Hi Jackie! Welcome to planDisney. The Happiest Place on Earth welcomes Mouseketeers of all ages, especially those that are young and young at heart!
It sounds like you are planning quite a trip! While my pixie dust doesn't reach quite far enough to book a vacation for you, I can help point you in a few directions to help you get all your Disneyland ducks in a row. First, I would take a look at the
Disneyland Resort Vacation Packages available for your dates on the Disneyland website. You'll be able to select Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa specifically, which is such a wonderful place to stay! The vacation package will include hotel accommodation, theme park tickets, and some magical extras such as discounts on select dining locations throughout Downtown Disney District!
Next, let's talk about
theme park tickets! The next step when you are building your vacation package online is to select which type of ticket you would like to include. Don't worry, the process will guide you through this! This is where you will select if you would like One Park Per Day or Park Hopper tickets as well as if you'd like to upgrade your tickets to include Disney Genie+. With the Park Hopper tickets, you would be able to hop between the two parks after 1 p.m. each day. With Genie+, you will have access to Lightning Lanes on select attractions (similar to the former MaxPass system).
Once you check out and have your confirmation number, you'll need to make a theme park reservation for each day of your trip. While your actual e-tickets will arrive in your account four days prior to your trip, you will need to secure
theme park reservations ahead of time (as early as possible is best!) to guarantee entry. Both a ticket and reservation are now required to get yourselves through those Main Entrance Gates. The good news is once you link your vacation package to your account, the system will recognize that you have tickets. To make reservations, head to the "Parks & Tickets" tab at the top of the Disneyland website and select "Ticket & Reservation Details" from the drop-down menu. On the next page, select "Make Park Reservations". Since you will both be part of the same vacation package, you will be able to make reservations for you both at the same time, but you will need to repeat the process for each day of your trip! You will need to select the park where you will start your day, with hopping after 1 p.m. if you decide to go with those Park Hoppers.
Let's talk
Blue Bayou Restaurant! Reservations open up 60 days prior, and this is a popular one! My best advice here is to continue to check for availability as Guests must cancel their reservations 24 hours ahead of time and an opening may pop up! Also, it never hurts to head to Blue Bayou when it opens and talk to the Cast Member and ask if they have any same-day availability!
For shows, I always recommend taking a look
Entertainment Schedule, which is already up for your trip next week! For
airport transfers, while the Disneyland Resort does not provide transportation, there are a few options listed on the website for reference.
Jackie, I sure hope this helps in your planning!
Magic awaits!
Tara