Starting to plan our first disney trip! All advice appreciated!:)

[mdkelkenberg]

This is my first time on this board so just learning how everything works!
I am beginning planning our first family trip to DL and really am on a budget! There will be 4adults and 2 kids age 4 and 8. We would like to do two days in DL/CA and two days in San Diego sea world/Legoland. We plan on staying in a neighbor hotel in a suite so we can share hotel cost, that is close to walk and want continental breakfast. We will have a rental car so would love to know of close places we can buy snacks and lunch stuff to keep our food cost down.

Any advice on best places to look for airfare, hotel and tickets/passes

When is the best time to go for best price? We were thinking end of April/ first of may?

best hotels/price within walking distance.

How long do you think is necessary at DL and CA ?
Good and cheap places to eat dinner

Any experience with a handicap at DL? My mother will not last real long on her feet at a time, I was told they have lil scooters and separate lines? Does it cost for the scooters?

Any tips on beachfront or walking distance to beach in san diego between sea world and Lego land?

Pretty much any info and direction would be appreciated. Sorry if I rambled off to much, my brain is on DL overload!

 

[mdkelkenberg]

Also where do I find a list of all the abbreviations?

 

[jonsmom57]

This is my first time on this board so just learning how everything works!
I am beginning planning our first family trip to DL and really am on a budget! There will be 4adults and 2 kids age 4 and 8. We would like to do two days in DL/CA and two days in San Diego sea world/Legoland. We plan on staying in a neighbor hotel in a suite so we can share hotel cost, that is close to walk and want continental breakfast. We will have a rental car so would love to know of close places we can buy snacks and lunch stuff to keep our food cost down.

Any advice on best places to look for airfare, hotel and tickets/passes

When is the best time to go for best price? We were thinking end of April/ first of may?

best hotels/price within walking distance.

Welcome to the Boards

I have only been to DL/DCA one time so I am not sure how helpful I can be.

I am, however, in the process of planning another trip for next August.

First off I totally recommend The Candy Cane Inn. Free parking, walking distance, shuttle (free) also available. They offer a free continental breakfast which is really excellent.

Airfare - I used the airline's website, but Orbitz also has good choices.

Your kids are little so I think maybe one day in each park is probably enough, especially since you are headed to San Diego. Oh, there really aren't very many places for discounted Disneyland Tickets - try AAA or the Disney website to make sure they are authentic.

Not sure of places to eat. We ate in the park - it was just easier



How long do you think is necessary at DL and CA ?
Good and cheap places to eat dinner

Any experience with a handicap at DL? My mother will not last real long on her feet at a time, I was told they have lil scooters and separate lines? Does it cost for the scooters?

Any tips on beachfront or walking distance to beach in san diego between sea world and Lego land?

Pretty much any info and direction would be appreciated. Sorry if I rambled off to much, my brain is on DL overload!

Oops...somehow I messed this up. There are lots of hotels near SeaWorld. Try looking on Trip Advisor for hotel info. I got lots of great tips.

Good luck planning!

 

[jonsmom57]

Since your kids are little I would consider going when crowds are low.

 

[GrandBob]

Any advice on best places to look for airfare, hotel and tickets/passes

Just all the standard places -- Kayak, Expedia, etc. You should also directly try the discount airlines sites, such as southwest.com and jetblue.com, as they're frequently not in the search sites.

When is the best time to go for best price? We were thinking end of April/ first of may?

Stay well away (2 weeks on either side) of Easter, which is April 20 next year. Schools schedule their Spring Breaks around Easter, and Spring Break is a crazy busy time for DLR.

best hotels/price within walking distance.

For walking distance, start with this map and check out the hotels/motels in the green area. A couple of favorites for this board are HoJo's and Candy-Cane Inn, though HoJo's has really boosted their prices lately, and seems to be pricing itself out of favor.

How long do you think is necessary at DL and CA ?

3 days at an absolute minimum, 4 days is comfortable, 5 days should give you your fill.

Any experience with a handicap at DL? My mother will not last real long on her feet at a time, I was told they have lil scooters and separate lines? Does it cost for the scooters?

Yes, DLR rents wheelchairs and scooters. No, they're not free I don't know much about disabled at DLR, but folks here seem to recommend renting offsite. That way you can use the scooter to and from the parks. If you rent at the parks, you can't take them off site. A frequently recommended off-site rental place is Deckerts.

List of abbreviations is here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520784

Oh, and you'd probably get a lot, lot more answers if you posted this on the Disneyland board, rather than the community board.

HTH,
Bob