Interview with Get Away Today: Tips for Savings and Fun at Southern California Attractions
How can you get the most bang for your buck at LEGOLAND California Resort? How much time do you really need to get the most of your Disneyland trip? What do you need to know if you’re visiting Knott’s Berry Farm for the first time?
Savings at California’s theme parks are some of the LifeBalance Program’s most popular deals, but we wanted to know more about how members could get the best experience at the parks while being conscious of cash flow. So we sat down with Get Away Today Vice President of Communications Jennifer Dunyon to get all of the insider tips on saving money, finding the best value, and making the most of your time at Southern California’s most famous theme parks.
Take a listen below or scroll down to read the interview highlights! And for more on Southern California fun, you can check out Get Away Today‘s blog, Packed with Fun.
Prefer to read up on Jennifer’s insights? Here are the tips and tricks she outlined. (Please note that we edited the interview responses for readability.)
LifeBalance (LB): We all know that visiting Southern California attractions can get expensive. Aside from saving through LifeBalance and Get Away Today, can you provide any tips for saving money at some of SoCal’s popular theme parks?
Jennifer’s Tips:
- Book a hotel within walking distance, or one that offers free parking, free shuttles, or inexpensive shuttles. Transportation costs can add up, plus being close to the park can save you time and make for a more relaxing trip.
- Most parks let you bring in snacks and drinks! Water bottles, granola bars, etc. can keep you energized throughout the day, save you money, and save you time from waiting in line for food.
- If you’re traveling to Disneyland, restaurants like Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Redd Rockets Pizza (currently Alien Pizza Planet), Flo’s V8 Cafe and Jazz Kitchen Express in Downtown Disney to get the best bang for your buck. These restaurants offer larger portions, so you can easily share a meal!
- If you want to take advantage of Disney’s MaxPass, make sure you do so at the beginning of your Disney day. This will maximize your time and allow you to be the first to book FastPass reservations.
Resources: We have a blog article on Packed with Fun called “How to do Disneyland Cheap” if anyone wants additional information on this subject. This is our favorite thing to talk about!
LB: What tips can you provide for families visiting some of Southern California’s parks for the first time?
Jennifer’s Tips:
For Disneyland: If you’ve never been or haven’t been in a long time, you may not realize just how much there is to do there. If you can, we recommend booking at least a 4-Day admission ticket (plus you pay less per day when you book a four or five day ticket). Part of what makes Disneyland so magical is the attention to detail they put into everything. When you stay for at least 4-Days, you’ll be able to experience all of the fun without the rush, making for a much less stressful trip.
For Universal Studios: While Universal Studios Hollywood is much smaller than Universal Orlando Resort, there is still a lot to experience. I would suggest booking at least a 2-Day ticket or the Universal Express Pass to enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Transformers the Ride-3D, The World Famous Studio Tour and the all-new Dreamworks Theater featuring Kung Fu Panda.
Another thing to know about Universal is that they have lots of things for all ages. We get a lot of people calling asking if Universal will be ok for their 7 or 8-year olds, and the answer is yes! They have Despicable Me exhibits, Kung Fu Panda, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and more awesome exhibits for younger kids.
For LEGOLAND: If you want to plan a trip to the LEGOLAND California Resort, I would suggest for families to visit during the summer. Not only will they be able to experience longer park hours, but they can enjoy new LEGO CHIMA Water Park, which our guests have been loving. While LEGOLAND is filled with fun no matter what time of year you go, park hours are limited during the fall and winter.
Also, it’s worth looking at at least one night in the LEGOLAND Hotel. They have a new castle hotel and it’s so fun. If your kids love LEGOs, if that’s what they’re most excited about, it can really add to the magic, even if you only stay one night. Plus then you get early admission and free breakfast.
For SeaWorld: In addition to the thrilling attractions and incredible sea life you’ll be able to enjoy at SeaWorld, I would suggest that families take advantage of our Single Day + Eat Free All Day ticket. With this ticket, guests will be able to eat FREE at select restaurants. The best part? It can be used for 3 total items at each restaurant, as often as once every hour.
People are loving this ticket. They love having that all-inclusive feel and being able to let their family members order food when and where they want throughout their visit.
Also, SeaWorld really shines with the entertainment. There are more shows and entertainment options in the summer months, so along with longer park hours, that’s a good reason to go in the summer.
Give SeaWorld a chance. This year it’s been really popular, and they have a brand new roller coaster that’s the biggest in San Diego, and people have been having a great time there.
For San Diego Zoo: I always encourage people to do the guided bus tour first. It allows you to get a feel for where everything is and understand what you want to go back and spend more time on. I love the San Diego Zoo; it’s one of the top rated zoos on TripAdvisor. It’s really a fun experience there; it’s like a botanical garden with all these amazing animals!
Our one-day San Diego Zoo ticket includes experiences like the guided bus tour, Kangaroo Bus and round-trip Skyfari! Guests won’t have to pay extra to experience these attractions that provide great views, educational information, and lots of fun! Plus if you’re going to LEGOLAND, make sure to visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park located in Carlsbad, California.
Tip for Knott’s Berry Farm: We love Knott’s Berry Farm! First off, Knott’s is a park you want to come hungry to, because their famous Knott’s Chicken and Boysenberry Pie are amazing; our staff loves them. But you may want to eat them after you ride the rollercoasters :).
Like most Southern California attractions, you’ll typically find Knott’s Berry Farm less crowded during the week than weekends. However if you do travel during a busy time, Knott’s Berry Farm does offer a Fast Lane option for an additional cost. Fast Lane allows guests to get priority boarding on select rides, including the new HangTime roller coaster! I think it can be worth it.
Also, if your kids are daredevils, Knott’s has amazing roller coasters! But they also have great areas for younger kids, too.
LB: What Southern California attractions do you think provide the biggest bang for the buck?
Jennifer’s Tips:
SeaWorld: Soo many great deals on SeaWorld San Diego admission tickets, including these really fun bundles: Length of Stay Ticket, Single Day + Eat Free All Day Bundle Ticket, SeaWorld & Aquatica Length of Stay Combo Ticket and more. We’ve gotten so much great feedback about the Single Day + Eat Free ticket! During the summer when Aquatica is open, you get the water park too and the combo ticket is really popular.
Disneyland: I love the Disneyland Resort. Again, the longer you go, the less you pay per day. Once you enter the Disneyland Resort, EVERYTHING as far as entertainment is included, plus you have celebrations! This is especially great for limited-time celebrations like Pixar Fest, Halloween Time, and the Holidays that include exclusive entertainment, ride-overlays, and more. Halloween Time is actually one of the most popular times of year, and if you go over Halloween or the holidays, you get a lot more entertainment options.
San Diego: For a more affordable vacation, I would suggest families look at San Diego for a vacation destination. They typically are a little bit lower of a price point than some of the parks to the North. It’s one of my favorite destinations; it feels like you’re a ten minute drive from so many great sights and attractions. It’s very accessible. With parks like the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, and incredible beaches, shopping and restaurants, this is one of my favorite destinations to travel to.
LB: When do you think is the best time of year to take the family to Disneyland, SeaWorld, or other Southern California theme parks?
Jennifer’s Tips:
I used to have all kinds answers for this, but now, I think with social media and the crowd forecasters, it just makes the most sense to go when you can. There are pros and cons to every time of year. If there is a time that works best for your family or there are park attractions you want to see, go then!
But a few tips on some times of year:
- Halloween Time: If you love the spooky magic of Halloween Time, almost every Southern California theme park has a spooktacular celebration! There’s everything from genuinely scary mazes to family friendly attractions and activities for the little ones, so there is something for everyone.
- Holidays: If you are all about decking the halls for the holidays, nothing will get you in the spirit of the season more than a trip to a Southern California theme park.
- Summer Time: If summer is more your jam, you can know that you’ll enjoy longer park hours and extra entertainment. And a lot of the annual passholders for some of these parks don’t or can’t visit during the summer, and that can really reduce park traffic.
San Diego is great because the weather is awesome year-round. But one cool thing about San Diego is that October is Kids Free month, so many parks and hotels allow kids to visit for free, and there are a number of “kids eat free” programs. It seems to be a city-wide campaign to encourage people to come in October. It’s possible not all parks will participate this year, but definitely worth looking into.
Also, if you’ve been to Southern California parks before, try going a different time of year to enjoy different entertainment and activities.
Lastly, no matter when you go, get there early! Mornings are less busy, so you can experience a lot more. And staying late — many people leave a few hours before parks close, so staying late can give you great access to your favorite rides.
LB: Most families can only make a trip to Southern California parks when the kids aren’t in school. Are there times/weeks over the summer or holidays when things are a little less chaotic?
Jennifer’s Tip:
All of the theme parks prepare for times like these when the kids aren’t in school. A hidden secret: depending on where your kids go to school, they might get out of school earlier or start school later than other districts or states. These are awesome pockets of time for your kids to not miss any school, but to be less affected by the crowds too!
LB: Navigating busy theme parks during the hot summer months isn’t always easy. Any tips for keeping everyone calm/happy to make sure it’s an enjoyable trip?
Jennifer’s Tips:
Yes! You can set yourself up for a fantastic vacation.
First, attitude: Relax and don’t try to see every single thing. If you’re with the family, find out everyone’s top two or three things they want to see, and make those a priority. Then, just enjoy whatever else you get the chance to see. Don’t have a really rigid plan you have to stick to.
Mornings: Take advantage of early mornings at the park. For example – Disneyland. Our 3-Day or longer Disneyland tickets include a Magic Morning for one day of your stay at the Disneyland portion of the resort. This gets you into the park an hour before it even opens! This is the perfect time, while the weather is cooler with a lot less people, to get in those hot ticket attractions.
Take a mid-day break: When the weather is the hottest, give yourself a break. Head back to your hotel, unwind, and enjoy some pool time or naps. You’re in sunny southern California– enjoy it! Then head back to the parks in the evening for entertainment and shorter lines.
If you’re at the parks, try enjoying some indoor entertainment for a break, like Disneyland’s Frozen Live at the Hyperion Theater, Disney Junior Dance Party, and Art Academy,
Free water: This is kind of funny, but Disneyland offers free water cups at every quick-service location, to ensure you’re always quenched and ready to take on more attractions at the park.
Waiting in line: Check out the Get Away Today blog for little free games you can play while you wait in line, or the best apps to download. Or just use the time to chat with your family, make memories, and build that connection with them.
Longer trips – I love when our guests get to visit multiple resorts or parks and take enough time to enjoy the trip and have a relaxing vacation. Even taking an extra day or two on any one destination just makes it so you have a little more time for both down time and the chance to really experience it all.
LB: We noticed many attractions provide “extras” for an additional cost — like front of the line passes, early morning admission, behind-the-scenes passes, etc. Can you think of any that you think are worth the cost at any particular park?
Jennifer’s Tips:
- If you’re short on time, the Disneyland MaxPass can be a great deal. It’s only $10 to add on to each ticket, and can save you a ton of time.
- Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal, and LEGOLAND have these sort of VIP passes, and if time is tight, it’s worth looking at them to really maximize your experience.
LB: For families with limited time at the parks, what are the must-sees at some of the most popular parks?
Jennifer’s Favorites:
- Disneyland: The all-new Pixar Pier, Fantasmic!, World of Color, Fireworks.
- LEGOLAND: Apple Fries, MINILAND U.S.A., CHIMA Water Park.
- Universal: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Studio Tour, WaterWorld Show.
- Knott’s: Hangtime roller coaster, Fried Chicken at Mrs. Knott’s Restaurants, Boysenberry Pie, Camp Snoopy.
LB: Lastly, it’s time for a shameless plug! Tell us a little more about Get Away Today!
Jennifer:
Get Away Today was founded in 1990. Our owners went to Disneyland and had an amazing experience and thought, “How can we do this more often and make it more affordable?”
We have been sending thousands of families on vacation, and it’s our passion. We have the best staff, and they know what they’re doing — they’re labelled the experts by Disney themselves! They go to Anaheim and San Diego and visit all of our hotels and theme parks to make sure they can give guests the best recommendations.
We have flexible payment options. We provide a layaway plan that families can use. There are lots of price increases throughout each year so guests can lock in a price early, pay $125 up front and then and pay the rest of the trip off by the time they leave.
We are always checking pricing to make sure we provide the best deals, and we guarantee the best experience. We check in with guests before the trip to go over any questions they might have, and if you’re booking with us, know you’ve got a friend along the way! Things can happen when you travel, and we’ve worked with these partners for such a long time that we have great relationships and can help smooth things out. Our hotel partners take the best care of the Get Away Today guests, so your members can have great confidence knowing we have all the tools to ensure they have a great vacation.
To check out savings on your Southern California vacation, visit these links:
Disneyland® Resort Brought to You by Get Away Today
LEGOLAND Hotel and LEGOLAND California Resort
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
And that’s just the start! LifeBalance offers savings at many other Southern California attractions; check out our Tourist Attractions and Games & Amusement categories to browse near your destination!
