Sounds like she's coming around!
Disneyland is a great departure WDW where you still satisfy the craving, but in a distinctly different way.
One great quote that
partially captures the essense of Disneyland is a something that Tony Baxter said during an interview:
"Disneyland is 'charming' and WDW is 'spectacular'."
That's true, in general, but there's a lot deeper reality than that. There are certainly a lot of parts of Disneyland that aren't as large and awe-inspiring as WDW, but there are also some amazing attractions, theming, etc. that are superior to what WDW has.
It's all personal preference in the end, or, in my case, it's not so much preference as just enjoying each in its own way.
Furthermore, there are a lot of things happening at California Adventure right now, some of which aren't scheduled to be completed until 2012 or so.
I have answers to
some of your questions in
BLUE below:
After our 2009 WDW trip DW said she did not want to go back to Disney again. So I told her I’ll save for another trip for DS and myself, but I digress.
Recently she has been hinting and last night came right out and asked me to gather information on Disneyland, California Adventure and the Disney Sothern California tour packages.
I have been to Disneyland twice, in 1959 and 1975, so I’m sure some things have changed, but I can’t wait to ride the 20,000 leagues under the sea attraction and tour “The Home of the Future,” just kidding.
I have a few basic questions, and will more than likely have many more in the future. Thank you everyone in advance.
- Any great websites that address Disneyland? I know about Allearsnet.
That, wdwinfo/"The DIS" (Disneyland Section) and Micechat have a lot of great info.
- Is there a Disney Magical Express in California?
Unfortunately, there's no Magical Express in the sense that there is in Florida. There are a handful of shuttles available. Of course, renting a car is an option, especially if you intend to check out other LA-area attractions (Hollywood, the coast, studios, etc.), although LA-area traffic is not for the faint of heart (or patience).
- The rooms at the 3 DL resorts, queen size or full size beds?
According to wdwinfo/"The DIS", the standard rooms have 2 Queen or 1 King bed.
- DL resorts square footage and layout, is there any info to compare to WDW deluxe resorts?
I don't know about any direct comparisons, but you can find a lot of info as well as photos also at wdwinfo/"The DIS" (Disneyland Section).
- Do the DL resorts have a daybed like at Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary? I saw somewhere that they sleep 5 people and want to make sure that that is not 2 to a bed and a child in a crib.
I'm not sure, but more info can be found at the links above - in the photos if nothing else.
- Is there any information, (i.e. websites, Kingdom Konsultants etc concerning the So Cal packages discussed on the planning video?
I think you can find out about the So Cal Package/pass directly from the Disneyland Official Website. If not, a quick online search could probably line you up with a link.
- Are the So Cal packages worth it?
I've never done it, primarily because we haven't been there long enough to have the desire to spend enough time at other locations to justify the package. Personally, I like to plan things a la carte to be able to custom-tailor each element of a vacation and get the best possible deals and combination of elements that suits our needs.
- Is transportation provided for the So Cal Packages? (i.e. do they drive you to San Diego and to the Zoo etc?
I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that you're on your own no matter what package you have.
Anything else that you might think of thst would be useful is also welcome and thank you all again.
Depending on when you travel, the Disneyland Resorts have very high basic rates. They are literally as much or more than the high-end of the Deluxe Resorts at WDW, which has been hard for us to justify when there are reasonable hotels nearby for about 20% of the price (we figured we can enjoy a lot more food, shopping, and other activities for that savings). As important as the Disney experience is to me, we have usually passed on the Disneyland Resorts in favor of one of the "Good Neighbor" hotels which are nearby. Because of the fact that the format of Disneyland is so much different than WDW, it isn't too much of a downer staying "offsite".
Otherwise, it sounds like you've got the right idea for a great vacation. Whether you do the So Cal Package or plan a vacation with your own unique elements, you should definitely try to hit the typical tourist experiences in the area - it's definitely worth the effort to make it out to Hollywood, etc.
Good luck, happy planning, and let us all know what you plan out!
