I feel I am betraying an old friend? :(

[Tweety1]

So we have just returned from Orlando and have serious holiday blues - so to help I want to book a holiday
Now we have been to Orlando 4 times and reluctantly think we should try California. Don't get me wrong we want to go I just love Orlando so much and the thought of not going back for awhile makes me sad (we didn't do parks this time but I love it the ppl, the things you can do,the food ect(
So can someone give me a honest comparison between the 2 holidays? I know I will love it it's just I need persuading.
Now onto cost I have got quite savvy with Orlando and finding I can do if cheaper each time I go but I think a lot of that comes down to once you have been you learn how to make it more affordable. So can anyone give me a guide price on what I can expect now I know a lot depends on what we do. I will be honest Ive not looked into this too much but it will be Disney for a couple of days,Universal,LA,Palm Springs,Las Vegas (I don't even know where they all are in relation to each other lol). There are 5 of us .
So you hard core Cali fans please help.
Sorry for the long post but if I go there will be many more

[daytonababe]

I've been to Orlando 6 times, West coast 9 times, doing both next year.

We prefer the West Coast, the climate, the places, just everything.

Cost wise, hotels cost more on the West Coat but you buy far less theme park tickets so overall I doubt there is much in it..

Its easier to stop in Anaheim for a few nights then move to nearer LA for Universal etc.. Its only 35 miles between the two but with traffic it can easily take 2 hrs or more.
The only place I dislike in the LA area is Hollywood I find it a rundown dump and I wouldn't stay there if you paid me.. 2 hrs there is plenty imo.

With 5 in Vegas you would need a suite or 2 rooms, very few rooms will sleep 5 (unlike Orlando).. Vegas has a resort fee for most properties roughly between $35-$40 per night so with 2 rooms it adds up. There are some places that don't charge it but they tend to be suites so might work better for you?

I'll tell you what I paid last month..
4 return flights london to LAX with a people carrier and insurance for 19 nights £2145
8 nights South Point Las Vegas (off strip so cheaper) £602 + $14.99 per night resort fee
3 nights Desert Palms Anaheim £407 (inc free breakfast and parking)
4 nights Country Inn & Suites Fontana £400ish (inc free breakfast & parking)
3 nights Goodyear Arizona £544 (inc free breakfast & parking)

4 2 day Disneyland tickets £625

£128 on fuel we did 2000 miles.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

I've been to Orlando 6 times, West coast 9 times, doing both next year.

We prefer the West Coast, the climate, the places, just everything.

Cost wise, hotels cost more on the West Coat but you buy far less theme park tickets so overall I doubt there is much in it..

Its easier to stop in Anaheim for a few nights then move to nearer LA for Universal etc.. Its only 35 miles between the two but with traffic it can easily take 2 hrs or more.
The only place I dislike in the LA area is Hollywood I find it a rundown dump and I wouldn't stay there if you paid me.. 2 hrs there is plenty imo.

With 5 in Vegas you would need a suite or 2 rooms, very few rooms will sleep 5 (unlike Orlando).. Vegas has a resort fee for most properties roughly between $35-$40 per night so with 2 rooms it adds up. There are some places that don't charge it but they tend to be suites so might work better for you?

I'll tell you what I paid last month..
4 return flights london to LAX with a people carrier and insurance for 19 nights £2145
8 nights South Point Las Vegas (off strip so cheaper) £602 + $14.99 per night resort fee
3 nights Desert Palms Anaheim £407 (inc free breakfast and parking)
4 nights Country Inn & Suites Fontana £400ish (inc free breakfast & parking)
3 nights Goodyear Arizona £544 (inc free breakfast & parking)

4 2 day Disneyland tickets £625

£128 on fuel we did 2000 miles.

See more...

Thank you...I think I need to read some trip reports! I've just read about the Warner bros studio tour which is one thing we all want to do and children have to be 8!Gutted...
Is Palm Springs or Santa Monica near? I want to see it all but know I won't on 1 trip and dont want to spend hrs and hrs travelling so I need to look at must do's. I would like to see Alcatraz but don't want to go to SF (not on first trip).What's Vegas like with kids? Have you ever flown to Vegas and then onto Orlando? If so was cost reasonable?
Thank you

[clairemca]

We are going for the first time this year although we have been to Vegas before. We are finding hotels very expensive for anything decent. We are going to San Diego for 5 nights and it is costing the same as a villa in Orlando for 10 nights. We ate staying in the signature at MGM in Vegas and it is cheaper here, booked direct with an owner so no resort fees.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by clairemca

We are going for the first time this year although we have been to Vegas before. We are finding hotels very expensive for anything decent. We are going to San Diego for 5 nights and it is costing the same as a villa in Orlando for 10 nights. We ate staying in the signature at MGM in Vegas and it is cheaper here, booked direct with an owner so no resort fees.

See more...

Thank you... I don't know whether to do a multi trip and do Vegas and Orlando. We have just been to New York and Orlando and felt we had 2 holidays and we did no parks in Orlando but lots of other stuff and I came in under budget! My feeling is California is going to be expensive so may wait until year after next so gave more money but will read more reports and hopefully ppl will keep posting on here to give me more if an idea

[daytonababe]

No I haven't done both coasts in one trip, there is plenty in California to keep you busy for weeks, plus it adds to the expense and then there's the other time difference to get used to.. Its not for me.

As for Vegas yes there's plenty for kids, my kids have been 8 times, first time at 18 mths & 4, this last trip 14 & 18 so I've taken kids of most ages.

Warner Bros is fab but yes there's a 8 yr age limit.. Its a 2.5 hr tour which is mostly listening to a tour guide as your driven around, I can see that younger kids would be bored specially if they didn't know the shows the tour guide is talking about.

Santa Monica isn't far from LA, I was there a few weeks ago, (I did a trip report) its nice enough but we preferred Huntingdon Beach.

Palm Springs is about 100 miles from LA.

How old are your children?

[Lizzim]

We did Disneyland, Universal then the Grand Canyon and Vegas back in 2012 (link to trip report in signature). It was lots of driving but if you took the GC out it wouldn't be as much.

I loved Disneyland and will go back in a few years, I wasn't as keen on Vegas although we really liked our hotel.

[sweetemotion]

How long are you looking at going for? There are a lot more things to do in California. In Florida I found we'd always stick to Orlando and the theme parks and then do 1 or 2 days outside of that area. With California, people tend to do the whole state. So a bit of a difference. As a first timer, my picks would be San Diego, they have great beaches, a sea world (if thats your thing) and the San Diego zoo, which I have yet to visit. I stayed on San Diego harbour and the hotels here were reasonable with great views.

Anaheim for Disney, 2 days minimum I'd say. Disneyland is always really busy, every time I've been. It attracts more locals than tourists (like WDW) as the annual passes for California residents are so cheap. Disneyland doesn't have FP+ yet, so if it's busy the FP for things like radiator springs racers will all be gone. This is one of the most popular rides, I've ridden it twice now but by going through the single rider line, there's not guarantee you'll be in the same car but both times I was with my bf/family (just sat in different rows). I stayed at the Hilton Anaheim when I did a few days here and it was a really nice hotel, with a shuttle to the parks. About a 10 minute drive.

There loads of places to stay in Hollywood, I like the Santa Monica area, lots of shops and restaurants, the pier is really nice to wander along and the beaches are really nice too. Universal studios is awesome, they have the new WWOHP now too.

Malibu doesn't have a whole lot to offer imo, it's mostly just the beaches but if you're doing a road trip up/down the coast it's a nice place to stop off. I did a road trip along the highway 1/central coast last year and places like Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, San Simeon, Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey are cool places to stop off and see sights along the way. I did Hearst Castle, McWay falls, Monterey Aquarium and there's an Elephant seal beach you pass in San Simeon which is really cool to stop at and see the wild Elephant seals.

San Francisco is just amazing, and Yosemite was fantastic too. Two of my favourite places in all of California.

Depending on how long you're planning to go for you might not get time to visit Vegas, I'd say there's more than enough in California to keep you busy for two weeks. If you're driving from LA, Vegas is a 4 hour drive (sometimes more in traffic) I had a 9 hour drive back toLA once due to weekend traffic and the Yermo checkpoint.

I hope I've given you some new ideas about what to do in Cali, there's so many cool things to see and do, you'll never get bored.

[daytonababe]

Took us 7.5 hrs last month between LA & Vegas and 6 last year.. not a lot you can do when stuck in traffic..

Disneyland was busy last month because of Spring Break but it was manageable , longest queue we had was 40 mins, Luigi and Mater we waited less than 10 mins for, Radiator Spring Racers we used single line rider and all got in different cars but it didn't matter.
Last year though we went at the beginning of March and the parks were so quiet we barely queued for anything, same with Universal.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

No I haven't done both coasts in one trip, there is plenty in California to keep you busy for weeks, plus it adds to the expense and then there's the other time difference to get used to.. Its not for me.

As for Vegas yes there's plenty for kids, my kids have been 8 times, first time at 18 mths & 4, this last trip 14 & 18 so I've taken kids of most ages.

Warner Bros is fab but yes there's a 8 yr age limit.. Its a 2.5 hr tour which is mostly listening to a tour guide as your driven around, I can see that younger kids would be bored specially if they didn't know the shows the tour guide is talking about.

Santa Monica isn't far from LA, I was there a few weeks ago, (I did a trip report) its nice enough but we preferred Huntingdon Beach.

Palm Springs is about 100 miles from LA.

How old are your children?

See more...

Ahh I didn't think time difference! My children would be 20,13 and 6(yes I know big gaps ha). I know we wouldn't be bored I feel it's a little overwhelming not knowing where everything is.
I'm going to ask you and op wot would you do for first trip. I would like to do Death Valley,Grand Canyon,Vegas,Yellowstone too but maybe on another trip? I prob could go for about 16 days Disney,Universal a must wot sort of itinerary would you do?