Just got back yesterday - observations

[KCmike]

This was our first true summer visit to Disneyland before this trip we would go in late may/early june and in october. I really didn't think the crowds were that bad. In the morning the crowds were very tame and we could almost walk on to any ride during magic morning hours up to 11am.

Sad that Alice was down. Totally unexpected.

Fantasmic! and the new dragon are amazing. We saw it three times during our visit.

World of Color was amazing as well. After seeing many reviews I thought maybe it would be a letdown for us but we were shocked at how really good it was. We sat both times in the blue section (one with picnic meal and one with fastpass). I would tell you to sit as far left in the blue section to really get an amazing view of the whole show. It seems to me that left/center is the better option for viewing.

Glowfest/Bollywood Dancing was just okay in my opinion. Again after seeing many reviews I thought this would be something great (because I heard so many negative reviews about WOC and then great reviews about Glow).

Grand Californian is hands down the best resort at DL. Great resort and the amenities are wonderful.

Super Shuttle was great. I would recommend it to anyone.

We got to do some really cool stuff on this trip as well. I don't want to say everything here so I will get started on a trip report very quickly. I got some great shots (rented a wide angle lens for the trip). My wife and I are going to co-author this report. I will include a link once it gets started.

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask away. It's sad that its over. Probably won't be back until 2012.

Till we meet again on the trip report.

 

[Dobie]

Can't wait to read your trip report! Glad you had a good trip.

 

[lisalisalisa]

Looking forward to the trip report.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Sounds like you had a great time, can't wait to see your photo's. What mm, f stop and manu was the wide angle lens you used?. Did you rent online.

Jack

 

[KCmike]

Sounds like you had a great time, can't wait to see your photo's. What mm, f stop and manu was the wide angle lens you used?. Did you rent online.

Jack

Pro Photo Rental out of Boulder, CO.
I rented the Canon 10-22 Ultra Wide Angle lens
EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5
Yeah I ended up renting online. I found it to be very reasonable and it was actually cheaper than renting in my hometown! Go figure. It showed up two days early as well.

I did end up having a little trouble with the horizon at first. Otherwise I loved the lens. I am a novice at best but it was fun to play with.

 

[Disneylander55]

I'm going in two weeks. How big of a burden was it getting fastpasses for WoC?

 

[Sherry E]

Woo hoo! Trip Report!! You got some amazing GCH photos in the past - can't wait to see what you came up with this time.

And...and...and...don't leave me in suspense now, Mike. Did you get over to Catalina (from Newport Beach)?

 

[silence]

I'm going in two weeks. How big of a burden was it getting fastpasses for WoC?

I think that depends on which show you want passes too.

We were there last week. Saw the show with dining passes on Thursday. The same day, we went to get Grizzly passes and at 2:30 they were still issuing passes to the show. Stood in a line of 2 people and got passes to the 11:15 show in the yellow section.

So, if you don't mind seeing a later show, it can be done without dedicating so much time to standing in line for the actual pass.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Pro Photo Rental out of Boulder, CO.
I rented the Canon 10-22 Ultra Wide Angle lens
EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5
Yeah I ended up renting online. I found it to be very reasonable and it was actually cheaper than renting in my hometown! Go figure. It showed up two days early as well.

I did end up having a little trouble with the horizon at first. Otherwise I loved the lens. I am a novice at best but it was fun to play with.

Thanks Mike, I just may do that.

Jack

 

[Michelle2]

I think that depends on which show you want passes too.

We were there last week. Saw the show with dining passes on Thursday. The same day, we went to get Grizzly passes and at 2:30 they were still issuing passes to the show. Stood in a line of 2 people and got passes to the 11:15 show in the yellow section.

So, if you don't mind seeing a later show, it can be done without dedicating so much time to standing in line for the actual pass.

This is GREAT to know! I was wondering about how the FPs went for the later show and how fast they ran out. We might just take a night and do this option instead, seems alot less of a hassle!! Thanks for sharing about this.

 

[Disneylander55]

How do you choose fastpasses for the first show vs. the later show?

 

[KCmike]

I'm going in two weeks. How big of a burden was it getting fastpasses for WoC?

Not a burden at all. We stayed at the Grand Californian and knew that we had early access to the fastpasses through the GC special gate so we arrived one morning at 8:40am and there were already about 20 people ahead of us. It went very smoothly and we were in and out very quickly. So quickly in fact that we had to wait for Soarin' to open up at 9:30am. We were the first people on Soarin' though. They do warn you at GC that all people need to be present with their room key and park ticket/card and enter the park from there you can just have one person get the passes. We ended up getting the same section (blue) as we got with the picnic meal.

 

[KCmike]

Woo hoo! Trip Report!! You got some amazing GCH photos in the past - can't wait to see what you came up with this time.

And...and...and...don't leave me in suspense now, Mike. Did you get over to Catalina (from Newport Beach)?

Sherry I am going to have to disappoint you yet once again. I hope you can hear the sadness in my words I'm typing as we really wanted to go (my wife and I). We stayed at the parks so late each night and we just didn't have the energy on our day off to make the early ride over. We did make it to newport beach to have a sunset cruise on the ocean though. A big highlight for us. We also hit Corona Del Mar beach and it was gorgeous. I have a funny story for this that I will share in the trip report once I start. We even thought about coming back the next day to head over to Catalina once we saw the Catalina Flyer and taking away one day of parks but it just didn't happen.

 

[KCmike]

How do you choose fastpasses for the first show vs. the later show?

You don't choose. You just get what you get. I believe they tell you which show you will get before you get the fastpass.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry I am going to have to disappoint you yet once again. I hope you can hear the sadness in my words I'm typing as we really wanted to go (my wife and I). We stayed at the parks so late each night and we just didn't have the energy on our day off to make the early ride over. We did make it to newport beach to have a sunset cruise on the ocean though. A big highlight for us. We also hit Corona Del Mar beach and it was gorgeous. I have a funny story for this that I will share in the trip report once I start. We even thought about coming back the next day to head over to Catalina once we saw the Catalina Flyer and taking away one day of parks but it just didn't happen.

Well, actually, it may surprise you but I think it's for the best! The Newport Flyer schedule really would not have allowed you a good amount of time in Avalon. The Flyer is better if you are staying overnight. Otherwise, for day trips the Express out of Long Beach works so much better because the departures and arrivals are much more frequent, and you can be more flexible and generous with your schedule. I think it would have been disappointing to get to Avalon late morning (at best), realize that many of the golf carts had been rented and you had to wait for people to bring them back, and then practically have to line up for the boat to go back to Newport right after you were done with the golf cart. It really wouldn't have been enough time for a day trip, and spending that kind of money on the boat should really warrant an entire day. If you are going to do a day trip to Avalon, the best way to really embrace it and get the most out of it is to take the Express, not the Flyer, early morning and devote the entire day and evening to it, without any other plans.

In any case, I bet you got some great photos on the Sunset Cruise!

 

[sportbettor]

You don't choose. You just get what you get. I believe they tell you which show you will get before you get the fastpass.

When I've been there they've had a sign before you get into line that says which show they are giving FPs out for.

 

[KCmike]

Alright here is the link for the trip report authored by Dory's Squishy (my wife) and I.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2520189