Just back from DL resort, any ?????

[Tamickey]

We have just returned from Disneyland Resort. I will try to post a trip report. In the meantime if anyone has any questions, please ask. We stayed 1 nite at Comfort Inns & Suites, 3 nites at Grand Californian and 3 nites at Paradise Pier. It was a great trip!

 

[SandiH]

We are thinking about a quick trip this weekend and just curious how the crowds are this year?

Sounds like you had a grand time.

Sandi

 

[dan and scott]

Just wondering how you liked the GC we are on our way tomorrow and will be staying at the Grand for 5 nights.---any useful tips for the GC??

How did you like it compared to Paradise Pier?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[mrswortham]

If you ate or bought anything in Downtown Disney, I would like to know if they take Disney Dollars at all the shops/restaurants down there (Rainforest Cafe, Wetzels Pretzels, etc.)
Thanks!
Amy

 

[Tamickey]

Sorry for the delay in response....It may be too late for some of the info, but I will certainly answer anyway....

The crowds - DL was great Christmas Eve and Day, standby wait times around 20-30 minutes. But the day after Christmas in the evening - wow. Wait time went to 2 hours for Indy, Thunder Mtn, etc and fast passes were gone by 8 pm for the biggie rides. From what I heard, New Years Eve is the largest crowd. But we were very pleased to have about 3 days of low wait times.

We enjoyed the GC. Had room 433? ( forgot already....), with a grizzley peak view. I thought we would just be looking at the back side of the mountain, but it actually overlooked the water raft ride and golden state area. In fact I think I would prefer this view to the Paradise Pier view, since those rooms are pool/courtyard view and are actually further away from the Calif Adventure park. We also enjoyed Paradise Pier hotel. Both were very convenient to DL and Calif Adven parks and to Downtown Disney. Difficult to compare hotels, they are very unique.

We didn't use Disney dollars this trip, so I can't say if Downtown Disney accepts them or not.
We did go into every shop practically, several restaurants and took in 2 movies. We ate at Y'aribba (sp?) and enjoyed that. They have live entertainment after 6 I think, you would have to check their schedule. The AMC theaters are very nice, they have an art deco theme - early hollywood. It's very easy to walk to DD and take the monorail into tomorrow land. But if the line is too long, it didn't bother us to keep walking right on to the parks.

I also would like to add that we really enjoyed Calif Adventure. I have heard a lot of negative or uninterested opinions about it. Maybe just because I am from Calif, but I liked the theming.

Hope that covers it!