Close to Home - WDW vets first time at DLR

[sarah-jane]

On this trip is me (Mom 35), Dad (34), Big Sister(7), and Little Sister(4 a couple weeks to 5).

We aarrived at LAX after a very cramped rouge flight from Calgary. We've never flown rouge before, but they added two extra rows and 6"3 Dad's knees were jammed so hard into the seat ahead he felt bad and apologized to the passenger sitting there. I (Mom) am under 5ft and had a great flight, but itbwas 3 and 3 so I was busy with the kids the whole way.

Got off the flight and activated our US roaming data plan but couldn't get it to connect in the airport. Picked up our rental car and began to panic as we had purchased the plan intending to use my cell as a GPS. Frustrated and slightly panicked, Dad goes in to get a GPS from the rental company but there are noone to be had and an hour long wait. So, he comes back to the car and tells me we're going to wing it. In LA. Where we're never been before. Oohkaay. He starts driving while I try to get a signal and call the cell provider. I then spend what felt like Forrester but was actually about 45 minutes with customer service getting the phone to work while we sit pulled over in a MacDonalds parking lot near the airport. with all this we missed our tour at the La Brea tar pits and decided to just get to VGC and check in as it was heading to 4:00. Not a relaxing start to the vacation.

 

[sarah-jane]

We arrived at VGC and the check in experience was magical - until they told us they had us checking out on Thursday when we're staying until Saturday. We explained that we had liked reservations (we called months ahead to ask for the 'travel with' and reconfirmed two daus before or trip). So they find our other reservation and its all good - we won't have to move rooms. I reiterated the room request we'd sent earlier (high floor -if possible paradise pier view but high floor more important). Then we got our keys and the explanation that our room wasnt ready yet. It was 4:30pm, after advertised check in so I was very surprised. I reiterated outr room request and the CM winked and said she had it and we'll love our room.we have our number for a text. We didn't have park tickets for the day so I took the kids to the pool. It was great. We really enjoyed it but we were worried about Dad waiting with the bags so only swam 20 mins or so. Got back, and still no text. At 6:00pm - as hour and a half later with no text I checked back withthe desk our room was ready. The CM explained they hadn't texted because of it being an out of US number. Well, I wish they'd told us that when we first checked in and they took the number. outr room assignment was 2514. A low floor looking at trees and some of redwood creek through the trees. I asked if there was anything on a higher floor and she said there wasnt because we linked our reservations just today. Dad was very frustrated, and so was I, as we had called ahead to link up the reservations. The view and room location are very important to us, as we spend a lot of time in the room, so I asked if we split the reservation back out if there was anything available. There was nothing right away, but they could move us Thursday. Again, not a relaxing start. Castmembers were great but it is frustrating to get nothing you asked for and wait for 90 minutes in the lobby when all you want is a room to clean up and relax. We have never gotten a room request yet, and at beach club last time we had the room that looked at the air conditioner.

The room itself was gorgeous. Lovely. Clean. Just great. We went for groceries and settled in, but dad was very on edge. Sent him to downtown Disney with big sister to get relaxed and disneyfied while I put little sister to bed. It worked. They came back layer that night covered in sparkles and very happy. Then we all went to bed helping for a better day tomorrow.

End of day one - Sunday, August 17, 2014 (pics to come)

 

[sarah-jane]

Day 2
What a difference a day makes. We get up early, feeling excited and refreshed. After breakfast in outr villa we head to DCA for magic hour. We go straight to Carsland and join the line for radiator springs racers. What a great ride.! We got the Luigi side, and we won the race! We all loved it. Then to Luigi's flying tires, and Mater's junkyard jamboree. Such fun! Pretty soon its time to head for our welcome to Disneyland tour. After Nikki Mancini (Nikkibell)'s review on the blog, we booked the tour. Or tourguide was in training, and although enthusiastic he was very stilted in his delivery. Although we knew this was a greeting the lay of the land tour we were disappointed that the information basically consisted of pointing out food locations and stores. We had hoped there would at least be an explanation of some of the theming or some bits of trivia. We hung on for an hour through DCA. After our tour guide chose to point out a corn dog truck on main street and didnd mention anything else, our kids were melting in the heat and we decided the info wasnt what we had hoped for. We talked to the senior tour guide and she said we could bail and pick up our welcome itineraryat the tour gardens. So we did. We got four anytime anyride fastpasses, pins, VIP seating for Aladdin, and world of color fastpasses. We booked because we thought as newbies to Disneyland it would give us good info for the rest of the trip, but I dont think the info we got added anything to our trip. The fastpasses were nice but we missed the morning ' less busy' lines being on the tour. For the $80 it cost for our family, we didnt feel it was worth it for us, although I think it may depend on your tour guide.

Once we escaped the tour it was 12:00pm and we headed back to DCA for a fun-filed afternoon.

 

[sleepydog25]

Sorry to hear of your first few experiences at DL. We had similar, minor hiccups to our first visit there in April. However, by Day 2, things improved immensely. Hope your trip got better!

 

[sarah-jane]

Hello,
We're back home now and I realize because I never got back to the trip report I just sound like a super grumpy whiner. Everything got much better and dvc customer satisfaction went above and beyond to contact us and improve things while we were there. I meant to get back to the trip report but we were very busy having fun and then didnt have internet for the second half of our trip while we were cruising. I'll try to write a proper trip report with photos now that everyone's heading back to school.

 

[heaven2dc]

Sorry to hear about your room assignment! VGC is such a beautiful hotel and I can understand wanting to be in a higher room overlooking the Park. Hope the rest of your stay was better! Anxious to see some pics!