The Unconventional Family Vacation?? Nov 28 - Dec 2

[koalagirl5]

(We get to go back!!!)

So, back in 2010 I took my DD to DL thinking it might be our only trip. Of course, now that I've experienced the magic, I knew I'd have to find a way back. I always wanted to see the parks during the holidays, and I finally felt we could comfortably afford to go again, so we started booking everything in January.

So, at the time of booking, the trip was only going to be:

me, Jamie(34)
DD, Alyssa(13)

Now, as of a few weeks ago, we will be spending half of our trip there with DD's dad, stepmom, brother(11?), and sister(6?). Sorry, not 100% sure on their ages; I feel bad lol.

Just so you know, before I go any further, we do all get along great.

DD and I will still keep our plans, but now the rest of DD's family will be going Nov 25-30. I think this will actually work out nicely, because they will have 2 days in DLR with just the 4 of them, then we will all have 2 days together, and then they leave and DD and I still get 2 days alone in DLR. Plus, DD gets a chance to vacation with all her loved ones, and I'm really glad it's something we're able and willing to do.

Anyway, DD and I are flying out of Eugene airport Saturday morning, and arrive at SNA around 11:30 am. So far the plan is to splurge a little and take a taxi rather than a shuttle to our hotel, which is Desert Inn and Suites. Last trip we stayed at BWPPI, but DI&S is only a little further and I got it for I think $89 a night.

Since I got 4 day hoppers for us, we're going to get the heck over to the parks as soon as we can!! Hopefully, a room will be ready, but if not, I plan on asking them to hold our luggage. Do most places do that??

Sidenote: I have a CC with cash rewards that I use and pay off each month, and so far I have enough to cover 1/4 of our hotel stay.

We haven't hammered out any details, but DD has said she wants to try and ride most, if not all, of the rides. We're a little more excited for DCA, partially because of Carsland, but we also never made it over to the boardwalk area for some reason on our last trip.

DD's sister and I both love Frozen, so we've decided that we need to go meet Olaf together at some point.

I'm getting ready to order PP+ since we're just under the 9 week mark. I don't want to wait too long or forget, and chance it not arriving in time.

Does anyone else feel the need to write out super-detailed plans? DD has informed me that I have OOD: Obsessive Organizational Disorder.

Seriously, though, I think the process just calms me down. I told her I would even like to write down the definite no-rides so we can figure out what we can avoid. She just rolled her eyes at me.

Anyway, I will add more as we start to make more plans. I'm now off to double check my spending budget, including tips, airport parking, etc.

 

[MyWndrlnd]

Sounds like a great trip and I can't wait to read all about it! I am taking a 3 day trip in October and I too suffer from OOD (fun name BTW) and everything is planned out perfectly. I think planning it out makes it feel more real, as if it will be happening sooner.

I'm in Oregon too and I typically fly out of PDX even though EUG is closer because I can't find any EUG non-stops to LGB or SNA. The only non-stop I've found goes to LAX directly which I try to avoid at all costs. Do you mind me asking if you are taking a non-stop to SNA and if so, what airline? If there is an EUG non-stop I would LOVE THAT!

To answer your question about luggage, yes, most hotels will have a locked luggage closet for guests to store their bags so they can go to the parks while their rooms are prepared (or after they checkout but before their flight). I've used the luggage closets at several hotels around Disneyland and never had any issues with it.

HAVE A GREAT TIME!

 

[JenEMT]

More Oregon families! How I envy you guys for flying! We are going in December and DH says we need to drive...it will be part of the fun he says... Haha, can't blame him. I'm looking forward to the feeling of "were on our way to Disneyland" during the drive. Though, I do admit to checking on flights from time to time.

I'm also self diagnosing myself with this OOD business lol. I make plans, then reconsider and rearrange them constantly. Hubbie said I have lists for my lists.

I look forward to readi np ab

 

[koalagirl5]

Welcome, fellow Oregonians!!

Do you mind me asking if you are taking a non-stop to SNA and if so, what airline? If there is an EUG non-stop I would LOVE THAT!

Sorry to disappoint, but we have a connecting flight in Seattle on the way and one through PDX coming home. I usually don't mind connecting flights, and going out of our home airport means a better chance of getting a ride rather than paying for long term parking. I can understand the desire to just get where you're going though!

More Oregon families! How I envy you guys for flying! We are going in December and DH says we need to drive...it will be part of the fun he says... Haha, can't blame him. I'm looking forward to the feeling of "were on our way to Disneyland" during the drive. Though, I do admit to checking on flights from time to time.

I'm also self diagnosing myself with this OOD business lol. I make plans, then reconsider and rearrange them constantly. Hubbie said I have lists for my lists.

I look forward to readi np ab

We drove down last time, and it actually was pretty fun if you have the time. I only have a car, and was a little paranoid about the mountains and road conditions. It'll probably be fine now that I booked flights lol!

I'm considering booking Carnation Cafe for breakfast, maybe our last day in the parks. We missed out last time, and this would be the same day we could use our Magic Morning. We can do a later breakfast after we've run around like madwomen

I've got a random question: We're flying out of SNA at 9:50 on that Wednesday. Any thoughts on when we should leave? And can I ask the desk clerk at DI&S to call me a cab? Will there be any already waiting? Or maybe I can get the phone number from the one we will have taken when we arrived? I think I've used a cab twice in my life, I'm just not sure what's common at all.

Thanks you guys!!

 

[millie0312]

(We get to go back!!!)

So, back in 2010 I took my DD to DL thinking it might be our only trip. Of course, now that I've experienced the magic, I knew I'd have to find a way back. I always wanted to see the parks during the holidays, and I finally felt we could comfortably afford to go again, so we started booking everything in January.

So, at the time of booking, the trip was only going to be:

me, Jamie(34)
DD, Alyssa(13)

Now, as of a few weeks ago, we will be spending half of our trip there with DD's dad, stepmom, brother(11?), and sister(6?). Sorry, not 100% sure on their ages; I feel bad lol.

Just so you know, before I go any further, we do all get along great.

DD and I will still keep our plans, but now the rest of DD's family will be going Nov 25-30. I think this will actually work out nicely, because they will have 2 days in DLR with just the 4 of them, then we will all have 2 days together, and then they leave and DD and I still get 2 days alone in DLR. Plus, DD gets a chance to vacation with all her loved ones, and I'm really glad it's something we're able and willing to do.

Anyway, DD and I are flying out of Eugene airport Saturday morning, and arrive at SNA around 11:30 am. So far the plan is to splurge a little and take a taxi rather than a shuttle to our hotel, which is Desert Inn and Suites. Last trip we stayed at BWPPI, but DI&S is only a little further and I got it for I think $89 a night.

Since I got 4 day hoppers for us, we're going to get the heck over to the parks as soon as we can!! Hopefully, a room will be ready, but if not, I plan on asking them to hold our luggage. Do most places do that??

Sidenote: I have a CC with cash rewards that I use and pay off each month, and so far I have enough to cover 1/4 of our hotel stay.

We haven't hammered out any details, but DD has said she wants to try and ride most, if not all, of the rides. We're a little more excited for DCA, partially because of Carsland, but we also never made it over to the boardwalk area for some reason on our last trip.

DD's sister and I both love Frozen, so we've decided that we need to go meet Olaf together at some point.

I'm getting ready to order PP+ since we're just under the 9 week mark. I don't want to wait too long or forget, and chance it not arriving in time.

Does anyone else feel the need to write out super-detailed plans? DD has informed me that I have OOD: Obsessive Organizational Disorder.

Seriously, though, I think the process just calms me down. I told her I would even like to write down the definite no-rides so we can figure out what we can avoid. She just rolled her eyes at me.

Anyway, I will add more as we start to make more plans. I'm now off to double check my spending budget, including tips, airport parking, etc.

Joining in as well- we are going Dec 8-16 so looking forward to hearing about your fun time! I also have a somewhat compulsive organization problem.... LOL maybe we should make a club- the DLR OCD planners

 

[koalagirl5]

Joining in as well- we are going Dec 8-16 so looking forward to hearing about your fun time! I also have a somewhat compulsive organization problem.... LOL maybe we should make a club- the DLR OCD planners

Yay!!

We should totally start a club! Let me just plan it all out first for a couple weeks

 

[koalagirl5]

Argh!! This whole waiting for the park hours and entertainment schedule to be released is killing me. I've looked at the historical hours, but I'm wondering if anything will be different with both the 60th and Star Wars stuff starting.

On the plus side, for our trip in 2010 I don't think you could reserve tours and meals online. I'm not a huge fan of calling for most things unless I have to.

All right, off to work. Have a good day everyone!

 

[MyWndrlnd]

More Oregon families! How I envy you guys for flying! We are going in December and DH says we need to drive...it will be part of the fun he says... Haha, can't blame him. I'm looking forward to the feeling of "were on our way to Disneyland" during the drive. Though, I do admit to checking on flights from time to time.

I'm also self diagnosing myself with this OOD business lol. I make plans, then reconsider and rearrange them constantly. Hubbie said I have lists for my lists.

I look forward to readi np ab

I used to drive down each year and it was a LOOOOOONG drive but right around the time we'd hit the Grapevine Pass I would start getting that "we are going to Disneyland!" feeling even through we had a few more hours in the car, and it was so great to have that excitement. I do miss that feeling sometimes because heading up to PDX to fly down doesn't seem to have the same effect on me.

Have fun during your December trip! The parks during the holidays are so magical. I am such a sap but seeing all the garland and lights makes me so happy.

Welcome, fellow Oregonians!!

Sorry to disappoint, but we have a connecting flight in Seattle on the way and one through PDX coming home. I usually don't mind connecting flights, and going out of our home airport means a better chance of getting a ride rather than paying for long term parking. I can understand the desire to just get where you're going though!

I've got a random question: We're flying out of SNA at 9:50 on that Wednesday. Any thoughts on when we should leave? And can I ask the desk clerk at DI&S to call me a cab? Will there be any already waiting? Or maybe I can get the phone number from the one we will have taken when we arrived? I think I've used a cab twice in my life, I'm just not sure what's common at all.

Thanks you guys!!

I figured a non-stop from EUG-SNA was too much to hope for but I figured I'd ask. Thanks for the info!

To answer your question, yes, the Desert Inn and Suites front desk should be able to call you a taxi but generally they aren't sitting around (at least from my experience) so it will have to be pre-arranged. As far as when you should leave, that is a whole other ball of wax. I grew up in SoCal and drive around there frequently because I have family all over the area so I am somewhat familiar with the traffic situation. You will be in peak traffic time with a 9:50am flight because that means you will need to be at the airport no later than 8:50. If I recall correctly, SNA isn't far from Disneyland but the traffic can really add significantly to the time (25 minutes without traffic vs. 1+ hours with traffic). Honestly, my best advice is to use a shuttle service. I know it isn't as pleasant as having taxi all to yourself but the shuttle service knows what time they will need to pick you up in order to get you to your flight on time; a taxi can't always be relied upon for that.

If you really want to use a taxi, I would recommend leaving between 7:30 & 7:50am because that will ensure you have enough time to reach the airport if there is traffic or an accident. Worse case scenario is you arrive at the airport with an hour to spare.

Hope this info is helpful!

 

[koalagirl5]

To answer your question, yes, the Desert Inn and Suites front desk should be able to call you a taxi but generally they aren't sitting around (at least from my experience) so it will have to be pre-arranged. As far as when you should leave, that is a whole other ball of wax. I grew up in SoCal and drive around there frequently because I have family all over the area so I am somewhat familiar with the traffic situation. You will be in peak traffic time with a 9:50am flight because that means you will need to be at the airport no later than 8:50. If I recall correctly, SNA isn't far from Disneyland but the traffic can really add significantly to the time (25 minutes without traffic vs. 1+ hours with traffic). Honestly, my best advice is to use a shuttle service. I know it isn't as pleasant as having taxi all to yourself but the shuttle service knows what time they will need to pick you up in order to get you to your flight on time; a taxi can't always be relied upon for that.

If you really want to use a taxi, I would recommend leaving between 7:30 & 7:50am because that will ensure you have enough time to reach the airport if there is traffic or an accident. Worse case scenario is you arrive at the airport with an hour to spare.

I was afraid traffic could be an issue. Not sure why I didn't consider a shuttle TO the airport; I just knew I wanted to take a taxi when we landed in SNA to maximize our park time on that first day. I think I will take your advice and book a shuttle for the day we leave. Thank you!

 

[koalagirl5]

So I think we are going to be at a disadvantage as far as mornings go. We have hoppers for Saturday (afternoon) - Tuesday, and are staying offsite. Our only MM option is our last day, which is fine except for the fact that it's also the only day that we could actually be among the first inside DCA.

I may play it by ear; it'll really depend on what we've been able to ride so far. We really want to ride TSMM, and I think the only must-dos for MM for us over at DL would be Matterhorn, Small World Holiday, and the Mad Tea Party.

Unless DD decides she liked Peter Pan after all, now that I'm working it out on here, I'm leaning toward skipping our MM. I think we're more excited overall for DCA, at least for the rides. DL is still special, but for me it's more about the atmosphere and interactions. Does that make sense at all?

 

[LALA8971]

Just so you know, before I go any further, we do all get along great.

Love it! My hubby and I separated a few years ago (we are now back together) and he still went with my son and I and my mom and brother to DL! Driving down from Oregon too!

 

[koalagirl5]

Love it! My hubby and I separated a few years ago (we are now back together) and he still went with my son and I and my mom and brother to DL! Driving down from Oregon too!

That's great! I know it's easier said than done, but it's so nice to not have that kind of drama that can come with children and custody issues.

For some reason, I've been neglecting my planning a bit. I was originally going to do breakfast one morning at Carnation Cafe, but I think I'd rather maximize our park time instead. And I'm pretty sure DD hated Peter Pan last trip, so we may in fact be skipping MM in order to take advantage of CA's opening that day.

I had to get DD a suitcase the other day, and now I wish I needed one too! It was just a cheap one, but it's a pretty red, and mine is just black. I know, I know, I need to save for the trip lol. But I can still hope!

 

[MyWndrlnd]

That's great! I know it's easier said than done, but it's so nice to not have that kind of drama that can come with children and custody issues.

For some reason, I've been neglecting my planning a bit. I was originally going to do breakfast one morning at Carnation Cafe, but I think I'd rather maximize our park time instead. And I'm pretty sure DD hated Peter Pan last trip, so we may in fact be skipping MM in order to take advantage of CA's opening that day.

I had to get DD a suitcase the other day, and now I wish I needed one too! It was just a cheap one, but it's a pretty red, and mine is just black. I know, I know, I need to save for the trip lol. But I can still hope!

If Fantasy Land isn't a high priority for your DD then I would definitely skip the MM and do the early entry at DCA. We did MM for the first time this last trip and I can honestly say it was anything but magical. We arrived 1 hour and 15 minutes early as instructed, spent 5 minutes in the security line, nearly 10 minutes in the entry line (lots of first day guests who needed to have their photos taken), and by the time we got into the areas of the park that were open, there were insane lines already. We road Alice and Buzz Lightyear and only had to wait about 10 minutes for each but everything else had a super long line or, in the case of Space Mountain, was closed. We then spent the last 10 minutes of the MM waiting at the hub in a large crowd as everyone waited for them to open Adventure and Frontier Lands.

While we were waiting there I over heard the following conversation that summed up the MM:
Grandson: "I thought this was Magical Morning?"
Grandpa: "It is."
Grandson: "It isn't very magical..."
Grandpa: "The magic is you have more time to wait in lines."

 

[koalagirl5]

I'm definitely going to opt for starting at DCA that Tuesday.

So I've decided to try this whole Disney bounding thing. I think it's kind of adorable! I casually brought it up to DD and then showed her some examples, and I'm pretty sure she is going to as well.

She loves Donald duck and Ariel, and I'm going to do Goofy, Daisy, and Eeyore. I really lucked out at the thrift store today; there were two of the same Old Navy v-neck tee in orange and purple, and I already have a gray shirt for Eeyore.

For Goofy, I really just want something green for my hair, maybe a headband? Basically the same for Eeyore but in pink. I may use the same pink for Daisy, but I'm not sure. It'll be pretty subtle, but I'd still like to find the characters to get pics together. Well, maybe not Ariel, not sure about that one. And hopefully we can find Donald and Daisy together on the day we bound as them.

Also - 21 DAYS!!!!!!!

 

[koalagirl5]

All right, the countdown has begun! Our flight leaves at 6:15 tomorrow morning.

I caught the cold my DD had last weekend though. Woke up this morning feeling it, which really stinks. I still need to pack, so this will be interesting.