***April 2016 Thread***

[azarine]

Welcome everyone!!! Getting so excited. I get to book dining starting tomorrow, which is kind of a let down after planning a WDW trip! I am going for a BB/PTN package, Minnie's breakfast, and Ariel's Grotto breakfast or lunch. Need to look at menus! Any other recommendations for kids? We definitely want lobster nachos too!

 

[amyg1975]

We had to cancel our trip for last weekend because my daughter (4) was sick. Just booked today to go April 30th! We have Annual Passes, and will be going in March as well! I cried when I had to cancel last week, but happy to know we have many trips planned.

 

[MaggieS79]

Also visiting SoCal, at Disney from April 9-15! So excited!

 

[Indiana Scott]

We'll be there the second week of Sept. unless the ROA are still walled off, the park is in shambles or there's too many important attractions closed.

 

[Kelli4Cy]

Just decided we will be going to DL 4/9 - 4/12. It will be short, but we're coming out for a family wedding the following weekend. I'm just thankful we're able to get this in. Now to figure out what will work best for hotels, rental cars, dinner reservations, etc.

 

[pirate_smiles]

We are doing a surprise trip 4/25-28 with our 3 kids (6,7,8), staying at the new Marriott Courtyard. Surprising the kids with the trip AND that my BFF and her family are going too. This will be our 2nd trip this year. We went mid Sept and stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for a week. Hubby had such a good time he wanted to go again, which I thought would NEVER happen lol! Staying on points to take out some of the cost. Also not doing any character meals this time either. So excited to surprise the kids that I can hardly contain myself.

 

[mcm574]

I think we've made our decision about the day off - my mom will be driving from AZ to join us mid-week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, and we've realized that it will be a lot easier logistically if we can just be at the house that day... so that will be our day off from the parks. I just need to steel myself for the Sunday crowds!

So speaking of that day off, we're planning to really take it as a down day (not try to do Universal or SeaWorld or anything, but just relax). That said, we thought that would be a good time to try to get a character meal in at one of the hotels... what's your favorite???

 

[Karyanne]

April 18-22nd here. So excited!!

 

[azarine]

I have our dining all booked! Pretty anticlimactic compared to booking ADR's for WDW Here's our plan for now. We are planning afternoon breaks each day at the hotel.

Saturday - fly into SNA at 9:30 am - no plans this day, probably go to DL right away and just whatever we feel like. Maybe do Launch Bay/Galactic Grill right away - our kids are big SW fans!

Sunday - be up for rope drop at DL. Do Fantasyland first then whatever. 4 pm Blue Bayou ADR then Paint the Night! Fireworks if the kids can stay up!

Monday - rope drop at DCA if we can (not critical). 11 am ADR at Ariel's Grotto

Tuesday - rope drop at DL again. 10:30 am ADR for Minnie's Breakfast

Wednesday - rope drop at DCA then checking out, staying at a Air BNB on the beach for the rest of the week!

Would love any input on our plans! What are your plans?

 

[realrellim]

Ah, finally spotted the April thread! We'll be there April 8-11. DH is there for a conference, so we're staying a the DLH. The 8th won't be a park day because we're flying in, but then three days of parks and then back home again.

Current plans include brunch at Goofy's kitchen on Sunday because the kids want to do character dining again. We did Ariel's Grotto for lunch when we were there in 2013 and the girls (then 3 and 8) adored it. This time they wanted different characters, and the Sunday brunch goes late enough that it we can have some fun in the park and be ready for a break. We plan to take advantage of the EMH each day, and plans are in the works for another highly-structured attractions schedule via Touring Plans. We did that last time and it was fabulous. We were really worried about being overwhelmed by crowds and noise, but having the plan helped mitigate that because we'd already decided what was next.

The fifth grader really wants to go on the Matterhorn because she was all psyched to ride it on the second day of our 2013 trip when it closed. Both girls want to do Autopia, so we're hoping it reopens on 4/4 as currently predicted. We're also planning on Big Thunder Mountain which was also down for refurbishment the last time we were there. Elsa and Anna are high on the list, as is Star Tours, the Jedi Training Academy, and Princess Fantasy Faire. Also high on that list is a Dole Whip or Dole Float because they finally are making it without dairy, woohoo! (My girls both have a milk allergy, so this is awesome.)

Anyone want to talk to me about height restrictions? Are they with shoes on or without? We're hoping my kindergartner, who turns 6 in March, will hit 40" by the trip. She was at 39" this fall, but my kids got all my genes and grow rather slowly. I'm certain she'll be at least 39-1/2" by the trip, and that should equal 40" with shoes on.

 

[azarine]

Realrellim I would love to see your touring plans! I am trying Ridemax as soon as the park hours come out. I really want to plan to avoid lines as much as possible. We are also EMH/rope drop then afternoon break people.

Height restrictions are with shoes as far as I know. When DS was checked at WDW they never asked for shoes off. Heck a few times they never even checked him and I know he was BARELY there, with shoes, for that ride!

Thanks for the heads up on Autopia! If that's right, we'll be able to ride it our last day!

I also have a DD6 who is in kindergarten. At WDW last summer she was way more brave than I expected - ended up loving Seven Dwarves Mine Train (DS2 hated it), and Splash. So anxious to see what she's up for this trip. We are a Star Wars family and I'd like to try Hyperspace Mtn with her if she's up for it! At WDW, our strategy was to start with little coasters and move up as they were willing - but we started with Goofy's and they both hated it - I think it's way more jerky than SDMT!

 

[realrellim]

Azarine, I'll let you know once we have them together. I'm hoping to start this weekend, by at least having us sort the all the attractions into: must do, would like to do, sure if we have time, and meh. The girls have a baton competition that lasts most of the day tomorrow, so I'll have time to play with it. Thanks for the height info!

 

[wamommy2four]

Add us to the April list. Going to be in the parks April 21-25. I can't wait to get there. Really excited that our youngest is finally tall enough for Splash Mountain. Will be so fun to go on rides as a family and not have to do rider swap for everything.

 

[Lolly&Rue]

Joining the April list as well! April 20-23rd. We are celebrating my son's 4th birthday. We are staying at the DLH, a first for all of us!! My husband and I have been to Disneyland many times having lived in Northern California all our lives but this will be our kids first trip, ages 4 and 2! I am expecting it to be a whole different experience with kids of our own!

I read recently on DLR prep school's facebook page that the fireworks and parade are expected to be every night this year and not just weekends. Anyone know if there is any truth to this?

 

[chillitsanne]

April 23-26. Staying at paradise pier..can't wait!

 

[sarehm]

April 19th - 23rd at Paradise Pier. Mother/daughter trip and a first visit for both of us!

 

[Vala]

Another March/April split stay.

Still around until April 5, HoJo.

 

[DoubleDown7]

Hello all! First time DLR visitor. It'll be me, my wife, son (10) and daughter (8). We'll be staying at GCH 4/28 - 30. I feel so overwhelmed since this is not WDW. Also we are getting a hopper pass which I normally don't do at WDW. I'm not sure the best way to bounce from park to park...any suggestions on a game plan? Question...does PTN and the fireworks happen every night or just the weekends. I want to start taking shots at setting up some touring plans. And as far dining is concerned we'll definitely do BB PTN package and a character breakfast (should we do Goofy's or Minnie's?) and I want to make a stop in at Trader Sams for a drink and apps (does Trader Sams take reservations?).

 

[Luv_Tink]

We finally booked our airfare, flying Virgin America for our first time. We are pretty loyal to Alaska Air but they just didn't have a schedule that suited us this time around. Airfare for a family of 5 is never cheap, but we managed to come in just under budget with Virgin and that includes our luggage! Yay!

Now we are working on our transportation from LAX to our hotel and back. It's looking like Disneyland Express is the least expensive and their schedule seems to work pretty well for our flights. And it looks like they have a stop at Best Western Park Place Inn. Is there anything we should be aware of if we go that route?

Next up is dining reservations. We talked with our girls, especially the pickier two, and we decided on breakfast at Carnation Café, Minnie & Friends character breakfast and a late lunch/early dinner at Wine Country Trattoria.

Oldest DD (13) found out one of her best friends will be there at the same time. We are tossing around the idea of letting the two go off on their own with the rule that they have to stay in the same park we're in. It seems like a good way to let them have a little independence.

 

[meower13]

flying in from rainy Scotland April 5th-8th with my husband to meet my mom, dad, Sis in law, twin brother and neice to celebrate my twin and my 30th birthday and to take my neice for the first time! can't wait!!! aiming for a super budget trip with miles, we shall see how we do! Hoping for some sunshine! :-D