April 2017 check in thread, come in and chat!

[seacruise]

I am looking for opinions - we will only have two full days in the parks, do I really need the park hoppers? It seems like one day per park would be suitable, am I way off base? The price difference is significant, $573 for regular and $693 for PH - add in the exchange rate and it's about $160 difference for the PH tickets. Thanks in advance!

You can certainly fill an entire day at each park without hopping. The main thing to pay attention to is the evening entertainment schedule. For example - If you go into DL on a weekday and there is no fireworks show that night then without the hopper you don't have the option of going over to CA for World of Color that evening.

 

[Aladora]

I am looking for opinions - we will only have two full days in the parks, do I really need the park hoppers? It seems like one day per park would be suitable, am I way off base? The price difference is significant, $573 for regular and $693 for PH - add in the exchange rate and it's about $160 difference for the PH tickets. Thanks in advance!

Are you looking at the prices for Canadians? Until February 28, tickets for Canadians are 25% off which brings the difference to $90 instead of $120 USD. (For 3 days, the Canadian deal is on 3-5 day tickets)

It looks like it is less expensive for you to get the 3 day tickets with the Canadian deal than the regular 2 day tickets.

3 day non hoppers for 2A 1C $564.95

3 day hoppers for 2A 1C $654.75

Having said that, with only two days I might be tempted to do the non hoppers but I have never done a DL trip that was less than 3.5 days and we always hop.

 

[Dopey's MIL]

Our trip is April 24 to 28....can't wait!!!

 

[ginger ninja]

We are looking at doing a WOC dining package, buut when looking at menus on various sites it only gives a few entree choices at each restaurant? We are leaning more towards Wine Country Tattoria and wondered if it is a very limited menu and is it worth it?

 

[Aladora]

Our trip is April 24 to 28....can't wait!!!

Welcome, I've added you to the list!

We are looking at doing a WOC dining package, buut when looking at menus on various sites it only gives a few entree choices at each restaurant? We are leaning more towards Wine Country Tattoria and wondered if it is a very limited menu and is it worth it?

There are three restaurants that do the WOC dining package, Carthay Circle, Wine Country and Ariel's Grotto. CC and WCT have a choice of lunch or dinner and AG only has dinner. We've done WCT once and CC twice for the WOC dinner and enjoyed both places but the menus are more limited than the regular ones.

Have you looked at doing the Dessert Party instead? We did that last trip and loved it! Cheese, bread, desserts, sparkling wine or blue alcoholic drink for the adults, special light up cup for the kids and you get to sit at a table! We had a light dinner at Carthay Circle lounge before the party and we took some of our desserts back to the hotel that night.

 

[catjams]

Thanks to all for your replies!! Aladora, thanks for the reminder about the pricing - I had forgotten about that!! I will probably do the 3-day non-hoppers, maybe we can pop in to one of the parks before we hit the highway up to Pismo (on our way to San Fran)

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Anybody here have advice for RSR planning? We are going to DCA our first day. (We do have hoppers but we usually stay put). Last time we went was 4 years ago and it was just my husband and me so we went in single rider.

Do we just head there first and hope to catch a fast pass? Do we just jump in line? Do we do both? (as I flipping adore this ride and my kids will too..can't wait to see their faces!)

 

[Aladora]

Anybody here have advice for RSR planning? We are going to DCA our first day. (We do have hoppers but we usually stay put). Last time we went was 4 years ago and it was just my husband and me so we went in single rider.

Do we just head there first and hope to catch a fast pass? Do we just jump in line? Do we do both? (as I flipping adore this ride and my kids will too..can't wait to see their faces!)

RSR is not as insane as it was a few years ago. Check on the app before the trip to get an idea of when the fast passes are running out.

If you want to ride it a few times I would either head there right at rope drop, ride and then grab a fast pass for a bit later or grab a fast pass right at rope drop and keep an eye on the fp times via the app and then grab a second one for later in the evening. (Did that make sense? I feel it might not have)

 

[Aladora]

RSR is not as insane as it was a few years ago. Check on the app before the trip to get an idea of when the fast passes are running out.

If you want to ride it a few times I would either head there right at rope drop, ride and then grab a fast pass for a bit later or grab a fast pass right at rope drop and keep an eye on the fp times via the app and then grab a second one for later in the evening. (Did that make sense? I feel it might not have)

To explain a bit better:

DCA opened at 8:00 today, at 9:00 RSR had a 25 min wait. At 9:30 the wait was 65 mins and they were distributing FP for 1:35-2:35.

If you were going on a day like today, I would go straight to RSR to ride at ripe drop then grab a FP after that.

Edited to add: FP for RSR ran out at noon today, 4 hours after opening.

 

[seacruise]

Make sure you are hitting DCA on a day that doesn't have early entry (unless you are at a onsite hotel of course). Then you shouldn't have any problem getting a FP for it in the am. We usually grab the RSR FP first then head to TSMWM and then do California Screamin' a bunch of times single rider before the line builds. This might change though when they add FP for TSMWM. ToT was the other ride we did early and often, but that will of course be close for ruination. Grrr! RSR is a one and done ride for us, but if you want to do it multiple times I would go their first then get a FP for later in the day/evening.

 

[Minniepunk]

Yippee! Going back April 5-10. The first time back in 10 years. It's been a long and hard dry spell after moving away from Anaheim to Colorado. Hotel paid for, airline tickets bought, rental car & friends contacted. I just had to share with all of you since I am so excited. I know you will understand.

 

[Littlebee0408]

Hi All!

I am very excited to be coming down for my first girls' adult trip to celebrate my 40th! The 7 of us gals will be there from April 22-26, staying at RI. So excited! It's 75 days away now, so not too long!

 

[Aladora]

Yippee! Going back April 5-10. The first time back in 10 years. It's been a long and hard dry spell after moving away from Anaheim to Colorado. Hotel paid for, airline tickets bought, rental car & friends contacted. I just had to share with all of you since I am so excited. I know you will understand.

Hi All!

I am very excited to be coming down for my first girls' adult trip to celebrate my 40th! The 7 of us gals will be there from April 22-26, staying at RI. So excited! It's 75 days away now, so not too long!

Welcome to both of you, I've added you to the list on the first page!

 

[lorijohnhill]

Fellow Sacramento people... I don't know if you've already seen it, but Southwest is having a $49 fare sale that includes SMF to SNA. I was able to rebook my outbound flights for a day earlier (leaving in the afternoon instead of first thing the next morning) and switch to a closer hotel (Tropicana from Camelot). Believe it or not, these switches are actually costing me about $100 less than my original plans! I'm pretty excited!

So, my new dates are 4/12-4/17 at the Tropicana.

I think all I have left to do now is reserve my scooter rental and create my daughter's autograph book.

 

[Aladora]

Fellow Sacramento people... I don't know if you've already seen it, but Southwest is having a $49 fare sale that includes SMF to SNA. I was able to rebook my outbound flights for a day earlier (leaving in the afternoon instead of first thing the next morning) and switch to a closer hotel (Tropicana from Camelot). Believe it or not, these switches are actually costing me about $100 less than my original plans! I'm pretty excited!

So, my new dates are 4/12-4/17 at the Tropicana.

I think all I have left to do now is reserve my scooter rental and create my daughter's autograph book.

An extra day, a closer hotel AND a $100 savings? Awesome!

 

[Minniepunk]

Thanks Aladora! Planning & ressies are almost finished. Have several demos & seminars for the DCA F&W booked.

 

[DL_Forever]

Fellow Sacramento people... I don't know if you've already seen it, but Southwest is having a $49 fare sale that includes SMF to SNA. I was able to rebook my outbound flights for a day earlier (leaving in the afternoon instead of first thing the next morning) and switch to a closer hotel (Tropicana from Camelot). Believe it or not, these switches are actually costing me about $100 less than my original plans! I'm pretty excited!

So, my new dates are 4/12-4/17 at the Tropicana.

I think all I have left to do now is reserve my scooter rental and create my daughter's autograph book.

Thanks I saw that and ended up getting an OK fare from SMF to SNA. Not Great, but better than the $1300 it quoted a few weeks ago!

Just made a couple of dining reservations this morning. Getting excited!

 

[Aladora]

Thanks I saw that and ended up getting an OK fare from SMF to SNA. Not Great, but better than the $1300 it quoted a few weeks ago!

Just made a couple of dining reservations this morning. Getting excited!

I am just waiting for the window to open up so I can make reservations! Right now it only goes up to April 9 which is a week and a bit too early.

We are only planning on a few dining reservations this trip. Definitely doing Napa Rose for my belated birthday, Aladdin's Oasis for the MSEP plus maybe breakfast at SH55 one day. Any other dining we will just do CS, QS or hit up one of the lounges for drinks and nibbles.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

To explain a bit better:

DCA opened at 8:00 today, at 9:00 RSR had a 25 min wait. At 9:30 the wait was 65 mins and they were distributing FP for 1:35-2:35.

If you were going on a day like today, I would go straight to RSR to ride at ripe drop then grab a FP after that.

Edited to add: FP for RSR ran out at noon today, 4 hours after opening.

Ok that was super helpful, thank you Sounds like it's way less intense. Whew.

Make sure you are hitting DCA on a day that doesn't have early entry (unless you are at a onsite hotel of course). Then you shouldn't have any problem getting a FP for it in the am. We usually grab the RSR FP first then head to TSMWM and then do California Screamin' a bunch of times single rider before the line builds. This might change though when they add FP for TSMWM. ToT was the other ride we did early and often, but that will of course be close for ruination. Grrr! RSR is a one and done ride for us, but if you want to do it multiple times I would go their first then get a FP for later in the day/evening.

Do you happen to know off the top of your head what days are EE? I know MM's for Disneyland but I never stay onsite so I don't know EE. Thank you for the advice! (Also, I'm so entirely bummed about Tower of Terror. )

 

[Aladora]

Do you happen to know off the top of your head what days are EE? I know MM's for Disneyland but I never stay onsite so I don't know EE. Thank you for the advice! (Also, I'm so entirely bummed about Tower of Terror. )

Disneyland Magic Mornings and EMH are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

DCA EMH are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

I'm also super bummed about ToT, it is my favourite ride at DCA but I am really excited for the GotG ride when it opens! (Sadly, not this trip but the next one for sure!)