California

[MickeyMcMouse]

Has anyone been to California instead of Florida - it looks like there is much more to do on the west coast other than Disney, but I am wondering what Disneyland is like compared to Disney World.

How close is the airport, is it resonable safe, is it as easy to get around - like Orlando ar is it very busy.

I like the look of the new park and the WD Californian Hotel? which looks like its inside the park, has any stayed there?

many thanks

David

 

[Allyk]

Hi

Went to California in 92 (Sister's Wedding) & 94 (World Cup) , so info may be out of date.

Going to Orlando for first time on Sat.

I found it very pleasant in California, Disneyland is about the same as MK in WDW, but with a couple of extras condensed in e.g Star Tours & the Matterhorn. There are some other great Theme Parks such as Knotts Berry Farm, Universal & Six Flags. A holiday in California is probably not going to be centered around the Theme Parks, but there are plenty of other things to do, and I recommend a trip to Vegas and San Fransisco.

It will be more of a driving/touring holiday than in Orlando.

The people over there a very friendly and laid back, and you shouldn't experience any trouble unless you go looking for it, in the wrong areas of LA. Disneyland itself is situated in the city of Anaheim, some distance from Central LA.

Can't comment on the Disney Hotels, in 92 we stayed at the Doubletree in Anaheim, and in 94 mainly stayed with people we knew, or when in Vegas or San Fran in Hotels, which were very reasonable.

Hope this info helps

AllyK

 

[Dimplenose]

I'm hoping to go to California next year and got lots of useful information from the DIS Disneyland Forum.

 

[Claire L]

MickeyMcMouse,
I first visited DL in 1991 then again in 1998. It is much smaller in scale than MK but is very neat. The new park looks good and I'd love to try Six Flags Magic Mountain. Also Universal Studios Hollywood is I think much nicer than in Florida especially the back lot tour. The back lot tour is on a tram and include Jaws, Earthquake, King Kong and much more all in one ride and one queue!!!!!!!!
Last time in LA we satyed at The Hyatt Newporter in Newport Beach and it was out of this world for location and landscape. The buses were easy to use plus the hotel runs its own bus to The Fashion Island Mall (must see) and Bilboa Island. I didn't feel at all threatened in LA and it was just me and my Mum. If you are sensible about where you go and how you look ie not too touristy then you should be fine.
Hoping to go back there in the next year or two with my husband and drive from SF to LA on Highway 1. Also aim to get to San Diego for Seaworld which I went to last time but would like to go in better weather, got in caught the El Nino in March 1998 boy was it wet and cold!
Happy planning.
Claire

 

[Tartan Tigger]

David

I left you a reply on the dibb.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I visited Disneyland in 2000 (I had a business trip to Claifornia and managed to fly out a few days early). I loved the original Disneyland park. It has some wonderful rides (particularly the incredible Indiana Jones), and my opinion it is much nicer than the Magic Kingdom at WDW. There is now a second theme park there, and lots of other attractions in the LA area. If you are going all that way I would strongly recommend that you try to see as much of California as you can. I hired a car and drove from LA to San Francisco (which is a great city) and would have loved to see Yosemite, perhaps get as far as the Grand Canyon, and many other places. Unfortunately I only had five days so I didn't really see that much.

Anaheim, where Disneyland is located, is about 45 minutes drive from LA airport. I think a car would be pretty much essential, although there did seem to be shuttle buses running around the place. I stayed near Disneyland itself (a cheap hotel which was within walking distance) and felt safe - it's very mucha tourist area, much like the I-Drive or the 192. an't help on the Californian Hotel, as it was v. expensive compared to my bargain basement motel!

Regards

Rob

 

[LynetteB]

Went last summer. Loved Disneyland Park and the California Adventure. You couldn't spend more than three days there. Queues in the new park were non-existent. There are some excellent rides there. Soaring over california is excellent, california screaming, the rapids ride. We stayed for 3 nights after San Diego and San francisco (we flew between the two). we then flew to Vegas. We loved California and would definitely go back (although LA is tacky - would not go there again. We also went to the Grand Canyon - breathtaking (a must do). We stayed in the new Crowne Plaza hotel which was wonderful (and very reasonable)- 5 mins by shuttle bus to the parks. The Grand Californian looked lovely, but not worth the prices they were asking last summer ( there are offers on now though). The Disney hotels there don't seem to be themed in the same way as florida.
California gives a better all-round holiday than florida imho.

 

[WebmasterPenny]

The West Coast is wonderful, I really hope to get back their someday!

San Fran is a great city...pretty, interesting, compact so easy to get around with public transport...it has real character I thought.

LA. Well, LA is a big sprawling mass I thought, and the opposite...completely lacking personality, but hey! That's just me. DL is lovely - it's the first Disney park I ever went to, and gave me 'the bug' It has a charm all of it's own. I've not been to the new park though.

We stayed in a hotel opposite DL - The Carousel, which is just a cheap budget place, but still you looked out the window and could see the monorail passing and the top of the snowy Matterhorn (One of DL 'Mountains' it's a bobsleigh coaster thing) which was pretty cool. It sounds the same area as Rob stayed, as there were plenty of restaurants in walking distance (including Tony Roma's YUM) and it felt as safe as any high profile tourist area! You do need a car though (unless you are limiting yourself to strictly themeparking)

OH! And if you stay up at SF, it's well worth a trip down to Monteray - a truly wonderful aquarium apart from beautiful scenary.

Penny

 

[hELEN H]

We spent 2 months in Californiain 1992. We were living in san francisco which is a really beautiful city.We would recommend baker beach for its view of the bridge. sausilito and tiburon for its view of the city North beach area for its great restaurants and golden gate park. We went to Yosemite and stayed in a log cabin -beautiful. There is some lovely coast between San Fransisco and LA including big sur, monterey(great aquarium) point lobos. Santa Barbara is a nice place to stay too.Its a great state with loads to see
helen.