DW veteran first time coming to Disneyland and the west

[Mousefan mom]

Hello!

We have went to DW so many times, we'd like to try something new this summer. I've had mixed reviews on what to expect if its compared to the World, but we would love to see the Nostalgia of the "first" Disney. We plan to stay onsite, we are hoping to stay 4 nights, is that enough time? We normally go to DW for 8 nights. I am looking for some other suggests on places to say (we are a family size of 5 so that limits some hotels) and things to do on the non-Disney days? We may fly in (from the East coast) to Denver or Vegas, and rent a car from there so we'd have access to transportation.

Thanks!

 

[Khokhonutt]

If you haven't already, check out A DLR Guide for WDW Vets. It's great info for a WDW vet making their first trip to DLR.

 

[chickapin parterre]

so once you leave vegas, how many days do you have to arrive at Disneyland?

There is alot to see between the two cities. The original Cadillac range can be seen , a unique route 66 can be experienced very easy, London bridge is easy to see. Pee wee herman is easy to see, world's only thrill ride is in palm springs. Of course summer will make the stops quick.

 

[tarheelalum]

Driving from Denver to Orange County would be horrible. Vegas is not that bad as long as it's not on a Sunday or holiday weekend. But why not just fly into Orange County and save yourself the drive?

If you really want to see and ride lots of attractions I'd say 5 days would be better than 4 but diffenately don't go lower than 4. The crowds will take a lot of time to deal with. And be careful the time of the summer you visit. Early June has nice weather and surprisingly low crowds (low for dland) the past few years. Later in the summer it gets really hot.

 

[hsmamato2]

4-6 days is nice, if you love the disney details like I do- 'onsite' means something different here than WDW- personally, I'd choose a decent hotel within walking distance down Harbor or Katella,and stay there- then you don't have to worry about driving to and from parks. I've visited twice, and both times stayed on Katella,would do it again. I feel like a drive from Vegas is very doable,if you have the time. IMHO getting tix from a discount place like LMT and staying nearby(not "onsite') is about the same- at WDW I Love onsite, but that's b/c it's a whole resort unto itself. I enjoy DL very much too.... esp. the characters,much easier access and interaction at DL.(actually resembles the commercials,with characters and kids skipping around the park randomly,unlike at WDW)I think we waited 30 seconds to visit Anna and Elsa....

 

[Mousefan mom]

Thank you so much to everyone who replied! You all helped a lot!

 

[prestoncaldwell]

so once you leave vegas, how many days do you have to arrive at Disneyland?

There is alot to see between the two cities. The original Cadillac range can be seen , a unique route 66 can be experienced very easy, London bridge is easy to see. Pee wee herman is easy to see, world's only thrill ride is in palm springs. Of course summer will make the stops quick.

Cadillac Ranch is outside Amarillo, TX? Route 66 and London Bridge would be doable, but with a couple hour detour from the fastest path from Las Vegas to Anaheim. If I were to take the sscenic long way, I'd also take 95 down to 62 and drive through Joshua Tree National monument. You'd see hard desert through Twentynine Palms, and some pretty flora through Joshua Tree. Also see one of the original wind farms I know of, at the intersect of 62 and 10.

 

[Nevada Jen]

Its not a horrible idea to fly into Vegas if you have never been. I think Denver is going to get you more driving than you bargained for with at least 15 hours of insanely boring desert driving (and I have subtracted out the beautiful desert driving from my calcs). Here is the other problem with Vegas, the weather is going to be miserable. Personally, I would either fly into northern CA and drive down (although I think some of that is similar to east coast scenery) or fly into San Diego and drive up. You could fly into San Diego and spend however many days you want (how many probably depends on the age of your crew and whether you want to hit the zoo and Seaworld) and then drive to Disney at about 7 PM. That would avoid most traffic. Another fun option if you have young kids (younger than 8) is a night at the LEGOLAND hotel, which is insanely cool, Another option is flying into Orange county and driving to Palm Springs. There is a great outlet mall in between the two and that drive will give you some exposure to the best of the desert without killing you with the driving. I would do that mid-trip. Despite what others say, I think on site has huge advantages in the summer. I would say staying on site is worth it for at least a couple of days. You get early entry on your check in and check out days, so you might be able to figure out a way to time it with San Diego or Palm Springs to use early entry 3 days. Early entry is extremely helpful for DCA as only on site hotel guests get it.

 

[chickapin parterre]

The idea of using Cadillacs . may have come from amarillo, but the use of them in a mountain range, in the theme of Carsland, came from the area of arizonia, nevada border as well as other mountain ranges. Dropping down into that area from vegas, the mountains, it is easy to see Raditor Srpings set up agisnt those rugged rock mountians carved by the wind, into a variety of car shapes. And then there is Oatman on 66, folks from the east coast looking for the wild west, will find there. Of course all of this mute in the summer.

 

[Khokhonutt]

Cadillac Ranch is outside Amarillo, TX?

You are correct.

Since you're from the east coast, as others have suggested, I'll throw out there that you really don't realize how big the states are out west until you've driven through them. I'm not trying to turn you off of driving (we're driving out there from North Carolina, so I won't throw stones), it's just a reality. Higher speed limits make the miles go by faster, but there's still a lot of country out there to cross. We're going to be driving out the Vegas, to meet a couple of our kids, then we'll drive down to Anaheim. We're just going to run the direct route from Vegas to LA, but we're going to heed the warnings others have made about avoiding peak times on Fridays and Sundays.

You also mention a family of 5. For what it's worth, we've got a suite reserved at Best Western Plus Park Place Inn & Mini Suites and we're going to have 5 adults. That hotel is right across from the parks.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Certainly, the Cadillac range was inspired by both the Cadillac Ranch and the windswept peaks and buttes found in various parts of Northern Az. I just didn't want anyone driving all over Searchlight to Kingman looking for the famous Cadillac Range (it doesn't exist).

 

[prestoncaldwell]

You are correct.

Since you're from the east coast, as others have suggested, I'll throw out there that you really don't realize how big the states are out west until you've driven through them. I'm not trying to turn you off of driving (we're driving out there from North Carolina, so I won't throw stones), it's just a reality. Higher speed limits make the miles go by faster, but there's still a lot of country out there to cross. We're going to be driving out the Vegas, to meet a couple of our kids, then we'll drive down to Anaheim. We're just going to run the direct route from Vegas to LA, but we're going to heed the warnings others have made about avoiding peak times on Fridays and Sundays.

You also mention a family of 5. For what it's worth, we've got a suite reserved at Best Western Plus Park Place Inn & Mini Suites and we're going to have 5 adults. That hotel is right across from the parks.

To be specific, avoid I-15 Sourthbound to SoCal any time on Sunday but particularly on Sunday afternoon, and avoid I-15 Northbound to Vegas on Friday afternoon and evening. There is heavier traffic both directions on Saturday, but not as bad as Friday and Sunday, depending on your direction.

If you must drive on those days, look at the path that takes you down to Palm Springs than across. It is like 3 hours longer on a good I-15 day, but it could save you that much time on a bad I-15 day.

 

[Khokhonutt]

To be specific, avoid I-15 Sourthbound to SoCal any time on Sunday but particularly on Sunday afternoon, and avoid I-15 Northbound to Vegas on Friday afternoon and evening. There is heavier traffic both directions on Saturday, but not as bad as Friday and Sunday, depending on your direction.

If you must drive on those days, look at the path that takes you down to Palm Springs than across. It is like 3 hours longer on a good I-15 day, but it could save you that much time on a bad I-15 day.

Our current plan is to be on the road no later than 5am on Sunday to drive Vegas to LA. We'll be driving back on Saturday, would I be accurate that earlier is better then as well?

It looks like the route you're talking about through Palm Springs would be dropping south out of Barstow on 247 to Yucca Valley, then 62 to I10. Is that correct? Are you saying the worst of the traffic is typically in closer to LA? I had always assumed the issue might be if someone wrecked or broke down in the desert between Barstow and Vegas. We talked about getting out early from Vegas on the way down and I had thought about stopping for breakfast around Barstow or Victorville. I guess either one of those would give us the option to take the long way if thing go sideways in LA.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Certainly, the Cadillac range was inspired by both the Cadillac Ranch and the windswept peaks and buttes found in various parts of Northern Az. I just didn't want anyone driving all over Searchlight to Kingman looking for the famous Cadillac Range (it doesn't exist).

so that is not a caddy tail light in Oatman?

 

[chickapin parterre]

well cell phones have made the desert more comforting, but in all its "backwardness" californina has a unque system of phones along the interstates. Now I have never used one, but they there were many in place between bakersfield and nv border. And with the volume of traffic now out there, breaking down is not all that of an issue. but do have water in the car in case an accident ahead of you stalls traffic and always be prepared to spend hours, somewhere, the volume of traffic today makes it hard to clear out problems

if it wasn't summer time, but a winter trip there is much to see if they have sand dunes, salad bowl of the united states, Transformer Dam, palm trees in groves and the intersection of 62 of 10 is probably the top intersection in the united states, other than four corners, that offers opportunity, to the north you have the high desert and its quirky sites, to the east,leaving cochella valley, Palm Springs, to the south, that beauty of mountan Jacinto, and to the west, well in the 60s, the west was a long ways, a long ways, so a fellow to entertain us E-ticket book kids, and bulit this huge dinosaur.

and speaking of searchlight, if a president can be born in yorba Linda and raised in whittier, why is remarkable that someone can grow up in Searchlight

 

[Donathius]

Unless there's something in Denver or between Denver and Vegas you really want to see - I say fly to Vegas. I live in Utah and have family in Denver and driving from Denver into Utah and then heading south towards Las Vegas is a VERY long VERY uninteresting drive with one really unpleasant portion as you drive through the Virgin River gorge in Arizona - if you hit that at night make sure you're on good terms with your deity of choice. If you really want to see some of the national parks and stuff in southern Utah fly to Vegas and drive - it's 2-4 hours depending on where you want to go (Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion National Park, etc.). Far better than driving from Denver. Seriously...don't fly into Denver to drive to Vegas unless you've got a REALLY good reason.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Our current plan is to be on the road no later than 5am on Sunday to drive Vegas to LA. We'll be driving back on Saturday, would I be accurate that earlier is better then as well?

It looks like the route you're talking about through Palm Springs would be dropping south out of Barstow on 247 to Yucca Valley, then 62 to I10. Is that correct? Are you saying the worst of the traffic is typically in closer to LA? I had always assumed the issue might be if someone wrecked or broke down in the desert between Barstow and Vegas. We talked about getting out early from Vegas on the way down and I had thought about stopping for breakfast around Barstow or Victorville. I guess either one of those would give us the option to take the long way if thing go sideways in LA.

You wouldn't go to Barstow. Most of the slowdowns are between Vegas and Barstow when traffic is insane. Even taking I-15 just to Nipton road (~45 miles out of Vegas and 10 miles beyond the state line) can add over an hour to your normal drive when every human being with a home in SoCal wants to get back to that home from Vegas.

You would either take 95 through Searchlight and Havasu and then drop down to 62, or you could take 164 off 95 Between Vegas and Searchlight, go through Nipton, then instead of jumping on I-15, take the route through Cima, Kelso, and Amboy to 62. 62 to 10, 10 into the LA Basin, then let Google or Waze guide you on the best route to Anaheim depending on current traffic conditions. I love the backroads and would take the Cima/Kelso/Amboy route every time if I were single, but you will go many miles without seeing any sign of human life, so it's a journey I wouldn't take in a car with questionable mechanical condition or tires.

 

[Khokhonutt]

You wouldn't go to Barstow. Most of the slowdowns are between Vegas and Barstow when traffic is insane. Even taking I-15 just to Nipton road (~45 miles out of Vegas and 10 miles beyond the state line) can add over an hour to your normal drive when every human being with a home in SoCal wants to get back to that home from Vegas.

You would either take 95 through Searchlight and Havasu and then drop down to 62, or you could take 164 off 95 Between Vegas and Searchlight, go through Nipton, then instead of jumping on I-15, take the route through Cima, Kelso, and Amboy to 62. 62 to 10, 10 into the LA Basin, then let Google or Waze guide you on the best route to Anaheim depending on current traffic conditions. I love the backroads and would take the Cima/Kelso/Amboy route every time if I were single, but you will go many miles without seeing any sign of human life, so it's a journey I wouldn't take in a car with questionable mechanical condition or tires.

Thanks for the info. So you think avoid I-15, even if we can be on the road no later than 5am? I looked at the routes you suggested, I guess I-40 is not suggested because you would eventually hit I-15 in Barstow? I have to admit, just as a bucket list item, I'd be tempted to run 95 to I-40 to Barstow, just to say I'd driven I-40, end to end.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Thanks for the info. So you think avoid I-15, even if we can be on the road no later than 5am? I looked at the routes you suggested, I guess I-40 is not suggested because you would eventually hit I-15 in Barstow? I have to admit, just as a bucket list item, I'd be tempted to run 95 to I-40 to Barstow, just to say I'd driven I-40, end to end.

You should be alright at 5 AM. Just know that you won't be the only travelers for whom the early departure light bulb went on.

Also be aware that in the extreme hours, if there is an accident along the route, it takes much, much longer to clear up than during normal hours, simply because there are fewer emergency crews and they may have to travel farther to get to the site. Use Google Maps or Waze and trust them if they advise a detour.