Most worthwhile splurges at DLR?

[Mouse Fanatic]

My biggest splurge? Besides making the trip out there, since we are WDW locals and people think we're insane for going to California, is probably taking time away from the rides and stopping to just sit on a bench and take in the magic. By stopping for 15 minutes here and there we totally appreciate our visit more, and I just love noticing all the small details. Far worth more than any object I could have spent extra money on.

I am also a WDW local making my first trip out to DL in October, an my friends all give me a hard time about making the trip. Any special places you would recommend? Or any don't misses I should know about?

 

[DHSbutcher]

I am also a WDW local making my first trip out to DL in October, an my friends all give me a hard time about making the trip. Any special places you would recommend? Or any don't misses I should know about?

Ah how exciting! In october they transform space mountain and the haunted mansion into their holiday versions- cant be missed, so the extra long wait it totally worth it for these two. I loved riding the Red Car Trolley around DCA just taking in the atmosphere, and don't miss toontown in DL, a much better version than WDW's ever was! Just know Disneyland is small. The ques are small, the pathways are small, and so is the castle. It's not a bad thing, but its quite different, so overall we preferred DCA more to Disneyland because it reminded us more of home. But none the less, I finally felt the disney magic again. Going to the parks so often in FL I have found that some things aren't as magical as they once were, but being in a whole new park was 20x better than any regular day back in WDW. Enjoy your trip! We are going back in exactly 30 days and I cannot wait!

 

[Mouse Fanatic]

I finally felt the disney magic again. Going to the parks so often in FL I have found that some things aren't as magical as they once were, but being in a whole new park was 20x better than any regular day back in WDW. Enjoy your trip! We are going back in exactly 30 days and I cannot wait!

That is so good to hear. WDW is so much fun but I do " miss the magic" I used to feel when I did not have AP. Thanks so much. Enjoy your trip as we'll. it is very exciting!!!!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Big (more expensive) things

- Staying onsite
- Lunch at Blue Bayou at a table by the water
- Staying an extra day to allow for a pool day for the kids
- Booking a sitter or Pinocchio's Workshop for a mom and dad night
- Ariel's for princess lunch (will never forget the looks on my daughters' faces when they were little when they saw the princesses)

Little things
- Buying the drinks that have the little Peter Pan clip-on lights for the kids
- Buying a cocktail that has the light-up ice cube for me
- Buying Disney snacks instead of trying to pack snacks
- Mouse ears all around
- Pin trading
- Caramel apples, candy, whatever, from the shop by Winnie the Pooh
- A Dole Whip a day keeps the evil queen away

Not-so-worth it things I've spent $$ on
- Silhouettes were okay but it didn't really look like my daughter's profile. It seemed the lady just knew how to do a quick silhouette of a girl with long hair and mouse ears.
- Spending lots of $$ at BB Boutique getting girls' hair, etc. done for Ariel's, which then CLOSED and was unable to honor our reservation

Things I haven't done yet, but will on my upcoming trip
- Cabana rental at DLH and GCH
- VIP tour

 

[chrisaman]

I am surprised no one said steakhouse 55. We really love that place. Maybe it is too adult like for people with kids? We think it is a necessary splurge and one we enjoy way more then carthay circle

 

[pepe3penelope]

Big (more expensive) things - Staying onsite - Lunch at Blue Bayou at a table by the water - Staying an extra day to allow for a pool day for the kids - Booking a sitter or Pinocchio's Workshop for a mom and dad night - Ariel's for princess lunch (will never forget the looks on my daughters' faces when they were little when they saw the princesses) Little things - Buying the drinks that have the little Peter Pan clip-on lights for the kids - Buying a cocktail that has the light-up ice cube for me - Buying Disney snacks instead of trying to pack snacks - Mouse ears all around - Pin trading - Caramel apples, candy, whatever, from the shop by Winnie the Pooh - A Dole Whip a day keeps the evil queen away Not-so-worth it things I've spent $$ on - Silhouettes were okay but it didn't really look like my daughter's profile. It seemed the lady just knew how to do a quick silhouette of a girl with long hair and mouse ears. - Spending lots of $$ at BB Boutique getting girls' hair, etc. done for Ariel's, which then CLOSED and was unable to honor our reservation Things I haven't done yet, but will on my upcoming trip - Cabana rental at DLH and GCH - VIP tour

Our family arrives in 2 days: 1st time on property and we are focusing on relaxing and a LOT of pool time!!! In fact, our HUGE splurge is one full day cabana at GCH and one full cabana day at DLH!!!

We are doing Surfs up with Mickey at PPH.
We are doing early Private Build a Bear session one day!

Would love to hear how the GCH private tour turns out!

One day when kids are older we hope to do Blue Bayou.

 

[krispin41]

I splurged for our trip in 2011. It was our first anniversary and my husband's first trip to any Disney park. It got him hooked. Before our trip, he was kinda "eh" about the whole thing. He knew we would have fun, but he didn't get why I was in love with the place.

We stayed at the PPH with concierge and theme park view.

I splurged for an In Room Celebration (From Mickey with Love), I had them add traditional Mouse ears with our names to the package since my DH had never had a pair of his own before.

Our first day in the park was the Halloween Party.

We had our anniversary dinner at Cafe Orleans (BB was closed for Pirates refurb).

We ate another dinner at Goofy's Kitchen and a breakfast at the Plaza Inn.

Fantasmic! Dessert Seating and WOC Dinner seating.

Buying the ride photo and cute frame from Tower of Terror. I had never been on that ride, but my DH talked me onto it. It's our favorite now. I can't remember if we had PP+ on this trip, but I definitely got it for our next trip.

Light up drinks (and getting to keep the glass and ice cubes) from ElecTRONica.

Splurging on any souvenir we wanted. My DH didn't want much, but then he saw the TRON merchandise. LOL I got a Harvey's Seatbelt bag.

 

[chabelita545]

I assume many folks will say that staying on-site is a worthwhile splurge, but I'm primarily looking for smaller splurges that are worth the money and time! Some things may not cost much (or anything), but time is valuable on a DLR trip, too, so please include your thoughts about activities/stuff that's worth the time, too.

I splurged a few years back and bought 3 sets of matching t-shirts for all 12 people in our group. It was so easy to spot one another and the extra attention added to the fun.

Also, I spend tons of time after our trip and a bit of cash to make treasured photo albums.

Small $ Splurges:
- Christmas ornaments (1 per trip)
- a pin trading pin (1 or so per trip)
- dole whips on hot days (worth the long wait. My DS11 is allergic to dairy and what a treat it is for him to get to enjoy soft serve ice cream!)
- once we did those Star Wars pictures where they replace the movie actor's face with your face. We got poster size prints of our boys pod racing. They still are on the wall in their playroom.
- churros
- turkey legs (my DS11 loves getting one of those giant drumsticks)
- a sit down meal anywhere (We don't usually eat in the parks.)

Time Splurges:
- letting the kids (and my hubby) goof around in Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.
- waiting in line to ride Dumbo. It's hot, boring and slow moving, but when Dumbo takes me up in the air I feel like a little kid again.
- riding our favorites over and over and over. My kids and their cousins once rode Goofy's Sky School 7 times in a row at the end of a long day. Totally worth hearing them scream and laugh and getting to say yes every time they came off and asked, "Can we go again?"
- getting to pilot the Mark Twain
- stopping to watch street entertainment instead of charging on to the next ride
- spending time with the characters on Buena Vista street
- trying of funny hats and taking goofy pictures in the Mad Hatter in fantasyland. Very funny.
- volunteering to stay with the littlest lid in the group while everyone else goes on the big rides. We ride and explore all the things that my family isn't interested in anymore.
- watching little kids chase birds

 

[Canadiantinkerfairy]

We love limo service to and from DLH/airport.

Character meals or table service everyday

BBB for both the girls/ ridemakerz for Ds

Photo pass plus

We did special shirts this year

A cabana day at DLH on the fly-out day

We have been lucky enough to be invited to Club 33 but I think it's something not everyone can have a a special treat if they want so I won't add that officially to our list of special upgrades.

 

[rentayenta]

Glow cubes in my drinks.

 

[Gisele]

Glow cubes in my drinks.

Those are fun. I received one as a little giftie from the bartender at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar, this is such a neat, fun place.

 

[rentayenta]

Those are fun. I received one as a little giftie from the bartender at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar, this is such a neat, fun place.

They are so fun and make a nifty souvenir. I like pretty blowy things.

 

[Nonsuch]

I splurged for our trip in 2011. It was our first anniversary and my husband's first trip to any Disney park. It got him hooked. Before our trip, he was kinda "eh" about the whole thing. He knew we would have fun, but he didn't get why I was in love with the place.
We stayed at the PPH with concierge and theme park view...

I did something similar which transformed DW's opinion of DLR visits
We splurged on a full week stay at GCH with concierge and theme park view
This was for the DL 50th anniversary, so I need to book a year in advance (and it still required many phone calls, and some luck).

 

[madasax12]

I can't yet add to the "splurges" but I can add to the plan to side of things....

This is our first Disney trip and already here are our planned $$ splurges...

Staying at the DLH rather than trying to save $$ staying off site for this trip -

BBB Castle package for our little girl....she's already growing up to fast.

Breakfast @ Goofy's and maybe some other fun Lunches/Dinners in the park / DTD / DLH / CA

.....and really just the overall thought that we want to have fun while we are there, not feel to rushed for our kids to take a break and have fun, and just to know that this is going to be one of our more expensive trips! (within reason)

 

[crz4mm2]

We are doing walk in walt's footsteps tour and we got the photo pass.
Oh and we are eating at Blue Bayou.