When Vacation Styles Collide...

[va32h]

I posted yesterday that my sister has surprised us all with a trip to Disneyland. Actually, a trip to Southern California, in which DL, California Adventure, LegoLand, and the beach will all play a part.

Now, I am the commando-type tourist. Tons of research, planning, reservations, etc. My sister is the show-up-and-see-what-happens type. We have plane tickets and hotel reservations, but other than that, she doesn't like to plan.

I actually went out last night and bought the Unofficial Guide to DL within hours after hearing of the trip, and have been doing research online most of the day.

I emailed my sister to let her know that Pirates of the Carribbean would be closed during our visit, and to ask if she had any thoughts about character breakfasts or dining reservations, and to find out which days we'd be at Disney. She said she didn't want me to make a bunch of plans. This is going to kill me!

She says she wants us to be spontaneous - I told her, at Disney, spontaneity has to be planned!

Seriously, though, I've had plenty of unplanned wonderful Disney moments, but I also know that many of our special WDW memories are the result of knowing where to be and when.

Since she is paying for the trip, I feel like I have to follow her lead, but it is going to require a complete personality transplant. Unless I can find subtle ways to sneak planning into the trip.

 

[Marseeya]

UGH! That's a tough call!

I think when push comes to shove, you should just follow her lead since she's paying. That would drive me nuts, though.

 

[hydster]

I don't know if you've ever been to DisneyLAND but it is completely different than Disneyworld! They only have 3 onsite hotels which for the most part are booked a year plus in advance! The parks can be done really well in as little as 4 days if you time it right and other than that there is really not a lot to plan! We did disney dining in WDW but didn't realize after our 9th trip to the Land that it even existed! It's not something totally needed in Disneyland and the parks are right next to each other so no real "planning" needed as you can walk back and forth between them with no need to stop for transportation. Also there are a TON of hotels and restaurants like Tony Romas on Harbor Blvd that are much cheaper than Disney hotels/restaurants and Downtown Disney is much smaller than in WDW.

Pirates is different than the one in WDW but they have some great rides that WDW doesn't have such as Indiana Jones and the Mickey White Coaster in Calif Adventure. We were overwhelmed when we went from Land to World in that Land is much smaller and everything is closer together with no need for transportation except maybe to your car if you park it in the lot.

But honestly the Land is so different than the world that the dining thing isn't a huge deal *at least we never knew about it until after we'd been to the world* but there is the fantasmic show where you can get tickets to sit in the balcony and have a dessert buffet. Other than that the only place really cool to eat *in our humble 18 trips to DL opinion* is the Blue Bayou located in Pirates but I don't know if it will be open if Pirates isn't. Other than that I think you will find DL to be quite different in feel and need than DW!

Just my own humble opinion though so take that for what it's worth!
Heidi

 

[Rella Bella]

Personally, I am somewhere in the middle but I've spent time with "what should we do next -- I don't know -- what do you want to do next" and it can send you to the looney bin in a hurry and ruin the trip for everyone.

How about telling her something like "sis, there are a couple of restauants I really want to try. Would you mind terribly if I made a couple of ADRs, and if they really don't work for us we can always cancel them."

 

[DVC Sadie]

Even if someone else is paying for a vacation doesn't have to mean that you can't have input. There is always a happy medium somewhere. Have a great time.

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

We are taking our first trip to DL next month and while I have not planned it like I do our WDW trips I did call and make a couple PS's for 2 of the character meals. We are going to try Goofy's Kitchen and Ariel's Grotto. If you want to do any character meals while there I would recommend making PS's for those soon as I hear they are hard to get in as a walkup during the summer.