JANUARY 2017!! **CHECK IN!!

[PoohBearFriends]

Thanks for all the great updates. 6 days for us!

 

[SeiterClan]

Awesome! Figured it would be at least an hour early for sure. Thanks for confirming! Enjoying your updates--have a great rest of your trip!

 

[DBMC]

We fly out in a few hours! Not looking forward to the rain, but still excited!

 

[DBMC]

We got into LAX around 4:30, and took uber to Castle inn. Super cute hotel! The room is clean and decent size. We went to Tortilla Joe's for dinner. So good. We got the table side guacamole, and I got the floutas. (spell?) I could only eat half. We could have easily shared. Going to bed now, and plan to put on our rain gear, and go to rope drop in the morning. Just hoping the wind isn't too bad.

 

[Satye1]

Well we just finished 3 days in parks. We have 1 more day @ DL. However DH & I have decided to take a break, rest today, we had a very late night last night in parks. Got back to hotel about 11:00 or so and then oldest DD had headache had hard time falling asleep, up until 1AM. Combo that with rain all day forecast for today & we are going to rest & pool time,maybe work on some of kids homework we took along, and do Ralph Brennan's for dinner tonight, rest our weary feet.

We check out tomorrow am from Embassy Orange hotel (which I have loved) and pickup rental car head to San Diego for week.

Only downside to hotel has been waiting for ART from time to time, as not as many buses service this route. But boy-beds are AMAZING, Rooms so nice, slept like babies. Breakfast also super awesome!

We are planning to drive back up (from San Diego) for 1 day trip mid week next week when sun is shining!

We've had a glorious trip thus far, made it through Friday's down pours & yesterday's beautiful weather. Rode so many rides, caught MSEP last night & watched fireworks also, really a highlight of our trip. Won't do Aladins Oasis preferred viewing again most likely, cramped quarters, like sardines-DH not a fan, but all in all had great view of parade. Hope everyone has awesome trips! Can't wait to hear about them all. Disney family didn't make any rope drops this trip, but still managed to ride so much & enjoy low crowds, except yesterday park was packed-but did really well utilizing our fast passes, prob best job with fast passes ever. Also took in Disney Jr. live on stage & Frozen, which I had to talk DH & DD into for break & they both LOVED IT!!! Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed, we were dead center few rows back.

 

[SeiterClan]

Well we just finished 3 days in parks. We have 1 more day @ DL. However DH & I have decided to take a break, rest today, we had a very late night last night in parks. Got back to hotel about 11:00 or so and then oldest DD had headache had hard time falling asleep, up until 1AM. Combo that with rain all day forecast for today & we are going to rest & pool time,maybe work on some of kids homework we took along, and do Ralph Brennan's for dinner tonight, rest our weary feet.

We check out tomorrow am from Embassy Orange hotel (which I have loved) and pickup rental car head to San Diego for week.

Only downside to hotel has been waiting for ART from time to time, as not as many buses service this route. But boy-beds are AMAZING, Rooms so nice, slept like babies. Breakfast also super awesome!

We are planning to drive back up (from San Diego) for 1 day trip mid week next week when sun is shining!

We've had a glorious trip thus far, made it through Friday's down pours & yesterday's beautiful weather. Rode so many rides, caught MSEP last night & watched fireworks also, really a highlight of our trip. Won't do Aladins Oasis preferred viewing again most likely, cramped quarters, like sardines-DH not a fan, but all in all had great view of parade. Hope everyone has awesome trips! Can't wait to hear about them all. Disney family didn't make any rope drops this trip, but still managed to ride so much & enjoy low crowds, except yesterday park was packed-but did really well utilizing our fast passes, prob best job with fast passes ever. Also took in Disney Jr. live on stage & Frozen, which I had to talk DH & DD into for break & they both LOVED IT!!! Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed, we were dead center few rows back.

Curious to know details about the reserved area for MSEP...Was it by IASW for Aladdin's Oasis & how early did you have to line up to get a good spot? We are doing this on Friday, Feb. 3rd which also happens to be the first night of Remember fireworks! Any detail should you could give me would be awesome! TIA

 

[Satye1]

Curious to know details about the reserved area for MSEP...Was it by IASW for Aladdin's Oasis & how early did you have to line up to get a good spot? We are doing this on Friday, Feb. 3rd which also happens to be the first night of Remember fireworks! Any detail should you could give me would be awesome! TIA

It was IASW. We got there 1 hour early & it was still packed. We managed to get a spot on front rail...barely....and more & more & more people filled in until wall to wall packed.

 

[SeiterClan]

It was IASW. We got there 1 hour early & it was still packed. We managed to get a spot on front rail...barely....and more & more & more people filled in until wall to wall packed.

Do you happen to have any pics of where exactly you were or can describe for me where you were standing/sittin? Also did you stay in that same location for fireworks or did you move?

 

[Satye1]

Do you happen to have any pics of where exactly you were or can describe for me where you were standing/sittin? Also did you stay in that same location for fireworks or did you move?

It was directly across from Small World for parade. IASW was right in front of us. We were behind gate, upfront-standing-expect to stand in this location. We were wall to wall people when in started.

We slide down slightly to left (still across from IASW) for fireworks. *Looking In SKY* in the direction "just left" of toon town in sky for fireworks. It was perfect. We waited to move until mobs of people vacated area. Tried to post picture-but couldn't figure it out.

 

[Syndrome]

We arrived yesterday . Got to the GC about 5 pm and made our way over to DL park to enjoy the dry night before the rain started . Had a good 6 hours and surprisingly had plenty of time to do a bunch of attractions and eat at French Market . Even though it was fairly crowded , most of the crowds were staged up waiting for the MSEP to start , so the attraction lines were pretty short !
Raining pretty good this morning , and supposed to get WAY worse this afternoon/night . Went over to Tangaroa Terrace for breakfast , then walked over to CVS on Katella for some supply's for the villa .
Got a great 1 bdrm villa on the fifth floor overlooking Paridise Pier and a sweet view of World of Color from our balcony !
Going to skip the parks today and wait out the rain . Just going to relax , check out the resorts , shop and eat today .
Hopefully the rest of the week is better, because today is wet and COLD !

 

[DLandgirlie]

Visited Saturday, rain free! The new security location was a smart, stress free decision. We arrived at the resort about an hour after opening. Hyperspace was 45-55 minutes. So glad I finally got to ride it, since I missed it the last time I was there. I watched the Star Wars preview/summary movie and then my FP was open! FP was about a 10 minute wait. Our main goal for this trip was to see MSEP, so the day was spent leisurely, we rode a few rides, low wait times. It was pretty crowded but not unbearable. We decided to find a bench early around 5:45pm and we stayed until the parade started. We had decent seats. I noticed a lot of blankets and cast members moving benches for Reserved Seating. We sat near the Walt's and Mickey's statue near the castle facing Main street. It was freeeeeezing cold and I wish I had brought a blanket just for us to keep warm. I did enjoy the parade but it was for nostalgic reasons. I won't be waiting 3 hours for a parade again lol but since that was the main purpose of this trip I didn't mind. We got up and got dinner and snacks, but still.There was a second parade at 10pm. I was hoping to snag a burrito at Rancho Del Zocalo but they closed at 9pm The fireworks started at 9:25pm and we were able to view them, pretty unrestricted, near the Mark Twain. Overall great time, and glad we chose Saturday instead of today, it is nasty outside.

 

[Syndrome]

Well , just overheard from our balcony that WOC is cancelled tonight. I dont think that gets cancelled too often ...... that's how bad the weather is today . COLD , windy and WET ! The parks are about as empty as they can be and LOTS of attractions are closed . Has not been a great day al DL !
Looking down at the CA walkways , and they are close to deserted .

 

[disneymum58]

I'm considering cancelling our package for Alladin's oasis and finding our own spots. Reviews have said that it is still pretty crowded and you still need to get their extra early any way. Any suggestions for where to sit (4 of us) with not more than an hour waiting?
We will be in the parks Thursday, Jan. 26 and Saturday/Sunday Jan 28/29. I was thinking less crowds on the Thursday?

 

[Satye1]

I'm considering cancelling our package for Alladin's oasis and finding our own spots. Reviews have said that it is still pretty crowded and you still need to get their extra early any way. Any suggestions for where to sit (4 of us) with not more than an hour waiting?
We will be in the parks Thursday, Jan. 26 and Saturday/Sunday Jan 28/29. I was thinking less crowds on the Thursday?

There were people across from IASW still filling in curb area & had more room than ours at Aladins oasis spot, felt Jelous-ha! But I think either way plan extra time for any spot regardless. Yesterday was wall to wall people-combo of good weather & MSEP had people out in droves.

 

[Satye1]

Well , just overheard from our balcony that WOC is cancelled tonight. I dont think that gets cancelled too often ...... that's how bad the weather is today . COLD , windy and WET ! The parks are about as empty as they can be and LOTS of attractions are closed . Has not been a great day al DL !
Looking down at the CA walkways , and they are close to deserted .

I'm so thankful we opted out of today & will return Wed when it's sunny again Looking forward to it!

After Friday-wet most of day, we had had enough ️ rain.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

We just got back from our trip. Left early today since the rain was coming in and I'm glad we did.

Saw MSEP last night. By about 1 hour before it started, all viewing areas were full for the first showing. We had luck sitting in the raised area across from the carts near IASM along the railing so the kids could still see over the people in front of the railing. For those seats, we started sitting 4 hours early. By 2 hours, that area was pretty much full, too. Not sure if anyone will have luck 1 hour from the first parade, but if you can stay for the later one, it might be easier. It was opening weekend, so there's that, but I suspect weekends at least to be very crowded. I felt like it was as packed along the parade route as it was when I saw PtN for the first time on its opening night. Worth every minute of waiting though to share that moment with my children when the synthesized voice announces the start of the parade. My first memory of Disneyland will now be one of my children's earliest memories of it, too.

 

[DBMC]

We stuck it out in the park yesterday. We had rain pants and coats and umbrellas. We were able to do a ton. We did Peter Pan, Thunder mountain railroad, Space Mountain, Star tours, Nemo, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, and It's a small world. We also did the Tiki room, Lincoln, the laughing stock co., ate breakfast at Starbucks lunch at Blue Bayou, dinner at Bengal BBQ, and dessert at Jolly holiday. We left around 7. We didn't wait more than 5 minutes for anything.

Today we did CA. We did Soarin twice, RSR twice, California Screamin 3 times, Toy story twice, Little Mermaid, Rollicking roadsters, and monsters inc. We watched part of Frozen, but they stopped the show part way through and had everyone leave. I'm not sure what happened. Then we did the WOC dessert party. It didn't rain, but it was pretty cold. It was still very enjoyable. Tomorrow is our last day. We will be a DL again.

 

[PoohBearFriends]

My youngest loves going in the rain. She was so sad to not be there yet.

 

[SeiterClan]

We just got back from our trip. Left early today since the rain was coming in and I'm glad we did.

Saw MSEP last night. By about 1 hour before it started, all viewing areas were full for the first showing. We had luck sitting in the raised area across from the carts near IASM along the railing so the kids could still see over the people in front of the railing. For those seats, we started sitting 4 hours early. By 2 hours, that area was pretty much full, too. Not sure if anyone will have luck 1 hour from the first parade, but if you can stay for the later one, it might be easier. It was opening weekend, so there's that, but I suspect weekends at least to be very crowded. I felt like it was as packed along the parade route as it was when I saw PtN for the first time on its opening night. Worth every minute of waiting though to share that moment with my children when the synthesized voice announces the start of the parade. My first memory of Disneyland will now be one of my children's earliest memories of it, too.

When you say the viewing areas were all full do you mean the reserved viewing areas or just everywhere along the parade route near IASW? We have reserved viewing for Friday, feb. 3rd & I heard those areas are significantly smaller than it was for PTN. Nervous we are going to get no space after paying a premium for it! :/

 

[Satye1]

All checked in & already stayed our 1st night of 6 in Carlsbad (near SanDiego). Took us a little over an hour to get here-not bad at all. Staying at Marbrisa Resort. 1st time since purchasing timeshare 2 years ago. I must say, it is beautiful!!! Staying in 2 bedroom place. We will drive back up Wednesday for last day in Disney parks when sun is out midweek. For today going to take my girls shopping & Horten Plaza & have some beach time