starting from scratch - help needed pls!

[dee slack]

It's been about 17 years since our last visit to Ca and not really sure where to begin organising our stay, so would appreciate some help please, especially in which order to do things, where to stay to maximise the time we have available and best value for money.

We'll be driving on Route 66 to Chicago (thinking of arriving Sun 13th September 2020) but wanted some time in Ca before we start to visit Universal Studio's, Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland (3 days?).

Which order should we do them, to save too much to-ing and fro-ing?

Would like to stay in a Disney hotel for part of the stay to benefit from early admission, but what would give the most benefit?

Where should we stay for the non Disney days?

I know it's pretty vague at the moment but I honestly don't know where to start - please help!

[jdouds]

Hi how long are you planing on staying in CA, what would you like to see. San Fran,yosemite,San Diego , vegas , Grand Canyon and more.

[dee slack]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi how long are you planing on staying in CA, what would you like to see. San Fran,yosemite,San Diego , vegas , Grand Canyon and more.

See more...

we've done those over the years so this time are driving route 66 but starting in LA so all we want to do before we start the drive away, is visit Universal Studio's, Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland - think 3 days at Disney plus 1 day Universal and 1 day Knotts so just 5 days / 6 nights in or around Anaheim.
It's just what order and where we should stay to lessen the driving to and from the parks and should we spilt stay Disney hotel? Would like any early morning benefits or fast passes for any parks if possible to make the most of our short visits.

[400ixl]

I would stay in Anaheim to do Disney and Knotts Berry (but stay in a good neighbour hotel and use Max Pass), then move to Santa Monica. From there you can get across to Universal, Warner Bros, Griffith Observatory etc. That way you will be in the right place to start Route 66 as it ends on Santa Monica Pier.

Alternatively, if you are not worried about starting at the very start, stay somewhere like Burbank which is closer to Universal and will save you an hour on your first day of Route 66.

[dee slack]

Originally Posted by 400ixl

I would stay in Anaheim to do Disney and Knotts Berry (but stay in a good neighbour hotel and use Max Pass), then move to Santa Monica. From there you can get across to Universal, Warner Bros, Griffith Observatory etc. That way you will be in the right place to start Route 66 as it ends on Santa Monica Pier.

Alternatively, if you are not worried about starting at the very start, stay somewhere like Burbank which is closer to Universal and will save you an hour on your first day of Route 66.

See more...

thanks for the advice.
So for the Good Neighbour hotel, would you still get the extra morning hour? Are there any other benefits for staying on site, other than the hour? I've been to DL 3 times previously (between 1984 and 2002) but never stayed on site so not sure if it would be worth the extra cost, or would it be worth a split stay even, perhaps first 2 or 3 nights we arrive at a GN hotel (for Knotts and 1 day Disney) then 2 nights Disney hotel (for morning hours) before moving to Santa Monica?

[sky13]

Last year I spent 7 nights in Anaheim, split staying the Fairfield Inn (3 nights) with the Grand Californian (4 nights).

On-site at DL is very different from on-site at WDW and has arguably less benefits than on-site at WDW. The main advantages of on-site were:
- Distance to the parks - the GCH has its own entrance into DCA and you can't get much closer than that. However keep in mind that the DLH and PPH may actually be further away from the parks than some of the off-site hotels along Harbor Boulevard like BWPPI and Tropicana.
- EMH. Frankly only really worth it for DCA EMH, as DCA EMH is restricted to on-site guests only. DL EMH is shared with DL magic mornings which is open to off-site guests with a 3 day or longer ticket (one magic morning per ticket).
- Delivery back to hotel and charging back to room - didn't use either of these benefits.

A lot of people at DL choose to stay off-site, as the price differential is pretty huge between on-site and off-site and you don't get that much more benefit from staying on-site.

But I will add that I have absolutely zero regrets about paying the extra premium for staying on-site at the GCH last year. I deliberated over this for weeks (GCH was basically about three times the cost per night of the Fairfield Inn, even with a room discount) and finally decided that I wasn't likely to head back to DL any time soon and I should just stay at the GCH.

We loved the GCH - rooms were newly refurbished and super comfortable and well thought out, the lobby was amazing to walk through and the fireplace was lovely, was so easy to get to/from the parks that I'd just head back to my room to drop off my jacket when it started getting warmer in the middle of the day, didn't have to cross a single road during the entire stay, kept heading back to the room whenever we wanted to to take a break, CMs were invariably great, got to do the 6am power walk through DCA... Also we were there over Christmas so the entire atmosphere was even better with the Christmas tree, gingerbread house, Santa and handbell carollers in the lobby.

We loved the GCH to the point that we're still talking about it 3 months later! And while I would have likely had a perfectly OK stay at the Fairfield for the whole week, it wouldn't have been anywhere as memorable and perfect as having stayed those few nights at the GCH.

But again - everyone's experience and preferences will vary! So it will depend on whether you feel like going for an on-site stay is worth it for you and your party?

[Olympiad]

Hi - as above, it makes sense to do Universal last and probably base yourself in or near Santa Monica so you are at the start of R66.

A couple of years ago we did part of R66 from Santa Fe to LA, aim to go back and do the section to Chicago at some point.

[Chelsea21]

In a previous year we’ve done a few nights in LA to get settled and did Universal, WB tour and a bus tour, then moved to Anaheim for a few days to do Disney, and finished with about 3 nights in Santa Monica, which I found to be a really chilled and relaxing day to end the holiday.

This year we’re starting with San Fran, then Anaheim, and then Vegas.

Hope that gives you a couple of ideas x