Should we even bother with going?

[sunflowersis]

We are planning a vacation for our spring break next year. We will be in California from March 14-16 in the Anaheim area. Looks like hotels in the Disneyland area are already selling out, and I'm guessing crowds are going to be horrific. Is it even worth bothering with?

We'll be arriving by car, so unless we can get one of the nearby hotels, we'll be using the parking structure, which I guess is a beast all unto itself.

I've become completely stressed out about this, and I'm almost ready to give up. We are first timers.

 

[Disney Dreams]

to the DISBoards!

Spring Break will be busy, but... I am one who always believes that a busy Disneyland experience is better than no Disneyland experience - especially if you have never been!

Don't give up! There are lots of great tips here and lots of people willing to answer questions to help you with your planning.

What specific areas of planning do you have questions? (Other than if you should go - which I say, "Yes!")

- Dreams

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Mid-March is the very beginning of the Spring Break season. The peak is the week before and after Easter (April 4 next year), so I wouldn't worry too much. It won't nearly as crazy as later weeks or Xmas. Definitely go!!

 

[sunflowersis]

Well if we can't get a hotel within walking distance, how early should we plan to pull into the parking structure to be at the park at opening?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Well if we can't get a hotel within walking distance, how early should we plan to pull into the parking structure to be at the park at opening?

Try taking ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) and avoid the parking structure. Some people prefer to drive, but I'd rather to the shuttle.

 

[goofycathy]

I think you should brave it and go, we'll be there the week before and arent worried so much about crowds.
I say, if its your first time there, just utilize fastpass and try to make a plan and stick with it. There are alot of books out there that give you nice touring plans that are easy to follow...other people have more information about this than I do im sure.

Just relax, book your trip, and look forward to being at the happiest place on earth and just enjoy your time there! its magical you wont regret it

 

[sunflowersis]

Try taking ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) and avoid the parking structure. Some people prefer to drive, but I'd rather to the shuttle.

I've read such horror stories about ART though, I was afraid to mess with it. I sure don't want to wait an hour and miss all that time at the park.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I've read such horror stories about ART though, I was afraid to mess with it. I sure don't want to wait an hour and miss all that time at the park.

It depends on where you are on the route. But you could easily wait just as long for the tram...

 

[goofycathy]

Try taking ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) and avoid the parking structure. Some people prefer to drive, but I'd rather to the shuttle.

you and me both, and ART (in our experience) has always had great service and really nice drivers and isnt that expensive...

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I'm sure you'll have no problem finding something within walking distance ~ book now, you can always cancel - you will not pay for your room until you check out. What hotels are you considering? It's been awhile since we've used ART but when we did it was fine ~ I do prefer to be within walking distance though.

 

[sunflowersis]

Is the Red Lion within walking distance?

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We are planning a vacation for our spring break next year. We will be in California from March 14-16 in the Anaheim area. Looks like hotels in the Disneyland area are already selling out, and I'm guessing crowds are going to be horrific. Is it even worth bothering with?

We'll be arriving by car, so unless we can get one of the nearby hotels, we'll be using the parking structure, which I guess is a beast all unto itself.

I've become completely stressed out about this, and I'm almost ready to give up. We are first timers.

When hotel rooms are selling out this early, my experience is that it is due to a convention (Anahiem has the largest convention center on the west coast) and many conventions have little impact on the crowds at the Park. From the convention center's website, it looks like there is large convention "Natural Products Expo West" that runs through the 14th. We have been there during that convention before (I think it was 2008) and found that crowds were fairly normal. I agree to go ahead and book a fully refundable hotel reservation now and have a great trip -- Suzanne

 

[bumbershoot]

When hotel rooms are selling out this early, my experience is that it is due to a convention (Anahiem has the largest convention center on the west coast) and many conventions have little impact on the crowds at the Park. From the convention center's website, it looks like there is large convention "Natural Products Expo West" that runs through the 14th. We have been there during that convention before (I think it was 2008) and found that crowds were fairly normal. I agree to go ahead and book a fully refundable hotel reservation now and have a great trip -- Suzanne

Good point!



Here is a thread with a huge map that shows hotels.

I personally would go with HoJo, Tropicana, Fairfield, maybe Carousel (others have had good experiences there, I did not), Camelot...Candy Cane Inn, Anabella (that one involves walking up as though you're going to Paradise Pier and Grand Cal...walking through Grand Cal towards the parks)...those are the walkable ones I think of when I think of walkable hotels. There are others right along Harbor and I just can't remember their names (oh, Desert Inn and Suites is one).

 

[Kittyskyfish]

Don't give up, sunflowersis, the park is made for first-timers! Your vacation doesn't have to be strategically perfect in order to have a perfectly fabulous time. I've been there when it's been slammed crowded and still had a ball. I agree with DisneyDreams - a busy Disneyland experience is still better than no Disneyland experience.

And even if there are spring breakers all around, the park hours almost always coincide with anticipated crowds. So, more people also mean longer park hours.

Some of the neighboring hotels that are more than a block away offer shuttle service. CandyCane Inn is one off the top of my head, and there are others. So you can leave you car parked at the hotel. I haven't used ART so I can't comment on that.

 

[Judy from Boise]

One huge variable for crowds will be if those dates coincide with the opening of World of Color.....right now we just have "spring" 2010 as a time frame.

 

[Eeee-va]

Just FYI, in reference to the map cited above, if your group is young and doesn't have any problems with walking, I walked just fine to DLR from the Ramada Plaza. I know a lot of people say the Candy Cane Inn is fine to walk, and the Ramada Plaza is just a little farther (and across the street, granted).

Of course, that hotel is fairly close to the convention center, so it's possible that it's sold out too. (We went there in 2005 because it was the only adequately-priced hotel we could find, and it was fully adequate. )

 

[onelilspark]

One huge variable for crowds will be if those dates coincide with the opening of World of Color.....right now we just have "spring" 2010 as a time frame.

When we were planning our trip, we were originally looking at a weekend in April. Found somewhere online that it was the weekend WOC was opening...so I quickly switched gears and now we're going in March

 

[Albort]

One huge variable for crowds will be if those dates coincide with the opening of World of Color.....right now we just have "spring" 2010 as a time frame.

Can you imagine? 40,000 ppl in DCA???

the probably start WoC same as Fantasmic(which wont be going during Spring break)

so fireworks should be a breeeeeeze to get good spot...

 

[Judy from Boise]

thanks for the info! What I am trying to imagine is how in the world they are going to get the numbers they are talking into the new park/viewing area. Holy Moley.

 

[Albort]

thanks for the info! What I am trying to imagine is how in the world they are going to get the numbers they are talking into the new park/viewing area. Holy Moley.

fastpass... its the only way. They plan to have the lines go down Grizzy run area... :|