How are you going to get there?

We have found some really good deals on airfare, (see my first post, Planning a dream vacation in the real world), so have chosen to fly to Disneyland in the past. We have considered driving, though and here are some of the pros and cons of driving or flying. flying- Pros - You have more time to spend at the resort, instead of en route. Less time kids have to spend in the car. You don't have to worry about mountain passes that may be icy. Cons - usually more expensive, hassles with going through security, limitations on what you can pack, have to pay for shuttle or cab. Driving Pros - Can bring more food,snacks, & water save money on buying food at home. Usually less expensive, Enjoy driving through new places, Have car to drive at destination. Cons- Kids & Adults get tired of spending so much time in the car, (about 16 hr drive), possibly less time available to spend at the park. Either way you go, it's a good idea to bring stuff to keep the kids occupied. Our family does not watch movies :0 so we bring gameboys, mp3 players, coloring items (check the dollar store for some disney stuff) books, card games, candy, gum (essential for an airplane flight). Another tip for flying with kids: It's much easier to get kids on and off shuttle buses and airplanes if you have less luggage. We put clothes & everything needed for 3 kids and 2 adults into 2 carry on suitcases & 3 backpacks. Bring those small folding travel bags you can tuck into your suitcase in case you end up going home with more than you came with :)

We took three kids under the age of 8 years old to Disneyland!

How did we do it and have fun? Here are a few things that worked for us. Tip #1: Get a double stroller. If you don't have a really good one of your own rent one. We used http://www.citystrollerrentals.com/Disneyland-Stroller-Rentals.html They were great, and there were no hassles with trying to get one on an airplane. Their strollers are really good quality and easy to push. Even if your kids have outgrown a stroller the rest of the time, you are going to want one in Disneyland. A stroller is a place to put your drink, extra jackets, snacks, diapers, sunglasses, and anything else you don't want to hold. A stroller keeps kids from getting separated in a crowd.

We also brought a bicycle lock for the stroller that my 7 year old son was responsible for locking and unlocking. The extra money spent on this is worth it. I would also consider adding the case of water to your order if you don't have a car. Otherwise you will end up paying 1.00-3.00 a bottle anywhere within walking distance. Second idea for traveling with kids. Waist Packs for each child- put granola and trail mix packs in them to cut down on money spent on food. They can also carry some of their own money (don't put all of their vacation money in it, they might easily lose it.) Also I pinned a ribbon inside for their trading pins. This kept the pins handy and safe. Tip #3 Don't forget the Sunscreen, Hats and Sunglasses. If you are traveling in the winter time it might be cold in your state, but you will more than likely see sun in California. The Disney shops do carry it if you forget but of course it's more expensive.

A review of 2 hotels across the street from Disneyland

I would like to review a couple of the hotels we have stayed in for our vacations. We love to stay right across the street and there are several good and budget friendly hotels. This is a huge money saving step. These hotels are generally less than 1/2 the price of any of the Disney hotels. The first one we stayed at was the Anaheim Desert Inn. It is directly across the street from Disneyland, only about 30 seconds from the front of the hotel to the crosswalk to Disneyland. This hotel was great for us. We found a really good rate, directly from their website, the room was clean and very large. We got a two room suite with 4 beds 1.5 baths and a loveseat. The secret to a good rate here is to book REALLY EARLY. Like 3+months early. I did this and got the room for around 100.00. The next year I did not book early enough and the rate was around 175+. So we reserved rooms at the Best Western Park Place this hotel does not have two room suites so we booked two connecting rooms. The two best things about this hotel is their location (right next to the crosswalk to Disneyland), and their Deluxe Continental Breakfast that is free. One less meal to purchase every day can save you a lot of money. It worked great for us. (More on saving money on meals in a later post.) The secret to a great rate at this hotel? Go directly to their website, put in the dates you want, it will pull up the best available rates. Click on more rates, it will pull up the no-car discount. This rate was 25.00+ a night, cheaper than any other rate I could find on this room anywhere else on the internet. A couple tips for this hotel. Register for the rewards program and if you have a business, register in the business name. You will get rewards faster. Ask for a room that is close to the front of the property if you want a shorter walk. Ask for a hotel near the back if you want quieter rooms. The downside for the Desert Inn: small crowded breakfast room, not much selection. Staff is not so friendly as at Best Western Park Place. The downside for the Best Western Park Place: rooms a little on the small side, compared to Desert Inn.

Planning a dream vacation in the real world

I know Disneyland and Budget sound like an oxymoron. The cost of a week at the Happiest Place On Earth seems to rise every year. I happen to be a Chronic Budget hunter, it's always painful to have to pay full price, but we managed to find bargains on every part of our trip. This blog is to share them with you. First step to saving money on your vacation: Start Planning early. I began planning 4-5 months before our estimated travel dates. This gives you time to watch for sales on airfare, sign up for deals from hotels at their website, buy gift cards ect, (more on this later.) Off Season Strategy You will save the most money by planning to travel in the off season. You can go to individual hotel sites and use the reservation calendar to find the best weeks with the lowest rates. Airfare tips There are various fare minder programs you can use with various airlines that will notify you when the rates go down. We found the very lowest rates 2 years in a row, the Sunday right after Thanksgiving when Alaska Airlines winter sale started. The first year was about 100.00 per person ROUND TRIP, the next year was about 127.00 per person ROUND TRIP. That's from Oregon to the SNA Orange County airport. (That's the closest airport to Disneyland by the way and really convenient for families since it's a small airport." That's it for this post, my next post will discuss hotel options and bargains.