spring break crowds... and a few newbie questions about hotels, photopasses etc.

[tortugaverde]

Hello all. We are planning a family trip to DL the week after Easter. I know this is spring break for us (we are teachers) but I am wondering if it is spring break for Cali schools as well.
How crowded is the park during spring break time??

What are photopasses exactly? I gather they are something you carry around the park with you and photographers can scan pics they take of you on to them right? Can you just buy pictures individually, and if so how much do they cost?

I have been researching hotels... the HOJO gets great reviews. However, I have not read anything about a free breakfast. Do they not offer this? For those of you who have stayed there... is there anywhere else you would stay that is comparable?

I have looked at the getaway.com site. They seem to have good deals... but are there any other sites you might recommend? I feel like I have been searching and searching to make sure I have the "best" deal... but I want to be sure

Thanks!

 

[DLR29]

Can't help you with the other questions, but I can vouch from personal experience that Spring Break crowds are very large. Lines for major attractions hit 60+ min by late morning and they stay that way until late evening. Best bet is to get there EARLY! And take advantage of short lines in the morning. Also use FastPass as much as possible to eliminate longer lines for the major attractions.

 

[Disneyluvr2]

I can't help you with your HoJo question because we always stay at Park Vue Inn. It's located directly across the street from the entrance which is so convenient when you want to run back to your room to rest or get a jacket. They have a free breakfast of muffins, pastries, waffles, toast, cereal, fruit and drinks. They also have a small fridge and microwave in each room.

Yes, you are right about the photopass. It's a credit card sized card that you carry with you. Each time you have a Disney photographer take your photo, they scan the card. You can look at your photos at the park or wait until you get home and view them on the internet and then purchase the ones you want. I'm into saving money so we always have the Disney photographer take a 2nd photo with our camera after he takes his photo (they never mind doing this). Most of the time the photo on my camera is just as good as the one the photographer took so I save a lot of money and don't have to buy the high priced Disney photos!

 

[bumbershoot]

Photopass:

5x7 is 12.95. Nothing smaller. If you only have one picture that you like and you have no interest in multiple copies to send to others, then just get that. But once you start ordering more pictures, you are rapidly approaching the "there's a better way to do it" territory. And that is......

You can also buy a CD of the pictures they take, and that CD comes with the "release" so you can print them anywhere, for as long as you like. If you want that CD in your hands before you leave, you can buy that CD for 59.95 (remember, you're buying the photographic release to those pictures...compared to other photographers who will either NEVER give that release, or make you wait years, or charge hundreds and hundreds of dollars, that's a deal).

There is a deal with 2 5x7s and the un-edited photo CD for 74.95, also.

Or you can buy the CD after you get home, and you can play with the pictures online. Crop them, or add cute borders and character signatures. See the end of my trip reports (links in my signature) for examples of the borders and things you can add! Each time you edit a picture, it keeps the original and adds the edited copy. One pictures can quickly become so many more! If you order that after you get home, it will be 124.95 which includes shipping the CD(s) to you.

Or if you plan ahead and pre-purchase it, it's 99.95, and that too includes shipping. Link is here.


Spring Break is going to be busy, and for me, I just count "spring break" as late february through mid-april. Seriously, I had friends who went to all different colleges, and spring breaks were ALL over the place. I bet high schools are the same. Plus, some HS's have things like mid-winter break, which pushes spring break back, and so on. Plan on busy. Think about paying for a touring plan such as ridemax.

I like hojo's very much, but they do not have a breakfast. Then again, having just experienced a "free" breakfast which consisted of icky donuts, tiny cups of just-OK coffee, and cold cereal...I say "bah" on the free continental b'fast, just eat in the park, or have something like a granola bar and banana to get your day started, then have lunch on the early side (helps to avoid the lunch rush doing it that way, too).


When planning our package, I looked at disneyland.com, AAA, and Costco travel, and booked with Costco. Later I heard about getawaytoday.com, and they would have been the best deal. I would use getawaytoday.com if I were booking a package again.

 

[PoohBearFriends]

Hello all. We are planning a family trip to DL the week after Easter. I know this is spring break for us (we are teachers) but I am wondering if it is spring break for Cali schools as well.
How crowded is the park during spring break time??

What are photopasses exactly? I gather they are something you carry around the park with you and photographers can scan pics they take of you on to them right? Can you just buy pictures individually, and if so how much do they cost?

I have been researching hotels... the HOJO gets great reviews. However, I have not read anything about a free breakfast. Do they not offer this? For those of you who have stayed there... is there anywhere else you would stay that is comparable?

I have looked at the getaway.com site. They seem to have good deals... but are there any other sites you might recommend? I feel like I have been searching and searching to make sure I have the "best" deal... but I want to be sure

Thanks!

I had to pick between HOJO and Tropicana and the latter won for me we got the 4th night free and because we always go back to the hotel during the day and HOJO was another 1/4 mile farther and no free breakfast. I like being directly across the street. I know it is not rated quite as high but the rooms looked nice with Queen beds. I used Disney Vacation site and booked with Alaska Vacations to get the flight times I needed and the reduced price for Kids Fly Free. I looked at Getaway, expedia, Southwest Air (cheaper park tickets), Costco and Travelocity. Alaska and Disney were cheapest because of the airfare and 4th night free. I hope you have a great time.

Follow Hydro and Darkbeers advice for Fast passes and run of the park. We can usually get 22 events in a day in. It is a science.

 

[lkohawaii]

You can try ARES travel too. I'm buying tickets only since I don't need 2 EE's ARES becomes cheaper for the tickets. Getawaytravel gives 2 EE's if you're able to use them.

 

[Vanvmom]

Spring break for the HS students in our area of No. CA are the week prior to Easter. I have an e-mail out to my sis-in-law to see when spring break is for her school district in Mission Viejo.

 

[tmatthews]

We were there last Easter. We arrived the Friday before Easter and stayed the week after.(teacher as well!!) We stayed at the Hyatt with a kids suite. We found the crowds manageable. Arriving early was the best strategy. We really enjoyed the parks and found hopping to be so easy and a great way to get a lot done in one day. ENJOY!

 

[CupidsKiss]

No free breakie at Ho-Jo but the room has a mini fridge and coffee maker. We packed cereal, breakfast bars, bowls, cups in our spare suitcase. Saved a bundle for one meal a day.

 

[tortugaverde]

Muchas Gracias for all your replies! I am so glad I found this board, you all have great insight and advice!

 

[dleyel]

Many of the local schools will be on spring break the week after Easter, although it does vary. Some will have the week before and some are off in April. I have the Southern California AP and we are blocked out the weeks before and after Easter. I anticipate they crowds will be pretty heavy, but I'm sure you'll still have a great time.