First Timers to Disneyland, Help!

[KnJ]

We are heading out West for our Honeymoon in June! This will be our first time to Disneyland (have been to WDW 5x). We are really excited about the trip and would like to here about the should sees, dining experiences, and how the traffic is. We will be there from June 11th to the 18th and don't want to miss a thing!

 

[Disneyland1084]

Disneyland is a BLAST!!!! A must do dining experience would be the Blue Bayou inside Pirates of the Carribean. The food is outstanding!!! The last time I went to Disneyland during the month of June was in 95. I don't remember the crowds being too terribly bad. Just get fast passes for the rides. I'm not much of a parade person because during that time I like to enjoy the short lines on the rides. Alice In Wonderland is my favorite fantasy ride there. Splash Mountain is a must, along with the Matterhorn. When you visit CA Adventure, you HAVE to go on Tower of Terror. That ride is such a thrill! You'll also want to see the Electrical Parade there. It use to be on Main Street in Disneyland, but that changed many years ago. I hope some day it returns to DL. I hope you have a nice honeymoon.

 

[Tasmen]

I would highly recommend going to the Blue Bayou for a meal if for no other reason than for the ambiance. I love eating inside the pirates ride. If you get lucky (or are willing to wait), you can get a table right on the water.

Also on fastpasses, do use the system. It's there to save you time. Keep in mind that at DL fastpasses are valid anytime after the start time listed on fastpass. So if you get a fastpass with a 10:15-11:15am time on the pass, you can go ANYTIME after 10:15. It's a policy at DL to not turn away anyone with a fastpass that has become active. You cannot go before your start time, but can go anytime that day after the start time. We usually go ride the rides we want to ride in the mornings before the crowds arrive. When we leave the ride or sometimes before we ride, we get a fastpass to come back later.

Do keep in mind, though, that you can't go around just grabbing fastpasses at every ride. The start time for your first fastpass has to have passed already (so in the above example, at 10:15 you can get another fastpass for another ride) or 2 hours has to have passed (I think that is the time) since you got your original pass -- whichever time comes first.

 

[TinkerbellTris]

Fast passes will be your best friend in June. June tends to be very busy, a lot of grad trips for the L.A. area schools, and of course schools out and everyone flocks to Disney. But the fast passes work the same here as they do in Disney World. Exactly the same. I would definatly make ressies for Blue Bayou, Carnation Cafe is great for Breakfast, Goofy's Kitchen if you want a fantastic Character Breakfast, Plaza Inn is good for character Breakfast but it's not nearly as good as Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Unfortunatly the food is not as good as WDW, but there are a handful of great places. Don't miss steakhouse 55, very good, as well as Naples in Downtown Disney. Also the Storytellers Cafe is great also.

 

[teacups]

Autopia at night, Rainforest Cafe (Everyone hates it but it was fantastic when we went!) Fireworks, Soarin' over California! and of course, Pirates! Have fun!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Definately do a character meal even if you don't have any kids in your party. Goofy's kitchen is great.

 

[HydroGuy]

We are heading out West for our Honeymoon in June! This will be our first time to Disneyland (have been to WDW 5x). We are really excited about the trip and would like to here about the should sees, dining experiences, and how the traffic is. We will be there from June 11th to the 18th and don't want to miss a thing!

Lots of useful tips to be found here: "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

FYI, the week you are planning to go may have some unusual aspects in that it is the week planned for the re-opening of the submarine ride which has been closed since 1999. Disney has been saying the ride will re-open on June 11, although that may slip due to recent events.

ETA: You may get lucky and be able to see Fantasmic this week. See this excerpt from www.miceage.com/allutz/al010907a.htm

The other casualty of this delayed and frantic construction schedule is the popular Fantasmic! show. In order to accommodate all of the construction, particularly for the new pirate stunt show on the south end of the island where Fantasmic! is performed, the long running nighttime spectacular will be put into mothballs for four months. As it's currently planned, the last Fantasmic! of the season will be performed on Sunday, February 11th. The show will remain dark until Saturday, June 16th, when it will return from the dead for nightly performances through the summer season. But for four months this winter and spring there will be no Fantasmic! performances, not even during the busy weeks of Easter Vacation when Disneyland is open until Midnight seven days a week.

 

[honeymom]

Blue Bayou is definitely romantic, but the food is not outstanding. It ranges from bad (my dried out mahi mahi on cold lettuce that had been described as cooked spinach in the menu) to really good (a thin, fatty piece of prime rib that was very well spiced.) And, it is expensive. But, I still like to go there for the ambience.

If you want outstanding food (albeit pricey), try Napa Rose and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen. We did not get to Storyteller's for dinner (only breakfast which was excellent). However, I have heard from posters that the dinner buffet is excellent and given the quality of the breakfast, I would believe it.

 

[GailT]

As a first timer to DL at Christmas time and going to DW many many times since I was 18 I say the only thing I missed at DW was Epcot, I LOVED LOVED LOVED DL, I am ready to go back It was crowded when I was there, did not have to use fast passes at all, I just went very relaxed, didn't worry and knew in my head the things I did want to miss, IASW, HM and anythin else I did was a bonus and I think I saw it all, went on everything, cept the except the scary high rides and had the time of my life. I think I mentioned this before if I had to pick between my trip to Australia and DL I would pick DL, sorry for all you people down under, it was real nice but CA won hands down. You will have a ball on your honeymoon, have a FUNtastic time no matter what you do when you get to sunny CA

 

[disneyochem]

We honeymooned at DLR and we had an absolutely fantastic time. Be sure to eat at the Blue Bayou (very romantic) as well as Napa Rose! We also went to Medievel Times for a dinner--the blue knight chose me to fight for!

Be sure to stop by the Crystal Palace on Main Street and get the crystal wedding goblets. My hubby and I use them every anniversary! (In addition to having an excuse to go to DLR every year!)

Have a fantastic time! You will have a blast! Best wishes on a happy and successful marriage!