joseph821
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2007
- Messages
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May 2025 Trip Report
May 22 through May 31, 10 days/9 nights, got two 5 day park hopper tickets with LL.
Travel Package through Walt Disney Travel Company.
Hotel: Grand Californian Hotel. Woods Courtyrard/Monorail View. Room 5148.
I flew out of JFK on Thursday May 22 to LAX on American Airlines on a 7AM flight. The flight was awesome, the food and service were great. American still has a true first class service. I arrived at LAX at 10:20AM. I quickly got my luggage and was promptly picked up by Golden West Express car service in a nice SUV for the 35 minute drive to Anaheim. The ride was smooth. I checked in with ease. Myra the cast member was great. My room was ready and I proceeded to my room 5148. The room was located 2 hallways from the elevator…very secluded/little traffic area. My room has 2 queen sized beds with a couch that had pullout(as I requested). I requested a high floor with monorail view and I got it. My room had a nice view of the monorail and was on the 5th floor. The patio was very nice and my room had a great view of the monorail….which after staying at GCH 3 years in a row. I finally got to see the monorail from my room!! The room was immaculate. Housekeeping was great. I got turndown service every night. Bell Services was great and stored by luggage on my last day while I went to Disneyland. The staff was so friendly. I love Acorn Gifts and the Craftsmen Grill – I got soda, souvenirs and sweet treats- cookies, brownies and donuts. The area around the main pool had walls around it – new landscaping being installed. I did not hear any construction noise and it did not affect my stay. The GCH is a great hotel. All of the GCH hotel cast members were great and friendly and helpful. When I did Early Entry for Disneyland, I left my room by 6:15AM and I was always in the first 5 spots for security. If you are down by 625AM you will be in good shape for Disneyland EE or 8AM regular opening. For DCA entrance, I always got down at 805AM and there was no line at all for security. I did not do Early Entry for DCA even though I could. I do not like Guardians and don’t ride Incrediocoaster anymore. Early Entry to DCA is not worth it to me.
I love GCH!
Tours and Dessert Parties
World of Color Dessert Party: I checked in at 6:45PM for our Tuesday May 27 reservation for the 9pm show and received a table dead center with great views. We returned back at 7:40PM for the line-up and then to our table. My friend and I thought the goodies box was awesome and had a nice sweet and savory balance. The pin gift was great. As for the show, my friend liked it but thought the ending was weak. I did not care for the show at all. I enjoyed the Muppets pre-show and thought the main show lacked structure and integration of other Disney characters. My friend said he would see the show again and would definitely do the Dessert party with this show again. If the show is the same, I would skip the show and party. The service was great, and we got plenty of water, hot cocoa and soda. I thought other versions of WOC were much better. In my opinion, this show also lacked a strong musical component. I was disappointed but my friend liked it except for the ending. The Dessert Party was great overall. The show for me was average and needs work. Be your own judge.
Disneyland 70th Tour/Paint The Night Parade Tour Viewing Area
I checked in at 9:00AM for the tour at 9:15AM on Wednesday May 28. My friend Chris was also on the tour (he met me at DL for the last 6 days and he stayed in his own accessible room at GCH - which was great). Chris sometimes uses a wheelchair to sit in...he gets tired and takes the chair so he can rest but he walks the 30+K steps a day). You receive a name pin and a lanyard. The tour is very informative and historical. You tour on Main Street, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toontown. The tour is put together well. Normally, the tour takes you on the Mark Twain, the Railroad and Runaway Railway. Our tour just went on the Mark Twain. We received a Lighting Lane for any attraction and a LL for Runaway Railway. You receive a nice pin at the end of the tour.
You are told to report to Town Square at 8PM to view Paint the Night at 8:45PM. We did not follow that instruction. We arrived at 725PM - we were first in line. The viewing areas were already roped off and cast members were there already. We got there early because we wanted a great spot, and Chris needed a good spot to park his wheelchair to watch the parade. The area opens at 8PM and you receive a box of popcorn. We got a great spot right up front. If you take the tour, get there 30 to 35 minutes early. There were 75 people in the tour viewing area. We counted 75 boxes of popcorn. Most of the people in the tour viewing area were sitting and had a great view.
The Paint the Night dining package/Plaza Inn viewing area was packed and not worth the money. We heard people were upset and complained about the viewing area for the dining package. Avoid the dining package.
You can get a good spot for the parade for either time on your own without taking the tour. If you like Disneyland history, take the tour. I would avoid the dining package all together. If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to answer. Overall, get to the viewing by at least 7:30PM.
Disneyland Railroad Tour
I checked-in at 8:45AM at Tour Gardens for our 9:00AM Tour. You receive a name tag and a lanyard. You also receive a water bottle and a delicious strawberry and cream croissant in a plastic container. We had that later as a snack. We only had 6 people on our tour. The tour guide was awesome. You are given a lot of the history of the Railroad and Disneyland. You also told Walt’s connection to railroads since childhood. You walk to various spots in Disneyland where the guide talks about the railroad and different forms of Disneyland transportation. You board the Railroad at the Toontown Station. My friend parked his wheelchair inside the exit with the help of the tour guide. We boarded the Lily Belle car which was beautiful. We were all able to take pictures and videos. The tour guide gave a long of information about the car and Lillian Disney’s involvement. You take a round trip around the railroad and exit at the Toontown Station. At the end of the tour, you receive a map poster of the Railroad – it is the same map that is at the Main Street Station. You are then told to go to the Small World Gift Shop for a plastic bag for the map. I did that and then immediately went to Disneyana to get our maps framed and shipped to NY and my friend Chris to his WA home. Chris did Character Meet and Greet while I was at Disneyana. Overall, the tour is excellent and worth the money. Riding the Lily Belle is an experience everyone should have. The tour was $108 with Disney Visa Discount. The tour was 90 minutes and the temperature must be less than 80 degrees to ride the Lilly Belle. That is why I recommend taking it at 9 or 10 AM tours, temps will be cooler. On our tour date, it was in the upper 60s/70 perfect for 9AM. I recommend the tour highly. Please note this tour does not run in August and September and possibly October because of the heat.
Better Together Parade Dessert Party: Loved the parade and the dessert party. We did this on Wednesday May 28th. Great viewing area with tables under umbrellas! Great experience. Loved the Pixar pin you get. Recommend.
Dining and Food Experiences
Overall, I enjoyed the food at the resort. My friend Chris loves the food, especially the popcorn and churros at Disneyland. Prefer the fresh popcorn stand near Plaza Inn or New Orleans Railroad. Chris also says the boxed popcorn at the other stands is good especially if he is taking back to his room at GCH. I loved all the baked goods, brownie turtle pie, chocolate chip cookies, dark double chocolate cookies and the Mickey cookies from Wonderful World of Sweet Treats, Trolley Treats and Candy Palace. I also loved the Mickey pretzels from Refreshment Corner and the churros from various stands especially Willies in DCA.
Blue Bayou: I had two reservations for lunch at 11AM. I checked-in both times at 10:40AM and requested waterside tables and sat at a waterside table each luncheon. For my first luncheon, I ordered 70th Celebration Prix-Fixe for $89. The luncheon that came with a salad, rib-eye steak, prawns, loaded baked potato and asparagus with chocolate mousse for dessert. Everything was delicious. The rib-eye steak was huge and cooked to my instruction. The service was excellent. The views of the bayou and restaurant were awesome. For my second luncheon, I ordered crab cakes, the sea salt brioche, the Monte Cristo sandwich and brown butter banana cake for dessert. Everything was delicious. My table at the waterside was on the other side of the restaurant (near the old man on the rocker on deck) and had a great view. I love the Blue Bayou and highly recommend it.
Carthay Circle Restaurant: While I have eaten here for both lunch and dinner each and every trip and enjoyed the food very much in the past, this trip – I ate there for dinner and it was horrible. At the dinner, I canceled my lunch reservations. I ordered the Spanish potato croquettes, the Carthay Circle rolls, the Braised Colorado Lamb “Stroganoff” with, Fresh Conchiglie Pasta, Wild Mushrooms, English Peas and for dessert the cherry Danish. The croquettes were good as were the rolls. The cherry Danish was good. Before ordering, I asked the server what the meat tasted like and it was gamey. He said the was not gamey and tasted like beef. He was wrong on both counts. The meat tasted very gamey and like venison meat. The meat tasted off and horrible. The meat chunks had an odd texture too. The sauce for the pasta was disgusting ( I am Italian and it was this brown sauce that had no flavor but an aftertaste.) This is not a stroganoff at all. It is a harsh stew with pasta. There was hint of sour cream in the middle of the dish since stroganoff has that. I had 5 bites and that was that. I did not say anything to the server but I did should have. He asked if I liked and I did not answer and said it was very rich. Rich in no taste. I was very disappointed. I immediately canceled my lunch reservations and I will not be going back to Cathay. The dessert was good but not spectacular. I should have followed my instincts and canceled my dinner reservation and eaten elsewhere. It was one of worst main dishes I have ever had. The server was ok but more attentive after I did not eat the pasta but he did nothing to help so?! No more Carthy. The prices are very high and the food is not good. Avoid Carthy Circle.
River Belle Terrace: Highly recommend River Belle. I ordered the Burnt Ends Pasta and it was delicious. My friend Chris ordered the pork chop with double mashed potatoes…he said it was great. We both ordered the Red Velvet Cake which was awesome. The service was excellent.
Carnation Café: Highly Recommend Carnation Café. I ordered the CC Cheeseburger – medium to well done with fries and Chris ordered the Patty Melt with fries. We exchanged half and each of us got to enjoy both the CC cheeseburger and patty melt…they were delicious and the fries were tasty. We then split the brownie sundae which was delicious and huge. We sat in the outdoor patio and the service was awesome. Loved CC!
Storytellers Café – Donald’s Adventures Dinner: We both enjoyed the buffet. The food was awesome. The fried chicken, prime rib, spare ribs were awesome. The new buffet layout was awesome. There is plenty to choose from. The pizzas are awesome! Our server was friendly and attentive. You get to see Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Chip, Dale and Clarabelle. Every character came to our table except Goofy. We enjoyed Storytellers! You get a Donald Adventures button!
Smokejumpers Grill: We had a snack of Crikle cut fries there and soda there. Best fries in the Resort! Love Smokejumpers!
Flo’s V8 Café: Chris had the pastrami sandwich with fries and I had the cheeseburger with fries. Chris loved the pastrami sandwich. The cheeseburger was very good. Recommend Flo’s V8 Café! Lots of outdoor seating and watched the Radiator cars go by as we ate.
Plaza Inn: We ate there 3 times. We ordered the fried chicken with double mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuit, pot roast with double mashed potatoes and biscuit, celebration cake, rainbow cake, and brownie tart. The food is awesome. Love their fried chicken! We sat inside twice and once outside. Love Plaza Inn and highly recommend!!
Aunt Cass Cafe: Had the mac and cheese in sourdough bowl. Was awesome. Cookies were great too. Recommend!
Lucky Fortune Cookery: Had the beef birria ramen and potstickers. Great! Recommend!
Alien Pizza Planet: We ate there twice. We ordered the Chicken Fusilli, cheese pizza and the Garlon bread. The food is very good there and the fusilli is a good value for the pizza. Recommend Alien Pizza Planet.
Galactic Grill: Had breakfast there several times solo as I get to the parks early and Chris gets there at 8 and has breakfast at the Craftsmen Grill at GCH. I love the Egg Bagel Sandwich, the Chicken Tenders and Waffles and the seasoned potatoes. The food is good there and is quiet…plenty of seating for breakfast. We had dinner there and had the cheeseburgers with fries and ordered the Space Place potatoes with ranch sauce. Burgers and fries were awesome. Space Place potatoes were worth it. Very tasty and the ranch sauce was great. Recommend Galactic Grill!
Award Weiners: Recommend AW! We had hot dogs and fries there. Great hot dogs! Nice outdoor seating!
Benegal Barbeque: Ordered the Benegal Rice Plate with 2 non spicy sweet Zulu meat skewers and rice and slaw. We had this as a late night snack – it was awesome. Plenty of seating since it after 10. Recommend Benegal.
Cozy Cone: Got ice cream cones there! Great and refreshing.
Hungry Bear BBQ: I ate there solo on my first day in the afternoon. Ordered the cheeseburger with pulled pork battered fries and cole slaw. The burger was dripping with grease from the pullet pork and grilled onions and awful. The golden aioli was greasy too. The bun was soggy with the grease from the pulled pork and grilled onions. The fries were ok. The cole slaw was dripping in oil and vinegar – awful. The meal made me sick almost instantly…luckily for Gas-X and Tums..I was fine within minutes. Should have gotten plain cheeseburger. Did not like Hungry Bear at all this trip. Probably the entrée choice and the slaw. It was enough for me to avoid the rest of the trip. Maybe I’ll try HB again next time.
Craftsmen Grill at GCH: This is my friend Chris’ go-to breakfast plate. He always orders the American Breakfast with bacon or gets a fruit plate with a croissant. Chris says the food is great there. Chris goes there when it opens and not crowded. Chris always sees his friend, a cast member there and they talk. The cookies, muffins, croissants and donuts are great there. Recommend Craftsmen Grill!
Overall, the food was great during my trip with the notable exception of Carthay Circle Restaurant.
Disneyland: Crowds, Attractions, Attendance, Early Entry, Grad Nights and LL.
This was my first trip in May. I usually go in late August. The trip was from Thursday, May 22 through Saturday, May 31. Memorial Day weekend Fri to Mon crowds were moderate to light. Tuesday May 26 was the busiest as it was low Tier day and lower tier Keys were not blocked out. Wednesday May 27 crowds were moderate. The rest of the trip crowds were light. Friday May 30 and Saturday May 31 surprisingly light to moderate. Everyone was talking about the surge of attendance that going to happen in late May because of the 70th – it never happened and materialized. Late May is a great time to go to Disneyland.
The weather was great mostly in the upper 70s…2 days were hot upper 80s and one day mid 90s….I am now planning another May 2026 trip.
Grad Nites had a minimal impact on crowds. If you go on a Grad Night, just start at Disneyland then around 1-3pm go to DCA then after 6 back to Disneyland. The Grad Night teens have to be out of DL by 7pm. You will notice more teens in the parks on Grad Night days but it is bearable and not overwhelming. Disneyland at night after 7pm is great even on a Grad Nite.
I shipped most of my purchases home using Disneyland shipping which is very fast and reasonable. As of today June 10th, I have received everything from my May 22 through May 31 trip and I shipped on my first day and last day! I will get my framed Railroad Map in about a month. Love getting 10% off using my Disney Visa in the parks. I accumulated over $560 Disney Rewards Redemption points and I used them all for food mostly!
I used LL when I could – it was very helpful. I bought the single LL for Radiator Springs and Rise of the Resistance several times each. Prices varied from $18 to $28 – well worth the price to instantly get on RS or RoR. Fantasyland is my favorite land. It’s a small world was wonderful -everything was so bright and fresh. The Monorail was running for the first time on my trip in 3 years – I rode it and loved it. Love Pirates and Haunted Mansion. Riding the Mark Twain and the Railroad was fun and relaxing. I got soaked even wearing a poncho Tiana’s Bayou Adventure I rode it once and I liked the outdoor scenery – the storyline was ok and could have been better – it was ok for me and I was good riding it once. If the attraction was better, I would have gone again even if I got soaked. I love Pooh. Star Wars/Galaxy Edge has grown on me. I absolutely love Autopia – both during the day and at night. Rode that multiple times. I love Soarin and Little Mermaid. I do not like Avengers Campus so I did nothing there. Toy Story Mania was OK. Grizzly River Run is a blast!
I did Early Entry to Disneyland 3 times and to me it was worth it. I rope dropped Peter Pan always went there first then did Alice, Tea Cups, Dumbo and Snow White within the 30 minutes…Always knocked out 5 attractions or was close to boarding the 5th attraction as the park opened at 8. When Disneyland opened at 8 with no early entry, I always rope dropped to Peter Pan with a 5 to 10 minute wait – so worth it. This trip I stayed late to closing nearly every night – Disneyland was so nice after 7/8pm and I loved it. Most people during that time are waiting for PTN, F! or fireworks/projections. The Cathay Circle projections were nice as were Small World. Saw PTN – awesome. Saw bits and pieces of fireworks and F! while on the move.
Love all the soda/treats vending carts around the parks!
I did miss my Matterhorn and Tiki Room as they were on refurb this trip. I have another trip booked and scheduled in late August and I may postpone it until 2026 because of refurbs Radiator Springs and possibly Matterhorn and Tiki plus if there are no changes in Halloween Time and Oogie Boogie Nights – it may be easier to postpone.
All the cast members I encountered were friendly and nice. Disneyland was very clean and the bathrooms were clean and constantly being cleaned by a cast member. The attractions were in very good condition and the parks were clean.
Checked out of GCH at 8AM. Bell Services picked up and stored my luggage at 730AM. Bell Services brought my luggage to me at 815PM as I waited for my car. Golden West Express picked me up at the GCH at 830PM for my ride to LAX on Saturday night, May 31. 5 minutes through Security at LAX. Took the red-eye flight back home to Long Island on American Airlines. First class was wonderful. Landed at JFK on time at 7:30AM Sunday Morning. I said to myself as I got home...This is not Disneyland!! LOL
This trip was great! I highly recommend GCH. Late May is a great time to visit Disneyland!
If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask and I will gladly answer and help. Also thank you to all the DIS Board members for helping me and supporting me!
May 22 through May 31, 10 days/9 nights, got two 5 day park hopper tickets with LL.
Travel Package through Walt Disney Travel Company.
Hotel: Grand Californian Hotel. Woods Courtyrard/Monorail View. Room 5148.
I flew out of JFK on Thursday May 22 to LAX on American Airlines on a 7AM flight. The flight was awesome, the food and service were great. American still has a true first class service. I arrived at LAX at 10:20AM. I quickly got my luggage and was promptly picked up by Golden West Express car service in a nice SUV for the 35 minute drive to Anaheim. The ride was smooth. I checked in with ease. Myra the cast member was great. My room was ready and I proceeded to my room 5148. The room was located 2 hallways from the elevator…very secluded/little traffic area. My room has 2 queen sized beds with a couch that had pullout(as I requested). I requested a high floor with monorail view and I got it. My room had a nice view of the monorail and was on the 5th floor. The patio was very nice and my room had a great view of the monorail….which after staying at GCH 3 years in a row. I finally got to see the monorail from my room!! The room was immaculate. Housekeeping was great. I got turndown service every night. Bell Services was great and stored by luggage on my last day while I went to Disneyland. The staff was so friendly. I love Acorn Gifts and the Craftsmen Grill – I got soda, souvenirs and sweet treats- cookies, brownies and donuts. The area around the main pool had walls around it – new landscaping being installed. I did not hear any construction noise and it did not affect my stay. The GCH is a great hotel. All of the GCH hotel cast members were great and friendly and helpful. When I did Early Entry for Disneyland, I left my room by 6:15AM and I was always in the first 5 spots for security. If you are down by 625AM you will be in good shape for Disneyland EE or 8AM regular opening. For DCA entrance, I always got down at 805AM and there was no line at all for security. I did not do Early Entry for DCA even though I could. I do not like Guardians and don’t ride Incrediocoaster anymore. Early Entry to DCA is not worth it to me.
I love GCH!
Tours and Dessert Parties
World of Color Dessert Party: I checked in at 6:45PM for our Tuesday May 27 reservation for the 9pm show and received a table dead center with great views. We returned back at 7:40PM for the line-up and then to our table. My friend and I thought the goodies box was awesome and had a nice sweet and savory balance. The pin gift was great. As for the show, my friend liked it but thought the ending was weak. I did not care for the show at all. I enjoyed the Muppets pre-show and thought the main show lacked structure and integration of other Disney characters. My friend said he would see the show again and would definitely do the Dessert party with this show again. If the show is the same, I would skip the show and party. The service was great, and we got plenty of water, hot cocoa and soda. I thought other versions of WOC were much better. In my opinion, this show also lacked a strong musical component. I was disappointed but my friend liked it except for the ending. The Dessert Party was great overall. The show for me was average and needs work. Be your own judge.
Disneyland 70th Tour/Paint The Night Parade Tour Viewing Area
I checked in at 9:00AM for the tour at 9:15AM on Wednesday May 28. My friend Chris was also on the tour (he met me at DL for the last 6 days and he stayed in his own accessible room at GCH - which was great). Chris sometimes uses a wheelchair to sit in...he gets tired and takes the chair so he can rest but he walks the 30+K steps a day). You receive a name pin and a lanyard. The tour is very informative and historical. You tour on Main Street, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toontown. The tour is put together well. Normally, the tour takes you on the Mark Twain, the Railroad and Runaway Railway. Our tour just went on the Mark Twain. We received a Lighting Lane for any attraction and a LL for Runaway Railway. You receive a nice pin at the end of the tour.
You are told to report to Town Square at 8PM to view Paint the Night at 8:45PM. We did not follow that instruction. We arrived at 725PM - we were first in line. The viewing areas were already roped off and cast members were there already. We got there early because we wanted a great spot, and Chris needed a good spot to park his wheelchair to watch the parade. The area opens at 8PM and you receive a box of popcorn. We got a great spot right up front. If you take the tour, get there 30 to 35 minutes early. There were 75 people in the tour viewing area. We counted 75 boxes of popcorn. Most of the people in the tour viewing area were sitting and had a great view.
The Paint the Night dining package/Plaza Inn viewing area was packed and not worth the money. We heard people were upset and complained about the viewing area for the dining package. Avoid the dining package.
You can get a good spot for the parade for either time on your own without taking the tour. If you like Disneyland history, take the tour. I would avoid the dining package all together. If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to answer. Overall, get to the viewing by at least 7:30PM.
Disneyland Railroad Tour
I checked-in at 8:45AM at Tour Gardens for our 9:00AM Tour. You receive a name tag and a lanyard. You also receive a water bottle and a delicious strawberry and cream croissant in a plastic container. We had that later as a snack. We only had 6 people on our tour. The tour guide was awesome. You are given a lot of the history of the Railroad and Disneyland. You also told Walt’s connection to railroads since childhood. You walk to various spots in Disneyland where the guide talks about the railroad and different forms of Disneyland transportation. You board the Railroad at the Toontown Station. My friend parked his wheelchair inside the exit with the help of the tour guide. We boarded the Lily Belle car which was beautiful. We were all able to take pictures and videos. The tour guide gave a long of information about the car and Lillian Disney’s involvement. You take a round trip around the railroad and exit at the Toontown Station. At the end of the tour, you receive a map poster of the Railroad – it is the same map that is at the Main Street Station. You are then told to go to the Small World Gift Shop for a plastic bag for the map. I did that and then immediately went to Disneyana to get our maps framed and shipped to NY and my friend Chris to his WA home. Chris did Character Meet and Greet while I was at Disneyana. Overall, the tour is excellent and worth the money. Riding the Lily Belle is an experience everyone should have. The tour was $108 with Disney Visa Discount. The tour was 90 minutes and the temperature must be less than 80 degrees to ride the Lilly Belle. That is why I recommend taking it at 9 or 10 AM tours, temps will be cooler. On our tour date, it was in the upper 60s/70 perfect for 9AM. I recommend the tour highly. Please note this tour does not run in August and September and possibly October because of the heat.
Better Together Parade Dessert Party: Loved the parade and the dessert party. We did this on Wednesday May 28th. Great viewing area with tables under umbrellas! Great experience. Loved the Pixar pin you get. Recommend.
Dining and Food Experiences
Overall, I enjoyed the food at the resort. My friend Chris loves the food, especially the popcorn and churros at Disneyland. Prefer the fresh popcorn stand near Plaza Inn or New Orleans Railroad. Chris also says the boxed popcorn at the other stands is good especially if he is taking back to his room at GCH. I loved all the baked goods, brownie turtle pie, chocolate chip cookies, dark double chocolate cookies and the Mickey cookies from Wonderful World of Sweet Treats, Trolley Treats and Candy Palace. I also loved the Mickey pretzels from Refreshment Corner and the churros from various stands especially Willies in DCA.
Blue Bayou: I had two reservations for lunch at 11AM. I checked-in both times at 10:40AM and requested waterside tables and sat at a waterside table each luncheon. For my first luncheon, I ordered 70th Celebration Prix-Fixe for $89. The luncheon that came with a salad, rib-eye steak, prawns, loaded baked potato and asparagus with chocolate mousse for dessert. Everything was delicious. The rib-eye steak was huge and cooked to my instruction. The service was excellent. The views of the bayou and restaurant were awesome. For my second luncheon, I ordered crab cakes, the sea salt brioche, the Monte Cristo sandwich and brown butter banana cake for dessert. Everything was delicious. My table at the waterside was on the other side of the restaurant (near the old man on the rocker on deck) and had a great view. I love the Blue Bayou and highly recommend it.
Carthay Circle Restaurant: While I have eaten here for both lunch and dinner each and every trip and enjoyed the food very much in the past, this trip – I ate there for dinner and it was horrible. At the dinner, I canceled my lunch reservations. I ordered the Spanish potato croquettes, the Carthay Circle rolls, the Braised Colorado Lamb “Stroganoff” with, Fresh Conchiglie Pasta, Wild Mushrooms, English Peas and for dessert the cherry Danish. The croquettes were good as were the rolls. The cherry Danish was good. Before ordering, I asked the server what the meat tasted like and it was gamey. He said the was not gamey and tasted like beef. He was wrong on both counts. The meat tasted very gamey and like venison meat. The meat tasted off and horrible. The meat chunks had an odd texture too. The sauce for the pasta was disgusting ( I am Italian and it was this brown sauce that had no flavor but an aftertaste.) This is not a stroganoff at all. It is a harsh stew with pasta. There was hint of sour cream in the middle of the dish since stroganoff has that. I had 5 bites and that was that. I did not say anything to the server but I did should have. He asked if I liked and I did not answer and said it was very rich. Rich in no taste. I was very disappointed. I immediately canceled my lunch reservations and I will not be going back to Cathay. The dessert was good but not spectacular. I should have followed my instincts and canceled my dinner reservation and eaten elsewhere. It was one of worst main dishes I have ever had. The server was ok but more attentive after I did not eat the pasta but he did nothing to help so?! No more Carthy. The prices are very high and the food is not good. Avoid Carthy Circle.
River Belle Terrace: Highly recommend River Belle. I ordered the Burnt Ends Pasta and it was delicious. My friend Chris ordered the pork chop with double mashed potatoes…he said it was great. We both ordered the Red Velvet Cake which was awesome. The service was excellent.
Carnation Café: Highly Recommend Carnation Café. I ordered the CC Cheeseburger – medium to well done with fries and Chris ordered the Patty Melt with fries. We exchanged half and each of us got to enjoy both the CC cheeseburger and patty melt…they were delicious and the fries were tasty. We then split the brownie sundae which was delicious and huge. We sat in the outdoor patio and the service was awesome. Loved CC!
Storytellers Café – Donald’s Adventures Dinner: We both enjoyed the buffet. The food was awesome. The fried chicken, prime rib, spare ribs were awesome. The new buffet layout was awesome. There is plenty to choose from. The pizzas are awesome! Our server was friendly and attentive. You get to see Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Chip, Dale and Clarabelle. Every character came to our table except Goofy. We enjoyed Storytellers! You get a Donald Adventures button!
Smokejumpers Grill: We had a snack of Crikle cut fries there and soda there. Best fries in the Resort! Love Smokejumpers!
Flo’s V8 Café: Chris had the pastrami sandwich with fries and I had the cheeseburger with fries. Chris loved the pastrami sandwich. The cheeseburger was very good. Recommend Flo’s V8 Café! Lots of outdoor seating and watched the Radiator cars go by as we ate.
Plaza Inn: We ate there 3 times. We ordered the fried chicken with double mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuit, pot roast with double mashed potatoes and biscuit, celebration cake, rainbow cake, and brownie tart. The food is awesome. Love their fried chicken! We sat inside twice and once outside. Love Plaza Inn and highly recommend!!
Aunt Cass Cafe: Had the mac and cheese in sourdough bowl. Was awesome. Cookies were great too. Recommend!
Lucky Fortune Cookery: Had the beef birria ramen and potstickers. Great! Recommend!
Alien Pizza Planet: We ate there twice. We ordered the Chicken Fusilli, cheese pizza and the Garlon bread. The food is very good there and the fusilli is a good value for the pizza. Recommend Alien Pizza Planet.
Galactic Grill: Had breakfast there several times solo as I get to the parks early and Chris gets there at 8 and has breakfast at the Craftsmen Grill at GCH. I love the Egg Bagel Sandwich, the Chicken Tenders and Waffles and the seasoned potatoes. The food is good there and is quiet…plenty of seating for breakfast. We had dinner there and had the cheeseburgers with fries and ordered the Space Place potatoes with ranch sauce. Burgers and fries were awesome. Space Place potatoes were worth it. Very tasty and the ranch sauce was great. Recommend Galactic Grill!
Award Weiners: Recommend AW! We had hot dogs and fries there. Great hot dogs! Nice outdoor seating!
Benegal Barbeque: Ordered the Benegal Rice Plate with 2 non spicy sweet Zulu meat skewers and rice and slaw. We had this as a late night snack – it was awesome. Plenty of seating since it after 10. Recommend Benegal.
Cozy Cone: Got ice cream cones there! Great and refreshing.
Hungry Bear BBQ: I ate there solo on my first day in the afternoon. Ordered the cheeseburger with pulled pork battered fries and cole slaw. The burger was dripping with grease from the pullet pork and grilled onions and awful. The golden aioli was greasy too. The bun was soggy with the grease from the pulled pork and grilled onions. The fries were ok. The cole slaw was dripping in oil and vinegar – awful. The meal made me sick almost instantly…luckily for Gas-X and Tums..I was fine within minutes. Should have gotten plain cheeseburger. Did not like Hungry Bear at all this trip. Probably the entrée choice and the slaw. It was enough for me to avoid the rest of the trip. Maybe I’ll try HB again next time.
Craftsmen Grill at GCH: This is my friend Chris’ go-to breakfast plate. He always orders the American Breakfast with bacon or gets a fruit plate with a croissant. Chris says the food is great there. Chris goes there when it opens and not crowded. Chris always sees his friend, a cast member there and they talk. The cookies, muffins, croissants and donuts are great there. Recommend Craftsmen Grill!
Overall, the food was great during my trip with the notable exception of Carthay Circle Restaurant.
Disneyland: Crowds, Attractions, Attendance, Early Entry, Grad Nights and LL.
This was my first trip in May. I usually go in late August. The trip was from Thursday, May 22 through Saturday, May 31. Memorial Day weekend Fri to Mon crowds were moderate to light. Tuesday May 26 was the busiest as it was low Tier day and lower tier Keys were not blocked out. Wednesday May 27 crowds were moderate. The rest of the trip crowds were light. Friday May 30 and Saturday May 31 surprisingly light to moderate. Everyone was talking about the surge of attendance that going to happen in late May because of the 70th – it never happened and materialized. Late May is a great time to go to Disneyland.
The weather was great mostly in the upper 70s…2 days were hot upper 80s and one day mid 90s….I am now planning another May 2026 trip.
Grad Nites had a minimal impact on crowds. If you go on a Grad Night, just start at Disneyland then around 1-3pm go to DCA then after 6 back to Disneyland. The Grad Night teens have to be out of DL by 7pm. You will notice more teens in the parks on Grad Night days but it is bearable and not overwhelming. Disneyland at night after 7pm is great even on a Grad Nite.
I shipped most of my purchases home using Disneyland shipping which is very fast and reasonable. As of today June 10th, I have received everything from my May 22 through May 31 trip and I shipped on my first day and last day! I will get my framed Railroad Map in about a month. Love getting 10% off using my Disney Visa in the parks. I accumulated over $560 Disney Rewards Redemption points and I used them all for food mostly!
I used LL when I could – it was very helpful. I bought the single LL for Radiator Springs and Rise of the Resistance several times each. Prices varied from $18 to $28 – well worth the price to instantly get on RS or RoR. Fantasyland is my favorite land. It’s a small world was wonderful -everything was so bright and fresh. The Monorail was running for the first time on my trip in 3 years – I rode it and loved it. Love Pirates and Haunted Mansion. Riding the Mark Twain and the Railroad was fun and relaxing. I got soaked even wearing a poncho Tiana’s Bayou Adventure I rode it once and I liked the outdoor scenery – the storyline was ok and could have been better – it was ok for me and I was good riding it once. If the attraction was better, I would have gone again even if I got soaked. I love Pooh. Star Wars/Galaxy Edge has grown on me. I absolutely love Autopia – both during the day and at night. Rode that multiple times. I love Soarin and Little Mermaid. I do not like Avengers Campus so I did nothing there. Toy Story Mania was OK. Grizzly River Run is a blast!
I did Early Entry to Disneyland 3 times and to me it was worth it. I rope dropped Peter Pan always went there first then did Alice, Tea Cups, Dumbo and Snow White within the 30 minutes…Always knocked out 5 attractions or was close to boarding the 5th attraction as the park opened at 8. When Disneyland opened at 8 with no early entry, I always rope dropped to Peter Pan with a 5 to 10 minute wait – so worth it. This trip I stayed late to closing nearly every night – Disneyland was so nice after 7/8pm and I loved it. Most people during that time are waiting for PTN, F! or fireworks/projections. The Cathay Circle projections were nice as were Small World. Saw PTN – awesome. Saw bits and pieces of fireworks and F! while on the move.
Love all the soda/treats vending carts around the parks!
I did miss my Matterhorn and Tiki Room as they were on refurb this trip. I have another trip booked and scheduled in late August and I may postpone it until 2026 because of refurbs Radiator Springs and possibly Matterhorn and Tiki plus if there are no changes in Halloween Time and Oogie Boogie Nights – it may be easier to postpone.
All the cast members I encountered were friendly and nice. Disneyland was very clean and the bathrooms were clean and constantly being cleaned by a cast member. The attractions were in very good condition and the parks were clean.
Checked out of GCH at 8AM. Bell Services picked up and stored my luggage at 730AM. Bell Services brought my luggage to me at 815PM as I waited for my car. Golden West Express picked me up at the GCH at 830PM for my ride to LAX on Saturday night, May 31. 5 minutes through Security at LAX. Took the red-eye flight back home to Long Island on American Airlines. First class was wonderful. Landed at JFK on time at 7:30AM Sunday Morning. I said to myself as I got home...This is not Disneyland!! LOL
This trip was great! I highly recommend GCH. Late May is a great time to visit Disneyland!
If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask and I will gladly answer and help. Also thank you to all the DIS Board members for helping me and supporting me!
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