Pre-trip Report Jan/Feb 2010

[awesomebrownfamily]

Hi All,
Pre-trip report:

We’re a family of 4 (DH, DW, DS’s 4 & 9) heading to the USA for our first overseas trip as a family.

We’ll be flying from Melbourne into LAX (with V) and making our way by hire car to our hotel in Santa Monica where we will be based for 4 nights and plan to check out Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Griffith Observatory, The Autry Centre, Santa Monica Pier (and surrounds) and a few other sights.

Next we move on to San Diego for 3 nights where we hope to enjoy the Zoo, Sea World & Lego Land.

From San Diego we’ll be driving out to Palm Springs for a 2 night stop over with a visit to the Joshua Tree National Park.

We then jump back into the car and drive to Anaheim to visit with Mickey & friends for about a week or so staying at the DLH. While here we’ll be celebrating (belatedly) a 40th B-day and by happy coincidence a 10th B-day.

We know that some of the attractions at DL may not be running, but we’re hoping, based on the late Jan/early Feb maintenance schedules from previous years, that most will be. We also know that the weather may not be the best, the trade-off being lower crowd levels, again hopefully.

Our plans are fairly well formed at this stage with flights, car hire, and accommodation all sorted (apart from Palm Springs).

We’ve read numerous guide books and trawled thought hundreds of forum posts and think (mistakenly, I’m sure) that we’re fairly well prepared.

If anyone is interested we’ll update as our departure draws closer and we’d welcome any advice or sage wisdom anyone may care to share with us……

 

[DizOz]

Terry sounds great. You are right you can never be to prepared. Our last trip I did the same. Whilst I had been to DL and WDW before it was the first tiem with the family. Wow it was an eye opener.

We are in the final stages of booking our next trip. See our PTR at:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2307165

Have a great time.

 

[awesomebrownfamily]

DizOz….you trip sounds really good too. I particularly like the look of the cruise, we’ve been think about taking one ourselves since we saw the details on the Diz planning DVD.

Oh, I should point out none of us are Terry Thomas, he’s the distinctive looking chap in our avatar pic…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry-Thomas

 

[darren123]

When you go to Griffith Observatory try and get there just before sunset have a look around and enjoy the daylight sights you can see the Hollywood sign from there and then go and have a look inside the Observatory and then go outside when the sun goes down the difference on how LA looks with all the lights on beautiful, we are going over for aweek 27/1/10 to 3/2/10 next year might see you there

 

[awesomebrownfamily]

When you go to Griffith Observatory try and get there just before sunset have a look around and enjoy the daylight sights you can see the Hollywood sign from there and then go and have a look inside the Observatory and then go outside when the sun goes down the difference on how LA looks with all the lights on beautiful, we are going over for aweek 27/1/10 to 3/2/10 next year might see you there

You never know…..we’ll be in the US from the 22nd through to the 5th with the DL portion of our trip from the 31st so we’ll certainly be there at same time…..just keep an ear our for some one using “crikey”, “struth”, “bonza”, “she’ll be apples” and other top Aussie expressions…my plan is to use as many a possible, as often as possible...

 

[kylieh]

You never know…..we’ll be in the US from the 22nd through to the 5th with the DL portion of our trip from the 31st so we’ll certainly be there at same time…..just keep an ear our for some one using “crikey”, “struth”, “bonza”, “she’ll be apples” and other top Aussie expressions…my plan is to use as many a possible, as often as possible...

You tend to sound more Australian when you're away, and it is always so nice to hear a local accent.

Can't wait to hear your trip report.

 

[StephAus]

Ooh, my first trip buddy! Although i think we will be on our way to NY when you arrive. I'm so excited, we are finally under the 3 month mark.

 

[darren123]

You never know…..we’ll be in the US from the 22nd through to the 5th with the DL portion of our trip from the 31st so we’ll certainly be there at same time…..just keep an ear our for some one using “crikey”, “struth”, “bonza”, “she’ll be apples” and other top Aussie expressions…my plan is to use as many a possible, as often as possible...

I will be easy to spot I have a pirate mickey tattoo on my left forearm http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2179764&page=3
Post no.41

 

[shushh]

Wow! That's a commitment to Disney!

 

[AlyssaCameronsDad]

I like this site for the maintenance schedule. It will give you a rough idea of what is opearating & when it is expected to be back online.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=dl

Also, saw your request for Legoland tix. We may have an extra free child ticket or some other discount - will check at home later today. Let me know if you still require one.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[awesomebrownfamily]

I like this site for the maintenance schedule. It will give you a rough idea of what is opearating & when it is expected to be back online.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=dl

Also, saw your request for Legoland tix. We may have an extra free child ticket or some other discount - will check at home later today. Let me know if you still require one.

Thanks,
Brian

I’ve been checking the closure list obsessively for a while now….by the looks of things we’ll miss out on the Rivers of America…. Which is a little disappointing, not so much in relation to the boats rides but rather just the ambiance….

We’ll also have to make do without the Orange Stinger and Redwood Creek Trail….

Thanks for the offer re Lego land tickets…we’re all sorted with that one…

 

[awesomebrownfamily]

Well, our plans are progressing…..we got our PS bookings for dinner at Goofy’s kitchen, breakfast with Mickey and lunch at Blue Bayou….not all on the same day thankfully.

We need to wait a little longer to book our Welcome to Disneyland tour…apparently you can only book these 30 days in advance, so it looks like we’ll need to give them a call on NYE (or maybe on the 1st)….