lattemomof3
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2008
- Messages
- 583
Just returned from 8 days in Cali - got home last night at 10 pm - we have to drive 4 1/2 hours from the Denver airport to reach home (yes, we live in the middle of nowhere
). While it was great to sleep in my own bed last night, we could have stayed longer - not quite ready to return to reality yet, so I grabbed my coffee & got on the Dis boards
!
After a day in San Diego (took the ferry to Coronado & let the kids play on the beach), a day at Sea World (loved the shows! - esp. Pet Rules & Believe), and a day at Legoland (VERY crowded and the slowest loading rides I have ever experienced- but DS7 loved it) we spent 4 nights at the DLH.
We have stayed at the GCH also, but I actually preferred the DLH. Our room at the GCH was so far away that I think the overall walk was about the same. While the lobby is beautiful at Christmas and we went in to sit by the fire again this trip, I don't care for how dark it is in the GCH - I think they lower the lighting for the Christmas lights, but with all of the dark wood I think it's just a bit dark and gloomy for me. We had a room w/ a daybed and 2 queens at DLH, and the room was very spacious and light. The rooms are definately in need of an overhaul, I checked on arrival, and none of the newly renovated rooms are ready yet, but when they are done we would definately choose DLH again. My kids loved the little Disney touches in the hotel and our room. I did'nt request a specific room but we had a fabulous view of Downtown Disney & of the fireworks from the 9th floor. My kids could have stood for hours looking out the window at our view. The music was pretty loud in the evening, but fortunately it stopped around 10 pm (I think). We were so tired after touring every day that we had no problems getting to sleep! The pool looked so fun, and I feel so badly that we didn't have time to use it - dd10 is still bummed about that - so we'll have to go back again. The kids had fun w/ the remote control boats and exploring the grounds. We ate at Goofy's kitchen the last day and it was again a great experience. My kids can't believe they could have ice cream w/ breakfast! We saw Snow White, Jasmine, Baloo, Pluto - probably a few more I am forgetting. The banana crepes were great!
The Sat. after Thanksgiving we spent most of the day at DCA, it was not crowded at all - I believe it was a blocked day for AP's. We walked onto almost everything - maybe a 5 or 10 minute wait for Soarin. We got a few fp's but never needed to use them. Did Ariel's grotto w/ the girls - really great experience - worth it just to see all of the princesses and not stand in line for them. I had the chicken - very good - the girls were too excited to eat much. We saw Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White & Sleeping Beaty. Later we saw Jasmine & even Tiana, so I think we got to see all of the princeses
! Saw the Pixar parade w/ a front row seat and had ps's at WCT, but again, it was mostly empty there - chicken panini was great.
Sun. we had a MM, and we very wisely used it in Fantasyland. Did Peter Pan twice, walking on both times (I LOOOOVE Peter Pan's flight!!!!), then did the recommended Dumbo, Alice, etc, - I think we did about 12 or more rides in a little over an hour. Fabulous! Did Story book canal just after MM was over - I think we literally did every ride in FL, so if you have a MM it is definately worth it! The time zone was working in our favor - we were up at 6am every morning (8am at home). No matter how tired I was in the evening I was always excited to get up and go back in the am.
On Mon. & Tues. when the parks did'nt open until 10 we had a hard time waiting - I wish that some of the Downtown Disney stores were open earlier than the parks for shopping. We had ps's at Blue Bayou, but unfortunately we weren't hungry yet (had baked goods earlier at Blue Ribbon), so we all split a Monte Cristo and gumbo (loved the MC). I think I would not do any ps's next time. They always seemed to be across the park from where we were, or we weren't hungry yet.
The park was getting very busy by the time we left around 1pm. I think the fantasy land rides would have taken about 5 hours to do by then! We rested at the hotel a bit and came back for more later. By far, our favorite ride was Indy. I think DS and DH went on it 5 times over the trip. Pirates is great too, and even my little dd3 (almost 4, 41 inches tall) liked matterhorn - but she is a daredevil
. The older kids loved splash, space & BTMRR.
Monday was much calmer, we had tickets to toontown, which the kids loved - got some great photos w/ Mickey & Minnie - again - getting to the park early is the best tip I can give! We spent a long time in TT before it got crowded. Ate lunch at Carnation Cafe - saw Oscar & ate the potato soup - yum! At 3pm we did the holiday tour - that was one of the trip highlights. We had Cate as our tour guide - so sweet - we wanted to take her home as dd3 followed her and paid absolute attention to everything she said (a hoot to see a 3 year old w/ the headphones on, singing Christmas carols at the top of her voice
). DD10 and DS7 loved it too, we got a fudge sample in the candy shoppe, and fantastic seats to the parade, along w/ a collectible mug of hot cocoa and a large Mickey gingerbread cookie (and dd10 was thrilled w/ the holiday Donald & Daisy pin). We also got to jump to the front of the line for Small world holiday and Haunted Mansion. I used our Disney visa for a 20% discount, so we thought the price of the tour was worth it.
Tues. seemed to be busier, we used our MM to do Tomorrowland. At the end of MM we headed over to the 1st Jedi Training - ds7 had a sign and got chosen. The Jedi even said something about "the young gentlemen w/ the wonderfully handcrafted sign". We were the only ones w/ a sign - so thanks Dis! Got a great shot of DS fighting Darth Maul. I wish we had had more time to explore the house of Tomorrow - we had to rush through to get to BBB on time, and it was one of the things DD10 really wanted to see. BBB was fantastic for dd3 - she chose a Tink outfit (we went to Pixie hollow after & Tink told her "hey, you stole my clothes"
-dd3 is still talking about that - they have similiar personalities
!). DD10, however, did not like BBB, she was embarrassed (the older lady who did her makeover was very nice but talked to dd like she was much younger). DD10 had me take her hair down right after we left (she is at a "touchy" age about her hair). She was polite and told her little sis she looked beautiful, but I think she realized her princess makeover days were over 
. I think it is a little tough to be 10 & have everyone telling your little 3 year old sister how adorable she is all day.
We ate at Rainforest Cafe (just ok - but we were pretty tired by then, after 4 days of the parks), and did our shopping. It worked out well to do Goofy's kitchen the last morning before our flight so we had 1 more thing to look forward to.
I could wander around Main Street and New Orleans for hours, they are decorated so beautifully. The Christmas music and decor is really something to experience. We had a few hairy moments (things like the kids getting tired and arguing, or dd3 scraping her knee), but we were lucky to stay healthy the entire trip, and lucky to be in Disneyland together as a family. We had 1 or 2 grumpy CM's, but most were fantastic (like the CM in the restroom who "bibbety bobbety boo'd dd3's owie to make it all better & talked to her for a long time to take her mind off of it). All 3 kids said they liked DLR better than the Disney cruise we took last Jan (so did I, no contest!), so for the $ DLR is a great family vacation in our book! There will always be a few frustrations on any vacation (crowds, lines), but I think the magical moments make up for them. A few I will always remember include - ds7 walking and singing "when you wish upon a star" every day, as he thought no one could hear him bec. of the crowds (but mom could, and it was sooo sweet!), our normally shy dd10 having the time of her life finding CM's to trade pins w/, and the wonder in dd3's face whenever a princess was around (because of course, they are the real deal and they live at DLR!). Thanks disers, for all the great tips that helped make our trip a magical one!
). While it was great to sleep in my own bed last night, we could have stayed longer - not quite ready to return to reality yet, so I grabbed my coffee & got on the Dis boards!After a day in San Diego (took the ferry to Coronado & let the kids play on the beach), a day at Sea World (loved the shows! - esp. Pet Rules & Believe), and a day at Legoland (VERY crowded and the slowest loading rides I have ever experienced- but DS7 loved it) we spent 4 nights at the DLH.
We have stayed at the GCH also, but I actually preferred the DLH. Our room at the GCH was so far away that I think the overall walk was about the same. While the lobby is beautiful at Christmas and we went in to sit by the fire again this trip, I don't care for how dark it is in the GCH - I think they lower the lighting for the Christmas lights, but with all of the dark wood I think it's just a bit dark and gloomy for me. We had a room w/ a daybed and 2 queens at DLH, and the room was very spacious and light. The rooms are definately in need of an overhaul, I checked on arrival, and none of the newly renovated rooms are ready yet, but when they are done we would definately choose DLH again. My kids loved the little Disney touches in the hotel and our room. I did'nt request a specific room but we had a fabulous view of Downtown Disney & of the fireworks from the 9th floor. My kids could have stood for hours looking out the window at our view. The music was pretty loud in the evening, but fortunately it stopped around 10 pm (I think). We were so tired after touring every day that we had no problems getting to sleep! The pool looked so fun, and I feel so badly that we didn't have time to use it - dd10 is still bummed about that - so we'll have to go back again
. The kids had fun w/ the remote control boats and exploring the grounds. We ate at Goofy's kitchen the last day and it was again a great experience. My kids can't believe they could have ice cream w/ breakfast! We saw Snow White, Jasmine, Baloo, Pluto - probably a few more I am forgetting. The banana crepes were great!The Sat. after Thanksgiving we spent most of the day at DCA, it was not crowded at all - I believe it was a blocked day for AP's. We walked onto almost everything - maybe a 5 or 10 minute wait for Soarin. We got a few fp's but never needed to use them. Did Ariel's grotto w/ the girls - really great experience - worth it just to see all of the princesses and not stand in line for them. I had the chicken - very good - the girls were too excited to eat much. We saw Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White & Sleeping Beaty. Later we saw Jasmine & even Tiana, so I think we got to see all of the princeses
! Saw the Pixar parade w/ a front row seat and had ps's at WCT, but again, it was mostly empty there - chicken panini was great. Sun. we had a MM, and we very wisely used it in Fantasyland. Did Peter Pan twice, walking on both times (I LOOOOVE Peter Pan's flight!!!!), then did the recommended Dumbo, Alice, etc, - I think we did about 12 or more rides in a little over an hour. Fabulous! Did Story book canal just after MM was over - I think we literally did every ride in FL, so if you have a MM it is definately worth it! The time zone was working in our favor - we were up at 6am every morning (8am at home). No matter how tired I was in the evening I was always excited to get up and go back in the am.
On Mon. & Tues. when the parks did'nt open until 10 we had a hard time waiting - I wish that some of the Downtown Disney stores were open earlier than the parks for shopping. We had ps's at Blue Bayou, but unfortunately we weren't hungry yet (had baked goods earlier at Blue Ribbon), so we all split a Monte Cristo and gumbo (loved the MC). I think I would not do any ps's next time. They always seemed to be across the park from where we were, or we weren't hungry yet. The park was getting very busy by the time we left around 1pm. I think the fantasy land rides would have taken about 5 hours to do by then! We rested at the hotel a bit and came back for more later. By far, our favorite ride was Indy. I think DS and DH went on it 5 times over the trip. Pirates is great too, and even my little dd3 (almost 4, 41 inches tall) liked matterhorn - but she is a daredevil
. The older kids loved splash, space & BTMRR. Monday was much calmer, we had tickets to toontown, which the kids loved - got some great photos w/ Mickey & Minnie - again - getting to the park early is the best tip I can give! We spent a long time in TT before it got crowded. Ate lunch at Carnation Cafe - saw Oscar & ate the potato soup - yum! At 3pm we did the holiday tour - that was one of the trip highlights. We had Cate as our tour guide - so sweet - we wanted to take her home as dd3 followed her and paid absolute attention to everything she said (a hoot to see a 3 year old w/ the headphones on, singing Christmas carols at the top of her voice
). DD10 and DS7 loved it too, we got a fudge sample in the candy shoppe, and fantastic seats to the parade, along w/ a collectible mug of hot cocoa and a large Mickey gingerbread cookie (and dd10 was thrilled w/ the holiday Donald & Daisy pin). We also got to jump to the front of the line for Small world holiday and Haunted Mansion. I used our Disney visa for a 20% discount, so we thought the price of the tour was worth it. Tues. seemed to be busier, we used our MM to do Tomorrowland. At the end of MM we headed over to the 1st Jedi Training - ds7 had a sign and got chosen. The Jedi even said something about "the young gentlemen w/ the wonderfully handcrafted sign". We were the only ones w/ a sign - so thanks Dis! Got a great shot of DS fighting Darth Maul. I wish we had had more time to explore the house of Tomorrow - we had to rush through to get to BBB on time, and it was one of the things DD10 really wanted to see. BBB was fantastic for dd3 - she chose a Tink outfit (we went to Pixie hollow after & Tink told her "hey, you stole my clothes"
-dd3 is still talking about that - they have similiar personalities!). DD10, however, did not like BBB, she was embarrassed (the older lady who did her makeover was very nice but talked to dd like she was much younger). DD10 had me take her hair down right after we left (she is at a "touchy" age about her hair). She was polite and told her little sis she looked beautiful, but I think she realized her princess makeover days were over . I think it is a little tough to be 10 & have everyone telling your little 3 year old sister how adorable she is all day. We ate at Rainforest Cafe (just ok - but we were pretty tired by then, after 4 days of the parks), and did our shopping. It worked out well to do Goofy's kitchen the last morning before our flight so we had 1 more thing to look forward to.
I could wander around Main Street and New Orleans for hours, they are decorated so beautifully. The Christmas music and decor is really something to experience. We had a few hairy moments (things like the kids getting tired and arguing, or dd3 scraping her knee), but we were lucky to stay healthy the entire trip, and lucky to be in Disneyland together as a family. We had 1 or 2 grumpy CM's, but most were fantastic (like the CM in the restroom who "bibbety bobbety boo'd dd3's owie to make it all better & talked to her for a long time to take her mind off of it). All 3 kids said they liked DLR better than the Disney cruise we took last Jan (so did I, no contest!), so for the $ DLR is a great family vacation in our book! There will always be a few frustrations on any vacation (crowds, lines), but I think the magical moments make up for them. A few I will always remember include - ds7 walking and singing "when you wish upon a star" every day, as he thought no one could hear him bec. of the crowds (but mom could, and it was sooo sweet!), our normally shy dd10 having the time of her life finding CM's to trade pins w/, and the wonder in dd3's face whenever a princess was around (because of course, they are the real deal and they live at DLR!). Thanks disers, for all the great tips that helped make our trip a magical one!
