¤*~*¤May/June 2013 ¤*~*¤Trip Planning Thread

[ColoradoLime]

I know - the positive thing is I don't yet have funds for airfare so until we have that money the dates can change as much as they want. lol

 

[ColoradoLime]

Sadly, DH is not a big Disneyland person, and I can't convince him to spend much time in the parks. This is the start of an 8 day trip to CA, OR, and WA.
It's DH first time at Disneyland, and probably the one and only time I will get him to go.

How fun - where all in OR & WA are you going? I love the Oregon coast. And if you happen to be going to Victoria Island in WA, it is BEAUTIFUL!

Any chance your DH will become a Disney fanatic after this first visit???

Count me in. I just booked our room at the Tropicana. We will be going to DL on 6/11,12 and 13. Can't wait. We are also heading to Legoland on the 9th as my kids have been dying to go and they are about to outgrow it.

I bet Legoland is awesome. I want to take my son there when he gets a bit older.

 

[nicleigh84]

We are making our first trip to DLR June 15 - 20. So happy to have found this thread! I am wondering about the Fantasmic Dessert package. Can anyone who has done it give me some details? Thanks!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We're staying at HOJO from 6/15-6/22. No kids suites available, so we are in a standard this time.

 

[ColoradoLime]

We are making our first trip to DLR June 15 - 20. So happy to have found this thread! I am wondering about the Fantasmic Dessert package. Can anyone who has done it give me some details? Thanks!

Welcome!! What hotel are you staying at?

I don't know much about the Fantasmic Dessert Package, but this thread has some basic info:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3039022

 

[PrincessDisney4]

Yay! How fun!!

Thanks, I am very excited! We should have a wonderful time. We are staying at the grand and get 4 day park hoppers through his work! I love it! I'm ready for some disney!

 

[ColoradoLime]

We're staying at HOJO from 6/15-6/22. No kids suites available, so we are in a standard this time.

I was surprised how quickly these sold out. We just booked our premium room last week and was going to change to a suite in case my mom decided to come with, but they are gone already.

In case you haven't read it yet, all January long HoJo is posting discounts on their Facebook page. It's a different discount each day and if you get a good one you can call and have it applied to your existing reservation. You have to act fast though as the codes are only active for 24 hours. A bunch of us are stalking the page in hopes of finding a 40% code!!

 

[nicleigh84]

Welcome!! What hotel are you staying at?

I don't know much about the Fantasmic Dessert Package, but this thread has some basic info:

Thank you! We will be at the HOJO!

 

[nicleigh84]

ColoradoLime - Thank you also for the tip about deals on the HoJo facebook page! So is it easy to get a code and have it applied to your reservation? The FB page makes it seem like it's only available to new ressies.

 

[ColoradoLime]

So what is everyone doing the first day they arrive in town?

We'll most arrive late afternoon so we aren't going to waste a park pass on that day. So far I'm thinking doing Goofy's Kitchen for dinner and then just settling in to our hotel. If it happens to be warm enough that night, we might visit the hotel pool.

 

[ColoradoLime]

ColoradoLime - Thank you also for the tip about deals on the HoJo facebook page! So is it easy to get a code and have it applied to your reservation? The FB page makes it seem like it's only available to new ressies.

Very easy - they actually posted a message on the first day stating you just needed to call reservations and they would apply it to your reservation.

 

[MICKEYFIL]

We will be there May 7th through to the 12th at the Shearton Park Hotel. Taking the whole family, three generations deep.

 

[Czardas]

Hi, we will be there May 2-7. Staying at Disneyland Hotel.
Does anyone know from past history if Fantasmic & fireworks will be on, during low peak?

 

[ColoradoLime]

Hi, we will be there May 2-7. Staying at Disneyland Hotel.
Does anyone know from past history if Fantasmic & fireworks will be on, during low peak?

Hi! I just posted the link for the Unofficial schedule and so far the calendar shows Fireworks on the 6th but Fantasmic not showing at all during this time. However this is unofficial so this could certainly change.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=5&year=2013

 

[ColoradoLime]

So for all you DLR/ WDW vets...wondering if I could pass my DD off as 9 when we eat at the sit down restaurants. She will have just turned 11 when we are there, she is by no means small for age in fact she's taller than some of the boys in her class.

She eats like a bird though and I can't see paying $30 for an adult meal for her that she'll barely eat. If I tell them she's 9 will they question me? I don't want to go to Disney Dining jail, but don't want to waste my money either.

 

[PoohsFan1]

So what is everyone doing the first day they arrive in town?

We'll most arrive late afternoon so we aren't going to waste a park pass on that day. So far I'm thinking doing Goofy's Kitchen for dinner and then just settling in to our hotel. If it happens to be warm enough that night, we might visit the hotel pool.

Not sure exactly what we are planning on doing yet, I just know that our plans will not include a park. I would like to get to DLR early so I can get acquainted with our room and resort, then I think we will head over to DTD for some shopping. DD11 already said that she would like to have Earl of Sandwich for lunch, if time allows us (that is one of our family's favorite counter service restaurant at WDW and DD11 was really excited to hear that DLR now has one of their own). For dinner I am leaning towards going to Napa Rose (since we are staying at VGC), if not then we may go to Ralph Brennan's. I am also thinking that sometime during that day, we will be making a visit to our pool.....and if that happens, I think DH and I may just go ahead and enjoy a nice adult drink while the kiddos swim .

 

[lovebug33]

We are going to swim and go to downtown dusney. I was thinking of goofys kitchen but its expensive so we are doing the surfs up in Thursday before we leave. We read there is a bubba gulps so we will probably eat there the first night!

 

[lovebug33]

Woohoo! Our trip is almost completely free. I got a insurance settlement that paid for the hotel and tickets then a Disney gift card to pay for the two fancy meals we are doing. Now we just learned since we switched tv providers we get 250 dollars in a gift card. So besides gas I think we are paid up!

 

[Saskiwi]

We will probably do WoC since we do not know when we will get back to DLR. We just have to decide if we do a meal and preferred FP or FP and a picnic. The picnics don't come with FP, right? It's just something to do while you wait. That sounds like us.

Also, our Birnbaum's book makes every restaurant sound like a can't-miss. I know that cannot be true. I also know we cannot make reservations until 60 days. But DH and I will talk about it every weekend over coffee until then.

Can the regulars give us their top 2 favorite places to eat in the parks?

Because of the 60 day rule, we will be making those and WDW ADRs the same week. Oh, the first-world problems I have.

Ha- first world problems is exactly what I was thinking as I agonised about whether we should get ADRs for Prime Time Diner or Sci Fi Dine In at WDW.. We are so lucky to be able to make these great trips, it's good to remind ourselves- and our kids (!) from tIme to time....

Now as to DL food recommendations, Blue Bayou is a must if you want a TS experience you can only get at DL, the food can be hit-or-miss but the location inside POTC can't be beat

For a quick bite we like Cafe Orleans outside POTC, it has hands-down the best fries in the world: garlic Parmesan pommes frites, plus you can get Mickey beignets for dessert- now there's a balanced meal!!! ( hey the beignets have raspberry dipping sauce, that counts as fruit, doesn't it???)

also for a snack that is actually quite substantial, try a hand dipped corn dog from the little red cart off Main St, they are very good.

in DCA we really liked the cheddar broccoli soup served in a fantastic chewy sourdough bread bowl, from the Boardwalk food court are ( someone tell me it's proper Disney name please? ) over by Paradise Pier.

We will definitely be revisiting Trader Sams tiki bar at the DL Hotel this trip. It has fantastic theming, tasty bar snack menu and of course, great tiki cocktails!

If you want offsite dining locations, try Blakes Place BBQ ( you'll need a cab or car as it is off the tourist route a little), In n Out Burger mmmmmm, and a great little Vietnamese place on Ball Rd called OC Poultry- google it- they do an amazing roast chicken banh mi for something like $3, so good.

 

[msdaisy]

I think our plan will be to do WCT for WOC and pay Mouse Expeditions to hold our spot for Fantasmic. I am very concerned about the wait for WOC even though we will be in the preferred dining section.