Disneyland Questions

Ali

New member
DH won a trip through work for us to go to anyplace on the west coast for 3 days. We have to use it within the next year. We wish we could wait until DD was 4, but, hey, it's free! :p

We decided to take DD to Disneyland next spring or summer. She is in love with Mickey, and while she probably won't remember much, we're going to do it.

We did fly with her in the summer of 2006 (with her in her own seat - RF MA). We will definitely take one of her MAs for the trip.

Any hotel recommendations? How to get from the airport to hotel and from hotel to attractions? Any other recommendations, hints, etc is very much appreciated!

Thanks!
 
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CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Supershuttle vans... they have seat belts and you can use your carseat to get to disney. They are also inexpensive.

www.disboards.com is a fantastic resource for all things disney. Definitely check it out as they can also tell you which rides to hit up first if you really want to do them (always hit dumbo and Peter Pan's flight first... unless you want to wait 1+hours to get on it)

Stay offsite at a hotel right across from the main hub of disneyland. We went in February and stayed at Best Western Park Place Inn... it was okay and offered an okay free continental breakfast. It is the closest hotel to the parks, including the disneyland hotels.

We are going next week again and we will be staying at the Tropicana Inn (right next to Park Place Inn). Both hotels are about a 5 minute walk to security and the main hub of disney. There are great restaurants all down that main street with the hotels/motels.

If you can, go midweek... much less crowded than weekends and during peak summer season, you will not miss anything (fireworks run nightly).

Hope that helps. :)

Edited to add: Our boys were almost 5 and 20 months when we went in February... it was soooo much fun! I loved seeing our younger one's face as he got to meet mickey and especially chip and dale. :)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/413284745_69ffdeaa26.jpg?v=0

Edited one more time... I would highly recommend doing a character breakfast at goofy's kitchen (in the disneyland hotel). Fantastic brunch buffet and tons of characters are walking around doing pictures, playing with the kids and posing for photo ops. Totally worth the money... hopefully our youngest will be awake when we go this time. ;)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/413289512_cee8867109.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/413289521_6dd1b20575.jpg?v=0
 
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steph

New member
There are tons of hotels around Disneyland!! To be honest I would rent a car if you could. So. California isn't very public transportion friendly and if you are going to go to the beach or anything you really need a car.

If work is paying for the hotel than I would stay at one of the Disney ones (I heard Disney's grand Californian is nice) - I live here so I have no need for hotels!!!!
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Yeah, the Grand Californian is supposedly very nice if you can swing it. $$$$$ We like to stay off-property because we like suite hotels better--allows the adults to stay up later than the kids, lol. The Embassy Suites on Harbor Blvd. is very nice and offers a hot breakfast. We've stayed there a few times. Last time we stayed at the Residence Inn which is basically next door to it and while it didn't have a cook-to-order breakfast like the ES, it still had a nice choice of food for the morning. The kids' room has bunk beds and a Mickey tv, IIRC. Both hotels have a Garden Grove address, but are about 1-2 miles away from Disneyland--just a straight shot down the street.

Renting a car is a good idea. There are shuttles to D-land, but you're at their mercy for schedules and they may be full. The parking garage is the largest in the US, I think, but think of it as more exercise instead of more walking ;).

I wouldn't go in the summer, though. Lines, lines, lines, and more lines! Go before the end of May before school lets out. The week of President's Day is a good time and it's usually pretty nice weather-wise. Don't forget to go to the California park--I like it better than Disneyland. It's less claustrophobic and they have some really cool rides there, like Soaring Over California.

Gosh, it's only been a year since we've been and I miss it already!
 

bethng

Active member
Stay offsite at a hotel right across from the main hub of disneyland. We went in February and stayed at Best Western Park Place Inn... it was okay and offered an okay free continental breakfast. It is the closest hotel to the parks, including the disneyland hotels.

yes! to save money we stayed at both the best western park place (twice) and the carousel inn. both right across the street. We ate at IHOP and Denny's a lot to save money too. Someday when I am rich and famous I will stay at the Disneyland hotel lol

Edited one more time... I would highly recommend doing a character breakfast at goofy's kitchen (in the disneyland hotel). Fantastic brunch buffet and tons of characters are walking around doing pictures, playing with the kids and posing for photo ops. Totally worth the money... hopefully our youngest will be awake when we go this time. ;)
QUOTE]

we have done goofys diner 2x. first time was great. second time was a bust. Kids were disappointed. Not many characters and they hardly ever came to our table. I was not pleased. I want to try the lilo and stitch place or Ariel's grottel next time we go.
 

Niea

New member
Visit www.mousesavers.com and sign up for their monthly newsletters! The website is awesome, particularly for someone who's never been, and they get access to exclusive deals. I used them extensively for our Disney World Trip in August and was very pleased.
 

mommy2env

Active member
Go to Mickeys House in toontown. When we went we initially tought it was just like a play house. But if you go towards the back, there will be like theatre playing old cartoons, there you will stand in line to see Mickey backstage. It was so fun to have some alone time with him. You get to take pictures and autographs. And its free! Have fun, I LOVE DISNEYLAND! :love: We are going during xmas time.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
Yes, and if you go to California adventure too, have dinner at Ariel's Grotto. It's expensive, but you will be able to see 4-5 characters ( at your own table) without waiting in line. We saw ALL the princesses when we ate there. Which was great because the one character 11 yr old DD still gets excited about is Jasmine, and we'd been chasing her around the park for 3 days with no luck.

Also, I second Mickey's house to see Mickey.

And talk to Stitch at the Innoventions thing (revolving building). This was tons of laughs. This is also a great place to take a break for an hour or so and let your LO nap. You and hubby can take turns watching her and playing with the gadgets.

If you want to do the Nemo Submarine ride, the line is shortest during the Firework's.

And find out when Jack Sparrow will be at Tom Sawyer's Island. Not Johnny Depp, of course, but a pretty darn good look alike. Definately drool worthy.

The kids and I also had a lot of fun going through all the toon cars in toon town and posing for pictures of how NOT to ride in a car.
 

shellebelle

Senior Community Member
If you can, consider flying in to John Wayne airport (SNA). It's a lot closer to Disneyland and it's a small airport (i.e. 10 gates) so it's much mellower in there, plus you skip the LA traffic. LAX is insane. I get stressed flying out of there alone! And if you're an aviation dork like me you'll love the rocket takeoffs!

Depending on where you're coming from you may have to have a layover since the biggest thing they can get into SNA is a 757 (and that's pushing it). There's also Long Beach if JetBlue serves your local airport.
 

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