Pricing for Disneyland?

[Familyof4lovesDW]

I priced out a 3 day trip to disneyland and it came out more expensive or close to the same price as a trip to WDW for 5 days. I was wondering if it is just more expensive or if I did something wrong.

It seemed like it is all laid out for you when you do WDW, but the info is confusing for DL. We want to stay on site and get the dining plan. The price included the three day dining plan and three day park hopper (looked only like it was $10 more a ticket??) I have two adults and two "disney" kids.

We are not planning until June 2012, but at that price the choice would be obvious to go to WDW again. Thank you to anyone that can figure this out.

 

[PinkBudgie]

That's funny, when I look at WDW is always seems so much more expensive. We are trying to save up to go in 2014. But to stay somewhere somewhat close to one park or another is very expensive. That trip is going to cost us thousands of dollars as compared to DLR which costs us at most about $1,000 to $1200 if we stay 5 or 6 days.

Where are you staying at DLR? On site hotels are very expensive and we've never stayed there. We like to stay at Candy Cane right next door for anywhere between $129-$139 a night depending on the time of year. It is a quick walk and breakfast is included.

I just checked 3 day park hoppers at both resorts. There is a deal right now at DLR- 3 days for $169. It is $278 for a 3 day park hopper at WDW. So, the tickets are cheaper at DLR. Also DLR sometimes has package deal like 5 days for the price of 3.

Also, did you price a package with the dining plan? You don't want that at DLR.

Of course, airfare would be a factor and I don't know which way is cheaper for you to fly.

Did that help a little? I would just be curious what things you included in your pricing.

Oh, I just realized that we always get APs. We get two summer vacations out them plus one or two trips in between so that helps save money on tickets during the year. Our APs were about the price of 5 day parkhoppers if I remember correctly. I think 4 cost us around $1200 through the teachers union. It is like paying for tickets for one trip and getting in free for the other trips.

 

[skiingfast]

I priced out a 3 day trip to disneyland and it came out more expensive or close to the same price as a trip to WDW for 5 days. I was wondering if it is just more expensive or if I did something wrong.

It seemed like it is all laid out for you when you do WDW, but the info is confusing for DL. We want to stay on site and get the dining plan. The price included the three day dining plan and three day park hopper (looked only like it was $10 more a ticket??) I have two adults and two "disney" kids.

We are not planning until June 2012, but at that price the choice would be obvious to go to WDW again. Thank you to anyone that can figure this out.

First, try posting this on the main DL board,
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=26

Second, to better consider this I would read this thread for WDW planners.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Third, As Pink Budgie said and as you will find out by looking at the thread I listed above, take out the dining price, and look closely at the ticket prices. Also know that a DL hotel runs about the same pricewise as the deluxes at WDW.


IME, DL is always cheaper.

 

[Sherry E]

I moved you over to the main DL forum where you will get more replies.

You're right about the price comparison - well, during certain time frames, I think, and depending on where you stay. There are exceptions, and certain areas can be tweaked to be less expensive at DLR. Plus you can figure in discounts and things that pop up, but there are areas of the travel planning and times of year when it is cheaper at WDW than it is as DLR.

I recall that about 3 years ago my friend and her family stayed at Port Orleans at WDW - during the peak of the holiday season in December. They stayed a full week - or six nights, I think - and had Hoppers for 7 days. And it turned out to be cheaper than it would have been to stay at the Grand Californian Hotel at DLR for 3-4 nights in that same time frame!

 

[DahliaRW]

Often teh pakcages are not cheaper than purchasing hotel and ticket seperately. And the dining plan at DL is different than WDW and isn't worth doing. I'd imagine that'll get your costs down.

 

[HydroGuy]

I priced out a 3 day trip to disneyland and it came out more expensive or close to the same price as a trip to WDW for 5 days. I was wondering if it is just more expensive or if I did something wrong.

It seemed like it is all laid out for you when you do WDW, but the info is confusing for DL. We want to stay on site and get the dining plan. The price included the three day dining plan and three day park hopper (looked only like it was $10 more a ticket??) I have two adults and two "disney" kids.

We are not planning until June 2012, but at that price the choice would be obvious to go to WDW again. Thank you to anyone that can figure this out.

There are so many variables. Normally a WDW trip takes more days than a DLR trip and thus costs more overall but the per day cost is often less at WDW. It depends on where you stay of course. The DLR resort hotels tend to be pricier than the WDW resort hotels of comparable quality.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

if you get your hotle some where else say hojos et rate or dis rate then call disney landy an get a quote for there passporters pluse if you want the meal plan I for one like the meal plan. I think im the only one

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

Thanks for the replies. We just like staying onsite and did not realize how different disneylands's set up(ie. hotel, dining plan) was in compared to wdw. I will make some changes that were mentioned and see if that helps. Where do you usually find the best deals for disneyland (from disney, tripple a, etc)?

Do you guys just pay for the dining out of pocket? I know we would want to do the Ariel Princess meal, and another character meal. The water show looked really cool also. Is three days long enough to get through both parks?

Sherry E thank you for moving this where it belongs. I usually mess up new threads.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We just pay for food as we go. We usually only do one or two sit downs. Sometimes we just have ice cream for a meal.

I believe there are character meal vouchers you can get that may save you money but I don't know about those, so someone else would have to tell you more about that.

Three days is the least amount of days you can spend and see a decent amount. If you can pull another day or two, that would help. But at the very least, do three.

We did the WOC dinner package at Ariels and loved it. Be aware, that there are no princesses if you do the WOC dinner.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for the replies. We just like staying onsite and did not realize how different disneylands's set up(ie. hotel, dining plan) was in compared to wdw. I will make some changes that were mentioned and see if that helps. Where do you usually find the best deals for disneyland (from disney, tripple a, etc)?

Do you guys just pay for the dining out of pocket? I know we would want to do the Ariel Princess meal, and another character meal. The water show looked really cool also. Is three days long enough to get through both parks?

Sherry E thank you for moving this where it belongs. I usually mess up new threads.

FWIW the DLR AP program is much more liberal than WDW in getting dining and merchandise discounts. You might want to look at that if you will be dining at DLR a lot or buying a lot of gear.

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

We just pay for food as we go. We usually only do one or two sit downs. Sometimes we just have ice cream for a meal.

I believe there are character meal vouchers you can get that may save you money but I don't know about those, so someone else would have to tell you more about that.

Three days is the least amount of days you can spend and see a decent amount. If you can pull another day or two, that would help. But at the very least, do three.

We did the WOC dinner package at Ariels and loved it. Be aware, that there are no princesses if you do the WOC dinner.

So it is called Ariel's, but does not have Ariel or any princesses?

We are only doing three because we are going to do other thing while we are out there and already have 10 days planned. (seeing dh's dad for part, he lives in ca but not near dl, and where dh grew up at the beach).

I just want to find a way to make it work and you all are being so helpful. Thanks.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

So it is called Ariel's, but does not have Ariel or any princesses?

Only for breakfast and lunch.

 

[Disney-&-Baseball]

Thanks for the replies. We just like staying onsite and did not realize how different disneylands's set up(ie. hotel, dining plan) was in compared to wdw. I will make some changes that were mentioned and see if that helps. Where do you usually find the best deals for disneyland (from disney, tripple a, etc)?

Do you guys just pay for the dining out of pocket? I know we would want to do the Ariel Princess meal, and another character meal. The water show looked really cool also. Is three days long enough to get through both parks?

Sherry E thank you for moving this where it belongs. I usually mess up new threads.

If you are planning on booking a package versus booking room only, we have found a company called "Get Away Today" to have very reasonable prices. You can go to their website and price out several hotels including the ones on Disney property. Many of the "Good Neighbor Hotels" are closer to the park gates and are more reasonably priced compared to the hotels on property. We are just starting to plan our August vacation and right now we are looking at staying at HOJO. I think we will be booking room only using the MouseSavers code since the entertainment rate is not available for August. Good luck on planning your trip. I think planning the trip is almost as much fun as the trip itself!!

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

Only for breakfast and lunch.

Thanks. It looked like all of the character meals were for breakfast mostly. I found a little strange, that there were not as many options for dinner. DH is not a breakfast man, but will not deny dd a princess meal, or ds whatever meal he wanted. What are the best character meals they have, and are they breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Do you book them 180 days out, like wdw. Makes it seems like it is closer when you can say in a year I can book my dining lol.

I agree planning the trip is half the fun.

 

[sonnyjane]

Thanks. It looked like all of the character meals were for breakfast mostly. I found a little strange, that there were not as many options for dinner. DH is not a breakfast man, but will not deny dd a princess meal, or ds whatever meal he wanted. What are the best character meals they have, and are they breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Do you book them 180 days out, like wdw. Makes it seems like it is closer when you can say in a year I can book my dining lol.

I agree planning the trip is half the fun.

At Disneyland, they start accepting reservations 60 days out (not 180 like WDW). If your DD really wants a princess meal, then I would go for Ariel's, as they do breakfast and lunch with the princesses.