Yosemite+Grand Canyon+Disneyland Road Trip

ekatiel

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 5, 2008
We have a grand road trip planned this summer. While I have the basics down, I need help on some of the details. We are flying in to San Jose and flying out of LAX. My hubby has a conference at Tenaya Lodge outside of Yosemite for 3 mornings, so those dates can't be changed at all. Also, we are meeting friends in Anaheim for DL, so those 3 days can't be changed either. I've put in red where I'm debating what to do. Any insights would be great. Also, if you have any tips about any of the places we'll be visiting, I'd love to hear them.

July 5th: Flight arrives late in San Jose. Stay the night in San Jose. Still need to book hotel.

July 6th: Drive to Sequoia National Park stay the night in a Grant Grove Duplex Cabin (already have reservation). Spend the day in Sequoia National Park.

July 7th: Spend the day in Sequoia National Park. In the evening, drive to Tenaya Resort. Stay at Tenaya until the morning of the 10th (already have reservation).

July 8th: DH in Conference until 12:30pm, explore resort.

July 9th: DH in Conference until 12:30, explore Southern Yosemite.

July 10th: DH in Conference until 10:30am, check out of Tenaya. Check into Yosemite Lodge at the Falls (already have reservation). Explore Yosemite. 6:30pm dinner in the Awahnee hotel dining room (already have reservation)

July 11th: Explore Yosemite. (Have reservation at Curry Village, but considering driving half way to Vegas on this evening instead and staying near Lone Pine, CA)-- what do you think?

July 12th: Drive to Las Vegas (9 hour drive, or 4 hour drive if we drove half-ish the day before). Still need hotel. Spend evening exploring Vegas. Leave early in the AM for Grand Canyon.

July 13th: Arrive at Grand Canyon around noon. Explore Grand Canyon. Stay in Thunderbird Lodge (already have reservation for two nights).

July 14th: Explore Grand Canyon (need to decide whether or not to keep second night at Thunderbird Lodge-- we could leave in the early evening and drive half way to Anaheim).

July 15th: Drive to Disneyland. Check in at Best Western Park Place Inn (already have reservations). Reservation through the morning of July 18th. Disneyland park today. (If we drove half way on the 14th, we could get to the park around noon-ish, otherwise, we won't get to the park until late afternoon/early evening).

July 16th: California Adventure Park today.

July 17th: Disneyland today.

July 18th: Check out of hotel, head to Legoland (just over an hour away). Legoland Waterpark today. Check into Legoland Hotel (STILL NEED RESERVATIONS).

July 19th: Check out of Legoland Hotel. Legoland Park today. (Hotel in LA somewhere. STILL NEED TO MAKE RESERVATION).

July 20th: Fly out of LA in the afternoon.

So, that's what we've got so far. I have a rental car reserved through Sixt, and it doesn't show any extra fees for dropping off at a different location than picking up, which I find odd, but I'm going to go with it. Any tips about the items in red? Thanks so much!
 
1) skip Lone Pine and stay in Furnace Creek, in Death Valley. Get there via Tuolumne Meadows.

2) if you're not going into the canyon, don't get the second night. Head west and see the Mojave, and if you can, spend the night in Palm Springs.
 
Oh, I wish you had 1 more day before DL. I'd trim off half a day at the Grand Canyon and tell you to drive up to visit Zion and Bryce National Parks. Grand Canyon is an icon of the west, and a "must-do", but I was always moved more by the beauty and intimacy of Zion and Bryce.
 


Are you traveling with children?
Yes. Sorry I forgot to add that. It will be me, DH, and our two boys, ages 10 and almost 12 (he'll be turning 12 at the end of the trip).
1) skip Lone Pine and stay in Furnace Creek, in Death Valley. Get there via Tuolumne Meadows.

2) if you're not going into the canyon, don't get the second night. Head west and see the Mojave, and if you can, spend the night in Palm Springs.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into those!
Oh, I wish you had 1 more day before DL. I'd trim off half a day at the Grand Canyon and tell you to drive up to visit Zion and Bryce National Parks. Grand Canyon is an icon of the west, and a "must-do", but I was always moved more by the beauty and intimacy of Zion and Bryce.
I know, I wish we had another day in there, too. Zion is definitely on our bucket list. We will probably do another trip in a summer or two that includes those, plus Mesa Verde and Arches.
 
I also think more exposure to the desert landscape would be good. I think I might trim 1 night from Yosemite given what else you are trying to accomplish and the ages of your kids (and the fact that you are going to Sequoia also). If anyone in your family is a photographer, I think you might appreciate the 2 nights at the canyon, especially since you are staying at the rim. If your kids are interested in National Parks (passport stamps, etc) the small detour to Joshua Tree might be worthwhile and break up the long drive from GC to Anaheim.

Thanks for reminding me to make my Ahwahnee dining reservation! I'd recommend the El Tovar while staying at the Thunderbird.
 
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We have a grand road trip planned this summer. While I have the basics down, I need help on some of the details. We are flying in to San Jose and flying out of LAX. My hubby has a conference at Tenaya Lodge outside of Yosemite for 3 mornings, so those dates can't be changed at all. Also, we are meeting friends in Anaheim for DL, so those 3 days can't be changed either. I've put in red where I'm debating what to do. Any insights would be great. Also, if you have any tips about any of the places we'll be visiting, I'd love to hear them.

July 5th: Flight arrives late in San Jose. Stay the night in San Jose. Still need to book hotel.

July 6th: Drive to Sequoia National Park stay the night in a Grant Grove Duplex Cabin (already have reservation). Spend the day in Sequoia National Park.

July 7th: Spend the day in Sequoia National Park. In the evening, drive to Tenaya Resort. Stay at Tenaya until the morning of the 10th (already have reservation).

July 8th: DH in Conference until 12:30pm, explore resort.

July 9th: DH in Conference until 12:30, explore Southern Yosemite.

July 10th: DH in Conference until 10:30am, check out of Tenaya. Check into Yosemite Lodge at the Falls (already have reservation). Explore Yosemite. 6:30pm dinner in the Awahnee hotel dining room (already have reservation)

July 11th: Explore Yosemite. (Have reservation at Curry Village, but considering driving half way to Vegas on this evening instead and staying near Lone Pine, CA)-- what do you think?

July 12th: Drive to Las Vegas (9 hour drive, or 4 hour drive if we drove half-ish the day before). Still need hotel. Spend evening exploring Vegas. Leave early in the AM for Grand Canyon.

July 13th: Arrive at Grand Canyon around noon. Explore Grand Canyon. Stay in Thunderbird Lodge (already have reservation for two nights).

July 14th: Explore Grand Canyon (need to decide whether or not to keep second night at Thunderbird Lodge-- we could leave in the early evening and drive half way to Anaheim).

July 15th: Drive to Disneyland. Check in at Best Western Park Place Inn (already have reservations). Reservation through the morning of July 18th. Disneyland park today. (If we drove half way on the 14th, we could get to the park around noon-ish, otherwise, we won't get to the park until late afternoon/early evening).

July 16th: California Adventure Park today.

July 17th: Disneyland today.

July 18th: Check out of hotel, head to Legoland (just over an hour away). Legoland Waterpark today. Check into Legoland Hotel (STILL NEED RESERVATIONS).

July 19th: Check out of Legoland Hotel. Legoland Park today. (Hotel in LA somewhere. STILL NEED TO MAKE RESERVATION).

July 20th: Fly out of LA in the afternoon.

So, that's what we've got so far. I have a rental car reserved through Sixt, and it doesn't show any extra fees for dropping off at a different location than picking up, which I find odd, but I'm going to go with it. Any tips about the items in red? Thanks so much!
Frankly, I would skip Grand Canyon, and focus on the many, many places and things to see in California. You're talking about driving +/- 18 hours to spend one day looking into the canyon from various overlooks.

I love Grand Canyon, but that trip is not worthwhile, IMHO.

Plus, you would be missing the best of northern AZ. Save Grand Canyon for another time -- on another trip focused on northern AZ, southern UT, and southern CO.
 
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1) skip Lone Pine and stay in Furnace Creek, in Death Valley. Get there via Tuolumne Meadows.

Furnace Creek in July?

130630204224-02-heat-0630-horizontal-large-gallery.jpg
 
Sure! Spend the hottest parts of the day in the visitor center and pool, and check out Zabriskie Point at sunrise. If you're going to see the hottest place on earth, why not see it at its hottest?
 
Sure! Spend the hottest parts of the day in the visitor center and pool, and check out Zabriskie Point at sunrise. If you're going to see the hottest place on earth, why not see it at its hottest?

I've been there when it was 123ºF. It was basically zip right through on the way to Yosemite from Las Vegas. Took photos at the entrance sign, took pictures at Badwater, and bought some Icees at the Furnace Creek convenience store.

I mean - it's so hot that the (more upscale) Furnace Creek Inn is closed during the summer. Also - all of those commercial facilities around Furnace Creek are actually privately-owned inholdings. NPS doesn't own the land nor control the operator like they do in most other national parks. Back when the government shut down, the facilities in the Furnace Creek area stayed open.

I've been there in the summer and in the winter. Certainly it was interesting to say I was in the hottest place I'd ever been, but in the winter is was mid-70s and we could actually go out and play on the sand dunes and walk out on the desert floor at Badwater. I don't think I'd want to stay overnight in the summer though.
 
I'll agree that it's not for most people, but I enjoyed my visit. Granted, I spent most of the day in the shade, but it was still enjoyable. I wonder what OP thinks.
 

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