I've been back to Disneyland numerous times since then, the most recent in April 2000. We were there to celebrate my grandson's sixth birthday with a 3-day - 2 night trip to the "happiest place on earth." The lines were still long.
In fact, we only rode about 4 rides on the entire trip. It was then I realized that even with proper planning, the Disneyland magic could very easily become a vacation nightmare.
We did plan well. Weeks in advance I logged on the Official Disneyland Web Site to check out the discount packages. Making arrangements for the trip was the easiest part. Although the site did have a certain amount of complications, I was able to check out the hotels for all the amenities we were looking for and make the reservations. All we had to do was check into the hotel and our packet was waiting for us.
We arrived at our hotel choice, the Embassy Suites, Anaheim, about 1:30 PM. I had originally planned to stay at the Disneyland Hotel, but it was booked on the nights we wanted. I must admit we were not disappointed with our hotel choice. It was one of the nicest hotel experiences I've ever had. (My compliments to the Embassy staff and management.)
We left our car at the hotel and rode the shuttle to the Disneyland Park. This is definitely the way to go. There were no parking charges or hassles, and the shuttle makes routine trips back and forth all day. If you want to be picked up at an unscheduled time, give them a call. It's best to reserve a time to be picked up to ensure a seat on the bus, especially when you return to the hotel in the evening. That's when it's most crowded. If you change your mind and want to return early or stay later, just give the hotel a call and they will change your time.
