From the beginning...

[DryCreek]

Howdy Folks,
I need some help planning a 2012 Disneyland vacation. It feels kinda funny - I usually help everyone else I know plan their WDW vacations. I have been to Disneyland once by myself (when stationed in San Diego, about 1987) and then DW, DS and I in 1993. We are seasoned WDW park commandos, and the DW is starting to get tired of WDW (it's still the same, we've done that already, etc.). Last year was a cruise vacation, this year we are exploring New Mexico. I have put my foot down and decided that 2012 would be a Return to Disney. I am the vacation planner. As in the last five years, it will be just the DW and I (son in college). The reason I have chosen DL this time was twofold - we have never seen the CA park, and I just found out that DL still has Mr. Toads Wild Ride and the original Tiki Serenade!
OK, here is where the planning gets much harder than a trip to WDW, so I have lots and lots of questions. I will try to break them down into individual questions.

1 - I guess that DL does not offer the equivalent of DME. What is the most cost-effective way to get to the resort area without renting a car? When making trial reservations I was offered a choice to use Disneyland Motor Coach, but I couldn't tell if it added to the cost or who even runs the service after I selected it.

2 - How exactly does the "Dine in the Magic Meal Plan work? It doesn't have a very clear description on the official Disneyland website. It seems that you are issued some type of coupon or voucher, but it doesn't specify whether it applies to CS or TS, or whether it can be used for character dining. Can someone explain this to me in basic terms? Is it even worth booking?

3 - The next question is a no-brainer for WDW, but for DL I am conflicted: To stay on the property or not? I looked at their resort hotel prices and nearly choked! They don't have any rates comparable to a moderate with the Magic Your Way plan (i.e., POR, our favorite). The best price I could find was about $315 per night at the Disney's Paradice Pier! I looked at booking the Ramada (a "Good Neighbor Hotel") through their site and found it more in line with my expectations. It is shown as being across the street, and from satellite view it seems to be about 3 blocks from the main entrance. Will we be disappointed not staying on-site (and saving about $800)?

4 - Time of year, which is best? We always travel to WDW in early to middle February, but we are adaptable. Low crowds and most available rides (fewest refurb, re-themings in progress). Is it ever blistering hot there like in Orlando?

5 - Which airport is usually the best? I suppose that LAX would have the most choices, best price - but are there any secrets I need to know?

6 - Park admission. It seems like they do not offer base ticket options except for the 2-day resort ticket. I would prefer having daily non-park hopper passes. We don't park-hop at WDW, and I am not sure if there is a need to at DL (remember, we've only been there twice, before DCA)?

7 - Will four days be enough time to see and do it all? I am kinda' budgeting two days for DL and two days for DCA. Does that seem reasonable?

8 - uhhmmmm, all I can think of right now, but you can bet there will be more later!

Thanks in advance.

[BowTie7]

Hopefully someone will reply with more details but here are some basics.
1. There are bus services from the various LA airports to DL, they all have a charge. I would say that not having a car would work if you are within walking distance of the parks and don't plan on doing other area attractions (and there are lots and lots of things to do in LA). Actually if you can get a hotel within walking distance (and there are many) its better in my opinion that dealing with the various parking lots and trams and shuttles.
2. I think the DL meal plan is just a sort of prepay, its not really a good deal like the DW plans can be. There are also many lower priced places very close to the parks (I have walked across the street to McDonald's after getting tired of the generally higher that DW food prices.
3. On site at DL is very expensive and there are many, many hotels surrounding the parks. I would check on the hotels shuttle schedule or if you can walk goggle walking maps to see the distance to the parks. (You can only enter the resort at several entrances.)
4. Because of the huge local market DL can get crowded any time of the year. Try for weekdays if possible because is can be crazy any weekend (actually, I believe, that DL is very impacted by local season pass blackout days, so a Sunday in the off-season could actually be busier than a Saturday in July)
5. Airport will vary on were you are flying from and if you need a direct flight.
6. At certain times of the year DL has specials on multi-day passes that include both parks. Park hopping is easy as the entrances are directly across from each other.
7. I would say it takes three days to do everything, but I like four or five. Like DW, admission gets less expensive the more days you stay so why not stay longer.

[BrerGnat]

First of all, you've picked a wonderful year to visit Disneyland Resort! I like to call 2012 "The Year of the Completion of Refurbishments." :mickey:

If you are not aware, the Disneyland resort (to include ALL of DCA as well as the entire Disneyland Hotel) is currently in the middle of a GIANT refurbishment project. The completion for all of this work, and the unveiling of DCA as a "brand new" park (practically) is set for "Summer 2012". With that said, I'd say the best time in 2012 to visit would be....Mid September-Mid October 2012. This will be a perfect time, weather wise, crowd wise, and PRICE wise.

Let me address your points one at a time.

1. The cheapest way to get to the DLR will depend on which airport you fly into. More on that later, but the Disneyland Express is available from all area airports. It is operated by Gray Line, which is the equivalent of Mears in Orlando. Taxis and private shuttles are also an option.

2. Skip the DL meal plan. It's a sham. It's nothing like the WDW one. In essence, you prepay for vouchers. Each voucher has a face value. You pay for your meals/snacks, etc. with vouchers BUT if what you are buying costs LESS than the face value of the voucher, you do NOT get change. Just skip it. Trust me on this one. I don't even know why this meal plan exists. I suppose there are enough gullible people who really don't understand how it works, and then Disney profits on it.

3. Staying on property or not? Really, that is a completely personal decision. At Disneyland, it's not necessary like it is at WDW. On the other hand, the Disney owned resorts (Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotel, to be specific) are really nice, and offer perks that you won't get by staying off property, such as the Early Morning Hour, room charging privileges, and the use of the private entrance into DCA from the Grand Californian. In addition, these resorts are very well themed and offer a better sense of being isolated from "the real world".

On the other hand, the Good Neighbor hotels are plenty and close by. The main entrance for off property guests is right on Harbor Blvd., directly across from the Best Western Park Place Inn. The closest resorts are the ones located between the Howard Johnson and the Ramada Maingate. I'd not recommend any off property resorts further away than those. At that point, the walk becomes an aggravation, at best. If money is a major concern, and a hotel room is just that, a place to sleep and shower, then staying off property will work well for you. If, on the other hand, the hotel and its themeing, and immersion in the whole Disney empire is what YOU look forward to on vacation, then staying on property is a must.

If you do choose on property, skip the Paradise Pier. It's too similar to an off property hotel in terms of the room and amenities (older rooms in need of refurbishment, TINY pool, far away from the parks, etc.). It's not worth the price. I'd give the nod to the Disneyland Hotel for your trip. It's going to be spectacular when it's all done. It's about halfway there right now, and it's looking REALLY good. :thumbsup: In September, after Labor Day, you will find the lowest resort prices of the calendar year. At DL, summer is Peak Season, where resort prices are concerned. September and October are Disneyland's value season, in comparison.

4. When to visit: September (last three weeks), October (last two weeks, avoiding the first weekend in October, which is Gay Days and brings HUGE crowds), November (first three weeks), December (first two weeks). These are the best times. Hardly no ride refurbishments (most of those take place Jan-April), great weather (warm, no rain usually, not too hot). To answer your question, it does get VERY hot in July and August, but its not like at WDW because there is no humidity. Also, the past couple of years, we've had very mild (downright cold) summers. September-October brings the Santa Ana winds, which sometimes are accompanied by heat waves, but it's tolerable and makes for nice swimming weather. As a local and frequent visitor, September is my favorite time of year to go to DLR. It's like a ghost town. :D

In 2012, in particular, the opening of Cars Land and the completion of DCA will make May-August a complete madhouse. Avoid visiting in this timeframe. You're likely to be more aggravated by the insane crowds than anything else.

If you can hold off until Mid November or December, you can take advantage of seeing DLR all done up for the holidays, which is very special indeed.

5. The best airport is Orange County (SNA). It's literally 15 min from Disneyland and you can taxi to the resort or take a shuttle for about $30-40. There are flat rate taxi services to DLR from SNA, or you can do Prime Time Shuttle (my recommendation), for something like $15 per person each way.

LAX is likely to get you more flight options, but maybe not. Depending on where in TX you are flying from, SNA might be a better choice. I know that Continental and American have a huge presence at SNA, and also hubs in TX. Try SNA first, and then LAX as a second choice. Personally, I hate LAX. It's such a poorly run airport all around. SNA is nice and small, well run and managed, and is just a breeze to fly in and out of.

6. The ability to Park Hop at DLR is essential. Plus, all the multi day tickets there are park hoppers anyway, so there's no other option. You'd certainly not want to pay for 4 separate one day, one park tickets (which run close to $80 each....). If you can remember the OLD Disneyland parking lot...THAT is the site of the current DCA park. The two sets of entrance gates to the parks are no more than 100yd from each other. Park hopping is easy, and it's easy to go back and forth between the parks several times each day. It's sort of critical too, because of the way the nighttime entertainment is set up. There are shows at each park, at different times, and if you wanted to watch, say, the Fantasmic at DL, and then World of Color at DCA, you could do so. Also, the Fastpass systems at the parks are not connected, so you could have FP for rides in both parks at the same time. Park hopping makes your visit more efficient.

Disney also offers "promotional" pricing on their tickets if you get them online. Right now, for example, they have a promotional price of $182 for an adult, 4 day Park Hopper Bonus ticket. That is a STEAL! Later this year, that same ticket is $201, which is still significanly less than the "gate price." So, keep up on Disneyland.com for their most current special offers.

7. Four full days in the park should be enough. I think anywhere between 4 and 6 days is a perfect amount of time for first timers, or those who have not visited in many years.


Let us know if you have any more questions! Also, make sure you utilize the other Disneyland forums, particularly for questions related to accommodations (whether on or off property) and general vacation planning!

[DryCreek]

I am getting some good input so far.

I think that the Ramada Main Gate will be one of the better choices for us - we just use the room for rest/bath/storage area. I just can't seem to justify spending over twice as much for lodging to stay at the DLH (as much as I'd like to though).
Speaking of the DLH, does the monorail still run from there to the parks main entrance? I seem to remember that we rode over to DLH to look around because our son wanted to see what it was like.

OK, I am going to pass on their "dining plan". No wonder there wasn't a clear explanation!

Since I had read here before that September was a good time, I was using trial dates of 9/5 to 9/9 (Mon-Fri) to find the absolute best rates. The weekends really do exact a premium. (Avoiding Gay Days, thanks for the heads-up, its in June for WDW)

I have a choice of two airports to fly from; Waco (ACT), which we really love because it is closer, smaller, and the parking is free - and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), which is, well just a mess. It costs more to fly from Waco, but the aggravation factor is lower. We will have to see how the prices book out since we are using our credit card award points and they only cover up to a certain amount ($350?).

Thanks for all of the great advice folks - keep it coming! Maybe some day I can share some insight to WDW for ya!

[BrerGnat]

I have a choice of two airports to fly from; Waco (ACT), which we really love because it is closer, smaller, and the parking is free - and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), which is, well just a mess. It costs more to fly from Waco, but the aggravation factor is lower. We will have to see how the prices book out since we are using our credit card award points and they only cover up to a certain amount ($350?).



This is how I feel about SNA vs. LAX. SNA wins, even when it costs more.

The monorail station is now part of Downtown Disney. The Disneyland Hotel is a short 3 min walk from the station, but it's not officially "attached" to the monorail anymore. In fact, the entire Downtown Disney area will be new to you too!

[DryCreek]

In fact, the entire Downtown Disney area will be new to you too!
Well, to be entirely honest, We've never been to Downtown Disney in Orlando either. Just doesn't seem to interest us, it does have some pretty stiff competition with the four parks and the (now only) two water attractions!

[AvaNellMouse]

Here's another vote for SNA.
LAX is absolute Mayhem. The SWA lines are beyond anything you would ever want to experience. They are so long that people start freaking out about missing their planes etc etc.

When you leave SNA it is very exciting. They have some sort of noise ordinance in that area and your take off is steep and fast. :thumbsup:

As far as airport transportation, we have done it all. I liked the towncar the most but it was sort of expensive. Super (scary) Shuttle is okay but they usually have other stops before they take you to the park.

Sent you a PM regarding your 2011 plans. :marg:

[teamblackwell]

As far as lodging, we were disappointed with Paradise Pier. We now only stay at BW Park Place or BW Anaheim inn. Park Place is slightly closer to the main entrance terrace(80 feet)and has a free breakfast at the next door at the Captain Kidd restaurant(cereals, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, bagels, danishes, milk and juice.) Anaheim inn is our back-up hotel, slightly cheaper a night, but no breakfast. Both hotels are an easy walk to the parks enterance terrace(3-5 minutes). Getting through Disneys security check point will take longer than the walk to get there. The nightly rate for BW PP is usually around $95-$125 depending on season. If you stay there is worth getting enrolled in AAA, the discount they offer for AAA members will pay for itself.

[DryCreek]

We now only stay at BW Park Place or BW Anaheim inn. Park Place is slightly closer to the main entrance terrace(80 feet)and has a free breakfast at the next door at the Captain Kidd restaurant(cereals, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, bagels, danishes, milk and juice.)
By any chance do either of those two hotels participate in the DLR Good-Neighbor program? I still want to kinda' book a package deal.
Has anyone been able to determine if you book your package through Disney, (and stay at a Good-Neighbor hotel) if you are eligible for the early park openings?

[NotaGeek]

By any chance do either of those two hotels participate in the DLR Good-Neighbor program? I still want to kinda' book a package deal.
Has anyone been able to determine if you book your package through Disney, (and stay at a Good-Neighbor hotel) if you are eligible for the early park openings?

It's my understanding the only way to get the Early Mornings is through the DLR hotels -- I have stayed and both the BW ParK Place Inn and the Ramada Maingate several times and they are both great MUCH less expensive option.

Wny not try out INTERCOT sponsor Magical Journeys (http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/)? They are a great source for assistance with all your Disney booking needs.

[teamblackwell]

MJ would be a good option. The last time I looked at packages, it was my understanding that Good Neighbor packages were eligible for early entry. I've learned that calling the hotel itself and asking for there best deal on a room, and buying your tickets seperatly, you can beat the package deal price by at least $100 and the "bonus" tickets they sell on disney's website include 1 early entry too.

[eeyorepoohfan]

I believe if you purchase a multi-day hopper you get one early entry included, it doesn't matter where you stay. But I don't think you can use your hopper early entry and then a resort specific entry. I believe you are only eligible for one early entry per ticket. But I could be wrong on that. You will want to check the calendar when it's released because they only do early entry a few days each week. I'll try to answer more questions later. Hope this helps a little bit!

[BrerGnat]

Good Neighbor hotels do NOT receive early entry on magic mornings. That is only for DLR guests with valid room keys OR those with multi day tickets that include that perk (not all of them do, they are called "Bonus" tickets, and have to be purchased AHEAD of time, either online or through a package).

Magic Morning is only Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It is one hour prior to posted opening time (usually 7am-8am or 8am-9am). It only applies at Disneyland park.

[DryCreek]

Good Neighbor hotels do NOT receive early entry on magic mornings. That is only for DLR guests with valid room keys OR those with multi day tickets that include that perk (not all of them do, they are called "Bonus" tickets, and have to be purchased AHEAD of time, either online or through a package).

Magic Morning is only Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It is one hour prior to posted opening time (usually 7am-8am or 8am-9am). It only applies at Disneyland park.
So, if I book my package through Disney, and stay at a Good Neighbor hotel, would I be purchasing "Bonus" tickets? I though that is what I read on their website. I have found that the packages are not nearly as well explained when it comes to planning a trip to Disneyland as it is when visiting "the world".

[tinkwest]

When you book your Disneyland vacation online with the Walt Disney Travel Company, one of the extras you receive is ONE Magic Morning admission PER TICKET into Disneyland Park. This includes packages with either Resort hotels or Good Neighbor hotels, which have Disneyland Resort Park Hopper tickets of 3-Days or longer. Some special offers and/or Bonus tickets through WDTravel include Magic Morning even if you are not staying in one of the Resort or Good Neighbor hotels.

Remember, Magic Morning is a one hour time slot offered on specific days with limited attractions. And once again, you must narrow it down to one morning. While it is a good way to hit some of the popular Fantasyland rides that are given to long lines later in the day, I wouldn't stress over or plan my vacation around the inclusion of Magic Morning.