When I decided, nearly three years ago, to invite our entire extended family to celebrate Darius' fifth birthday, I knew that planning the trip would be the hardest part. Hotels, tickets, deciding what to do in the park. But with the help of Disney themselves, the planning turned out to be the easiest part. The lessons I've learned work whether you are planning a trip for your family of four just as well as they work for my trip of twenty.
Planning the trip starts easy enough with answering three simple questions: When, Where, How? You need to know when you want to go, where you want to stay, and how long you want to stay there. You'll obviously find better deals in the off-season, but in the peak season nearly everything at Disneyland will be operational. I don't like going in the heat of summer (90 degrees in Los Angeles feels like 100 degrees in the streets of Disneyland) but honestly, the kids don't notice if it is hot or cold - the magic of Disney is so powerful that you'll find yourself willingly standing in a 2-hour line for a 90-second ride. Personally, I think three or four days at Disneyland is ideal. That way, you aren't rushed and have the time to really enjoy the entire park.
Decide what is the most important feature of a hotel. For us, the most important thing was location, location, location. Knowing that we'd want to come back to the hotel in the afternoon to take a nap or relax in the pool, I wanted a hotel that was within walking distance of the entrance. That decision alone ruled out dozens of hotels in the area and left me with the choice of on-site (read: a Disney-owned hotel) or one of five hotels across the street from the main-gate. With our large group and many of us business travelers, I settled on a Marriott because I could cash in my own points for a couple of free nights. If price is more important to you, there's a ton of hotels all with different price points that make it affordable for everyone. But that leads me to my next point...
Disney offers a ton of deals, so don't think you can't afford to stay at a Disney hotel. Right before we left, Disney itself was offering a package worth $68 per person per day which included the hotel AND your tickets into the park. Considering that price is about the price of your ticket, its a phenomenal deal. So call 1-866-60-DISNEY. This is the Walt Disney Travel Co., and they are great at putting together packages.
Don't ever buy your tickets at the park. On-line deals are your best friend. Don't forget to check out your employer's corporate discount program. Neville's company had awesome packages (like buy 2 days get the 3rd day free). If you are a teacher, check out what you can get as a CTA member. We actually found the CTA discount to be the best. You can also get discount tickets direct from Disney.
Make dining reservations in advance. Want to attend a character breakfast? Always wanted to eat in the Blue Bayou inside of Pirates of the Caribbean? Make sure you aren't going to be disappointed if you show up and the restaurant is booked. Dining reservations are highly recommended for large groups or on weekends. Just call 714-781-DINE and make your dining dreams come true.
You get in free on your birthday! In 2009, Disney is celebrating by allowing you to get in free on your birthday. If you are planning on making a trip to Disney this year, consider going over your birthday. A free day is a free day. Plus with the theme being all about celebrations, you'll feel like you're getting a parade in your honor.
