We just got back from DLR 9/6-9/9. Stayed at Paradise Pier because we were with a group. Rooms/hotel are ok, staff were very nice and helpful. Good view of the fireworks from the pool deck, with music piped in. Breakfast in concierge (cereals, pastries, fruit) just what we needed before heading to the parks. Walk to/from the parks through the GCH was 5 to 10 minutes (depending mostly on how tired we were!).
Attendance was fairly light, most rides had no more than 20 minute standby waits. Wouldn't you know it, after all our visits to DLR and to WDW this past spring, we finally got dreamed with fastpasses on Saturday - and hardly needed them. Oh well, it was fun just to get them.
Friday morning, we were at front of Main Street rope drop - if we hadn't had trouble keeping our group of 7 people together (with little ones) we would have been on the first sub, but as it was we were off Nemo by 9:35. There were 60 min plus waits most of the weekend whenever we walked by.
I'm sorry I never got to do the Fantasmic dessert buffet on the gallery balcony, but we did the riverside seating for the first time this trip. They have opened up a new section of seats at what they call the "B tower", which is located center left of the central water screen. After all the walking around we did, and with our trying to cram a lot into our stay, we felt it was definitely worth the price for our group to have chairs and a great view of the show and fireworks. The desserts were pretty good, even better were all the free water bottles and other drinks we were served (they gave us extra waters on our way out).
Dinner at Catal was very good. Lunch at Blue Bayou (11:30 PS on Friday, water side table) was also very good - never disappoints. Dinner at Wine Country Trattoria was ok, I thinking I was expecting something a little more upscale, but I have to say my lasagna was pretty good. Dinner at Cafe Orleans was ok. Clam chowder at Port Royal (I think that's the name of the counter) is the best ever. Finally, we had lunch at Goofy's Kitchen on Sunday to celebrate my birthday - I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids.
We were lucky school didn't start for our kids until today. This was a perfect time to go, weather was good and crowds light.
Also, happy I saved my shopping for yesterday - AP discount was 20%!
I'll be back at DLR at the end of the month.
Attendance was fairly light, most rides had no more than 20 minute standby waits. Wouldn't you know it, after all our visits to DLR and to WDW this past spring, we finally got dreamed with fastpasses on Saturday - and hardly needed them. Oh well, it was fun just to get them.
Friday morning, we were at front of Main Street rope drop - if we hadn't had trouble keeping our group of 7 people together (with little ones) we would have been on the first sub, but as it was we were off Nemo by 9:35. There were 60 min plus waits most of the weekend whenever we walked by.
I'm sorry I never got to do the Fantasmic dessert buffet on the gallery balcony, but we did the riverside seating for the first time this trip. They have opened up a new section of seats at what they call the "B tower", which is located center left of the central water screen. After all the walking around we did, and with our trying to cram a lot into our stay, we felt it was definitely worth the price for our group to have chairs and a great view of the show and fireworks. The desserts were pretty good, even better were all the free water bottles and other drinks we were served (they gave us extra waters on our way out).
Dinner at Catal was very good. Lunch at Blue Bayou (11:30 PS on Friday, water side table) was also very good - never disappoints. Dinner at Wine Country Trattoria was ok, I thinking I was expecting something a little more upscale, but I have to say my lasagna was pretty good. Dinner at Cafe Orleans was ok. Clam chowder at Port Royal (I think that's the name of the counter) is the best ever. Finally, we had lunch at Goofy's Kitchen on Sunday to celebrate my birthday - I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids.
We were lucky school didn't start for our kids until today. This was a perfect time to go, weather was good and crowds light.
Also, happy I saved my shopping for yesterday - AP discount was 20%!
I'll be back at DLR at the end of the month.
