Grandsons and Disney Villa June 2024: First Time for both!

[Weber Prof]

We are leaving tomorrow for a third trip with grandchildren! This trip is two grandsons. Bags are packed, dining packages are booked, and flights are looking good. It is the first time to Disney for both grandsons (cousins ages 12 and 7) and the third time we grandparents have attempted travel and time with grandchildren. We went with different grandsons and their parents in Sept 2022 at Paradise Pier and two granddaughters in Nov 2023 at Disneyland Hotel This trip is the first time to Disney for these grandsons and everyone's first time staying at the Villa! Thanks everyone for information on changes in security, Fantasmic, crowds, and more! We were able to save on the hotel and get three day park passes instead of two with the Magical Disneyland Resort Getaway and Ticket offers that this group noticed right away. Disboards for the win!

 

[KenyaSierra]

I wish I was you. Have a fabulous time!

 

[Weber Prof]

We are back! Took a bit longer to recover (we are aging!) before I could report.
We stayed at the Villas. It was convenient to have sink, microwave, and fridge. Although the room is smaller the kitchen set up coupled with the Murphy bed layout actually made the room more usable. The long counter running under the TV across from the bed and sofa bed is so handy. The built in bench was also excellent. The youngest grandson said we had a VIP room because our family name was on the TV welcome screen! We agreed it was a VIP room because we all had fun, enjoyed the pool view, and the kids loved the pull down bed.

 

[Weber Prof]

The older grandson and one grandparent spent the morning at Seal Beach. It was a toss up which was more enjoyable, riding waves

or being buried in the sand.

 

[Weber Prof]

After a peachy beach morning they stopped at Tito's Tacos for a welcoming lunch to pick up the younger grandson and other grandparent at LAX. It's been along time since we have flown into LAX. If you can avoid LAX I highly recommend ONT, SNA, or LGB. It was the scariest ride of all doing pick up and drop off at LAX. We arrived at Disneyland hotel around 3 pm and opted for self park. The parking lot was completely full. We had to circle a few times to find a parking spot. We found a little bistro table and chairs for a taco lunch before we checked in as everyone was hungry. Found our room on the 6th floor of the villa so the airport duo could change into swimsuits and we were off to the pools!


Only one slide was working and due to a code brown in the big pool the remaining pools became crowded very quickly. We had a light dinner in the room with groceries we brought and then walked to DTD for ice cream. By 8:30 pm everyone was asleep. Big day ahead.

 

[Weber Prof]

Although everyone was saying how light the crowds had been the first of June I thought it was very crowded the days we were in the park. The three day park tickets were in effect so it seemed very busy. I followed thrill data and the days were busier than expected according that that website.

On Sunday we rope dropped early entry in DCA. Of course right when it is time to go through the turnstiles the little one had need the bathrooms. We still made it back in time for early entry. First ride for the boys was Web Slingers because the little one loves spider-man. By 7:10 am we lined up for Guardians. However only one elevator was running for Guardians so the wait was about 15 minutes and that took the rest of the early entry line. At 8 am a second elevator opened up and the line went twice as fast after we left. If doing early entry I suggest riding Guardians first and then Web Slingers. We came back later and rode Guardians using G+ with a shorter wait even though the third elevator was not running then either. The people in front of us said some of their family went directly to Radiator Racers and they opened the ride a bit before 8 am.

This was our schedule for the day. We had G+, did mobile order for food, early entry, and stopped to look at things along, took pictures, and more. We were able to ride some rides twice using G+ or MEP. It was a hot day so we drank plenty of water from the our bottles and refilled using ice water during mobile orders. The boys didn't want to do character meet and greets so we watched from afar.

Web Slingers
Guardians
Park opened while we in Guardians.
Toy Story (G+)
Bathroom Break
Jack Num Num Cookies
Incredicoaster (G+)
Symphony Swings
Goofy (G+)
Soarin was down so we picked up an MEP.
Breakfast at Smokejumpers
In perfect timing Soarin came up right when we finished breakfast so we walked on without using MEP or G+.
Monsters Inc. (G+)
Popcorn break
Animation Studio (great way to rest and relax on a cool chair in the heat!)
Turtle Crush
Philaharmagic
Bathroom Break
Lunch at Pyms
Spider Man Show
Grizzly Rapids (we were soaked). (G+) We rode with a very nice family visiting from Mexico who were taking their daughter for treatment for hearing implants. It was so delightful to watch the little girl grin from excitement during the ride when we were drenched from the water and she stayed dry. The splashing water was welcome on the hot day. I fished G+ times so we could ride right before our nap break.
Return to the hotel using the Pixar exit. We called this the secret entrance and the boys thought it was super cool.
Took naps and had second lunch. Not sure if the boys slept but the grandparents certainly did! I stacked G+ rides during the break.
Return to Park using Pixar entrance. I wanted to see the parade. I love parades and have never seen a Disney parade but was outvoted. We did catch glimpses as we walked to rides.
Little Mermaid (G+)
Soarin (G+) second time to ride
Bathroom Break
Guardians (G+) second time to ride
Dinner at Flo's
Radiator Racer (purchased ILL tickets) I watched the times to secure a spot to coincide with dinner and night lights turning on.
Mater
WOC: I forgot to join the virtual cue right at noon but we found a pretty good spot at the back of rope. However the boys weren't interested in the show so we didn't stay long.
Incredicoaster (MEP) second time to ride
Bathroom Break
Inside Out
Swings second time to ride
Zephyr
Return to hotel using Pixar Exit.

We didn't experience Luigi (I forgot about it) Jumpin Jellyfish (a baby ride according to the boys) carousel, or Mickey Wheel. But we did ride several rides two times. We had second dinner in the hotel room as took turns to shower and then everyone was fast asleep as soon as heads hit pillows.

Overall I think it was a very successful day. We did so much. G+ and ILL is the way to go for us.
My drawing of Ratatouille

 

[Weber Prof]

Monday was a special treat because one of the boy's dad was joined us. He flew in just for the day and it was so good to have a three generation gang!

The original four of us rope dropped DL and had breakfast of oranges and energy bars while waiting. It was early entry for DCA but we didn't have parkhopper. We haven't ever done a tradistional rope dope so we were able to hear the morning welcome announcement. It was fun to feel the excitedment in the crowd. Crews were fliming around the castle and in other areas of the park on Monday.

We purchased Rise tickets for the five of us but the ride was down so much for most of the day. And Smuggler's Run was also not running. At the end of the day when we had to leave I went to the guest services on Main Street and they refunded the Rise tickets. I watched a Freshbaked video and it seems that day Rise had enormous waits and the ligthening lane extended into the market place.

Our plan for the day was a bit uncoventioal but it worked well for us.
Alice in Wonderland
Tea Cups
Casey Jr.
Try to pull out the sword
Grandpa went to meet the dad who arrived from his flight while Grandma and boys rode Big Thunder (G+) and experienced the goat trick!
Shooting guns in Frontier Land.
Jungle Cruise. I started stacking rides for the afternoon evening as soon as the last person entered the park.
We met up for second breakfast at Jolly Holiday.
Then Tiki Hut to give dad chance to recover from flight.
Tree House
Mark Twain (One of the boys wanted this so much!)
We walked to Galaxy edge. Rides were not working but appetites were in full swing. I guess the walk to Galaxy's edge was quite the trek because they each ate two Younglin Meals at Docking Bay 7! We didn't get experience either Rise or Smugglers but we did get to try Blue and Green Milk. The boys agreed Blue Milk was the best. We got an MEP from Smugglers.
Train to Main Street
Hotel Rest and swimming pool.
Second lunch in the hotel room and stacked G+ rides
Return to Park
Star Tours (all three boys loved it so much!) (G+)
Space Mountain(G+)
Buzz(G+)
Matterhorn (we lost grandpa somewhere in the crowd!)(G+)
Runaway Railroad(G+)
Carousel
Snow White
Dinner at Rose Tavern
Indiana Jones (G+)
Pirates (G+)
By now it was 8 pm and the dad had to leave to catch his flight home. His boy said having him there was the best part of the day.
We got ice-cream as we walked to monorail for a ride closer to the hotel. By 9 pm both boys were asleep (after second dinner of course). Grandparents were not far behind!

We later learned this day had very high crowds. Thrill data and other vloggers all commented on the crowd level. Perhaps because we were doing less popular rides in the morning and used only G+ in the evening we didn't notice long waits but it was hard to move around the park.

The younger one said he was glad we had a VIP hotel beacause we didn't have to wait in lines. We didn't have the heart to tell him we didn't have any VIP perks .He was so happy to have his First Time visit badge and let him know everyone who went to Disney had a VIP trip!

 

[DnA2010]

What great grandparents you are, sounds like such a great trip!