Preliminary Trip Plan

[RavenRequiem]

Well, it's getting down to the wire for us. Only 3 weeks before we leave. I won tickets and a 2 night stay at a resort hotel so I thought what better way to celebrate my birthday than Disneyland. I haven't been for 16 years, DH for 19, and a DNephew (5) and DFriend (27) who have never been. My DS (nephew's mom) and my mom (DGrandma) are also going. DS hasn't been for several years but DG went last year. And to top it off, DH and I will belatedly be celebrating our 15th anniversary (just happened). So we'll have 2 newbies, a birthday, anniversary, and DG will have a GAC or ECV due to her very bad knee. This should be quite the trip.

So far this has been quite the planning experience. We'll be in California from 9/29 to 10/5. We're driving down leaving the evening of 9/28 and will be spending 1 night in a basic motel before we get to check in at GCH for 2 nights on 9/30 and pick up our tickets. Apparently no one else has much of an opinion on what we're doing other than the beach and Sea World. So the plan is as follows:

9/29 - Arrive in Cali, San Jaun Capistrano (family tradition), Beach, Relaxing
9/30 - Disneyland - F!
10/1 - DCA Early Entry - Birthday - WOC
10/2 - Surf's Up Breakfast (must see Stitch) - Move Hotels (Can't afford GCH all week) - Halloween Party
10/3 - Sea World
10/4 - DL/DCA - Park Hopping just enjoying the day
10/5 - Leave Cali for Las Vegas and Home

I've gotten in a little trouble with DH for supposedly over planning. He wants to just ejoy the day and not have everything planned out. I told him the only things I HAVE to do are F! (which is why we're going on Sunday) & WOC. He wants to just go with the flow. I guess I'm just so excited that my brain is getting filled with lots and lots of stuff.

Thanks to the DIS boards for all of the wonderful suggestions and help with giving me ideas of things to do.

 

[I❤MICKEY]

We saw Stitch at Surf's up breakfast. Food was good and my boys enjoyed it. Do you have a Disney Visa? You can see him one on one in DCA during the cardholder VIP character meet and greet.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

Looks good Not over planned at all. My question for you is do you have a four day or a three day park ticket? I ask because you don't need a park ticket for you Halloween party day if all you're going to do that day is the Halloween party.

Somethings do need to be planned. I've made sure to tell my traveling companions that one early morning we're headed to DCA to get in line for RSR at park opening so that we don't have to wait in a 2+hour line. We may or may not get FP's after the fact. Other than that and a couple dinner resservations, we are just gonna see what the day brings.

I'm sure you guys will have a blast

 

[RavenRequiem]

We have 3-day tickets so Tuesday will be Breakfast and then relaxing while changing hotels and then only the Halloween party that evening. We'll have 3 full days throughout the week.

 

[RavenRequiem]

We don't have a Disney Visa (not good enough credit) but that's why I planned the Surf's Up Breakfast. It's the one food splurge for the week. We are doing this on the cheap so there will be lots of sandwiches and stuff brought into the parks. Maybe one meal in the parks depending on fundage.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

We don't have a Disney Visa (not good enough credit) but that's why I planned the Surf's Up Breakfast. It's the one food splurge for the week. We are doing this on the cheap so there will be lots of sandwiches and stuff brought into the parks. Maybe one meal in the parks depending on fundage.

I hear you on the food buget thing. We usually have breakfast in the hotel, bring snacks into the parks, have a park lunch, and have a hotel dinner. We went to the local Target and stocked up on muffins, lunchables, OJ, fruit snacks, goldfish crackers, yogurt, and sandwich stuff.

 

[RavenRequiem]

The good thing is that we'll already have a cooler in the car from the drive. We've done food on the cheap so many times before that I'm not worried about that. I think I was just panicking because DH said I was over-planning things. I'm trying to be excited but not check out everything so I still have some surprises. I don't want to be a spoilsport on the trip since I'm the one that initiated it. I'm a planner/procrastinator/worry-wort all in one. I'm just trying to make sure I don't forget anything.