Flight via LA
 

:D Sorry guys, yet another question ~ probably not the last! Me and OH were speaking last night about flying via LA to let the kids have a couple of days in Disney. It's not my thing but the kids would love it and we reckoned it would be cheaper doing it on the way to NZ than having a holiday there from Scotland! Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I was concerned that I had read you get a bigger luggage allowance on one way flights and I wonder, would we jeopardise this if we stop in LA. I am thinking 3 nights, tops.
Thank you again, Flora x

Re: Flight via LA
 

We did exactly that with our 2 kids when we came over in 2009. We flew Air NZ and still got the double luggage allowance.

As we had a lot of luggage, we got the Disneyland Express coach from the airport to the hotel and back and the poor driver just loaded all our bags for us (there was no way they'd fit in a hire car!). http://graylineanaheim.com/shuttles.shtml

We stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel Anaheim. It was about 5 minutes walk to the Disneyland entrance with plenty of restaurants and bars around (to avoid paying Disney prices). The hotel room was clean, tidy and quiet and had a great outdoor swimming pool complex which the kids thoroughly enjoyed and we were able to see the Disneyland fireworks from the carpark (the kids were falling asleep through jetlag at that point so only 1 stayed awake!). http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

Due to the problems of having so much luggage we did nothing in LA other than Disneyland. We stayed for 3 days and had a fabulous time, I would definitely recommend it. It had the added bonus of making our departure easier on the kids. They were so excited about going to Disneyland that they forgot they were emigrating!

Re: Flight via LA
 

We came to N.Z. from Scotland last October via LA and flew Air New Zealand, they were fantastic! We spent 4 nights in Santa Monica and travelled around, went to Universal Studios, Venice beach, Malibu...had a great time our daughters are 8 & 11yrs and we wanted to have a good break to cheer ourselves up after all the drama's/farewells from home...! We didnt have an increased baggage allowance but that was ok as everything was sent ahead in the container. We opted for Universal Studios rather Disney as our kids are a bit older and we'd been to EuroDisney in Paris and were all a bit "Disneyed out"!

Re: Flight via LA
 

:thumbsup:Thank you both so much. It is now part of the plan, I agree that it makes the transition easier on the kids or at very least dilutes the fear element!:blink:

Re: Flight via LA
 

We did exactly that when we came over to the UK. Got the bus and stayed at the Howard Johnson. Great location, near disneyland and a good mexican resturatant just over the road. The hotel is so close that we came back mid afternoon for a rest and a swim and then walked back to disneyworld in the evening. the hotel also does shopping trips so you may need that extra baggaage allowance.
I have just been onto Qantas (we fly 11th June) and they won't give us any extra. They wanted AUD 245 for an extra 10KG. They advised just to try our luck at the airport, eek!
Good luck
Kaz