Adventures in monkeyland

I booked our flights on November 21st so I had exactly 2 months to plan & save for this trip.  My initial budget was based on pie in the sky #'s:

Here is a overview of the assumed costs:

1. Flight & Hotel (best if you can get a package) $662.20 + est $1050
2. Food etc $250
3. Disneyland park tickets $550
4. Souvenirs etc $100
5. Transportation est $50
6. Other excursions LegoLand $162.00 tickets only

Total Cost: $2824.00

Revised:

1. Flight  - $662.20
2. VBRO - $850.00
3. Food - $300.00
4. DL Park Tix - $525.00
5. Souvenirs & Extras- $300
6. Transportation - $100

Total Cost $2732

Actual: (CDN)

1. Flight  - $662.20
2. VBRO - $850.00
3. DL Tickets $525.00
4. Groceries $138.61
5. LegoLand Tickets - $107.06
6. LegoLand Shuttle - $48.85 (Return for 1 person, Mason was free)
7. Airport Shuttle - $82.64 (one way for 6 people)
8. Notary Document -$32.48
9. Wrist Bands - $12.08 (In case Mason went missing, they had his name and my phone # on them)
10. Exchange Rate for $120 - $15.11
11. Airport food (Breakfast & Snacks) - $19.00
12. Cash Tips - $23.75
13. Dining Out - $187.16
14. Gifts - $116.89 (Including replacement sunglasses for me since I left mine at home, a caricature for Mason, etc)
15. Park n Fly - $89.52 (1 week + 1 day)

Total Cost - $2940.97

Well there you have it, one week at Disneyland for just under $3k for Mason and I. Obviously this price was a bit lower because of my amazing budgeting skills and sharing a suite with our good friends, the Mennie's.  I only took $268 USD cash with me and overspent by $76.08CDN (which went on my MasterCard).   

We are home safe and sound and exhausted, no day off tomorrow.  Right back to work & school.

Besides the wonderful world of Disney, I also wanted to plan a day trip for Mason and I to go on and after doing a bit of research I decided that LEGOLAND was the best option.  For those that aren't familiar with it, it is not in Anaheim but an hour a bit out in Carlsbad, CA.  

Before I bought the tickets, I first had to figure out how I was going to get there.  Two options:

1. Rental Car
2. Bus

Since I didn't really need a car aside from that one day, I opted to bus since it wasn't a long drive.  First stop, Greyline.  I opted to buy just transportation because I had a promo code for LEGOLAND admission. Unfortunately the deal I received (Kids admitted free) was a limited time offer but you can Google 'Legoland California promo code' or try http://www.retailmenot.com/ and other deal sites for codes.

• Bus price $48.85
• LL Admission $107.06 + Parkhopper ticket for SeaLife

There is a range of hotels to be picked up from so we just walked down the street to the Holiday Inn.  We had to be there for 8:25am so we left early.  The bus driver came in and loaded us onto the giant bus and we were the only ones on it!  We then drove to the depot where we waited for our main bus.  I guess by 9am it showed up and only 3 other families joined us.  Our Bus Driver introduced himself as a Mexican with an Italian name 'Guido' and had quite the sense of humour.  Mason and I opted to sit in the front to have a great view.   Mason was entertained with his Tablet and I chatted with the driver.

Once we arrived, we were told to be back for 5:30pm.  That's a long day! 

I took a zillion pictures, if you are a friend or family, you can see the album on Facebook. If not, you can uh Google images Legoland and check out the other tourist pictures lol.

As we entered the park, we walked past a Noodle house (Wok n Bowl Ramen) which was designated as my lunch.  Mason loved the water park and the water shooter guns and I had to pull him away to keep walking.  The large scale sculptures were amazing and made of over 200k pieces.  

Some of the highlights:

• They had ample garbage & recycling bins
• Complimentary tampons in the washrooms
• LOTS of rides for Mason's age, some were parent accompanied others the kids could go on alone

There wasn't a lot of downsides but for the price of admission, I was surprised on the upkeep of the attractions, chipped/faded paint and the landscaping was atrocious.  You'd think they'd have a crew refreshing the park.  Maybe they are doing that later but I wasn't impressed.

When it came time to have lunch, I bought my main + chips & a drink for Mason.  Then we had to walk 8 mins in another direction to get his lunch (all the food kiosks are spread all over the resort, they aren't in the same place).  Cost - $16.36 and then off to Pizza Mania to get Mason a meal.  Well an individual pizza is just as expensive as the meal so he ended up getting more chips and apple juice (organic no less) at a cost of $9.96 CDN.  Oops.  

After we ate, we explored the rest of the park and went on the rides a few more times.  One note, I'm not sure if it's just the time of year but there were very little lineups for any ride during the first couple of hours.  The weather wasn't extremely warm so maybe that was a deterrent?  Oh, and there is NO wifi.  A lot of parents were complaining.  I would have PAID to have wifi since there were so many areas where kids could run around (playgrounds) etc and parents were just sitting and staring.  

By 2pm we were done and we still had SeaLife to go through.  So we exited out the front (not realizing that the two are joined) and headed over.  The building looks a lot smaller than it is.  It was set up the usual aquarium way and we wandered down pathways of fish & sea life.  We walked past a theatre which I forced Mason to sit through 3 showings because my feet were killing me (I'm sure his was too, I didn't bring the stroller!) and we had a TON of time to kill.  Next was a puppet show which Mason thoroughly enjoyed.  

Once we went through SeaLife twice..I was SO ready to go home.  It was only 2:30! wahh.  We were in the middle of nowhere so I wasn't able to leave.  We didn't get exit hand stamps but I pleaded with the cashier at LegoLand to let us back in which he obliged.  Now we had a ton of time to wander again and again and eventually it was time to head back to the bus.

I had quite the conversation with Guido on the way home, talking bout every topic possible.  He was quite the guy.   Mason was lucky enough to have battery power on his Tablet for about 90% of the way home.  We hit rush hour and it finally died but he was super patient.  We didn't get back to the townhouse until just after 7.  

I wavered back and forth to contemplate whether the trip to Legoland was worth it. I would probably do it again but drive so I and more flexibility on when to leave.  I'd say that any kid over the age of 7 may be bored so younger than that and over 36" would be perfect.  

Because I was travelling with another family (Mom & Dad, 6 yr old & 1.5 yr old), we opted to stay in a VBRO (Vacation Rental By Owner).  We had outweighed the pros vs cons:

Hotel - Pro

• Possibly closer to Disneyland
• Onsite amenities (restaurant, gift shop, etc)

Hotel - Con

• Lack of availability
• Costly
• Lack of space/privacy for two families
• Dining out cost increase

VBRO - Pro

• Functions as a house
• Full kitchen
• 3 bedrooms + 1.5 bath
• Dishwasher & W/D
• Ability to get groceries and cook

Some hotel cost considerations: (Based on 3 adults and 3 children)

1. Disneyland Hotel - $5419 inc Tax (2 rooms, no suite)
2. Howard Johnson -  $1996USD inc Tax  (2 rooms, no suite)
3. VBRO -  $1502 inc Tax (Full house)

I picked an expensive hotel first as I was curious to see just how much the rooms were per night.  Originally the price was $500+ but they were on 'sale' for $332/night.  I'm sure they are gorgeous rooms but really all you are getting is a bed and a bathroom for that price + the luxury of not walking far to Disneyland.  I don't think it's worth the extra cost, personally.

So it seemed a no brainer that we go with the VBRO.  We also opted for the insurance just in case and a fee was included in that for registration.

So once we arrived, we saw a huge complex of townhouses that was built in the mid 70's but our suite had been fully renovated last year.   Nice hardwood floors, comfy couch and a big screen tv.  Free wifi and fully stocked kitchen including tupperware!  The upstairs had tons of cupboards in the bathroom and lots of towels and huge closets with dressers.  The master has a weird 'hallway' which was good to house the playpen.  There are two decks, one empty (would be perfect for a hot tub!) and the other has a very nice patio set with small bbq.  Ultimately there are 3 bedrooms but the ad says it sleeps 11.  Master = 2, 2nd bedroom = 2, kid room (3 (has a bunk with a trundle) and a queen sofa bed with a chaise which would 'sleep' a child (don't think an adult would be comfy).  I'd say 9 adults comfortably if they shared beds :)

The things we appreciated most were the dishwasher and washer dryer but the owners have included all the amenities right down to a double stroller in the closet.

Extremely convenient!

About a week prior to our departure, I did some Internet research to find out the closest grocery store that had free delivery.  It happened to be Von's (subsidiary of Safeway).  Now this was an awesome idea (I take full credit).  All I did was log on: http://shop.safeway.com/ecom/home and create a free account.  I created a grocery list of food for Mason & I for a week (with a few dining out experiences considered).

• 1 litre of milk
• 18 litres of purified water (I can't stand tap water so this was a necessity)
• Cheese sticks
• Apple sauce
• Snacks (twinkies, ice cream bars, chocolate bars)
• Spaghetti sauce & pasta
• Veggies (Carrots, broccoli, cucumber, asparagus & cauliflower)
• Fruit (Strawberries, apples)
• 1 dozen eggs
• Cheese slices (grilled cheese)
• Loaf of bread
• Drinks for mommy (Vitamin water)
• Prepackaged salad kits x 2
• Can of soup
• Portioned almonds
• Fishy crackers
• Waffles
• Butter
• Yogurt
• Quiona (it's cheaper here)
• Apple sauce
• Kraft Dinner instant
• Microwavable noodle dish

So now we are on day 4 and have today and two more 'full' days left in Anaheim.  In hindsight, I would have modified the order:

One 9 litre of water would have been enough (or I'm just not consuming enough).  Would have skipped the grilled cheese.  The waffles were great (I forgot the syrup so our friends had to get it on their trip to the grocery store (which was about a $15.00 cab ride return). The quick meals for Mommy were also great for lunch or dinner.

Here is an important note!  When creating an account in America and it asks for your Zip Code, do the following!!

Take the digits OUT of your Postal code and add two zero's.  

Example - V2C 3L3 = 23300.  This worked on the website and sure enough my order was delivered just after 8.  I didn't know if I was to tip the driver? He didn't seem to expect it and I treated it as if it was Fedex dropping off a package.  I took all the groceries in myself.  

In reviewing their order sheet, it was just a print out of an actual receipt so it was very hard to decipher what I had bought.  I saved a copy of the original order from online so I was able to cross reference which was good cause they forgot one item.  I'm still waiting for a response from their customer service for a credit.  And two items that I requested were not available.

This was a PAINLESS process and so convenient.  Delivery was free (there are tons of online coupons for  free delivery + freebies (I got an extra case of bottled water complimentary!)  Just ensure you order your groceries in advance!  And go through a mental list of what you normally buy at home.  I forgot to get honey (which Mason has on toast every.single.day) but I didn't want to buy an entire container of honey just for a week (even though he'd probably consume it!)  There was already ketchup in our fridge, so glad we skipped that.  My friends also bought mayo (which I don't eat) and salad dressing (my mini salad kits came with dressing).  So all in all, we have a lot of veggies to eat up in the next few days!)

The weather was warm during the week but the sky wasn't exactly screaming blue and sunny.  This was probably a blessing in disguise with Mason and I both having fair skin.  Today was a 'rest' day as we have been to the park every single day.  I wanted some R&R and a chance to read my book and laze by the pool!

Here is Mason by the kiddie pool:

The pool is gated and locked 24/7, a FOB is required to enter and leave.  There are open showers and bathrooms onsite as well as a games room but I didn't peak in so I'm not sure what's in there.  There are 3 pools (Adult, main & kids) and a hot tub.  Now I guess because we aren't summer, the pools are not heated.  They are at ice cube temperature which was a bit disappointing since it's so warm out.  The hot tub on the other hand is actually hot, like relaxing Mommy bath tub temperature, almost too hot for the kiddies but they were okay.  

After a few hours and no one joining us at all, we moved along to the kids playground (also gated and locked).  The first thing I noticed was the ground cover which was black bits..of recycled tire.  It was very spongy. I've heard of this idea probably over 15 years ago, wonder why it never took off in Canada? Maybe the tire is too hard when it's cold? Again we were the only ones here but the thing I like about this FOB land of fun is that the gate is LOCKED.  No one (aka Mason) can get out and no creepy guys can get in.  I applaud this secure area.

If you are interested in renting a VBRO in Disneyland, here is the link and feel free to leave a comment if you want more information! This suite is listed on the VBRO site and is distinguishable from the pictures.  Tell them I sent you!

Our trip is less than 23 days away and we I am getting so excited.  I say *I* because Mason has no clue we are going.  I've managed to keep it a secret, despite some slips in conversation.  

I've been busy as a bee researching and booking; here is a rundown:

1. Flights  $662.20
2. Hotel.  $850.00 So after much deliberating, we decided to book through VBRO as Mason and I are travelling with another family and instead of squishing us into a hotel room, we opted for a lovely 1500 sq foot townhouse just minutes from DL.  The cost shared between two families worked out to be $120 including tax for a week which is just below what I'd pay for at a hotel BUT I am getting:

• space!
• separate bedroom for Mason
• washer/dryer
• access to 6 pools 
• full kitchen
• save money on dining out as we can buy groceries and eat in

3.  DL Tickets - $525 (not including tax) We are opting for the 4 day pass and will buy them from a travel agent as there is a $25.00 discount.  I've scoured the net and there doesn't seem to be a way to get a better reduction in price other than if you are a CA resident or through the Army.

4.  Food.  $300 - I had a hard time budgeting for food because I have no idea what I'm going to spend and how much we are going to eat in vs dine out.  I've heard that food prices are inflated so I wanted to be sure I had enough to cover it.  I used Google Map to check out where our townhouse was in proximity to the local grocers.  Since we don't have a rental car, our option is taxi or walking.  Another option is to find a grocery store that delivers and share the cost between the two families.  This ensure healthy meals and having snacks to go.

5.  Excursion - LegoLand! $107.06 (Including tax).  So if you go onto the LegoLand website, you'll see the tickets are much higher on their website.  I never book anything online without searching for a promo code first.  And boy did I find one, child admission free!! That was a $90.00 savings!  I would have loved to share the link with you but it looks it expired on the 21st of this month.  Retailmenot.ca is a great site for promo codes.  I also needed to figure out how Mason and I were getting to Carlsbad which is where Legoland is located (about an hour drive).  Two options were rental car or bus.  I hummed and hawed about renting a car which would give us a lot of mobility but being so close to DL, I figured we didn't really need a car.  So I opted for bus.  Grayhound offers day trips to many tourist attractions.  They will pick us up at the closest hotel (a 6 min walk from our townhouse) and the cost was only for me (kids are free).  I also found a promo code for 5% off.  Total = $48.85USD. return trip.

6.  Transportation - $100.  This refers to the taxi from airport to townhouse and return.  I emailed *every* taxi company in Anaheim trying to get the best price and the rates varied.  Highest was $180 return (not including tip) and the lowest was $75.00 for 6 of us including a car seat and two boosters.  The company is Transtar Shuttle Service.  I am going to commend them on their rapid response to my emails and answering all my questions.  Great customer service. 

7.  Extra's - Souvenirs, girls night out & ???.  You need to have a cash surplus for 'those things' that happen unexpectedly.  I budgeted an extra $300.  If I don't spend it, I'll bring it home :)

Total cost $2718.11.  Total saved $2720.00

Okay so I booked the flights end of November, how the heck was I able to save us so much money for this trip?  Keep in mind I am on a single income (full time) and not rich by any means.

• First off, I saved $1000 from my last tax return (I didn't touch it, was sooo tempted to to though). 
• I sold anything I didn't need anymore through Buy & Sell groups through Facebook and Craigslist.
• I took future money from my January budget set for food & gas which I wouldn't need for the week I was in California
• I also received small gifts (USD) from relatives towards the cost of the trip.

Now all that's left to do is countdown the days!  The plan is to pretend I'm dropping Mason off at daycare but head straight to the airport.  More than likely he'll ask where we are going, I'll tell him we have to pick up our friends at the airport.  Once we are ready to check in, I'll spill the beans and then watch in delight as he jumps up and down with his friend Reina.  I will record it too :)