Aussie Disneyland Planners come on in and lets plan together :)

[ehsmum]

I ended up getting the SoCal passes from Universal as the dollar is good today. I could muck around trying to buy a Costco membership with a fake address and then have the dollar drop anyway I'm just glad to have them booked finally!

I noticed the All You Can Eat pass at Universal Studios - that seems like a very good deal. Unlimited meals for $17.96 per person. I think we'll definitely get that as well. That way we could have both lunch and dinner inside the park relatively cheaply.

I'm not going to pre-purchase Legoland tickets just in case we decide to skip it. We'll play it by ear when we're there.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I ended up getting the SoCal passes from Universal as the dollar is good today. I could muck around trying to buy a Costco membership with a fake address and then have the dollar drop anyway I'm just glad to have them booked finally!

I noticed the All You Can Eat pass at Universal Studios - that seems like a very good deal. Unlimited meals for $17.96 per person. I think we'll definitely get that as well. That way we could have both lunch and dinner inside the park relatively cheaply.

I'm not going to pre-purchase Legoland tickets just in case we decide to skip it. We'll play it by ear when we're there.

Excellent! The SoCal is a great deal. and Yes, great exchange rate.
That's an interesting All you can Eat pass for Universal. Is the price for adults; with kids pricing cheaper? Is there example menus for the different counter service/restaurant places for you to do a price comparison? When we went to Universal, I remember there being lots of counter service places - and can't remember the restaurants. Because this was in 2008, some of the counter service places were closed! Pizza and hotdogs were what we got for lunch and I'm sure we got pizza plus drink for less than $20 for the 3 of us. The restaurants were in CityWalk...which is where we ended up for dinner. If the All you can Eat includes the restaurants in CityWalk, then yes - great deal!

 

[ehsmum]

Here's the link:

http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/ticket_all_you_can_eat.html

Looks like it's going up after 15 May, so it won't be so cheap for us after all. New price is $22.46 pp for everyone over 48inches tall (which I'm sure all my kids are). Looks like it's only inside the park? It's been a long time since I was at Universal - 1996! - so I don't remember the food situation at all.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Here's the link:

http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/ticket_all_you_can_eat.html

Looks like it's going up after 15 May, so it won't be so cheap for us after all. New price is $22.46 pp for everyone over 48inches tall (which I'm sure all my kids are). Looks like it's only inside the park? It's been a long time since I was at Universal - 1996! - so I don't remember the food situation at all.

I didn't like the food options at US. We only had the pizza/pasta place available in 2008 because no one was going to the parks due to GFC and all the others were shut. I don't even think it (the all u can eat) was available when I went...but I wasn't on the look out for this. From memory, a piece of pizza was about $6 and iced water was free. At $22.46 that it's about $100 for a family of 4! And you still have to buy drinks. You might want to check this out on the Universal section of DL/Other Parks section for the American views? Or perhaps another Aussie knows more?

We had dinner at City Walk...found a japanese place and our meal there came to about $50 (inc tips). You might be better off checking the restaurants there and then working out how best to spend the money.

 

[ehsmum]

I guess I'm used to Australian meal prices so it sounds cheap to me. We never spend less then $100 to eat out (family of 5). So $100 for all day sounds good, although if the food's crap then it won't be worth it! I'll do a bit more research before deciding.

Thanks for all your advice, Princess . It's been many years since I've been to the US and this is the first time I'm taking my kids, so I'm trying to make the most of it!

 

[Saskiwi]

Hi everyone - Nice to meet you! I read through the bulk of the thread last week and thought I'd drop in and say hello - we're planning on travelling to CA in September 2011, my best friend lives in Orange County and we're planning about 4-5 nights at HoJo's during our 3 weeks over there.

I visited Disneyland as a 5 year old when we moved to NZ from the UK, but all I remember is being terrified on POTC and eating some french fries. I've also been to Tokyo Disneyland but that was about 22 years ago so is a rather distant memory too.

I didn't want to lurk without saying 'hi' - I 'm sure as time goes on I'll post on a more regular basis, but I have managed to work myself up into a Disney frenzy already!

Kia ora glara - yay someone else planning a second half of 2011 trip! - we visited DL exactly a year ago and had the most amazing time. the kids want to go back for Halloween, so we're aiming for next year.

We stayed at Hojo's for 9 nights (6 day DL pass) so if you have any queries will be happy to help. I did a trip report from a Kiwi perspective too, so click on my name if you want to check it out .
cheers, Sarah

 

[aussiegirls]

ehsmum, when we were there in Oct I thought about getting the all you can eat pass but at the last minute I decided not too and I have to say I was extremely glad that I didn't.

The food at Universal is, put quite simply, gross. We really struggled to find a place that had food that we even wanted to eat and ended up settling on 2 slices of pizza between the 3 of us. We bought a few little snacks and things but really didn't eat much there at all. In fact if I ever went again (which I highly doubt) I would bring my own food in.

xxx

 

[glara]

Kia ora glara - yay someone else planning a second half of 2011 trip! - we visited DL exactly a year ago and had the most amazing time. the kids want to go back for Halloween, so we're aiming for next year.

We stayed at Hojo's for 9 nights (6 day DL pass) so if you have any queries will be happy to help. I did a trip report from a Kiwi perspective too, so click on my name if you want to check it out .
cheers, Sarah

Hi Sarah - from a Sara 'without the h'! Am so glad there is someone else as organised (nd excited!) as me! Thanks so much for pointing me to your trip report, I loved hearing about it and will print it when I get home from work...shouldn't really be online at the moment but am slightly addicted!

 

[ehsmum]

ehsmum, when we were there in Oct I thought about getting the all you can eat pass but at the last minute I decided not too and I have to say I was extremely glad that I didn't.

The food at Universal is, put quite simply, gross. We really struggled to find a place that had food that we even wanted to eat and ended up settling on 2 slices of pizza between the 3 of us. We bought a few little snacks and things but really didn't eat much there at all. In fact if I ever went again (which I highly doubt) I would bring my own food in.

xxx

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like we might want to eat outside the park! Can you go in and out of the park on the same day? We have breakfast included at our hotel so now I'm thinking if we can eat at CityWalk for lunch then go back in to the park for the afternoon and then head down to Santa Monica or somewhere else for dinner.

 

[aussiegirls]

I am pretty sure you can come and go as you please from Universal. They take your fingerprint when you go in and will give you a hand stamp when you leave in case you want to come back in.

There are some nice restaurants in the City Walk. A few that we ate at were Bubba Gumps and Hard Rock Cafe. There is also a Bubba Gumps on Santa Monica Pier so if you are going to eat at BG at all I would personally suggest the Santa Monica one. Not because the food or anything is any better but a nice dinner on Santa Monica pier at night is lovely. I reckon if you go at night, to go on the ferris wheel. We went on it at night (actually at sunset) and it was absolutely divine

xxx

 

[kiwitinkerbell]

Hi Sarah - from a Sara 'without the h'! Am so glad there is someone else as organised (nd excited!) as me! Thanks so much for pointing me to your trip report, I loved hearing about it and will print it when I get home from work...shouldn't really be online at the moment but am slightly addicted!

Hi Sarah with an 'h' and Sara without an 'h'! I'm another Kiwi planning a trip for January 2011. I think we are going to stay at Candy Cane Inn.

We need to get to Disney following our cruise from Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro. Does anyone know how we could do that?

Jen

 

[1rocky]

i have not done this so others may be able to help more. But you may be able to arrange a shuttle bus or car to get to Disneyland. There are three of us traveling from Universal studios to Disneyland and we are arranging for a car to take us there. the more people you have the cheaper it would be. I came across a company while searching the net called Prime and they do transfers from LA and the cruise terminal and visa versa. but hopefully others may be able to help.

 

[rossip]

i have not done this so others may be able to help more. But you may be able to arrange a shuttle bus or car to get to Disneyland. .

Yes you can do this - sorry can't remember any names a simple search should yield soem options - Anaheim Visitor Centre could help too.

But seriously its an easy drive to Universal - Freeway all the way - took us about an 1.15 at 8.00am ish -come home when you're ready - just hire a car for the day - way cheaper !!

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I have been on the boards, but am back to the swing of things now! Thought I would share my excitement with everyone!!!
We have officially paid for the whole of our trip..................DH and I practically skipped out of the travel agency!!!
So, itinerary is thus................
Leaving on Monday 29th November straight to San Fran
3 nights San Fran
Flying then to the gorgeous Las Vegas where we shall be residing in Caesers Palace for 4 nights!
Then off to Anaheim via Chevrolet Trailblazer!!!
21 glorious Disney days to follow!!! ( including Christmas Day and my birthday at DL!!! )
I know I have mentioned previously that we are buying the premium DL annual passes, but just wondering if anyone has purchased one lately and if you bought it online?
Can't believe we only have 168 sleeps to go!!!

Cheers
Minnie Sue