WWYD? Trying to plan a fun family activity in the LA Area

[bisous]

And yes, I live here, lol! My family recently completed a major project together and we want to celebrate this weekend with a big "surprise" family event. I want it to "wow" the kids because it has taken more than a year to complete! I'm having trouble selecting an activity that will wow them, in part because we have free access to D-land through DHs work!

WWYD?

Disneyland (We go often, today actually--is it special enough?) Free for us (except food).
Star Wars Day at the Zoo (We're members here so it would be free but there is the Star Wars element!) Free for us.
Natural History Museum LA with its new Dinosaur Exhibit and Butterfly Pavilion. Kids would love it. It would cost us about $50.
Long Beach Aquarium. This was my first plan. The kids want to go here really bad BUT it will cost us at least $86 dollars!

Money is most definitely an issue for us BUT on the other hand, this project took us over a year--over two years actually and we spent almost nothing on vacation this year. Some of the cheaper options could be bolstered by tickets to the cheap theatre to see Kung Fu Panda or eating out--both rare occasions for us!

Love to hear your thoughts!

ETA: Just added another option--San Diego Zoo membership would cost us about double one trip to the LB Aquarium. My Dad lives in SD so we could stay with him and visit there for a year. The kids would love (and so would I) but do we need another membership?

[TwinFoxes]

I think the LB Aquarium is pretty cool, but not $86 cooler than Disneyland for kids, you know? Are your kids into Star Wars? That sounds like it might be fun. I don't know anything about the new exhibits at the Natural History Museum.

My first thought is "Disneyland!" but since you go all of the time, I think you're right, they won't get that you're celebrating. I think the zoo might be your best option...cheap, but something new for the kids. Have fun! :)

[bisous]

Thanks! We are lucky this "event" happens to fall on the weekend after our big project. :)

I think we'll do it! :)

[sariana]

Since your dad lives in SD and you mentioned the LB Aquarium, have you considered SeaWorld? I think they may still have the "Buy One Day, Get a Whole Year" special going on. I don't pay that much attention because we go free every year with our military IDs.

Sometimes SeaWorld also has adult tickets for kid prices. And other deals.

[PunkyBoo]

Since your dad lives in SD and you mentioned the LB Aquarium, have you considered SeaWorld? I think they may still have the "Buy One Day, Get a Whole Year" special going on. I don't pay that much attention because we go free every year with our military IDs.

Sometimes SeaWorld also has adult tickets for kid prices. And other deals.

:yeahthat: We have LB Aquarium memberships and live only a few minutes away, so we go often. Honestly, we can go through the aquarium in 2 hours, but maybe that's because we don't feel pressured to see everything every time we go. And the crowds of school/ daycare groups gets to me. And, frankly, as much as my kids (and DH and I) love animals, animals in the zoo are all pretty much the same - in other words, the mystique of seeng them in a zoo the first time is pretty much done with the first time - the next time you go, it's all the same.

I took my boys to the NHM yesterday to see the dinosaur hall and butterflies. We did have fun, but it's not the same kind of "Wow! This is awesome!" as a place like Disney or Sea World.

I would totally do Sea World. They are running a few good deals right now - the one Sariana mentioned and one where adults are kids price and kids are free. For our family of 4 that would make it about $125.

OR, you could do a dining adventure to spice up your Disney day. Punkin was in heaven when we took him to Goofy's kitchen for his 5th birthday, even though we'd only gone on about 3-4 rides in the park all day. Gosh, I wish I could trade places with you. My kids are begging to go to DL and we can't afford it right now, and we go to the aquarium about once every 2 months or so.

[AnnieW625]

I have a bad taste for the LB Aquarium. We were members from 2006 to 2009, went every other month or so. My Jr. League had their annual event there in 2009 and the aquarium did not hold up the end of their bargain to provide a good venue for our event. There were hidden charges for everything, and honestly it wasn't worth it. The staff was rude, the drinks were outrageous (the hip yuppie bar across the street is more reasonable), and the overall set up of the venue was horrible. It really soured me on the whole place, which is sad because DD1 enjoyed going. Plus if you aren't a member it's really expensive for a day trip. A membership is $120 per year, plus the $15 parking pass.

We need to take the kids to the SD Zoo and are seriously considering a yearly membership because I think even if we only go two or three times a year we can do it in a day and not feel like we have to see everything in a day.

[Aishe]

The dinosaur exhibit is really great. Both my 5.5yo and 2.5yo loved it. We weren't able to see the butterfly exhibit, but I've heard really good things about it. You could then pop over to the California Science Center (free admission) and maybe see an IMAX film (not sure about the cost of that). I don't know if you go to the Science Center very often, but my kids go crazy over it. They never tire of it.

[bisous]

Thanks for the input guys. My mom actually bought our family the "buy a day get a year free" pass to Sea World last year and sadly we didn't really use it a second time. I felt terrible! We had fun but we found it so expensive (even WITH free admission) that we didn't get around to going back! For that reason, I think we'll skip it.

I'm wondering if the SD Zoo would be the same deal. It IS far for us!

I wish we could share the wealth with our Disney trips. We are so, so frugal that it seems weird for us to be able to go to this big expensive place all the time when we don't even go to In N Out very often because of the cost, lol! We've pretty much mastered the art of the low-cost Disney trip and we do go often.

HOWEVER, when we were there on Monday (kind of a busy day since it was the first day back for season pass holders after the summer break!) BOTH kids expressed dismay at not being able to do everything they wanted to. I'm wondering if there is some kind of experience we can add on to Disneyland to make it "Wow".

Now I don't know what to do!

I do like the zoo option because of the whole "free" thing. I wonder how cool the Star Wars aspect will be...

[bisous]

Aishe, I'm glad to hear your kids liked it. We went on vacation to Santa Barbara (with my parents who treated us to a room!) this summer and the thing my kids talk about over and over again is the Ty Warner Sea Center. It is about the size of my parent's house but they couldn't get over it! It makes me laugh because they do these big rides but are happy in this little tiny museum petting swell sharks...

Which is why I thought they'd love the aquarium...

Sigh...

What I was getting at, though, is that if the Dinos are cool enough THEY MIGHT just go for it. I figured whatever cheap option we do we could tack on Kung Fu Panda 2 at the cheap theatre (gotta love $3 tickets!) and a chili dog (DS1 is way into Sonic the Hedgehog right now!).

[niccig]

There's the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. It's much smaller, but also much cheaper http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/plan-your-visit/location-hours-fees

DS's class went on a field trip and all the parents were impressed, but they had an amazing docent showing them around. I didn't go on that trip, but heard from other mothers that they all wondered if the docent babysat and would drive all the way to our area.

You could then go on the Ferris wheel at the pier - but check prices, I think the rides do add up if you do too many.

Pack a picnic lunch and eat on the beach. The kids can swim and make sand castles. If you have bikes, you can ride on the bike path. It does get busy around the pier, but DS is fine with riding there.

The new dinosaur hall at the Natural History Museum is very cool, and with the Science Center right there, you can visit both. There's a nice grassy area out the back where you can have a picnic lunch. The Museum's food options aren't all that great and $$. The Science Center has a McDonalds, Taco Bell and another food service that is better than the museum's (I used to volunteer at the museum and many staff walk over to the Science Center for lunch.) Science center is free entry, except for special exhibits and Imax - we see the hubble Imax and DS was "WOW"

[PunkyBoo]

The dinos *are* really cool. I'm not sure how old your kiddos are. Punkin really enjoyed it and there is a lot of interactive stuff that he and his friend really enjoyed. The butterflies are fun, and the mammal exhibit is also really cool, as is the insect zoo they have there. But for Boo it was tough (he's 2 and a half). He can't read the stuff in the exhibits, so for him it was like "Yup, more bones." I agree adding the Science Center to the day would be fun, too, esp since it's free.

[Aishe]

It makes me laugh because they do these big rides but are happy in this little tiny museum petting swell sharks...


The Science Center has a little petting center in its ocean ecosystem area. DD loves to touch the anemones there. It's quite small, though, not even big enough for the littlest sharks.

Does Costco sell tickets to the LB aquarium? It seems like that's the kind of thing they might carry, the way they sell tickets to Disneyland.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

My kids love the Tar Pit museum. I'm not sure it has the "wow" factor you are looking for, but I would say they liked it a lot. We've been twice, both times on the way to/from DL and they were dissapointed we didn't stop last time we went to DL.

Now I'm interested in the Natural History museum!

[Tondi G]

The Science Center has a little petting center in its ocean ecosystem area. DD loves to touch the anemones there. It's quite small, though, not even big enough for the littlest sharks.

Does Costco sell tickets to the LB aquarium? It seems like that's the kind of thing they might carry, the way they sell tickets to Disneyland.

I don't know about costco selling tickets to the aquarium but we went this past Saturday and picked up a coupon at our local Baskin Robbins ice cream store that got the kids in free with a paying adult! The aquarium was fun but it we saw all/most of it in a few hours, missed the sea lion show though cause there were no seats available by the time we got out there.

we have been to the California Science Center a few times and my kids really enjoy it. Our next museum visit will be the Natural History Museum... I have heard its great.

ONE thought on trips to Disneyland. You say you guys visit on a regular basis. How about spending a night in the D-land Hotel??? They have the new monorail waterslides in the pool area and the renovated rooms are really lovely. They have annual passholder rates that are pretty good. Our kids even though we have annual passes love the D-land hotel ... it has that WOW factor for them!

[bisous]

Tondi,

That sounds REALLY special, really, really WOW!! (My kids are weird and a hotel--any hotel is SUPER fun!) DH is a castmember and can sometimes get really incredible deals. I'm wondering about cost, but it could totally work!

[Tondi G]

Tondi,

That sounds REALLY special, really, really WOW!! (My kids are weird and a hotel--any hotel is SUPER fun!) DH is a castmember and can sometimes get really incredible deals. I'm wondering about cost, but it could totally work!

Have your DH look into it. We have been waiting all summer for DH's work to slow down and it hasn't (bummer). We had thoughts of trying to get down to San Diego for a week at the end of the boys vacation but DH just can't get away for that long. He somehow found a way to take a few days this coming week so we called and booked a room at the D-land hotel for 2 nights. Our kids are thrilled. They LOVE hotels (even if it were a motel they would probably be happy... it's fun and exciting for them regardless). The new waterslide area at the hotel looks awesome ... we are all looking forward to it even though it's just a couple of nights! there is something magical about the D-land hotel.... and something fun about spending the day at the park and then hopping on the monorail and being at our hotel (no drive home! yay)

Hope your DH can get a great rate and you guys can do it!!!

[bisous]

Argh. Back to the drawing board for us. DL hotel would be around $300 for one night with taxes. Evidently our discount isn't as good at DL attractions as it is as DW attractions! DH and I stayed at Pop Century for $65 a night back in April!!

Sooo...

Back to the question of

Aquarium (buy season pass at $115 or $86 for one visit)
Nat. History (At MOST $46--we might get reciprocity discount)
Star Wars Day at LA Zoo (Free!)
Page Museum? California Science Center?

Maybe I'll leave it up to DH...

[sariana]

Star Wars day at the LA Zoo

Can't beat free. And...it's Star Wars!

[AnnieW625]

I think I would do Star Wars at the Zoo. WCS it's crowded but at least it was free.

No Costco doesn't sell LB Aquarium tickets.

[Aishe]

You can certainly make a full day of it in Griffith Park: the zoo, Shane's Inspiration (pack a special lunch to have there), Travel Town, the pony rides, the observatory. Any number of those plus a movie and maybe dinner out would send my kids over the moon.

[bisous]

Aishe, that sounds great. I think we have a winner!! We'll save money and have QUITE the day! :)

[Aishe]

Yay! I hope everyone has a great time.