Just back. My thoughts on BB F!, MaxPass, Candy Cane, and Dapper Day crowds

[Katems]

Hello All! This was a quick three day trip that began with my daughter's college graduation in nearby Redlands, hence it had to be that particular weekend which I was DREADING due to Dapper Days. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the crowds were no big deal AT ALL. I saw some dressed up people but not that many, really, and we had no trouble navigating the Parks or getting good FPs. Dapper Day crowd concerns were not warranted.

MaxPass is AWESOME except for ONE issue...I had a FP for Guardians and wanted another which was available, but MaxPass wouldn't let me book it because I already had a Guardians FP I hadn't used yet (because my time had not come up yet). I was REALLY frustrated that I couldn't get another FP for it just because I already had an unused one. I had waited my 1.5 hours and was able to get a new FP so I don't see why I couldn't have gotten it for any ride I wanted. That made me think of Disney World and the horrific new way they do FPs now. Guardians was our fave and the park was closing at 9:00 that night so I was only able to ride it once that day. Truly disappointed.

Candy Cane was lovely, as usual. They are so nice there and the flowers make me think I'm in Hawaii. We came in at 2:00 am (it was 5:00 am back in NY where we had traveled from so we were EXHAUSTED). Dorothy was on duty and was cheerful and kind and they hadn't given away my requested room (217) even though I came in WAY later than expected (two hour flight delay meant we couldn't land at Santa Ana due to Orange County's plane landing curfew and we were unfortunately diverted to LAX which I had purposely avoided even though the times and prices were better for that airport. Oh and car rental at Hertz at LAX??? HORRIFIC. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER HERTZ, NEVER).

Finally, we ate at Blue Bayou for the first time and did the F! package. I didn't care for the food at all. I got the surf and turf and admittedly had never tried lobster. I did not like it and don't fault BB for that. And my filet was good, but my daughter's was not. I did not like the potatoes at all, there was the tiniest strip of asparagus and the rest was all green beans (not a fan) and I didn't care for the bread. It was really weird...kinda sweet and way too thickly sliced. I was terribly disappointed in my Sorcerer Mickey dessert as I was expecting chocolate pound cake and chocolate mousse. What they failed to convey is that the pound cake is thinner than a dime. Seriously. It's just a huge blob of the most TASTELESS chocolate mousse I've ever had. It was so bland and boring and just not very chocolate at all. My girls both liked their gumbo and one daughter did like the bread and she also liked her chocolate hazelnut cake. I didn't get that because I don't like nuts but she said you couldn't even discern nuts. We asked for and received a waterside table but it was in front of the two shacks so we didn't get to see too much. We arrived twenty minutes early and were seated right on time with our waterside table. The service was not good. Our server was going on break so she took our orders and then passed us off to someone else who basically ignored us. I had to ask for my water to be refilled as each time they walked by they never noticed. The viewing area for F! was lovely and very uncrowded. That alone made it worth everything for me. The cushions and the lack of being pressed in on every side, and having the perfect view where the music syncs with what is in front of you (the passing boats with Beauty and the Beast and Ariel and Eric and other things) was wonderful. I really wanted River Belle Terrace for the chicken and the dragon dessert (which hopefully is far more chocolate than that awful stuff at BB) but they were booked solid. I wouldn't do BB again but I would take the cushions back to the Parks and eat at Riverside for an almost just as good view.

Any questions? Oh! We got evacuated off Splash Mountain!! A Disney dream come true!!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

MaxPass is AWESOME except for ONE issue...I had a FP for Guardians and wanted another which was available, but MaxPass wouldn't let me book it because I already had a Guardians FP I hadn't used yet (because my time had not come up yet). I was REALLY frustrated that I couldn't get another FP for it just because I already had an unused one. I had waited my 1.5 hours and was able to get a new FP so I don't see why I couldn't have gotten it for any ride I wanted. That made me think of Disney World and the horrific new way they do FPs now. Guardians was our fave and the park was closing at 9:00 that night so I was only able to ride it once that day. Truly disappointed.

Sorry about your disappointment but this is not new or a fault of MaxPass. You have always been blocked from getting a fastpass again for the same ride before use of the first one. Say you get a Space Mountain fastpass at 10 AM that will be good at 3 PM. Then you must wait until 11:30 AM with MaxPass or 12 noon with regular fastpass to get another fastpass at which time you can get a fastpass for any ride except Space Mountain since you are still holding an unused pass for that ride. I believe the same holds true even if you make it to 3 PM and try to get another Space fastpass without first having redeemed the one you already have. You can get another fastpass for the same ride only once you have used the first fastpass, canceled the first fastpass, or not used the fastpass but had the return window expire.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

whoops. duplicate post.

 

[DizMe]

I was wondering what your thoughts would be regarding the DD crowds. I agree that they weren't that bad! I'm surprised, though, that you say you didn't see that many people dressed up. I thought they were everywhere (we were dressed up so maybe I was more aware of others who were). We were there Fri-Mon, and saw dapper dressers all 4 days with the biggest numbers on Sat and Sun. The crowds weren't too bad except for...ugh, now I've forgotten. I think it was Saturday but it might have been Sunday; the parking lots were all full and people were being diverted to the convention center to park. We went into DL Sunday night, watched the fireworks and bummed around, then about 10:30 went into FL and basically walked on all of the rides except for a 15 minute wait for Peter Pan.

Oops! Forgot to ask how you got walked out of Splash and what it was like!

 

[Kkb0517]

Can someone tell me more about these deserts with the Dining packages you speak of? They sound really cool

 

[Lesley Wake]

Can someone tell me more about these deserts with the Dining packages you speak of? They sound really cool

There are 2 desserts which are exclusive to the Fantasmic dining packages (I haven't eaten at either place without a package recently, so I don't know if you have any luck requesting if you dining normally). You can also get the other items on the dessert menu. (Also, pro tip: twice I've eaten at BB and both times have been successful in getting 2 desserts instead of an appetizer!)

(pictures aren't mine)
For Blue Bayou there is the Sorcerer Mickey: Sorcerer Mickey “Fantasmic!” Dessert, with milk chocolate mousse, bananas foster sauce, milk chocolate pound cake and a chocolate glaze. I actually really like this one, as well as my meal at Blue Bayou, so to each their own!

For River Belle Terrace there is the Dragon: Maleficent Dragon “Fantasmic!” Dessert, with a milk chocolate crunchy base, spiced dark chocolate-blackberry ganache center, caramel mousse and orange-vanilla sauce. I've heard there is a definite kick to it, and I don't do spicy, so haven't tried it.

 

[Katems]

Maybe the not holding FPs for the same ride is new since tickets have bar codes?? I don't know, I definitely remember collecting duplicates when tickets were paper and you received a paper FP out of the machines. DL's FP system, MaxPass or Legacy, is still FAR superior to the three a day limit, tiered FPs at Disney World (I know you can get a fourth or fifth or sixth after you use up the ones you already hold, but if you have a ride reserved for later on it's usually too late to get another, or at least too late to get a GOOD FP).

I saw some people dressed up, yes, but I didn't think there were that many. There were enough that you would think hey, something must be going on!, but I guess I expected more. I found Sunday to be the most crowded with the most dressed up people. I was there Saturday through Monday.

I wish I could have gotten the Maleficent dessert at BB! I would have liked the kick since as I said, the Sorcerer Mickey one was bland in my opinion.

When we got evacuated off Splash there were about four or five logs all in a row. We got the usual announcement about a log jam and to hold tight, but then the lights came on and then a cast member appeared and began saying we were being evacuated. He started with the first log and had everyone go one at a time and step out at the place where the log was closest to the 'ground'. He held out his hand to help and then they just huddled wherever there was room. After all the logs were evacuated we followed him and walked single file along the scenery and then behind the spot where Bre'r Bear is hanging with all four paws in the trap and we went down some stairs and ended up outside behind the building. We turned a corner and then we were back in the park. This was at 11:30 pm and as we had already gone past both scanners the technology assumed we had ridden successfully so we did not get multiple experience passes. I asked for those the next day, though, but had to choose a specific ride (we chose Space). The scenery we walked on was wet and there wasn't much room. There was only the one cast member with us and about 25-30 people so I thought it was strange they didn't have anyone with him at the end of the line making sure we didn't slip and fall in, or screw around and get hurt. You've inspired me to make a post about ride evac experiences!

 

[Wahlee]

Maybe the not holding FPs for the same ride is new since tickets have bar codes?? I don't know, I definitely remember collecting duplicates when tickets were paper and you received a paper FP out of the machines. DL's FP system, MaxPass or Legacy, is still FAR superior to the three a day limit, tiered FPs at Disney World (I know you can get a fourth or fifth or sixth after you use up the ones you already hold, but if you have a ride reserved for later on it's usually too late to get another, or at least too late to get a GOOD FP).

You could get duplicates if your FP window had passed, but it's always been the rule that you can only hold one FP per attraction at a time. Now, back in the day when they didn't enforce return windows, that meant you could collect several for the same ride and redeem them all at once in the evening, but even back then, you had to wait for your window to open before you could get another FP for the same ride.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

You could get duplicates if your FP window had passed, but it's always been the rule that you can only hold one FP per attraction at a time. Now, back in the day when they didn't enforce return windows, that meant you could collect several for the same ride and redeem them all at once in the evening, but even back then, you had to wait for your window to open before you could get another FP for the same ride.

OK. That's a good point. You used to be able to get them once your window opened back in the day because they couldn't tell when you had redeemed it like they can now.

 

[limace]

Thanks for the report-I definitely need to tryCandy Cane Inn one of these trips. And congrats to your daughter-my husband is also a Redlands grad

 

[Whistlebee]

We didn’t find Dapper Day crowds bad either. I did think a lot of people were dressed up but I actually expected more people to be. I think Viva Las Vegas and Coachella being this weekend helped thin the Dapper Day crowds. Monday and Tuesday were more crowded then the weekend or maybe you just feel the crowds more because of the shortened hours.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We didn’t find Dapper Day crowds bad either. I did think a lot of people were dressed up but I actually expected more people to be. I think Viva Las Vegas and Coachella being this weekend helped thin the Dapper Day crowds...

I agree that VLV and Coachella had an affect on the DD crowds. While some people were able to do both VLV and DD, most people we knew had to choose one event and stick with it for the whole weekend. Usually on DD weekend, the dance floor for the Royal Swing Ball is absolutely packed. But things were really pleasant on Saturday -- not packed at all, just the right amount of people, all dressed up as they made their way over from the Expo. And with the lower 3 APs blocked on the Saturday, many people we knew did DD on the Sunday. So we heard that the Sunday was a bit more crowded, but still not as crowded as a "normal" DD weekend.

 

[MkaMouse]

Maybe the not holding FPs for the same ride is new since tickets have bar codes?? I don't know, I definitely remember collecting duplicates when tickets were paper and you received a paper FP out of the machines. DL's FP system, MaxPass or Legacy, is still FAR superior to the three a day limit, tiered FPs at Disney World (I know you can get a fourth or fifth or sixth after you use up the ones you already hold, but if you have a ride reserved for later on it's usually too late to get another, or at least too late to get a GOOD FP).

I saw some people dressed up, yes, but I didn't think there were that many. There were enough that you would think hey, something must be going on!, but I guess I expected more. I found Sunday to be the most crowded with the most dressed up people. I was there Saturday through Monday.

I wish I could have gotten the Maleficent dessert at BB! I would have liked the kick since as I said, the Sorcerer Mickey one was bland in my opinion.

When we got evacuated off Splash there were about four or five logs all in a row. We got the usual announcement about a log jam and to hold tight, but then the lights came on and then a cast member appeared and began saying we were being evacuated. He started with the first log and had everyone go one at a time and step out at the place where the log was closest to the 'ground'. He held out his hand to help and then they just huddled wherever there was room. After all the logs were evacuated we followed him and walked single file along the scenery and then behind the spot where Bre'r Bear is hanging with all four paws in the trap and we went down some stairs and ended up outside behind the building. We turned a corner and then we were back in the park. This was at 11:30 pm and as we had already gone past both scanners the technology assumed we had ridden successfully so we did not get multiple experience passes. I asked for those the next day, though, but had to choose a specific ride (we chose Space). The scenery we walked on was wet and there wasn't much room. There was only the one cast member with us and about 25-30 people so I thought it was strange they didn't have anyone with him at the end of the line making sure we didn't slip and fall in, or screw around and get hurt. You've inspired me to make a post about ride evac experiences!

Did you start your post about ride evac experiences? I have a good one!

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

Our recent experience at the BB was disappointing as well. We eat there every trip, sometimes multiple nights. Don't think we are going back for a while. Bones in my salmon and my wife had a vegetable that looked like a vanilla bean on her plate. It clinked when she hit it on the side of her plate. She said "I think its a carrot" and showed the waiter. He did not believe it was, took it back to the kitchen and they confirmed it was a cremated carrot. There were other issues, but those two stood out. Not complaints about the service, just the food.

 

[Katems]

Did you start your post about ride evac experiences? I have a good one!

Yes, I did! Please add to it!