Downtown Disney???? and various rambling questions

[IBLarsen]

OK, I have a question about Downtown Disney..WHAT exactly is there in Downtown Disney? I know there is a Rainforest Cafe, but what else? We have our flights booked for our trip first week of October. We are planning on spending 3 full days in DL...however we will actually be arriving around 1-2pm on our arrival day, and i'm trying to decide if it's worth getting a 4 day park hopper instead of a 3 for that extra half day. I have read a few other threads that people have suggested to others about spending the first evening in downtown disney and possibly booking dinner at Goofy's Kitchen, which we are considering as well. We have two kids, who will be 3 and 5 by the time of our trip. The arrival date I'm talking about will actually be a Tuesday, Sept 30th. So I know I should expect short hours, but what time does DL usually close during those short hours, 8pm??? Trying to gauge how much time we would have in the parks, after arrival and with having dinner at Goofys. Thanks, sorry for the rambling!!

 

[jernysgirl]

If I were you, I would just relax that first evening like you said. After traveling you might be a little tired and wanting to get out and stretch your legs. Enjoy DTD, maybe take a taxi up to the Disney outlet (a couple of miles). I wouldn't buy that ticket for the extra half a day. Figure by the time you get out of the airport with luggage, get your shuttle/taxi, get to the hotel, check in, that is probably going to take at least an hour and a half, if not more. And remember the park does close early. And being that Sept 30 is not a weekend, there will be no Fantasmic or fireworks.

In DTD for the kids (depending on boys or girls) there is Build A Bear, Club Libby Lu, Lego Store, Movie Theater, ESPN Zone with Arcade games, the Disney Store. There is also lots of restaurants and sometimes live music or entertainment. You can also explore the lobbies of the hotels for something fun to do as well. (they all have their own little gift shops).

Hope you have fun!

 

[TravelNicholas]

I, personally, would take the afternoon to do Downtown Disney (and buy a 3-day park-hopper). I live in California, though, and am fortunate enough to go to DL a few times/year. People who aren't able to go as often might disagree and think time at the parks for that afternoon might be time better spent. We love Downtown Disney and usually spend an afternoon there before our park-hopping begins. We always hit Rainforest Cafe. My daughter loves Club Libby Lu and since we don't have one where we live, she is able to get her "fix" when we go to DL. There's a massive Disney Store - inside which both of my children could spend hours - lol! There's a Sephora, Jamba Juice, ESPN Zone (kids love it), a Build-A-Bear, lots of kiosks with fun stuff (face painting, pins etc.) and fountains - another favorite of my little ones.

 

[toocherie]

Downtown Disney is a conglomeration of shops and restaurants--there's the World of Disney Store (huge) and some others that you would find in a local mall (like Sephora) along with some specialty stores (like Department 56). There's Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, Naples, Tortilla Joe's, House of Blues, ESPN Zone and a couple of other restaurants along with a juice place, an ice cream place, etc. There's a lot of kiosks up and down the area (great caramel corn). It's a good place just to chill and relax . . . do a little shopping-one other suggestion would be to take the afternoon to do a Disneyland Hotels tour--they each are different and pleasant to walk around and you can end at Disneyland Hotel for the Goofy's dinner!

 

[DoomBugger]

You can go to the Disneyland website and they have maps and listings of all the establishments in DD. With a 3-day I would use a crowded mid-day (stock up on fast passes) to tour DD and then get back to the parks in the evenings with the arsenal of FPs! Have fun!

 

[blue donkey]

OK, I have a question about Downtown Disney..WHAT exactly is there in Downtown Disney? I know there is a Rainforest Cafe, but what else?

you can click disney's website to find out more about all the stuff at DTD http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/moreMagic/landing?name=DowntownDisneyLandingPage

The arrival date I'm talking about will actually be a Tuesday, Sept 30th. So I know I should expect short hours, but what time does DL usually close during those short hours, 8pm??? Trying to gauge how much time we would have in the parks, after arrival and with having dinner at Goofys. Thanks, sorry for the rambling!!

Last year, DL's last Tues. of Sept. hours were 10a-8p & DCA 10a-6p as far as I know.

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks for all the helpful answers!! There is a lot more in Downtown Disney than I expected. Thanks for the web links as well, very helpful! So now, a logistics question. We are staying at the Fairfield Inn. After we check in, if we decide not to do the parks for that half day on Tuesday (arrival day), then how do we get to Downtown Disney? I'm sure it will all be self explanatory once we are there and see the layout, I'm just not familiar with the layout as of now. And once we are in Downtown Disney and if we plan on doing dinner at Goofys (still deciding)...how close are we? Any other character dining that you guys would recommend for arrival day if we don't enter the parks...I've heard the most (from the boards) about Goofys and Ariels. I have a 5 year old boy and a 3 year old girl, so trying to hit something that will be good for both of them.

 

[Hound 109]

I know alot of folks like to relax on their arrival day......but I'm the opposite.

After planning for weeks, I'm raring to hit Main St., ride on Jungle Cruise & Pirates & eat a dole whip or churro.

If the price for a 4 day is only $15-$20 more than a 3 day, I'd be spending the 3-5 hours that first day to bask in Walt's park (& ride a few rides).

Have a great time.

 

[bumbershoot]

Fairfield is on Harbor near McDonald's, yes? If so, just walk towards the big Disneyland sign, and you'll go through the bag check area. Walk across (be SURE to warn your children that you aren't going in that day, or think about driving and parking at DTD's lot instead) with DL and DCA flanking you, and go out the opposite bag check area, and you'll be in DTD.

DLH is off of DTD, so Goofy's is just a bit of a walk through the outdoor mall that is DTD (I'm not a huge fan of DTD, I must say, my 3 year old drives me insane when surrounded by so much "stuff").

I think Goofy's is the only dinner character meal outside of Ariel's (which is in DCA).

But if you don't need a character meal, you can have dinner at PCH Grill at Paradise Pier, or even Storyteller's at GCH. PCH Grill has a fun little pizza palette, where you "paint" your pizza with sauce and cheese (and pepperoni if you wish), take it back to the grill people, and the server brings it out when it's cooked. The kids get a chef's hat of paper with crayons, too, to decorate and wear. Good pizza, too.

I, personally, would look carefully at the price difference between a 3 and 4 day ticket, though with me it wouldn't matter what the cost was, I'd go to the parks that first day anyway. (I really don't like DTD)

 

[noryglory]

If the cost isn't a huge factor for your family, it really isn't THAT much more for a few hours in the parks. You can "get your feet wet" and get a feel for what is what, then the next day you can hit the ground running. We did this in '05, but we arrived on a Saturday afternoon and hit the park around 6 p.m. with the whole intention of me getting seats in the hub while my DS and DH played for a while. They joined me for the fireworks show, then afterward the park literally emptied even though it was packed at 6. We couldn't believe it but we closed the park down at midnight and rode many, many E ticket rides and got a whole lotta Disneyland in just a couple hours. (This was November.)

However, with the parks closing early you have to decide realisitically what is the earliest time you will get in, you're going to need dinner, etc. Your kids are littler and might be tired and crabby. It may be best to take it easy and just go-go-go in the a.m. instead. You know your kids best!!

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks for all of your input. I think we will go ahead and buy the extra day, and do a 4 day rather than the 3 day passes. I wasn't concerned about the money, not that much additional really. I just wasn't sure if Downtown Disney was worth spending a few hours at first...and if so, then no reason to buy an extra day pass for the parks, and then spend the whole time at DTD. I don't know that once I'm there, I would be able to resist going inside the parks, even for a few hours. So thanks for the encouragement! Glad to hear it's not a waste for a few hours. We are spending the first part of our vacation in San Luis Obispo (visiting family and doing the beach thing) and then driving back to DL on the arrival day I am referring to for the 3.5 days. So with the drive time I have estimated we will probably be back at DL by 1:00pm...so there will be plenty of time!!! So long to wait, and I'm itching to go now! And this dis board is kind of addicting!

 

[noryglory]

It is VERY addicting. Especially as you get closer to your trip!!!

 

[Hound 109]

Thanks for all of your input. I think we will go ahead and buy the extra day, and do a 4 day rather than the 3 day passes. I wasn't concerned about the money, not that much additional really. I just wasn't sure if Downtown Disney was worth spending a few hours at first...and if so, then no reason to buy an extra day pass for the parks, and then spend the whole time at DTD. I don't know that once I'm there, I would be able to resist going inside the parks, even for a few hours. So thanks for the encouragement! Glad to hear it's not a waste for a few hours. We are spending the first part of our vacation in San Luis Obispo (visiting family and doing the beach thing) and then driving back to DL on the arrival day I am referring to for the 3.5 days. So with the drive time I have estimated we will probably be back at DL by 1:00pm...so there will be plenty of time!!! So long to wait, and I'm itching to go now! And this dis board is kind of addicting!

If only for picture taking, a few rides & walking down Main Street, there's nothing like "the first day".

I'm sure your family already knows this, but the Elephant Seals a couple of miles north of the Hearst Castle are not to be missed. I love SLO & the stretch of Central CA between Morro Bay & Big Sur.

Have a great time.

 

[IBLarsen]

If only for picture taking, a few rides & walking down Main Street, there's nothing like "the first day".

I'm sure your family already knows this, but the Elephant Seals a couple of miles north of the Hearst Castle are not to be missed. I love SLO & the stretch of Central CA between Morro Bay & Big Sur.

Have a great time.

I haven't been to the SLO area (or CA) since I was a kid...they are kind of leaving the itinerary up to us. My little ones want to spend time on the beach, first time for them, as we are landlocked! I have never heard of the Elephant Seals...I'll look it up now, thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[Hound 109]

I haven't been to the SLO area (or CA) since I was a kid...they are kind of leaving the itinerary up to us. My little ones want to spend time on the beach, first time for them, as we are landlocked! I have never heard of the Elephant Seals...I'll look it up now, thanks for the suggestion!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrxIbjdfOzU

Several u toobs on the seals. & i'm sure googling will turn up some stuff. Central Cal. has many neat (& beautiful) places to vist. The beaches (maybe the best for the kids would be Pismo). Morro Bay (& Morro Rock). Cambria, Hearst Castle & the Seals. (& lots of other spots).

Check out SpartanGirl's Trip Report for cool pics of DL & their drive down the coast. It should be on the first page of the DL trip report board.

 

[Dopey's MIL]

Even if I drive down which takes about 13 1/2 hours....I always go into the park. We've planned and waited so long that when it's just a few steps away we can't stand it.

Even if you just walk around Main Street, sit and watch the parade in the evening and then take the train all the way around the park....it's great! Gives you something to really wake up to for the big event!