Disneyland Newbee - need your advice

[vcunning]

So, I've been to WDW a bazillion times and DLP once. For my DW's upcoming birthday, I'd like to surprise her with a trip for the family (DH, DS10 & DS3) to Disneyland. We're all Disney fanatics.

We'll fly in from Connecticut planning for 6 days (2 travel days and 4 park days). We'd prefer to stay on-site and our budget is fairly flexible.

We're not real big eaters. Many times, we try to have our big meal at lunch. Often at WDW, we get a 1 bedroom condo and have breakfast in the room.

I'd appreciate your advice on the following topics and your experiences:

• Which property do you recommend?
• Would you rather do concierge or a 1 bedroom suite?
• Do I need a car if my plans are Disney only?
• What's the best airport to fly into (we're flyinig out of Hartford, so every flight to the area requires a connection)?
• What's the best character breakfast?
• Are there any in-room babysitting services (we've used KidsNiteOut in WDW and loved the service).?
• Is there anything special you can do at Disney (i.e. in WDW, we've done fireworks cruises, etc.)?

I've read through many of the posts (I wish the search function would work a little better). I know that the answers to many of the questions are subjective, but I appreciate the experience of this group.

 

[gatorfreud]

Hello! We are WDW vets too, but being on the West Coast now, we've had a couple DLR trips... here's my advice FWIW.

I'd appreciate your advice on the following topics and your experiences:

• Which property do you recommend?
  We just stayed at the Disneyland hotel and enjoyed it. NOt quite the same as the resorts at WDW, but we liked it. DH and I sayed one night at GCH last month and that was great - but more pricey. A lot closer. It's very similar to Wilderness lodge if you're familiar. If price was no object I think I would stay at GCH. We loved having every avaiable Magic Morning, so on-site was great.
• Would you rather do concierge or a 1 bedroom suite? Having a 1 bedroom is great to stay up after the kids go to bed... but now that mine are a little older, we sleep roughly the same times, so not as big of a deal. I have not stayed concierge but I would guess it's great!
• Do I need a car if my plans are Disney only? No, no need (as long as you stay on-site or close). You can easily fill that time at DLR. I thought there wasn't enough to do for that many days, but we were just there most of Thursday-half of Monday and I could have used a bit more time.
• What's the best airport to fly into (we're flyinig out of Hartford, so every flight to the area requires a connection)? SNA - JOhn Wayne/Orange county. East taxi ride (maybe $40?). The closest.
• What's the best character breakfast? We did Goofy's Kitchen and enjoyed it. That's the only one we've done.
• Are there any in-room babysitting services (we've used KidsNiteOut in WDW and loved the service).? I think there are? NOt sure... I know there is a kids club at GCH, but I think it starts at age 5.
• Is there anything special you can do at Disney (i.e. in WDW, we've done fireworks cruises, etc.)? Get the Fantasmic Dessert seating. You buy tickets in advance, and then you check in at 8pm for a 9pm show - really, get there about 7-7:15pm. You have to wait 45 min to check in (but only one does, the others can go do stuff) - but then you can get the front row, center seats. Then you come back a bit before 9, they bring you a giant dessert box and soda/hot chocolate, and you enjoy the show! I think F! is better here than at DHS. Then you can stay in your seats to see the fireworks. Although I would try to plan 2 fireworks nights and see once from Main Street.
  
  Reas Hydroguys' DLR for the WDW vet. I found that at DLR getting there early is the best (well it is for WDW too)... but DLR is pretty deserted until about 11am. We have done the whole park by then. It's easy to hop back and forth between DL and DCA and to the hotel. At least the two last times we went, I found that DLR people just don't use FP very much. We went the last weekend in Oct., and the stand by lines were almost as long as the FP return times. I just could not understand why people were waiting in 50 min. lines when they could FP and be back in an hour. We had so many FP all the time we could hardly use them all.
  
  Have fun! DLR is very definitely different that WDW... smaller in many ways. It is fun and there are lots of things unique to DLR that we enjoyed. Just don't expect it to be the same. Appericate each place for what they have to offer! Have a great trip!
  
  Kim
  
  Kim

 

[mmmears]

I've read through many of the posts (I wish the search function would work a little better). I know that the answers to many of the questions are subjective, but I appreciate the experience of this group.[/QUOTE]

If your budget allows it, check out the Grand Californian Hotel -- it's the only one that Disney (the company, not the man) built from the ground up. It has a beautiful lobby full of stained-glass, tiffany colored lamps, and it has live music and a huge fireplace. It reminds me of the WL at WDW, although with a very different theme.

It's also the closest to both parks, and has a back-door entrance right into California Adventure, right between Soarin' and Grizzly River Rapids, oh so convenient when you get soaked on the rapids! There are 2 pools, one with a little slide and a big slide, plus a kiddie pool and jacuzzi.

As for room type, we prefer concierge to a suite. We like having the lounge, the food, the CMs to help us with those last minute touches. But some prefer the extra space. We've stayed CL several times. They had nice touches, like milk, cookies & a story for the kids in their PJs at night. The CMs were very nice and thoughtful, and it was so nice to have some snacks. We haven't stayed up there lately -- the price has gone way up & we can easily bring water and snacks from home (like you we eat bkfst in our room quite often) since we drive to LA and have plenty of room in the car to bring it to DLR.

Our DD prefers the rooms with the bunk-beds.

Do you need a car? No -- if you're only there for Disney, you really dont. Everything is within walking distance. We drive to the GCH, give them our car, and then we dont see it again until we're ready to drive back home.

IMO, the best character breakfast is at Storyteller's with Chip & Dale. The food is great, and you can order a la carte or have the buffet. Best buffet food at WDW or DLR, in a beautiful, understated restaurant. If you want classic characters, then Goofy's Kitchen at the DLH is good, kind of reminds me of Chef Mickeys, chaos and all.

As for special things, we've done the Fantasmic dessert buffet once and had a great time. I think that the 2nd floor buffet is gone now, but there is some kind of dessert box that comes with reserved seats -- that might be really nice.

We always have lunch or dinner at the Blue Bayou (even though it's expensive for the food) -- it's a tradition for us. The restaurant has a Bayou-theme and is located inside the beginning (Bayou) of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride -- really cool!

Hope this helps! And I hope you all have a great vacation!

 

[justkeepswimmin]

Hope this helps!

Which property do you recommend?

Since you prefer on site and your budget is flexible, I recommend Grand Californian. It cannot be beat for location. The rooms are smaller than at DLH and I don't think the pool area is as nice as the DLH but I LOVED being so close to the parks and we got a free upgrade to a theme park view room and I could have lived out on the balcony. For the record my dh and my 4 yr old dd much prefer the DLH. My husband likes that it is older and a little dated (says that is part of its charm ) and really, the pool area is fantastic. Both are good options depending on your needs.

• Would you rather do concierge or a 1 bedroom suite?

Never had a suite on property but did do concierge at the DLH once and really enjoyed it. You mentioned not being big eaters. If that is the case., the lounge could be a real benefit to you. They have snacks throughout the day that actually filled up my kids (pb & j uncrustables, fruit, granola bars) so we really only needed to buy dinner at the parks. We took the concierge lounge waters, soda and snacks into the parks with us too, without any problems.

• Do I need a car if my plans are Disney only?

Probably not. If you do the concierge service, you will have food and drinks available to you and even if you don't, there are grocery stores that can deliver to you. The DLR area is much more city than WDW. Part of the reason I enjoy staying on site is it offers the submersive disney experience you get in WDW. Leaving the property reminds me that I am still in the real world so my advice is take that airport shuttle to the resort and submerse yourself in the magic for a few days.

• What's the best airport to fly into (we're flyinig out of Hartford, so every flight to the area requires a connection)?

We usually drive so I cannot really answer this though we did fly into LAX and use a shuttle to DL once w/out incident.

• What's the best character breakfast?

Goofy's Kitchen. LOVE it!

• Are there any in-room babysitting services (we've used KidsNiteOut in WDW and loved the service)?

I believe if you call the resort hotels, there is a company they reccomend/ contract with but someone else may be able to verify this

• Is there anything special you can do at Disney (i.e. in WDW, we've done fireworks cruises, etc.)?

I have heard good things about the fantasmic dessert buffet although I think I read somewhere it is not a buffet anymore. Fantasmic at DL is incredible but not nearly as easy to view as it is in WDW. The buffet/ dessert thing allows you to claim reserved seating so it is worth l;ooking into.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Read HydroGuy's DLR Guide for WDW Vets.

His reverse guide was wonderful for me when we went to WDW.

- Dreams

 

[dalepool]

I would choose conceirge V one bedroom at the Disneyland Hotel. The cookies and milk at the evening service hit the spot after a long day at parks. We went in summer so with longer hours we were able to watch the fireworks from the concierge room, they even pipe the music in to make it more enjoyable. The morning offerings of fruit, bread, cereals, juice, pastry, coffee, and such would last us until lunch at the parks. ( My husband is the only breakfast eater and he would go to a DLH restaurant for his morning feast.) We were able to take 2-3 juices, water, or sodas to the park each morning. The first morning visit we did not think it right to take items from concierge-- getting ready to leave area the CM on duty suggested we each take a drink or two for later. There are liquor offerings in the late afternoon with fruits, cheese meats crackers, breads, and a hot app or two. Mini deserts were offered at various times. I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[LucyDingo]

So, I've been to WDW a bazillion times and DLP once. For my DW's upcoming birthday, I'd like to surprise her with a trip for the family (DH, DS10 & DS3) to Disneyland. We're all Disney fanatics.

We'll fly in from Connecticut planning for 6 days (2 travel days and 4 park days). We'd prefer to stay on-site and our budget is fairly flexible.

We're not real big eaters. Many times, we try to have our big meal at lunch. Often at WDW, we get a 1 bedroom condo and have breakfast in the room.

I'd appreciate your advice on the following topics and your experiences:

• Which property do you recommend?
• Would you rather do concierge or a 1 bedroom suite?
• Do I need a car if my plans are Disney only?
• What's the best airport to fly into (we're flyinig out of Hartford, so every flight to the area requires a connection)?
• What's the best character breakfast?
• Are there any in-room babysitting services (we've used KidsNiteOut in WDW and loved the service).?
• Is there anything special you can do at Disney (i.e. in WDW, we've done fireworks cruises, etc.)?

I've read through many of the posts (I wish the search function would work a little better). I know that the answers to many of the questions are subjective, but I appreciate the experience of this group.

I have never stayed onsite because we just can't afford it. But if we could, we'd probably choose the Grand California. It just looks the nicest to me.

You don't need a car for Disney only. Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney are all connected to each other. However, if you'd like to do anything off site like go to the beach, I'd recommend renting a car. Some people probably get bored of Disneyland/DCA after 4 days. But if you're Disney fanatics and if you enjoy going on rides multiple times...then you probably won't.

We always fly to John Wayne airport (airport code SNA. Also called Orange County and Santa Ana.) From some locations, it's more expensive than LAX. But it's the closest to the parks. And it's a super easy airport to get in and out of.

 

[vcunning]

Thanks so much to all of you for your great replies. I appreciate the thought and effort.

I think my wife will be surprised!