1st Trip To Disneyland!-Please help About This Page:

[Froggee44]

my DH, mother and father are going to california at the end of August and have never been to Disneyland. I can not count the number of times we have gone to Disney World because it is a short plane ride from NJ/NY area. We will be staying at the Marriott Newport Coast Vacation Club resort (my parents are marriott vaction club owners). SO we will only be 20 miles from Disneyland we will be going to visit. We could use home help on how to get there and general info on Disneyland. We will also going to San Diego. If anyone could please offer us some info. It will be greatly appreciated. We are Disney World nuts, will we be let down by going to Disneyland. Is the end of August a good time to go? PLEASE HELP. Thanks!!!!!!!!

Keri

[w-steele]

Originally Posted by Froggee44

my DH, mother and father are going to california at the end of August and have never been to Disneyland. I can not count the number of times we have gone to Disney World because it is a short plane ride from NJ/NY area. We will be staying at the Marriott Newport Coast Vacation Club resort (my parents are marriott vaction club owners). SO we will only be 20 miles from Disneyland we will be going to visit. We could use home help on how to get there and general info on Disneyland. We will also going to San Diego. If anyone could please offer us some info. It will be greatly appreciated. We are Disney World nuts, will we be let down by going to Disneyland. Is the end of August a good time to go? PLEASE HELP. Thanks!!!!!!!!

Keri

Unless I have the wrong address for your resort, 230000 Newport Coast Dr, Newport Coast, Ca., here are some directions for you.

1.Head east on Newport Coast Dr toward Tuscany3.3 mi
4 mins
2.Take the ramp onto CA-73 N Partial toll road
4.7 mi
6 mins
3.Take exit 17A to merge onto CA-55 N5.8 mi
6 mins
4.Take exit 10B to merge onto I-5 N toward Los Angeles7.3 mi
7 mins
5.Take exit 110 for Harbor Blvd toward Ball Rd0.3 mi
6.Turn right at S Harbor Blvd0.1 mi
1 min
7.Turn left at W Ball Rd0.4 mi
2 mins
8.Turn left at S Disneyland Dr423 ft
1 min
9.Slight left0.2


I hope these will help. Where in San Diego here are you wanting to go? I live here so maybe I can help you get around town.

[w-steele]

Just forgot to include this. Disneyland is the ORGINIAL and as such when they made WDW, they had already learned alot about park layouts and how much land they needed. My DW and I are AP at Disnayland and are never disappointed. We go anywhere between once to twice a month so I would hope you and your family would enjoy it as well. Now, as far as coming out this way in Aug, that is a good time but be prepared for some rather WARM weather and yes, there will be crowds as well. As to what to see first, I could list a dozen or more here and not list them all. Just think of those attractions that are at WDW, not all are out here but alot are. ALWAYS hit the FAST PASS lines first thing in the morning. I have seen the FAST PASS time for Space mountain, this an hour and a half after opening, listed for 4 and 5 pm.
If you need other information, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer the best I can.
ENJOY So. CALIF.

[chezp]

The advice I would give you is to get a Disneyland PassPorter - that was invaluable in planning my trip and it also covers San Diego, so it will really come in handy for you. I would plan to head for the attractions that are either unique at Disneyland or different from their WDW cousins. Those were the priorities for me when we visited.

[Politzania]

I agree with chezp - the unique/different attractions take priority for us; but also take time to look around at all the amazing details and try to take in some of the live entertainment - there's a lot more here than at the MK in WDW. The park is a smaller and the attractions are closer together, but that makes it feel more "homey' to me.
Lou Mongello's WDW Radio Show podcasy this past week (March 16) has an excellent compare/contrast of the two parks; he and 3 other guys (Jeff Pepper, George Taylor and Eric Hollister) headed out West for a weekend and share their impressions.
Disney Podcast - WDW Radio Show #58 - March 16, 2008,hosted by Lou Mongello

[Froggee44]

Thank you for all the info. We would like to go to the San Diego zoo. MY hubby goes there often but never gets to sight see because he is always in meetings (he works for sony). IF you could share some things to do, anything would help us greatly.

[Froggee44]

I would like to thank all of you for your insight.....You are easing my mind. I am going to purchase the passporter.

[Tricia Davids]

DH and I are AP's at DL and even though we live 3 hours away, we come several times a year. We also make an almost annual trip to WDW to visit things we do not have here, but we love our "home" parks. DL has a lot of charm that is missing in the bigger parks. It is the only park Walt personally walked in and there are touches of that throughout the park. Even though we have some of the same attractions as WDW, they are not the same experiences for the most part. CA Adventure will give you a nice taste of the whole state in one place. It is a very unique Disney park with some attractions and decor found no where but here. Most of our kids have gone back to school in late August and even though it will be warm, the crowds will be a little less than July. Let us know if you have any more questions. We would be glad to help! Enjoy your trip! P.S. We love the San Diego Zoo too! Lots of walking!

[Froggee44]

I am so excited that everyone who has posted something has given me some support. Thank you a million times over for giving us info. We are AP at WDW even though we live here in NJ. We try to go to WDW at least 4 times a year. If anyone is coming to NY i can help. I live literally across from NYC. So if I can return the favor, please send me a message

[saxgirl2003]

Disneyland is fun!!

they have some very unique ride that WDW doesnt have. My two favs being the Indiana Jones ride and Matterhorn Bobsleds. If u want an insight on disneyland, try to get the Disney sing along songs "disney land fun". they have at like best buy and stores like that.

Some additions have been made like the Alice in wonderland ride. Plus they ahev california adventure that i have never been to but heard it's awesome. at that park is a Rapids ride in the bear Mtn and TOT(tower of terror).

as for san diego,
they have the zoo and Sea world which are both alot os fun. think they may have some water parks that will be open when u go. Google search San diego and it will give an insight of tourist attractions.

have fun

[mickeycrazy]

I agree that it was fun to go to DL and experience the different attractions that they don't have in DW. It is a very different experience though. It was very hard not to compare it to DW and though we definitely prefer DW to DL, DL has alot of charm. We loved the Electrical Parade, Indiana Jones, Aladdin show, California Screamin, Mr. Toad and Pirates is much better at DL. I thought the food was not nearly as good and was much more expensive than DW. Be sure to see the fireworks when you can, they cancel them pretty easily. They cancelled all the showings while we were there because of wind. We were very disappointed in that.

I hope you have a great trip and find some new favorites!

[therodge]

I am planning my first DL trip as well. Thanks everyone for the information. Here's a question....do I really need to stay in a DL hotel or can I stay at the good neighbor hotels and have just as much fun?

[w-steele]

Even though we live just about 90 miles south of Disneyland, we like to make a weekend of it. We have stayed off site more than on site and have had just as much fun.
We like Super 8 maybe the most. Great prices and locations are good too.
Here is someone's web site that show 99% of all hotel/motels in the DL area.

Bret's Disneyland Lodging LinkMap

The Super 8 on Katella and the Motel 6 on Disney Way are super and really close to DL. We've stayed at both. For a little bit more, The Ramada Maingate is OUT OF SIGHT. Across the street from the main enterance to DL. Totally in walking distance and the have a really good Continental Breakfast too.

[mickeycrazy]

We enjoyed staying onsite, but it is not nearly as big of benefit at DL as there are some off property hotels that seem closer than the DL hotel or PP. If we go again we would stay off property. We enjoyed the Candy Cane Inn and we walked easily to and from the parks.

[Never Enough Mickeys]

You'll be surprised at how cozy DL is becuase although it's a smaller park than the MK, you'll be able to make more ground in less time. And probably more surprising to you is that the entrance between DL and DCA is only about 200 yards apart! You can hit two parks within a minute or so and waste no time on buses or boats. It'll be quite a different experience for you.

Hope you have a wonderful time in DL and DCA!