Would you book if you had no idea if it was even possible to go? About This Page:

[justnicksmommy]

So glad you decided to book! Now hopefully you'll be able to do it. Disneyland is truly a magical place! I could be a little biased, since I was born and raised in Anaheim, CA and grew up going to Disneyland ALL the time! But, just knowing that Walt Disney walked those streets and sidewalks, and this is where everything started....it just gives you that magical feeling. (Get the free Disneyland DVD from Disney.com...it's a good one!)

As a side note, I realize you won't be able to afford it this time, but for future reference, you don't need to get another hotel in order to visit San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, or Seaworld, you can stay right at the same hotel. Yes, you would have to rent a car and you would have to get up a little earlier to get there, but it's definitely do-able without booking another hotel in the area. Also, another close-by and really fun theme park in the area is Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park. There is pretty much something for everyone there as well. They have a shopping area that you are able to access without having to buy a park ticket, so even if you don't want to go to the park, you can check out all the shops, they have some really nice, fun, and cool stuff. You can buy their FAMOUS Jellies, Jams, and Preserves, as well as syrups there and have them ship them to your home so you don't have to bring them home on the plane. Also, there is a restaurant there called Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant, the food is really good there! Also accessible without a park ticket. Anyway, it's definitely not Disney, but it's a close second in my opinion. It's one of our absolute favorites when we go back to visit family.

Here's some Pixie dust in hopes that you get to go to DLR!

[ShellingConnie]

We went this summer for the first time and stayed at the HoJo in a Deluxe theme park room. We got a rollaway bed for my son.

It's a very nice hotel. We did end up having to change to a lower level room when our air conditioner conked out and they couldn't fix it. They were really nice about it all and gave us the rollaway free for the whole trip and a discount on our room.

My DD11 did have meltdowns during the walk back to the hotel for breaks and in the evening. It was just a bit too far for her when she was tired. Because of that if we go again someday (which we probably won't as a family since my oldest is now 15 and in 10th grade!) I'd stay at the Desert Inn and Suites which was closer even if the pool isn't as nice there.

We hit the parks at a very bad time though and it was extra crowded (Star Tours had just reopened) and I hadn't done any research because my husband said he knew the parks "like the back of his hand". Turns out he didn't which drove my oldest and myself crazy because of lack of knowledge. We ended up missing some things because of it.
I was just thankful I had read up on and researched the World of Color which was fantastic and the Fantasmic Dessert seating which we loved too.

It's still a couple of great parks and we did spend a few hours at DTD one night which wasn't near enough for us. LOL

My plan is to go back solo someday.

I hope you get to go.

[CinderAbby]

Thanks guys for all the input. As it stands right now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up cancelling the room. It really was a spur of the moment thing - booking the room - but I'm fairly certain we won't be making it to DL any time soon. I'm really okay with that (more time to save for WDW) but I just don't want to cancel the room quite yet

[mzozzietj]

If there were great prices and there was no penalty to cancel I would definitely book. Then I would set goals to try to save. I would set a reminder in my calendar for whatever cancellation dates I have to remember so I could cancel before then if need be.

FWIW, My DH actually LOVES DL much better than WDW. I'm biased towards WDW but he grew up in San Diego and has fond memories. I do enjoy Disneyland better than the Magic Kingdom overall but was not a big fan of California Adventure the few times we've been. I am pretty excited about the changes though and hope to get out there again soon.

The flights can be pretty long but I still prefer Non-stop. We usually try to book a red-eye for the trip home so we can enjoy the park on the last day, save on the last night at the hotel, sleep on the flight home, and land back home (though I'm not sure it'll go so smoothly with a toddler, LOL)

We've gotten some phenomenal rates with Southwest in the past but those are usually Direct (not non-stop). At least you don't have to change planes though.

Good luck deciding! (now I should go read all the other replies, haha)

[CinderAbby]

We won't be going to DL this summer so I called to cancel our room today. You know what though? I'm perfectly okay with it.

Over the last few months, we've had a few rough patches with money so obviously I wasn't able to come up with the money to go - that's one reason why we're not going. But even more than the money aspect, I was really starting to question whether it was even a good idea or not. Some of you know Abby has difficulty sleeping because of the Autism. Every so often I would stop to think how going from the East coast to the West coast and back again would affect her. It takes her WEEKS to get used to just the one hour time change of daylight savings time. How would a 3 hour time change, twice in a matter of days, affect her and for how long? And would it really be fair of me to purposely mess up her schedules for something I want? She doesn't care about DL. She knows it exists but she always asks about WDW.

Then there's Lenny with his health problems of late. How would he fare on a 5 hour plane ride? Both my head and my heart tell me he wouldn't fare well at all. And again, is it fair of me to possibly put his health at risk for something I want? Lenny also doesn't care about DL. He knows it exists and he's actually not impressed with what he sees. He said he'd much rather spend only 2 hours on a plane for WDW where we would spend more time and do A LOT more things.

And then there's me. I've started questioning why I wanted to go there so badly. I can't even come up with an answer. While I know it's not the same thing as being there, I've watched some ride videos from YouTube and I sit at my computer thinking "well that's something that we can't/won't go on" for whatever reason. So that cuts down on what we'd actually end up doing. And then I question the accessiblity at DL. From some of what I read, it doesn't sound as easily accessible as WDW. Then I also question the weather. While I know it's beautiful in SoCa, I actually like going to Disney in the summer when I know it's going to be hot every day. I wear jeans on days even when it's in the low 80's because I get cold and I just can't imagine doing rides where I'd have to wear jeans and possibly a coat to prevent from getting cold or wet. I've done that at Canobie Lake Park (it's about an hour away from us) and I just don't enjoy it. Summer fun to me means being able to be in shorts and not being cold while in them.

So in the end, it was very easy for me to call and cancel today. While I know what everyone says about DL - that it has a magic all it's own - it just really doesn't "feel" right to go there for us anymore. I doubt we'll ever go and I'm happy with that believe it or not. We're really happy with WDW and the money I have been able to save thus far will now go towards a trip hopefully next year to Disney World.

Thanks to everyone though for your advice and encouragement way back when I started this thread. I don't regret making the reservation when I did and I certainly don't regret that I cancelled it either. Nothing ventured, nothing gained but I have gained peace of mind with a simple phone call today. Nothing beats that.

[Pretty Kitty]

Originally Posted by NurseLesley

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To make it to our next trip I really did use saving strategies...every stop for coffee had a second thought attached to it! And, it does add to the magic of to 'have' to think about Disney so often! LOL

It is amazing how this really worksWhen we have a trip coming up, I stop and think twice about eating out, buying all the extras as well buying things more at sale prices.

[GingerJ]

Darlene,
I'm glad you're at peace with your decision. You'd have enjoyed the parks on your own, but with your family's health problems AND the probable time-zone-change misery, it appears you made the right decision.

I will mention one thing about the time zones, though, in case this comes up again and health and money issues dramatically improve: there's no reason you HAVE to live by Pacific Time if you visit! You just sleep late (by your brain's idea of the time), and get to the parks around (your personal) lunchtime. One person in the group has to have their watch on the right time zone in order to know when places open and close, but other than that, you can live in your very own personal time-zone bubble and let everyone else be slave to the clock. This strategy would also help kill the jet-lag problem when you return. I've found the west-to-east jet lag much worse that going the other way, myself.

Anyway...thanks for the update. I'm glad Lennie's recovering from his hospital stay and that you're happy with the decision. It definitely sounds like the right one, given the costs and your family's health issues. Keep looking forward to your next visit to your Happy Place!

Ginger

[CinderAbby]

I will mention one thing about the time zones, though, in case this comes up again and health and money issues dramatically improve: there's no reason you HAVE to live by Pacific Time if you visit! You just sleep late (by your brain's idea of the time), and get to the parks around (your personal) lunchtime. One person in the group has to have their watch on the right time zone in order to know when places open and close, but other than that, you can live in your very own personal time-zone bubble and let everyone else be slave to the clock. This strategy would also help kill the jet-lag problem when you return. I've found the west-to-east jet lag much worse that going the other way, myself.

Ginger,

I know what you're saying with this but since we'd be going east to west the first time around, it still wouldn't be easy. We're already 3 hours ahead of California time so to keep to Abby's current schedule of 7:30 bedtime and 6 am awake time, that means she'd be going to be at 4:30 pm CA time and waking up at 3 am CA time. If DL and DCA opened at 4 am in the morning, that would be one thing but to wake up and have a 4 to 5 hour wait just to get into the park? And then to get there have have every place only be serving breakfast when we'd be ready for lunch because it's still only 8 am or 9 am versus the 11 am or noon time our bodies would be telling us it is. Am I being anal? I guess some people would say yes and like I said while I get what you're saying, that would actually work best going from West Coast to East, not the other way around.

[GingerJ]

Originally Posted by CinderAbby

Ginger,

I know what you're saying with this but since we'd be going east to west the first time around, it still wouldn't be easy. We're already 3 hours ahead of California time so to keep to Abby's current schedule of 7:30 bedtime and 6 am awake time, that means she'd be going to be at 4:30 pm CA time and waking up at 3 am CA time. If DL and DCA opened at 4 am in the morning, that would be one thing but to wake up and have a 4 to 5 hour wait just to get into the park? And then to get there have have every place only be serving breakfast when we'd be ready for lunch because it's still only 8 am or 9 am versus the 11 am or noon time our bodies would be telling us it is. Am I being anal? I guess some people would say yes and like I said while I get what you're saying, that would actually work best going from West Coast to East, not the other way around.

That makes perfect sense, Darlene! With Abby helplessly locked into her routines that way (poor darlin'), it would be painful for her either way, not a fun vacation for anyone. Guess you're stuck with WDW.

Ginger

[sunshinetaradise]

after working with individuals with autism for the last 7 years i totally get the routine and not breaking it!! just vote for Disneyland though....i went last summer for the first time after going to WDW 13 times and I LOVED it!!! I was there for 5 days and still didn't do everything. Even though WDW has a lot of attractions that aren't in DL.......DL has a lot that aren't even close to anything in WDW being able to walk to the parks and park hop so easily is great. It's also extremely accessible(meaning you go through just about every exit and there's no wait). I would love to go back in the near future!

[Carousel96]

I'm late to the party, so you may have already decided.
But this is a tough one for me. Much as I'd love to lock in a good rate, once I've booked I consider the vacation a done deal. I hate cancelling reservations.
So I wouldn't book until it was more likely than not that we'd be going.

[CinderAbby]

I'm late to the party, so you may have already decided.
But this is a tough one for me. Much as I'd love to lock in a good rate, once I've booked I consider the vacation a done deal. I hate cancelling reservations.
So I wouldn't book until it was more likely than not that we'd be going.

Better late than never! To give you a quick rundown, I did book the room because I had nothing to lose (didn't have to leave a deposit like Disney) and the other day I called back and cancelled the room. And it felt good to cancel it - I have the whole explanation of why back in post 35

[Lilianna]

We are currently saving for DLR next year as well. All spare change goes into our Disney bank and I am saving 10% of every paycheck. (Something my hubby doesn't know I'm doing. Currently, he thinks there's no way we'll be able to afford it. It'll be a nice surprise!) As is, we know we are limited in funds (& other slight reasons), so thoughts of WDW and cruise are out the window & we will be going to DLR. Which is just fine. I grew up going to DLR. Only been to WDW once. I wish I could start booking, but rates for 2013 aren't out yet, at least for the Disney properties.

Good luck to you and keep us posted!