I have been watching airfare prices now for about two months for our Fall Vacation to Disneyland. It's early, but tickets have actually risen by $3.00 one way if you can believe it. This got me to thinking about our first trip and what planning it was like for me being somewhat of a novice.
In November of 2008 my husband and I decided we were going to take Ainsley for her first trip to Disneyland. She had just turned three and we decided she was old enough to really appreciate the park. We just needed to decide when and how. Danny and I had taken our nieces to Disneyland before, so we were not total novices to Disneyland, but that was 10 years ago and so much had changed. Disney's California adventure didn't even exist back then. They had barely begun excavation and I remember thinking how exciting it would be go again after it was completed.
We talked about what to do first. Honestly, we had no idea. I checked the Disneyland website, read a few tips, but was still feeling lost. Danny remembered that his sister had recently made a trip to DisneyWorld and decided to ask her for advice. She said that we needed to buy a guide book.
When Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort 2009 arrived I was oober excited. Sitting down with a highlighter I was bound and determined to read it from cover to cover. It was packed full of information. Some of the things in the book brought back memories frou our 1998 trip, but much of the information was brand-new to me. I learned about peak periods for travel vs. off-season, price points for meals within the park, traveling to and from the park, rides within the park and more. I was overwhelmed and not sure what to do.
It's possible that you have had this feeling too, especially if you have never been before or at least never taken a preschooler before. That's what I am here for. Having taken my daughter now four times since 2009 I hope to share with you what I have learned. I recommend getting yourself a notebook (3-ring binder worked best for me) to store all of your notes and travel plans in. Let's get started...
The first thing you need to do is determine your travel dates. If you have a flexible schedule I would avoid the peak travel times which include Mid-June through Late August and Thanksgiving or the Christmas Break at the end of December. While none of our most recent trips were during those times I have seen pictures of wait times for popular rides. Trust me...there are better times to visit the park.
Second thing you need to do is determine a budget. This is important. How much you are willing to spend on your vacation will determine a number of things for you, such as, transportation, where you will stay, where you will eat and so much more. Set a budget for your hotel, transportation (air and/or ground) food, souvenirs and anything else you might need. Once your budget is set, start shopping for vacation deals.
We have purchased our trips to Disneyland in several different ways: Travel Agent, Online and through the Disney Travel Company. Our first trip was done through a travel agent. I loved this experience. My travel agent was very helpful and shopped around for me to find the very best deal that she could. I told her my travel dates including arrival and departure times and she handled the rest. Of course, me being the mom that I am, I continued to shop on my own for prices over the internet. She ended up finding a deal that was $300 cheaper than anything I could find online. It pays to shop around.
The third step is to set up a savings plan. If you're like me it is easier to save if you have a goal in mind. Once I set a budget for my vacation I determined how many paydays I had left and how much I would need to save from each payday to reach that goal. Based on past experience, it is important to note that if you are booking a vacation deal from either your travel agent or the Disney Travel Company your vacation package will need to be paid in full at least 30 days prior to arrival. Please check with your travel agent for exact information regarding payments.
There are many other details to planning a Disneyland Resort Vacation, but I am going to stop here. Stop back soon and check out my next blog on my airline and airport experiences.
Until Next time,
Sean
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