More questions

[mexican-mouseketeers]

We have decided to stay at Anabella Hotel, looks a lot nicer than most hotels, and if I have to stay in the room because my daughters want to sleep earlier or decide to take them back for a nap, I would rather have it be a nice place, even if it is a bit farther away than others. All the reviews we have read are good and it comes highly reccomended from other disers for our allergyc girl.

We tend to do lots of character dining in WDW, but I am thinking that it might not work the same way in DL.

1.- About the Plaza Inn
I can´t find information regarding the breakfast hours at the Plaza Inn, from what I have read, it would about equal to the Crystal Palace which we love. I would love to know if it opens an hour before the park in saturday and sunday, since we like getting an early start and being in the middle of the park at rope drop. Or if it might be best to have breakfast at the hotel or in the way and then do the latest possible hour for the character breakfast.

2.- About Ariel´s Grotto character meals
And we think that we would like to do at least AG, since our 3 yo is uber excited to meet them and have her pic taken with them (her only trip to WDW she was 1.5 and absolutely terrified of every character that we met, so there are virtually no pics of her with the characters). Is lunch better than breakfast?

3.- Does the photo pass work the same as in WDW and is it possible to get a discount by prepaying?

4.- Renting baby gear.
Because of our dd´s allergies, we plan on renting a toddler bed, since that will be a lot easier to encase in her allergy free mattress cover that we can bring from home along with a set of sheets, than a regular bed. Anyone have a reccomedation of a reputable place? Another option is just buying a toddler bed from Amazon and leaving it at the hotel. Since we will have to bring a carseat for the ride from the airplane to the hotel, we are considering either renting a stroller also or again buying the cheapest graco from amazon and leaving it back. Opinions?

5.- Weather
We will be going from april 27th until may 2nd. We live in Mexico City, that has a very consistent weather throught the year, not too hot or too cold. Are jeans and a polo shirt ok for this time of year? We are used to bringing shorts and sandals to WDW. Does it get cold at park closure?

6.- Transportation to and from the airport
We will arrive around 6 pm on friday, but for the return trips, our plane leaves at 7:20 in the morning, so we don´t know if super shuttle will be the best option or if someone has a better idea. We are used to travelling with a carseat for the baby and would bring a safe rider vest for the 3yo.

I will probably come with more questions when the trip is nearer, but for now these are the ones keeping me awake

TIA

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

We have decided to stay at Anabella Hotel, looks a lot nicer than most hotels, and if I have to stay in the room because my daughters want to sleep earlier or decide to take them back for a nap, I would rather have it be a nice place, even if it is a bit farther away than others. All the reviews we have read are good and it comes highly reccomended from other disers for our allergyc girl.

We tend to do lots of character dining in WDW, but I am thinking that it might not work the same way in DL.

1.- About the Plaza Inn
I can´t find information regarding the breakfast hours at the Plaza Inn, from what I have read, it would about equal to the Crystal Palace which we love. I would love to know if it opens an hour before the park in saturday and sunday, since we like getting an early start and being in the middle of the park at rope drop. Or if it might be best to have breakfast at the hotel or in the way and then do the latest possible hour for the character breakfast. LOVE it!!! Hours are different based on magic Morning, but it goes until 11:30ish (characters/food goes away, you can stay longer as they set up for lunch)

2.- About Ariel´s Grotto character meals
And we think that we would like to do at least AG, since our 3 yo is uber excited to meet them and have her pic taken with them (her only trip to WDW she was 1.5 and absolutely terrified of every character that we met, so there are virtually no pics of her with the characters). Is lunch better than breakfast?

3.- Does the photo pass work the same as in WDW and is it possible to get a discount by prepaying?

4.- Renting baby gear.
Because of our dd´s allergies, we plan on renting a toddler bed, since that will be a lot easier to encase in her allergy free mattress cover that we can bring from home along with a set of sheets, than a regular bed. Anyone have a reccomedation of a reputable place? Another option is just buying a toddler bed from Amazon and leaving it at the hotel. Since we will have to bring a carseat for the ride from the airplane to the hotel, we are considering either renting a stroller also or again buying the cheapest graco from amazon and leaving it back. Opinions? Why not just gate check the stroller and bring your own?

5.- Weather
We will be going from april 27th until may 2nd. We live in Mexico City, that has a very consistent weather throught the year, not too hot or too cold. Are jeans and a polo shirt ok for this time of year? We are used to bringing shorts and sandals to WDW. Does it get cold at park closure?It is going to be "damper" then you are used to!

6.- Transportation to and from the airport
We will arrive around 6 pm on friday, but for the return trips, our plane leaves at 7:20 in the morning, so we don´t know if super shuttle will be the best option or if someone has a better idea. We are used to travelling with a carseat for the baby and would bring a safe rider vest for the 3yo.Don't know what a safe rider vest is, but in CA, you will need a booster/carseat for her. I would call around for a car service, I have one hat is 40, no matter how many people and they have a booster.

I will probably come with more questions when the trip is nearer, but for now these are the ones keeping me awake

TIA

I answered what I could....

 

[skiingfast]

1.- About the Plaza Inn
I can´t find information regarding the breakfast hours at the Plaza Inn, from what I have read, it would about equal to the Crystal Palace which we love.

It is simliar to the CP, but better characters. It will have the first reservation at 7:10, when the park opens at 8am, and Magic Morning starts at 7am. It's always 50 minutes before park opens on MM days. You don't need a MM credit to enter the park, just go through gate #1 marked with a Character Meal sign.

2.- About Ariel´s Grotto character meals
Is lunch better than breakfast?

It really depends on the food and style, compared to what you prefer.
Breakfast
http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_agb.htm
Lunch
http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_ag.htm
http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_agk.htm

3.- Does the photo pass work the same as in WDW and is it possible to get a discount by prepaying?

It's the same, but there is no prepay discount. In fact there is a special deal that may be going on. Buy the Gallery CD for $59 while in the parks that comes with a coucher to order the Photo CD for free when home.

4.- Renting baby gear.
Since we will have to bring a carseat for the ride from the airplane to the hotel, we are considering either renting a stroller also or again buying the cheapest graco from amazon and leaving it back. Opinions?

I don't know about renting a bed. Buying a stroller is probably a good idea.

5.- Weather
We will be going from april 27th until may 2nd. We live in Mexico City, that has a very consistent weather throught the year, not too hot or too cold. Are jeans and a polo shirt ok for this time of year? We are used to bringing shorts and sandals to WDW. Does it get cold at park closure?

It will most likely be nice. For you though jeans may be wanted at night, but on short hours days you may make it.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23004158

6.- Transportation to and from the airport
We will arrive around 6 pm on friday, but for the return trips, our plane leaves at 7:20 in the morning, so we don´t know if super shuttle will be the best option or if someone has a better idea. We are used to travelling with a carseat for the baby and would bring a safe rider vest for the 3yo.

I'm not sure what a safety vest is. For a 3 year old they may need a forward facing seat with a harness or a booster seat where the seat belt holds the child to the seat.

What airport are you using?

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

Thank you

We are definetly bringing with us one Maclaren stroller and one carseat (have the gogokidz wheels for it), so we will be pushing one girl and pulling another, the 9 yo can walk

And since we won´t be renting a car, we would like to carry as little as we can, this is why we plan on either renting or buying a stroller instead of carrying a second one.

We are flying into LAX.

This is a safe rider vest http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Traffic-...UT0C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329370560&sr=8-1 it is definetly not my favorite, but it is supposed to be safe and we will only be using it for the ride from the airport to the hotel for the 3 yo, as long as she meets the weight and height requirements by then.

Peace.love.mickey we would love a car service, and it would be great if they have a carseat or booster, esp. since on our last day we will need to leave the hotel about 3:30 in the morning.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I honestly don't know if that'll be a "legal" car seat in CA. I don't know if lap positioning belts can replace the need for a car seat.

 

[larina]

Safe rider vest: After looking a bit, it seems it is legal here, but it gives no side impact protection, so I don't know how that works. You should only use it in the middle of the back seat according to what I could find at carseat.org While I wouldn't suggest it, if you already have one, it seems like an ok travel seat.

You can rent strollers from outside companies. I'd rent a double (I saw one delivered to the PPH, but I don't know where it came from) and only travel with the car seat with wheels. They may even have the one that is a regular stroller in the front and a sit/stand for an older toddler/little kid on the back. Call the Anabella and see if they regularly use (or see) one company. I don't know if they will set it up for you, but they might.

It gets cold at night. Bring shoes and jackets to change into at night.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

The Safe Rider Vest is legal in the US. We bought it when we were taking a cruise and would be taking a cab in one of the islands for the day.

I don´t like it much, but I only have one set of wheels for our carseats. And I wouln´t like to gate check a carseat and have it thrown under the airplane and maybe getting hidden damage.

Living in Mexico, the carseat offer is very lilmited. Otherwise I wouldn´t hesitate on buying another option, like the safety first go hybrid.

If there is an option of riding some sort of coach from the airport to the Anabella, we could do this and then I can order a carseat for the trip back to the hotel if we can get a car service.

I have ordered carseats and have them shipped to the hotel and left them behind in WDW, where I would take the Magical Express with the girls and hubby would rent the car. Then, at the hotel we would install the carseat and booster (oldest was 7 and 8) for the trip and left them upon returning the car rental. It cost about the same as renting and we knew they were new.

We are definetly travelling with one stroller, since both the airport at Mexico City and Los Angeles are so large and we feel it is safer for the little ones to be contained in the stroller and carseat.

But I still might rent a double instead of a single, good suggestion

 

[pixiewings71]

We have decided to stay at Anabella Hotel, looks a lot nicer than most hotels, and if I have to stay in the room because my daughters want to sleep earlier or decide to take them back for a nap, I would rather have it be a nice place, even if it is a bit farther away than others. All the reviews we have read are good and it comes highly reccomended from other disers for our allergyc girl.

We tend to do lots of character dining in WDW, but I am thinking that it might not work the same way in DL.

1.- About the Plaza Inn
I can´t find information regarding the breakfast hours at the Plaza Inn, from what I have read, it would about equal to the Crystal Palace which we love. I would love to know if it opens an hour before the park in saturday and sunday, since we like getting an early start and being in the middle of the park at rope drop. Or if it might be best to have breakfast at the hotel or in the way and then do the latest possible hour for the character breakfast.

PI has a great breakfast. The last seating is at 10:30 (that is what I have been told by CM's when making a reservation, however others have said 10:40 is what they have been told), we prefer this time because we like to use park time in the morning to ride FL rides. You are alloted 90 minutes for your meal but IME PI does not rush you, the characters will go away, they will start to change over for lunch but if you are still eating you will not be pushed out the door.

2.- About Ariel´s Grotto character meals
And we think that we would like to do at least AG, since our 3 yo is uber excited to meet them and have her pic taken with them (her only trip to WDW she was 1.5 and absolutely terrified of every character that we met, so there are virtually no pics of her with the characters). Is lunch better than breakfast?

Oh do AG!!! The Princesses are wonderful with smaller kids!! You will have a great time! I suggest lunch, we feel the lunch menu is much better. Besides, we like PI for breakfast and would pick that over the AG breakfast any day. We have done both just so you know.

3.- Does the photo pass work the same as in WDW and is it possible to get a discount by prepaying?

I don't think DL offers a discount for prepaying but otherwise yes, I believe it works just the same.

4.- Renting baby gear.
Because of our dd´s allergies, we plan on renting a toddler bed, since that will be a lot easier to encase in her allergy free mattress cover that we can bring from home along with a set of sheets, than a regular bed. Anyone have a reccomedation of a reputable place? Another option is just buying a toddler bed from Amazon and leaving it at the hotel. Since we will have to bring a carseat for the ride from the airplane to the hotel, we are considering either renting a stroller also or again buying the cheapest graco from amazon and leaving it back. Opinions?

Instead of buying and leaving a bed have you contacted the hotel to ask about this? Also, there is a Target just down Harbor, is it possible to just go buy a stroller there?

5.- Weather
We will be going from april 27th until may 2nd. We live in Mexico City, that has a very consistent weather throught the year, not too hot or too cold. Are jeans and a polo shirt ok for this time of year? We are used to bringing shorts and sandals to WDW. Does it get cold at park closure?

I would suggest taking jackets for evenings, it can get chilly and I know that I like to have my jacket just in case. I prefer to wear jeans to the parks myself so that's what I bring and I prefer tennis shoes to sandals any day.

6.- Transportation to and from the airport
We will arrive around 6 pm on friday, but for the return trips, our plane leaves at 7:20 in the morning, so we don´t know if super shuttle will be the best option or if someone has a better idea. We are used to travelling with a carseat for the baby and would bring a safe rider vest for the 3yo.

I have no experience with a safe rider vest but the state of CA states all children are to be in car seats until age 8 or 4'9". I would not recommend using anything less than a car seat for the 3 year old. If you use a car service they should be able to provide one for you.

I will probably come with more questions when the trip is nearer, but for now these are the ones keeping me awake

TIA

I answered what I could and wanted to give you the link for the car seat rule. http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/safeseat.html