Disney trip help/advice

[Mamas07]

I am not even sure if this is the right place to post. I am surprising my kids with a trip to Disneyland. It'll be the first time my kids and I have gone! My hubby has been, but it's been years... I have no idea where to start!!

I have purchased my tickets 5 day park hoppers so we don't have to rush everyday and the simple fact we've never been and I want to go for as long as I can!

I feel like I got a pretty decent deal on tickets for a family of four. I did the $200 statement credit with the Disney chase card. We are splitting the hotel costs with other family members so we will be roughly under 2k for our tickets and hotel across the street. I have Disney GCs for each of us to spend on souvenirs ($125)
Don't know if that's enough??

I've been told we can bring food and drinks into the park. I don't know whether we should buy them there or bring them.

I also want to do character dining but not sure how to reserve that without doing a package deal through Disney... but I was also told you can meet the characters at various restaurants??

I don't know what to budget for food and whatever else im forgetting! I still have time to figure it out. Our trip isnt until feb/march 2017.

Can someone point me in the right direction? There are sooo many threads I don't know where to start!

Thank you in advance

 

[chickapin parterre]

If you are driving, the purchasing of food and water willl be easy. To set your mind at ease abut the the food, google map Disneyland and you will see the store titles pop up around the park and how close they are, I use the neighborhood walmart, others the store across the street, south of Disneyland is a target and another store in proximty.

 

[chickapin parterre]

....and when you say husband has not been in years....how long ago is that?

 

[Darkbeer1]

Will you have a car?

Where are you staying?

While technically you are not allowed to bring in food and drink (except bottled water in plastic), small amounts of food are OK, just make sure not one person is carrying all of it.

There are plenty of Meet and Greets in the parks with characters (Use the Disneyland App for locations and times that day). But for Dining, you have to pay.

If you are looking for a change of pace, nearby Knott's Berry Farm is nice, and if you buy three days in advance, usually around $45 to enter.

www.knotts.com

 

[YukonMommy]

First of all Welcome to the boards, you will find a group of amazing people who can answer any Disney question you might have. Secondly,so exciting planning a trip to Disney!!

I have Disney GCs for each of us to spend on souvenirs ($125) Don't know if that's enough?? Souvenirs are an individual thing. I think going in with set rules for your kids will help. For example our rule is we will buy each kid an article of clothing, a souvenir ($30 or less), and for the first visit we bought them each an ears hat/headband of their choice. They each brought $50 of their own money to spend how they wish. The thing is there is ALOT you could buy so I found setting limits helped and what they brought home they truly treasure!

I also want to do character dining but not sure how to reserve that without doing a package deal through Disney... but I was also told you can meet the characters at various restaurants?? As far as I know you can go on the Disney website and book your character dining through there (I think it is 30 days out at a maximum for the date you choose, but I might be wrong). Character Dining is a paid experience, you pay for the character interaction and a meal for each person. There are quite a few to choose from with different characters. We have done Minnies Breakfast twice and Loved it! We also tried Goofys kitchen but was not as impressed (but that is just us).


I don't know what to budget for food and whatever else im forgetting! It depends on a lot of things (how much food and drink do you plan on bringing in of your own, how does your family eat, snacks, etc.) For an idea of prices go to the Disneyland website and under Things To Do, click on All Dining. A list of places will come up, click on the restaurant you would be interested in and then click on the view menu. A list of items and prices will be shown.

Happy Planning! You will have a Magical Time!

 

[lalasmama]

I feel like I got a pretty decent deal on tickets for a family of four. I did the $200 statement credit with the Disney chase card. We are splitting the hotel costs with other family members so we will be roughly under 2k for our tickets and hotel across the street. I have Disney GCs for each of us to spend on souvenirs ($125)
Don't know if that's enough?

I think $125/pp is plenty. A t-shirt is about $30, ears are $15-20. From there, the sky is the limit! I think between my DD and I, on our first trip, I spent about $200-300 for souvenirs. However, I brought home things for coworkers, and family, and friends, and the neighbor that cat-sat, and the milk man and the mail carrier and the nanny's 3rd cousin... okay, maybe not the last 3.

We also made sure to get (free!) buttons. There's one for the first time, birthday, generic celebrating, and others.

I've been told we can bring food and drinks into the park. I don't know whether we should buy them there or bring them.

Since I fly, the night I come in, I go to the mini-mart and buy things there. Of course, it's a little more expensive than, say, a regular grocery store, but still a LOT less than buying it in the park! I happen to prefer "The Cove" which is the store at the Tropicana motel. Things I get there are single-serve cereal, gallons of water (hate the taste of Anaheim water), snacks for in the parks, and any soda I might want. Though, honestly, I'm not a big soda drinker, and it goes flat in minutes at Disneyland, so it's rare I take it in to the parks at all. The general unspoken food rules are simple: (1) no glass containers, (2) no selling it, (3) food needs to be pre-prepared (pb&j is fine, but you can't bring in a loaf of bread, a jar of PB, and a jar of jelly, for example). Essentially, be reasonable and they won't fuss.

I also want to do character dining but not sure how to reserve that without doing a package deal through Disney... but I was also told you can meet the characters at various restaurants??

Character Dining is a paid experience. We did it once at Plaza Inn (Minnie and Friends), and that was enough for us. However, we met a ton of characters at once (Minnie, Dale, Rafiki, Cptn Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, Fairy Godmother, and maybe 1-2 others?), and at no other time would we have been able to meet that many in an hour, you know? You make these reservations like any other dining reservation (online, app, or phone), no dining plan needed. Be careful when you see "Dining Plan;" be sure you are looking at DL information. I only mention this because the DL Dining Plan is nothing like the WDW Dining Plan, and the DL one isn't popular.

I don't know what to budget for food and whatever else im forgetting! I still have time to figure it out. Our trip isnt until feb/march 2017.

For food, we budget $60pp/day. Some days, we spend less (quick service meals, or a day of snacking), and other days we spend more (sit down restaurant), but that $60 seems to be a fair gauge most trips. Also consider any tours or special experiences you might want to do. Welcome To Disneyland tour, a dessert viewing party, etc., are fun, but need to be planned and budgeted!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There is a picnic area with tables and lockers on the west side of the esplanade, outside of the bag check area. It is secluded, a bit hidden by hedges. If the OP wants to bring a meal for her family, there are large lockers there that can accomodate a cooler. Sandwich fixings (e.g. loaf of bread, deli meat, cheese, etc.) can be stored there in a locker, but cannot be brought into the parks. Ready made sandwiches can be brought in to the parks, but one needs to be reasonable, as mentioned above. Also, please be considerate of your fellow guests by not taking up tables at CS restaurants. Patrons of those restaurants do need someplace to sit.

 

[Darkbeer1]

One big unknown, what will happen to the Picnic area when the new security checkpoints are in place (hopefully the end of the year), The current Picnic area is outside of the secure zone.

Will it just disappear, or be relocated?

 

[Mamas07]

....and when you say husband has not been in years....how long ago is that?

10+ years!!

 

[Mamas07]

Will you have a car?

Where are you staying?

While technically you are not allowed to bring in food and drink (except bottled water in plastic), small amounts of food are OK, just make sure not one person is carrying all of it.

There are plenty of Meet and Greets in the parks with characters (Use the Disneyland App for locations and times that day). But for Dining, you have to pay.

If you are looking for a change of pace, nearby Knott's Berry Farm is nice, and if you buy three days in advance, usually around $45 to enter.

www.knotts.com

I will be driving. It is a 5-6 hour trip for us. So we will have snacks and drinks. But will definitely need more for the week.

We are staying across the street at the best western park place inn.

So we should all bring back packs and carry snacks... can we bring a stroller and put the waters in? And once we get in put the food in?

 

[Mamas07]

I feel like I got a pretty decent deal on tickets for a family of four. I did the $200 statement credit with the Disney chase card. We are splitting the hotel costs with other family members so we will be roughly under 2k for our tickets and hotel across the street. I have Disney GCs for each of us to spend on souvenirs ($125)
Don't know if that's enough?

I think $125/pp is plenty. A t-shirt is about $30, ears are $15-20. From there, the sky is the limit! I think between my DD and I, on our first trip, I spent about $200-300 for souvenirs. However, I brought home things for coworkers, and family, and friends, and the neighbor that cat-sat, and the milk man and the mail carrier and the nanny's 3rd cousin... okay, maybe not the last 3.

We also made sure to get (free!) buttons. There's one for the first time, birthday, generic celebrating, and others.

I've been told we can bring food and drinks into the park. I don't know whether we should buy them there or bring them.

Since I fly, the night I come in, I go to the mini-mart and buy things there. Of course, it's a little more expensive than, say, a regular grocery store, but still a LOT less than buying it in the park! I happen to prefer "The Cove" which is the store at the Tropicana motel. Things I get there are single-serve cereal, gallons of water (hate the taste of Anaheim water), snacks for in the parks, and any soda I might want. Though, honestly, I'm not a big soda drinker, and it goes flat in minutes at Disneyland, so it's rare I take it in to the parks at all. The general unspoken food rules are simple: (1) no glass containers, (2) no selling it, (3) food needs to be pre-prepared (pb&j is fine, but you can't bring in a loaf of bread, a jar of PB, and a jar of jelly, for example). Essentially, be reasonable and they won't fuss.

I also want to do character dining but not sure how to reserve that without doing a package deal through Disney... but I was also told you can meet the characters at various restaurants??

Character Dining is a paid experience. We did it once at Plaza Inn (Minnie and Friends), and that was enough for us. However, we met a ton of characters at once (Minnie, Dale, Rafiki, Cptn Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, Fairy Godmother, and maybe 1-2 others?), and at no other time would we have been able to meet that many in an hour, you know? You make these reservations like any other dining reservation (online, app, or phone), no dining plan needed. Be careful when you see "Dining Plan;" be sure you are looking at DL information. I only mention this because the DL Dining Plan is nothing like the WDW Dining Plan, and the DL one isn't popular.

I don't know what to budget for food and whatever else im forgetting! I still have time to figure it out. Our trip isnt until feb/march 2017.

For food, we budget $60pp/day. Some days, we spend less (quick service meals, or a day of snacking), and other days we spend more (sit down restaurant), but that $60 seems to be a fair gauge most trips. Also consider any tours or special experiences you might want to do. Welcome To Disneyland tour, a dessert viewing party, etc., are fun, but need to be planned and budgeted!

Okay, so I'll need to wait until December to book a reservation at the restaurants... thanks!!

I'm guessing $1500 for food for a family if 4 @ $60pp a day. That's in the high side but you never know...

 

[Mamas07]

Thank you all for the replies!! They have been extreme helpful soo far!

 

[Rabb it]

I've been told we can bring food and drinks into the park. I don't know whether we should buy them there or bring them. I also want to do character dining but not sure how to reserve that without doing a package deal through Disney... but I was also told you can meet the characters at various restaurants??

If you have the room in your backpack/stroller/or get a locker, I would bring snacks and waters. A bottle of water inside the park is going to set you back $4.75, as for the character dining these restaurants can be booked on the Disneyland.com website. Some of the restaurants that offer character dining would be Plaza Inn (Disneyland), Storytellers Café (Grand Californian Hotel), Goofy's Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel), and Ariel's Grotto (California Adventure). Some of these places offer like World of Color or Paint the Night packages, but if you just book for the dinner/breakfast itself and not through the package tab on the Disneyland website you'll be fine.

I don't know what to budget for food and whatever else im forgetting! I still have time to figure it out. Our trip isnt until feb/march 2017.

If you go to a quick service restaurant for lunch and get a burger, or pizza it will probably cost around 12 bucks for burger/fries/soda, that times how many people you have, 4 total? Around 50 bucks for lunch, maybe less if you're ordering off the kids menu for the kids..

 

[Darkbeer1]

So we should all bring back packs and carry snacks... can we bring a stroller and put the waters in? And once we get in put the food in?

Once again, you can't bring in entire meals, so yes, using back[packs to spread out the snacks is a smart idea. As for water, don't bring in a case, but just enough for the day. There are a few places where you can refill the bottles. And yes to the stroller.that is common practice.

 

[lalasmama]

Okay, so I'll need to wait until December to book a reservation at the restaurants... thanks!!

I'm guessing $1500 for food for a family if 4 @ $60pp a day. That's in the high side but you never know...

Here's my price breakdown for my family's typical 3-day trip (2 adults, 1 almost-teen) :

Day 1:
Breakfast: 7-11 or such (single-serving cereal, breakfast bar, free breakfast at the hotel, etc) : $5/pp
Lunch: Corndog/soda/apples or chips: $11/pp
Dinner: Hamburgers from any counter service location: $15/pp
Snack: $5/pp (mmmmmm! Dole whip for me, churro for kiddo, and ice cream for hubby)
Fluids: Gallon of water from 7-11 type store: $5 (we all share this)
Total, Day 1: $41/pp

Day 2:
Breakfast: Repeat of yesterday: $5/pp
Snack: $5/pp
Late lunch/early dinner at Blue Bayou: $50/pp
Fluids: Another gallon of water: $5
Total, Day 2: $65/pp

Day 3:
Breakfast: Starbucks: $10/pp (coffee or cocoa, and a slice of banana bread)
Snack: $5/pp
Late-ish lunch: Corndog meal: $11/pp (DH loves his corndogs :-/ )
Late-ish dinner: Counter service meal: $15/pp
Last snack: $5/pp
Fluids: Gallon of Water: $5
Total, Day 3: $46/pp

Total for those 3 days: $41 + $65 + $46 = $152 / 3 people = $50.67 daily average (a little less, since those gallons of water are shared between the 3 of us, but I didn't want to break down the cost of 1/3 of a gallon of water). Of course, your family may do things differently--maybe you like to have more table service meals. Maybe you want to do mostly counter service. There's a ton of options, and you can work it any way you wish. If your children are younger, obviously their kids meals will be cheaper. Bringing in snacks would bring costs down, as well as bringing in "side items" for meals, and just buying the entree.

 

[millie0312]

I'm not sure if you would want to do this, but here's how I come up with my food budget. I go through my schedule and pick what park I'll be in for each meal, then where I might like to eat for lunch (we mostly do cs)- this part is nice because I have a general plan and some cs ideas of places we might like to eat. Then I go to touring plans and pick a "mock order" of what each family member might potentially order and the cost including drinks, snacks, suvenior sippers, etc- now I have an idea of the menu at these locations, plus I know each family member will like something there (picky eaters) AND a basic budget for our food costs. I try to really include what we might splurge on too or snacks we might get/try, etc. we do try to bring our drinks in and some snacks to save money, but I find we don't skimp on food because we keep long hours and walk SO much but that's just us lol

 

[Koreyleigh]

We have never had any trouble bringing food into the park. We have a family of 6, so food prices add up quick. Once we arrive we always go to the Target nearby to buy some food for lunches. We always pack a lunch for everyone and bring it into the park. We put all of our food in one of our strollers and no one has ever said a word about it. We also bring bottle waters. We always eat our lunches in the park too without any problem.

 

[Nevada Jen]

As for figuring it all out, a good place to start is the thread on this forum everyone refers WDW vets to: something like DL for WDW Vets. It is actually a good place for a total newbie as well. As you mentioned, you have some time. I really do think these boards are one of the best sources of information. If you make it a practice to read the threads that interest you on the first page on a daily basis, you will be a pro long before you leave for your trip. My biggest piece of advice that I think Disney addicts overlook is that it is physically hard to figure DL out if you have never been there before. Take some time to study the map and learn which rides are in which land and where the various lands are. For instance, Know that when you are in tomorrowland you will want to hit such and such rides (height restrictions if that matters to you), what the shows are, the food options are and what characters are permanently there and know the same for each land. If you group things by "lands" in your mind the first time you go, it is much easier to hit what you want and you won't be randomly wandering. It is also much easier to physically locate the lands after looking at them on the map.

The first couple of times we went, I found it was hard to enjoy because there was always a lot of confusion about where things were. Like I knew I wanted to try Bengal BBQ but didn't have a chance in heck of finding it. If I found it on the map, I still couldn't really get to it because I didn't know the landmarks on the way there. You will get tons of great advice here but it is hard to put into action if you don't know where you are going.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We have been bringing in a soft sided cooler on every single one of our trips. We've brought premade pb&j, chips, fruit, water/juice, snacks and nobody has ever said a word to us! So while I know what the website officially says, I don't think you need to spread it out between people or limit yourself to one snack. The rule about needing sandwiches to be premade is true, and no glass or alcohol, but almost anything else goes. Heck, DH even ran out and got Earl of Sandwhich between the Holiday Parade and PTN and brought them in for 6 of us!

I do second not taking CS tables during busy meal times. There are plenty of benches around the park or eat at off times if you want a table.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

I will be driving. It is a 5-6 hour trip for us. So we will have snacks and drinks. But will definitely need more for the week.

We are staying across the street at the best western park place inn.

So we should all bring back packs and carry snacks... can we bring a stroller and put the waters in? And once we get in put the food in?

What age are your kids? When we had the stroller I would put a bag on the bottom for water and snacks. I personally do not bring multiple backpacks. You are getting on and off rides. Also do not put loose items under your stroller like water bottles. Put everything in one bag so you can take it out for security check and it is easier if you have to fold your stroller.