PTR March 5-21:

[dollybaby74]

Hello everyone! This is my first trip report and am hoping starting a pre-trip will help kill the time until we are at Disneyland….3 weeks and 5 days from today!!

Our travel dates are March 5-21, spending the first 5 nights at Disney and then heading over to San Diego for the remainder of our vacation.

So a bit about us – it will be myself(36), my DS (12) and DS(18 months).

We live in Toronto and the plan was to drive to Disneyworld this March however, as DH is not able to accompany this year, and I’ll be 20 weeks pregnant at the time, I didn’t think I’d be able to handle the 2-3 day drive on my own. Soo…..I thought it would be a good time to take a trip back home to San Diego and visit my parents, brother and sister and sneak in a few days at Disney. I know, I know, how did I end up in Canada – long story.

The plan is for us to fly in to LAX at 8:00pm March 5th. I am happy that I got DS and my plane tickets for $360 each including tax, and of course baby is free. Normally we would have to fly out of Buffalo for lower fares as Toronto airport taxes are so freaking expensive (especially around spring break), but I somehow lucked out. DS(12) has his last game of basketball at noon on the day we leave, the league has their celebratory handing out of trophies and party right after – we’ll be running from there and to the airport to there to catch our flight at 5:30. I’m expecting a chaotic day!

I havn’t nailed down our transportation plans yet. I’ve got a couple of ideas:

Option #1
Pickup and drop off car at LAX using Advantage car rental for $358 inc fees and taxes from March 5-21 (entire duration of our stay)

Option #2
Take Disneyland Express for $23 for the 3 of us, then pick up car at Avis in Anaheim on March 10th (day we leave for San Diego) and drop off in LAX when we depart. The rental would cost us $240 inc taxes and fees.

I’m still undecided whether the extra $100 dollar expense will be worth it to pick up a rental at the airport. I doubt we’ll be going anywhere other than Disneyland and the only reason I see having it would be to pick up some groceries/snacks for the kids. Oh, I also need to pick up a cheap pay as you go cell phone somewhere so I don’t incur crazy roaming charges.

We’ll be staying at the Quality Inn & Suites on Manchester. I know it gets mixed reviews but from most recent reviews and pictures it looks decent enough for us, clean and a 10 minute walk which is most important to me. I don’t expect us spending too much time in the rooms except for sleeping! I think I got a good rate of $240 inc taxes for the 5 nights through lastminutetravel.com.

While we were at Disneyworld last year, I came with no plan whatsoever and I really regretted it as we spent so much time with our noses in the map. I put together an itinerary for us this year as a guideline when we’re not sure what to do, but still plan to go with the flow when we feel like doing something other than what I planned. Plus with a baby in tow you never know how things will go!

Intinerary for Sunday
6:00 – Breakfast at hotel
6:30 – Line up for Magic Morning (MM starts at 7:00)
Tour Plan:
Grab FP for Space Mountain when available (8:00?)
• Peter Pan
• Dumbo
• Matterhorn
• Other fantasyland rides
• When FP time up head over to Adventureland – get IJ FP
• Pirates
• Haunted Mansion
• Jungle Cruise
• When FP time up get BTMRR
11:-00-11:30 – Lunch @ Rancho Del Zocalo
Tour Plan Continue:
• Ride Space
• Headover to toontown
• Get Roger Rabbit FP

2:00-4:00 – Break @ hotel
4:30 – Dinner Mimi’s
Tour Plan Continue:
5:00 – Use extra fast passes & tour what missed earlier
7:45 – Stake out spot for 8:45 fireworks
9:05 – Fanstasmic starts
9:05-11:00 – Tour at leisure or headback to hotel

Itinerary for Monday
7:45 – Breakfast at hotel
8:15 – Line up at Disneyland gate (opens at 9:00)
Touring Plan:
• Head to any attractions that missed previous day; want to see again; or head left and ride IJ/Pirates/HM
9:30 –Enter DCA and grab WOC passes
Touring Plan:
• Ride GRR
• Ride Soarin
• Snack at Taste Pilot’s Grill (beside Soarin)
• FP TOT (or ride)
• Do rides/show in bug’s land
• 12:20 – Get in line for Aladdin show at 12:40
• See Muppet 3D
• Get Fast Pass for Toy Story Midway and leave park
2:30-4:30 – Break at hotel
5:00 – Dinner at Goofy’s
6:00 – Head back to DCA
Touring Plan:
• TOT
• Toy Story Mania
• King Triton’s Carousel
• Stake out spot for WOC at 7:10 for show at 8:15
9:00 – Back to hotel

Itinerary for Tuesday
7:45 – Breakfast at hotel
8:15 – Line up at Disneyland gate (opens at 9:00)
Touring Plan:
•Head to any attractions that missed previous day; want to see again
•Lunch – any counter service
•Continue touring
2:00-4:00 – Break at Hotel
4:30 – Dinner at Blue Bayou
Touring Plan:
•Head to any attractions that missed previous day; want to see again
8:00 – Leave Disneyland and head back to hotel

 
Itinerary for Wednesday
7:45 – Breakfast at hotel
8:30 – Line up at DCA gate (opens at 9:00)
Touring Plan:
•Head to any attractions that missed previous day; want to see again
•Eat lunch around 11:00 (?)
•Continue touring
2:00-4:00 – Break at Hotel
4:30 – Dinner at Mimi’s
5:30 – Enter Disneyland or DCA
Touring Plan:
•Head to any attractions that missed previous day; want to see again
8:00 – Leave Disneyland and head back to hotel & pack for checkout next day


Itinerary for Thursday
7:30 – Breakfast at hotel
11:00 – Checkout
11:30 – Grab lunch (possibly pickup rental)
Touring Plan:
Whatever park feel like
Lots of pictures
Walk around Downtown Disney
Tour Disney Hotels
4:30 – Head over to ESPN for dinner – LAX/MIA game starts @ 5:00
8:00 – Picked up or drive with rental to mom and dads


Here are some pictures of us at Epcot in March 2010:

Well that's about it!! Less than 4 weeks to go but still feels like it's going to take FOREVER. Although I know from experience once I'm down to 7 days left I start going crazy thinking about all the things I still have left to do LOL. Thanks for reading!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Looks like a busy schedule....but good you're flexible & can just go with the flow. Crowd levels during the time you're there is up in the air.....we've gone at the time before & it was super busy....but a lot of the spring breaks for the schools is later this year....so hopefully it won't be too bad. We'll actually be there the 3rd thru the 10th........so I'm hoping for smaller crowds!!

The only thing that stood out to me on your itinerary was getting FP's for Toy Story Midway Mania.......we don't have them at DL for this ride!! The line for this is always long....so try to do that right at opening of DCA or plan on standing in line for a while.

With your DS, 18mths.....I'm guessing you and your DS, 12 yrs will have to do a lot of the rides solo......some of the rides offer single rider, so the waits aren't as long....just inquire with the CM at the entrance of each ride.

I've not heard of the motel you're staying at....so hopefully it ends up being a good one!! We stayed at a nightmare motel in 09......filthy, filthy, filthy!!! Does the motel offer the Anaheim Resort Transit to the parks? A 10 min walk can seem like an eternity at the end of a long day.

Can't wait to read more as your trip nears.....and who knows.....maybe we'll run into each other!!!

 

[dollybaby74]

Yes, I've heard the crowd levels can be iffy at that time, just before spring break season hits! Here's crossing our fingers for both of us that it's not too busy!!

Oooooh thank you for letting me know no fast passes on TSM! I guess we'll have to plan on getting on it first thing one of the mornings we're there as you suggested.

You got it, the 12 year old is going to have to ride some of the bigger rides on his own. I've already prepped him for that and he doesn't seem to be too upset, as long as he gets to ride. LOL. I won't be able to ride some of them as well being pregnant and all.

The motel is right behind the Fairfield Inn, if I was to grab the ART it would be by the HOJO, from the reviews I've read I just might as well walk it. I'll have the stroller as well so we should be ok. What motel did you stay at? I hope it's not the same one!!!

Maybe we'll bumpt into each other, I'll have to watch for you while we're there.

 

[DizNee Luver]

We stayed at the America's Best Inn & Suites, Anaheim on Ball Street.......It was sooooooooo nasty! My twins were 1 1/2 & crawling on the floor & their feet & knees turned black after just a few minutes. They kept blaming the fireworks from Disneyland for their carpets being that filthy!!! That was just part of our issues there......ewwww!

I'm going with the Dis Diva's Girls Only Trip & staying at the Carousel Inn. Never stayed there before, but it looks nice & is close to the park. My hubby is joining me at the end of the girls trip and we'll move over to the Paradise Pier Hotel for 3 nights. Really excited to be staying on site!!

Good call on the stroller......we always bring our own......the kiddos get heavy when walking to & from the parks.