Regal Summer Movies

Throughout the summer, in theaters all over the country, Regal offers $1 summer movies for kids!  We have been attending this since the boys were little and are looking forward to another summer with a lineup of great choices.

When summer heat gets brutal, this is a great place to escape with the kids!  We typically arrive an hour early to ensure we get good seats.  The theater can sell out, so plan on arriving early so you aren't shut out or down in those front rows.

Movies are played on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 am.

Each theater plays the same pair of movies, but start times are different.  You can go here to get information for your local theater.  

Here is the list of movies they will be playing:

You can also find out what fun things are happening in the Roseville - Sacramento area this summer right here.

Card Table Makeover

This last weekend was my lucky weekend!  Maybe it was the St. Patrick's Day magic in the air, but more than likely it was God placing me in just the right positions to score big.

Not only did I score the FREE BOB jogging stroller, on Sunday morning while messing around on Facebook, another deal popped up.  Are you familiar with any of the yard sale sites on Facebook these days?  I love them!  I have been able to sell a bunch of stuff to set  money aside for our Walt Disney World trip.  As I was looking at one of the sites I am on, a local lady posted that she was giving away some junky card tables for free.  I am in a Bunco group and we often have parties or yard sales where extra tables come in handy so I NEEDED these tables.  I hopped in the jeep and hurried over.  Thankfully, I was the first to arrive and took both of the card tables.  They actually were not in bad shape and I knew immediately that these would be great makeover stories.

To do this you will want:
a card table (duh)
1 1/2 yards fabric
1 1/2 yards 4 gauge clear vinyl
staple gun with short staples (I used 1/4")
screwdriver
scissors

Start to finish (if I do not include being interrupted by mommyhood) was under 2 hours.  Almost everything I needed I already had at home.  The only thing I felt I should get was 4 gauge vinyl, to protect the top and make it "waterproof."  JoAnne's sells this for $2.99/yard and I used a 40% off coupon for the yard and a half I purchased. So for $2.70 was all I spent on this project.

My husband took the top off the first table before I took a picture, but the top only had a few snags in it.  First thing was to remove the top which was really easy.  Just locate the screws and remember to place them in a safe spot so you can reattach the top later.

You may want to wipe down the frame and pull off any tape that is stuck on it.  Mine had duct tape on two of the legs from holding down a tablecloth at some point.  After it is clean enough for you, spray paint it.  I prefer the spray paint that does a double coat since it requires less work.  I chose a light pink that I had on hand.

While that dries, lay out your fabric.  I had this amazing pink tattoo flash print that I have been holding on to for YEARS that I decided to use.  Trim it to fit, leaving a good inch all the way around.  Now you will staple it to the underside of the table.  I folded mine under so it looked nicer.  Of course, I forgot to take a picture of this step.  After that is done, repeat this procedure with the clear vinyl.

That is basically it!  Now you just reattach the top to the (dried) frame and you are good to go!

I just love how my table turned out!  It suits me perfectly.

Cleaning Your BOB Stroller

So, the other night we were exhausted from a double-header day of baseball, 6-months photos for the baby, and just general cleaning around the house.  I was not in the mood to make dinner and had forgotten to toss something in the crock pot that morning.  So, the kids and I loaded up and headed out to grab some dinner from Chick-fil-A with the stack of free food coupons I won awhile back.

As I started the drive, I decided that the 15 minute drive was too far so I went to grab a pizza instead.  This turned out to be the best decision ever.

This particular pizza place is next door to a Goodwill Donation Center.  As I was backing out, two men were attempting to drop off some strollers - including a BOB jogging stroller.  Goodwill cannot accept these items because of the sheer number of recalls placed on children's equipment.  So, I mustered up some boldness, rolled down my window, and asked if they needed to get rid of the strollers.  The men eagerly responded with, "Yes!  Do you want them?"

You don't have to ask me twice!  I pulled up alongside the gentlemen and they helped me load a very dirty BOB into my SUV (thank goodness I had the room that day!)  We exchanged a few pleasantries and I went on my way.  I couldn't believe my luck!

Once home, I took a good look at this stroller.  It was filthy, but in otherwise great working condition.  There was shredded tarp wrapped around one of the wheels, cat fur and bark in the basket, spiderwebs and dust coated the whole thing, flat tires, but nothing I couldn't fix.  So I set to work.  Before I started washing though, my husband removed the wheels to get the shredded tarp off.

First thing when cleaning your BOB Stroller, you want to give it a good vacuum, to pick up any loose dirt and debris.

Next, pull out your car washing supplies.  These strollers are meant for the outdoors so this will not harm them.  We happened to be out of car wash soap, but I always have blue Dawn on hand for cloth diapers.  That stuff is magic!  I took the scrub brush and soapy water and scrubbed it all over.

After a thorough rinse, I placed it in the sun to dry.  It was a warm day, so this didn't take long.

Looking at it, it looks practically new.  The straps are in amazing condition and this stroller even has the cup holder attachment.  The stroller retails over $300 and the cup holder for over $20.  And I got the whole thing for free + elbow grease.  I'd say it was a good weekend!  I cannot wait to take this for a run and try it out.

{365} Challenge: Organize the Cords

Today's Challenge: Organize the Cords

A few years ago I went to the Alameda Antique Faire (amazing!) with a friend and found this great little vintage luggage piece.  I didn't know what to use it for at the time, but it eventually became a great spot for storing the cords we use for our electronics.  However, this little box has become a nest that any bird would be grateful to lay an egg in.

Saturday's are baseball days which means that I need the phone and camcorder charged to capture the moments and I do not have spare time to hunt down the chargers.  It was time to tackle this task.

In all honesty, this took less than 10 minutes, which makes it worse that I have put it off.  I grabbed some plastic baggies and labeled them with what the cords belong to.  Then I neatly stacked them in the box, with the extension cord that we use most often on top.  

I actually feel better having accomplished this menial task.

You can catch up on my challenges here.

{365} Challenge: Donate to the SPCA

Today's Challenge: Donate to the SPCA

If I could adopt all of the animals there, I would in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately, my home cannot accommodate that many critters.  In an effort to help, I went and donated to the Placer SPCA.  Here in my town, you can help out by donating money, donating items for their thrift store, and adopting pets.  There are tons of cutie pies waiting for a forever home.  You can get information on what animals are available at their website here.

There is also a special going on through the 17th for pet adoptions - only $14!!!  Adoptions usually cost over $100, so this is a great deal if you have been looking for a pet.

You can catch up on my challenges here.

Conserving Water

I live in Northern California, just 20 minutes away from Folsom Lake, which is more of a pond than a lake currently.  While the other half of the country is experiencing massive storms and freezing snow, we have barely had any rain.  In my town we have only enjoyed two rainy days this winter and even those only lasted a few hours.

A few weeks ago, with a drought expected, the husband and I started thinking about ways we can help cut back our water use.  Not only do we want to be good stewards of this precious and important resource, we do not want to get fined if the city decides to go that route for overuse of water.

Here are the ways we are preparing for the severe water restrictions and drought and how we are cutting back.

1. Run the dishwasher only when full.
2. One cup per person a day - no dirtying multiple cups.
3. Cut back on dishes used; serve meals straight from the pots and pans, no serving ware. 
4. Run the washing machine only with a full load.
5. Stick to one outfit a day.  (this means that if we are planning to go to the gym, wear gym gear until we go.)
6. Wear the same pajama's several nights in a row (or none at all! )
7. Use towels a few times before washing.
8. Water the lawn only once or twice a week and only for 10 minutes.  On warm/hot days do this when the kids can run through the sprinklers for a cool down.
9. Cut showers down to 5 minutes (it can be done!)  
10. Turn the water off while shaving legs, face, underarms, etc.
11. Keep water off while brushing teeth.
12. You have heard the saying, "If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down."?  Yup!  We are trying to flush about every other time we go #1.
13. When waiting for water to warm up, while either starting the sink or shower, collect water in a bucket and use that water for animals or plants.
14. Boiling water for eggs?  Use the hot water afterwards to kill weeds - or let it cool and water your plants.
15. We have been stocking up on bottled water; just in case.
16. Soak pots and pans before washing them - it will save you water to let the food loosen rather than scrubbing and rinsing and repeating.
17. When changing the water in your pet's bowl, dump the old water in a plant.
18. Avoid rinsing dishes; scrape the excess food into the garbage.  Your dishwasher is capable of cleaning the dishes just fine.
19. Dishwashers use less water than hand-washing.  Use it with everything that you can.
20. Defrost food in the refrigerator and not in a sink of water.
21. Collect water on rainy days to use for plants later.

How else can we conserve?

Tips and Secrets for Disneyland

In my previous blog post, I shared some ways that we save money at Disneyland,  Today, I will be sharing things you shouldn't miss while you are there and tips to make your trip more enjoyable and special.

1. If you are celebrating anything (birthday, anniversary, wedding, engagement, first visit, honeymoon, retirement, family reunion, etc.) stop into Guest Services once you enter the park.  In Disneyland, this is to the left, before you reach the Fire Station.  At California Adventure, it is to the left, just past Oswald's.  There you can let the Cast Member know what you are celebrating, and they will give you and the people in your group each a pin reflecting the celebration, for free!  (And do not worry, they don't ask for proof)
2. Utilize the Fast Pass system.  You can use your park tickets to get Fast Passes for the more popular rides.  These are time stamped and tell you to return during a certain time frame.  This allows you to skip long lines and do something else.  Last year (2013) Disneyland started enforcing the return times, so make sure you get back in time.  There is a 15 minute grace period, however.  
3. I suggest entering the park, getting a FP for Space Mountain, riding Space Mountain, then hoping on Star Tours, then heading over to Indiana Jones and from there, working your way clockwise around the park.  If you have little kids, always start with Peter Pan.  That line get's long and stays long, very quickly.
4. World of Color (WOC) is a great water show at DCA.  You want to grab a ticket for this early in the day.  The tickets are free and are acquired the same way a FP is.  The machines are located next to Grizzly River Run.  The Blue section offers the best view of the show.  If you get in the red section, you can get a great view by sitting in the front,"wet" section.  As long as it is not windy, you barely get misted.  If there are multiple showings, try to get the last showing of the day.  It is less crowded.
   
5. Corn Dogs at Disneyland are amazing.  There are three places to get them: The Corn Dog cart on Main Street (which is the busiest), The Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland, and Corn Dog Castle in DCA near Goofy's Sky School.  These last two are usually not busy.
   
   
   
6. After riding The Jungle Cruise, ask a Cast Member for a map of The Jungle Cruise.  It's free.
7. If you want a good spot for the parade, have someone in your party grab a spot along Main Street about 90 minutes early.  I usually pack my Kindle to read while I wait.
8. If the Lilly Belle is running on the tracks, head up to the Main Street Station first thing and request a ride.  This is a first-come, first-serve basis.  The Lilly Belle was for Walt's wife.
9. Lines long all over the park?  Have fun going back and forth on Main Street in all of the different forms of transportation taking you from the train station to the castle.  The fire truck will even give you free stickers.
10. Better rides for nighttime: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, California Screamin, Tower of Terror, Radiator Springs, and Matterhorn.
11. If you see the Fairy Godmother - tell her you need her magic to make your baby a girl.  I am living proof this works.  (Results not guaranteed) 
    
12. Each park has a Baby Care center where you can nurse your baby, warm up bottles, and change diapers.  They also have extra supplies on hand if you have run out.
13. Feeling sick or get hurt?  The first aid station is basically a mini-hospital.  You can go there for treatment.
14. In New Orleans Square there is a green door with the address of 33.  This is Club 33, an exclusive restaurant if you have a membership or know someone who does.  Most people like to get their photo taken in front of it.

    

    Inside Club 33 during a tour

15. Fun Fact: Upstairs, alongside Club 33, is the empty room that was once meant to be a private dance club.  Now it just holds storage.
16. Tip for being first out of the stretching rooms on Haunted Mansion: As you enter the lobby of the mansion, if you enter the doors to the left, go to the right wall.  If you enter the room straight ahead, go to the wall on your left.
17. Arrive Early!  If the park opens at 9 am, be there at 8 am.  One lucky family at the front of the gate gets chosen every morning to be the first official guests of the day.  Usually, around 10-15 minutes before park opening, they start letting people in all the way to the hub in front of the castle.  The first few hours of park opening are typically slow and you can get on a lot of rides.
18. You can get free water at any restaurant just by asking.  Some restaurants have water carts where you can fill your water bottle up yourself.  Make sure to drink a lot of water while you are walking around.  Personally, I think the water in Anaheim tastes nasty, so we bring a case or two of water and pack several bottles into our backpack.
19. You can also get hot water for free if you ask.  Pack some cocoa or hot cider packets for nighttime warm treats.
20. Take pictures with the Indian twins - one on Main Street and one in Frontierland.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
21. Bring your own stroller!  Having your own stroller will save you money and give you a place to store your stuff.
22. Want to see the world's worst anniversary present?  Head over to Frontierland and view Walt's anniversary present to Lilly - a petrified tree from Colorado.  Shouldn't us wives also be so lucky?
23. Interested in the stories behind the Main Street windows?  Go to Guest Services for a free printout of all the windows and who they are named after.
24. Get the right app!  Apps like MouseWait give you up-to-date ride line times and show schedules for the day.
25. Check out the petting zoo behind Big Thunder.  At Christmastime, Santa and his reindeer can also be found there.
26. Pay attention as you enter the ballroom/dining room scene on Haunted Mansion.  Next to the second to last pillar, there is a large spider which covers the bullet-hole from an incident back in the 1970's.  It was too expensive to replace the large pane of glass so they covered up the hole with the spider.
27. If you are visiting while Haunted Mansion is set up as Haunted Mansion Holiday, look closely in the attic scene to try and find the Monkey Bride.  Her red heart gives her away and she can be tricky to find.
28. The Laughing Stock Co. in Frontierland give shows throughout the day.  They are hilarious and pull people out of the audience to participate.  My husband was chosen once and I was dying with laughter. 
29. If you are Deaf they have select shows and rides that are interpreted at certain times of the day.  Stop by Guest Services for the daily schedule.
30. Dole Whip Floats are the best snack in the park!  The line gets really long though, so head into the waiting queue for Tiki Room and order on the other side.  You can actually walk right back out without entering the show.
31. Of all of the character meals, Minnie and Friend's is my favorite as far as price and selection.  If you are willing to splurge, Goofy's Kitchen serves EVERYTHING!  Make your reservation around 10:30 so you can fill up for breakfast and lunch.
    
32. Blue Bayou is the restaurant "in" Pirates of the Caribbean.  While some may disagree with me, I found the food to be just "okay," but everyone should try it first.  When making reservations, request a water-side table.
33. If you are spending a special evening with your spouse, there is childcare available at Grand California Hotel if you are a guest there.  The Napa Rose, which is also in the hotel, is my favorite splurge meal on property.
34. Tiger Tails are a popular treat and can be found in Pooh's Corner, back at the exit of Splash Mountain.
35. Innoventions is boring, but a great place to sit and escape the heat if you need to.
36. Star Tours offers 54 different possible scenarios on your tour.  One lucky person on each ride is selected as the Rebel Spy on board.  You can celebrate your luck at getting picked by getting the special Rebel Spy pin in the Star Traders shop as you exit the ride.
37. If you have a little girl, take her for a princess-worthy makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  Prices vary.
38. If you are flying in, John Wayne Airport is closest to Disneyland.  I like getting a reservation with the Super Shuttle (around $10) to take me to my hotel.
39. McDonald's is located across the street from the park if you want to grab less expensive food there.  Prices are still higher at this McDonald's than your local branches.
40. If you are staying in a suite, you can order groceries from Von's.  If you have never had a delivery from them, your first delivery is free.  Order online before you go and have them scheduled to be delivered after you arrive.  Alcohol can be delivered too.  If you are staying at the Grand California, they will hold the items for you in their fridge and then deliver them to your room when you request them.  
41. Forget tour guide  books - you can get all the planning tips and advice you need online from blogs or sites like Mice Chat and DisBoards.
42. The Plaza Inn has a delicious fried chicken plate that is $14 and is enough food for two adults to share (and still not finish it!).
43. Starbucks is now located on Buena Vista Street in DCA.
44. Taste Pilot in Condor Flats serves American faire with an all-you-can-eat toppings bar.   Yum!
45. If you want great scores on Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story Midway Mania, watch YouTube tutorials for tips, secrets, and Easter eggs.
46. Pack a poncho (or grab a Mickey one in the parks) to have on hand in case it rains and for riding the water rides.  You WILL get wet on Grizzly River Run.  If you are me, you will get soaked while everyone else in your inner tube gets misted.
47. Above Snow White's Scary Adventures, in the window, the Evil Queen shows herself every few seconds.  Also, touching the golden apple as you enter the ride queue will trigger some cool sound effects.
48. As you walk the queue for Indiana Jones, use a decoder card to decipher the writings on the wall.  
    
49. Also while in line for Indiana Jones, make sure to shake the bamboo pole and pull the rope, even though the signs warn you not to.  These trigger special effects.

    

    From Finding Mickey

50. In Coke Corner, there are an even number of red and white lightbulbs.  Find the one that is half white and half red.
    
51. Head to Pirate Liar on Tom Sawyer's Island to let the kids run around.  There are tons of cool tunnels, bridges, and things to play with and manipulate here.
    
52. A great souvenir are the pressed pennies.  They are located all over the parks and only 51 cents to have made.  During Christmastime they bring out special pressed nickel machines. 
53. There are some great tours at Disneyland.  My younger son and I really enjoyed the Holiday Tour where you get a commemorative pin, hot chocolate in a travel mug, and treat as part of your ticket price.  The Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour is also incredible and includes a pin and lunch.  I wouldn't recommend this one for small children.  Both tours take you to the front of several ride lines.
    
54. Utilize the single rider lines for many of the rides in the park.  These lines are much shorter than the main line.  Just know that you will not get to sit with your family or friends.
55. Check the times on the daily attractions schedule to find out when the Flag Retreat Ceremony is.  This is a very cool procedure to watch.
56. Must Pack items: water bottle, portable charger for your phone (I like this one), poncho, camera, snacks, sunscreen, band aids if you get a blister (and so you don't have to hobble to the first aid), and a light hoodie for cool evenings.
57. Make sure to check out the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-thru.  This hidden attraction offers beautiful views of scenes from the film.
    
    
    
58. You can get delicious garlic fries (pom frites) at Cafe Orleans and also try the signature Monte Cristo sandwich (which is less expensive here than at Blue Bayou).
59. Inside the gift shop in Adventureland there is a magic lamp that you can put quarters into for a nice surprise.
60. In addition to Pin Trading, the Vinylmations are also trade-able around Disneyland.  Try to pick some up off of Ebay for cheap and trade them for a Vinylmation of your choice at certain stores that do trades.  There are select ones for trading, you cannot trade for a brand-new one off the shelf.
61. Trader Sam's in front of the Disneyland Hotel has wonderful drink selections and live, themed music.  This is a great place to relax in the evening.
62. If your balloon pops, Disneyland will replace it for free.  Their special Mickey balloons also last forever!
63. The Sword in the Stone really will come out, but only for a lucky few.  
    
64. Benefits of staying on-site: early entry into the parks and a special entrance into DCA if you are staying at the Grand California.
65. Free WiFi and outlets are available in the lounge at the Grand California.
66. It is worth the splurge, at least once, to stay at the Grand California.  Every little detail in the rooms are amazing - from plush bathrobes, to large Jacuzzi tubs, to a channel that plays the WOC music for you so you can hear it clearly while watching from your window (if you have a view of it, that is.)  If your room doesn't offer a view of WOC, you can go to their private balcony with space heaters to watch the show without the crowd. 
67. Indiana Jones looks like you have the option of going through three doors as your jeep begins the ride, but actually, that is a facade and the three "doors" rotate.  There is only one real track.  Don't believe me?  Turn around as you go through the doors and you will see the track that the facade rotates on.
68. Keep an eye out for celebrities.

    

    Hello Mr. Sandler!

     
69. Adults can order off of the kids menu.
70. The Boudin Bread Factory tour gives out free samples of sourdough bread.
71. Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, and sometimes a few other friends come out to Coke Corner around 2:30 everyday to play Musical Chairs.  This is not listed in the daily entertainment guide.
72. Kids have a better chance at getting selected for the Star Wars Jedi School if they wear Star Wars gear, have a homemade sign, and/or are jumping and yelling loudly.
73. Go through the art gallery on Main Street to see park and ride models and memorabilia from Disneyland History.  You can also watch Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in here.
74. Snow White's wishing well sings. 
    
75. You are not allowed to run in the parks.  You are however, permitted to skip and frolic.  Both get you quickly to your destination.

Saving Money at Disneyland

This page needs an update!  Please come and check out the updated information here.

Many people look forward to trips to Disneyland, but dread the cost of going.  We took our boys for their first visit in 2008, when they were 3 and 4 and I searched high and low for how to get the best deals.  I hadn’t been to Disneyland myself in 14 years at that point and had no clue what I was getting our family into. 

That year we saved and budgeted and took our boys on a memorable first trip. 

We fell in love with Disneyland at that point and now are season passholders.  Even though the park is about 6.5 hours away, we still try to make it down 4-5 times a year.  That includes my annual ladies only trip I make each February.

To travel down to Disneyland that much costs money and adds calories, so after a couple of visits, I started taking note of how to make trips more affordable for our family.

Here are some of my tips for saving money while in “The ‘Land.”

1.      First, make sure you plan your travel dates outside peak season.  We have found that summer is unbearable, due to high crowds, heat, and increased prices.  Fall is best, before the Halloween festivities begin, but after school has started back up.  The week after New Year’s is also a low-crowd time and Christmas decorations are still up.  The next best option is in the Spring, but well away from Spring Break.  Disneyland operates on a 6-week “spring break” and those weeks surrounding Easter are very packed.  

Update 10/5/17: Lately, I am finding that Tuesdays and Wednesday's in early-mid October, early November, mid-January are also good times to head into the parks.  

2.     Avoid the Photopass.  Disney offers this service when taking photos in the parks.  You are given a plastic card, similar to a credit card, and each time you take a photo with a character or at a scenic point, the photographer scans your card and your picture is magically added to it.  These little babies can range from $45 to $200!  Do you know what is FREE?  Bringing your own camera and having the photographer use yours instead.  They do it gladly.  They will still hand you the photopass card to which you just file away with a smile.  It only costs money when you go to order the photos on it or purchase the CD with all of your photos.

3.     Pack your lunch and snacks.  Disneyland allows you to bring in a soft-sided cooler up to the size that would fit a 6-pack of soda.  As long as there are no glass containers, you are welcome to bring in your own foods.  We typically pack sandwiches, chips, juice pouches, granola bars, craisins, crackers, etc. into a small cooler and bring it in with us.  Meals get expensive in the ‘Land and are packed with calories.  We like to avoid these things and enjoy finding a quiet spot to eat (like the back of Hungry Bear Restaurant.)

4.     Bring breakfast foods to your hotel.  We pack oatmeal, cereal, and other easy to make breakfasts with us when we travel.  Some of the hotels like Quality Inn on S. Manchester (which is right across the street, a 10 minute walk) offer free continental breakfasts.  Quality Inn even has a waffle station.  Yum!  If you ever get to stay in a room with a kitchen (The California Grand has amazing suites), you can order groceries from Von’s and cook a hot breakfast before you enter the parks.

5.     Souvenirs.  My all-time favorite souvenirs are the silhouettes on Main Street.  These run just $9 to get done and a little extra if you want the frame.  My brother and I had them done on our first visits and I did the same with my sons.    We always pick up Disney shirts at the Disney store before our trips to save us money as clothing prices in the park are outrageous. 

I     I also love collecting Disney pins.  The best way to save on these is to get them on Ebay (make sure they are legitimate Disney pins.)  Then, while you are in the park, you can trade them with any Cast Member wearing pins on a black lanyard or black hip board.  I buy pins for a few dollars each, and then trade for pins that I like better and are worth more.  Cast Members wearing teal lanyards are only for kids to trade with. 

6.     Tickets.  There are two different ways I prefer to save here.  Keep in mind, discounts on tickets are difficult to get unless you are a California teacher or in the military.  My first choice is to weigh the cost of the annual passes to how long/how many trips you will take in a year.  I find it is much more affordable to get the Deluxe or Premium AP for how often we go.  My trips work out to about $16 per day when a 1-day ticket is around $100.  If you are only going once, for less than a week, the best prices can be found at GetAwayToday.com.  You can find lots of great deals on their site and you can pick up your tickets at the Disneyland ticket booth.  GAT offers lower prices that even Disneyland!

I won a Dream Fastpass during The Year of a Million Dreams

7.     Hotels: My favorite hotels are right across the street from Disneyland. In order of farthest to closest, here are my picks:

a.     Quality Inn on S. Manchester.  The rates are very reasonable, the hotel is clean, and they offer free continental breakfast which includes homemade waffles.  This is about a 12 minute walk to the parks.

b.     Howard Johnson on S. Manchester and Harbor.  The rates are a bit pricier, but if you have an AP, Entertainment Book, or keep your eye open for deals, you can score a great rate.  The rooms are spacious, there are amazing pools for the kids and grownups, and there is a convenience shop on site.  No breakfast is available, but there is a fridge and microwave to cook meals from home.  10 minute walk to the parks.

c.      Carousel Inn on Harbor.  If you go during off-peak season, you can get great rates, spacious rooms, and there is free breakfast (your standard motel faire – pastries, cereal, milk, juice, and hard-boiled eggs.)  6 minute walk to the parks

d.     Desert Inn on Harbor.  Directly across the street from the park, this hotel also has low rates during off-peak season.  Parking there isn’t free though, you must pay a daily rate if you drive in.  3 minute walk to the parks.

I hope my tips have helped!  If you have any questions, feel free to post them below.