Please advise first trip to Disneyland - Anaheim

• 

  Amour on 12/12/2016 - 21:28

  I have copied your questions and added my response.

  Q. Planning to travel 26th September to 5th October 2017 with a seven year old child and wife. Can only travel during school holidays. Best price for direct flights is $4320 for all three of us. Is this the average price for airfares during this period of the year and during school holidays?Would airfares increase or decrease after Christmas?

  A. Sometimes airlines have sales that include school holidays. You could wait to see if one comes up, but you will need to be more flexible with your dates. You risk the price of flights/accommodation increasing the longer you wait. I wouldn't consider $4320 for three cheap, although we only travel when we can get tickets on sale so maybe that isn't too bad. The non-sale fares are generally cheaper the further out they are booked.

  Q. Worth trying to get a cheaper flights at the Flight Centre holiday expos at the beginning of the year and arrange an all inclusive package?

  A. Not sure

  Q. Is it generally cheaper to pay for accommodation earlier? Considering Best Western Plus as it is close proximity to Disneyland.

  A. We have found accommodation gets more expensive the closer you book it. Try to stay somewhere within walking distance of Disney - there are plenty of options in Anaheim. I'm not sure about the Best Western Plus specifically.

  Q. Is it generally cheaper to pay for Disneyland theme park tickets earlier? Considering the 5 day park hopper.

  A. We went to Disney in Florida this year and purchased our tickets prior to a price rise in February. Keep an eye on announcements of price rises and buy prior to that date. I think February is a pretty common time for Disney to raise prices.

  Have fun. Some other tips are: Find out how the fast pass system works and make the most of it. Unlike Universal Studios, access to free water was appalling at Disney - you can ask food vendors for a cup of iced water. Watch the fireworks at the first available opportunity - any hint of a breeze and they get cancelled. We stayed until it closed and found there were no lines in the last couple of hours. We liked California Adventure park just as much as Disney, so leave plenty of time to visit there too.

• 

  sparkles on 12/12/2016 - 22:45

  Five days is a lot at just Disneyland and California Adventure. Bear in mind you can also do day trips to places like Sea World in San Diego and also to Universal Studios.

  You'll find Anaheim hotels may offer a shuttle bus that can drop you off at Disneyland.

• 

  mrham on 12/12/2016 - 22:59

  +1

  You can stay at any hotel/motel near the park as most places are located in close walking distance to a ART stop. See: http://rideart.org/.

  $4320 in school holidays for three is pretty good IMO. Sometimes fares can get cheaper just before Christmas and after new years. If traveling at those times is a possibility, wait until you can see those dates before booking in, Disneyland Christmas is pretty sweet.

  Don't just consider Disneyland/CAP. You can knock both over easy in three days even with a kid or two. A trip to San Diego is 2 hours by a cheap and very scenic train ride. San Diego Zoo, Sea World (although not as good without the whales), the Midway, Tijuana if you're keen.

  Heaps to do in Southern California

  Edit: Tickets - https://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/southern-california…

  • 

    djkelly69 on 12/12/2016 - 23:29

    I agree with most of above. 3 days will be plenty at Disneyland/CAP. Just try to avoid American school holidays and long weekends (and weekends in general). Disneyland tickets are almost never discounted, and those you can get are fairly minor discounts (like 5%).

    I think a 7yr old will really like the SS Midway, Seaworld, San Diego Zoo and Legoland (a bit crappy/rundown but ok), so would make a San Diego trip a must.

    Also Universal will be a must. One day is enough there.

    My usual tactic is to book a decent, fully refundable hotel well in advance, and then hunt for deals all the way up until you go. I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Orange County last year, and really liked it. There are two or three restaurants just outside the grounds (Red Robin is excellent), plus a strip mall with a laundry mat and a huge Target really close by.

    For flights, book when they are on sale, and then don't look again. I paid about $3600 for 2 adults and a child for departure about a month later than yours last year, and SIL paid $2600 for the same flights. Given the prevalence of ~$1k or less flights to LA recently, I think you can do better, but our school holidays is always tough.

• 

  Davo1111 on 12/12/2016 - 23:36

  Cant comment specifically on DL Annaheim, but staying at a DL hotel entitles you to early entry on certain days. However, it is a long long day, and really you do it to avoid queues in popular rides. By the end of the day, you'll be utterly exhausted

• 

  ols108 on 13/12/2016 - 17:38

  I would recommend staying at a Hotel across the road on harbor Blvd, walking distance from these hotels are seriously as closer and in some cases closer than the 3 Disney Hotels.

  5 days might see like a little too much, but I've done both 3 and 4 day trips to DL and my kids loved it, it just takes a little bit of pressure to rush around and see everything. It gives you the ability to find your favorite disney rides and places and then to go back and enjoy them again.
  I've stayed at Howard Johnsons (there is a water park there for kids) and at the Camelot Inn and suites, but were similar and around $110 a night from memory. my advice is to book early as possible for rooms because the convention centre is super close and busy, they can sometimes book out thousands of hotel rooms at once. which increases the price.

• 

  Phyph on 13/12/2016 - 17:54

  We went to Anaheim in January 2015. I can recommend the SOCal CityPass which will get you a variety of accesses eg 3 Day Disneyland Park Hopper pass, San Diego Zoo, Legoland and Optional SeaWorld for $1099USD.

  http://www.citypass.com/southern-california

  If you are not planning on driving then GreyLine has multi trip packages available eg 3 Ride passes to SeaWorld, Legoland, Universal Studios, San Diego Zoo etc for $75USD each. Bus pick up and drop off at hotel.

  http://www.graylineanaheim.com

  Finally we stayed at the Residence Inn at Garden Grove, is about a $12USD cab fare but it was comfortable, self contained and had multi bedrooms, included breakfast buffet and evening get togethers.

  All of the above I organised from Hobart and had passes etc delivered to hotel.

  If you want any more info please message me.

• 

  Silverpiranha on 13/12/2016 - 23:57

  I went to California December 2014 and stayed in the best western near Disney, no idea of pricing because my dad booked but accomodation was nice, good pool and facilities and we walked to Disney land. Lots of restaurants nearby too.

• 

  Yabadabadoo on 09/01/2017 - 23:06

  Buy Disneyland tickets from Viator when they have a 10% off everything code (just google for the latest code)as they aren't sold anywhere cheaper. Online discounts are often scams other than Viator expect only 1-2% off.

  The Travelodge is 5 min walk to free shuttle bus and very cheap. Its nothing special but free breakfast and your out all day anyway rooms from $45pn USD try hotwire,priceline etc