heading back to Disneyland!

[Disney Lvr of Old]

Hi! I'm back with a few questions- I was taking my son to Disneyland Paris this year but decided to wait until August 2017 when all the reno is done. So this trip has to be somewhat on the cheap.

I'm thinking the last half of August but that can change to anytime in august really.

I plan to stay at one of the off site hotels; since we did everything that could be done last time I don't need to over-schedule us. Any suggestions? I would like a pool because I really plan this to be more leisurely.

We were last there in September 2013; has anything significant changed that I need to know about?

I'm definitely going to do the dessert party at DCA for WOC. Anything else?

Look forward to hearing from everyone; I didn't realize how much I missed you all until I started reading and recognizing so many names!! xxoo

 

[figment_jii]

I'm thinking the last half of August but that can change to anytime in august really.

We don't know when HalloweenTime is going to start this year, but there is a good chance that Haunted Mansion will be closed towards the end of August to have the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay installed. The end of August is also when the parks begin to transition from the summer operating schedule to their non-peak season operating schedule (which usually means a gradual reduction in operating hours and changes to entertainment schedules). The weekends are likely to still be busy, especially the first ones after the summer AP blockouts end.

Any suggestions? I would like a pool because I really plan this to be more leisurely.

Depending on your budget, I'd look into the new Courtyard (Theme Park Entrance). It has a fun water park area, but it doesn't really have a pool for lap swimming (a small pool). It's on the pricier side, but the "water park" was fun (with two different water slides). I've already read good things about the HoJo's water area.

We were last there in September 2013; has anything significant changed that I need to know about?

The Rivers of America (Tom Sawyers Island, Canoes, Mark Twain, and Columbia), the railroad, and Fantasmic! are all closed for Star Wars Land prep and are likely to be closed until sometime in 2017. New nighttime entertainment debuted last May (Disneyland Forever Fireworks, Paint the Night Parade, and WoC: Celebrate) and are quite popular. I highly recommend seeing fireworks and the parade. Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters has opened in DCA/Carsland. By the Fall, the new Frozen Musical in the Hyperion will have opened. They haven't announced an end date for Season of the Force in Tomorrowland (Star Wars Launch Bay, HyperSpace Mountain, Jedi Academy, Path of the Jedi, etc.), so some of that might still be there in the Fall (HyperSpace Mtn is the biggest unknown because Space usually has the Ghost Galaxy overlay for HalloweenTime). Jungle Cruise and the Autopia should both have re-opened after lengthy refurbishments. The Matterhorn now has seat cushions (it makes the ride so much less painful). The Condor Flats area in DCA has been re-themed to Grizzly Peak Airfield (but the attractions have stayed the same) (Taste Pilots Grill is now Smokejumpers).

 

[sherilaine]

We have stayed at the Hojo 4 different times from when our kids found the water park area fun to 'did not set foot in it' their last trip.

The one thing we like about the configuration of their pool area is that the water park, which is clearly geared towards younger kids, is in a completely different area from their garden pool. One day during our most recent trip the water park was closed - well the garden pool was so noisy that we only stayed for a bit and then left. The next day the water park was open again and the garden pool returned to it's quiet, peaceful self.

The only thing about the Hojo pool I wish was that they had a hot tub in the garden pool area as well. Since the hot tub is in the water park you cannot relax in it - because there are a bunch of little kids treating it like their mini swimming pool. We only used the hot tub in the evening when there are hardly any small kids around.

If you are looking for an offsite hotel though that has a 'resort' feel like the onsite hotels - then I am thinking you may have to venture down to the convention type hotels such as the Sheraton or Hyatt - at least that is my understanding.

 

[avalon451]

HoJo has a great pool/ water play area, and is very walkable. How old is your kiddo?

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

Hi~ my son will be 8. I'm not worried about a resort type hotel- any pool works for him. I'm looking for as close to DL as possible. I am retired military so will be getting us 2 3- day military passes each. That will mean no MM or EMH for us. I do not want to miss HM so might have to move us up a bit. last trip we did Halloween- Pirate League, F! dessert, MHP, all the Halloween overlays that went with it so I would like the ordinary park.

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

does anyone know if you are allowed to buy and use 3 day Military hoppers consecutively? I'm thinking buy one- use 3 days, take a break then buy another. It says you are allowed 6 so I'm thinking I will be okay. I was also checking a couple crowd calendars and it showed packed on "it's packed" for 8/22-8/26 but another had it listed in the 4-5 range. I'm thinking I'm better the week before 8/15- 8/23 because the AP blackout dates end 8/22 so not sure if that means the locals will come running before having to go back to school. My son is old enough for single rider now and tall enough for several rides we couldn't do last time (indy, screamin) so I'm really excited that this is going to be a completely different trip than last time.

 

[MrJT]

does anyone know if you are allowed to buy and use 3 day Military hoppers consecutively? I'm thinking buy one- use 3 days, take a break then buy another. It says you are allowed 6 so I'm thinking I will be okay.

Now I don't know if you can use two tickets yourself or not. But, I am pretty sure that you have to buy your tickets on base and not at the parks.

 

[mad hatter fan]

I remember reading other posts where people said they could use more than one Military tickets per person. I also remember reading that you can get them at the parks. I know none of this from experience so hopefully someone with experience will come along soon.

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

Last time I went in Sept 2013 I was able to walk right up to the gate and purchase the 3 day military hopper. Hopefully it is still the same.