Searching for Cheaper Flights To Disneyland?

What do we all want out of a vacation?

I suppose the answer will vary from person to person, but in general, most of us want the most amount of fun (or relaxation) possible for the best price available. As I have mentioned before, when considering a Disneyland vacation, you may be considering the number of days you can stay, weighing the price of various hotels, and figuring how to squeeze in just one more day.

Here is a quick tip for those flying. Get on the internet and start playing with different departure days and times, and maybe accepting one stop versus a non-stop flight. I did a little experiment on Orbitz.com and found if I left on a Saturday or Sunday instead of mid-week, and accepted one-stop, I could save $136. On Get-away Today leaving on a weekend saved $44 for a family of four. Are either of those enough savings on the flight to stay an extra night? Depending on your own budget and values, maybe!

Those are just meant to be representative samples of how being flexible with your air travel could save you money. In addition to times and days of the week, try a few different travel sites before settling on one. Prices really can vary - check direct airline prices, Orbitz, Expedia, the Disneyland Resort site, and AAA (if you are a member) to get a good idea of the price range before booking your flight.

All this takes time, and some patience. Not into shopping around? Sidestep.com will search several sites at once and even up to three days around either of your chosen dates. I personally love planning vacations, and will search many, many sites before making final plans, but that's just me!

Missing Blogger Returns with a Fun Disney Tip

Wow - talk about playing disappearing blogger! I apologize to my loyal readers for being remiss in my postings. I fear law school is reaching its peak demands this semester with papers due and presentations to prepare, so my personal life has fallen a bit by the wayside. Let me see if I can come up with something quick and fun in the way of a useful kid-friendly tip.

OK - here's a good way to keep kids busy in the airport or in the Disneyland lines. Make up your own Bingo Cards.

Using pictures from the internet, or magazines, or just words if your kids are old enough, make up 5x5 or 6x6 grids of things people are likely to see on vacation. In an airport you might consider a restroom sign, a no smoking sign, a trash can, a backpack, and a camera. In Disneyland you could select the Mickey Head shape, an apple, a water bottle, a Tigger T-shirt and a specific character. Each person playing gets a card and whenever they see an item from their card, they draw an X through the picture (or word). Whoever completes a row first wins. Or, to make the game more challenging, have players complete the entire card. Our son loved playing this game, and when he was tired of it, he made up his own game (rules known only to him) using the spare cards.

Enjoy!