Disneyland Novice on a Solo trip - Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th March 2015

[Anemone]

Hi everyone.

I'm Anne and I live in Northern Ireland and will be visiting family in California for 3 weeks in March and April. I'm taking a few days away to myself to visit Disneyland. I've been to Disneyland Paris a few times and grown to love it so am looking forward to getting to know a new Disney resort.

My DLP visits have all been with my Disney Princess sister Catherine who has Down's Syndrome and dementia but who will not be joining me on this trip so it will have a very different focus. In Paris it's all about character meets and we do very few rides but I will definitely focus more on rides this trip. This is Catherine and I in DLP.



I'll be travelling down from my brother's house in West Hollywood and am thinking I'll rent a car for the trip unless anyone has an easy public transport option to suggest. I know Amtrak stops at Anaheim. My only concern using it would be getting to Union Station early on the Thursday morning and back from there to my brother's late on the Saturday evening. I've done that on the bus on previous trips but it was slow and much earlier in the day.

I have booked into the Park Vue Inn which I chose for its location right across the street and the free breakfast. In Paris we stay on property but the difference in cost for onsite hotels was too much on this trip.

I have a 3 day park hopper from Way.com which arrived today. I struggled to get it because the site wouldn't accept a non-US billing address for the credit card but I eventually phoned and they were able to do it over the phone.

I've made some ADRs. I've booked the Blue Bayou, Fantasmic package on the Thursday evening - the only time left was 4.40pm for this so it will be a late lunch / early dinner. The following evening I've booked the Wine Country Trattoria, World Of Colour package. I couldn't resist a character breakfast while I'm there so have booked the Plaza Inn on the Saturday morning. I should really have booked that breakfast on the Thursday morning when I won't have a hotel breakfast but I'm not sure what time I'll arrive and didn't want to add pressure to get there in time for a dining reservation. I'll do Magic Morning on the Saturday so will have an early light breakfast in the hotel and will be ready for more by 10.30. Lastly I've booked dinner at the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue on the Saturday evening. My plan is to stay for the fireworks that evening and then head back to my brothers.

I also bought photopass+. I'm not sure if I will get value from it but decided to go for it. It's only been introduced in DLP in the last 6 months and we tried it on our December visit and it was great for all Catherine's character meet photos. We saved a lot of money compared to buying prints and got all the photos, not just a select few. Hopefully I do enough rides with photos to justify the cost and meet a few photographers in the parks. Will there be photopass photographers at the character breakfast?

I'm hoping to spend Thursday in DL Park and Friday in DCA then on the Saturday I will start off with Magic Morning in DL and can park hop if I need to cover anything I didn't get done on the first 2 days.

I had lots more questions in my head when I started this but they're gone now - I'll add them here when I remember. Thanks to everyone who has already helped me by answering a question.

 

[cdsmiler81]

Following along!!! It's very strange as I've never been to DL (DLP visitor as you know!!) so a lot of what you've listed doesn't mean anything to me, so I'm looking forward to learning a lot from other other people on here!

C xxx

 

[dhidra]

It all sounds wonderful Anne! I really don't know much about DL (I'm also a DLP veteran!) but I'm looking forward to learning.

 

[Anemone]

Following along!!! It's very strange as I've never been to DL (DLP visitor as you know!!) so a lot of what you've listed doesn't mean anything to me, so I'm looking forward to learning a lot from other other people on here!

C xxx

Thanks C - we can all learn about it together! Will be fun to compare to what we know from DLP. I won't be able to compare many rides as we do so few in DLP but next January I hope to rectify that.

It all sounds wonderful Anne! I really don't know much about DL (I'm also a DLP veteran!) but I'm looking forward to learning.

Thanks for following Dee. Great to have friendly company for my adventure.

 

[wiscbugs]

I love that you go to Disney with your sister!!! My daughter, who's now 7, has Down Syndrome and absolutely loves Disney. We are heading to DisneyWorld 2 weeks from today and she is super excited!

 

[Anemone]

Thanks wiscbugs! How lovely - there's something about that Disney magic that reaches kids with special needs. You'll be in WDW when I'm in Disneyland. Will you be doing a TR? Would love to hear how you get on.

 

[ShellB8585]

Looking forward to reading along! we last went in 2010 but I think I remember photographers but don't quote me on that! I will say the US parks are much better at having roaming photographers you keep an eye out!

Also excited to read about your meals. We wanted to eat in Wine country Trattoria but it was closed for refub then we chose and booked big thunder ranch BBQ and the park ended up closing early due to really bad weather! that's January for ya. we're going the latter half of Oct this year and I have read a few reports which looks as though we can expect better weather!

When you go would you mind seeing if they still offer the breakfast cones at the cozy cone motel please? I know they did but it doesn't seem to be listed anymore

You will love Disneyland. It's rather different to Paris (I personally believe Paris' castle to be the most beautiful of the 3 I have seen) but it's truly wonderful!!! It's the only place you can truly walk in Walts footsteps.

 

[Anemone]

Looking forward to reading along! we last went in 2010 but I think I remember photographers but don't quote me on that! I will say the US parks are much better at having roaming photographers you keep an eye out!

Also excited to read about your meals. We wanted to eat in Wine country Trattoria but it was closed for refub then we chose and booked big thunder ranch BBQ and the park ended up closing early due to really bad weather! that's January for ya. we're going the latter half of Oct this year and I have read a few reports which looks as though we can expect better weather!

When you go would you mind seeing if they still offer the breakfast cones at the cozy cone motel please? I know they did but it doesn't seem to be listed anymore

You will love Disneyland. It's rather different to Paris (I personally believe Paris' castle to be the most beautiful of the 3 I have seen) but it's truly wonderful!!! It's the only place you can truly walk in Walts footsteps.

Thanks Shelley Will definitely check if Cozy Cone still does breakfasts - I've read about them in TRs.

I'm not great at remembering to take photos of meals but will report back and will try to remember photos. Think I'm most looking forward to Blue Bayou. That was really bad luck missing out on both WCT and BTRBBQ. I'm a bit of a foodie and could spend all my time there just eating - but I had better not or I will be

Fingers crossed for lots of photopass photographers! So looking forward to the trip.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Hi Anne, waves hello to a fellow Irish person and DLP person. I have been to DLP twice and I have been to Disneyland California 5 times and I am in the middle of planning my 6th visit in June 2015.

I have posted last years trip report here http://disboards.com/threads/june-2014-an-irish-girl-in-disneyland.3389601/

It will give you a good idea of what to expect compared to DLP

Driving in LA is very different than in Ireland / Europe. Its about 90 minutes from Hollywood approx. to Anaheim. I will be staying in Downtown LA before going to Anaheim this year and I plan to get http://www.supershuttle.com/ direct from my hotel in Downtown LA to my hotel in Anaheim the other option is maybe seeing if your family can bring you to LAX and you can then get the supershttle from LAX to your hotel in Anaheim


I’m exactly the same. In DLP I stay onsite but for California I stay off site. Just be warned though, breakfasts in American hotels are very different to our European breakfasts. I have stayed at budget hotels in LA where breakfast is included and its usually make your own waffles, sweet pastries, with the hot items being scrambled eggs and sausages. The cereals are abt different too and there is always lots of coffee. A bit of advice about tea, Americans don’t drink tea like we do so always ask for HOT TEA.


Blue Bayou is amazing, try to get there about 30 mins before your reservation and ask for a table by the water, its worth it.


I missed Fantasmic last year nut I saw World of Colour. I won’t spoil it for you but its far far better than Dreams in DLP.

 

[Anemone]

Hi Anne, waves hello to a fellow Irish person and DLP person. I have been to DLP twice and I have been to Disneyland California 5 times and I am in the middle of planning my 6th visit in June 2015.

BadPinkTink. Thanks for joining. Failte!

I have posted last years trip report here http://disboards.com/threads/june-2014-an-irish-girl-in-disneyland.3389601/

Will definitely have a read of that - thank you.

It will give you a good idea of what to expect compared to DLP

Driving in LA is very different than in Ireland / Europe. Its about 90 minutes from Hollywood approx. to Anaheim. I will be staying in Downtown LA before going to Anaheim this year and I plan to get http://www.supershuttle.com/ direct from my hotel in Downtown LA to my hotel in Anaheim the other option is maybe seeing if your family can bring you to LAX and you can then get the supershttle from LAX to your hotel in Anaheim

I was last there almost 3 years ago for my brother's wedding and split my time between Santa Monica where the wedding was and West Hollywood where they live. I didn't hire a car at all but used public transport which I found good and cheap but very slow. The journey to Anaheim would be fairly straightforward - I can get a 704 bus on Santa Monica Boulevard to Union Station early enough to get the Amtrak to Anaheim. I assume a taxi from the station to Park Vue Inn would be reasonable. It's the journey back at night I'm more nervous of. The Amtrak gets into Union Station well after 11pm and the 704 doesn't run that late and even if it did I'm nervous about getting a bus at that time of night. I did that in the evening after a trip to San Diego last time and there were a lot of strange characters on the bus. I saw a taxi fare finder site on the main DL board this morning which suggest a taxi from Union Station to my brother's would be around $36. I don't want to ask them for lifts as they have a very new baby and aren't getting enough sleep atm. Still mulling it over but even though the car will be wasted while I'm there it might be the most economical way of doing the journey. My brother has said he's happy to let me try driving with him first so I can gain a bit of confidence.

I’m exactly the same. In DLP I stay onsite but for California I stay off site. Just be warned though, breakfasts in American hotels are very different to our European breakfasts. I have stayed at budget hotels in LA where breakfast is included and its usually make your own waffles, sweet pastries, with the hot items being scrambled eggs and sausages. The cereals are abt different too and there is always lots of coffee. A bit of advice about tea, Americans don’t drink tea like we do so always ask for HOT TEA.

Thanks, I'll be grand with breakfast even if it's just pastries but have read the breakfast at Park Vue is quite good. Sounds a bit like France with regard to tea - I just don't understand the cup of "almost" hot water and the separate teabag at all!

Blue Bayou is amazing, try to get there about 30 mins before your reservation and ask for a table by the water, its worth it.

Thanks, will definitely try to do this. We couldn't sit waterside in Blue Lagoon in DLP when we went as Catherine couldn't manage the few steps down to that section so would be wonderful to get to do that this trip.

I missed Fantasmic last year nut I saw World of Colour. I won’t spoil it for you but its far far better than Dreams in DLP.

Ooh, I absolutely love Dreams so that sounds really promising - very excited to see both it and F!.

 

[ILOVEDLP]

I'm into Soooo can not wait to read this

 

[Anemone]

I'm into Soooo can not wait to read this

Thanks Rachael. I'll try to remember and share every detail. xxx

 

[dhidra]

reading about it I'm so excited for you! can I come in your suitcase? pretty please? I'll buy you a Glotini!

 

[Anemone]

A girls Disney trip would be so much fun Dee - some day. I'm actually looking forward though to doing this trip on my own. For the last 2 years I've had Catherine every weekend and every holiday and much as I love her and am glad I can help her, I'm approaching total exhaustion. This and another 3 day trip away to San Francisco by myself are my "selfish" time on this holiday to do what I want when I want it.

 

[Ms Poppins]

Following along Anne - so exciting My dream is to go to DL too, but until then I'll live it through you

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Joining in - we are a WDW family doing DLR for the first time this coming October so hoping to gleam lots of "first timer" advice from you

We have some overlap in dining (at least what I plan to book - being able to book ADRs only 60 days out still seems odd to me) so interested to see how it all goes!

 

[Anemone]

Following along Anne - so exciting My dream is to go to DL too, but until then I'll live it through you

Welcome along Julie. Thank you, you and others were so helpful to me when we were DLP newbies, will be lovely to share this trip with you.

Joining in - we are a WDW family doing DLR for the first time this coming October so hoping to gleam lots of "first timer" advice from you

We have some overlap in dining (at least what I plan to book - being able to book ADRs only 60 days out still seems odd to me) so interested to see how it all goes!

Hi TheMaxRebo and welcome. 60 days is the same as Paris so it is what I know - they have the legacy FP system there as well. The big benefit DL has over DLP for ADR booking is the online option - it's all by telephone in DLP. Hope I can pass on some helpful tips.

 

[ShellB8585]

This and another 3 day trip away to San Francisco

Anne, have you been to San Francisco before? It is my favourite city in the world (and I even had a really bad chest infection the 5 days we were there!!)

If you get chance the Walt Disney family museum is there, I wish we could have fit it in last time but I spent most afternoons in bed . Now you've mentioned San Francisco I'm trying to figure out if we can tag a couple days at the beginning of our trip!

 

[Anemone]

Hi Shelley, no - this will be my first trip to SF. My brother raves about it too. I'm going Easter Saturday morning, flying LAX to SFO and back on Monday evening. Staying on Union Square. I've prebooked a trip to Alcatraz and will buy a 3 day public travel pass. The Walt Disney museum is on my list of "to do"s though with 3 days I'll be pushed to do everything I want to. What a pity you were ill last time you visited - hope you manage a return trip.

 

[Anemone]

This time next week I will be in the air en route to Philadelphia and then LA. Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day so no work and I'm going to start packing.