|First trip to DL..AAAHHHH!! help

[Susie63]

I have been researching all of the boards for a couple weeks now and I am looking for some local(ie.Canadian) advice.

We are going to DL in early feb but I have yet to book a room or flights, and tickets. I am waiting for the new Disney promo for next year and seat sales. I know there are a lot of people on this board who travel to DL frequently, so I am begging for your wisdom.

How long can I wait to book. Our dates are feb 6-14. Also will the pool at DL hotel be warm enough for swimming in feb. This is our first trip with our 8 yr.old daughter, I want to do everything right.

Right now I get a quote of 3100.with six day parkhopper for 8 nights in DL hotel. Is that good? I am so clueless in all of this!

Please if you have a moment to spare....

TIA
Susie in Alberta

 

[drag n' fly]

Alaska Air will have their usual kids fly free promo after Christmas. Flight Centre has the best prices for tickets for DL. It is way cheaper to stay offsite and everything is within walking distance. HOJO is our fav!


Try and price things out seperately before you buy a package. Sometimes it is cheaper....sometimes not. The pool is heated. The air will be cool however.

Wait until after Christmas for the Disney packages to come out if you want to stay onsite. Fortunatley AP are blocked for the 13, 14 and 15th. It will still be crazy busy though due to Valentines/Presidents Day weekend. HTH

 

[snickerboo]

Look into Embassy Suites. At least one of the two had an indoor pool and I actually seem to recall that both did.

 

[CanadianPaco]

I recall that there was a promo that adults paid the price of kids passes to DL earlier this year. I bought our DL park tickets with airmiles before the promo came out and couldn't take advantage of it.
Also, we bought an Entertainment Card and used it for a great room rate at the HoJo's there. Happy Planning!

 

[damo]

We got a great deal using CAA (called Disney and got the discounted rate). It was about $75 less per night than the regular price.

 

[LoveDopey]

I have used both Flight Centre and CAA for trips to Disneyland. Both times in February. I booked last minute with the Flight Centre, i.e. at the end of Janaury and we left in 2 weeks. With CAA I booked at the beginning of January. CAA has a package on right now.

Unless your set on staying at a Disney hotel I would stay off site. There are so many hotels within walking distance.

 

[LoveDopey]

P.S. We swam in February. We left Edmonton and it was -42 one morning and +22 when we landed in LA.

 

[squirrel]

At DL, I would stay off property. We stayed at the Best Western Park Place Inn. We still got two early entry mornings with a 5 day pass and they offer a buffet breakfast. It is very close to the park enterances, closer than the DL Hotel. If you didn't want to do the buffet you could get a hot breakfast downstairs (I think it was pancakes). The room had a microwave and a fridge. There is also a pool, but we didn't use it or even see it.

 

[LuvBaloo]

The Disneyland hotel is magical and you do feel like you're surrounded by Disney, but you have to walk through DTD to get to and from the parks. I didn't like having to walk through the crowds with people smoking in DTD. We stayed there for our DD's first trip, and since then we've stayed off-site. Best Western Park Place Inn is right across the street from DL, so its actually a shorter walk than DL hotel. In WDW I always want to stay on site, but for DL, we prefer off-site. Although one day, I might be able to splurge and stay at the California hotel which looks really nice, but not enough moola for that place yet.

And you'll probably get warm enough weather to swim. If you do stay at DL hotel, the smaller pool is kept very warm. I believe the bigger pool is less warm, but is cooler. If your DD doesn't like crowds for swimming, try the smaller pool.