Help critique my very early plan

mydisneyanytime

Mouseketeer
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
So we are headed from the east coast in the middle of summer. Not the ideal time to visit but the only one that our timeline allows for. I am in the early stages of planning and want to get opinions. There will be a varying group of people. We (myself, DD13, DS12 wheelchair usage) will travel with my parents (68, 82) and then with my DH. I have been to most of the places, except the CA national parks, my kids have only been to DL, my DH has been to DL and the LasVegas area/Grand Canyon, and my parents have been to San Francisco. We will be renting a van. We can't do a great deal in any of the national parks as far as walking, hiking, etc. due to my son's mobility issues and my dad needs flat ground....Nothing is set but am hoping to start making real plans next week for hotels, etc. Any suggestions that you have will be great!

Day 1 - Fly to Vegas and check in with kids and parents- I want to stay on or near the strip

Day 2 - sleep in (maybe with the time difference will be hard), swim, walk some around Las Vegas during the day (I am the only one of the group who has been here), MM store, etc.

Day 3 - check out, visit Hoover Dam on the way to the Grand Canyon, night somewhere around Grand Canyon

Day 4 - visit Grand Canyon - we can't do much of the hiking, walking etc. with my son's mobility issues

Day 5 - check out, drive through Joshua Tree on our way to DL

Day 6 - DLR with kids and parents

Day 7 - Parents fly home, husband flies in, laundry, visit DTD

Day 8 through Day 10 - DLR - this will be extremely crowded as it is after SGE opens so we have planned more time than really necessary. My kids have been to DL in 2013 for my son's Make a Wish Trip.

Day 11 - check out and travel up the coast to San Francisco stopping to see sea lions, etc.

Day 12 and 13 - San Francisco

Day 14 - check out and head through Yosemite and Sequoia Park - stay somewhere on the way

Day 15 - Drive through Death Valley and on the way to Las Vegas

Day 16 or 17 - check out and fly back home. We may stay an extra day on the end in Las Vegas so that my DH can visit the casino while we rest.
 
Just some thoughts: Sounds like you'll be doing 4 days in the parks? Will you have park hopper tickets? With the expected crowds, hoppers will let you enjoy a more relaxed visit -- you'll be able to hop to the other park when crowds get too heavy. Will you purchase MP? That also will let you have a less stressful trip if you plan on riding rides on the FP system. Will you stay on site? The early entry perk at alternating parks every morning can really help -- and the time difference can work in your favor with this. DTD can be seen in an hour or two, so I don't know that you'd want an entire day for this. Maybe add a 5th day to your tickets so you could enjoy shows or TS meals or just the atmosphere things that are more relaxing? If you want to see nighttime shows, dining packages will help you with good viewing with less wait time. Your son will be able to see WOC from the HC viewing area, but if the HC area is crowded on your night, only one parent will be allowed to sit with him (everyone else will have to stand). (NB WOC just returned last night, so updates will be rolling in over the next few days/weeks on any changes to the rules -- keep watching the DLR forum for updates.)
 
Yes, we will be getting maxpass and park hoppers. We will probably also be doing a package for WOC so that we can have a better change at better seating/seeing. Not sure about onsite but we will either stay onsite or at a good neighbor hotel for ease.
 
For help with the DLR part of your trip, try posting on the Disneyland (California) forum. You'll get lots of great tips and suggestions there. With two threads going, you'll get twice the help!
 


Always a good idea on day one when traveling east to west is to have everyone stay up as late as you can to help adjust with the time change.

Did that last year when we traveled to DL from BOS with my 9yo DD. Went to a baseball game to keep her awake until about 10p LA time. She got a great night sleep and was ready to go the next morning. Would have hated for her to fall asleep at 7p and be up at 5 or 6am
 
You may want to ask about the Yosemite part of the trip on its Trip Advisor forum. Yosemite/Sequoia are pretty remote from major towns and lodging in those areas books fast and early during summer season.

PHXscuba
 
It looks like you're going to spend so much time in your van that you'll hardly have any time to see anything at your destinations. I'd suggest skipping Joshua Tree (you'll see joshua trees and Mormon Rocks in Cajon Pass, a faint echo of what JT offers but you won't notice a difference with your rushed schedule), and Sequoia (you can see redwoods near Santa Cruz and sequoias in Yosemite). Spend the night of day fourteen in Yosemite Valley, then take 395 through Death Valley on your way to Vegas. It's still too much driving and not enough time in each place, in my opinion, but it's at least feasible.

Your plan:
Day Three:
Las Vegas-Hoover Dam: 1 hour, 50 miles
Hoover Dam-Grand Canyon South Rim: 4 hours, 250 miles
Day Five:
Grand Canyon South Rim-Joshua Tree: 7 hours, 400 miles
Joshua Tree-Disneyland: 3 hours, 120 miles
Day Eleven:
Disneyland-San Francisco: 8 hours, 450 miles
(if you drive up the coast through Big Sur and Santa Cruz add 2 hours)
Day Fourteen:
San Francisco-Yosemite: 5 hours, 300 miles
Yosemite-Sequoia: 3 hours, 150 miles
Day Fifteen:
Sequoia-Death Valley: 7 hours, 350 miles
Death Valley-Las Vegas: 2 hours, 150 miles

My proposed plan:
Day Three:
Las Vegas-Hoover Dam: 1 hour, 50 miles
Hoover Dam-Grand Canyon South Rim: 4 hours, 250 miles
Day Five:
Grand Canyon South Rim-Disneyland: 7.5 hours, 500 miles
Day Eleven:
Disneyland-San Francisco: 8 hours, 450 miles
(if you drive up the coast through Big Sur and Santa Cruz add 2 hours)
Day Fourteen:
San Francisco-Yosemite: 5 hours, 300 miles
Spend 5 hours experiencing Yosemite National Park
Day Fifteen:
Yosemite-Death Valley: 6.5 hours, 300 miles
Death Valley-Las Vegas: 2 hours, 150 miles

Personally, I'd save SF and Yosemite for a separate weeklong trip, and focus on Southern California, Arizona, and possibly Zion/Bryce. But it will be hot and Northern California is alluring in the summer! Good luck!
 


Your itinerary will take you through at least 3 climates: desert (100+ degrees), moderate (70's-80's), and San Francisco (typically below 60 degrees in the summer). Pack accordingly!

You will be spending a lot of time driving. The California coast is lovely but the interior routes are mostly not. I recommend audiobooks, podcasts, and/or satellite radio.

If you're going to Vegas, especially first timers, you have to stay on The Strip. There are lots of family-friendly hotels and activities now, much more than when I started going there as a child in the 80's.
 

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