Mickey Mouse Penthouse or VIP tour at Christmas

[Rayray650]

Help please!

We are travelling over Christmas (mid December) and I am tossing up whether to keep both bookings. We will be at Disneyland for 7 days travelling with my parents in their 60s and Miss five. We are travelling from Australia so not like we can get to Disneyland often ... or possibly again...and will be celebrating my daughter kinder graduation.

We will be staying at GCH and doing the standard character breakfasts. I have been planning and saving for a few years and want to make it as magical as possible for my daughter as she is at that perfect age of believing. Now that we are fast approaching the bookings windows for everything I am starting to second guess my decisions.

I am wondering, from those who have done either/both, if they would cancel either of the bookings. My daughters main focus will be character meet and greets and the more child orientated rides. My parents are not really rides people. I have been at Christmas before. The penthouse is on my bucket list after having stayed in the Fairytale suite before and walking past the door when housekeeping were preparing the room ..... just not sure whether it is worth the expense.

Thank you in advance for any advice or thoughts that I may have overlooked.

 

[cruisehopeful]

It's a personal decision. It wouldn't be worth it to me to book the room because I am out of the room all day. You said your daughter likes rides and character meets. It doesn't sound like she will care about the room, but you also say it's a bucket list item for you. You are traveling a very long distance and may not be back. If it's really a bucket list item, treat yourself now. You don't know what the future holds.

Normally, I'd tell just about anyone to do a VIP tour, but your parents don't like rides. A younger child will also likely tire from the fast paced going from ride to ride quickly. You'll be there for 7 days. I just don't think it sounds like VIP tour is very beneficial for your travel party. When it gets closer, there will be Holiday tours open. I think they are a couple hours and it will give you a roped off area to view the parade. Although if you are there for 7 days, you won't really need that, either.

 

[bethwc101]

Help please!

We are travelling over Christmas (mid December) and I am tossing up whether to keep both bookings. We will be at Disneyland for 7 days travelling with my parents in their 60s and Miss five. We are travelling from Australia so not like we can get to Disneyland often ... or possibly again...and will be celebrating my daughter kinder graduation.

We will be staying at GCH and doing the standard character breakfasts. I have been planning and saving for a few years and want to make it as magical as possible for my daughter as she is at that perfect age of believing. Now that we are fast approaching the bookings windows for everything I am starting to second guess my decisions.

I am wondering, from those who have done either/both, if they would cancel either of the bookings. My daughters main focus will be character meet and greets and the more child orientated rides. My parents are not really rides people. I have been at Christmas before. The penthouse is on my bucket list after having stayed in the Fairytale suite before and walking past the door when housekeeping were preparing the room ..... just not sure whether it is worth the expense.

Thank you in advance for any advice or thoughts that I may have overlooked.

I would consider how much time you will be spending in the hotel. If you are going to be spending a majority of the time in the parks, I would dump the penthouse reservation and keep the VIP. A VIP tour is definitely something our family finds value in for the price and size of our group.
But, with your child being in kindergarten, I don't know if a VIP tour will have a full value. The best thing about the VIP tour is skipping a lot of the longer lines, which TYPICALLY, not always, are for the rides with taller height requirements.
If you are planning on spending a majority of time doing characters and fantasyland/toontown type rides, I don't know how much the VIP tour will actually benefit you. But that's just from my experience doing VIP tours. I have never done one with a child in our party that young.

 

[Karin1984]

The suite is on your wish list only by the sound of it, will the rest of the family enjoy it as much as you will?
And with 7 days and the touring style of your group, I'm not convinced a VIP tour is good value for money.

I would spend my money on other upscale things, the princess breakfast & BBB for your little girl, have Fantasmic & World of Color packages for the whole family. Maybe split the party and depending who is interested in it: do the Walk in Walt's footsteps tour with just you and partner, or gift it to your grand parents. And if everyone is in to it, get a babysitter for your daughter, and do it all together. The tour says 'all ages' but I wouldn't do it with kids under 12.

 

[Malcon10t]

I would choose the VIP tour. Get VIP seating for fireworks or Fantasmic!. I've done the Mickey Mouse suite. It was fun. (We got upgraded a night during a stay when it was my DGD 6th birthday.) But the tour would be more advantageous to the 7 days.

EDITED TO ADD - The suite sleeps 5. They have a king bed in one bedroom, a queen couch, then a round kids bed. We did sleep 3 kids (2 small teens and the 6yo) in the round bed, but it is not an adult sized bed.

 

[Rayray650]

Thanks everyone. You have certainly given me some more things to consider.

We were already planning on WOC dessert party, BBB, Princess breakfast and Fantasmic dining package so the VIP extras we would be choosing would be parade and fireworks seating and we can get this with the suite.

Decisions, decisions.