Disneyland Hotel - Part One

Ever since we returned from our Disney trip in March 2003, we've been longing to return. Disneyland is a world unto itself. Once you pass through the gates its entirely possible to totally forget about the outside world and just concentrate on the magic of Disney. We began counting the days until we could return. After I realized I would receive a larger than expected tax refund, we decided to start planning our trip in earnest. This would be the year that we would stay at the Disneyland Hotel, each of us in our own room. I began to spend a lot of time surfing the AAA, Disneyland and Expedia websites pricing the various options. Should we purchase rooms only at the DLH or book one of the AAA Disney vacation packages? Should we buy a park hopper ticket or the Annual Pass? If we buy the Annual Pass, should we get the Deluxe or Premium Pass? All options were explored.

Then suddenly, prices started going up. The price for a 6-night vacation jumped up $150. The price of the Annual Pass also increased dramatically. We started to panic. Finally, we decided to make room-only reservations at the DLR because we weren't required to pay a deposit and we could cancel up to 4 days before arrival without penalty. In addition, we were encouraged to call back periodically to see if any special deals were available that might lower the price of the room. Finally, we could relax. Our rooms were secure. Now all we had to do was wait.