One Mom Offers Unofficial Info for Planning a Disneyland Trip

My Love for Disney

2010-06-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

I have been a Disney lover since I was very young. Although my first trip wasn't until I was 17 years old due to where I lived, the Disney love as well as Disney movies and memorabilia have always been a part of my life. My first trip to Disney, like I mentioned, was when I was 17. That day, in February 2000, was the beginning of an entirely new path of my life. I have been so blessed to have been able to visit the park more times than I can remember since then, sharing my passion for it with so many different people. Disneyland has been an escape for hard times, a stepping stone for new beginnings, and an escape from life's trials to my family and I, and to those things I couldn't be more grateful!

Disneyland has an energy unlike any other place. From the power washed concrete to the spectacular fireworks displays, Disney spares no expense when it comes to keeping up on the dream of an amazing legendary man, Walt Disney. On Harbor Blvd, life is hectic. Cars are buzzing by, the freeways roar, and the stresses of life continue to plague you. But 8/10 of a mile away, into the entry gates of the park, those decorative ticket booths and freshly planted flower displays offer an escape. Life slows down, and people become citizens. Every sound from the Disneyland RailRoad on Main Street to the nostalgic tune of 'It's a Small Word' in Fantasyland, there are tunes to entice your senses and give you a feeling of calm. Oh, how I love this place.

Dining: from Disney Dining to the Corn Dog Stand

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Food..... you can't live without it, nor should you try when you have the amazing choices you do at Disney! The food options for your Disney trip range from bring your own picnics to fine dining. I hope to be able to explore all avenues in this section so you can wisely make a game plan for your eating.

Regardless of all the choices you may have, you CAN still budget for food. To be conservative, I have always practiced myself the $50/day per person rule. Of course, this will not apply if you are taking a child under 3 as they eat toddler meals or free at some places. But otherwise, this conservative figure will make sure you always have enough AND hopefully leave you with a little extra by the end of the trip. Who doesn't love to come home with a little extra cash??

Picnics- Disneyland has a pretty lenient policy when it comes to bringing food into the parks. You can bring in sack foods like sandwiches, chips and snacks into the park, along with soda and water bottles. You can sit right down at a bench or table and eat your lunch! They also have a sweet little picnic area outside the gates for people to sit at and eat their sack lunch. This is a super idea if you don't plan on going back to the hotel for the afternoon or are planning on having a more pricey dinner and want to have a light lunch.

Outside the park- Along Harbor Blvd, you can find many restaurants right at the entrance area. Places such as Mimi's Cafe, McDonald's, iHop, Captain Kids, Denny's and Tony Roma's all line the hotels in front of the park. These are wonderful choices for breakfast before you get into the park or dinner if you plan to retire early. Prices are reasonable.

Down past the 2 parks is a fantastic area called Downtown Disney. It is where the 'nightlife' of Disney is housed. At the front part of Downtown Disney is an EXCELLENT little restaurant called La Brea. We typically plan one morning to have breakfast at La Brea every trip. They have an Express section that has wonderful sandwiches, potatoes, eggs, bacon and fruits. This area offers their freshly squeezed juices and coffee as well, and an outdoor seating patio to take your express breakfast to. Next door is a full menu restaurant that carries the same express items, plus items such as french toast and pancakes, omelets and so much more! Further down Downtown Disney are some fantastic spots for lunch and dinner, and even some late night drinks for an adults night! Restaurants include Catal, ESPN Zone (a fave of mine, and loud for the kids), House of Blues, Naples Ristorante, Napolini, Rainforest Cafe, Ralph's Jazz Kitchen, Tortilla Jo's, and plenty of small juice and ice cream spots. Some of these places will take a reservation so call ahead or ask your hotel concierge. Remember, Downtown Disney is accessible by Monorail from Tomorrowland!

Inside the Park- Disney offers a WIDE range of food.

On a basic level, there are food carts strategically placed all over. Most carry the basics- soda, pretzles, popcorn and churros. There are a few hidden gems though, and they are must haves! Over by the Matterhorn, and also on the loop at the end of Main Street USA, there is a stand that serves chimichangas and turkey legs. You will never have a more moist and delicious turkey leg in your life! And the chimichangas aren't anything to ignore either! I recommend sharing one of each! Also, if you are in the need of a refreshing snack, at the entrance of Adventureland is a tiki hut that serves Dole Whips. Yummy Dole juices made into delicious little treats! You can't miss it! The Bakery on Main Street serves specialty coffee's and fresh pastries. Those cinnamon rolls will be sure to hit the spot for breakfast (or dinner!). But to me, the best small cart food stand is located right off the busiest part of the park, the end of Main Street. Where everyone starts to spilt ways, right by Photo Supply, is a big red trailer that served the most FANTASTIC corn dogs on the planet! You MUST try these!

Over at California Adventure, some specialty carts and locations are spread around the park, also. Tasty and custom 'Root Beer' floats are available on the overpass of Paradice Pier by California Screamin', you can make them with any soda and a variety of flavors! Hollywood offers hot dog stands and smoothie areas. Also, on Hollywood Blvd, you can find a shop with those same amazing corndogs sold over at Disneyland! And if you smell fresh waffle cones heading towards Soarin' Over California, stop in to get some ice cream in one!

For more sit down style food, Disneyland has a wide variety of foods. The Plaza Inn off main street offers a buffet style dinner, Hungry Bear by Splash Mountain serves up some wonderful burgers and chicken sandwiches (a great lunch spot), Cafe Orleans serves creole style food, Carnation Cafe, the French Market, Rancho del Zocolo by Thunder Mountain Railroad serves up some wonderful Mexican food, the Pizza Port in Tomorrowland offers a pizza and pasta buffet, and enjoy sandwiches and salads at the River Belle Terrace.

For fine dining, I STRONGLY recommend making reservations at the Blue Bayou, located INSIDE the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. They serve up everything from the Monte Cristo sandwich to steak that will melt in your mouth. Kiddos are always welcome, so no fear. You can make reservations by calling 714-781-DINE.

California offers a smaller scale of sit down food. You can sit down and have a nice dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria, Cocina Cucomonga Mexican Grill, Pacific Wharf Cafe (serving Boudin's soups and sandwiches, mmmm), Ariel's Grotto, soon to be the Princess Palace, Pizza Oom Mow Mow, and Tastes Pilots Grill- which has FANTASTIC burgers. For an adults night out, The Vineyard Room is a fine dining establishment in a gorgeous atmosphere.

There are 4 options when it comes to pre-booking priority seating. The Blue Bayou is one, like mentioned above.

Also, there is a breakfast at the Plaza Inn called the Minnie and Friends Breakfast in the Park. This is a full, all you can eat buffet of some amazing foods. During your meal, you will get special visits from Minnie Mouse and at least 4 of her closest friends! This is a wonderful opportunity for pictures and autographs, so remember the camera! One flat rate per adult, kids under 3 eat free! Use your Annual Pass or Disney Visa for a discount!

Ariel's Disney Princess Celebration, at California Adventure Park, is a must do if you are taking little girls to Disney! Make sure to call in advance though! At the beginning of your lunch, you will meet Ariel on your way to the table. A photographer will be there to take some pictures of your little princess with the Princess of the Sea. (note: these are not compatible with the PhotoPass, so bring your camera, too! Those shots are expensive!) Once seated, you will have your orders taken for a 3 course meal. All meals are the same price, so get what you want! And be sure to ask about a toddler meal for the little kids- it is free for under 3! During lunch, you will meet 3-5 princesses, all whom will visit your table, take time with your little ones and sign autographs. There are minimal opportunities to meet so many princesses and get one on one time than at this meal! (Be sure to do this soon! This Grotto will soon be replaced with the 'Princess Palace' and no longer spotlight Ariel!)

Another option, located outside the park is inside the Disneyland Hotel (easy access from the end of Downtown Disney). Probably the best food available, Goofy's Kitchen offers a SUPER wide array of amazing and creative foods. You get to meet 4-5 characters and dance with Goofy during your meal! We have visited for breakfast, and in addition to the breakfast favorites, they offer items to appeal to kids like mac-n-cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets and other wacky foods. Other items like tamales and the Lousiana scramble will be unique from any other place! Call ahead and make your Priority seating requests! Kids under 3 eat free!

For any 4 of those restaurants, you can call 714-781-DINE as much as 60 days in advance to book your time slot! I would recommend splurging on at least one of those experiences! And all receive savings with an Annual Pass, so remember to show it!

A new option includes a reserved spot for the new World of Color show. Disney is offering 2 dining options to get you stress-free seating for this amazing new water show. Either reserve a Picnic lunch online or make a reservation at Ariel's Grotto or the Wine Country earlier in the day and you will get a reserved ticket for the show later that night. For more in depth information on this dining and ticket option, please VISIT HERE.

Additional MUST Know Info

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There's always another way to drag out the financial burden of a trip. You can purchase Disney gift cards in any increment you want. They can be used on tickets, parking, dining and merchandise. This is a fantastic idea for people (like me) who have a hard time saving the actual cash in a savings account. You can purchase one gift card and add funds at any time in increments from $5 to $1500! They then turn out to be super handy with you when you go, so there is minimal cash involved! It's like investing in the trip ahead of time!

These gift cards cannot be used at the small carts and outside the park at most places, but there is an alternative to this, too! Not widely advertised, is a product called 'Disney Dollars'. You can purchase them at your local Disney Store. It is a slip of 'money' in Disney fashion, that is equivalent to actual cash. They can be used anywhere in the park- tickets, dining, merchandise AND the food carts! And they are like cash, so if you have a $7 transaction, and use a $10 Disney bill, they will give you cash difference! Ask the cashier. They make a wonderful and fun gift also!

The Disney Visa through Chase offers amazing benefits for Disney goers. Besides the fact that you earn one Disney Dollar for every $100 charged to it, you also are given the benefit of special discounts in the parks. Any retail purchase over $50 with your Disney Visa gets 10% off, along with select dining purchases and tours! You can enjoy special meet and greet opportunities with a free 5x7 picture at California Adventure (limited time only) back by Monsters Inc, advance purchase to local Disney shows, and discounts at DisneyShopping.com. And to take it one step further, Disney Visa Cardholders get half price stroller rental!

The PhotoPass is a wonderful little service I never knew the perks of before. When you enter the park, there are Disney Cast Members waiting to get a photo of you and your family at the entrance! They give you a little card with a unique number on it and send you on your way. As you travel through Disney (and California Adventure), photographers will be placed in random places to get pictures of you. Before, I used to blow them off most times and keep moving on. The price of the printed pictures was too much for my taste, and I trusted that I got an equally great picture on my camera. It wasn't until last year a cast member mentioned to me to load it up. She explained if you tell ALL the photographers you can find to take lots of shots, and that you plan to buy the CD, they will take double the shots. Then, instead of getting four 5x7's for a ridiculous price, you can spend the same price and get a CD (if I remember correctly, it was $60 and qualified for a discount with an AP or Disney Visa) loaded with all the pictures from the entire trip! And the license release is in the CD so you can have them printed anywhere! It works out even BETTER if you go with many people. If you all just split the price of the CD and burn copies, the price is close to nothing for near professional looking photos! Great news- if you end up with 2 or 3 different PhotoPasses by mistake, they can merge them all into one and still put them on one disc. It's a fantastic deal!

The Monorail transportation system has really advanced over the years! You can board the monorail by Tomorrowland inside the park, and ride along side Disneyland to the Downtown Disney station. This will drop you off right by the Rainforest Cafe and ESPN Zone, at the end of Downtown Disney. This makes it super easy to go catch dinner without fighting crowds to make it out the main gate.

FastPasses are AMAZING little tickets that allow you to return to a specific ride at an allocated time to ride the ride without waiting in line! Most rides have a FastPass distribution area by the entrance. It will have a sign posted with the current 'Return Times' for FastPasses. If it is something you think you can manage, take you park pass or annual pass, and insert it into the slot. It will disperse a FastPass ticket for that ride! Simply return during the times listed and have no wait! Every rider needs their own FastPass. Something to keep in mind though, you can only obtain one FastPass at a time. If it is noon, and you have on to return to Splash Mountain between 130 and 230, you cannot get another FastPass to any other ride until that 130 times comes. So 'purchase' them wisely!

The new World of Color show also has a Fastpass option for reserved seating! Just get to the park right when it opens, head to Grizzly River Run's FastPass terminals and get your tickets to that night's show! You are not guaranteed which showing they will give, and there is a limited number of tickets, so get there early!

Lockers are available within both parks for convenience. It is always smart in cooler seasons to bring along some blankets and jackets for the evening chill. Rather than packing your stroller and carrying them all day, go rent a locker! Lockers are located in Disneyland outside the main entrance as well as off Main Street about halfway down. In California Adventure, they are right inside the entrance gates. They range from $7 to $15 depending on size, and are accessible ALL day. They are also excellent for storing additional clothes for the kids, souvenirs or snacks.

Get to the park right when it opens. Sure, the line to get in can get long, but they are quick getting people in, and it isn't as busy at opening as it will be in the afternoon. And chances are, you will get to experience the opening ceremonies they do everyday at the end of Main Street!

There is a store at Downtown Disney called 'World of Disney' that is a huge collection of souvenirs and Disney items. Most items in there are the same items you find in the small shops throughout the park, plus some! I always like to shop there mid-trip and get what I need at one time after the park closes, and that way I'm not lugging things around all day that I bought throughout the park. I do this mid trip, just in case there was something in the park I saw but couldn't find in the World of Disney store, I have time to still buy it!

Infants and Toddlers: Tips and Opinions

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Venturing out into public with your kids is an adventure to start with, and going to a place such as Disneyland can make it even more terrifying! It IS possible to have a fantastic time at Disneyland even with your little one! Preparation and patience are key to this though.

The first thing I want to mention is something not many people know of or utilize. Down Mainstreet, next door to the Photo Supply and behind the Plaza Inn Restaurant, is a sweet little Baby Care Center. One is also located in California Adventure park by the Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill in the Pacific Wharf. In these centers, you can utilize changing tables, toddler toilets, private nursing areas for nursing and pumping moms and areas to wash bottles. Also, they are fully stocked with essentials to purchase from diapers and wipes to pacifiers of all sizes to formula! This place is VERY convenient and helpful to handle those little ones in a quiet environment. Sometimes just 5 minutes of peace can refresh a little one's senses. And if you are a pumping mom, be sure to check your pump at First Aid so you don't have to carry it around with you! Just ask one of the sweet women in the Baby Care Center for more information.

I hear time and time again people say they don't want to take their kids to Disneyland until they are 'so and so age' or 'are old enough to appreciate it'. But what age is really best? When do they truly appreciate it? From my experience, you don't honestly, fully start to appreciate the things in life or the things your parents do for you until you yourself are an adult. Am I wrong? From the time I am writing this entry, my 5½ year old daughter has been to the park over 30 times in her life. Her first trip was at 9m old. Every single trip taken with her has offered a new experience. Despite the love I had for Disney before we had kids, there is NOTHING comparable to seeing those same wonders through the eyes of your children. My daughter now knows all the rides, remembers things about past trips, and begs me to go again- fully understanding it is something she needs to earn and something that is a treat. I will continue to take my kids at all ages and teach him the same appreciation I gained for everything Disney. "...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future." Walt said it himself. Disneyland is for everyone. That is my stand on an appropriate age.

Of course, taking your kids will leave the trip somewhat 'limited'. There are certain rides you cannot take your little one on, depending on their height. Some rides you can still ride, but probably alone while the other half stays with the kids. But in all reality, there is PLENTY to do there and still have a blast! Here is a list of things you can do with your child:

Shows! There are constantly shows running at various areas around the parks. They are ever changing, and a list of shows for the dates you are going can be found on the event calendar on Disneyland.com.
Rides! YES, your child, even your babies, can ride rides at Disneyland! Fantasyland is centralized around the wee ones. All rides in there are simple classic rides that are fitting to all ages. Mr Toads Wild Ride, Pinocchio, Snow White, Dumbo, Storybookland, Casey Jr Circus Train, and Alice in Wonderland are all located in one central spot within Fantasyland. Just down the pathway is 'it's a small world' and next door to that is Mickey's Toontown. Toontown offers a bright and colorful goofy town filled with quirky images and fun things for the kids. Along with a mini-coaster for kids 35" or taller, you can visit Mickey and Minnie in their houses (great place for PhotoPass family pictures), play on a special playground owned by Goofy, or climb up in Chip and Dales mini-treehouse! Other attractions fitting for kiddos, Astro Orbiters in Tomorrowland, Jungle Cruise in Fronteirland and the Mark Twain Riverboat or the Pirate Ship on the River's of America. And for kids not too scared of the dark, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Carribbean are classics with no height requirement! California Adventure also offers an area called Bug's Land, house rides such as Flick's Fliers, Ladybug Boogie, Heimlichs Choo Choo Train, and Princess Dot Puddle Park (bring a change of clothes, they will get wet!).

Now that I have mentioned everything the kiddos can ride, lets talk about ways to ride the adult rides! Every ride with a height restriction will offer a Rider Share Pass. Simply go to the entrance of the ride, and find a Cast Member and request a RiderShare pass. For example, Mom will stand in line and ride the ride while Dad stays with the kids. When Mom gets back, Dad can go right through the FastPass line and ride the ride immediately, without waiting! It's super convenient! I personally know that Splash Mountain and California Screaming both allow single riders to enter in through the exit and ride immediately, without rider share passes.

Don't stress yourself out by packing a huge, heavy diaper bag. Who wants to carry that or shove it into the stroller? Instead, put extra clothes into Ziplock bags and throw them under the stroller basket. Same with diapers and wipes, you don't need to carry these everywhere. Water bottles for powder formula can be stored under the basket, also. Technically, a small backpack or tote is ideal. You can throw in there your wallets, phones, camera, and a couple diapers and wipes (a diaper clutch would be perfect here) for emergencies when away from your stroller at an attraction, and only take that small bag onto the ride!

I recommend arming yourself with an inexpensive rain cover for your stroller. I purchased one from eBay for $7 for my double stroller. It came in handy 3 days straight on one trip we took, and without it we would have been in the hotel room watching rainfall instead of enjoying indoor activities in the park!

Make sure you stop by City Hall if this is your child's first trip. They will receive a very special 'First Timer' button, and even Birthday and Anniversary buttons if the occasion fits! You are only a first timer once! And don't worry, if it isn't your first time, you might be lucky enough to be an 'honorary citizen' and get a badge declaring so!

Whatever you do, keep your cool. It is inevitable...... Things will get hectic at times and in crowds, your schedule WILL be thrown off track, it may get hot depending on when you go, the kids (and you) will get tired and cranky..... but if you and your other half work together instead of going at each others necks, you will more easily get through those moments. Take a time out and sit on a bench. Let the kids run wild in the playground in Toontown or through the water jets in Bug's Land. Go back to the hotel for cool-off time and naps. Trust me, just a few minutes of regrouping will help you to enjoy your vacation! It is, after all, the Happiest Place on Earth and you should be enjoying your cherished family time.

Hotels: Reviews

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Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites
1600 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim Ca 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Could use a personality booster, but they get the job done
Hotel Condition: Older but well maintained and functioning
Convenience: EXTREMELY! Directly across the street
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Clean but older. Reasonable beds.
Likeliness to recommend: Very, great location, decent stay for a great price!
Name/ NickName: Kristi
Hometown: Queen Creek, AZ

Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites
1600 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim Ca 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Excellent Staff and Service!
Hotel Condition: Decent and Well Kept!
Convenience: Great Convenience! Right next door to Dennys, and Right across from the main Park Entrance!
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Rooms have been very clean and comfortable, Stayed in a few different floor plans depending on my party size and they were all excellent
Overall Review: Aweseome hotel for the price and location! Great Views of both Disneyland and CA adventure if you stay on a higher floor!
Likeliness to recommend: Would reccomend again!
Name/ NickName: April
Hometown:Sacramento, CA

Anaheim Plaza Hotel
1700 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Mediocre Staff and Service
Hotel Condition: Condition: Hotel is a bit older and somewhat run down,
Convenience: Not too far of a walk from the Park Entrance
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Def not the best i've stayed in. Horrible beds and not as clean as I would prefer. Water Problems
Overall Review: Def should be cheaper for the experience
Likeliness to recommend: Would not stay here again unless I didn't have much of a choice
Name/ NickName: April
Hometown:Sacramento CA

Carousel Inn & Suites
1530 S. Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Very Friendly and Have been very Accomodating!
Hotel Condition: Great Condition! Rooms have def been remodeled recently.
Convenience: Excellent, Just across the street from Park Entrance
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Very Clean, Maids were Very nice and willing to give extra towels/pillows etc. Have some great floorplans for larger groups! Rooms were comfortable.
Overall Review: This is a great hotel for convenience and comfort. Can have Great views of the park depending on what floor you are on. Rooms are average size and comfortable!
Likeliness to recommend: Def would reccomend!
Name/ NickName:April
Hometown: Sacramento CA

Del Sol Inn & Suites
1604 S. Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Friendly and prompt
Hotel Condition: Looked very well kept. You can tell it is an older hotel, but the details to paint and cleanliness outside were noticeable. The rooms were older too, but kept up well. The downfall was the hot water heater went out and they sent us to a dirty room to shower. Also, the walls are extremely hollow and made for a very loud night sleep
Convenience: VERY, directly across the street from the entrance, with easy access to resturaunts
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: So-so.
Overall Review: Don't let the cleanliness fool you. You can stay next door at the Anaheim Desert Inn for a much more comfortable stay. The water heater issues and thin walls made for an uncomfortable stay
Likeliness to recommend: Would reccommend going elsewhere

NickName:Kristi
Hometown: Queen Creek, AZ

Holiday Inn Anaheim
1240 S. Walnut Street, Anaheim CA 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Friendly and Helpful
Hotel Condition: Condition was Good, Layout of the hotel is a bit spread out. Condition of the rooms were Good.
Convenience: NOT as convenient as they make it sound. Right behind the Mickey and Friends parking garage but DEF not close enough to walk to the trams, which was disapointing. They advertise 1block from Disney.. but it's really not very close considering! No fast food etc close by either
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Very Good!
Overall Review: Good Hotel! Just not very convenient!
Likeliness to recommend: Would stay again but not with Small Children, Would reccomend if you don't mind driving to the parking garage that you can see from your room!!
Name/ NickName: April
Hometown:Sacramento CA

HoJo Anaheim (Howard Johnson)
1380 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim CA
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Very Friendly and Great Service
Hotel Condition & Convenience: Condition- Rooms are DEF older, Not the GREATEST condition but I think they are in the process of remodeling. Don't have the best floorplans depending on how many people are in your room.
Convenience- Pretty Convenient, Very short walk to the main entrance and very close to Mimi's Cafe, McDonalds and Millies Restraunt!
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Not the best I've stayed in
Overall Review: Decent Hotel, Close prox. to the Park and Food, A BIT overpriced for the Quality
Likeliness to recommend: I'd stay here again, but would check into other hotels first
Name/ NickName:April
Hometown:Sacramento, CA

Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel
1717 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Wonderful! Very "Disney" they upgraded us to a Park View room upon arrival
Hotel Condition: Condition: Excellent!
Convenience: Sucked! Its a REALLY long walk from the hotel to the park and there really is no other option. You can walk to the monorail in Downtown Disney but its still quite a walk to that!
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Great and Great! Of course it has everything "Disney" in a modern theme.
Overall Review: Loved the actual hotel. Just hated the walk. Had a GREAT view of CA park. We watched the Electrical Light Parade from our room one night! Just quite pricey for someplace you aren't going to be very often!!
Likeliness to recommend: I would stay there again if i were on a large budget!
Name/ NickName: April
Hometown:Sacramento, CA

Del Sol Inn
1604 S. Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim CA 92802
Website

Hotel Staff & Service: Moderate. Seemingly nice.
Hotel Condition: Condition- .Very old and run down. Visually, they attempt to keep it up, but structurally it is very loud and the hot water didn't work one of our days
Convenience: Extremely convenient, directly accross the street.
Room Cleanliness & Comfort: Older but visually clean.
Overall Review: Probably would not stay again, due to the extremely old and run down status.
Likeliness to recommend: Wouldn't rec'd
Name/ NickName: Kristi
Hometown: Arizona

Have a review to add? Just comment!

Hotel: Sleeping on a Budget

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Many hotels claim to be 'directly across the street' from Disney, but wouldn't it be geographically impossible for ALL of them to be across the street as they claim? Disneyland has one main entrance area off of Harbor Blvd, and from the road to the gates is 8/10 of a mile.
Hotels actually across the street on Harbor Blvd from N to S:

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel
Anaheim Fairfield Inn (Mimi's Restaurant right next door)
Anaheim Camelot Inn & Suites (McDonald's right next door)
Carousel Inn & Suites
Tropicana Inn & Suites
Best Western Park Place Inn & Mini Suites (Denny's right next door)
Park Vue Inn (Cold Stone Creamery located within)
Anaheim Desert Inn & Suites
del Sol Inn (Denny's located in front of the hotel)
Best Western Anaheim Inn
Ramada Maingate Inn
Anaheim Plaza Hotel & Suites (Tony Toma's Right next door)
Castle Inn & Suites

The first step you want to take is decide whats more important; staying close to avoid parking or Anaheim Transit fees and having the convenience of walking, or staying somewhat cheaper or more luxurious a little off the path and taking a shuttle or parking at the Disney parking structure.

My opinions: If you are travelling with kids, more so 2 or more kids, staying across the street is probably the best (and easiest) route. If you don't stay in walking distance, you can face a few trials. Loading the strollers onto the Anaheim transit bus or tram to parking, sleeping kids in strollers when you are leaving, time schedules of buses and trams, and extra travelling time to get back to the hotel.

The Facts:

Some hotels charge a $10-11 charge per day resort parking fee. Contact the hotel and ask their policies before making your final reservation. This could effect the savings you have found! I have found most of the hotels in front of the main gate do not charge this fee, but parking is limited and restricted to one car per room.

Staying away from the main gate will force you to either walk forever to get there, cause you to use Anaheim Transit which runs about $3-4 per person per day, or pay for parking at the park which runs $14 unless you have a Premium Pass. Factors those numbers into what the 'daily rate' is to keep in mind what you are spending. Such fees can add as much as $25 per day to your expenses, when you could possibly save those by paying a bit more per night for the room, but staying across the street to avoid those fees.

Some ways to get cheap rooms

Visit travel websites to start your shopping. Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Cheaptickets.com, Travelocity.com, or Hotels.com to find special offers. Many times these sites will offer discounts or freebies on multiple night stays, or even a recent offer I got which was a $50 MasterCard gas card for staying 3 nights and paying with my MasterCard. Get a few sheets of notebook paper and make lists to compare sites, the deals on hotels they offer and the perks to using them. After looking at a few, if you hadn't already decided where you wanted to stay, you will have an idea of what places are in your range. Travel sites offer a decent cancellation policy too with minimal penalty.

There is a wonderful tool not too many people that I know use. Tripadvisor.com is a tool that will search ALL of those travel sites simultaneously if you know the specific hotel you are staying at. Simply go to their site, plug in the name of the hotel you are considering in the search box and hit search. In the top box will be an option that say 'Compare all deals on xxxxxxx'. This will allow a pop up to appear where you can put in your dates and site search options. Click 'Check Rates' and continue to press 'Show Next Offer' and new box for each offer will come up. It will quickly allow you to search each sites offers and deals!

Be sure to call the hotels direct that you found to be interesting. Occasionally, you could even get a cheaper deal through their phone reservations or website! This is a good time to ask their parking charges.

Really don't care whether you stay across the street or down the road, you just want a deal? Try naming your own price! Priceline.com offers a fantastic selection of hotels in the Disney area, all of which offer some sort of transportation to the park. Some free shuttles, some Anaheim Transit, and you may occasionally get lucky enough to get placed in walking distance! The gamble? They choose your hotel and room for you, it is non-refundable, and you have no control over the additional parking fees that are not included in your reservation price. To me, it is a fair trade for getting a cheap room. I have, in the past, been successful at staying at the Crowne Plaza for $35, Hyatt Regency, Raddisson and Hilton for $50-55. It is possible, but start NOW. You can only request the same reservation every 24 hours, so if they decline the offer you made, you have to wait to try again. This could go on for weeks before you get accepted, but don't get discouraged just because they said no. Sometimes the best deals are as the date approaches, because they are trying to fill rooms and offer lower rates.

The benefits to using a travel site or Priceline bidding is that you pay right away. Paying for your room ahead of time reduces the upfront cost on the actual days of your trip! Just think, if you pay 3 months in advance for your hotel and tickets, you only need money to play and eat while you are there. It is like a built in payment plan, and gives you more time to afford that trip.

There is always the option to stay in luxury. The Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel and Grand Californian Hotel are all located directly in the Disneyland area, the Grand Californian leading DIRECTLY into California Adventure Park! They offer special perks, activities and restaurants only available to guests. My knowledge of these is not enough to be super informative about them, but then again my focus is budgeting. My only suggestion is to consider buying an Annual Pass prior to booking your room. The savings you receive on an AP discount could possibly pay for that additional $100 you spend for the AP!

If you want to go check out the Disney Resort hotels, you don't have to stay there to do so! You can stop in to enjoy the atmosphere, restaurants, or shops. You'll be charged for parking, but you can get validated for up to one hour of parking for each $10 you spend while you're there.

Tickets: Discounts? Park Hopper? Annual Pass?

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Tickets to the Disneyland park come in many flavors. The easiest chart to find out current rates and multi-day deals is HERE. The prices seem to be ever changing, but most times Disney offers discount prices on multi-day tickets if purchased in advance, also called a Park Hopper. But watch out, those prices are regular price at the gates! Buy in advance, or call your hotel and see if they are offering the same deal for you to purchase when you check in! All kids over 3 require a ticket to the park.

Due to Disney's tight grip on everything business, it is really hard to find tickets any cheaper out there. You can always check out your local price club, if you are a member, but most of those deals come in vacation packages or are equivalent to the current specials. If you or someone you know works for a large corporation, have them looking into corporate opportunities for tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at most grocery stores.

My general advice for people, and the best way to stretch your out of pocket if you plan on purchasing an annual pass do it AT the park. What I love about this is buying my park hopper tickets 2 or 3 months in advance, and only shelling out about $100 at the time of my trip for an Annual Pass upgrade! Makes it not seem as bad as shelling out all the money at one time.

Before you decide what Annual Pass to buy, consider your future trips.

The Premium Pass ($439) offers full year access, with no blackout days. Also, you receive free parking at the Disney parking structure, which typically runs $14/day. Also, you receive 10-20% merchandise discount at most retail shops and 10-20% off most dining locations in the park and Downtown Disney.

The Deluxe Pass ($299) offers 315 days of Disney fun. The blockout days seem to fall around most major holidays and on weekends during the summer. You also receive a 10% discount on most dining locations in the park and downtown Disney, but no discount on merchandise. You can purchase the Deluxe Pass with Parking ($378) but will only make sense financially if you plan to visit and park for 6 or more days over the course of the year, as it is $79 more in price.

Getting There: Affording the Travel

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If are contemplating driving vs. flying to Anaheim, California, map out the distance. For example, from my house to Disneyland is 395miles. My Mom-Van gets about 22mpg on average. That's 18 gallons of gas one way. Calculate that at $2.80/gal average (high for Arizona, low for California as of 2/09), that totals $100. Meaning my family of 4 can drive there and back on $100 fuel. Would it be possible to fly there and back, as well as pay for the shuttle from the airport to the hotel and back (if the hotel did not offer one) on $100? Probably not, and if you find an airline that allows that, I'm all over it! I have found that flying takes a comparable amount of time (for us) because the drive is around 6 hours to drive. By the time you get to the airport, check in early enough to kick off those shoes and get through security, board, fly, wait for luggage and catch a shuttle to the hotel, you are pushing in the 4+ hour range!

If you DO decide to fly, however, or live far enough away that it's the only option, be flexible with your times and dates. Start by downloading DING! from Southwest. It is a fantastic little maintenance free tool that will alert you when there are specials leaving your local airport. You have typically a 6-10 hour window to accept the offer they make you, but there are constantly flights that pop up to Orange County or LAX! If you want to plan your vacation for a Friday thru Tuesday, consider being available to fly late Thursday (typically no later than 10-11p) or come home early Wednesday. DING! will offer specific days for their offers, so flexibility will increase your chances of saving.

Otherwise, search the airlines one by one, including the popular travel sites. Consider flying into other airports aside from LAX. Long Beach Airport is 19 miles with a quick drive, John Wayne Orange County is 20 miles with a little longer drive time, LAX is 35 miles away, and Ontario International is about 50 miles away.

If you fly into Long Beach Airport (a very small and simple airport), which is the shortest in time and miles to the Disneyland area, consider researching JetBlue for rates. They tend to be lower going into that airport from some areas. A cab will run about $40-50 to the park and surrounding hotels, which can be cheaper than some hotel shuttles. Make calls to both hotels and local transit to find out transportation rates, research your options, and find the cheapest combination of travel.

Flying with wee ones? I have flown a few times with either one child or two, alone or with Hubby. I have found early morning flights are fantastic! You have to wake the kiddos up so early just to get there and get through security in time, that by the time you board your 730a or 8a flight, they are POOPED! Evening flights don't seem to work as well. After a long day of excitement, it seems difficult to let them unwind and sleep on the plane. It typically turns into a dramatic experience as they fight the sleep!

Remember, travelling with little ones allows you family-boarding. With some airlines, it is before everyone else, and with Southwest, it is between A and B boarding. Still check in online 24 hours before, and when you get there ask about family-boarding. And go ahead and take your stroller to the gate (unless you baby wear, which works AMAZING). They will gate check that stroller, most airlines are still free of charge for that.

I wouldn't break your back carrying a toy chest around of toys. The airplane alone will distract their attention with all those new sounds, lights and visuals. Pack a couple of their favorite activities, as well as maybe 1 or 2 new ones. I have found it successful to get a new item and show my kids beforehand and tell them if they behave when the plane goes in the air, they can have their new toy! It builds a ton of anticipation and encourages them to behave. But then again, I'm all for a good bribe in pinch situations!

Height Requirements for Rides

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Disneyland® Park (as of July 2008)

35" (89 cm) or taller
Gadget's Go Coaster, presented by Sparkle®
Matterhorn Bobsleds

40" (102 cm) or taller
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Star Tours

46" (117 cm) or taller
Indiana Jones™ Adventure

52" (132 cm) or taller
Autopia, presented by Chevron

Disney's California Adventure® Park (as of July 2008)

36" (91 cm) or taller
Tuck and Roll's Drive'Em Buggies

40" (102 cm) or taller
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Soarin' Over California
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™

42" (106 cm) or taller
Grizzly River Run
Mulholland Madness, presented by Alamo
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail Featuring "The Magic of Brother Bear" show

48" (122 cm) or taller
California Screamin'
Orange Stinger

52" (132 cm) or taller
Maliboomer

Common Questions Answered

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How many days should we visit?

I truly believe all can be seen and done in 3 days between the 2 parks. If you would rather take it slow and relax a bit, have some room in your schedule to not have to plan shows strictly or are travelling with small kids, 4 days might be just about right for you!

When is the best time to go?

It depends on the experience you want to have. I find the summer months (though convenient) are extremely difficult. California may have coastal winds, but it gets very hot and humid at times, causing a miserable experience. People seem moody, you are sticky, and the kids have a hard time in that humid heat. Going on holiday weekends will call for a bit more patience, as it is packed. I suggest planning in some weekdays to your trip. People tend to visit on a Fri-Sat-Sun or Sat-Sun-Mon so if you can get in any other weekday, you will get at least a day or 2 of short lines and room to walk. My favorite time of the year to go is anytime between October and December 31. Halloween is decorated so cute, and the weather is gorgeous. Come Labor Day, the park transitions into its Holiday decorations which stay until New Years. This includes snow on main street and a special fireworks display.