California Adventure in a more golden state

Anaheim — Two nights at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel: $441.60

Three tickets to Disney's California Adventure: $139.25.

Dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen: $117.12.

A three-day weekend at the Disneyland Resort with your wife and two young sons: pricey.

It felt wrong to be spending so much money on a vacation only 20 miles from home. But considering the rising price of gas or the cost of airline tickets for four, a family getaway farther away wouldn't have been much more affordable. And, love it or hate it, Walt Disney Co. usually knows how to show young and old a good time.

When it opened three years ago, though, Disney's California Adventure was a much-maligned theme park, with critics complaining that there were too few rides and attractions. Roy Disney, the nephew of Walt, accused the company of building the park "on the cheap" when he resigned in November from the Disney board of directors.

But attractions have been added in recent years. One of the biggest is set to open May 5: the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror thrill ride, which cost about $60 million to build and is popular at Walt Disney World in Florida.

One benefit of going on this trip before summer -- at least for Southern California residents -- is that you can visit California Adventure and neighboring Disneyland for the price of one admission. Though the dates for such promotions are subject to change, Disney has offered "resident salutes" for the last 13 years. As of the Travel section's deadline Tuesday, a two-for-one promotion was still available.

Because we were going to both parks in one weekend, my wife, Leslie, and I thought we would make a vacation out of it and stay at the most affordable of Disney's three hotels, the Paradise Pier, which has access into California Adventure.

With our sons, Riley, 7, and Casey, 19 months, we arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon one Friday a few weeks ago. The accommodations were adequate but not extravagant. Our fourth-floor room cost $184 a night plus tax and a $9.20 daily resort fee that included parking. It had a partial view of the theme park, a portable crib for Casey and a couch that converted into a bed for Riley. There was a small refrigerator for drinks and snacks. Though we didn't use it, a heated swimming pool is open year-round. The biggest disappointment for me was finding a balloon and wadded-up papers left over from the previous guests in our room, very un-Disney-like.