Mama's Diaries

Vacation Disney

Calling all travel agents, Southern California residents, and expert vacationers 🙂 ! Jim and I are trying to plan our 10th wedding anniversary trip (in our 11th anniversary year 🙂 ) and I am realizing that event and trip plan is just not my cup of tea!

We intended to do this trip last September (our 10th anniversary was Sept 16th 2004). We were going to have a 3 year old little boy and a 4 month old baby and it was going to be fun fun fun. Due to Ty’s unexpected early arrival, we have had to postpone all vacationing so our anniversary trip got pushed into 2005.

Here is our plan so far:

Jim would like to take vacation time in early December. We are hoping that some of our family members will tag along on our trip.

We would like to visit:

* Disneyland and California Adventure (2 to 3 days)
* San Diego Zoo
* Sea World (maybe)
* Knotts Berry Farm or Lego Land

We will be staying with family in So. California for the most part but we would like a 2 to 3 night stay in Anaheim during our Disney trip and possibly a 1 to 2 night stay in San Diego.

I would really like to stay at the new Disney Grand California Hotel but from my shopping it looks like a 3 night stay would add at least 300.00 bucks to our hotel expense (as opposed to a local moderate hotel). Is it really worth that? Haven’t decided.

Pricing Options:

Right now I am trying to balance a few options.

* Jim gets a discount on tickets through Intel – he should be researching this.
* The So. CA Citypass covers 3 days at Disney/Ca Adventure, 1 day Seaworld, 1 day San Diego Zoo and 1 day at Knotts – which would be perfect. You can use this pass over a 14 day period.
* I looked at Disney packages off the Disney website and can get 3 day tickets and hotels for a fairly good package price (I think) but if I did this I wouldn’t get the City Pass so than I would have to buy the other park tickets seperately. I need to spreadsheet this all out and see what seems cheapest.

I think once I get this done, I will call a Travel Agent to see if they can come up with a better plan. I don’t have to pay Travel Agents do I? They get paid by whoever we book with is that right? If I spend more using an agent than I guess that wouldn’t make sense? Anyone know a good agent:)?

Other things to think about:

* Jim and I want to go in early Dec because (a) value season and hopefully less crowded (b) cooler (c) decorated for Christmas!!!
* We are really really wanting to see the water show at Disney that we always seem to miss. (The animation over the water – what is that called?) Does it play in Dec? Only on certain nights?
* We think we want our Disney trip to be a Wed – Fri trip because Wed and Thurs should be good light traffic days but then Friday we can see the shows that only play on weekends. Good idea?
* We don’t need airfare or rental cars as we are driving.

I am writing all this in my journal because some of you avid vacationeers may have some good suggestions for me on travel tips and discounts. I am open to your suggestions so comment away! My friend Kathy put a whole Disney book together for her trip. I am having fun planning this but I am not confident that I am any good at finding the best deals.

So…any thoughts?

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10 responses to “Vacation Disney”

  1. October and the first 2 weeks of December are the slowest time of the year at Disney. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Newyears are the busyest days of the year. Here are the stats.
    http://www.scottware.com.au/theme/feature/crowds.htm
    The above website has stats for the best time of day, week, and year to do specfic things.

    Both we and the Smiths went last year in October and I will never go any other time again. We never waited more than 30 mins for a line, we went on every single ride in both parks in 2 days, and that was with a barely 2 year old Alysa.

    Some things to consider, In October the Haunted Mansion is turned into THe Nightmare before Christmas, and is very very cool. Its still decently warm during the day so when you get wet in Cal Adventures, its not bad, can be cold in december. In December the Park is decorated for Christmas, and has snow along mainstreet at night.

    I really really really want to stay at the Grand Californinan. ITs more expensive, but has these bonuses, it has its own exclusive entrance to Cal Adventures, right at the line for the river rafting ride (one of the best rides and wettest ride there). Your only 2 mins from your room if you get wet. THe Hotel is by far the coolest hotel in D-land. You jsut have to weigh the extra cost, but with Ty, the easy room access may be a big bonus for you.

    We may be lookiing at the SoCal pass in October, or something similar. I think between Kathy S and I, you may have 2 of the biggest Dland freaks out there :0)

    Well, thats a good start

  2. Oh yeah,

    The water show used to be called Fantasmic, but they dont have it any more 🙁 Total bummer, it was very cool. But for the 50th anniversary this year, they do have a new cool parade, new fireworks show, and they have a ton of cool shows in Cal Adventures, along with the Main Street Light Parade.

    OK, time to be quiet now :0)

  3. John – according to the disney website (I searched under Fantasmic) – they are showing it TONIGHT.

    I can’t find a calendar that goes into December though so I can’t tell if it plays then. I know it is a seasonal show.

    Thanks for all your thoughts you Mickey Freak 🙂 .

  4. Yeah, i just saw that, I guess I was wrong there (FIRST TIME EVER! LOL). When we went in October last year, it wasnt even playing on the weekends. I dont know if it is just a summer thing, or if they brought it back. Belinda and I saw it when we went 5 years ago and it was AWSOME, so if they do have it in the Fall it would be very cool.

  5. I have a small daughter and have been to Disney many times…I think 3 days there is too long its not as big as Disney World and California Adventure is ok not that great for little ones and not many rides at all. THe 3 day pass is great my Daughter loves Sea World and I would do that over most…THe zoo is not as spectacular as most think its good but the Wild Animal Park may be better, The California Grand Hotel is nice and convenient but worth an extra 300 probably not but it is nice to just take them on monorail and put them for naps at the hotel or an afternoon swim if its warm enough! We went at Christmas last year to see the lights and it was amazing!!!! Have lots of fun

  6. too bad texas isn’t closer as we have sea world and fiesta texas six flaggs near san antonio and the wonderful dallas zoo and 6 flaggs near dallas – and medieval times too! not too far into oklahoma are some mountains and free range cattle, buffalo, and even prairie dogs! then the best thing of all? i little ol’ air force base in the middle of nowhere texas! oh yah, and me. 🙂 ho hum… i wish… disneyland and all the southern cal adventures do sound more fun. 🙂 just missing you… wish we could tag along on your adventure! one day we must find a way to have a family vacation together. we must. 🙂

  7. Greetings from Orange Beach, Alabama! Sorry I don’t know anything about Disneyland. I’ve only been to Disneyworld in Florida once. I can tell you that I was miserable staying out of the park. It may be different for ya’ll since you will have your vehicle and will not have to depend on shuttle busses. Buy you a water bottle holder that straps to your waist. It’s a MUST! Also, be SURE to take an autograph book for Tanner to get all the characters to sign. They sell them in most of the gift shops in the parks. I hope ya’ll have a fabulous time! I’ll talk to you more via email when we return from vacation. We just got here and are leaving on Wednesday. That’s about all hubby can stand of the sand and sun! Cowboys just don’t do well at the beach! Kisses to those sweet babies for me!
    Love, Jennifer

  8. Actually, Fantasmic is a summer thing. I think it ends in September, maybe a bit sooner. I adore that show. It’s really neat!

    Hope you have a safe trip!

  9. Doni, I noticed that CostCo sells tickets to most of the places you want to visit. I haven’t looked at them too closely as I have season passes to the SD Zoo, Wild Animal Park and Sea World since we’re so close. However, I believe when I checked into the Sea World pass for someone else, it also included a nice BBQ lunch or dinner and I think this was for less than the regular admission price of something like $56!!!! Next time I’m at CostCo I’ll look closer at their “deals”. I could probably come up w/ some hotel info for SD. Do you want to stay near the beach? Downtown? Can we meet you at Sea World?? Just kidding . . . we wouldn’t intrude on your anniversay trip!

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