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Old 5 Aug 19, 09:21 AM  
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samhartwell
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Join Date: Mar 09
June-July 2020 - West coast - 3 generations

So for the first time I am going to do a pre-trippy, really to have an outlet to my overexcitement and planning.

We are a family of 4 hubs been converted to disney after a first 'one off' florida trip many years ago he just loves it. Then after trying California it has become our favourite! After doing WDW and California a few times each over the years the last time being 2017, we thought 2017 would be our last one for a while so we could concentrate on house projects...

I had been talking to my mum about what we should do to celebrate next year (its my 50th - eek, hers and dads 70th and their 50th wedding anniversary) I had an idea that I ran past my daughter to do Disney. She thought it was a good idea and that we may be able to convince hubs to go for it. Turns out he didn't need a lot of persuading and a small Disney trip morphed into a small Cali road trip!

My parents have never done Disney, they love Las Vegas and I would love for them to experience a bit of real US. They were very excited at the prospect of visiting Disney with us (not sure my Dad was convinced but the thought of Starwars has him interested!) As its a relatively short trip (we have always done 3 weeks and that doesn't feel long enough) we have recently got together to agree a route and stops and we booked out flights back in March. Now is time to start to secure hotels and plan a bit further.

Outgoing to LAX (from MAN) 27th June

First stop - 4 nights Disney (waiting to see if we can secure 2 DVC studio Villas) if not we will book 2 rooms
Disney was the main reason we were going - as my parents haven't done Disney in their lives and my mum cried when I suggested we go together, she said she had listened to our trips and never thought she would go herself. I hope and think she will love it. She is disabled and will need a mobility scooter whilst there. We love the grand Californian hotel so I hope we can get at a reasonable price, but for the location I wouldn't stay anywhere else. We love going in early and coming back to the hotel whenever and have sold the hotel to my parents on this basis. I hope they aren't disappointed
as my Dad is wincing at the room rate!

Next current planned stop is Sequoia - really because of the giant redwoods and a bit of National Park, not too long a journey from Disney so we will be staying in 3 rivers (booked 2 cancellable rooms) 2 nights so we will have a day to go into the park

After Sequoia driving to Yosemite - now we always every trip go to Yosemite as we just love it and its on my mum and Dads bucket list so had to include it. Decided we can manage being altogether in a 2 room cabin at Evergreen lodge, again we like the vibe there, although I will keep looking at accommodation in the park, I really wanted to stay at the Awahanee but priced out at the mo!

So after Yosemite we wanted to do the coast and in all our trips not done Monterey so we are including that in our plan. Again a couple of rooms booked at refundable rate and still keeping looking as Monterey is a bit expensive. To be honest I have to look at keeping the hotel costs down as parents on a budget so it will not be a Spa hotel here! Having never done Monterey I am quite excited... (big little lies fan!) Plan to do a whale watching trip.

Then its a drive down the coast with a pitstop in Pismo (lighthouse suites) and back to Hollywood (Loews) as my parents really wanted to do Hollywood so that gives them a full day to explore and for us to do a universal day maybe before coming back.

As the plan evolves I will add more...

It will certainly be a different trip for us having my parents and my kids will be 16/19 having just finished GCSE/A levels. I am hoping we can all stay sane and enjoy the travels.
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Mar 2009 & May 2010 - Port Orleans Riverside
Aug 2013 - West Coast Grand Californian
Aug 2015 - West Coast road trip number 2
July 2017 - East & West Coast trip No 3
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Old 6 Aug 19, 04:58 PM  
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KayLouise
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Sounds fab 😊
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Old 23 Aug 19, 07:18 PM  
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cornishfrogboy
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looks great. I will be looking forward to the Sequoia bit.

We have just booked the Portola in Monterey for 2 nights next Easter. It is only a short distance behind Cannery Row.It seems best to book it on their own site as the price is competitive with 20% off.. And in addition it comes with two apparently excellent breakfasts per room.
Parking is $20, which again is pretty good for the area.
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Old 4 Nov 19, 09:45 PM  
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samhartwell
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Portola looks really nice... been checking hotel prices and have a current plan, after rebooking due to TC collapse our plan is now:
26th June - Heathrow to LAX (decided to travel a day earlier and back a day later and grab a couple of extra days!) - originally were Sat 27th from Manchester with an O/N stay at an airport hotel and parking cars, changed to heathrow and getting a minibus so we dont need to O/N, or drive or park which I am quite happy about!

1 night - LAX airport hotel - arriving fairly late and by the time we get to a hotel will be 9pm ish california time so as this was an extra night staying at Marriot LAX then we can get an early start to disney the night day (after a good sleep and breakfast!)
4 nights Grand California hotel - managed to book DVC villas (rented points) for 2 deluxe studios so am really happy, not stayed in DVC before but makes a huge difference cost wise (we have stayed before and love GCA but parents never been )
2 nights sequoia (Comfort inn and suites) basic but good comfort inn (at least it was 6 years or so ago! Good location for a day in Sequoia NP and a free, if busy breakfast
3 nights Yosemite - Evergreen lodge - 2 bed cabin - looking forward to this as can get whole family in and have a balcony - whenever we stayed before it was a family cabin with bunkbeds and so am hoping for a bit of bonding family time here!
2 nights monterey - took a punt here as parents thought lone oak lodge has good reviews, it looks quite basic but reviews are OK and it saves a lot ! So fingers crossed its passable (just a morning to whale watch and then chill - dont think there is a pool but can't justify a spa hotel (will keep looking though! may change this one as I do feel a bit twitchy about it!
1 night at Pismo lighthouse suites - 2 bed suite which we can all fit in with breakfast - - just a pitstop as didn't want to drive monterey - LA in a day
3 nights at Loews Hollywood (was originally 2 nights but added a night so can do a day in universal at kids request.) Parents are doing quick hop and O/N in vegas so they are excited and then last day to spend doing some Hollywood stuff/shopping

New passports done and ESTAs done
Car hire booked (can now pick up car near LAX marriot and drive to disney)

Not much else to organise now, new disneyland book on my xmas list!
Got parents personalised disney T-shirts for Xmas!

Just park hopper tickets to buy next year and recheck hotels and prices and re-jig if necessary

Sam
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Mar 2009 & May 2010 - Port Orleans Riverside
Aug 2013 - West Coast Grand Californian
Aug 2015 - West Coast road trip number 2
July 2017 - East & West Coast trip No 3
samhartwell is offline Girl Mouse Click to view Members Trip Plans Add Member to Ignore List
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