Disneyland/California Adventure is more than a 1 or 2 day excursion. If you really want to see both parks fully, (and without meltdowns) you will want accomodations close enough to go back to and rest in the middle of the day. The hotels along Katella and on the East side of Harbor can be spotty, But the Quality Inn on Manchester is not bad. I think they may have a shuttle to the main gate of the parks too. If you drive and park, count on it taking 30-40 minutes to get from your car to the main gate, and same getting from the park back to the Mickey parking structure. Its' quite a hike even with the tram. The Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, and Grand Californian are great Hotels - if you are a gazillionaire... and of course you can walk right into the parks from the Grand californian. If you use google maps and enter "hotels" after finding the park location, you will see all of the various accomodations around the park.
Things NOT to be missed: World of Color (water show)and Soarin' Over California (ride) at Calif Adv. and Fantasmic (light show) at Disneyland. Of course the fireworks every night at 9:40 PM are spectacular always. If you get the opportunity to dine at Napa Rose in the Grand Californian it is a wonderful restaurant, and inside Disneyland the Blue Bayou is also wonderful. If you have little ones along, Goofys kitchen or the Plaza Inn has character breakfast buffets where the characters come out and play with the children and sign autographs. You can call ahead and make reservations and you should. Planning is really the key to a great vacation at Disneyland! I know all this because I grew up in Anaheim and worked at the park as a singer for 14 years off and on. Maybe I'm nuts but it never gets old to me!
Me '54
Him '58
Rain the Awesome Aussie
Maggie the wonderdog over the RB 4/16
2008 Fleetwood Fiesta LX 34N