I am planning our annual vacation to Disneyland, we'll be leaving on October 24th and we'll have until November 3rd to come home.

I have never liked Disneyland on a Friday, so I am wondering if maybe a day trip to San Diego would be fun? Is one day long enough? If we only have one day, is the park more fun then Sea World? And how are the crowds on a Friday at either place. (we will want the least crowded place).

Also, if one day isn't enough, I am wondering if we should hit San Diego first, stay for a night or two before heading up to Disneyland for the rest of the vacation.

We have never been to San Diego either, but I don't expect to get it all in on this trip. I would love to break up the Disney days (10 in all) with a day somewhere else.

And one last question, what is the best way to get there? Drive or take the train?

Sea World is very cool--I would not rate it higher than DL, but it's very enjoyable. It doesn't seem super crowded during the school year. If you are spending ten whole days at the resort you could surely spare a day or two to head down south.

Sea World would take up most of your day, but other fun things to do in San Diego include the Zoo, Balboa Park and the museums surrounding it, Legoland (which in the north county and only about an hour away from DL), going to the beach, the Gaslamp Quarter, the Padres, the Birch Aquarium, and the USS Midway. I'm sure other San Diegans will have suggestions as well.

If you don't mind traffic, the drive to SD isn't too bad from DL. ;)

I really don't mind giving up a day or two at Disneyland. I would prefer to give up the October 27th, as it's a Friday. But if 1 day isn't enough, we'll have to hit SD before getting to Disneyland otherwise we'll have to change hotels twice.

Like if we go to Disneyland for the 24 - 26th, then go to SD on the 27-28, then back to Disneyland on the 29-4. That seems like to much work. So we could do SD for 2 days before DL maybe, or just the one Friday.

I don't think we would be all that interested in Legoland, museums are ok, but if we only have 1-2 days, seems like the zoo and Sea World would be all we could do?!

Oops, never mind breaking up the trip. In order to get the 5th night free, we have to stay at the hotel all 10 nights. (so we're getting $400 off for 2 nights!)

So, new question. Would a day trip to one SD park be the best, or maybe hit Universal on Friday the 27th?

In looking at the prices for all the different things, it seems Wild Animal Park would be the cheapest. We could have a nice drive down (assuming the traffic isn't horrible like in L.A.) and don't you drive through the wild animal park? Then maybe take a walk around the city??

We're already in to this for nearly $4000. The hotel will be close to $2000, the DL tickets will be $1200, and with food/gas/souvenirs.. $4000 easy! So I guess spending another $200 on other attractions seems kind of silly?? :s

Maybe we should just find something free to do around Disneyland on that Friday?

The Wild Animal Park isn't the drive through kind of place. It's just a big park full of wild animals. (sorry not trying to be sarcastic, but that's it.) There's a train around some habitats, & walking paths all over. There are also shows, we saw a really good elephant show. We went last Nov, we arrived maybe an hour after they opened & had to leave at 4pm. I didn't think that was necessarily enough time to see everything, but we saw quite a bit and it wasn't so bad.

If you're willing to do the drives, you might want to look into the Citypass since you'll be around so long.

Also, if you don't really want to spend an extended period of time in San Diego or something perhaps look into going to Hollywood. There's a Citypass for that also that has some cool tours on it.

In San Diego we wandered around the gaslamp district & went to Coronado. But we didn't have too much downtime in that city so we didn't do too much.

Well, here's the thing. The Wild Animal Park is about 40 minutes north east from the city of San Diego in San Pasqual, so it's not like you can stroll around the city after the WAP--you would have more driving to do. The WAP is not a drive through-park; it is a very large property with the animals in a more natural setting with a monorail ride around the enclosures as the centerpiece of the park. There's also animal shows and exhibits. It's nice, but I prefer the SD Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in the world.

You might want to think about heading to the beach for a day--that's something free and relaxing, and hopefully the weather will still be decent. There's also lots of things to do in Los Angeles, like Hollywood with the El Capitan and Hollywood and Highland shopping area, plus Mann's Chinese Theatre right next door.

It all depends on what your family is interested in.:)

Edit: I posted at the same time as kiwifuz. We were thinking alike.:)

The Wild Animal Park... isn't...so bad.

No, it's not as bad as getting bamboo slivers under your fingernails and set on fire. If fact I think it's pretty good.

Ugh, I should have just stuck with DL. We have 10 days, and go to DL every day, but just for 3-4 hours a day, until we get tired and cranky. ;)

I think I was wanting something more relaxing then more walking.

I found out we could go to Sea World for $85 because our charter school will pay for my kids tickets, but will we be exhausted driving down there and back and the day at Sea World? I think if we go somewhere on Friday to avoid the Friday crowds, then just go to DL on Saturday evening for the fireworks (we'll only be there 1 weekend, and they only do the fireworks on Fri/Sat) that might be the best idea.

I'll show my husband the options tonight, we can go to the SD Zoo for $39.50 (same school deal), which is better, the zoo or Sea World?

If the drive is only 1.5 hrs., that's not bad at all. Where we live, we're used to driving 30-45 minutes just to go grocery shopping every week. But I don't like traffic either. Is the drive to SD horrible like L.A. traffic?

And that's really too bad about the wild animal park. We went to one in Oregon years ago before we had kids and it was the drive through kind, even though it wasn't a really fancy place, it was cool to drive among the animals. Thanks for telling me SD WAP isn't. That would have been a shocker. ;)

Alright, I've got to get this straight--are you staying in the DL area? I assume yes. If I read you right you cannot stay overnight in San Diego nor LA. If you have one day to come to SD I would go to the Wild Animal Park. Here's my thinking--the SD zoo is one of the best in the world but it's a zoo. The animal park is a huge preserve that is for the animals more than the humans. There is a one hour tram ride that goes around the preserve area. The guides have to be on their toes because each trip is different--they have to know there stuff. I also like this option because, unlike Universal or Sea World, it's not another theme park.

It would take you a minimum of one hour to drive there. If you got there at opening, you'd probably be ready to leave before 3pm. Now if you had the strength you could head downtown at that time (as said about 40 minutes at that time of day). You could go to the Gaslamp area for dinner. Or drive to Coronado Island--great walkaround town, great restaurants, and visit the Hotel del Coronado--get a Pina Colada.

Another option down there is to take a sunset sailboat trip leaving around 5 pm from Seaforth Sail rentals--http://www.seaforthboatrental.com/adventures/sunset-sails.html. Great for non-sailors like me. There are also cruises that go out.

If you leave after 8pm you will have a 90 minute ride back to the DL area.--You will be tired.

Ugh, I should have just stuck with DL. We have 10 days, and go to DL every day, but just for 3-4 hours a day, until we get tired and cranky. ;)

I think I was wanting something more relaxing then more walking.

I found out we could go to Sea World for $85 because our charter school will pay for my kids tickets, but will we be exhausted driving down there and back and the day at Sea World? I think if we go somewhere on Friday to avoid the Friday crowds, then just go to DL on Saturday evening for the fireworks (we'll only be there 1 weekend, and they only do the fireworks on Fri/Sat) that might be the best idea.

I'll show my husband the options tonight, we can go to the SD Zoo for $39.50 (same school deal), which is better, the zoo or Sea World?

If the drive is only 1.5 hrs., that's not bad at all. Where we live, we're used to driving 30-45 minutes just to go grocery shopping every week. But I don't like traffic either. Is the drive to SD horrible like L.A. traffic?

And that's really too bad about the wild animal park. We went to one in Oregon years ago before we had kids and it was the drive through kind, even though it wasn't a really fancy place, it was cool to drive among the animals. Thanks for telling me SD WAP isn't. That would have been a shocker. ;)
It's miles better than a drive thru park. There used to be one in Orange County--Lion Country Safari. Died because of poor business. I think the Wild Animal Park is the best way to see animals in the US. The drive down on Friday morning is not bad--but as I say above, it is an hour. What are the ages of your party?

Yes, we're staying at the Residence Inn Garden Grove. In order to get the 2 free nights, we have to stay there the whole time.

So the Wild Animal Park is the closest to Disneyland. But no walking, you just take the train?

What are the ages of your party?

We have 3 girls, 13, 11 and 7.

Well the good news is they can probably handle the ride. They should enjoy the WAP and it's not hot at that time of the year--though it can be a dry 85 to 90 degrees. You would enjoy the sunset sailboat--unless you are already into sailing in which case I'd do the cruise.

Just my thoughts.

You would enjoy the sunset sailboat--unless you are already into sailing in which case I'd do the cruise.

Just my thoughts.

I get seasick. :(

I just looked up our hotel, and it's the 4th night free, not 5th like I thought. So I am trying to see if maybe we can stay 9 nights at Residence Inn, check out on Thursday, spend Thursday/Friday in San Diego. We could do the WAP on the way down there Thursday. Then either the zoo or sea world on Friday, then check out on Saturday and come home.

That's 11 nights instead of 10, but if the budget allows, we might just do it.

Well, that might just work. 10 nights at Residence Inn is $1,716.00. But 9 nights at Residence Inn, and 2 nights in San Diego WITH WAP and Zoo tickets would only be $216.00 more.

I will be talking to husband tonight when he gets home. He isn't a lover of Disneyland, 3-4 days and he's had enough. So he might really love the idea of going somewhere else for a couple days. AND, this is 11 full nights, instead of 10. :)

The cruise will not make you sick. It doesn't go out into open water. If you do the Animal Park I wouldn't do the Zoo--but many would. I would visit Balboa Park (where the zoo is) for the "pocket museums." A nice 4 to 5 hours.

I think we would rather do "park" type things. None of us are too fond of the water/boats.

We could do Sea World, but that would add an additional $45.50, which is very do-able. I would like to do the WAP on Thursday. It sounds like a nice "ride" and not more walking. (does the train ride come with price of admission?) And then we would be ready to walk again on Friday and then head home on Saturday morning. Wouldn't the traffic be easier getting out of town on Saturday morning rather then Friday?

I think we would rather do "park" type things. None of us are too fond of the water/boats.

We could do Sea World, but that would add an additional $45.50, which is very do-able. I would like to do the WAP on Thursday. It sounds like a nice "ride" and not more walking. (does the train ride come with price of admission?) And then we would be ready to walk again on Friday and then head home on Saturday morning. Wouldn't the traffic be easier getting out of town on Saturday morning rather then Friday?
Don't feel obligated to do the boat thing.

The tram is included in the price--they also have AAA discounts for park admission.

The traffic all comes down to San Diego--not up. Except on Sundays when everyone returns to LA & OC.

The hotel I found in San Diego is the Holiday Inn SeaWorld - Double Bedded Suite. Since it's only 2 nights, we don't need a full suite like we'll have at the Residence Inn. Does anyone have an knowledge of this hotel? Good/Bad/Ugly?? Anything better then that? It's $139.50 per night.

The Old Man and I will have to agree to disagree on the WAP/Zoo debate.:)

I have passes to both and we find ourselves at the zoo much more often, even though the WAP is closer to our house. Plus, the zoo is situated in Balboa Park and fairly near Sea World, so everything is an easy drive. The WAP is a great place, don't get me wrong--but it's a schlep from San Diego and I don't think you can fill a day up there as well as the zoo--especially with all the things to see and do right next door to it, within walking distance. The WAP is out in the boonies.

Anyway, just me two cents. Either way I think you will have a nice visit down here.

I just spoke to my husband, he says he would rather do the zoo then Sea World. Based on the fact that we're about 2 hours from Marine World, and we never go there, he thinks the zoo would be better.

So, our plan is, Tuesday - the following Thursday (9 nights) at Residence Inn/Disneyland. Check out Thursday morning, go to WAP (isn't it on the way to SD?) Then check into a hotel on Thursday night and Friday do the zoo and then stay Friday night and go home Saturday. Leaving on Saturday helps us to not hit the traffic on Friday morning, or the traffic of people going out of town for the weekend.

So, how does that plan sound??

I forgot to ask, I heard something about Mexico days?? Something about how they let all the school kids come over or something? I think it is in October, we'll be doing WAP on November 2nd, and the zoo on the 3rd. Will that be a problem?

[QUOTE=Whittibo]Check out Thursday morning, go to WAP (isn't it on the way to SD?) Then check into a hotel on Thursday night and Friday do the zoo and then stay Friday night and go home Saturday. Leaving on Saturday helps us to not hit the traffic on Friday morning, or the traffic of people going out of town for the weekend.
QUOTE]
Kinda on the way. It's a 30 minute detour, but from there it's pretty much a straight shot to SD.

There is no traffic of people leaving SD for the weekend. Everyone's coming here.

There is no traffic of people leaving SD for the weekend. Everyone's coming here.

Yeah, but I still have to drive through L.A. that day. Besides, it was the excuse I used to get my husband to agree to an extra night. See, traffic will be bad all over California on a Friday, where as, on a Saturday, nobody is going anywhere. :)