2 Trips, 2 Coasts and so much to plan for 2023

[Joy1127]

So many awesome plans! Disneyland will be so fun over Easter break! Dan and I are hoping to do Disneyland for the halloween season next year. I'm just dying to do an oogie boogie bash! Not sure if Laguna Beach is on your list of possible places but my sister did a night there when she went to Disneyland and loved it! We also visited Santa Monica Pier on our Disneyland trip and that was also a fun stop!

Disney in July will be hot but its for sure manageable! Dan and I have done I think three or four july disney trips and a few august ones and we've survived each time! lol the handheld fans (i prefer the neck ones), drinking lots of water and rest days or even doing the parks only at night seem to be really good ways of doing the parks during the heat! Caribbean Beach will be nice too since you have the skyliner for the two parks!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I hope everyone has had a good 2022. Sorry I fell off this trip report. There was a weird period where there really wasn't anything to plan. I mean I could have done research but I was super busy with other stuff. BUT I am back and ready to plan plan plan!

I am back at work to today, but I did have last week off, and spent some time researching stuff for San Diego. And I think I have a general plan for California! (I think)

We fly in on a Wednesday and should arrive by noon, we have 11 full days, flying home on the following Saturday on the red eye aka 10:30 PM.

I am thinking 4-1/2 Days for San Diego: Wednesday Afternoon - Sunday

• San Diego Zoo - 3/4 to Full Day
• San Diego Safari - 3/4 to Full Day
• La Jolla Area - 1/2 Day
  
  • The Cave Store
  • Children's Pool Beach
  • Shell Beach
• Belmont Park - 1/4 to 1/2 Day?
• Balboa Park - 1 Day w/ Downtown places as well?
  
  • Comic Con Museum
  • Japanese Friendship Garden
• Downtown San Diego - 1 Day w/ Balboa Park stuff?
  
  • Old Town
  • Little Italy?
  • Liberty Public Market

I am thinking La Jolla for Sunday, so we could check out of the hotel, head to La Jolla then once done head to Anaheim.

Monday - Friday will be full Disneyland days!
I am thinking we start our stay in Anaheim at a cheapy hotel close to the park. And then switch to Grand Californian for the last 2 nights. I would LOVE to just stay in one hotel, but GC is SUPER pricey!!!

Saturday we fly home but we do have the whole day. For Saturday I am thinking if we do switch hotels to Grand Californian, we can spend Saturday at the resort and Downtown Disney before we have to grab an uber back to the airport. Basically a very chill last day. I guess if we REALLY wanted more Disneyland time we could get a 1 day park ticket.

What do you think about what I am thinking for San Diego? Am I missing something? I know saying Downtown San Diego is generic... Is a day and a half enough to feel like we explored San Diego?

I am still on the fence about doing both San Diego Zoo and San Diego Safari. But I won't think we want to do Sea World or Legoland. Does anyone think whether both is overkill? We do like Zoos...

That is the general thoughts. I have to book hotels next. I have poked around a bit at what I want but was trying to really flush out the number of days in San Diego and Disneyland.

 

[Woth2982]

I would try and add a visit to the Coronado Hotel to your San Diego visit. It is a gorgeous hotel. I think 3/4 to a full day is a long day at the zoo, but the zoo is very different for different people. I don't find enough to do for more than a half day, especially if you do the bus tour in the zoo.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I would try and add a visit to the Coronado Hotel to your San Diego visit. It is a gorgeous hotel. I think 3/4 to a full day is a long day at the zoo, but the zoo is very different for different people. I don't find enough to do for more than a half day, especially if you do the bus tour in the zoo.

this is why I stick with Disney World! I know what we like and don't like!

I figure with the regular zoo, there is lots to do around the zoo if it's not a full day. The Safari is still throwing me for a loop. I had also considered doing the Safari on Sunday before heading up to Anehiem.

We are thinking about staying in the mission bay area, and will probably have a car the whole time in San Diego, so a stop at Coronado Hotel wouldn't be hard if we find time!

 

[afwdwfan]

There was a weird period where there really wasn't anything to plan. I mean I could have done research but I was super busy with other stuff.

I can understand that. Hurry up and plan. Then... well, not much we can do now.

Monday - Friday will be full Disneyland days!
I am thinking we start our stay in Anaheim at a cheapy hotel close to the park. And then switch to Grand Californian for the last 2 nights. I would LOVE to just stay in one hotel, but GC is SUPER pricey!!!

I think you'll love it though! That entrance directly into DCA is pretty awesome!

What do you think about what I am thinking for San Diego? Am I missing something? I know saying Downtown San Diego is generic... Is a day and a half enough to feel like we explored San Diego?

Yeah... probably. I guess it depends what you want to get out of it, but a city is a city. Looks like you're catching some of the more unique elements of this one while you're there!

this is why I stick with Disney World! I know what we like and don't like!

 

[KC1028]

I don't usually reply to these but I enjoy reading your reports and I just got back from a trip to Disneyland. We stayed at the Hyatt House and I can't say enough good things about it. It was clean, had an awesome breakfast each day (I'm not even big on hotel breakfasts), and had rooms to accommodate bigger groups. Our room had two queens and a pull out couch with a kitchen area with an island. Plus there's a Walgreens, Starbucks, and Blaze pizza all connected. We didn't use the pool, as we were shivering in the 60 degree weather, so I can't speak to that.

No matter where you stay, I'm sure you'll have an awesome time! Can't wait to read about it!

 

[Joy1127]

I think your plan for Disneyland sounds great! Switching to Grand Californian for a couple nights is a great idea. That resort is so beautiful! Defintely better to end there too rather than leave there to go to one of the cheapie hotels! lol that would be a hard switch I think!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I need to do so much more San Diego research, too! I have a couple of blogs of things to do with kids in the area, but I'm targeting a much younger audience than you are.

We're not doing any theme parks there with Disneyland as the second half of our trip. Looking at the zoo and safari, beach time, maybe hiking at Torrey Pines National Park, and then the go-go-go portion of the trip in Disneyland.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Hello Everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sorry that I have been MIA. Life has been a bit more dramatic than I would like it to be. My mother is still in the hospital and my father has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer. So, there was a point in time, I wasn't sure if we would even be able to take this trip. BUT things are "settling down" as much as they can in these circumstances. And I do think we will be able to keep this trip! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us!!! I will need some RnR by the time this rolls around.

WHICH, we are 57 days away from our trip!!!!! 57 days!!! Less than 2 Months!!!

Gwen has her school Musical the second week of March, so between all her rehearsals and visits for my parents, this trip will be here before I know it.

So, i made a few more plans for this trip.

I booked us at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Anneheim. With everything going on, trying to possibly plan 2 hotels in Disneyland just seemed like too much for me. And the Disney hotels are all just too pricey. Fairfield Inn is still .1 mile from Disneyland and the room I booked has 2 queen beds and a pull out sleeper chair. So, if the girls don't want to share a bed, Gwen can take the chair.

I started to look at a few dinning reservations as well for Disneyland. I booked the World of Color Dessert Party and a reservation for Trader Sam's on the Saturday we are leaving for lunch.

We did the World of Color Dessert Party on our first visit a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. Getting a table and chairs to sit and watch and having someone bring you the desserts is great. Probably my favorite dessert party!

I didn't realize you could make reservations for Trader Sam until yesterday, and they go fast!!! So, Saturday was the only day I could get, as I hopped on this morning to make Saturdays, nice and early. it's not bad, we technically don't have a park ticket for that day, so it would be something nice to do outside of the park. I think i will still try and see if I can get something earlier in the week. But at least we have something. Trader Sam's was one of the things that I really want to do.

I tried to get Lamplight Lounge reservations, but those also seem to be going super fast! I can't seem to get anything. Not sure if Disneyland just doesn't do a ton of reservations ahead of time, so they go fast for that reason, but they seem just as hard to get as Disney World. Any body know if there is a sweet spot for new times to open up? Or people cancelling?

I was thinking of also booking Blue Bayou for lunch. I have to look and see what they have. is the Monte Cristo different at the locations that have it? I want to try that and eating by Pirates is kind of like eating in Cinderella's Castle. I feel like you should do it at least once.

Any other dinning we should consider, that I would need to book ahead of time?

I probably should decide where we want to eat dinner on Easter Sunday. We will be moving from San Diego to Disneyland that day. So, we will still have a car but hopefully getting rid of it that day. I was thinking of seeing if we could get reservations at Knotts Farm's for a Fried Chicken Dinner while we have the car. Is the fried chicken worth it? Or would be better off at a place in Downtown Disney. (I had to un type Disney Springs.... oops)

 

[vamassey1]

Sorry that I have been MIA. Life has been a bit more dramatic than I would like it to be. My mother is still in the hospital and my father has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer. So, there was a point in time, I wasn't sure if we would even be able to take this trip. BUT things are "settling down" as much as they can in these circumstances. And I do think we will be able to keep this trip! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us!!! I will need some RnR by the time this rolls around.

I'm so sorry your parents are having health issues. I know how stressful that can be. My mom had a stroke and aneurism bleed before we went to Disney in 2004. She was just really coming out of her comma right before we went. Her issues started in late October and our trip was in February. I still look back and wonder how I made it through, but I did.

Praying that they both have the best outcomes.

I'm sorry I'm no help with any Disneyland planning. I'm really looking forward to your report once you're back.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

My mother is still in the hospital and my father has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer. So, there was a point in time, I wasn't sure if we would even be able to take this trip. BUT things are "settling down" as much as they can in these circumstances. And I do think we will be able to keep this trip! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

Oh dear! So sorry to hear about your family's health issues. Hopefully this will be a nice getaway to take your mind off of things.

Not sure if Disneyland just doesn't do a ton of reservations ahead of time, so they go fast for that reason, but they seem just as hard to get as Disney World. Any body know if there is a sweet spot for new times to open up? Or people cancelling?

I've only just started my DL planning research, but I'm seeing a lot of people saying they are way less consistent about releasing right at 60 days. Some locations do, some don't, it's a toss up. The suggestion is a reservation finder so that you get a text/email when they do drop.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So sorry to hear about your dad! Sending all the positive vibes!

Break legs Gwen!


My family and I enjoyed our stay at Fairfield Marriott! Plus the Panera right in front of it was our salvation!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh, that sure is a lot on your plate. Prayers for your Mom and Dad, and for you carrying all of that!!

I'm so glad you will be able to still go on your trip. Sounds like you will definitely be in need of some relaxation!!! Your reservations all sound like what I'd be looking for if we were going to DL.

 

[SEAGULL59]

Hey! So sorry to hear about your parents. I hope this trip gives you some time to relax a little and enjoy Andy and the kids.
I have no advice for Disneyland! Maybe someday we’ll make it there.
Take care.

 

[DLo]

So sorry to read about your parents. Parenting your parents is not for the weak !

My MIL just had a mass removed from her colon . Oncologist appointment on Monday to see what the plan will be.

Positive thoughts and prayers lifted

 

[afwdwfan]

Sorry to hear about your parents. Praying for the best and I hope that you get your trip and some fun!

Looks like plans are coming along nicely. I had no idea they did reservations for Trader Sam's, either!

 

[SEAGULL59]

Knott's Farm looks nice for Easter dinner. It would be something different. They may have a special for Easter too.
Do you have your days planned out yet? You are starting in San Diego and then heading to Disneyland right? How many days in Disney?
I'm excited for you guys! It's getting closer.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Hey Everyone!!!

Life is just crazy right now. My mom is still at a nursing home. She did take a little vaca to the hospital for a week and gave us a big scare. But she is back at the nursing home. But still just in a lot of pain. My Dad has started chemo and has just been SUPER tired. So, I have been spending alot of time with him just trying to get him to eat!

But with all of that said, we are going on our California trip!!! We paid the deposit for Disneyland. So the only reason we would cancel at this point is if something really bad happens. But I am spending ALOT of time with my Dad to help out, so my sister can cover while we are away!

I have to be honest, I keep trying to look at stuff and plan for this trip, but with everything, it's hard to even think about it too much. Once we made the decision to keep the trip, I did make a parking reservation and started looking at car rentals for the first half of the trip.

But really, this trip might be a go with the flow trip!!! Which is nice in the sense that I don't feel like we NEED to have too much planned since it is Disneyland.

But we are going! And Man to I need a break!

Knott's Farm looks nice for Easter dinner. It would be something different. They may have a special for Easter too.
Do you have your days planned out yet? You are starting in San Diego and then heading to Disneyland right? How many days in Disney?

I tried to get a reservation but they were already full. Not surprisingly. It's ok. It would have been nice but not the end of the world. I figure worst case, we will go to Downtown Disney and eat somewhere there. Even if it's just counter service. We will do an unofficial Easter the weekend before we leave. So, it can be whatever.

We are starting in San Diego, which will be nice. The resort we picked looks nice and if we want to decompress for a few days, we should be able to do that at the resort.


We are doing 5 Full Park days at Disneyland. And I am so excitied about that! We want to do EVERYTHING! And hopefully that will let us do that and still have some rest time. I am even keeping the option of buying a 1 day ticket for the Saturday that we leave. But we are going to leave that up to how we feel by then.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Don’t apologize for keeping us updated- life happens!


I cant wait to hear more about this trip!

 

[vamassey1]

But we are going! And Man to I need a break!

I'm so sorry life has been so rough. You really do need a break and to take it slow. Going with the flow sounds like the way to go this trip. I'm sure the teen girls will like not rushing around.

Relax and enjoy it!