Because I’m Crazy Like That

It’s been almost a year since our grand Texas vacation and already I’ve got the planning bug for another grand circus family trek.  Remember how I thought we’d just swing by Houston since we’d be in El Paso?  Well, I have similar aspirations for a trip to California in the fall. (I know originally I’d been thinking we’d do a Florida trip, but baby number 4 has changed that aspiration a bit)

Scott’s beloved Nana lives near Sacramento and we sadly don’t get to see her that often.  She is an amazing lady and we want for our kids to have memories of times with her.  We went out when my son was 4 mths old to introduce her and Grandpa to their first great grandchild.  We went again 3 yrs later when our third child was around 3 months old.  With the birth of our fourth child coming early this summer, I’m scheming to try to find a way to get the kids out to see Nana (sadly Grandpa is no longer with us) again.  I’ve found that 3-4 months is a wonderful age to travel with infants and the older 3 should be old enough to make real memories of their time with Nana. 

Here’s where the crazy part comes in…

Remember how Scott and I are trying to visit every U.S. National Park together?  Well, it just so happens that there are 3 National Park in southern California that we’ve never been to.  And since we’re already paying to fly all the way across the country to California, it stands to reason we might as well take full advantage of that fact and visit some National Parks while we are out there.  Don’t ya think? 

Sooooo, I’ve spent some time on google maps and the national park website trying to figure out how I could squeeze it all in.  Since Joshua Tree National Park is only 2 and half hours from Anaheim, I’m trying to find a way to do one day at Disneyland as well.  Ya know because a visit with Nana and 4 National Parks isn’t enough excitement for one vacation… Truth is, the kids have been asking to go to Disney and I know it’s a trip we’ll probably only be able to do once, so I am trying to hold off on a real Disney World vacation until all the kids are older.  But, at the same time I’d love to capitalize on the “magic of Disney” stage of life that the 6, 4, and 3 yr olds will be in come fall.  A day in Disneyland seems like a good way to do that. 

But, do you know how hard it is to find information on tickets for one day in Disneyland?  Disney doesn’t want you to go for one day…they want you to go for 3 days or 4 days.  It is very, very, very hard to find a cost estimate on one day. 

Any California readers out there have some info they can give me on doing Disneyland in one day?  I just want to see Disneyland, not the California Adventure. I would LOVE, LOVE some input and help on this.

So, here is my proposed trip.  It would be for 12 days.  We’d fly into Anaheim on a Thursday and hopefully go and eat dinner by the Pacific Ocean that evening.  Then on Friday we’d spend the day in Disneyland.  Saturday we’d take off for Joshua Tree National Park and thus begin a week long camping adventure including Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks. 

According to my calculations we’d have two days of driving 5 hrs, but the rest are simply 3 and 2 hour drives between locations (oh and one 4 hr trip up to Nana’s at the end).    We’d then spend 3 evenings and 2 full days with Nana at the end of our trip, flying back home on a Tuesday.  Originally I thought we’d start with Nana and end with Disneyland, but I think that our trip would end on a much more restful note if we spent the last few days relaxing at Nana’s.    I worked out the budget at the end of last year so we could start saving extra money in 2010 to make this grand vacation possible.  I am currently cautiously optimistic that we can make this happen in late September/early October.  The one good thing about all the business travel Scott has gone on this year is that he’s saved up more than one free flight on Southwest which will help get our crew of 6 across the country. 

Nothing is definite yet and won’t be till after the baby is born, but I am in that fun dreaming, scheming, planning stage of the game right now. 

I am wondering if anyone has any insight on any of these parks, on Disneyland, and on California in the fall, that they can share with me?  I’d greatly appreciate the input as I plan.