DL Experts, How Does This Sound?

[CamColt]

We are a family of 4 (2 DSs, 5 & 8), who are very familiar with WDW, but have never been to DL. Does this sound like a good plan for our first visit. The dates are 8/9-8/13 and arent flexible at this point.

Tues- Hopefully arrive at DL Hotel by noon, check in and drop off our luggage. Go to DTD, eat at ESPN(a must do for my kids), spend the day just walking around DTD & the resorts to get a feel of the place. Sleep early due to jet lag.

Wed- Start off in DL, take a pool break(Im assuming it will be hot), dinner at Naples at DTD(?, it looks pretty good, any opinions?), CA in the evening.

Thurs- Again begin in DL, take a break, CA in the evening and night(no real plans for meals this day, any suggestions?)

Fri-Early breakfast at Goofys Kitchen, CA, quick midday break, DL at night(hoping there will be fireworks and parade that night).

Sat- We will grab a quick breakfast somehwere in a hotel(???) before leaving for the Magic.

So would this be a doable plan and does it make sense to do it that way?

 

[PryncessChrysty]

I think your plan sounds great!! I think you might find that you may want to spend more time in DL though. I would maybe switch Thursday to start off in DCA, then do DL at night. Only because there isn't a whole lot to do at DCA. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it, but I also don't have kids (yet). Plus, I think as beautiful as DCA is after dark, I think it may suit your family better to spend two nights in DL as opposed to just one. Also, DL is almost always open later than DCA.

However, if you choose to keep your plan the same, since you'd be in DL in the morning/early afternoon on Thursday, and you have no real meal plans, I would try to make time to have lunch at the Blue Bayou in Pirates of the Caribbean!

I've only eaten at Naples once, but it was a good experience.

If my memory serves me correctly, DL usually opens around 8 - 9 am in August (since we are local, we usually try to avoid going too much in the summer ) And I think DCA almost always opens at 10am.

I hope you have a fantastic time on your trip!!

 

[CamColt]

Thanks for the info, that was very helpful.

I was under the impression CA stayed open later than DL. I must have misread something along the way. I planned Goofys breakfast on our CA morning because I had heard CA opens later than DL in the morning. Thanks for confirming that.

Blue Bayou looks interesting and I would love to eat there, but from looking at the menu(I could only really find an old one) there really wasnt much that appealed to me there.

 

[iceskatejen]

DL stays open later than DCA. During the time you'll be there DL will probably be open until midnight and DCA only until 9 or 10.

 

[karylrocks]

Blue Bayou looks interesting and I would love to eat there, but from looking at the menu(I could only really find an old one) there really wasnt much that appealed to me there.

That's what I thought the first time I went over 15 years ago, plus I didn't know if my kids would like it. We loved it! I don't remember what I ate but I did find something I liked (I hear the Monte Cristo sandwiches are the best). The kids menu was fine and they got a cardboard pirate hat or something (don't know if they still do that). Make reservations for lunch and request a waterside table. The atmosphere is not to be missed.

 

[got2travel]

I agree with everyone else, more DL nights than CA. The only thing CA's got going for it at night is the Electrical Parade. Oh and TOT is fun at night. But it always opens later and closes earlier than DL.

The Blue Bayou does still have the pirate hat kid's menu, with nuggets, mac n cheese, typical kids stuff. I LOVE the Monte Cristo, but realize that others might not. Its a battered and deep fried ham and swiss sandwich, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Didn't sound appealing to me at all, but it got such raves, I just had to try it. Now I'm hooked.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

Blue Bayou looks interesting and I would love to eat there, but from looking at the menu(I could only really find an old one) there really wasnt much that appealed to me there.

The Monte Cristo is DE-LIC-IOUS! BUT...*sigh*...if you must be health conscious , the chicken caesar salad is also VERY yummy!

I would at least give it one shot, there's nothing else like it. It's worth it just for the atmosphere alone!

 

[CamColt]

Great advice, everyone. Thanks so much for setting me straight. Ill definitely change one more night to DL. I also thought the Electrical Light Parade was at DL, not CA, so I learned something else I had wrong.

As for Blue Bayou, you guys may have just sold me on it,LOL! The Monte Cristo is out for me because I dont like ham, and Swiss is the 1 cheese I dont really care for. Im definitely not health conscious on vacation, but I would eat a Chicken Caesar. Does anyone know if an adult could order off the kids menu? I probably be happier with Mac & Cheese. And does anyone have a link to a recent menu there?

Thanks again, youve all been so helpful.

 

[queendarvet]

Definitely do DL at night because of Fantasmic! You cannot miss this show. When we went in August last year there were two showings. Go to the last show (10:30) and it won't be as crowded and you will not have to stake out your place as early. Also we found that getting to the park 1/2 hour before opening (DL) was great because the lines were nonexistant or minimal for the first two hours. Enjoy your trip!

 

[scanmom]

don't think that you won't need to see fantasmic if you have seen it already at MGM..... the Disneyland version is FAR superior to the WDW one. Either try for balcony seating ($50.00 pp includes all you can eat dessert and a perfect view), or get a spot early and people watch until showtime. Last March we lucked out and got a table at the french market patio. We got dessert and had a pretty good view. It would have been better, but we were in the 3rd row of tables, and a lady in the 2nd row kept standing up and/or holding her video camera above her head! I finally asked her (politely) to remain seated with her camera at face level so the rest of us could enjoy the show too! She was really p.o ed, but she did it! :thewave:

 

[Buttercup26]

You must go to Blue Bayou. It is definitely worth it for the atmosphere. We love to go at lunch, because the eating at dusk in the bayou is just more fun when it's broad daylight outside. They have great deserts, just share a couple kids meals and deserts. Be sure to get a table next to the water, it's worth the wait.

Also, as previous posters have said, you will want to spend more nights in DL. We go to DL half hour before opening, then we like to spend the afternoon/early evening in DCA, then go back to DL.

Also, if you have the time & $$ do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour. You will enjoy it!!

 

[CamColt]

Is getting a spot for Fantasmic really bad? Ive heard people start getting spots hours in advance...and there no seats? Since Im not really clear on it it sounds like a nightmare for me, nevermind poor Mickey, LOL! I think a lot of it is never being there, I cant really picture where I will go to wait and how long the kids(and us) will last standing.
I have heard before that it is better than MGM's, but I was considering skipping it because I felt standing doing nothing for hours wouldnt be worth it, with such a short time there...and the kids would complain the whole time Im sure. I definitely cant justify 200.00 for the 4 of us for dessert. Ill have to keep thinking about this one.

 

[iceskatejen]

If you're in the riverside area for Fantasmic, it's seating on the ground, no standing.

 

[Tink33]

I see no plans for dancing or searching for you know what. How about we plan a DIS meet for one night and I will help you find a great spot for Fantasmic.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

I'm sure many others will disagree with me, but with such a short trip I wouldn't worry about seeing Fantasmic. While all of those people are waiting two hours or more for the show, you could be riding tons of rides with much less wait times!!

I'm surprised when I hear that the one at DL is better, considering MGM has a theater specifically for Fantasmic. At DL, you have to stand on the sidewalk for hours to wait to see it on the Rivers of America. Maybe that's why it's better, because it's on the Rivers of America? But I can't really have much of an opinion on that considering I've never seen the one at MGM. Since you have limited time, and younger boys, I would save it for a later trip. If you come back when your boys are older, you and your DH could wait for the show, and your boys could ride some of the rides until the show was ready to start!

 

[iceskatejen]

To me the MGM Fantasmic has a lot of what I refer to as dead air time. There's a space of about 3-4 minutes (when at DL you have the pink elephants and Pinocchio) that they show characters faces in bubbles on the mist screens. Plus I love the action in Peter Pan compared to the not so much action of Pocahontas. And MGM has too many villians in there. And the little cardboard Steamboat Willie boat just doesn't have the same impact as the Mark Twain.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

To me the MGM Fantasmic has a lot of what I refer to as dead air time. There's a space of about 3-4 minutes (when at DL you have the pink elephants and Pinocchio) that they show characters faces in bubbles on the mist screens. Plus I love the action in Peter Pan compared to the not so much action of Pocahontas. And MGM has too many villians in there. And the little cardboard Steamboat Willie boat just doesn't have the same impact as the Mark Twain.

Ahhh, I gotcha! Thanks for clearing that up because this whole time I thought the shows were the exact same, just the atmosphere was better at DL. I assumed that a different boat was used at WDW considering the Mark Twain is in the Rivers of America, and that's the reason they use it at DL. But I didn't know for sure. I stand corrected on the DL vs. WDW version.

However, given the OP's circumstances for this trip (first time, not a lot of days to visit), I still wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see it this time around.

 

[CamColt]

Thats sort of how I was feeling about it Pryncess Chrysty, but I was concerned that Id be missing a great show. But now that Tink has so graciously offered to have a Dis meet, how can I refuse? It will be great to be shown the ropes by the regulars who know what they are doing.

Lesley, that would be great to get together, and I appreciate the help too. With the family along there wont be too much or , but Im sure Ill find some time to live up to my tag.