Delilah1310
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 669
We were in DLR from the evening of Thursday, June 5 to the morning of Monday, June 9. And we had a fabulous time, despite it being SUPER BUSY! Wow, we were not expecting THAT kind of crowd. We had been this same weekend two years ago ... right when Carslnad opened ... and it was all walk-ons so we were thinking it would be about the same - not at all!
But even with the crowds, we managed our time and still got to do everything we had on our must-do list. It was a wonderful, wonderful time and we also spend 2 days at Legoland and the new Chima water park (but I will put notes about that part of the trip in the other section of the DISboards).
CA attractions and shows:
California Screamin'
my 6yo was finally tall enough for California Screamin' so we spend EMH (8-9) on Friday at CS. We used the Grand California entrance, arrived about 7:30, and nearly all of the crowd went to Carsland (understandably), and we went over to CS. My son was so excited he was in the very front row! He and his dad rode three times back to back (I rode just twice and had to take a second Bonine after I got off - HA!).
A second CA EMH morning, we got to the GCH entrance at about 6:30 (the EMH was from 7-8 that day), and headed over to Paradise Pier. I rode once, but they rode 6 straight times! they loved it so much! so here are my tips about CS during EMH - if you are interested, you can walk on this one early and re-ride many, many times if you like. they didn't even make they leave the exit area, they could just hop back into an empty row! so nice of the CMs to do that! and for any one not able or interested, it is fun to go near the water where the ride is launched and try to grab a pic or two. the carousel is just steps away if you need to entertain littler ones. And of course Toy Story Mania is right there, too.
Carsland
At the very end of Friday's EMH, we got in the Radiator Springs Racers queue about 5-10 minutes before the regular park opening time. our wait was maybe 20 minutes, which was wasn't too bad at all. This ride just makes me smile so much! I love the way the music swells with the waterfall, the dark part, the effect when we get new tires, and of course the race at the end! it is so fun! All of Carsland is amazing - beautifully themed and so much detail - but RSR is just the crown jewel of the area, if not the whole park.
We wanted to ride RSR at dusk or later, so I waited about an hour after regular park opening to get a Fastpass for an evening time. I actually had to wait longer ... maybe close to two hours to get something that would allow us to come back around 8 pm. It was difficult to wait and keep checking back, my husband and son walked around the Animation Studio for a bit. (I found the Touring Plans wait time app to be a little off for this ... YMMV)
Absolutely LOVE Luigi's flying tires at night! Also, we were there for the neon lighting, and while that was cool, I don't think I would recommend that anyway make a special trip over for this. The lights came on, and CMs come out and clap along with the song, but its not really that big of a deal to make it an appointment in your day.
Animation Studio
This was a first for us. We had done the Turtle Talk with Crush part, but didn't think our son was old enough for the rest (and he probably wasn't). the Sorcerer's room part was really interesting, and we loved seeing what characters we would be - My son and husband were both the Genie and I was Cinderella! Never thought of myself as a princess!
)
This is a nice walk-though and I can see us walking in here again. We also did the animation drawing part. Thank you so much DISBOARDS for the tip that there is a schedule outside!!! We did an Olaf drawing and my son was so excited! He is big fan, and had a Olaf short on that day, and we were so lucky that the animator gave her drawing to my son at the end of the show! Pixie Dust!!! I thought all of our drawings turned out pretty good, but when I looked around when everyone held theirs up, there were so AMAZING artists in there! Fun time. Full house though, so consider lining at at least 15 minutes prior for some of those more popular characters, or if it is super busy in the parks.
Aladdin
I am so glad we got to finally see this!! so much fun - of course we loved the Genie, but we loved the set pieces, the length was just right to keep everyone's attention, and the music was familiar, so that was nice, too! It was very well done and all of the performances were outstanding! I was a little skeptical about how they queue you up prior to the show, in those giant pens outside, I thought it might be a little stampede-y, but once we got inside, it was fine.
things we meant to do in CA but never got around to
Redwood Trail, Phines and Ferb Party, Muppets (done before), Monsters (done before)
Disneyland attractions and shows:
Big Thunder Mnt
I told my family that there was a new effect on BTM but I wouldn't tell them what it was - we all loved it and felt it fit the ride so perfectly, it was like it had been there all along. We rode maybe 6 times during our trip and the effect only failed once (smoke still appeared, but was a light burst). The queue moves fast on this one, along we did see times when the line stretched out farther than any time we waited.
So i guess my tip on this, if the line is snaking around up the restaurant, you can probably check back a little later and it should be shorter. FP are easy to come by, Worth checking out for sure! ride is smooth and maybe a little faster? maybe it just seemed that way because of where we were in the train. One time my son asked if we could be in front and the fun CM made him yell his best "Yee-Haw!" to get it. It was the little fun moment that makes things seem special and not just like lining up and going through the motions!)
Storybook Canal Boats
We had never tried this one so we gave it a shot. Our captain was really funny. Not sure if its supposed to have that kind of Jungle-Cruise-Skipper-in-training approach, but for our family, that worked perfectly. the detail on the little models is so intricate, it is worth seeing.
Pirates
Couldn't see anything new from the short rehab, so it must have been mostly maintenance ... unless I completely missed something?
Matterhorn (and EMH)
there were plenty of CMs along Main Street directing people to the left sidewalk if you were going for the Frozen charcaters. We headed to the right. They stopped us all the end of Main Street, right bfore the hub. We stayed there for a bit and they took the Frozen families first (behind a CM with a tall sign pole) walking normally up to and through the Castle (I believe through ... could have been around the side). there were many of them but it seemed pretty orderly.
After a while let the rope down and we all headed to our rides. We went into the long queue ropes for Matterhorn where the sidewalk forks for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. We, and several other families, walked through that way and when we got the front, it looked like a CM was holding back a family who tried to come in from the Fantasyland side. I could be wrong, they could have been waiting for other family membes or something like that, but it looked like the CM didn't want them to get into the queue from that direction.
Toontown - Meeting Mickey
We had never done this before and it is very cute ... the house has lots of little details. its worth spending some time. We saw Mickey in his band conductor outfit, but I have since learned that there are different ones you can meet? Can someone explain how this works?
things we meant to do in DL but never got around to
It's a Small World, Captain America/Thor M&G, Jungle Cruise (done before), any other Fantasyland rides (done before ... I think my son is at a phase where these are not as attractive as the thrill ride ... boo for me!)
food:
Big Thunder Mnt BBQ - our very favorite and MUST eat every trip. Once again amazing. We prefer dinner for the sausage.
Flo's V-8 - our first time here. It was pretty good. I would eat there again, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to get this again, There are so many wonderful restaurants. The shakes were worth going back for, though. oh, and there was breakfast there ... I remember some concern about that option going away.
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta - I find this surprisingly good. we all enjoy the food here. but no drink refills. boo!
Award Wieners - my son had a hot dog here. he declared it better than at the ballpark, which is high praise for him!)
Coke Corner - we all had hot dogs here. VERY good. maybe its just that I never eat hot dogs but it was awesome.
TIP about Plaza Inn - they don't open for lunch until Noon. We thought and planned for them to open at 11 am, so that switched things up for us ... oh well, there's always next time!
ESPN Zone (DTD) - this was serviceable, but nothing exceptional. its about what you would expect it to be like and there is nothing wrong with it, but to be honest I had forgotten we even went there.
Rancho de Zolcalo - this is a staple each trip, but this time the shell for my taco salad was not crispy and soggy to the point where I couldn't even cut it ... the salad itself was good, but I was expecting that crunch. A little bit of a let down and it might be time to mix it up. they do allow you to get refills here, though.
Storytellers - this used to be a favorite for dinner, but things were not as great this trip as we remembered. Selection was limited (it always has been a smallish buffet, but I didn't care for any of the mains), it all had been sitting for a while, and desserts were just mediocre. I think we may rest this one in the rotation for a while.
By far, the highlight meal was the Surf's Up Breakfast at Paradise Pier Hotel. The character interaction was outstanding!!! maybe because we were early and there were few other families around, but we had so much fun interaction - dancing and goofing around with my son. The food was really good for breakfast - waffles and pancakes (both Mickey shaped) were super fresh and hot, I LOVED the chilaquiles and there was a guy making omelettes to order! So fresh and so tasty ... this one was a winner all the way around!!
hotel:
Grand Californian Hotel was amazing as usual. I love how close it is to the parks. By the way, the Hearthstone Lounge serves lattes in the morning, so I didn't have to go to Starbucks to get my caffeine fix. If you haven't stayed there and are considering it, I would recommend it. I can't imagine staying anywhere else.
transportation:
based on recommendations here, we used the Lansky car service ... it was wonderful. the driver helped us with our luggage, then stopped at a nearby grocery store (which by the way - the Vons on Chapman, I think, is just weird. they wanted 25 cents for my son to use the bathroom! What's up with that?!). I would recommend this company if you have no need to get a rental car.
But speaking of rental cars, we did get one from Alamo in DTD for our drive down to San Diego. This was another smooth experience and the clerk was super nice. its did take some time, but they were really busy that morning ... count on this taking some time when you are planning your day.
I think that is everything I wanted to share. Any questions I can help with?
Thank you all so much for your advice and tips, and I hope this report helps someone else.
I look forward to another trip soon!
But even with the crowds, we managed our time and still got to do everything we had on our must-do list. It was a wonderful, wonderful time and we also spend 2 days at Legoland and the new Chima water park (but I will put notes about that part of the trip in the other section of the DISboards).
CA attractions and shows:
California Screamin'
my 6yo was finally tall enough for California Screamin' so we spend EMH (8-9) on Friday at CS. We used the Grand California entrance, arrived about 7:30, and nearly all of the crowd went to Carsland (understandably), and we went over to CS. My son was so excited he was in the very front row! He and his dad rode three times back to back (I rode just twice and had to take a second Bonine after I got off - HA!).
A second CA EMH morning, we got to the GCH entrance at about 6:30 (the EMH was from 7-8 that day), and headed over to Paradise Pier. I rode once, but they rode 6 straight times! they loved it so much! so here are my tips about CS during EMH - if you are interested, you can walk on this one early and re-ride many, many times if you like. they didn't even make they leave the exit area, they could just hop back into an empty row! so nice of the CMs to do that! and for any one not able or interested, it is fun to go near the water where the ride is launched and try to grab a pic or two. the carousel is just steps away if you need to entertain littler ones. And of course Toy Story Mania is right there, too.
Carsland
At the very end of Friday's EMH, we got in the Radiator Springs Racers queue about 5-10 minutes before the regular park opening time. our wait was maybe 20 minutes, which was wasn't too bad at all. This ride just makes me smile so much! I love the way the music swells with the waterfall, the dark part, the effect when we get new tires, and of course the race at the end! it is so fun! All of Carsland is amazing - beautifully themed and so much detail - but RSR is just the crown jewel of the area, if not the whole park.
We wanted to ride RSR at dusk or later, so I waited about an hour after regular park opening to get a Fastpass for an evening time. I actually had to wait longer ... maybe close to two hours to get something that would allow us to come back around 8 pm. It was difficult to wait and keep checking back, my husband and son walked around the Animation Studio for a bit. (I found the Touring Plans wait time app to be a little off for this ... YMMV)
Absolutely LOVE Luigi's flying tires at night! Also, we were there for the neon lighting, and while that was cool, I don't think I would recommend that anyway make a special trip over for this. The lights came on, and CMs come out and clap along with the song, but its not really that big of a deal to make it an appointment in your day.
Animation Studio
This was a first for us. We had done the Turtle Talk with Crush part, but didn't think our son was old enough for the rest (and he probably wasn't). the Sorcerer's room part was really interesting, and we loved seeing what characters we would be - My son and husband were both the Genie and I was Cinderella! Never thought of myself as a princess!
) This is a nice walk-though and I can see us walking in here again. We also did the animation drawing part. Thank you so much DISBOARDS for the tip that there is a schedule outside!!! We did an Olaf drawing and my son was so excited! He is big fan, and had a Olaf short on that day, and we were so lucky that the animator gave her drawing to my son at the end of the show! Pixie Dust!!! I thought all of our drawings turned out pretty good, but when I looked around when everyone held theirs up, there were so AMAZING artists in there! Fun time. Full house though, so consider lining at at least 15 minutes prior for some of those more popular characters, or if it is super busy in the parks.
Aladdin
I am so glad we got to finally see this!! so much fun - of course we loved the Genie, but we loved the set pieces, the length was just right to keep everyone's attention, and the music was familiar, so that was nice, too! It was very well done and all of the performances were outstanding! I was a little skeptical about how they queue you up prior to the show, in those giant pens outside, I thought it might be a little stampede-y, but once we got inside, it was fine.
things we meant to do in CA but never got around to
Redwood Trail, Phines and Ferb Party, Muppets (done before), Monsters (done before)
Disneyland attractions and shows:
Big Thunder Mnt
I told my family that there was a new effect on BTM but I wouldn't tell them what it was - we all loved it and felt it fit the ride so perfectly, it was like it had been there all along. We rode maybe 6 times during our trip and the effect only failed once (smoke still appeared, but was a light burst). The queue moves fast on this one, along we did see times when the line stretched out farther than any time we waited.
So i guess my tip on this, if the line is snaking around up the restaurant, you can probably check back a little later and it should be shorter. FP are easy to come by, Worth checking out for sure! ride is smooth and maybe a little faster? maybe it just seemed that way because of where we were in the train. One time my son asked if we could be in front and the fun CM made him yell his best "Yee-Haw!" to get it. It was the little fun moment that makes things seem special and not just like lining up and going through the motions!
)Storybook Canal Boats
We had never tried this one so we gave it a shot. Our captain was really funny. Not sure if its supposed to have that kind of Jungle-Cruise-Skipper-in-training approach, but for our family, that worked perfectly. the detail on the little models is so intricate, it is worth seeing.
Pirates
Couldn't see anything new from the short rehab, so it must have been mostly maintenance ... unless I completely missed something?
Matterhorn (and EMH)
there were plenty of CMs along Main Street directing people to the left sidewalk if you were going for the Frozen charcaters. We headed to the right. They stopped us all the end of Main Street, right bfore the hub. We stayed there for a bit and they took the Frozen families first (behind a CM with a tall sign pole) walking normally up to and through the Castle (I believe through ... could have been around the side). there were many of them but it seemed pretty orderly.
After a while let the rope down and we all headed to our rides. We went into the long queue ropes for Matterhorn where the sidewalk forks for Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. We, and several other families, walked through that way and when we got the front, it looked like a CM was holding back a family who tried to come in from the Fantasyland side. I could be wrong, they could have been waiting for other family membes or something like that, but it looked like the CM didn't want them to get into the queue from that direction.
Toontown - Meeting Mickey
We had never done this before and it is very cute ... the house has lots of little details. its worth spending some time. We saw Mickey in his band conductor outfit, but I have since learned that there are different ones you can meet? Can someone explain how this works?
things we meant to do in DL but never got around to
It's a Small World, Captain America/Thor M&G, Jungle Cruise (done before), any other Fantasyland rides (done before ... I think my son is at a phase where these are not as attractive as the thrill ride ... boo for me!)
food:
Big Thunder Mnt BBQ - our very favorite and MUST eat every trip. Once again amazing. We prefer dinner for the sausage.
Flo's V-8 - our first time here. It was pretty good. I would eat there again, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to get this again, There are so many wonderful restaurants. The shakes were worth going back for, though. oh, and there was breakfast there ... I remember some concern about that option going away.
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta - I find this surprisingly good. we all enjoy the food here. but no drink refills. boo!
Award Wieners - my son had a hot dog here. he declared it better than at the ballpark, which is high praise for him!
)Coke Corner - we all had hot dogs here. VERY good. maybe its just that I never eat hot dogs but it was awesome.
TIP about Plaza Inn - they don't open for lunch until Noon. We thought and planned for them to open at 11 am, so that switched things up for us ... oh well, there's always next time!
ESPN Zone (DTD) - this was serviceable, but nothing exceptional. its about what you would expect it to be like and there is nothing wrong with it, but to be honest I had forgotten we even went there.
Rancho de Zolcalo - this is a staple each trip, but this time the shell for my taco salad was not crispy and soggy to the point where I couldn't even cut it ... the salad itself was good, but I was expecting that crunch. A little bit of a let down and it might be time to mix it up. they do allow you to get refills here, though.
Storytellers - this used to be a favorite for dinner, but things were not as great this trip as we remembered. Selection was limited (it always has been a smallish buffet, but I didn't care for any of the mains), it all had been sitting for a while, and desserts were just mediocre. I think we may rest this one in the rotation for a while.
By far, the highlight meal was the Surf's Up Breakfast at Paradise Pier Hotel. The character interaction was outstanding!!! maybe because we were early and there were few other families around, but we had so much fun interaction - dancing and goofing around with my son. The food was really good for breakfast - waffles and pancakes (both Mickey shaped) were super fresh and hot, I LOVED the chilaquiles and there was a guy making omelettes to order! So fresh and so tasty ... this one was a winner all the way around!!
hotel:
Grand Californian Hotel was amazing as usual. I love how close it is to the parks. By the way, the Hearthstone Lounge serves lattes in the morning, so I didn't have to go to Starbucks to get my caffeine fix. If you haven't stayed there and are considering it, I would recommend it. I can't imagine staying anywhere else.
transportation:
based on recommendations here, we used the Lansky car service ... it was wonderful. the driver helped us with our luggage, then stopped at a nearby grocery store (which by the way - the Vons on Chapman, I think, is just weird. they wanted 25 cents for my son to use the bathroom! What's up with that?!). I would recommend this company if you have no need to get a rental car.
But speaking of rental cars, we did get one from Alamo in DTD for our drive down to San Diego. This was another smooth experience and the clerk was super nice. its did take some time, but they were really busy that morning ... count on this taking some time when you are planning your day.
I think that is everything I wanted to share. Any questions I can help with?
Thank you all so much for your advice and tips, and I hope this report helps someone else.
I look forward to another trip soon!
