So envious!!

[connie107]

Im new here and keep reading all these posts about those of you that go to DL all the time. I gotta say Im so jealous!!! I live in BC and it took me 28 years to get there, my daughter is 5 and we both went last year for the very first time.....and OMG I gotta say I LOVE IT!!!!!! Were going again in May but would love to go more. I couldnt imagine living near it and going whenever you could. Its such an awesome time! and the people are super nice and the weather...ughh beautiful, especially when it rains here 9 out of 12 months lol.
So on that note, were going for 11 days this time, any tips on six flags or any beaches that we just gotta see??
Thanks

 

[c&m]

Hi Connie Welcome to the Dis!

We're from B.C. and love going to SoCal often. We have driven and have taken flights south (via Seattle). Flying out from Seattle has made it so much affordable for our family, enabling us to go more often. Those $49-$69 flights each way are great! Highly recommend renting a car and having a GPS.

A lot of families we know go to DL and then head straight home (just short 4-day trips ) -- they miss so much! We usually go to Orange County and San Diego. Huntington beach, Newport beach, Balboa Island, Laguna beach, the Grove and Farmers Market, Legoland, Moonlight beach in Encinitas, Coronado Beach, La Jolla beach, shopping at Carlsbad factory stores, SD Zoo, Wild Animal Park. We bring our boogie boards with us, picnic food, and just spend days at the beach. Our girls had surfing lessons. Great memories of some really amazing, fun times.

We're heading south again on Friday in 2 sleeps...just in time as I hear Vancouver is getting rain again on Monday.

 

[Casken]

I get jealous too. The last time I went was in 1984. I'd love to live in California never mind just for Disneyland. California is a great state. I love the weather.

 

[avalon451]

I feel you on the sunshine envy. This winter has been especially nasty, wet and cold around here!

We had never been before our first trip a year ago-- and DD13 and I went again in Oct. since she'd gotten sick that first time. I am in serious withdrawal now. DH seems to be like, "Ok, we did DL, once was enough," but now that I know so much through these boards, and love to read about everybody else's experiences, I am so jealous of those AP'ers who go every year or multiple times a year! I don't see it happening again any time soon for us. I wanna go back!

 

[fairycat]

See the rain sounds good to me when its super hot here, but yes we are spoiled!!

Ok hints and tips;

Six Flags- are you into thrill rides? are you going with teenagers or tall, risk taking kids? Do you really, really like big coasters? If you don't answer yes to all of thes questions, I say skip it.

The park has some amazing roller coasters but they mostly have very high height restrictions and there are a few rides there I am even scared to go on and I am no chicken.

I also hate to admit it since it is our local park, it needs some TLC. They have been having issues and while security has seemed to help some of the issues they had in the past, since the park is a bigger draw for local teens then families the park is not as clean or nice as others in the area.

They do have a small water park but I have never done it but I would not say the drive is worth not for just that.

Beaches- I love a good museum! I did even as a child. I always try to encourage tourists to go to the Getty Musuem Villa. The villa is a stunning piece of Roman architecture. The galleries are filled with antiquities and stunning pieces. There are beautiful gardens with a stunning view of the Malibu coast line. The musuem is free and you just have to make a parking reservation.

I also love the Villa Getty because it sits between two great tourist spots Santa Monica Pier and Gladstone's in Malibu.

Santa Monica Pier is famous and you will recognise the sign at the beginning of the pier from TV and movies when you see it!! There are carnival games and rides on the pier and it is fun to take a stroll on the pier. There are also some nice shops and things nearby.

Santa Monica is not my favorite beach to do the water thing, but up the coast a bit is good for that.

Gladstone's is a must if you love seafood. I always suggest planning a sunset dinner here as the view of the ocean is beautiful!!!

For beaches near DL I would go with Huntington or Newport, both are really nice though parking can stink some times.

Depending on the ages of those going you can also try

Universal Studios great for film and TV buffs and you can do a tour that includes some of the Hollywood sites.

Legoland great for small kids

Sea World and Wild Animal Park great for kids of all ages in the San Diego area.


With 11 days you can see and do a lot it just depends on what you want and how well you plan but locals can help you that is for sure

 

[connie107]

Im gonna move there one day lol.
Fairycat-wow thanks for the tips! I have to go to 6 flags cuz my DD5 is obssessed with bugs bunny and tweety ect. I think its a waste of money just for that but oh well, I figure seeings how were doing a whole day bus tour of LA then its only fair. We did go to universal studios and seaworld last year and loved both! Were gonna go to knotts this time, and have 7 day park hopper, was considering legoland but isnt it far away from disneyland??

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Trust me when I say you don't want to live near Disneyland, because that's where all of your expendable cash ends up going to (or at least that's where I spent all of my extra money until I moved far away enough that day trips became less feasible).

 

[fairycat]

Im gonna move there one day lol.
Fairycat-wow thanks for the tips! I have to go to 6 flags cuz my DD5 is obssessed with bugs bunny and tweety ect. I think its a waste of money just for that but oh well, I figure seeings how were doing a whole day bus tour of LA then its only fair. We did go to universal studios and seaworld last year and loved both! Were gonna go to knotts this time, and have 7 day park hopper, was considering legoland but isnt it far away from disneyland??

Legoland is actually closer to DL then Seaworld if I remember correctly. If you have young kids they will love that park! My friends kid's can't get enough of this park. The Dad loves it too since he is a bit of a lego guy

for Magic Mountain I would also suggest going VERY early in your trip because if you have seen DL or even some of the other parks you might notice the quality difference even more. I did check their website and they do offer a good list of characters and have a show with Bugs and Friends so at least you do have that. It's been a while since I have been here and will be even longer now that I can't ride anything. I hope you guys do have fun there. I wish I could think of a close Fruit and Veggie stand heading in the direction you are heading, since that area has some of the most amazing produce you can find, its local, cheap and so good!!!!!! The corn, oranges, avocados and strawberries are sooooooo good!!

I have to say I know next to nothing about Knotts. We barely ever went there when I was a kid and I think I have been maybe 4-5 times in my whole life and the last time was about 20 years ago.

You guys are going to have a great trip!!!!

BTW I have to say for me its hard because I never saw Disney as a vacation and we don't even really do WDW that way, and I sort of wish I could take off a few days and do the big vacation thing and be all immersed instead of feeling guilty that I am paying for a hotel room an hour and a half from my house.

 

[Teki]

Welcome! I think the Seaworld is more of a must see then Sixflags, especially for a 5 year old, but its a bit of a dirve from DLR. Also Huntington beach is my all time FAVORITE beach my family goes once a year accept this year no money, but yes its an awesome beach and you should check it out!

:

 

[jakoky]

hi connie107, i am from bc, also....we have become "hooked" on disney too...i grew up going (driving down from bc)....finally in 04, me, dh and the kids flew to disneyworld and we have since done disneyland twice and are heading back to DL in 49 sleeps....we will be there for 10 nights!!! We always figure if we are spending all that money to fly there, we are making the most of our trip...we are doing 5 disney days, a newport beach day(went last time and had a blast), a shopping day and a couple of lazy california days ...When in may are u going...i cant wait...it is nice to see the sun lately, but it is so cold and now they are calling for snow again this weekend....we have had more snow this year than i remember for the last 20 years i think...it is crazy..have fun planning...oh yah, we are thinking of trying seaworld this trip, but are really unsure...
sharon

 

[Sherwin]

Legoland is actually closer to DL then Seaworld if I remember correctly.

Legoland is indeed closer. It's located between LA and San Diego in Carlsbad, whereas Seaworld is located in the latter.

And I do feel you on the weather, but today is a beautiful day reporting from Seattle!

 

[LavenderPeach]

BTW I have to say for me its hard because I never saw Disney as a vacation and we don't even really do WDW that way, and I sort of wish I could take off a few days and do the big vacation thing and be all immersed instead of feeling guilty that I am paying for a hotel room an hour and a half from my house.

Yes, we usually only go for a few hours at a time so I never quite feel like I've done enough. And like you, I have a hard time justifying spending money on a hotel when we're only an hour away (well, 2 hours in traffic). Actually, it's DH who doesn't want to spend money on a hotel over there. He said if we were going to stay at a hotel it would have to be one of the disney hotels so that it would be something special but he doesn't want to spend that much money so no "real" DLR vacation for us.

 

[connie107]

Yea Im thinking legoland would be very cool! Especially if its more aimed towards kids. If I could get out of 6 flags I would lol but its the cuz of the characters were mainly going, which now that I think about it is a rip off but at least we can say we were there. I would love to go to seaworld again but its farther and last time I did the dolphin swim, my DD has to be 6 to do that so Im thinking next year again for it.
I couldnt imagine not considering DL as a vacation lol although I totally get what youre saying. We really have nothing cool like that in BC. Thanks to all for the tips Were counting down 58 days left!! Im so sick of the cold!! I dont remember a worse and colder winter here We are going there on May 10th-20th....it still seems soooo far away lol