check out
www.anahiemoc.org and order thier visitors center book and ask for the Adventurecard. They are both free and very helpful in planing a DL trip.
There are many of-site hotels that are walking distance (5-10 mnutes). It is not necessary to stay on site at DL. Most area hotels offer shuttles and Anaheim has started the ART (area resort transit) shuttle service. For about 3.00 per day, an adult can have unlimited rides to and from their hotel. You get a shuttle brochure from the hotel. You can also request info from the Visitors center (
www.anaheimoc.org).
DL is much closer and compact than WDW. Park hopping is very easy because the front gates of the parks are only steps away from each other.
Check your library for the Unofficial guide to DL as well as the Official guide. They are also helpful.
There are several different ticket options. Right now the special is 5 day hopper for the price of 3 (114.00 adult, and I think 90.00 child) deal is thru next January. These have to be bought in advance. Disneyland.com or if they have a
Disneystore near them they can buy them there also. If you buy at the gate you pay full price. So have them get their tickets early.
Check Disneyland.com and look at the black out dates for the Annual Passes. The Southern California Annual Pass is only blocked for the Fridays and Saturdays in March, so if they were going Sunday-Thurs they could buy those AP's for 106.00 each. That would be cheaper for the Adults than the park hopper. They can still park hop and get some food discounts.
You do not have to live in Southern Cal to purchase the passes. My dad and stepmom just bought them in January and they live in Idaho. These have to be bought at the gate though. They could buy their daughters park hopper early to get the special then buy the APs at the gate for themselves. (save 16.00, thats a meal)
If you have the time to web surf and check prices, you can save some money on a budget trip. We drove from Boise, ID to Anaheim thru Las Vegas, rented a Van for a week, had 3 adults and 2 kids (only had to pay for 1) and did the 4 days at DL for less than 1,000 including the van charges for those days. (432.00 of that was just park tickets)