Just back and....we got to open Disneyland!!!!

[Kayla's Mom]

We just got back from 4 days in the parks and on Tuesday morning we were chosen to be one of the families to open Disneyland! One of the security guys came over and started talking to my DD4 and told her she was going to get to do something very special....so we got to go in before everyone else and do the countdown to opening!

We had another great stay at Hojo's.

Thanks to this board I tried many new treats....

-the Monte Cristo from Cafe Orleans (two BIG thumbs up!!)
-Dole Whip (I was not crazy about this!)
-Tigger Tails (yummy!)
-Cherry lemonade
-bacon asparagus skewer from Bengel BBQ (very good!)

Also had the usual churro and frozen banana and a very large mint sundae from the Gibson Girl ice shop on Main Street.

The restaurants we ate at in Downtown Disney were:

-Tortilla Joes (the food we got wasn't all that great, plus my DH had a fly in his water)
-Naples (I thought the pizza was pretty good, side salads weren't all that great)
-Rainforest Cafe (of course you go here more for the ambiance, but the Pastalaya that I had was great--very spicy!)

Restaurants we ate at in Disneyland were:

-Pizza Port (we had the spagetti and meatballs which was very good)
-Cafe Orleans (as I said above, I loved the Monte Cristo, my husband had the chicken caesar salad which was good, but he found a black hair in it)
-Rancho del Zocalo (one place we always eat at)
-Riverbelle Terrace (first time I had eaten there....I had the BBQ chicken platter which was excellent!)
-Bengel BBQ (two thumbs up!)

At California Adventure:

-Taste Pilots Grill (DH didn't like his chili burger)
-Cucina Cucamonga (tacos were ok)
-Ariel's Grotto (we got the burgers, which were good)

In four days we did almost every ride and attraction, including the cookie baking, princess-storytelling and Ariel's Grotto, so if anyone has any questions, let me know!!

-

 

[thmar]

Wow! How exciting for your DD...opening Disneyland! Sounds like you had a great time (except the fly in the water, yuk!)

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Glad you had fun! What were the crowds like? I'm going on the 14th!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Crowds were great on Mon, Tues, Wed, but Friday was pretty crowded, especially towards the evening with the fireworks and Fantasmic!

 

[somerc]

thanks for the info. my question is what and where is the cooking baking? thanks

 

[B9erSteve]

Way Cool Experience. I'll be there the weekend of the 14th too. Can't Wait!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Cookie baking is at the end of main street on the left, towards the entrance to Adventureland. You will see a sign for the Nestle Toll House Cookie Baking. They have the times right out front and take the first 20 kids, they get a chef's hat and they mix up the cookie dough, then get put into the "magic oven". The kids get two cookies and a small plastic container of chocolate chips. The whole things was about 1/2 an hour long. It's very cute!

 

[abby]

We are staying to HOJO for the first time this trip, what can you tell me about hojo's and the area around it (we have only stayed at the DLH before) Any advice would be great.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

So if we are interested in doing the cookie thing we should go straight there in the morning? Is it free?

 

[mystic_path]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. It makes me excited to go now. Thanks for the update. Its much appreciated.

 

[Bmwdsny]

So if we are interested in doing the cookie thing we should go straight there in the morning? Is it free?

Yes it is free...they have certain times posted throughout the day but basically it runs most of morning and afternoon..Parents get to have the cookies too...MMMMM!!!

have FUN!!

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Crowds were great on Mon, Tues, Wed, but Friday was pretty crowded, especially towards the evening with the fireworks and Fantasmic!

Thanks! That is just what I hoped you would say. I love being at Disneyland when the crowds are small. And I've noticed that the temperatures have been much cooler this year than they were last...gotta love that! I'm not a big fan of 90 degrees at all and the low 70s I've been seeing lately makes me smile! I hope it stays that way. Low crowds plus low temperatures equals a happy vacation!

Thanks again! I'm glad you had a great time. Any pictures to share?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

We are staying to HOJO for the first time this trip, what can you tell me about hojo's and the area around it (we have only stayed at the DLH before) Any advice would be great.

Well...my tip would be to request building 2, it is towards the back of the property, backed up against the freeway, but borh times we have stayed in that building we haven't heard any noise. It overlooks the garden pool.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

So if we are interested in doing the cookie thing we should go straight there in the morning? Is it free?

I believe the times while we were there were 11, 12, 1, 2 and 3:00. We went to the 1:00 on Wednesday and they did fill up right before it started. They turned several kids away.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Thanks! That is just what I hoped you would say. I love being at Disneyland when the crowds are small. And I've noticed that the temperatures have been much cooler this year than they were last...gotta love that! I'm not a big fan of 90 degrees at all and the low 70s I've been seeing lately makes me smile! I hope it stays that way. Low crowds plus low temperatures equals a happy vacation!

Thanks again! I'm glad you had a great time. Any pictures to share?

Earlier in the week it wasn't too hot...I believe it was in the 80's. But Thursday and Friday it seemed really hot...even to an Arizonan like me! (I am pregnant though...so, that probably didn't help!)

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Earlier in the week it wasn't too hot...I believe it was in the 80's. But Thursday and Friday it seemed really hot...even to an Arizonan like me! (I am pregnant though...so, that probably didn't help!)

Ugh! When I was pregnant, 25 degrees felt hot! I think anybody who goes to Disneyland while pregnant is extremely brave! Between the heat and the crowds, my hormones would have left me either in tears or homicidal! I lived in Arizona too but only for nine months...in Flagstaff. That seemed really hot to me and I know that Flagstaff is cooler than most parts of the state. Yikes! Beautiful state, without a doubt, I miss it for it's beauty. Especially Sedona! But wow, the heat....eeeek!

 

[talie95]

Sounds fun! We are headed there tomorrow in the late afternoon. We will spend Mon. night at DTD and then Tues and Wed at the parks so I'm glad the crowds weren't too bad.
Can you tell me about the princess storytelling? Do they have this during the week? When/Where? I think in one of the fantasyland shops but I don't really remember. My dd is 4 yo and I know she'd love it. Any tips are appreciated!
Also, I know that the park doesn't open till 10am but they open mainstreet early(we don't have EE). Did they open 1/2 hr. or 1 hr. early?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Sounds fun! We are headed there tomorrow in the late afternoon. We will spend Mon. night at DTD and then Tues and Wed at the parks so I'm glad the crowds weren't too bad.
Can you tell me about the princess storytelling? Do they have this during the week? When/Where? I think in one of the fantasyland shops but I don't really remember. My dd is 4 yo and I know she'd love it. Any tips are appreciated!
Also, I know that the park doesn't open till 10am but they open mainstreet early(we don't have EE). Did they open 1/2 hr. or 1 hr. early?

The princess storytelling is in the toy shop on the left side after you walk through the castle (Once Upon a Time). It was going on during the week at 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30 (it was NOT for whatever reason on the entertainment guide you can pick up at the gate). You can go to the shop early and find out what princess will be telling each story.

The biggest tip for this event is to get there early (we were about 25 minutes early) and sit in the front on the left side. This is because after the story is over, they will have all the kids line up on the left side to meet the princess. So you will be first in line (or close to it at least!)

Main Street did open 1/2 hour early on the non-EE days we were there.

 

[Misskitty3]

You mentioned you ate at Ariel's Grotto and the food was okay. Glad to hear it. Can you tell me if they still serve cotton candy after the meal?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

You mentioned you ate at Ariel's Grotto and the food was okay. Glad to hear it. Can you tell me if they still serve cotton candy after the meal?

Yes they do! This is the second time we ate at Ariel's Grotto and had a good experience both times.