Help me decide...

[jensen]

We are regular winter visitors to DisneyWorld. This year we decided to skip our Disney trip and head to Cali to visit my sister/BIL and newborn niece - they live in Gilroy.

But, we are beginning to regret that decision because the kids keep talking about a Disney Christmas surprise... and honestly, DH and I would really like to go to Disney, too. So, I was thinking about making our Cali trip a bit longer and driving down to DL for a couple of days.

I found flights into LA that are $500 cheaper than our planned flights into San Jose, so that makes some financial sense. And we'll be renting a car either way.

But, I'm wondering if it's worth all the travel. We'll likely fly into LA, drive directly to Gilroy (5 hour drive). Spend a week with my sister. Then drive back to LA and spend three days at Disney, before flying out of LA.

I've been to Southern Cali several times. But, I've never been to Northern Cali and I'm wondering if I'll regret wasting the opportunity to explore all it has to offer just to get my Disney fix... any insight would be appreciated.

 

[UCFALUM]

There is actually a very nice theme park right in Gilroy called Gilroy Gardens that is perfect for kids, super clean, beautiful and they are doing the Christmas Lights right now. It is a looooong and boring drive from up here to LA area and just crazy down there. We are in Monterey County and it is one of the most beautiful areas in the country-gorgeous coastline, lots of breath taking hiking, Monterey Bay Aquarium, My Museum (kiddie museum) and of course, lots to do in San Jose as well. I'd skip the mess, visit with the family and head out and see lots of the area. We actually see many foreign visitors here so they are in on the secret but Americans are not

 

[RangerPooh]

Let me see if I can be of assistance. I'm originally from Gilroy!

I don't know too much about Gilroy Gardens as when we moved it was still only a seasonal park. But it was cute, clean, and geared towards families with younger kids.

You did not say when you are going on Gilroy but if you are there over the christmas holiday then you cna go to downtown san jose and see Christmas in the Park. It's a beautiful holiday display with plenty of animatronics, fake snow (bubbles), holiday music, etc. It's actually something that I miss and am hoping that we will be bale to see next winter when we visit family. Plus it's free!

In Monterey there is the aquarium. I have visited a few others throughout the country and personally think that the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best! Just plan to go early in the day as ticket lines can be very long. Plus you can also visit Fisherman's Wharf.

As the PP said, there is also a nice Children's Discovery Museum in downtown San Jose that you can visit.

If you do decide to make the drive to/from DL it is a 5 hour drive to/from Gilroy. Having lived there we have driven down both 101/1 and I-5/152. I would recommend taking 152 to I-5 as it is shorter. Also, keep in mind that any holiday traffic and commute traffic will affect the time. But it is a boring drive, so we would tend to do it in the we hours of the morning. We'd leave Gilroy about 3 or 4 am with the intention of missing LA rush hour traffic. DL at Christmas is nice, and they have the added touch of the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay of the Haunted Mansion, a personal favorite of ours that WDW does not have.

I hope that you have a ncie trip.

 

[Judy from Boise]

It would be easier to give advice if I had more idea of your dates........but Jan-Feb is not the time that DLR is at it's best, and this year they will be draining the Rivers of America during this timeframe for rehab. Perhaps this trip focus on Northern CA.

 

[jensen]

Hello everyone, thanks so much for the responses... we are planning our trip for the last week of January.

 

[mrs.beast]

I would go to disneyland. Unless your kids are small, under 8, gilroy gardens is boring. My kids go used to go all the time, but the rides got boring once my son was 6ish, and they only have two coasters. Also, even with the rivers drained, disney is still fun. Nor cal is great, I have lived here my whole life, but if you have never been to disneyland, it is much better. we do have the most awesome science museum, CA academy of sciences, in SF and the aquarium in monterey is great, but disney is better than all of them together. San Jose is not too exciting.

 

[GrandBob]

I agree about Gilroy Gardens. We love to take DGD6 there when she visits us, but it's only good for a day, max, and that's in the summer when the splash area is operating. Probably 1/2 day in the winter.

As an alternative to driving, you can take Southwest from San Jose to SNA. I just priced it for mid week, and it was $49 each way -- $119 RT with taxes. If you can really save $500 by flying into LA, it may be cost effective to combine that with flights to SJC on Southwest.

-Bob