Disneyland ticket options suck!

captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just sayin'.

I've been on these forums a while and many of you know I've wanted to go to Disneyland for the first time. We've been to WDW 30+ times. I'd really like to spend a good solid week in the original park.

But the whole "we only sell 5 day hoppers" is absolute nonsense. Yeah, I get it - There are only 2 parks. But for some, a trip out to California is a once in a lifetime deal and you want to take advantage of the parks as much as you can. Hell, if we can spend 4 days at the Magic Kingdom every summer, I'm certain we can spend 4 days at Disneyland Park, plus a couple at DCA.

But to spend the ridiculous amount of money for airfare to fly out to California and only get to spend 5 days at the resort just doesn't make sense. And if we want to spend more time there, our only option is to spend an additional $500 for our family for 1 day tickets. Or, $1,000 for 2 day tickets. Or, about $1,200 more for AP's.

Just a rant. I'm really bummed about this. We were all set to make the trip next summer, but as much as I know California has to offer, our interest, especially with the kids, is only in Disneyland. Why they don't offer 6, 7 or 8 day tickets is beyond me. The jump in price from a 5 day to an AP simply can not be justified.
 
xdan0920

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
captainkidd said:
Just sayin'.

I've been on these forums a while and many of you know I've wanted to go to Disneyland for the first time. We've been to WDW 30+ times. I'd really like to spend a good solid week in the original park.

But the whole "we only sell 5 day hoppers" is absolute nonsense. Yeah, I get it - There are only 2 parks. But for some, a trip out to California is a once in a lifetime deal and you want to take advantage of the parks as much as you can. Hell, if we can spend 4 days at the Magic Kingdom every summer, I'm certain we can spend 4 days at Disneyland Park, plus a couple at DCA.

But to spend the ridiculous amount of money for airfare to fly out to California and only get to spend 5 days at the resort just doesn't make sense. And if we want to spend more time there, our only option is to spend an additional $500 for our family for 1 day tickets. Or, $1,000 for 2 day tickets. Or, about $1,200 more for AP's.

Just a rant. I'm really bummed about this. We were all set to make the trip next summer, but as much as I know California has to offer, our interest, especially with the kids, is only in Disneyland. Why they don't offer 6, 7 or 8 day tickets is beyond me. The jump in price from a 5 day to an AP simply can not be justified.
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I thought you were heading to the Contemporary next summer?

If so, just get a Premium AP.

Problem solved.
 
captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
xdan0920 said:
I thought you were heading to the Contemporary next summer?

If so, just get a Premium AP.

Problem solved.
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We were thinking about the CR IF we decided on WDW, but we really want to go to Disneyland. Unfortunately, the way our vacations work out, AP's don't do us much good as we can't seem to go twice in a calender year. So, it's one or the other. Not that I would ever think about buying Premium AP's. For my family, that would cost $4,245. That's shameful.
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
LOL thank you for the morning rant (as I sit here coding 5000 data sets :mad:). I too want to go to Disneyland/California but their vacation packages seem to be exorbitant. I am coming from the midwest and airfare along is expensive; that with car rental; hotel, disney tickets is beyond my means.

In regards to the 5 day hopper. I know you are dead set on wanting to spend more time in the parks at DL. If you are there for a week would you want to try other CA theme parks. Maybe Knotts Berry Farm?
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
We just took our first trip to Disneyland a couple weeks ago. Stayed "on property" 7 days, with 5-day tickets. That was plenty of time...which is why they sell tickets up to that length.

Its only two parks, and if you want to be there longer, break it up with hotel/pool/DTD days.
 
Californian Elitist

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
Five days are plenty. You're in California... Try not to spend all of your time at Disneyland. There are so many other things to do. San Diego, Los Angeles... Didn't you want to go to Magic Mountain? You could even go up north.

If you absolutely must stay longer at Disneyland (which I don't think you will), think about getting Premier passes. If you want to go so bad, why don't you just go? Yeah, Disneyland is expensive but so is WDW. Your WDW mindset is really getting to you. The DLR is not some sprawling resort with a whole bunch of things to do besides "theme parking." Did you know you can walk from Disneyland to California Adventure within a matter of seconds? With all the park hopping you'll be doing, there's no way you won't see all of it, if not most of everything in five days.
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
We were thinking about the CR IF we decided on WDW, but we really want to go to Disneyland. Unfortunately, the way our vacations work out, AP's don't do us much good as we can't seem to go twice in a calender year. So, it's one or the other. Not that I would ever think about buying Premium AP's. For my family, that would cost $4,245. That's shameful.
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The break even day for an AP is around 11 days. Don't you normally go for like 90 days in the castle suite or something like that?
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
The reason why is because the longer tickets were being exploited by the ticket resellers and probably not really by legit guests.

You wouldn't really want to spend a week in DLR - do as raven said... make the trip worth it by doing things OUTSIDE the parks. Extend the stay doing other things. I've heard of them selling an additional day at the ticket booth.. but I can't stand on that fully.

DLR is like WDW with no fluff.. after 3+ days you'll be exhausted simply because you've done so much in such a concentrated amount of time. Take a day off and do a tour, etc.
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
Get a passport and cheat next year's vacation ahead a little bit.

The passport is $849.

$849/(14+5)=$44.68 per day

10 day park hopper + 4 day Park Hopper Plus at WDW will set you back $779.59 ($422.81+$356.78) and a 5 day DLR park hopper will cost $290.00 for a total of $1069.59.
 
captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
flynnibus said:
The reason why is because the longer tickets were being exploited by the ticket resellers and probably not really by legit guests.

You wouldn't really want to spend a week in DLR - do as raven said... make the trip worth it by doing things OUTSIDE the parks. Extend the stay doing other things. I've heard of them selling an additional day at the ticket booth.. but I can't stand on that fully.

DLR is like WDW with no fluff.. after 3+ days you'll be exhausted simply because you've done so much in such a concentrated amount of time. Take a day off and do a tour, etc.
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This is my current plan:

Saturday - Travel day
Sunday - Disneyland
Monday - California Adventure
Tuesday - Disneyland
Wednesday - Disneyland/California Adventure
Thursday - Knotts Berry Farm
Friday - Disneyland
Saturday - Travel Day

Sound about right?
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
This is my current plan:

Saturday - Travel day
Sunday - Disneyland
Monday - California Adventure
Tuesday - Disneyland
Wednesday - Disneyland/California Adventure
Thursday - Knotts Berry Farm
Friday - Disneyland
Saturday - Travel Day.

Sound about right.
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You're missing out on a great area of the country by spending so much time at Disneyland.

It's not the cultural wasteland that Orlando is.

An hour and a half south you have one of the best zoos in the entire world in San Diego. An hour north you have classic Hollywood icons and studios. Not to mention exception shopping at even the most basic of malls: The Grove, South Coast Plaza...oh no...I sound like @raven24 and @TP2000...

:D

I'm only saying that you are doing a disservice to yourself and your family if you don't even take a day to experience the surrounding area.
 
captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
jakeman said:
You're missing out on a great area of the country by spending so much time at Disneyland.

It's not the cultural wasteland that Orlando is.

An hour and a half south you have one of the best zoos in the entire world in San Diego. An hour north you have classic Hollywood icons and studios. Not to mention exception shopping at even the most basic of malls: The Grove, South Coast Plaza...oh no...I sound like @raven24 and @TP2000...

:D

I'm only saying that you are doing a disservice to yourself and your family if you don't even take a day to experience the surrounding area.
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I'd like to try some of those things, but from my research, it seems getting around California isn't all that easy.

Airfare for next summer isn't out yet, but I looked up the dates we'd be going using the 2013 numbers - For my family of 5, it will cost us $2,000 more to fly to any of the airports that are close to Los Angeles than it costs to fly to Orlando. That's a HUGE difference.
 
J

jmb2676

Active Member
We got a "Southern California pass" for our upcoming fall trip. It includes a 3 day park hopper, 1 day at Universal, 1 day at Sea World SD and one day at the SD zoo. I think it was around $330. We found using Amtrak is pretty easy to use so that's what we are using again this trip. It's a short trip between Hollywood/LA and Anaheim that you could probably do in a day if you wanted to. We are hitting SD at the end of our trip for a few days using Amtrak again. if you just Google Southern California Pass you should see the options. It's a little cheaper if you don't want the zoo, but we haven't been in a while and the gf wants to see the pandas.
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
I'd like to try some of those things, but from my research, it seems getting around California isn't all that easy.

Airfare for next summer isn't out yet, but I looked up the dates we'd be going using the 2013 numbers - For my family of 5, it will cost us $2,000 more to fly to any of the airports that are close to Los Angeles than it costs to fly to Orlando. That's a HUGE difference.
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Depends on what you consider easy.

Sitting in traffic isn't all that hard. If you've ever been to Atlanta or DC traffic is about the same or worse there.
 
captainkidd

captainkidd

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
jakeman said:
Depends on what you consider easy.

Sitting in traffic isn't all that hard. If you've ever been to Atlanta or DC traffic is about the same or worse there.
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On vacation, I consider easy not having to worry about traffic at all.

One thing that several people have told me is this: I will love being in the original Disney Park and I will love the old dark rides that are lacking in the Magic Kingdom. However, I will be EXTREMELY bothered by seeing the traffic on the highway while in Tomorrowland. And I will be bothered by seeing retail shops, motels and chain restaurants right across the street. And they're right. For me, who LIVES for the immersion you get at WDW, I think I may have a big problem with that.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
You won't have to worry about which part which day.. unless you aren't buying park hoppers. Literally, it's just as easy to park hop as it is to walk from Space Mountain to Adventureland in the MK. You'll be going back and forth all the time. The things to plan around are the scheduled things.. like which evening show you want to see, etc.

For flying, I don't know your exact travel arrangements.. but 2k more sounds high. Just a spitball quote shows airfare about 350-500 pp from logan to LAX area with one stop. But the cost of flying is why you should try to make this a 'california trip' and not just a DL trip.

Trust me.. if you go through all the extra hassle to goto California and ONLY do DLR... you will not think the extra expense to goto DLR is worth it. Even tho you will like the park.. you will not like it enough to prefer travel to california over your 'regular' WDW trips. DLR should not be treated like an island like you treat WDW.

The #1 fault of WDW to DLR travelers is trying to do DLR like you do WDW. It is different.. and the sooner you break that habit the happier you will be.

California is no harder to get around than anywhere else assuming you have a car. There are far more transit options than in FL.. but it would be a disjointed experience. Rent a car if you are going to do various things in the region.
 

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