ok...so we have our first DL trip booked in 3 weeks!!! i just canceled my WDW vacation on the spur of the moment and now california here we come! so...heres the thing...i love WDW..so i cant imagine i wont love DL as well. sooooooooo 1.) What things does a WDW nut just have to see at DL? rides, attractions, food? remember this might be are only trip to DL...so whats good scrap book material 2.) Which rides are the same but different... I think someone said that POTC was different. Space Mountain..anything else?? 3.) Any signature food dishes...when im in WDW i always have to have cheddar cheese soup and pretzel bread from cananda in epcot...and usually do the kitchen sink at beaches and cream.....whats the equivalent? oh were staying at the Disneyland Hotel in case that helps. 4.) Any and all tips welcome.....no matter how small...i love the extra things people learn that make there visit special to them. thanks!
Eat at the Blue Bayou Ride Pirates-Better than WDW Ride Haunted Mansion-Better than WDW Ride Space- Better than WDW (Splash and Big Thunder are better at WDW) For sure ride Indiana Jones (best ride in any park) Approach CA Adventure with an open mind. Despite bad press, it is a nice park. (I like it better than Disney MGM) Visit the Grand Californian, It is spectacular. Food is much better at WDW, other than Blye Bayou, Disneyland park food is lousey. Most Hotel resort food is good. Try Storytellers at the Grand, Goofy's Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel, Steakhouse 55 at DLH, Napa Rose at the Grand is awsome. Boudin Bakery at CA Adventure serves decent food. Fantasmic is much better at DLR. With Pirates swinging over the crowd from a full size pirate ship, as well as a finale with the Real Mark Twain riverboat, makes the WDW version Pale in comparison. Most of all, get to the Castle Hub to in time to get a good spot for "Remember Dreams Come True" The best fireworks show of any Disney Park!
DL fantasy land also has many rides WDW does not. Alice in Wonderland Pinnochio Mr. Toads Wild Ride Casey Jones Train Story Book boat Ride Matterhorn I love Fantasy Land in DL, I think it is better than WDW. Indiana Jones is the best ride at any Disney Park--Love it. Also make sure to go in the animation tour at CA, I can sit in that large room and watch Disney movies all day. It is my favorite spot in all of DL. As for food I also agree go to Blue Bayou at DL, we had lunch there and it was good. I also love getting begnette's (sp) from the New Orleans style cafe in DTD. It is down near the DL hotel and has a take out counter open early for breakfast. They have a lot of different foods at the San Francisco pier area in CA. We love getting the giant choc eclair from the bakery, they also have soups in Sourdough bread bowls, Yummy. Have fun, I made my first trip to DL 3 years ago ofter 20+ times at WDW. I was back at DL and WDW last year and I love them both for different reason.
Not all DL food is "lousy" as someone suggested Here's a list from our own experience and ones I noted that got raves from other people on the Dis *Also* The Disney hotels have some fine dining restaurants also -- maybe ask about these (we haven't been to them) Besides the Blue Bayou, you can make advanced reservations at DL for: Carnation Cafe -- tukey sandwich on pretzel bread, loaded baked potato soup, crossaint sandwich, pot pie (breakfast -- cinnamon roll french toast, mickey waffles) dessert - caramel apple pie Cafe Orleans -- monte cristo sandwich, pommes fritas (garlic fries), mickey shaped beignets (donut thingies), roast beef po boy sandwiches, muffaletta Counter service: French Market -- beef stew, fettucini, jambalya, roast chicken sandwich (lunch only) -- chocolate cake, cheesecake, chocolate dessert w/caramel sauce Ranco del Zocalo -- hacienda caesar salad Pooh's Corner sweet shoppe: Tigger tails, smores, apple pie caramel apple Hungry bear -- bacon cheeseburger Plaza Inn: Fried chicken plate, pasta w/ alfredo-pesto and chicken Bengal BBQ: meat skewers, bacon wrapped asparagus, mickey pretzels, breadsticks Tiki Juice Bar: Dole Whip River Belle Terrace: Mickey pankcakes, giant cinnamon rolls, vegetable stew in breadbowl Stage Door Cafe: chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, fries Redd Rockets Pizza Port: Coundown chicken fusilli (pesto alfredo pasta), Caesar salad, focaccia bread Are you going to California Adventure as well? Pacific Wharf Cafe: soup and salad in breadbowls Boudin Bakery Ritas Baja Blenders -- fruity drinks Taste Pilot's Grille -- burgers Grand Californian -- Whitewater snacks Don't forget Downtown Disney has dining choices Hope this helps -- have a magical time!!
wow thanks for the great info... so DL sounds like it will be easy.....all the things you mentioned we have planned on. I wasnt aware that CA got a bad wrap...is there not alot to do?? Also on the food front....do they have anything in DL like the columbia harbor house...i love those tuna sandwhiches on the multigrain bread..and the veggie chillie...
Lots of useful info here: "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599 DCA parallels MGM in a lot of ways. It is considered a one-day park. What is different at DLR is that parkhopping is so easy you do not have to dedicate an entire day to DCA. You can (and should) hop back and forth as your schedule suits you. DCA does get a bad rap, especially from the ultra-picky, die-hard DLR locals. It's attendance has been disappointing, but most WDW vets who go to DLR think DCA is a fine park although not without its flaws. Disney is investing a lot into DCA to improve it further. My guess is that you will like it. Don't know the answer to Columbia House. In general DLR does not provide the breadth of dining options that WDW does.
We (my dh and I) do both DL and WDW. We love both but WDW is our favorite. There are differences but you know that already. As far as rides go. The TOT is better at WDW. Try eating at goofys kitchen it is delicous. Enjoy.
great info!!! where is the carnation cafe..that sounds perfect...oh potato soup and pretzel bread turkey sandwhich..right up my alley.. and of course the monte cristo sounds like a must.. ive heard mix things about the blue bayou...but it almost sounds like i should go for the experience of being there once..not just because of the food..
I would recommend that you try Blue Bayou. Its similar to the San Angel Inn in theming and atmosphere (dark, waterside tables available, inside a ride, potc in this case, mixed reviews on food). I have never had a bad meal there and I have some great ones. Its just like all the restaurants at WDW, it can be hit or miss and some people don't like it at all but other's love it. Its worth it for the theming alone, especially if this is a once and only trip to DL. I love Columbia Harbor House too! Not anything like that, there is no Liberty Square area in DL but there is New Orleans Square which does have the French Market (cs, live music on the weekends and during the week during peak times). There is also the Riverbelle Terrace in Frontierland, a great place to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner and you can look over at the Rivers of America if you sit outside. Since you mention Col. Har. House, you must like fried food (hey who doesn't?) and the Plaza Inn on Main Street has very good fried chicken meals at lunch and dinner. Its counter service with huge portions of food, really enough to share between two adults. For sweet treats, be sure and go to Pooh Corner in Critter Country, right near Splash Mountain and the Pooh Bear ride (pooh is not located in FL in DL and that means this ride does not have the long lines it does in WDW). Really delicious cookies, carmel apples, chocolate dipped pretzel rods, fudge and all sorts of goodies. Carnation Cafe is a full service restaurant and its wonderful. Its on Main Street U.S.A. and except for the tip won't cost anymore than the cs places. My favorite charater meal at DL or WDW is Goofy's Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel. Think Chef Mickey's but in my opinion the food is better and more varied. If you check on the Dining link on the top of this page in brown letters you can see prices and menus and find out about the other character meals. I don't think the food at DL is lousy at all but its not as much of a "thing" as dining is at WDW. Do not do the Disneyland dining plan if you are doing a package and they offer it to you. Its a ripoff and nothing like the DDP in WDW. YOu can make priority seatins 60 days in advance by calling: 714-781-3463. At DCA we like Taste Pilot's Grill for burgers, ribs and chicken sandwiches and also love all the restaurnts at the Pacific Wharf area. Soup in breadbowls, Mexican (including a margarita stand) all with nice outdoor seating that overlooks the Paradise Pier area. Its especially lovely at night. As for rides, I agree with everyone else, POTC, Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, Roger RAbbit's CarToon Spin, California Screamin, Grizzly River Run, are all great. I also love Disneyland's Fantasyland the best, its so pretty and charming, unfortuantely no MIckey's Phil., but that would make it too perfect! I also love the new Monster's Inc. ride at DCA. I think you will have a great time at Disneyland. Just know that while its smaller in scale than WDW and doesn't have that huge, removed from the world, resort feel, its a wonderful place to visit and enjoy. Read all of hydroguy's links, they are very helpful!
fantastic info!! thanks for the comparisons to WDW...it helps me work things out mentallly.....im not going with to many expecations about the size...as a matter of fact im kind of looking forward to having everything in on area..we are staying at the Disneyland Hotel..and the idea of DTD and the parks all being real close and being able to come and go....has lots of appeal...just think of all the time i wont be spending on the bus!
Eat at Blue Bayou POTC Splash Mountain Space Mountain Matterhorn (same track layout as Space Mountain at WDW, but due to the fact that it is outside is a bit different, be sure to ride it both during the day and at night) Indiana Jones Buzz Lightyear At DCA: Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular Tower of Terror California Screamin' At the Disneyland Hotel: Eat at Goofy's Kitchen At the Grand Californian Hotel: Eat at Storyteller's Enjoy the Lobby Eat at White Water Snacks for COunter Service when at DCA, there is an entrance/exit right at the Grand Californian, please note they will allow anyone to re-enter through this entrance, but only Hotel guests can enter for the first time of the day.
Try Cafe Orleans for the wonderful new salmon salad. So fresh trasting with a very light citrus dressing. Monte Cristos are also served there....both the traditional ham and cheese as well as a three cheese version. At DCA, there are two very good restaurants in the same building. The Wine Country Trattoria serves tasty Italian meals at lunch and dinner. The Vineyard room is upstairs in the same building and has wonderful food albeit a bit expensive. It serves dinner on weekends only. We haven't tried Napa Rose in the GCH yet but the menu looked fantastic the night we had planned on dining there last trip. For fast food, we like Rancho in DL. The food actually has some kick to it. I agree with everyone about catching the rides that are unique to DL. Don't forget to look for the light that is always lit in Walt Disney's apartment above the fire station.
I don't know if anyone mentioned it and I'm not sure if they're running it at WDW too somewhere, but on a lark, we went into the "50 Years of Disneyland" movie and really liked it! Gives you a nice sense of DL. Not sure when you are going to be at DL... but if Nemo is open, you'll want to check that out too. I agree with pretty much everything everyone else said, but here are other things to keep in mind (Which you may or may not have picked up by now): utilize the late FP system... whereby you can come back any time AFTER the time stated on your FP. We have been doing it all week and it works great -- using those FP's during mid-day, early eve when lines are longer is great! You can end up going from attraction to attraction with FP's and walk by all those people. You should check out Toon Town, even if you don't have small kids... not necessarily explore the whole thing, but it's kind of cool looking. Also, we love DCA - very laid back- I see it as more of an Epcot/MGM mix -- with the little lake back in Paradise Pier... I love that part of the park. If you like parades you should really make time for the Electrical Light Parade -- now in DCA. Sit back in Paradise Pier (which is where it starts) - it is less crowded. I love the music of that parade. It's not super long but to me, it's worth watching it at least once on the trip. Also, they do a light show on Small World during the Fireworks too. It's less crowded back there but still enjoyable. We were just getting off Small World when the fireworks started... watched them back there for awhile then walked toward the carousel -- where it was roped off... but we got a very awesome -- close up view of Tink flying around there -- and did no waiting at the hub in order to get it. She seemed to fly for a long time -- at least compared to the last time we saw the fw in WDW two years ago. However, the fireworks happen both in front and behind you there (by the carousel) -- b/c the show is meant to be seen more from the other side of the castle. Still, it was cool. If you have little kids/star wars nuts kids, try to check out the Jedi Training show in Tomorrowland... My favorite part of Dl is the proximity of everything. DCA and DL really just feel like one big park with a "plaza" in the middle. When you want to hop, you don't have to move your car or board a bus or find a strategic way to get there. You just walk across the entrance area and boom -- you're there. I think it's cool how you can see some of the icons of DL (matterhorn and train station) from inside DCA's gates.
Be sure to check out Roger Rabbit's CarToon Spin, which is worth it for the extensive queue alone. Particularly from the "top floor" of the Tower of Terror.
If you like corn dogs, the Corn Dog Castle in DCA or the Corn Dog cart at the end of main st. in DL...the best! Also get a Mint Julep at either Blue Bayou, French Market, or the window behind French Market (get the fritters at that window, too! ). Oh! and if you can, get a Mickey sourdough bread from DCA before you go home...
