Planning trip...need info!

PixiePower

New Member
Original Poster
I am starting to plan a trip for May 2006 for DL.
We have never been to DL. It will be me, DH, dds (trip is for 10th and 8th bdays)

We plan to stay onsite. How many days should we plan? Best onsite resort for kids and what type tix are the best to get?

Any other info or links greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
 

TTATraveler

Active Member
PixiePower said:
I am starting to plan a trip for May 2006 for DL.
We have never been to DL. It will be me, DH, dds (trip is for 10th and 8th bdays)

We plan to stay onsite. How many days should we plan? Best onsite resort for kids and what type tix are the best to get?

Any other info or links greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

Four days should be enough time to accomplish everything in both parks. In terms of onsite hotels, I have only stayed at the Paradise Pier. The Disneyland Hotel is more Disney-esque and larger than Paradise Pier. Paradise Pier has a So Cal theme with some Disney in it. The Grand Californian is nice and is the only hotel that Disney actually built, but is expensive. Paradise Pier is the cheapest, but all 3 hotels would fall into WDW's Deluxe price range. In terms of tickets, I would get park hopper tickets.
 

imamouse

Well-Known Member
Although expensive, The Grand California Hotel has it's own entrance to DCA, in additoin to bing on the monorail to DL. It might be worth the extra $ for your family to have a view of the park from their room.
 

TTATraveler

Active Member
LoriMistress said:
Each DL hotel has their own special enterance to DCA, but at two hotels you can take the monorail.

I believe they got rid of the special entrance for the Paradise Pier Hotel guests. The DL hotel never had an exclusive entrance to my knowledge. I think anyone can use the entrance from GC to DCA, cause I was able to use it and wasn't staying at any of the 3 Disney hotels.

I also don't believe the monorail stops at the GC. It stops at the end of Downtown Disney near the Rainforest Cafe.

Someone please correct me if I am worng, but these were my observations from a few weeks ago.
 

xfkirsten

New Member
TTATraveler said:
I think anyone can use the entrance from GC to DCA, cause I was able to use it and wasn't staying at any of the 3 Disney hotels.

It used to be that way, but over the last several months I've noticed they're cracking down on that and asking to see a keycard from a Disney hotel. :(
 

S_Grise

New Member
For our family, getting the concierge package was the way to go! We had 2 pre-teens and one teen. Are you doing DCA too or just DL?
 

PixiePower

New Member
Original Poster
We are planning to go to both parks. I am leaning towards staying at the GC. I think my girls would love it. We are planning at least 4 days there. What are some must do things besides the parks? Character meals, etc?

Thanks for the advice so far!
 

S_Grise

New Member
PixiePower said:
We are planning to go to both parks. I am leaning towards staying at the GC. I think my girls would love it. We are planning at least 4 days there. What are some must do things besides the parks? Character meals, etc?Thanks for the advice so far!
After consulting with my family, here are some suggestions.
1. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. The grounds are beautiful. They have a water and light show on the grounds every night that is amazing. You can go to it no matter where you stay.
2. In DCA, the Mission Tortilla factory does this little mini tour that ends with you getting a warm tortilla fresh from the griddle ovens. YUM! The bread place does the same thing but the tour is longer and the sample much smaller.
3. The Electric Parade in DCA is an absolute MUST see!
4. In DL, seeing the original-length PotC is the #1 thing for us closely followed by the Matterhorn which there is no equivalent of in WDW.
5. The thing that we liked is that since there are fewer parks and less "stuff", we were able to see and do absolutely everything and that would never happen in WDW.
6. The wishing well outside of the castle. Listen for the surprise.
 

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