Any tips for DVCers Visiting Disneyland next weekend

[JMC]

Hello Everyone,

We're staying for 3 days at the Disneyland Hotel next weekend. Its our first trip to Disneyland as DVC members. Are there any special perks or experiences for DVC members that anyone recommends? We're staying on points while there.

Thanks!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

You will receive a perks booklet when you check in (if you don't then ask for it). It will list all the available perks.

Here's a link to the member website that lists the perks.
http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/member...rPrivilegesPerks_DisneylandResortOverviewPage

One very different thing from WDW is that you can get many dining discounts in the park. There are also discounts at most of the Downtown Disney stores.

I also recommend carrying your booklet with you. I did have run into one place where the manager didn't know they did a discount. Should have asked one of the bartenders - they knew!

Are you going to check out the models for GCV? They are right next to DLH.

One other tip - if you plan on seeing the fireworks start trying on the first night. They do end up getting cancelled due to wind.

 

[JMC]

Thanks for the tips.

We do want to check out the new DVC project at Disneyland, but I couldn't find any mention of it on the DVC member website. Are there actual model units to view?

Are they within the Grand Californian?

 

[CarolAnnC]

When we checked in at the Grand Californian on points we inquired about the DVC Member Perks book and we were directed over to the DVC desk in the lobby for it. We did have to show our Blue Membership card to receive it.

We used our DVC member discount to purchase AP's.

 

[tjkraz]

We were at the Grand Californian two weeks ago. Here's a link to my trip report, which includes a lot of details relevant to DVC members:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1918076

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for the tips.

We do want to check out the new DVC project at Disneyland, but I couldn't find any mention of it on the DVC member website. Are there actual model units to view?

Are they within the Grand Californian?

Yes, there are actual models to view. The DVC sales building is right next to the DLH and the model building is right next to that. Here's a picture for reference. The bit of building you see just to the right of the picture is one of the towers at DLH. The large peach building is the main DVC sales building, and the small yellow building to the left of that and in front of the other small peach buildings is the model. You should be able to go into the main DVC sales building and ask to see the model during normal business hours. I took this picture from the Paradise Pier Hotel.

When we checked in at the Grand Californian on points we inquired about the DVC Member Perks book and we were directed over to the DVC desk in the lobby for it. We did have to show our Blue Membership card to receive it.

We used our DVC member discount to purchase AP's.

Guess you never know. When I checked in at GC in May I was given a whole DVC packet.

 

[LOLA2]

We just got back last weekend we stayed 3 night Disneyland holtel and 3 night Grand Cali using points.

Get to park early, go on popular rides (Finding Nemo, Space mountain) (Toy Story) leave by noon and go back to hotel to relax , swim. Go back for dinner/after dinner and stay at night.

Space mountain was crazy every night so we went during early morning and walked on.

Toy Story was busy in morning and afternoon. We went into California Adventure at 9:30 a.m. went on Soaring and then lined up by Grizlly rapids for Toy Story and when rope dropped everyone either ran or fast walked. I fast walked, we had about a 15 minute wait. The kids loved it so much we went back at night and waited an hour.

When we stayed at Grand Cali every night we got back food was not available for counter service anymore. At Disneyland Hotel I am not sure as we ate before we headed back to hotel so we would not run into same problem.

We stayed in Wonder tower by waterfall - beautiful to walk past this coming back at night, but this is the furthest walk from DTD.

The fireworks at Disneyland are awesome, better than Disneyworld. Did not even try Fantasmic since everyone was standing about 2 hours before it even began. We went to the one at Florida where we could sit so not a biggie that we mnissed it.

Electrical parade at Califonia Adventure was good different than Disneyworld.

Loved Tower of Tower of Terror, very different.

 

[Disney_Villain]

We're also staying at the Disneyland Hotel as well next weekend (Aug 30 - Sep 2), as a first time on our DVC points!

Bring your DVC member card(s) with you for discounts on dining and shopping.

 

[kikiq]

Next weekend is also the Disney Half Marathon Aug 29 - 30. It's being run on Sunday and traffic will be terrible. My oldest DD is running and we actually are staying at GCH Saturday night so she doesn't have to deal with traffic and parking. (love those points)
DCA will open at 10:30 am that Sunday, the end of the 1/2 marathon runs through DCA through DTD to the finish in the DTD parking lots. The run starts at 6 am and the runners have 3 1/2 hours to finish. DL opens at 9. It will be interesting to see how Disney directs the guests around the course.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We'll be there on Sat night on points too, for the same reason. We have a friend that runs every year, so we all stay together on points. We combine that with an early birthday for me to justify it! We've always gotten a full DVC Welcome Home packet and we stay on points at different DLR hotels twice a year.

I heard there's a DIS meet for the folks running from the WISH (weightloss) DISBoards at Jamba Juice at 7pm on Saturday night. We're planning on popping by it. They'll all be wearing their WISH lime green shirts for the race.

Me, I'll have a 3 yr old Tinkerbell in tow at DTD, cheering fellow DISers on!

 

[Longhairbear]

. Did not even try Fantasmic since everyone was standing about 2 hours before it even began. .......

There is a good reason why people line up hours early for Disneyland's Fantazmic, you should have stayed to see it. It is far superior to the WDW version.

 

[kikiq]

Fantasmic at DL is very different from the one at DHS and I think it's better.
People save sitting areas along the Rivers of America WAY early. It wraps from the smoking area by HM to the landing for the riverboat. There is no stadium seating as the show was originally staged for Tom Sawyer's Island and the Rivers of America. You are closer to the show and there's nothing like being right up close to feel those flames.

When we want to see the show, we wait until the 2nd show after the fireworks. We follow the crowds from Frontierland into the show area and work our way toward the HM. People are usually sitting and standing in the roped areas. During the show, they have to sit, so we find a spot for 2 and sit. We find a friendly CM and ask if we can fit. They will usually tell you the place where there's room. Our best spots have been in the back of the roped area so we're not caught in the middle when it ends.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I too would place DL's Fantasmic above WDW's. In May I arrived to view the second show just 15-20 minutes before it was to start and got a very nice seat on a wall over towards the HM side. Other people were coming over even as the show was starting and had good views too. I'd say that it's a must see!

 

[JMC]

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses.

If we're up early enough (which is possible with the EST adjustment) we'll cheer on the half-marathon runners.

Happily, we're spending a week in Oct. at our home resort SSR, so we won't feel pressured to do everything while we're at DL.

We're particularly interested in finding the many differences between WDW and DL. I'm curious to see how Tower of Terror differs from its WDW incarnation.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Have you looked at this thread on the Disneyland board?

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=802084

It lists attractions with differences between DL and WDW. It might be good for planning if you are particularly interested to see the ones that are different.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Happily, we're spending a week in Oct. at our home resort SSR, so we won't feel pressured to do everything while we're at DL.

DL is VERY different from WDW. There are many rides at DL that are not at WDW and some that are in both parks are very different in DL (Pirates being, perhaps, the best example).

My advice would be to concentrate on the attractions that are not available at WDW. Our "must do" list for DL includes Indiana Jones, Pirates, Pinocchio, Mr. Toad, Alice, the Matterhorn and Mickey's Toontown. The fireworks (Remember, Dreams Come True) at DL are also much better than Wishes at WDW so try to see them, if you can.

At California Adventure we try to do most of the park (skipping "It's Tough to Be a Bug" and Muppetvision). Don't miss the Tower of Terror as it is quite different from the WDW version. Also, don't miss the Animation building. It is MUCH different than WDW's and well worth a visit. I could sit in that building for hours! Also, don't miss the Mission Tortilla Factory. Everybody gets a warm, freshly made tortilla at the end! Yummy!

We'll be at DL in late September and I can't wait!

 

[marshmallow]

On a couple of the engines in the Disneyland Railroad there are tender seats. The seats allow you to ride a complete circuit with the engineer and fireman. It does not hurt to ask the conductor at the Main street station if you can have a tender ride.

 

[Disney_Villain]

My advice would be to concentrate on the attractions that are not available at WDW. Our "must do" list for DL includes Indiana Jones, Pirates, Pinocchio, Mr. Toad, Alice, the Matterhorn and Mickey's Toontown. The fireworks (Remember, Dreams Come True) at DL are also much better than Wishes at WDW so try to see them, if you can.

Add to this my must do's that weren't covered above:

The newly rehab'd Space Mountain, which shames the one in WDW (due to the 50th refurb and the fact that it doesn't go down as often as Florida's).

The REAL Fantasmic! show. Much better than Florida's! Get the Fantasmic seating package which gives you excellent close seats and a dessert buffet . . . or else you have to stand (no other seating is available).

 

[tjkraz]

The REAL Fantasmic! show. Much better than Florida's! Get the Fantasmic seating package which gives you excellent close seats and a dessert buffet . . . or else you have to stand (no other seating is available).

I thought about doing the Fantasmic package but passed. Perhaps ironically it wasn't the price that really turned me off but the offerings. Facing a week at Disneyland, we didn't need another 10,000 calories thrust in our faces. Dinner at Goofy's Kitchen was bad enough.

People do sit on the ground leading up to the show, so it's not like you need to stand for an excessive amount of time--just during the 20 minute performance.

We saw the second performance. Wait time was around 30 minutes leading up to the show.

I've never been a big Fantasmic fan at WDW. Viewing it at DL it is easier to comprehend the show's genesis...how the creators made use of what they had available at DL. In a way it makes the Florida version even more disappointing knowing that they had a blank slate and the response was "eh, let's just copy Fantasmic but without that expensive pirate ship."

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

A little off topic - but did Fantasmic originate in DL? For some reason I always thought it did in WDW.

As far as must do's - Space Mt!!!!! And I also like Pirates at DL better.