Disneyland itinerary input, please...
 

Hello all!

My wife and I are considering a trip to Disneyland with my son.

We're very very very early in the planning stages on this -- we don't even have a specific time-frame in mind yet, just sometime in 2008, as long as we're not pulling the kid out of school.

So -- I was hoping to get some input from folks here, as we figure out the best way to get out there in the most inexpensive way possible.

We'll be flying out of the Florida Panhandle (VPS, PNS or PFN). Tickets to SNA & LAX seem to be extremely high, so we thought maybe we'd fly into San Diego, rent a car, and drive up the coast and into Anaheim.

Now, the big question is: Which option is cheaper: Flying into LAX/SNA or Flying into San Diego and driving?

I'm not opposed to a package deal, either. Something that has Disneyland tickets (at least 2 park days), flights, car & hotel (doesn't have to be a Disneyland hotel, but within walking distance).

I've not yet done any intense pricing, but I will be doing so shortly -- figured I'd throw all this out here and see what y'all thought!

This would be a 4 or 5 day trip. Any and all recommendations are welcome.

Thanks! :-)

Two websites for you: mousesavers.com and laughingplace.com.

Do you have another reason to go to California other than Disney? If not, I would just drive to Orlando (save money on airfare) and visit the parks there. IMO Disneyworld is better than Disneyland. And with all the money you save on airfare, you can upgrade to a nicer hotel and splurge on things like breakfast with the characters.

Unless you have another reason to go to California, that does seem odd not to go to Orlando instead.

Disney's own website would have information on packages including the "Good Neighbor hotels". If you can manage to travel outside of our school holidays, then it would be less crowded. Saturdays are the worst day.

Oh, we visit Walt Disney World often -- in fact, we have Annual Passes.

But we enjoyed our first trip to Disneyland so much that we want to visit there again...and maybe see a bit more of Southern California in the process (Hollywood maybe?).

Thanks!

Why not check out one or more of the marvelous REALWORLD sites in the area rather than going to an ARTIFICIAL place? Guess you want to spend alot of money on zero reality...
Just curious.

Did you try John Wayne Airport in Orange County?

We love Disneyland. We flew into John Wayne. All three of their on-site hotels would be considered "deluxe" at WDW, but IMO, you can get much better deals. Plus, they have specials on tickets like 4 days for the price of 3, etc.

If you stay on-site, you never need to get in a car...or tram...or ferry....or bus. You can walk EVERYWHERE. It is so relaxing.

People also speak highly of the Howard Johnson's and the Candy Cane Inn.

We went to Disneyland back in 2004 - flew into SNA (John Wayne) and stayed at Paradise Pier. We had a blast, and enjoyed that all of Disneyland was within walking distance.

This time around, however, we definitely want to save some money by staying offsite, but still within walking distance to the parks.

I did a quick flight rate check, and flying into San Diego is much, much cheaper than flying into SNA. So, that's why we're considering renting a car and being able to take in other area places.

So, that goes back to my original questions -- is that a good idea?

Yes, I think it is reasonable to use San Diego if it saves a lot of money. It's about 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way. Allow extra time to catch your return flight, because often there can be impressive traffic jams. You might even want to spend the final overnight closer to San Diego.

Thanks! I just have to figure out if having the car for the number of days we'll be there is cheaper than the cost of flying directly into SNA.

Now -- if we do the drive, are there any spots we should hit between Anaheim and San Diego that won't really cost, well, anything?

:)

SeaUrchin

FYI - SNA is also known as John Wayne Airport or Orange County.

:D

I'm very surprised that it is cheaper to fly into San Diego. If it were me, I wouldn't want to fly into San Diego if I wasn't spending time there. Have you check the cost of flying into Ontario?

I'm very surprised that it is cheaper to fly into San Diego. If it were me, I wouldn't want to fly into San Diego if I wasn't spending time there. Have you checked the cost of flying into Ontario?

If you have the time, add a few days in San Diego. If your son is in elementary school he'll love the Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, the beach in La Jolla.

I used to live in San Diego and it's a wonderful destination. The Del Mar fair is fun in the early summer.

If you go make sure to try the fish tacos that San Diego is famous for at Rubio's or Fin's.

You could also take in a SD Padre's game. The whole embarcadero area is so contained you can visit most of the above and walk or a short drive.

Then head up to Disneyland.......

I actually planning our Christmas visit to Disney World at the moment...

Have fun!

I second checking Ontario. Also check Long Beach and Burbank. LAX and SNA are always the 2 priciest airports in SoCal. Of these, I find Ontario the easiest to get in and out of, and will also be the closest to Disneyland. Good luck!

Thanks for the tips, folks! :-)

Just in case anyone hasn't used sidestep.com before, give it a look. It searches a wide variety of booking sites, shows pricing options for area airports, etc. to get the best possible price. I've been using it pretty heavily in trying to plan out this trip...

Anywho, thanks again!

I am not sure about the airport part, having only ever flown into LAX from Philly.

However, I would recommend the Anaheim Fairfield Inn by Marriott. It is one of the "Good Neighbor Hotels" just outside the park on Harbor Blvd. We have stayed there previously, and will again in December. It is conveneint to the park, only about a 5-10 minute walk from the hotel to the front entrance to the park.

There's a map on the Disneyland site that shows the location of the Good Neighbor Hotels. (You'll have to click on the link.)

BW Park Place is closest to the entrance of the Harbor Blvd hotels. Anything from Candy Cane Inn north wouldn't be too bad, I would try to pick one north of Katella.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disn...elsLandingPage

Hey thepeters,

I live and work less than 10 miles from Disneyland, so I can be of some help.

1) I agree with most posters: if youre coming just for Disneyland, dont. Your "Magic Kingdom" is nearly identical to our "Disneyland." In fact, when my fiance and I went to WDW, we didnt even go to "Magic Kingdom" because it's so identical.

2) Your airfare question is odd to me, because my fiance and I got LAX - Orlando tickets (roundtrip) for like $216 each via American. Very cheap. Have you looked at www.farecast.com to see if buying tickets this far in advance saves you money?

3) I would NOT recommend flying into San Diego and renting a car. The drive from San Diego to Disneyland is probably a little less than 2 hours. And if you hit traffic, god help you. Youre going to be doing enough driving while youre here (trust me)...dont make your airport more "out of the way" than you have to.

4) The airports in the area include (from my favorite to my least favorite): Long Beach (LGB), Santa Ana/John Wayne (SNA), Ontario (ONT)- this is out of the way, Burbank, and LAX. If you have a choice, pick SNA or LGB over LAX!

5) Discount airliners that fly into the area include Southwest (all except LGB), JetBlue (LGB), and Frontier (LAX).

Johnnyman7: Thanks for the input, especially in regards to traffic. I'm wouldn't be worried about any delays after landing in CA, but I certainly wouldn't want to miss the flight back home.

I'm surprised that you and your fiance skipped going to the Magic Kingdom at WDW! Yes, they are similar -- but wow, they are so different in so many ways! Your Pirates of the Caribbean puts ours to shame, and now you have the Nemo Sub ride and lots of other unique things. I actually prefer your Magic Kingdom to ours, but I still wouldn't skip either!

Anywho -- thanks again to everyone for giving us feedback.

Unfortunately, flights out of the Panhandle of Florida are ridiculously high -- and I don't really want to drive the 5 hours to Orlando just to save money (it's a possibility, tho, if the savings is a lot).

I live about 20 mintues from SNA and agree with Jonnyman. Do not fly in and out of San Diego to come to Disneyland unless you are spending time in San Diego (which is always a wonderful thing to do).

Look for flights in and out of Long Beach (are you close to FLL? Jetblue flies in and out) I use them often.

Ontario is a good choice if you are saving a LOT of money but we aware of the times you are flying in and out - traffic is horrible.

I would try SNA - then Long Beach and then Ontario... then LAX.

do you have AAA? they offer package deals to disneyland which include park passes and lodging. i imagine they can help with the flights as well. i know there is a disney bus from LAX, so you might not need to rent a car.

I think it makes more sense for you to fly into San Diego to save money and drive to Anaheim than it does for you to drive the 5 hours to Orlando, or the 9 hours (!) to FLL.

How old is your son? If he is under 9, he might also enjoy Legoland. I live in LA County (north of Orange County) and we take have taken day trips to Legoland, SD Zoo, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, etc. on many occasions. To make that drive once at the beginning of your trip and once at the end is not really that big a deal. Just plan on staying in San Diego on your last night, so you won't be stressed getting to the airport.

dawnnoelm -- thanks for the info!

FLL is South Florida, we're up in Northwest Florida, and the local airports around here only have Delta (and a few others). We don't even have anything nearby that Southwest flies too. :-(

We'd consider driving to either Orlando or New Orleans (5 to 6 hours) but that just seems like a waste, ya know?

No problem.

This is definitely a case of supply and demand. The supply of flights from your area to So Cal isnt great, so prices are high. How far away are you from Atlanta?

Somebody above mentioned that you could spend some time in San Diego. Well, I agree...you could...but you would have to extend your vacation then. San Diego is easily worth two or three days, especially if you have kids. The Zoo, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, Tijuana...choices are endless down there.

Otherwise, it becomes a choice on your part: are you willing to pay more $$$ to forgo the driving to/from San Diego. With no traffic, we are talking 1.5 hours one-way to Disneyland, 2.25 to Downtown LA. If you are driving during rush hour (here, it's 3-7PM) or during a busy weekend travel time, Interstate 5 to/from San Diego can be a mess (esp on Summer weekends). You might get lucky, but you might not...and is your $$$ worth the added stress?

By the way, in case i dont get to reply to this thread again and youre driving to LA from the south, I implore you to avoid the I-5 north from the LA/OC county line to downtown. There is traffic in that stretch no matter what time of day.

Instead, from San Diego, take the I5 north, to the 405 north, to the 110 or 710 north which leads to downtown (avoid this route in the morning though).

For a short trip I would just do Disney and San Diego, and not venture much farther into LA.

Should be pretty easy to do the math and decide if the savings is worth the extra 3 to 4 hours in commute time from SAN to Disney. Since you've been there before, I'm sure you know that you don't need a car at the Disneyland Resort, so two one-way rentals are another option if they are less.

Most things in San Diego that are kid oriented cost money, unfortunately, other than beaches.

If you are not spending time in San Diego I would fly into LAX and drive the 30 minutes south to Anaheim.

You might check to see if any airlines fly from your area into the Orange County airport (I thnk it's the John Wayne Airport) like Jet Blue or some of the other airlines.

Hi again thepeters:

I have another question - I hope this hasn't been answered or discussed already (sorry I haven't read all the posts) but if you are from Florida home of a much bigger Disney experience (and some say better), why are you making this a major part of your trip?
Your family may be disappointed.

nanabee:

All is revealed in the above discussion.

The Candy Cane Inn in Anaheim is a great place to stay for your Disneyland days.

I've been to both WDW and Disneyland, and Disneyland is more charming, I guess that is how I would describe it.

You know, I've heard great things about the Candy Cane Inn -- and we do have AAA, so we'll definitely check into their packages.

Thanks again to everyone for their input. We might just not do the San Diego airport thing...

Anywho, we're looking forward to returning to Disneyland at some point in the near future.

Our first trip was about 6 months before the start of their 50th celebration, so the castle was covered up, a bunch of attractions were closed, so we were disappointed in that regard. However, we love Disneyland's Magic Kingdom, and agree that it is much more charming than WDW's Magic Kingdom.

Ok -- I've got an update to our itinerary, as we've had a bit more time to look at the calendar, etc -- but more questions, so, figured I'd just continue instead of creating a new thread.

Anywho -- we've settled on flying out of VPS on a Thursday in May, landing in SNA (rates don't really seem to be much better going into SAN, so we've decided not to go that route).

We'll check in to a Harbor Boulevard hotel, relax for a bit, then spend the rest of the day exploring Downtown Disney, and just giving my son his first glance at Disneyland.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday will be theme park days, and Monday will be our day off.

We'd love to spend that day out and about -- but we really have to keep costs low.

So...figured we'd rent a car -- but we'd need to get our hands on one that day, for that day only. What's everyone's suggestions on how to pull that off? We'll be taxiing from the airport to the hotel, so should we taxi to a nearby car rental place?

And what to do that day? I'd love to see the Hollywood sign, visit some landmarks, but which ones are "must-sees"??

Thanks!

just a quick comment - Enterprise (and some others) will come and pick you up and take you to their rental office.

Oh yeah! Completely forgot about that -- might work out well. Thanks!

We're considering driving into Hollywood, parking at the Hollywood & Highland center and walking around and taking in some of the sites (Kodak Theatre, Graumann's, etc.)...

It's usually cheapest to fly in LAX unless there is a specific sale. If I were you, I would sign up for Travelzoo emails and buy your tickets when you see a special from your area to Southern California (any of the airports mentioned above, but it will most likely still be LAX that's cheapest). Also, sign up for Southwest specials emails.

As everyone pointed out above, I wouldn't fly cross-country just for Disneyland. Both LA and San Diego have a lot to do and see. I would go for at least 4 nights and split it up between Disneyland and either LA or SD.

Besides sidestep.com, check mobissimo.com and kayak.com. For hotel reviews, check TripAdvisor.com once you select an area you want to stay in. I would stay near Disneyland for only the night when you're actually going to the park and stay in either LA or SD the other nights. For car rentals, check hotwire.com and then the rental companies' website to see if they have better rates. BookingBuddy.com has specials too.

I've been keeping a close eye on sidestep, kayak, etc...will definitely consider flying into any of the local LA airports.

We are huge Disney nuts -- we live 5 hours from WDW and go quite often. Disneyland is a "treat" for us, so we're making it the focus of this trip, especially since it'll be the first trip (and likely only) out there for my son (he's 10).

Anywho, are there any must-sees in Hollywood?

Thanks!

I would post a separate question about must sees in Hollywood. A lot of fodorites will just skip over a Disney post.

Other than seeing the footprints outside Grauman's and the Hollywood sign, I think Hollywood is overblown as a destination, and not really worth the effort to get from Anaheim. But that's just me cause I live here.

If you are Disney fans, you might want to see what is playing at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. It is owned by Disney and has the Disney Soda Shop next door.

I would also switch your L.A. day from Monday to Sunday. You will encounter less traffic, and it will give you a break from standing in those lines at the parks.