul their own bags, then it will be difficult.

 

[Aurora0427]

Sounds good
You can take the Red Line Underground Metro from Universal City direct to Hollywood and Highland, which is the stop where The Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, handprints in cement, El Captain Theatre, Madame Tusards, Mels Drive in Diner are located. There is also a viewing spot for The Hollywood sign on the upper level of Hollywood and Highland Mall, near California Pizza Kitchen. This area gets very crowded in the afternoon and can be very seedy and dingy in the evening/ night time. Just be aware its a lot of hustle and bustle with the lookalikes hustling for business. Don't take photos with them, as many are homeless and they charge for photos and thats how they earn a living.

Also how are you getting to Santa Monica. Its a big trek from Universal Studios if you are using public transport. UBER will probably cost a lot too. You would best hiring a car.

The same with transferring from Universal to Disney.

I take the Red Line Underground Metro to Union Station, then AMTRAK Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim Artic Train Station and then ART local bus to the Disneyland area. The journey usually takes me about 2 hours to get from hotel in Hollywood to my hotel in Anaheim. Also remember you will have to haul your luggage around yourself. I manage fine as I usually have a 50 pound rolling case and a backpack. But if you have more than that or if someone in your party can not haul their own bags, then it will be difficult.

Hi you sound super familiar with LA.... my husband wants to come up from San Diego with the kids and see La Brea Tar Pits and some of the other kid friendly iconic LA sites. Can I message you for advice???? We just moved here from Texas, and I have never been to LA and don’t even know where to begin!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Hi you sound super familiar with LA.... my husband wants to come up from San Diego with the kids and see La Brea Tar Pits and some of the other kid friendly iconic LA sites. Can I message you for advice???? We just moved here from Texas, and I have never been to LA and don’t even know where to begin!

Hi sure, go ahead and thanks I'm actually from Ireland but I'm a solo traveler, I don't drive and I have been visiting the LA area every year for the last 10 years. Theres tons of local SO Cal people on here too, so post a question and you will get lots of help

 

[ErinsMommy]

Sounds good
You can take the Red Line Underground Metro from Universal City direct to Hollywood and Highland, which is the stop where The Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, handprints in cement, El Captain Theatre, Madame Tusards, Mels Drive in Diner are located. There is also a viewing spot for The Hollywood sign on the upper level of Hollywood and Highland Mall, near California Pizza Kitchen. This area gets very crowded in the afternoon and can be very seedy and dingy in the evening/ night time. Just be aware its a lot of hustle and bustle with the lookalikes hustling for business. Don't take photos with them, as many are homeless and they charge for photos and thats how they earn a living.

Also how are you getting to Santa Monica. Its a big trek from Universal Studios if you are using public transport. UBER will probably cost a lot too. You would best hiring a car.

The same with transferring from Universal to Disney.

I take the Red Line Underground Metro to Union Station, then AMTRAK Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim Artic Train Station and then ART local bus to the Disneyland area. The journey usually takes me about 2 hours to get from hotel in Hollywood to my hotel in Anaheim. Also remember you will have to haul your luggage around yourself. I manage fine as I usually have a 50 pound rolling case and a backpack. But if you have more than that or if someone in your party can not haul their own bags, then it will be difficult.

Thank you so much!

As for getting to/from Santa Monica pier and then transferring from Universal to Disney, I just realized how expensive it actually is but we plan on taking Ubers or I just sent an email to Lansky's to get their prices as well. This is one thing I'll really miss about being in that "bubble" of WDW. But we're excited nonetheless.

 

[Aurora0427]

Hi sure, go ahead and thanks I'm actually from Ireland but I'm a solo traveler, I don't drive and I have been visiting the LA area every year for the last 10 years. Theres tons of local SO Cal people on here too, so post a question and you will get lots of help

Thank you!!!!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Thank you so much!

As for getting to/from Santa Monica pier and then transferring from Universal to Disney, I just realized how expensive it actually is but we plan on taking Ubers or I just sent an email to Lansky's to get their prices as well. This is one thing I'll really miss about being in that "bubble" of WDW. But we're excited nonetheless.

WDW vets really underestimate the distance between Universal and Disney in California and also how spread out LA is in general. I usually allow between 60 to 90 minutes travel time between point A and point B, even if I am with friends who are driving.

If you will be using the underground and buses in LA check out the TAP Card https://www.taptogo.net/ its a plastic credit card sized travel card which you load with money and then use on the buses and underground

 

[ErinsMommy]

WDW vets really underestimate the distance between Universal and Disney in California and also how spread out LA is in general. I usually allow between 60 to 90 minutes travel time between point A and point B, even if I am with friends who are driving.

If you will be using the underground and buses in LA check out the TAP Card https://www.taptogo.net/ its a plastic credit card sized travel card which you load with money and then use on the buses and underground

Thank you

 

[Lumpy1106]

I doubt you'll need the Express Pass tickets @ UA.
What is it you want to see @ Santa Monica Pier/Venice Beach? I would skip that. Lots of much better choices if you want to see beach areas closer to DL. Balboa, Huntington, Laguna, just a few that come to mind.
Angels are home @ 7p vs. the Rangers on 9/3. The Ducks should be in pre-season for next year by then but schedules are not out for that. If you've never been to a hockey game, hockey>>baseball IMHO. As far as what to do instead, what interest you? So Cal is pretty limitless.
KBF is totally worth it. The rides are much more intense than DL/DCA, but the park has maintained that old-school feel. One warning; if it looks like it's going to be crowded, give it a pass. KBF cannot handle crowds the way Disney can and it can be a pretty rough day. I think you will be in the clear for your dates though.

 

[baozi]

A DL/DCA day that includes commute from Universal is like a partial day. Also recently Universal Hollywood is very slow, you have multiple opportunities for rope drops, like early entry, regular rope drop, opening of the lower lot. If you utilize these, pretty much you will only leave the studio tour (do not do it early if you want to utilize the rope drops) and either Simpsons or Minion and the shows after 12:00pm. In this case you do not need the express pass.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I doubt you'll need the Express Pass tickets @ UA.
What is it you want to see @ Santa Monica Pier/Venice Beach? I would skip that. Lots of much better choices if you want to see beach areas closer to DL. Balboa, Huntington, Laguna, just a few that come to mind.
Angels are home @ 7p vs. the Rangers on 9/3. The Ducks should be in pre-season for next year by then but schedules are not out for that. If you've never been to a hockey game, hockey>>baseball IMHO. As far as what to do instead, what interest you? So Cal is pretty limitless.
KBF is totally worth it. The rides are much more intense than DL/DCA, but the park has maintained that old-school feel. One warning; if it looks like it's going to be crowded, give it a pass. KBF cannot handle crowds the way Disney can and it can be a pretty rough day. I think you will be in the clear for your dates though.

Thank you so much! Should we drop the Express pass option? Is it because the dates we're going it'll be light crowds??

Also my boss went to law school in LA and said SMP/VB was something just fun to do; plus he said its just cool to walk down, shop at the little stores alongside the beach, etc.. When we're at the Sheraton Universal is when we're planning on going to SMP/VB. Any other beach recommendations closer by?

I'll tell DH about the Angels/Rangers game. Just I guess fun for him to be in a new/different stadium. We're die-hard NY Rangers fans, so hockey is more our thing, so I'll also ask him which he likes the idea better about.

 

[ErinsMommy]

A DL/DCA day that includes commute from Universal is like a partial day. Also recently Universal Hollywood is very slow, you have multiple opportunities for rope drops, like early entry, regular rope drop, opening of the lower lot. If you utilize these, pretty much you will only leave the studio tour (do not do it early if you want to utilize the rope drops) and either Simpsons or Minion and the shows after 12:00pm. In this case you do not need the express pass.

Thats what I said to DH, its a wasted day IMO but we're not super early risers anyway, so most our days we'll be getting there around 11:00 a.m. And good idea on the shows. Thank you!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Also my boss went to law school in LA and said SMP/VB was something just fun to do; plus he said its just cool to walk down, shop at the little stores alongside the beach, etc.. When we're at the Sheraton Universal is when we're planning on going to SMP/VB. Any other beach recommendations closer by?

You will get different views on Santa Monica from everyone. For me, it was one of the first places I went to when I started visiting the LA area, so I have sentimental attachment to it. Most SO CAL people will tell you its over rated as they have been there multiple times over multiple years.

The beach for me is not the main attraction, When I go there I like to walk down the pier and just experience the atmosphere. For me Santa Monica Pier was somewhere I watched for years on various TV programs so to me the the typical SO CAL beach town, the place that the gang from 90210 would go to etc etc.

Also 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place Mall for me as a solo female traveler are a relatively safe place to visit. Also I don't drive, but Santa Monica is accessible to me as its on the LA Metro system. I'm from Europe so the whole beach town vibe and the shops are part of my LA experience.

SO CAL is very car centric so locals often assume that tourists / out of towners / visitors will have a car and will recommend places that they drive to. Many local SO CAL people have never used the public transport in the LA area.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Thats what I said to DH, its a wasted day IMO but we're not super early risers anyway, so most our days we'll be getting there around 11:00 a.m. And good idea on the shows. Thank you!

oh wow, you are basing at Universal and then travelling to Disney each day. Honestly I would not recommend that.

When I first started visiting Disney I would do a one day visit with friends and we would be based in the LA area. It would take us about over 90 minutes from the time we left our hotel to the time we went through the entrance turnstiles on Main Street USA. then at the end of the day, we had the same 60 to 90 minute drive back to the LA area.

For such a short time, I would really reconsider and look at Anaheim hotels / motels and do a split stay.

Now that I'm solo, I spend the first part of my vacation in the LA area with my friends and then transfer to Anaheim, and stay at a hotel / motel for the parks.

 

[ErinsMommy]

oh wow, you are basing at Universal and then travelling to Disney each day. Honestly I would not recommend that.

When I first started visiting Disney I would do a one day visit with friends and we would be based in the LA area. It would take us about over 90 minutes from the time we left our hotel to the time we went through the entrance turnstiles on Main Street USA. then at the end of the day, we had the same 60 to 90 minute drive back to the LA area.

For such a short time, I would really reconsider and look at Anaheim hotels / motels and do a split stay.

Now that I'm solo, I spend the first part of my vacation in the LA area with my friends and then transfer to Anaheim, and stay at a hotel / motel for the parks.

No sorry for the confusion. We're only at Universal for 3 nights (8/29-9/1) then changing hotels to the Best Western Anaheim (9/1-9/6). We're just not anticipating getting out to the park until about 11:00 a.m. We're not early risers on vacation. lol

 

[BadPinkTink]

No sorry for the confusion. We're only at Universal for 3 nights (8/29-9/1) then changing hotels to the Best Western Anaheim (9/1-9/6). We're just not anticipating getting out to the park until about 11:00 a.m. We're not early risers on vacation. lol

Ah ok, but still I would reconsider your timings. The sweet spot in Disneyland for low wait times is usually the first few hours after park opening. Its crazy at Rope Drop , Park opening right now with everyone trying to get a boarding group fro ROTR but other than that, the parks are still relatively low crowds before lunch. From lunch time onwards thats when the wait times start to climb.

Getting there at 11am will seriously put you at a disadvantage

 

[ErinsMommy]

Ah ok, but still I would reconsider your timings. The sweet spot in Disneyland for low wait times is usually the first few hours after park opening. Its crazy at Rope Drop , Park opening right now with everyone trying to get a boarding group fro ROTR but other than that, the parks are still relatively low crowds before lunch. From lunch time onwards thats when the wait times start to climb.

Getting there at 11am will seriously put you at a disadvantage

Even if we have Maxpass? Was hoping for one trip where we wont feel like we need a vacation from the vacation. lol

 

[BadPinkTink]

Even if we have Maxpass? Was hoping for one trip where we wont feel like we need a vacation from the vacation. lol

Maxpass is an on the day Fastpass system. So everyone in the parks from Rope Drop will be pulling Fastpasses right from the time they get scanned in to the parks. By 11.am you could end up with either Fastpasses gone for the day OR only afternoon / evening Fastpasses, depending on crowd levels and which Fastpasses you are tying to pull.

Maxpass is not like Fastpass ++ in WDW where you can schedule the time you want. In Disneyland even with Maxpass you just get the next available time, which could be in an hours time or 6 hours time.

 

[MrsSLF]

Thank you so much! Should we drop the Express pass option? Is it because the dates we're going it'll be light crowds??

Also my boss went to law school in LA and said SMP/VB was something just fun to do; plus he said its just cool to walk down, shop at the little stores alongside the beach, etc.. When we're at the Sheraton Universal is when we're planning on going to SMP/VB. Any other beach recommendations closer by?

I'll tell DH about the Angels/Rangers game. Just I guess fun for him to be in a new/different stadium. We're die-hard NY Rangers fans, so hockey is more our thing, so I'll also ask him which he likes the idea better about.

I’m super partial and coming late to this but I would absolutely visit SM/Venice. Granted, I lived in SM for about 8 years when I was a kid so it holds a special place for me. I do agree that the traveling back and forth will be a haul, more than what it would seem on Google Maps because of the traffic. I think visiting the pier (though I remember what it was like before it became what it is today), the beach, and 3rd St Promenade are more than worthwhile (especially if you’re a movie buff). I prefer heading up the PCH for better beaches but cannot wait to show my family where I grew up. Oh, and the Venice Boardwalk is awesome and interesting in its own right.

We’re actually planning a trip to California in August as well (my husband and daughter have never been) and we’re going to do similar things on your itinerary but we’re going to stay on the westside in SM and are only planning one day at Universal (because, ).

 

[sherilaine]

My only advice is to not underestimate how long it takes to drive anywhere (whether you are driving or hiring someone to drive you) in that area. Driving from Universal to Disneyland - you can hit a lot of traffic so avoid rush hour as much as you can - I'd likely get up long before the sun and head out if I were you as we've gotten stuck in that madness before.

The express pass is great for Universal so enjoy that!

If you do end up getting a rental car, the beach would be a great way to spend some time if trying to find something to do when others are taking in a ball game.