1st trip! Candy Cane Inn? Disneyland Express?

[glasscastle]

Hi everyone!

I have been reading this board every day for a few weeks now as we plan our very first trip to Disneyland. My husband and I are taking our daughter for her 4th bday. We are flying into LAX from Portland, staying 4/9-4/13.

I have made reservations for a premium room at the Candy Cane Inn, but am not sure about it now that I have read reviews on many sites.

We are planning to take the Disneyland Resort Express to/from the airport so we don't have to bring our car set. Any better ideas?

We have 3 day park hopper passes and PS for Lilo and Stitch breakfast and Ariel's Grotto. Not sure about the Aladdin show or Princess Faire.

My daughter doesn't ride in a stroller anymore but am considering renting one if she gets tired. Is the walk do-able from CCI or are we better off doing the shuttle?

Finally, any suggestions for semi-healthy food? Not big meat eaters and prefer salads and smoothies.

Thanks so much! My little girl is breathing, eating and sleeping Disney these days. She sleeps with the map in her bed.

Oona

 

[mikayla73]

I probably won't be much help, but the CCI gets pretty good reviews from people on here. I haven't stayed there, but based off of the comments from this board, it would be one of the places I would stay.

You don't need PS for Aladdin (or at least we didn't). We just picked which show we wanted to go to and got in line at the right time. It is a GREAT show. One of the best I have seen.

Have a great time!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Hi everyone!

I have been reading this board every day for a few weeks now as we plan our very first trip to Disneyland. My husband and I are taking our daughter for her 4th bday. We are flying into LAX from Portland, staying 4/9-4/13.

I have made reservations for a premium room at the Candy Cane Inn, but am not sure about it now that I have read reviews on many sites.

We are planning to take the Disneyland Resort Express to/from the airport so we don't have to bring our car set. Any better ideas?

We have 3 day park hopper passes and PS for Lilo and Stitch breakfast and Ariel's Grotto. Not sure about the Aladdin show or Princess Faire.

My daughter doesn't ride in a stroller anymore but am considering renting one if she gets tired. Is the walk do-able from CCI or are we better off doing the shuttle?

Finally, any suggestions for semi-healthy food? Not big meat eaters and prefer salads and smoothies.

Thanks so much! My little girl is breathing, eating and sleeping Disney these days. She sleeps with the map in her bed.

Oona

I would totally get her a stroller...my 5 almost 6yo gd doesnt use a stroller either but little legs do get tired very easily so its nice to have it...

as far as CCI...everytime I go to disney I always book a room there but end up changing it...I dont doubt its being nice but there are so many nicer places for less than that and its is a motel so even though Im sure it would be nice I will tell you that the premium rooms are way in the back of the motel so its not close to the shuttle or breakfast room..I know they bring you your breakfast but if you forget something then you have to make the trek so

as far as food...ariels grotto has a great chicken caesar salad and its HUGE!!...DTD has a jamba juice...riverbelle terrace has a fabulous fruit plate for breakfast and the farmers market in dca has bags of delicious grapes and pineapple...you should be able to find what your looking for in most of the restaurants

 

[abby]

We are from Portland also, the issues with the disney land resort express are that you are on their schedule, also it stops first at the DLH then goes to others, so check the route and see how long it will take.

Rent a stroller, my dd was 6 llast time we were there and she wanted a stroller, too much walking, (we haven't actually owned one for years.) or if you plan to walk from the candy cane take your own.

If possible take a couple hours in the middle of the day and go back to your room to rest and swim.

Get to DL when they open, you can do all the kid stuff in in an hour where it will take lots more later if the park is busy.

have a great time.

 

[ScooterL]

Re: semi-healthy food - In addition to the places mentioned by disneegrl4eva...Red Rockett's Pizza Port has some huge (and really yummy!) salads. Plaza Inn also has a large "side" salad (for many it's large enough for a meal, especially if you get dessert!) There's a vegetable sandwich at the Main Street and Baker's Field Bakeries. The open-air shop next to Jungle Cruise has veggie and fruit plates, in addition to whole fruit. There's several different salads available in bread bowls at Pacific Wharf Cafe. I think Tomorrowland Terrace has a fruit plate that's available all day...they also have a grilled chicken salad and a grilled vegetable sandwich.

Schmoozies in the Hollywood section of DCA has some very nice smoothies - they are made to order in a blender from REAL fruit - they aren't extruded out of some machine. Oh, and at the Tiki Juice Bar you can get Dole whip and fresh pineapple.

 

[ZeusNike]

We loved the Candy Cane Inn last year and would choose it over any of the other hotels/motels we have stayed in along Harbor (our street of choice because of the easy walk to the parks - we have stayed in most of them). The walk is very do-able, especially in the AM. By evening some of the kids and older people in our party wanted to take the shuttle back but some of us never did. It is nice that a dedicated shuttle is an option and that is one very good reason to choose the CCI. The CCI property is quite small so no matter which room you are in it is not much of a walk to the shuttle or the breakfast room (IMO).

We have never used the DL Express as there are usually enough of us travelling that renting a car is cheaper so can't comment on it. We like to go to Medieval Times when we are there too so the car comes in handy that day too.

We really enjoyed the Aladdin show and didn't need reservations.

There are lots of healthy choices in DL as far as food goes (and lots of really unhealthy ones too!!!). I managed to find a decent meal salad everywhere we ate. We really like all the fruit snack stands around DL and tended to make that our lunch most days.

It has been a long time since our daughter was in a stroller (almost 18...when did that happen??? ) but we used to rent one when she was small just because there is a lot of walking involved.

 

[Lissete]

We loved the Candy Cane Inn last year and would choose it over any of the other hotels/motels we have stayed in along Harbor (our street of choice because of the easy walk to the parks - we have stayed in most of them). The walk is very do-able, especially in the AM. By evening some of the kids and older people in our party wanted to take the shuttle back but some of us never did. It is nice that a dedicated shuttle is an option and that is one very good reason to choose the CCI. The CCI property is quite small so no matter which room you are in it is not much of a walk to the shuttle or the breakfast room (IMO).

We have never used the DL Express as there are usually enough of us travelling that renting a car is cheaper so can't comment on it. We like to go to Medieval Times when we are there too so the car comes in handy that day too.

We really enjoyed the Aladdin show and didn't need reservations.

There are lots of healthy choices in DL as far as food goes (and lots of really unhealthy ones too!!!). I managed to find a decent meal salad everywhere we ate. We really like all the fruit snack stands around DL and tended to make that our lunch most days.

It has been a long time since our daughter was in a stroller (almost 18...when did that happen??? ) but we used to rent one when she was small just because there is a lot of walking involved.

DITTO practically everything! Including the part ofbout the almost 18 DD!

We LOVED the CCI plus we also always rent a car. Much more freedom that way. Especially if you pan on going anywhere other than Disney.

Have Fun!

 

[mitchwebb]

We also love the CCI and had our fourth stay Jan 3-6. We drive from up north Calif. and park our car and don't move it until we leave.

My daughter stopped riding in strollers at two but we still get one at Disneyland. She is five and gets tired and has trouble keeping up with her sisters. We either bring one of the cheap umbrella strollers which are great because you can fold them up on the train and buses. The other option is to rent (was free with Disney Visa not sure it still is) the only thing is you can't take it to DTD or back to the Hotel at the end of a long night.

Have a great trip

 

[glasscastle]

I really appreciate all your helpful input!

We are all so excited about our big trip!!!!!!!

 

[MrsMork]

We also are from Portland area and go to DL at least once a year, 4 times last year! We use Super Shuttle from the airport to the hotel. They are not on a schedule. You just go outside at the airport and you will see their stops. It has never taken us much more than an hour or so from landing to getting to DL area. Your return to the airport you will set up a time with them to pick you up at your hotel.