Coachella Board Members invade Disneyland

[JustSteve]

Like Drinkey, we're thinking of doing a 2-night/2-park hopper trip in about a week. I think we'll go Sunday and Monday, or Monday and Tuesday. Though I don't know if weekdays make much of a difference in the middle of June.
Last year, I stayed at the Hyatt (really liked it) with the nice rooms and the convenient shuttle (but also daily parking fee). This year, we're doing the cheap motel. I just can't decide -- is it better to drive and pay disney parking, or pay the motel parking and walk or take a shuttle for a fee?
If anyone has any tried-and-true nearby cheap motels, would you please let me know?

I'm so excited!

if you are doing a sunday and monday you should consider buying the "so cal" annual passport at $239 a piece. i believe most saturdays are blocked out, along with holiday weekends and a couple months during summer when you wouldn't want to go anyway, but you only really need to go one more day throughout the next year to make it worth the cost. every day after that is basically free.

[amyzzz]

We stay at La Quinta because they take pets. It's around $105 a night, and the 1-day shuttles are $4 for adults, $1 for kids 3-9 year old. We like doing the shuttles rather than parking.

[HandBanana]

Last time we went at New Years we used a service we found on craigslist for the tickets.
Basically how it works is, they buy 5 or 6 day passes and then you pay a discounted rate for the days you use and then either return them or (if youre using the last 2 days on them) just keep them. You have to go to a non-descript office in a shady strip mall to get them but it all checks out. The only thing you have to remember is to not answer the survey when you come in but otehr than that it runs real smooth.

We saved like $70 on our two tickets.

[amyzzz]

I bought someone's leftover passes on craiglist this time. One of them didn't work. :/

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Drinkey & matildawong - they are having a 25% off special for Southern CA residents for Disney hotels here

they had 40% off last year in the fall, I'm hoping they do that again - I can't justify paying the full price. you do get Magic Morning early entrance which is awesome.

Thanks for the heads up! That offer expires before the October weekend i'm planning, but if that fall discount pops up again that'll take it right about to what i'm willing to pay!

[HandBanana]

I bought someone's leftover passes on craiglist this time. One of them didn't work. :/

But with these places you have an office and a business so you can go back and address this. When we were there they had stacks of passes and lots of customers.

[amyzzz]

Yeah, I did that a couple times and it felt shady. I had to meet someone in the morning to get the passes, then return the passes at night (or the next morning). That was a bit inconvenient.

[matildawong]

Thanks, juststeve. I dream of buying a yearly pass. Seriously. And then I forget about that option every time I go. This will be twice in one year for me going -- so a pass would have paid for itself.

I'll go read up on the yearly pass now.

[matildawong]

if you are doing a sunday and monday you should consider buying the "so cal" annual passport at $239 a piece. i believe most saturdays are blocked out, along with holiday weekends and a couple months during summer when you wouldn't want to go anyway, but you only really need to go one more day throughout the next year to make it worth the cost. every day after that is basically free.

Thanks again, JustSteve. Without your suggestion, I probably wouldn't have considered the yearly pass. We're gong to do it. And they have a Southern California deal where you can pay monthly on the pass.

I found a AAA rate at the Hyatt for $107 a night (not including taxes, of course). Still, I'm happy with it considering it's a nice hotel. They charge a lot for parking, but they have a free shuttle. I stayed there with a big family group last year -- they have cool suites with 2 bedrooms/baths.

Also, with a yearly pass, I can pop up for the day when the board members meet up!

[matildawong]

Just got back. Amazing time. Sunday was the least crowded day; it had drizzled that morning and it stayed cool all day. Fantastic. Monday and Tuesday were pretty much par for the June Disneyland attendance course.

Matterhorn was closed most of the time. Star Tours fast pass was "sold out" every day by 10 or 11. We managed to get on at 11pm with only a 40 minute wait on Sunday.

[stinkbutt]

On leap day, Disneyland and Disney World will both be open 24 hours for the first time ever.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

On leap day, Disneyland and Disney World will both be open 24 hours for the first time ever.

Not entirely... Disneyland was open for 60 hours straight when Star Tours opened, and they've done parties like that a couple of times other than that I believe.

Still, it'll be really fun. Disneyland at 3am sounds like a blast, I wish I could make it.

[stinkbutt]

Maybe the article I read was referring to both being open 24 hours

[superfiction]

Still, it'll be really fun. Disneyland at 3am sounds like a blast, I wish I could make it.

i was just at disneyworld over the holiday where they had the magic kingdom open one night till 3am and it was just as awesome as it sounds. everything either had no line or a 5 minute wait. we went on thunder mountain 5 times, it was killer.

[ivankay]

The both thing is a first. The first 24 (actually 25) hour opening i went to was in 1980 for the 25th Anniversary party. Went the whole 25 hours. Also went to the Star Tours opening in 87. This will be the first time since then and i am kinda stoked to be walking around the park at 4AM.

Here's some pictures that made my favorites for 2011:

[HowToDisappear]

Great pics! Do you travel everywhere with Joe Mantegna?


I just found out today that you can ride the tender car on the Disney RR!!! (Under certain conditions, that is.) You have to ask the cast member at the Main Street station, and you may have to wait a long time, but for fans of steam trains - as are we - how fun would that be?

[ivankay]

Great pics! Do you travel everywhere with Joe Mantegna?

Bwah. Can't wait to tell him that one. i've been going to Disneyland with that guy forever. we got our first annual passes together in 84' for $35.

[caco0283]

can you guys invade Disneyworld already??

[nahuatldream]

We live in Albuquerque and bought the Annual pass this last year (December '10 to December '11). We realized we would go often enough that it made it totally worthwhile. We got the deluxe passport which was $450 last year, I believe (it's up to $500 now). I have family in Los Angeles and Coachella so we went to Southern California many times and went to Disneyland/California Adventure plenty of times. Plus, the ability to go without blackouts, getting free parking and getting discounts just about everywhere was awesome. It's sad that we spent that much, but I think the discounts on our purchases (food, tours, souvenirs, Christmas gifts) almost paid for the pass itself.

[JorgeC]

Got the premium passes for the hubby's birthday. We were there on 12/28 when Disneyland was "sold out". such a crazy day, but luckily made it onto Star Wars in about 70 minutes. Gotta make this pass worth it, we plan on going at least a couple of times a month if only for a half day on Saturday morning or maybe on a Friday night since those are the only times we are both off work at the same time.

[PlayaDelWes]

For the sake of taking the Disneyland discussion away from the Stagecoach thread...

[ENluv12]

Thanks Wes!

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

So the SoCal deal until June 1 can get you a 2-day Parkhopper for $115...hmmmm that's a great deal

[Robin]

I have never been to Disneyland

[ENluv12]

I have never been to Disneyland

WHAT?!?!?! I love the place, which has already been stated.

I get the annual passport, so it's like $30.00 a month for a year. Totally worth it for me, because I always go.
They also let you bring in outside food and drinks, so we have taken water bottles filled with vodka before, and it makes it a little more fun

[PlayaDelWes]

So the SoCal deal until June 1 can get you a 2-day Parkhopper for $115...hmmmm that's a great deal

Also...2-Day 1-Park per Day Disneyland Resort ticket for just $99...and 3-Day 1-Park per Day ticket for $129

[scenicworld]

WHAT?!?!?! I love the place, which has already been stated.

I get the annual passport, so it's like $30.00 a month for a year. Totally worth it for me, because I always go.
They also let you bring in outside food and drinks, so we have taken water bottles filled with vodka before, and it makes it a little more fun

Even with all the blackouts? I've always felt that Disneyland season passes were too complicated and rather expensive to justify buying one. I used to get season passes to Magic Mountain every year and loved that it was basically the same price as a regular admission with no blackouts.

[ENluv12]

Also...2-Day 1-Park per Day Disneyland Resort ticket for just $99

I get a discount on tickets through work.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Also...2-Day 1-Park per Day Disneyland Resort ticket for just $99...and 3-Day 1-Park per Day ticket for $129

Yeah, it's totally worth it to upgrade to the parkhopper though. CA Adventure in its current state isn't really a full day's worth of stuff on its own right now.

[ENluv12]

Even with all the blackouts? I've always felt that Disneyland season passes were too complicated and rather expensive to justify buying one. I used to get season passes to Magic Mountain every year and loved that it was basically the same price as a regular admission with no blackouts.

Yeah. That is for the one with no blackouts. It's like $80.00 for the down payment then $30 each month. It also includes free parking and 20% off all Merch.