Can't decide whether to go to DLR last week of July!

[disneydenisel]

I've been wanting to go to DL all year long, so we have ressies at the GCH for 7/26. Now I'm having second thoughts about going because of the crowds, cost and the long drive from San Jose. Rooms are $302 + tax each and I currently have two adjoining rooms reserved for me, DH, DD6 and DS3. That's over $660 a night plus the daily fee. My DH loves the GCH because of its proximity to the parks, but for three nights, that's almost $2000, plus tickets. My kids cannot sleep in the same room AT ALL so we need the space in the two rooms. I found a 2-bedroom timeshare in Newport Coast for a fraction of the cost, but the drive is about 30 minutes and we won't have the leisurely mid-day break at the pool. But we'd save about $1250.

I'm debating between cancelling the trip altogether or maybe just going for two nights, or just going somewhere else like San Diego. We can go to DL next Spring Break or next summer, and we are already headed to WDW in November this year. I haven't a clue what to do...I'd secretly like to go without the kids, but that would be difficult to arrange. Any ideas? Will it be so crowded anyhow that I should just avoid it this year?

 

[Tink33]

If you stay in Newport, how about planning some non-Disney days. One day at Disney, next day at the beach, or the park, or the Fun Zone, or a trip to Catalina.

Would your kids take a nap in a stroller at Disneyland? If you are saving $1200+ by staying in Newport, how about renting a room for one night on your Disneyland day. You could use the room during the day for a break.

 

[boosmom96]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say that we are going 7/25-7/27 and staying at the GCH. I'm also worried about the crowds, but I can't change the dates because we booked through AAA and have already paid. I can tell you that we just picked up our tickets and they are no longer guaranteeing park admintance for resort hotel guests.
I've made up my mind that we will have a good time regardless of how crowded it is. This is the first time since I was a kid that we've gone during the summer. We also always go off season. By the way, when are you going to WDW? We will be there 11/11-11/19.
As far as going without the kids, I agree but how do you tell them? Much as I love my DD it's way mmore fun to go with just my DH.

 

[disneydenisel]

If you stay in Newport, how about planning some non-Disney days. One day at Disney, next day at the beach, or the park, or the Fun Zone, or a trip to Catalina.

Would your kids take a nap in a stroller at Disneyland? If you are saving $1200+ by staying in Newport, how about renting a room for one night on your Disneyland day. You could use the room during the day for a break.

I think that if we stay in Newport Beach, we will definitely go to the beach and hang out by the pool, etc. I'd like to go to DL for at least two days, but I don't really want to do the driving each day. On the other hand, having a full kitchen would be great to make breakfast every day before we head out, but we'd probably get to DL around 10ish.

My DS3 will take a nap in the stroller, but if it is too hot, I worry about him getting overheated. My DD6 is not napping anymore. I thought about getting a room for a night but check-in probably isn't until 4 and we would be needing our break earlier, say 2. We could probably still use the facilities that day so maybe we could hang out by the pool before our room is ready.

These are good suggestions. I'll have to figure something out soon, it's driving me crazy!

 

[disneydenisel]

I can tell you that we just picked up our tickets and they are no longer guaranteeing park admintance for resort hotel guests.

That's a bummer! Do we have any news yet on how crowded it will really be? I was there the year the Electrical Parade was being retired (yeah, right) and it was probably the last week it was supposed to be there...it was so crowded, they closed the park until people left.

By the way, when are you going to WDW? We will be there 11/11-11/19.

We'll be there starting on the 11/19...just missing you. It sounds like you picked a great week because it should be quiet then, before the holiday week. We've got 13 of us going so we had to plan around school holidays. It will be a big trip for us since my kids have never been there or in that time zone before. Where are you and your family staying? We're renting at Beach Club Villas for the first time! I can't wait!

 

[boosmom96]

We'll be there starting on the 11/19...just missing you. It sounds like you picked a great week because it should be quiet then, before the holiday week. We've got 13 of us going so we had to plan around school holidays. It will be a big trip for us since my kids have never been there or in that time zone before. Where are you and your family staying? We're renting at Beach Club Villas for the first time! I can't wait!

Too bad we'll miss you! We're staying at the Marriott Grande Vista. My mom has a timeshare that we traded for this. I'd love to stay onsite, but getting a 2 bedroom condo for $199 for a week is just too good to pass-up. I'm hoping that the crowds won't be huge. It's the last week-end of the Food & Wine and the Soap weekend at MGM. It will be the first time flying east for my daughter as well. We've always gone to Hawaii and the time change that way is great!!!

 

[50thisyeartoo!]

Not too far away is KNOTTS BERRY FARM...there is a hotel there. When we stayed there a few years ago it had FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE To Disneyland....

 

[bclydia]

I can highly recommend the Comfort Inn Maingate. They have kidsuite rooms (around $80 a night) that have a separate room for the kids and two queen beds in the main room. We stayed there last year and are booked again for September. They include a continental breakfast and have a pool. It's certainly not the GCH but it's clean and comfortable and close to the shuttle.
I'd rather go to Disneyland than not go!
http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en...=&month=7&day=26&depart_month=7&depart_day=29

 

[kelmac284]

I am going the same week as you gals. We stopped going in the summer a LONG time ago but we had ALREADY planned a trip to DW in Oct of this year for 2 weeks and with 2 kids in school I can't take them out during the school year any longer and next summer is not possible either so it was this summer or nothing.

We also picked that week as it is the week after my daughter gets out of summer school.

I am already anticipating it being outrageous but we were just there in Nov and so I told my group that we need to plan to be IN the park at opening and do as much as possible as early as possible. Then when it gets nuts we need to do the things like the parade, watch the movie or go to Tom sawyer island. Do things that aren't as popular. This is not the trip to go on Splash or Indy 3 times in a row obviously. That is what off season is for and this is the LAST trip we will take during the summer that's for sure. We just didn't want to miss the 50th.

We do have one day where my mom has to leave the park at noon to go get my dad who is joining us in the middle of the trip and now I am worried about them getting back in.

Oh well I just hope that people aren't horribly rude and make the trip miserable.

 

[disneydenisel]

Too bad we'll miss you! We're staying at the Marriott Grande Vista. My mom has a timeshare that we traded for this. I'd love to stay onsite, but getting a 2 bedroom condo for $199 for a week is just too good to pass-up. I'm hoping that the crowds won't be huge. It's the last week-end of the Food & Wine and the Soap weekend at MGM. It will be the first time flying east for my daughter as well. We've always gone to Hawaii and the time change that way is great!!!

$199 for a week is awesome! We are renting DVC points for 6 nights so it is costing us over $2000. Have a great trip!

 

[disneydenisel]

Thanks for the alternate hotels..I'll take a look and maybe we can save some $$$ and still have a great time. Hopefully it won't be super packed and they won't close the parks if we decide to hit the pools for awhile and head on back at dinner time.

 

[M's_girl]

We'll be there starting on the 11/19...just missing you. It sounds like you picked a great week because it should be quiet then, before the holiday week. We've got 13 of us going so we had to plan around school holidays. It will be a big trip for us since my kids have never been there or in that time zone before. Where are you and your family staying? We're renting at Beach Club Villas for the first time! I can't wait!

I'm in San Diego and we are going up on 11/11 for the weekend also. In my district the kids have 11/11 (Veteran's Day) off.

 

[SANDIEGOFAN]

Thanks for the alternate hotels..I'll take a look and maybe we can save some $$$ and still have a great time. Hopefully it won't be super packed and they won't close the parks if we decide to hit the pools for awhile and head on back at dinner time.

I know several people that have been to DL this summer, both on the weekdays and weekends. They've reported that it hasn't been so bad, actually a lot better than expected. I'm also going the week of the 25th, as I have the past two years. Never a bad experience with crowds. I would imagine most people on vacation that want to be here on the 17th won't be around by the time the 25th hits. Maybe all the hype regarding the possible gate closures will disuade others from coming. Who knows? All I can say is that I'm not worried at all.