First trip out west - Christmas time

[disneymom2one]

Hi.

It looks like the year we (husband, myself, our teenager) may finally make it out west. We go to WDW three or four times a year and are DVC members.

It would be a winter break trip - 12/17 to about NYE. We definitely want to see Disneyland for a few days (three probably) and will stay on points if we can reserve at the seven month window.

The other definite is that we don't like to fly. We love Amtrak and have taken it several times out of New Orleans to Memphis many times as well as to San Antonio. I know the train will take days out of the trip - but we just like the train.

We have never been further west than Texas so everything would be new. We've never been to a national park. We are that family that just does WDW over and over again. It's partly due to the fact that our daughter has high functioning autism and WDW does that better than anyone. We also get great deals as FL residents and DVC members.

I'm thinking the train to California, a few days in southern California (maybe San Diego) and then maybe up to San Francisco (on the Coast Starlight train).

Any suggestions? The budget is moderate - that means a lot to different people but I'd like to keep at about $300/day on average. Two weeks is fine.

The other thing is that our daughter doesn't being on the water at all or being high in the air (another reason flying is out).

I looked into ABD but that's too steep for us.

Thanks for any thoughts. We've gone back and forth on this trip for years but I think the time is finally right.

 

[Judy from Boise]

One thing to keep in mind is it will be cold, so although you will have beautiful views of the coast, it certainly isn't frolic on the beach weather.SF will be windy and cold (in my experience)

 

[cirquelovers]

There are National Parks in California but I think you would need a car or to arrange for a day bus trip to get to them. The redwoods are majestic and peaceful, except when there's crowds Then there is Yosemite.

I know they offer bus and train tours out of SF because my Mom went on one last year.

I rode the Coast Starlight many years ago and it was a fun way to see area. Although I started up here in Oregon. I would be concerned with taking the train across country in the winter. I remember my brother and I being stuck on a train somewhere between Iowa and Colorado one year. It can put a damper on the trip! It can also get expensive but it sounds like you're used to trains so you know all that.

There is a lot to do around San Francisco but we've always had a car to get around the area and then branched out to surrounding areas.

I personally would spend 4 days at DLR because it is Christmas time and there is so much to see and do and the crowds will be a little bigger then. I do love the holidays in the parks though. There's nothing like eating a gingerbread man and walking down Main Street with the lights twinkling and al the decorations

I would try to figure out what I wanted to do in each area of the state and then plan # of days accordingly. Where do you want to spend Christmas? You know stuff like that.

I don't know if I was very helpful, it feels more like late night rambling now