I thought it might be helpful if I shared details about my first - ever! - Disney trip so that everyone can see where it all started. I was not always so travel savvy! My travel planning started in the same spot that I think most people find themselves: discount package retailer sites. I scoured Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline - you name it, I used it. I was younger than 25 at the time and could not readily obtain a rental vehicle to get from the airport to the hotel, so it was necessary to fly into SNA airport and take a shuttle to a nearby hotel. Thankfully, I lived in St Louis and had access to many major airlines so that I could cut costs by flying Southwest Airlines from STL to SNA. I booked the hotel through a travel site and ended up here:
Yup, you're seeing that correctly. I stayed at a $50/night Super 8 motel. I have to say, though, it was a stellar deal for a cheap extended weekend trip and I wouldn't change a thing! For those interested in this option, this is the Super 8 located on Katella Avenue in Anaheim. It is about a 15-minute walk from Disneyland and there are lots of quick dining options nearby. For a spry young 20-something, the distance wasn't an issue and it is located next to the Anaheim Garden Walk, which I highly recommend for shopping and dining.
The entire trip lasted five days over President's Day weekend. I left on a Thursday and returned on a Monday. I think the total of the vacation was around $1800 (airfare, shuttle, hotel, park tickets, dining, and souvenirs for two people). I might add that I made the mistake of only booking a week ahead of time and if I had planned even a couple more weeks in advance then I probably could have found lower airfare.
This wasn't a terribly exciting story but I hope it serves to prove that you can start from any background and steadily obtain the tools you need to become a savvy Disney traveler!
No comments:
Post a Comment