We have made a decision for once!

[1972]

DH and I are both so indecisive and can never make a quick decision about anything, especially holidays!

After 4 times in Florida in 5 years, this year we went to Canada and did a Disney Cruise to Alaska to get our Disney fix!

We had a fantastic time and after worrying about if our daughters (age 10 and 13) would enjoy spending time in a car (my youngest sometimes get travel sick!) and taking in lots of scenery, we were pleasantly surprised when they had a fab time and no sickness occurred!

While onboard we booked another cruise (3 night Bahamas), although our first choice would have been a 4 night or even a 7 night, but the only 4 night we could do was already booked out as a charter and not bookable to everyone else :-(

We spoke about doing Florida and a 7 night Disney cruise, but not doing the Disney parks (that's didn't go down well) or do the 3 night and the parks, but we were worried that after a 7 night, 3 night would just not be enough.

Also, we had heard about all of the building work going on and though it would be better to go in 2016.

Then a few weeks ago we heard that DCL had changed the booking conditions back again, so rather than when you book onboard having to cruise within 18 months, it was now 24 months.

So we could therefore do something else next year and go back to Florida in 2016 and do a 4 night cruise!

We then found out that Taylor Swift is doing a world tour next year. Our girls are huge fans - we saw her earlier this year and she was great and she is playing Hyde Park in London next June, but she is in LA next August - perfect timing!

So when the presale came out last week we tried to get some tickets but failed and then a couple of days later she announced 2 extra dates. On Monday I managed to get 4 tickets for next August.

So now we are arranging our road trip around Taylor Swift!

We did the West Coast in 1999 before we had the children, but now we are going back with them and will visit San Diego Zoo, Seaworl, Universal and the original Disney (which we didn't do before!)

Exciting times - any tips on doing this with a teenager and pre teen are very welcome!

[Bella1]

Sounds brilliant, saw Taylor Swift a couple of years ago and thought she was amazing for such a young woman (saw Dolly Parton a few weeks later who was amazing at the other end of the age scale!)

Ours were older than yours when we travelled West Coast (18 and 15) but my first suggestion would be a big SUV with two separate seats in the back so they both have enough space and no moaning that someone has more than their fair share of the seat!

One of our favourite days was driving through the Sequoia national Forest and walking the Trail of 1000 Giants fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/gsnm...dow-grove.html it was so peaceful and the kids loved going inside the trees and being able to climb on the fallen ones. It made a lovely change from the bright lights and full on action of LA, Disney and San Diego.

[1972]

Originally Posted by Bella1

Sounds brilliant, saw Taylor Swift a couple of years ago and thought she was amazing for such a young woman (saw Dolly Parton a few weeks later who was amazing at the other end of the age scale!)

Ours were older than yours when we travelled West Coast (18 and 15) but my first suggestion would be a big SUV with two separate seats in the back so they both have enough space and no moaning that someone has more than their fair share of the seat!

One of our favourite days was driving through the Sequoia national Forest and walking the Trail of 1000 Giants fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/gsnm...dow-grove.html it was so peaceful and the kids loved going inside the trees and being able to climb on the fallen ones. It made a lovely change from the bright lights and full on action of LA, Disney and San Diego.

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Yes Taylor Swift is fab for her age. I love her new stuff - different from her country stuff, much more poppy. Would love to see Dolly Parton!

Thanks for link to the forest. Did you do Las Vegas with the kids? How long did you go for?

[Bella1]

Originally Posted by 1972

Yes Taylor Swift is fab for her age. I love her new stuff - different from her country stuff, much more poppy. Would love to see Dolly Parton!

Thanks for link to the forest. Did you do Las Vegas with the kids? How long did you go for?

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We drove from Santa Monica across to Porterville. Stayed one night there and did the forest next day and drove to Barstow, styed overnight and did the Calico Ghost Town the next day (another great stop for kids as educational too!) and drove on to LV. We stayed 3 nights in LV as I felt that was enough for us. Had a great time just walking around the hotels on the strip, using the pool and taking a plane trip out to the Grand canyon. We then drove back towards San Diego and stopped overnight in 29Palms and went to the Joshua Tree NP which was so different from anywhere else we had been. After than we hit SD and did the theme parks and zoo before 3 nights at Disney and a few nights winding own at Huntingdon bay before heading home. We were there for 19 nights altogether and we were glad we did some of the more "off the beaten" track things as it meant we had a really contrasting holiday.

I started a trip report but never finished it , I'll see if I can find it.

Some of the best places we stayed were places like the Comfort Suites and Fairfield Inn and Suites. Huge rooms, 3 beds (so no arguing!) and free breakfast. We always took extra from the buffet and put it in a cool box in the car to provide snacks too.

[Bella1]

Found it!

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=652828

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by 1972

Yes Taylor Swift is fab for her age. I love her new stuff - different from her country stuff, much more poppy. Would love to see Dolly Parton!

Thanks for link to the forest. Did you do Las Vegas with the kids? How long did you go for?

See more...

Next year is my kids 6th time to Vegas, they've been at various ages between 18 mths and 16.

We've been for a week a few times but its not long enough our later trips have meant between 10 & 13 days in Vegas, still could stay much longer but it'll have to do for now..

[1972]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

Next year is my kids 6th time to Vegas, they've been at various ages between 18 mths and 16.

We've been for a week a few times but its not long enough our later trips have meant between 10 & 13 days in Vegas, still could stay much longer but it'll have to do for now..

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Wow - that is a long time in Vegas. When I went in 1999 before we had kids, we went for 3 nights and thought that was enough for us.

Then again when we went to Orlando in 1997 pre kids, we said "how do people stay here for 2 weeks - I could never do that?!" Since having kids we have done it numerous times!

[1972]

Originally Posted by Bella1

Found it!

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=652828

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Thank you - been reading it and getting some ideas!

I noticed you have been to Florida lots of times. How does Disney compare? I know it is smaller, but does it still have the magic?

I see they have a light/lazer show like Epcot - do they have anything like Wishes?

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by 1972

Wow - that is a long time in Vegas. When I went in 1999 before we had kids, we went for 3 nights and thought that was enough for us.

Then again when we went to Orlando in 1997 pre kids, we said "how do people stay here for 2 weeks - I could never do that?!" Since having kids we have done it numerous times!

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Depends what you do i suppose, there's alot more to Vegas than the strip and casinos, but we're never bored...i'd go for far longer if it wasn't for damn schools lol..

We were supposed to be having just a quick 8 day trip next yr but it wasn't enough so it'll be 12 days now.

We prefer it to Florida/Orlando.

[Bella1]

Originally Posted by 1972

Thank you - been reading it and getting some ideas!

I noticed you have been to Florida lots of times. How does Disney compare? I know it is smaller, but does it still have the magic?

I see they have a light/lazer show like Epcot - do they have anything like Wishes?

See more...

I adored Disney there, it was brilliant to be where it all started and it is smaller but there is so much packed in to such a small area it is great fun and we found having so man new things to do really brought the Magic back for us. We did 4 full days there but , since it was early August, it was incredibly hot so we went back to the hotel in the afternoons and went back in the evening. There is a firework show which is not quite as good as Wishes (in my opinion!) but is still wonderful and the World of Colour is really amazing, much, much better than Illuminations.