3rd Times a Charm! Cali here we come! My first ever Disneyland trip and PTR! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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It sounds as if you are having as good a time planning this as you will on the actual vacation! I DL, I WDW, and I DCL! DL is the original, and has changed a lot since I first went, about 35 years ago. There is something special about the original.
Having returned from a Land/Sea cruise package this fall, I am anxious to return! One of the suggestions from the PP DCL book is to book the land portion yourself. I will do that the next time. An advantage to the combo is that you check into the cruise when you check into the hotel, therefore you bypass the terminal checkin. You also get transport from WDW to DCL then to MCO included, but you can always pay for it separately if you book the land portion yourself.
I think you are going to have a blast whichever you choose. Have fun with the process!
I totally understand that feeling! I think it would be a great idea to do the Land and Sea because we would get the farmiliarity of the WDW vacation and the new excitement of a cruise. I just ordered the DL passporter but haven't opened it yet because if I decide for the cruise I am going to exchange it. I have a TA here on the boards that I recently PMed to get my prices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KandJluvdisney
I have a quick question - the p&p party tickets are $50 each? - usually hard ticket items or at least the ones that I have purchased in the past have been around $35
I have been hesitant to go on a disney cruise for a bunch of reasons so I would stick to the original wdw plan - I am going to pm you in a minute for something anyway
talk to you soon
I think they were actually $45 but I rounded up to be most cost effective. Because it was a shorter WDW trip (5 days) and the cruise is 4 days land, 3 sea... I thought I could try and get the best of both worlds by getting my magical POFQ trip and a cruise! Ahhh! I dunno!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny
DL IS the original, and you CAN'T go wrong with the original, true enough!
A cruise is something I want to do before I die, and we have one booked for later this year. We originally thought a land/sea would be right, but I decided it wouldn't be a long enough cruise, and financially all the food would (or could) be paid for.
WDW is great... of course you just got back.... on the other hand, it is the cheapest option, which is why you looked into California in the first place.
DL is a lot more expensive, so maybe it would be better with more time to plan...
What would I do??? (I just Love playing with other people's money!)...
I'd do the cruise!... but that's just me.
Congrats on your cruise!
I don't know why I just thought of this now. For some reason a theme park just seemed like it would naturally be cheaper than a cruise. Plus I didn't realize how much we would not want to compromise with parts of the tours we found.
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Don't forget the gratuities on the cruise....that will add to your total, as well as al-kee-hol and if you're going to do excursions. If you've never been to DL, I'd vote for that (trying to get out there myself ) and save the cruise for a later day (make sure to do a 7-day one)!!
In general I left gratuities out everywhere-- DDP doesn't include them anymore at the parks, we didn't have meals on our original DL package, and it seemed easier that way. So just to add a note-- the only price that includes tips would be the ABD. I don't think we would do any excursions and if we did I would add them later. We will only be in Nassau for a day and Castaway Cay for a day so we would probably just relax and enjoy it, ya know? I think it would be cost effective for us to try to put DL off so we can have the vacation we want there instead of having to compromise. But... idunno...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alice in wonderland
The cruise was by far the best thing we did on our holiday. I vote the cruise. It is very relaxing and enjoyable. We did a 4 day and i wish we did a longer cruise.
Maybe you could just do a 7 day cruise and not do the land/sea?
I vote for the cruise.
Disneyland was our second favourite thing of the whole trip!!!!
Either do the cruise or disneyland. DO you need to do the adventures by disney package? i am sure you could save yourself some money doing it yourself. We stayed at the carousel inn and suitres. iT was reasonbly priced, great location and you are never in your room anyway.???
there is to many things to think about. Luck you are doing this cause it is the only think keeping me from crying about not being back in the US. I am enjoying experienceing your planning process again!!!!
Jess
There is SOOO much to think about!
I am running into the same problem as when we first were planning a WDW vacation in April. I don't want to compromise but at the same time I want to go on vacation this summer. Can't decide! It seems that I have to stick with Orlando in some form to be able to get a vacaiton this year and next. I just though DL would be a nice change and be more reasonable when we found the Contiki tour. Idunno.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
I see his point about the Disney Adventures...I had looked at that as an option too and while it was great to have the hotels and the meals I did feel that it would limit my time to tour the way I like...
I am dying to do Europe and many of the tours just seem so strigent, I had looked at the Disney one and they do incorporate lots of "family site seeing time" which was very appealing but for the Disney / LA tour while there was a bunch of great stuff I found that in the time you have it became rigid by the looks of it...
Now back to which choice...I think that the cruise is a good idea...this way you will still have a couple of Disney days at WDW and by also doing the cruise it would give the trip a different feel....however, as others stated, excurisons and gratuities would bump up the cost and put it basically back to where you are at DL...
I would do DL....check out Jet Blue / Southwest (out of Islip) to one of the other area airports such as Burbank / Ontario - they are a little farther away but for example Jet Blue flies into Ontario for 189 each way...it might cut down your airfare a bit....
Also they have a great combo tour through Disney - Universal / LA - even with two character dinners and the zoo the price is only $2500 and if you get airfare for like $750 / 800 plue the 400 you have set for food then the trip is looking to be about $3700 which is do-able....
I live in Poughkeepsie NY and my airport options are pretty much limited to what I can have someone drive me to (Newburgh, White Plains, Laguardia, JFK) but I looked into all my options. I end up paying a driver the difference I save by going to a different airport. There is no magical express either so that knocks up transportation as well. I looked into the CityPass and renting a car. I just cant decide. I think the ABD is amazing! Jim Hensen studios... instead Walts apartments... I just think it will take time to convince Rob (or maybe the money to add on a day or two). I want to do the London/Paris adventure someday so I know how you feel about Europe too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by olendl01
Hey there! I have lived in CA going to DLR every year for my entire life. I agree with Amanda, everything is much smaller at DLR but realestate is at a prime so you'll notice that in most places there. Cal Adventure is easy .5 day. We always start our day off at Disneyland and then when the lines are long at Disneyland, we hop on over to Cal Adv for a few hours. Cal Adv has nowhere near the crowds that Disneyland has so you can take on the park a lot faster. Also, Cal Adv opens later and closes earlier then Disneyland for the same reason. We always spend 2 full days at Disneyland and combo day with CA Adv and Disneyland.
I personally do not recommend the Character meals in the parks, instead go to goofy's kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, well worth it! In the park character meal is crazy mad!
Thanks for the tips I will catalog them away. I seem to hear the same things you mentioned... that the value of a park hopper goes up at DL when you can literally walk from one park to another!
Quote:
Originally Posted by olendl01
I heard that South West was dropping flights to Burbank for the disney traveler. The airport has some kind of noise law that they can't fly after 10 PM so I guess not as profitable for them compared to the other two airports. I use to always fly into Burbank but now we are going into John Wayne or LAX
That stinks! I was looking at LAX and Long Beach closest because I can get direct flights there. I usually fly Jet Blue because I have a Jet Blue American Express and am a True Blue member so all my points add up! Yay!
And the tally so far...
My fellow passporters say:
4 for the Land & Sea Cruise
1 for Walt Disney World
2 for Disneyland
Keep the tips, comments and opinions coming!!
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DL, I 
In general I left gratuities out everywhere-- DDP doesn't include them anymore at the parks, we didn't have meals on our original DL package, and it seemed easier that way. So just to add a note-- the only price that includes tips would be the ABD. I don't think we would do any excursions and if we did I would add them later. We will only be in Nassau for a day and Castaway Cay for a day so we would probably just relax and enjoy it, ya know? I think it would be cost effective for us to try to put DL off so we can have the vacation we want there instead of having to compromise. But... idunno... 
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