**** Official 2014 AUGUST - Disneyland thread ****

[hyperminimalism]

We got the tickets! On Monday, I booked the hotel for 5 days August 10th through the 15th, and today we just went and got our tickets. EXPENSIVE, but still super excited. We're just one step closer, and a little over a month away from heading down to Anaheim!

 

[disneymath]

New Years?!?! How was that for you? lol. I cringe at the thought of being there over such busy periods but I guess if you prepare mentally going in it would be SUCH a wonderful place to celebrate! When we went in off season it was typically end of October/early Nov but mostly end of April/early May cuz lets face it - spring can suck here too. haha.

It wasn't too bad actually ... we went to MK and EP on the 29th and 30th - crowded but manageable. On actual NYE we spent the morning/afternoon at Blizzrd Beach (beautiful day) then went to the Hoop Dee Doo Revu that evening.

We stayed at BLT in a standard view villa that had been reclassified from theme-park view because it was a lower floor. I thought our view of the fireworks was AWESOME ... And certainly way less crowded than being in the MK!

Crowds the rest of the time were very manageable ... But it was actually "need to buy sweatshirts" cold starting January 1st! (The crazy weather change was way too much of a reminder of what we were headed home too .... Minus the snow of course!)

 

[ScottyK86]

Unless I have read the rehab schedule wrong, doesn't look like there will be any rides down during the time we are going, 18-21st

 

[croach]

Unless I have read the rehab schedule wrong, doesn't look like there will be any rides down during the time we are going, 18-21st

That's great! I'm reading that Matterhorn and Haunted Mansion will be down when I there. Pretty bummed about those two.

 

[croach]

Does anyone know how easy it is to cancel a dinning reservation online? We want to do Goofy's Kitchen for dinner on Sunday Aug 24th, which I can reserve today. But we also want to do the Fantasmic Dessert seating during our trip, which we want to do on Monday but we don't know if Fantasmic will be showing on that Monday or not. So, we may end up doing Fantasmic dessert on Sunday instead. Not sure if I should make the reservation for Goofy's and then cancel/move it, or just wait a couple weeks for the schedule to show Fantasmic.

Don't take this as gospel but I don't think it's too hard. I seem to remember doing it at Disney World last year and don't think I had any problems. I would make the reservation so you have it and then see what happens with Fantasmic. If nothing else, couldn't you just call and cancel it? Good luck.

In relation to your question, how far does Disney release that the schedule for Fantasmic? Was really hoping to do it the Thursday I arrived.

 

[Rubygoose]

Don't take this as gospel but I don't think it's too hard. I seem to remember doing it at Disney World last year and don't think I had any problems. I would make the reservation so you have it and then see what happens with Fantasmic. If nothing else, couldn't you just call and cancel it? Good luck.

In relation to your question, how far does Disney release that the schedule for Fantasmic? Was really hoping to do it the Thursday I arrived.

The park hours show up 6 weeks in advance, and then the entertainment slowly trickles in. So, if you look at a date 6 weeks from now, it might not show Parades or Fire Works, but they will show up in a couple days. It's pretty frustrating.

 

[Grooovertoo]

Starting to get all my dinning resi's in this week...WOOT!

 

[tweedlemom]

ADR's - Where are you eating?

JULY
29
30
31
AUGUST
1
2
cdntink - goofys Kitchen (Dinner)
zazz - Goofys Kitchen (dinner)
3
4
5
6
7
rizzle 64 - Ariels Grotto
8
8lovesmickey - Carthay Circle
Lorilais_mommie - BTM BBQ
rizzle 64 - BTR BBQ
9
10
gerilyne - Steakhouse 55 (dinner)
11
tiffjoy - Steakhouse 55
12
gerilyne - Cafe New Orleans (lunch)
peterpanandwendy - Big Thunder Ranch
13
gerilyne - Blue Bayou (dinner)
peterpanandwendy - Blue Bayou
14
15
16
tiffjoy - Storytellers (lunch)
17
tiffjoy - Surfs Up (breakfast)
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
dec2009mama - Wine Country Trattoria
25
sarahb74 - Goofy's Kitchen (dinner)
26
27
Groovertoo - Steakhouse 55 or Napa Rose (dinner)
28
29
Groovertoo - Goofy's Kitchen (breakfast)
zanzibar - LaBrea (breakfast)
30
mikamah - Surfs Up (breakfast)
zanzibar138 - Blue Bayou (lunch)
31
mikamah - Blue Bayou
SEPT
1
2
Candicecm - Goofy's Kitchen (dinner)
3

Aug 10-Storytellers Café--Dinner
Aug 14-BTRB--Dinner
Aug 16-PCH Grill--Character breakfast

Can't wait!!!!

 

[wynntx]

Hi all! We have just moved up our trip from September to August! We will be staying at the Grand Californian from August 10th - 15th and in the parks the 11th - 14th. It will be me, my hubby, our son (14) and our daughter (4).

Our current ADRs are Ralph Brennan's 8/10 at 6:45 PM; Carthay Circle 8/11 at 1:30 PM and Cafe New Orleans 8/13 at 1:30 PM.

Our park days are currently: 8/11 - DCA
8/12 - DL
8/13 - DL
8/14 - DL early entry for Anna and Elsa then hop to
DCA

We will have park hoppers so this could all change, but it's our current plan.

Can't wait!!!

 

[dec2009mama]

made our second DR for minnie and friends breakfast on wed aug 27 -- i'm pretty sure I got the first ressie of the morning.....

 

[disneymath]

Making one last attempt to arrange a helicopter tour of Hollywood, if it works out, great. If not, I'm chalking it up to "just not meant to be".

Well, apparently it's meant to be ... three of us are booked on a Hollywood/Beverly Hills helicopter tour with Anaheim Helicopters.

I initially had some issues making email contact, but since then communication has been friendly and good. The booking process was easy. (You can actually book a tour online, but I needed some questions answered first so went the email route.)

 

[Rubygoose]

That Helicopter tour sounds like fun! Enjoy!

I've been having fun playing around with dinning reservations. This is the first time I've used the online system (for our past trips I just e-mailed or phoned) and it's pretty easy. But I don't like that there isn't anywhere to say that you're celebrating anything. I know they'd ask us that on the phone. DH and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary, and I want free dessert!

Without knowing the entertainment schedule it was pretty tricky to figure out reservations, especially since we want to do the Fantasmic dessert seating on Monday Aug. 25th, but we don't know if Fantasmic will be on during weekdays that week or not.

So far, here's what I've booked:
Friday Aug. 22nd: 10am Plaza Inn Minnie and Friends Breakfast
Friday Aug. 22nd: 5:00 Cafe Orleans
Sunday Aug. 24th: 5:00 Goofy's Kitchen Dinner
Monday Aug. 25th: 11:30 Blue Bayou lunch (we'll cancel this one if we're doing the Fantasmic dessert seating and babysitter for the kids, because of the cost, but this is our "plan b")

 

[wakica]

We got the tickets! On Monday, I booked the hotel for 5 days August 10th through the 15th, and today we just went and got our tickets. EXPENSIVE, but still super excited. We're just one step closer, and a little over a month away from heading down to Anaheim!

yep, it is expensive but SOOO WONDERFUL!! lol

It wasn't too bad actually ... we went to MK and EP on the 29th and 30th - crowded but manageable. On actual NYE we spent the morning/afternoon at Blizzrd Beach (beautiful day) then went to the Hoop Dee Doo Revu that evening.

We stayed at BLT in a standard view villa that had been reclassified from theme-park view because it was a lower floor. I thought our view of the fireworks was AWESOME ... And certainly way less crowded than being in the MK!

Crowds the rest of the time were very manageable ... But it was actually "need to buy sweatshirts" cold starting January 1st! (The crazy weather change was way too much of a reminder of what we were headed home too .... Minus the snow of course!)

ya, i only go when it's warm there. I get enough chilly weather here already

Unless I have read the rehab schedule wrong, doesn't look like there will be any rides down during the time we are going, 18-21st

I'm hoping it doesn't change There was some debate about when Matterhorn was going down but I havnt checked on it recently. I should take a peek.

Starting to get all my dinning resi's in this week...WOOT!

YAY Hows it going?

Aug 10-Storytellers Café--Dinner
Aug 14-BTRB--Dinner
Aug 16-PCH Grill--Character breakfast

Can't wait!!!!

NICE!!! I will add your info to the list

Hi all! We have just moved up our trip from September to August! We will be staying at the Grand Californian from August 10th - 15th and in the parks the 11th - 14th. It will be me, my hubby, our son (14) and our daughter (4).

Our current ADRs are Ralph Brennan's 8/10 at 6:45 PM; Carthay Circle 8/11 at 1:30 PM and Cafe New Orleans 8/13 at 1:30 PM.

Our park days are currently: 8/11 - DCA
8/12 - DL
8/13 - DL
8/14 - DL early entry for Anna and Elsa then hop to
DCA

We will have park hoppers so this could all change, but it's our current plan.

Can't wait!!!

to the Augusst group!
sounds like you are very organized and ready to go Just to wait now hey??
I will add your info to the first page. Thanks for laying it out so nicely for me. makes things a lot more simple.

made our second DR for minnie and friends breakfast on wed aug 27 -- i'm pretty sure I got the first ressie of the morning.....

You were eager!! lol

Well, apparently it's meant to be ... three of us are booked on a Hollywood/Beverly Hills helicopter tour with Anaheim Helicopters.

I initially had some issues making email contact, but since then communication has been friendly and good. The booking process was easy. (You can actually book a tour online, but I needed some questions answered first so went the email route.)

sounds AMAZING!!!! I'm sure that you will have THE BEST time!!!

That Helicopter tour sounds like fun! Enjoy!

I've been having fun playing around with dinning reservations. This is the first time I've used the online system (for our past trips I just e-mailed or phoned) and it's pretty easy. But I don't like that there isn't anywhere to say that you're celebrating anything. I know they'd ask us that on the phone. DH and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary, and I want free dessert!

Without knowing the entertainment schedule it was pretty tricky to figure out reservations, especially since we want to do the Fantasmic dessert seating on Monday Aug. 25th, but we don't know if Fantasmic will be on during weekdays that week or not.

So far, here's what I've booked:
Friday Aug. 22nd: 10am Plaza Inn Minnie and Friends Breakfast
Friday Aug. 22nd: 5:00 Cafe Orleans
Sunday Aug. 24th: 5:00 Goofy's Kitchen Dinner
Monday Aug. 25th: 11:30 Blue Bayou lunch (we'll cancel this one if we're doing the Fantasmic dessert seating and babysitter for the kids, because of the cost, but this is our "plan b")

I booked a nice Disney restaraunt for our 20th anniversary trip and they did nothing to aknowledge it I was sort of bummed about it. oh well. It was magical on it's own anyway so I just focused on that.

I will add in your bookings to the list.

 

[hyperminimalism]

yep, it is expensive but SOOO WONDERFUL!! lol

True! And really not as expensive as it could be considering it's just two adults going. We don't have anyone else accompanying us, and we're not paying for the hotel, which makes me feel less guilty. >:3 Only one month and a little less than one week away!

 

[disneymath]

That Helicopter tour sounds like fun! Enjoy!
<snip>
DH and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary, and I want free dessert!

Very excited for the tour ... it's the only way we'll be seeing any of LA/Hollywood this trip. (So much we want to do, so little time!)

Happy Anniversary ... Sending you good vibes and pixie dust towards some free dessert!

We're not celebrating any birthdays etc. this trip, so I completely didn't notice I couldn't note them when I booked online.

 

[wakica]

Question of the week

PARK FOOTWEAR!
Tell me about your footwear or strategy for keeping your tootsies happy with all that walking.

 

[wakica]

Question of the week

PARK FOOTWEAR!
Tell me about your footwear or strategy for keeping your tootsies happy with all that walking.

ME:
I wear a good pair of runners and take a pair of good flip flop/sandals in my back pack to change into for a portion of the day. I need the support of good running shoes but my feet feel HORRIBLE being cooped up and hot all day so I swap them out for a short time. Even then I usually suffer from shin splints after a few days of park walking. This year I'm building up my walking time so my shins are ready.

DH:
He wears his good runners too and is used to being in them all day so he just wears that and has no problems at all.

DD16:
I don't know. Depends on her mood
Sometimes i can convince her to wear her good running shoes but usually she wants to wear cheap flip flops
Last time she wore flip flops she had someone in a wheelchair roll over one and had to walk out of the park with one bare foot! LOL After 3 days in flip flops she was complaining of a sore heel. I may have gotten her into runners after that. Not sure what she'll do this time. haha - you'd think they would learn but not usually

 

[Rubygoose]

Question of the week

PARK FOOTWEAR!
Tell me about your footwear or strategy for keeping your tootsies happy with all that walking.

My strategy is to bring several pairs of shoes/sandals and switch them up each day. That way they'll rub on different spots. I have a pair of Clarks sandals that I really like that hold up to all of the walking. I also bring a pair of flip flops for the pool deck. Last year in July the ground around the pool at DLH was so hot that it was painful to walk on when going from one pool to the other.

Oh, and I switched my Blue Bayou dinning reservation from Monday to Tuesday (same time) because I realized that Monday is EE at DCA and Tuesday is MM at DL.

 

[zanzibar138]

Question of the week

PARK FOOTWEAR!
Tell me about your footwear or strategy for keeping your tootsies happy with all that walking.

I have always worn my hiking boots with woolen socks and never had any issues. A big pro for them is that they're waterproof, so no squelchy feet after water rides or when it rains/snows (it does snow at DLP!).

However, I have only been to the parks in winter/mild weather. Not sure how comfortable hiking boots will be in summer! I will also have my runners with me though since I'll be there for the run, so I'll see what works when I get there I suppose.

I would never even consider wearing sandals or flip-flops! My feet would be covered in blisters after a few hours. Having said that, I am attending Dapper Day this year, and will be attempting to wear heels (still with a closed toe though) for one night. I'm planning to schedule a table service meal that night, and lots of sit down activities! I'll take a spare pair of flats in my bag to change into when I need to.

 

[Aladora]

Question of the week PARK FOOTWEAR! Tell me about your footwear or strategy for keeping your tootsies happy with all that walking.

I love my Sanuk Yoga sling flip flops and will probably wear those the entire time. DH has a pair of sandals and DS usually wears runners.

As for strategy to keep my feet happy, we always take a mid day break back at the hotel and I usually soak my feet in really cold water.