My heart is racing!

[Katy Belle]

My heart is racing!! I think MAYBE we can make a trip to DisneyLand happen this summer!!! Maybe, just maybe. I sent an e-mail to DH and he will take some convincing...but its been done before

So!!! Where do I start?? I've been to the official website and its a bit difficult. I will ask you experts!!!

1. On-site or off? At WDW florida I love staying on-site. Your opinion for CA please.

2. How many days? We will want to see more of CA than just DisneyLand. Is three days in the parks enough? It will be either June or August.

3. Is it necessary to make advance dining reservations WAY in advance as it is for WDW?

4. What restaurants should we not miss. Would want to do at least one character meal.

5. What else should I know??!!!


THANKS To All!!!
Katy
ps...I'm excited, can you tell??

 

[bumbershoot]

Stay either on site or on Harbor, or close by. I personally woudln't want to stay far enough that I felt the need to drive in; I like walking. Off site, I liked HoJo's. Liked it better than Paradise Pier! I'm trying the Anabella in December.

Handy dandy map.


As an adult, we had done two one-day trips, and they were great. Then in September, we ended up with 6.5 days in the parks and it was NOT enough time. We're going in December, and depending on money I'm working on joining the "ladies only" trip in April.

Go with what YOU want to do, not with what others say, b/c others say that 3 days is fine, and I just think that's bananas!

ADRs are PS (Priority Seating) in Disneyland. It's 60 or 90 (it's late, I can't recall right now) days out...not the incredible 180 at WDW (oh yeah, I can remember for a place I've never even been, but not for the place I have an AP for )

As for don't-miss restaurants, I'm a simple girl, and my favorite food is at a counter service place near POTC, and I get the vegetarian gumbo in a breadbowl.

The Lilo/Stitch meal at PPH was fine. They have rice, which is a nice touch for many people (including my Korean DH), they have pineapple scones, and Daisy Duck tends to be there.

We ate at Blue Bayou...my brother enjoyed the portion of his Monte Cristo that he could eat, I didn't much enjoy my portabello dish that I shared with DH (for a split plate fee), but he did enjoy his and we both enjoyed our "wedge salads" (AKA a wedge consisting of a quarter head of iceberg lettuce). DS refused to touch his kid's mac 'n cheese, and after one bite of it, I agreed with him. Toxic waste, IMO, with matching color! But it was VERY cool to be in Blue Bayou, as it is inside POTC, and for that alone I felt the 80 bucks I paid for the 4 of us was worth it.

For some reason I'm not remembering where else we ate!


Everyone has their opinions of what the best meals and places are, but the best thing YOU can do is to read up on the menus, find foods you think you'll like, listen to others' experiences, and hope to have food you enjoy!



Guidebooks served me well; I went to the library and got the latest of all the guidebooks I could find.

Check out the sticky thread here by Hydroguy, he's got some good stuff, especially for "WDW vets" visiting DL.

 

[Katy Belle]

Thanks Molly! You were very helpful. Can you recommend a particular guide book you liked? I'm living overseas and will have to order one. I liked the Unofficial Guide for WDW...is that available for CA too?

Thanks!
Katy

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow, I did not notice that you are in Qatar! Wow!

I know I read an Unofficial Guide as well as the Birnbaum's book. I think there was another, but I can't remember.

It might be better, since I'm sure shipping and customs is insane for you, to just get a touring plan from ridemax.com...let them do the work for you, so to speak.

 

[Master Mason]

yes they have the unofficial guide book for DL as well.

My must eat places if I was only thinking I would ever be in DL once, which I am guessing is a probabity for you would be

1. Blue Bayou
2. Red Rockets
3. Dole whip Stand
4. Bengal BBQ
5. Corn Dog Castle in DCA

There are several good resturants in the hotels, but to be honest I have only eaten at Storytellers so far. I thought it was good, but really no better than than the Mimi's accross the street (I had lunch).

I think you should be able to do everything in the parks that you want to do in 3 days, sure more time would be nice, but it depends on what else you want to do while your in CA.

Take a look at the CityPass Gives you 3 days in DL/DCA a day at universal, a day at Sea World, and a Day at either the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego wildpark. For a pretty good price.

As for onsite off site, I don't think it is as necesary as at WDW, infact in 42 years of going I have yet to stay onsite. I am sure the hotels are nice, I just haven't been able to justify the cost yet.

Hope you get to come, it is a wonderful place.