Originally Posted by
bzcat
Disneyland - You can stay in Beverly Hills or Downtown LA (JW Marriott) and just take a day trip to Disneyland. This is best done with a rental car. Leave your hotel around 9 AM after the worst commute traffic is over and drive down to Anaheim. You should get there in about 1 hour. Disneyland is not as big as people tend to think so you can cover the entire park in one day with plenty of time to spare. Your admission ticket also gives you entry to California Adventure. It is up to you if you want to hit up both parks but I think your kids will be tired after a few hours at Disneyland given their age. You can stay until after dark for the fireworks and then drive back to your hotel in LA, again after the worst of the commute traffic is over. DO NOT attempt the Disneyland trip on weekends... it will be a miserable time for all.
You gave some great advice on the other topics, but I have to disagree here. One cannot "cover the entire park in one day with plenty of time to spare", especially not with two little ones. Even beginning to enjoy all that Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have to offer takes a full three days, which is why I think spending a few nights right there (either at one of the Disney hotels or at the Anaheim Marriott or Hilton, both of which are within easy walking distance) is a much better idea.
Remember that experiencing Disneyland is more than zipping around to a few big attractions. To actually take the time to soak in the atmosphere, enjoy the shows and parades, let kids meet some characters, etc. makes for a much more memorable experience. That can simply not be done in a single rushed day.