WDW Vet going to Disneyland

[kabbie]

I have been going to WDW for the past 20 years and have never been to Disneyland. I have a few questions:

What airport is closest to Anaheim?
How much for airport transfers?
Can you score good deals at Disneyland Hotels? (Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, or Disneyland)
How much time should you allow in each park?

Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

I have been going to WDW for the past 20 years and have never been to Disneyland. I have a few questions:

This post was written just for you: "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

What airport is closest to Anaheim?

John Wayne

Can you score good deals at Disneyland Hotels? (Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, or Disneyland)

GCH is the hardest, but good deals are easier off-season.

How much time should you allow in each park?

You are thinking of DLR like it is WDW. IMO this is the wrong question for DLR. Since the two parks (DL and DCA) are so close, you should treat them as one large park, and should think in terms of how many days for both parks. The answer depends, but I would recommend a minimum of three days - four is better. Of that, you can plan to spend 20-30% of your time at DCA spread out across the days.

 

[disney-super-mom]

I have been going to WDW for the past 20 years and have never been to Disneyland. I have a few questions:

What airport is closest to Anaheim?
How much for airport transfers?
Can you score good deals at Disneyland Hotels? (Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, or Disneyland)
How much time should you allow in each park?

Thanks!

The closest airport is John Wayne (SNA)

A cab from John Wayne to a Disneyland area hotel will be around $45 w/tip.

Good deals for a Disneyland Hotel are often offered in the offseason. We booked a great deal for October at the Paradise Pier - stay 3 nights and get a forth night free. We booked it on Expedia.com, and it averages to about $136 a night!

Like Hydroguy said, you can treat the two parks at Disneyland as one big park since they're so close together. But, I would say that 2 full days at Disneyland and 1 full day at California Adventure would be enough time to get a good feel for the parks and experience the attractions you want.

 

[kabbie]

With Expedia, do you pay all upfront? Also, is the end of January considered off season? I know it's value at WDW.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[HydroGuy]

With Expedia, do you pay all upfront? Also, is the end of January considered off season? I know it's value at WDW.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Yes, late January is off-season. FYI, there is good chance you will miss Haunted Mansion and/or Small World, as they close in January for several weeks to remove their holiday overlays.

 

[disney-super-mom]

With Expedia, do you pay all upfront?

Yes, your credit card is charged for the full amount. They do have a decent cancellation policy though, although I can't remember the specifics, but you'll be able to read their cancellation policy before you actually book a room if you want.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you have a Disney VISA, they often have packages for sale. You might try them. We used them for both our trips this summer. Got the lanyard, got the coupon booklet and got the duffle bag.

 

[**Tinker*Bell*7**]

I have been going to WDW for the past 20 years and have never been to Disneyland. I have a few questions:

What airport is closest to Anaheim?
How much for airport transfers?
Can you score good deals at Disneyland Hotels? (Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, or Disneyland)
How much time should you allow in each park?

Thanks!

i'm a wdw vet & just got back yesterday from my first trip to DL.
here are my answers to your questions.

SNA (John Wayne Airport) is closest although I flew into LAX & out of SNA because the scheduling worked out better for me.

Super Shuttle was $21 round trip w/coupon from Mousesavers. $25 reg. price

I stayed across from CA at Anabella Hotel. Got a good deal on Expedia. It was a nice place to stay & ART transportation picked up right in front. Tiffy's Restaurant next door was a terrific place to eat. Great value for the price. Got FULL meals there (soup or salad, entree, side dish, veggies, & bread) for what counter service cost at DL. Also thought dining in general at DL was more expensive for smaller portions than WDW.

I spent one day at CA & 2-1/2 days at DL. Left before park closing except for last day. Saw everything. Just a tip though, Sat. is PACKED! Also BE SURE to check fireworks & parade schedules. I didn't realize that Sat. & Sun. were the only nights during my trip for fireworks & fantasmic so I missed out on those.

As one WDW vet to another, be prepared for things to be different. Don't skip something just because the same attraction is at WDW. They are often not identical. Some were better at DL and some were better at WDW IMHO.
Also IMHO, some aspects of DL were better than WDW although overall I would have to choose WDW as the better of the two (No flames please, it's just my opinion after experiencing both parks). I did like DL & would like to travel there again sometime.

Most important of all though, HAVE A GREAT TIME!