What else to combine with DL?

[Boardwalk_bride]

We are thinking of a trip DL in 2021 - either May or August. We've been to WDW many times (just returned) and want to travel somewhere new and also entertain our toddler. Our original plan was Denmark (Europe for us with theme parks for her) but are thinking of headed to Cali as we've never been.

I have no idea what attractions are around DL. Any suggestions of what might make a good combo trip? We are trying to decide both price and fun wise what would be best (Denmark or California). Our LO will be 4 when we visit - we are coming from Toronto

TIA!

 

[ZCarroll]

When my kids were younger we always went to Legoland when we made the trip to DL... it's a little over an hour drive away. That was definitely the most fun all around for us besides Disney itself of anything extra we did. Much closer is knott's berry farm, they do have some cute kids' rides and lots of live show entertainment and also a water park... we mainly went because a couple of my kids were really into the more thrill ride options they have there, I feel like for younger ones legoland is better, I love Knott's but it's definitely way less magical, if you aren't into the shows and roller coasters it's not much better than taking your kid to the fair, if that makes sense. There's also a couple of fun dinning experiences... a pirate and a medieval themed one, we went twice to Medieval Times and my family always enjoyed it but I've known some people that were less enamored, definitely don't go for the food, heh! There's also Universal studios but my kids did NOT enjoy that place at all when they were young and it's expensive with long waits and I've heard the one in Florida is superior so we haven't been back in years, perhaps with Harry Potter land it's more appealing now...

 

[mel2014]

Sorry to potentially add to your decision paralysis, but have you thought about going to Europa Park in Germany (with visits to Strasbourg and the Alscace-Lorraine region of France) or Efteling in the Netherlands (close Amsterdam and so many other great Dutch cities). I've been to many theme parks around the world and Europa Park is hands-down my favorite. Legoland is pretty cookie cutter and will be largely the same in Florida, California or Denmark, but Europa Park and Efteling have so many wonderful unique attractions and lots of things for littles that don't entail waiting in line (playgrounds, small rides, etc). I'm a native Californian and much as I like our state and love DL/DCA, I'd much rather vacation in Europe than Southern California. Also, everywhere we've been in Europe with our kids has such awesome playgrounds for kids with all sorts of equipment that would never be allowed in the United States. Add to that the snacks and the food, the cleanliness, the public transit, I could go on and on.

That said, if I were going to go on a trip to Southern California with a 4-year old, Legoland would be on the list, as would the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, some beach time in the Carlsbad/San Diego area, the San Diego Children's Museum, the Midway or Martime Museum in San Diego, and the California Science Center (with a visit to the Endeavor Space Shuttle).

 

[crystal1313]

^My kids LOVED seeing the Endeavor! We also went next door to the Natural History Museum of LA and they loved seeing the dinosaurs there as well.

 

[VandVsmama]

• Discovery Cube museum in Orange County
• zoo in Santa Ana
• LA Natural History museum
• California Science Center
• Griffith Park - there's a fun area there with trains you can ride and Griffith Park has the carousel that inspired Walt Disney to come up with the idea for Disneyland

 

[plutorules]

The last time we were at DL, my son had just finished kindergarten and my daughter just finished 4th grade. My husband took my son to Lego land and I took my daughter to Knotts Berry Farm. She loves the coasters and we had a great time. We also are a big baseball family, and the Angels stadium is super close to DL too. We did 4 days at DL, Lego/Knotts one day, and the Angels game the last. We felt like we covered everything and had plenty of down time. Hope this helps!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

DAY SIX Podcasts of Things to Do Around Disneyland -- some very good ideas in this thread!
A DLR Guide for WDW Vets -- helpful information here!

 

[sjmac42]

California has plenty to offer so what sort of time frame are you thinking about? Do you want to just visit areas close to DL (say within an hour or so) or are you thinking of incorporating some sort of road trip somewhere? Are you looking for other theme parks or do some natural scenic sights interest you? Just nearby cities like LA or San Diego or further afield like Santa Barbara or Las Vegas? National Parks, coastal sights, desert areas, beaches? Couple of days, couple of weeks?

May also help to understand what is appealing to you about Denmark as well as they seem like 2 very disparate options.

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

Thanks all! This is helpful, yet still confusing, as I want to do everything.

Our original plan was to go to the Netherlands in June (this year) as I'm going for work for a week. However, after debating, we decided we didn't want our daughter's first flight to be overseas, and since we got married in WDW in 2010, and found out she was free if we arrived before her bday, we went to WDW instead (just got back 5 days ago).

I've always been interested in seeing more of the USA - I've only been to those states close to the Canadian border (bordering Ontario and Quebec) and Florida (but only for WDW). I got to Europe much more.

Denmark appeals to me because of the mix of stuff for both adults and children (i.e. theme parks, museums meant for both, beaches, food) and is also part of my heritage- and also relatively easy to get around. California appeals to me because of the weather, Disney, and I know there is a lot to do there (I just don't know where everything is!).

Maybe I'll take a quick look this weekend at Disneyland Paris - as we go just go this summer. It's hard coming home from WDW - I just immediately try to plan another vacation!

Ultimately, what I really want, is a trip that combines fun, some relaxation, some education, and lots of great food and memories!

 

[MrJT]

• LA Natural History museum

My son is really into dinosaurs, and back in 2016 he was much more into them than he is now. I would say that the Museum was just as important as Disneyland to him.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have no idea what attractions are around DL. Any suggestions of what might make a good combo trip? We are trying to decide both price and fun wise what would be best (Denmark or California). Our LO will be 4 when we visit - we are coming from Toronto

A DLR Guide for WDW Vets -- helpful information here!

See the final section (#23) for more info on your question.

Mostly I would say that California is, well, let's just be honest, way better than Florida. Tons more things to do. Don't limit yourself to theme parks only like Orlando. Get outside and do something. National Parks. History. Culture. Outdoor activities.

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

See the final section (#23) for more info on your question.

Mostly I would say that California is, well, let's just be honest, way better than Florida. Tons more things to do. Don't limit yourself to theme parks only like Orlando. Get outside and do something. National Parks. History. Culture. Outdoor activities.

This is exactly what I was looking for - thank you! I'll send this to DH. I'm thinking at this point we either all hop on my work trip this summer to Euro (and do nothing next summer) or hit DL next year (which would also be amazing!).

 

[Pamela M]

Sorry to potentially add to your decision paralysis, but have you thought about going to Europa Park in Germany (with visits to Strasbourg and the Alscace-Lorraine region of France) or Efteling in the Netherlands (close Amsterdam and so many other great Dutch cities). I've been to many theme parks around the world and Europa Park is hands-down my favorite. Legoland is pretty cookie cutter and will be largely the same in Florida, California or Denmark, but Europa Park and Efteling have so many wonderful unique attractions and lots of things for littles that don't entail waiting in line (playgrounds, small rides, etc). I'm a native Californian and much as I like our state and love DL/DCA, I'd much rather vacation in Europe than Southern California. Also, everywhere we've been in Europe with our kids has such awesome playgrounds for kids with all sorts of equipment that would never be allowed in the United States. Add to that the snacks and the food, the cleanliness, the public transit, I could go on and on.

That said, if I were going to go on a trip to Southern California with a 4-year old, Legoland would be on the list, as would the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, some beach time in the Carlsbad/San Diego area, the San Diego Children's Museum, the Midway or Martime Museum in San Diego, and the California Science Center (with a visit to the Endeavor Space Shuttle).

Agree with this I would do 3-4 days in Disneyland then head to San Diego for 4-5 days (2 hour drive south). The Zoo is amazing. Can't speak to legoland but know it is definately built for younger children. There are some great hotels that have a resort feels and nice pools. Check the Mission bay area - you can be on the bay and be super close to the ocean.

I'm doing a 8 day trip to SoCal. I'll do 3 days at Disneyland, 4 days in San Diego (planning doing the Safari park this time) and then heading back to DL for the day before driving back home to Norcal the next day.

 

[ElizabethG]

This summer we are flying to Phoenix. We’ll spend a couple days in Sedona, go to the Grand Canyon, and see some of Route 66 on our way to Disneyland.

 

[bcla]

If you're really open to driving when you get there, there were lots of good ideas. I would have said Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center. The admission to the museum is actually free, but the ticket to see the Space Shuttle is a nominal fee. Not sure what it is now, but when I went it was $3 each adult "reservation", and our kid didn't need a ticket. We didn't purchase ahead of time, but got a reservation when we showed up.

National parks were mentioned. California has a lot including Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Channel Islands, Sequoia/Kings Canyon, etc. And if you're willing to drive, there's the San Francisco Bay Area which you can get to in less than six hours. You could even start from the north and work your way south. The drive along the coast is spectacular, but not for those who don't like driving where there are drop-offs.

 

[Asnell]

There have been so many great suggestions here, that I won't repeat, except to say our great state (California) has everything, from mountains to beaches and redwoods to wineries. You want foodie towns, quaint Dutch settlements, surf towns, world-class cities? You want theme parks, zoos, aquariums, science centers? Take your pick.

I haven't seen Catalina island yet mentioned, so I'll add it to the list. We once combined it with a Disneyland trip when our boys were 6 and 8. You take a ferry ride from the mainland and can just spend the day or stay overnight in the harborside town.

 

[Epicnemesis]

It's hard coming home from WDW - I just immediately try to plan another vacation!

I thought this was just me.

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

Thanks again, all! I talked about it with DH last night and we decided for sure to do DL with some other combo of California/Nevada/Arizona for 2021. Based on what I've read I think we will do early spring - our original plan was to pull DD out of daycare a month early before school starts (to save the $$) but I think we want to take advantage of lower crowds during school time while we still can. I know it seems early to plan (maybe not on these boards???) but knowing what we want to do next year determines our travel budget for the remainder of this year!

As much as we want to go to Europe I still get to go for work, and DH is okay waiting until she is older to go back. We are super excited to see California and love the opportunity for outdoor adventure combined with urban stuff and our favourite mouse!

 

[Disco Lemonade]

I will echo Legoland and San Diego. Legoland is on the way. Your kid will love Legoland as that she is right in the wheelhouse of that place. Then you can relax in San Diego before going home.