Can I pull it off? About This Page:

[MinnieJen]

So my hubby's 40th birthday is about 3 weeks and I just decided to try and plan a quick trip out to DLR. He has mentioned wanting to sneak back there and it would be a huge surprise. Now I have some money saved for his big day but not enough so I will need to keep the budget low and I have almost no time to plan. We have a free Southwest ticket so I can keep our airfare down. I need to find a "Good Neighbor" hotel and plan a few toddler friendly yet yummy meals and do all this without him finding out. I am also trying to get his brothers to meet us for a meal at least or maybe a couple days in the park. Any suggestions on hotels, food and/or special birthday adventures? I must be crazy for trying to pull this off.

[Colexis Mom]

No suggestions, but I hope it all works out!

[shydonna1]

Anaheim DesertInn & Suites is right on Harbour Blvd (5min walk to the gate) and reasonably priced. With an indoor pool you will be able to take mid-day breaks from the park no matter what the weather or watch the fireworks from their deck on the top floor. Tony Romas and Dennys are handy for meals and you could hit the Target superstore about a mile away to pick up some healthy snacks to take in the park-juice boxes, snack mixes, lunchables,etc. While we were there we had a birthday party with Mickey & Minnie where we all decorate a cupcake-sized cake and visited and took pictures with the characters. As I recall this wasn't as pricy as a character lunch but we had a lot of fun. Enjoy!

[chezp]

with it - it sounds like a wonderful idea.

[duck addict]

[tigersprinkles]

Originally Posted by MinnieJen

So my hubby's 40th birthday is about 3 weeks and I just decided to try and plan a quick trip out to DLR. He has mentioned wanting to sneak back there and it would be a huge surprise. Now I have some money saved for his big day but not enough so I will need to keep the budget low and I have almost no time to plan. We have a free Southwest ticket so I can keep our airfare down. I need to find a "Good Neighbor" hotel and plan a few toddler friendly yet yummy meals and do all this without him finding out. I am also trying to get his brothers to meet us for a meal at least or maybe a couple days in the park. Any suggestions on hotels, food and/or special birthday adventures? I must be crazy for trying to pull this off.

yes you can do it :l uck:ixi e:

[w-steele]

Ramada Inn Maingate is just a 5 minute walk from the Ticket Plaza and rather inexpensive too. They have a very nice pool and serve a fine Continetal Breakfast in the mornings. We stay there a lot when we go up for the weekends. There are several nice places to eat, all within walking deistance. If you want to cut down on eating expense, try not to eat anywhere on property. IHOP and Denny's are good and just across the street from DLR and several doors north of the Ramada Inn.

[jimmymac]

Holiday Inn Express on Katella is very nice. And affordable. And yes, YOU CAN DO THIS

[MinnieJen]

So I found out we have a free night at the La Quinta chain from my husband's past business trips! I know La Quinta is not very close or very fancy but they had some great low rates on the weekend I am needing plus the free night and a great kids suite with bunk beds. I am really thinking this might be the way to go.

I know we will need to use the shuttle some but I have heard it is reliable and nice? I am hoping there is a Walgreens or something close that I can pick up milk and juice and maybe a few snacks. I put together daily gallon ziplock bags with snacks for the parks but I like to have somethings in he room too for everyone to snack on.

[mechurchlady]

There are numerous stores, pharmacies and grocers within 5 miles of DLR.
I strongly suggest you use google and search the area then print out maps. Mark the spots that ahve Quiznos, Subway, McDonalds, drug stores, gas stations, and grocers. I did that on my San Antonio trip. I knew where in the area of the convention there would be gas stations, gluten free food, a gluten free bakery, internet access, grocers, etc. A map with notes on the back is tiny in my purse but sure handy when I was lost in a new and big city.

Healthy
Henry's is north on the Harbor Blvd past the 91 and has healthy foods.
Whole Foods Store is just south of 2nd street in east Long Beach and about a 10 to 20 minuet drive.

Stores
Best to google and copy a map and mark locations as there are plenty of 7-11 and Starbucks out there for example. 7-11 is on Harbor and Katella, NW corner.
West on Katella will find you Albertsons, CVS drug store, Walgreens, and Food 4 less.
Go south on Harbor to get to Ralphs, walgreens, and Target.
At Euclid and the 5 freeway is a Wal-Mart.

[FanOfMickey]

Sounds like a great idea!

[HeatherD]

Sounds like a great idea that's coming together nicely. Just keep in mind that even "off-property" restaurants (like IHOP, especially) charge higher prices than normal, since they are so close to the park. You have to travel a bit away to get to "normal" prices (though their prices are still lower than inside the park).

If you'll have a fridge, get breakfast foods and eat while everyone is getting ready. We bought an assortment of stuff like cereal (and milk), donuts, fruit, etc., and it saved time and money. We have Albertson's here in Vegas, so we stuck with them in Anaheim as well....and since Disneyland is smack dab in the middle of Anaheim neighborhoods, there are plenty of your average grocery chains and drug stores to chose from.

Good luck with the surprise!

[MinnieJen]

I booked our Southwest flights today using the free ticket. I have to help my husband's brother book his hotel and flight and tickets and stuff later today. He is "travel/planning challenged" but game for anything if we book it with his card. Good thing I am the opposite of travel/planning challanged. He will join us for 2 of the 4 days.

For food I do plan on doing my gallon ziplock daily bags of misc snacks that I do up at home and we have all set for the parks. I add kinds of small snack packs and treats and juice boxes for the boys and that way I just have to grab the ziplock bag for that day and we have all we need aside from sippy cups and diapers! Then I will buy breakfast items in our room plus they do have a free continental plus breakfast at La Quinta. Thank you ChurchLady for the ideas on area stores! Then I think we will do lunch in the parks everyday and dinner outside somewhere close to our hotel. Thanks Heather I will watch the prices of the area restaurants but as long as we are under the cost of dinners in the park we should be ok. We can order pizza one night maybe.

Now since I decided not to get a rental car I will need to decide how to get from and to the airport. The evening we get in it will be right at the boy's bedtime so time will be more important than cost. I know there are shuttles but it looks like they only run every hour after 5pm so that might not work. I will have to see what else I can find.....

I was so happy to find out that the Holiday decor and events would start just before we will be there so I can see all that for the first time. I still want to Christmas in WDW someday!

Now I just need to decide what special things I want to try and plan for the 40 year old Hubby!

[mechurchlady]

For a group of 4 people or more I would go with limos, town cars, and taxis. ART will get you around town or take a cab or call me and I can give you a ride to the store. Bring quart and sandwich sized baggies for holding dirty things and for sharing popcorn. I like to buy popcorn and then seal it up for later.

[MinnieJen]

I have booked hubby's brother for everything! I will buy our park tickets for everyone and we are set. Then I will just have figure out when and how to tell my husband about the surprise. I have to tell in advance to a certain degree just because he will see me packing for everyone and think I have lost my mind. Also I decided he can pick the places we do lunch in the park and that will determine and ADRs I might need to make. I just want to come up with a cool way to tell him.