****Official August 2015 Check-In Thread****

[cgh]

One week until ADR's! I think we are doing all the character meals except for Ariel's (2 boys), Storyteller's, Carthay Circle, Big Thunder Ranch BBQ...We will see.

 

[Aladora]

We have quite a checkin list going! Thanks Aladora for keeping it up.

My pleasure, I just hope I am not stepping on the OP's toes!

We have not yet. we wanted to last year but Napa Rose was closed during our trip which is why we are very excited to try it this year!

Our meal at the chef's counter at Napa Rose ranks as one of my favourite meals ever. We asked the chef to make us whatever she wanted and did the wine flight as well. It was not inexpensive but worth the cost in my opinion.

 

[amyg1975]

I think we will be coming the 1st and 2nd to celebrate my DH's birthday and our anniversary. Still deciding though, because it would mean leaving our DD (3 1/2) at home with the grandparents. Ha ha, don't worry, she has been 4 times so far, and we have another trip booked with her in October. We were Disneyland fanatics before she was born, and we would love to go and do all the adult rides TOGETHER again, and stay out past 9ish.

 

[DLSean22]

Myself, DW and DS (9) will be coming down Aug. 10-15. Our DS (18) chose not to make the trip so this will be the first without both kids. Currently booked at Park Vue Inn. Haven't stayed there before, so hoping I made the right choice. We've stayed at the Red Lion three times and the Desert Palm once in the last four years. Both hotels were decent (free breakfast and within walking distance), but a little further than we want to walk (mainly on the way home after a long day at the parks). I almost bit on the Orbitz 20% off DL hotels deal, but it was still too much of a price difference to justify, especially since we're coming back in November (with Grandma/Grandpa/brother+family). Originally were only going to do the November trip, but decided to bite the bullet and get AP's so we could take a trip later this summer. We may even have to make another one next spring/summer to really take advantage of the AP's. Needless to say, we all love DL and can't wait. One of these days we will take the plunge and book one of the DL hotels, but not this trip.

 

[tiffjoy]

Love the list!

We are staying at the CCI. I had HoJo's booked because of the awesome pool, but with our APs, we will be going every day of our vacation. I thought this might be too much walking back and forth for my five year old, especially with walking back and forth for pool breaks on all day visits. Also, the free breakfast helped sway me. So CCI it is!

 

[Aladora]

Updated!

August 1
cgh Aug 1-6 DLH

August 2
momof4fans Aug 2-8 Park Vue Inn
gerilyne Aug 2-8

August 3
Pixie Dust x3 Aug 3-4 Candy Cane Inn
beachdreamr1229 Aug 3-5 HOJO
Disneyanajc Aug 3-7 PPH

August 4

August 5
Limace Aug 5-11 Camelot

August 6

August 7

August 8

August 9
Elk Grove Chris Aug 9-11 Carousel Inn
czmom Aug 9-14 VGC
jkolkemo Aug 9-16
PatMcDuck Aug 9-16 GCH/PP split

August 10
coloredimage Aug 10-13
Luv_Tink Aug 10-14
Sjwillia Aug 10-14 Best Western Park Place Inn
jlyanks85 Aug 10-15 DLH
DLSean22 - Aug 10-15 PVI
sc426 Aug 10-17 GCH (Leader of the Band)
Halloweenqueen Aug 10-17 Desert Inn

August 11
jhoannam Aug 11-13 Castle Inn
Rubygoose Aug 11-19 HOJO/GCH

August 12

August 13
PlutoJenn Aug 13-16 PVI

August 14
tiffjoy Aug 14-23 CCI

August 15
Golf4food Aug 15-21 HOJO/GCH

August 16
dorchrislen Aug 16-17 Hotel Menage

August 17

August 18
Girlie1 Aug 18-22 VGC

August 19

August 20

August 21
heidica Aug 21-26 BWPPI

August 22
Tinker1972 Aug 22-29 Tropicana
Imdboss Aug 22-28 Embassy Suites S
Rjmdds Aug 22-30 GCH

August 23
Cameo818 Aug 23-27 PPH
Aladora Aug 23-28 DI&S
pinky Aug 23-28 GCH
DnA2010 Aug 23-29 Desert Inn and Suites
wildflower329 Aug 23 or 24-29 Park Vue Inn

August 24

August 25

August 26
DaveNinja Aug 26-31
pattyduke34 Aug 26-31
Ckmommy72 Aug 26-Sep 2

August 27
buttercup14 Aug 27-31

August 28
DWillowBay Aug 28-Sep 4

August 29

August 30

August 31

Unknown dates:
ndpeirce
scubamouse
ixmnrs

 

[amyg1975]

Ok, I did it, we are booked! Got our Disney credit card in the mail today so I booked our flights and bought our premium annual passport (for the first time)!!! So excited. We go on August 1st and 2nd, just the two of us, DD is staying with grandma and grandpa.

 

[Aladora]

Saturday Update!

August 1
amyg1975 Aug 1-2
cgh Aug 1-6 DLH

August 2
momof4fans Aug 2-8 Park Vue Inn
gerilyne Aug 2-8

August 3
Pixie Dust x3 Aug 3-4 Candy Cane Inn
beachdreamr1229 Aug 3-5 HOJO
Disneyanajc Aug 3-7 PPH

August 4

August 5
Limace Aug 5-11 Camelot

August 6

August 7

August 8

August 9
Elk Grove Chris Aug 9-11 Carousel Inn
czmom Aug 9-14 VGC
jkolkemo Aug 9-16
PatMcDuck Aug 9-16 GCH/PP split

August 10
coloredimage Aug 10-13
Luv_Tink Aug 10-14
Sjwillia Aug 10-14 Best Western Park Place Inn
jlyanks85 Aug 10-15 DLH
DLSean22 - Aug 10-15 PVI
sc426 Aug 10-17 GCH (Leader of the Band)
Halloweenqueen Aug 10-17 Desert Inn

August 11
jhoannam Aug 11-13 Castle Inn
Rubygoose Aug 11-19 HOJO/GCH

August 12

August 13
audrey2580 Aug 13-15 GCH
PlutoJenn Aug 13-16 PVI

August 14
tiffjoy Aug 14-23 CCI

August 15
Golf4food Aug 15-21 HOJO/GCH

August 16
dorchrislen Aug 16-17 Hotel Menage

August 17

August 18
Girlie1 Aug 18-22 VGC

August 19

August 20

August 21
heidica Aug 21-26 BWPPI

August 22
Tinker1972 Aug 22-29 Tropicana
Imdboss Aug 22-28 Embassy Suites S
Rjmdds Aug 22-30 GCH

August 23
Cameo818 Aug 23-27 PPH
Aladora Aug 23-28 DI&S
pinky Aug 23-28 GCH
DnA2010 Aug 23-29 Desert Inn and Suites
wildflower329 Aug 23 or 24-29 Park Vue Inn

August 24

August 25

August 26
DaveNinja Aug 26-31
pattyduke34 Aug 26-31
Ckmommy72 Aug 26-Sep 2

August 27
buttercup14 Aug 27-31

August 28
DWillowBay Aug 28-Sep 4

August 29

August 30

August 31

Unknown dates:
ndpeirce
scubamouse
ixmnrs

 

[audrey2580]

I'll be there Aug 13-15 for my son's 11th Birthday
Staying at the Grand.

 

[cgh]

Tomorrow I begin making dining reservations!

 

[gerilyne]

I am so excited, I got my confirmation call back from Napa Rose to do the chef's counter on our arrival day! Napa Rose was closed last year when we went and we are super excited to give it a try!

We aren't doing many ADR's this trip, but this is our first booked!

 

[Aladora]

I am so excited, I got my confirmation call back from Napa Rose to do the chef's counter on our arrival day! Napa Rose was closed last year when we went and we are super excited to give it a try!

We aren't doing many ADR's this trip, but this is our first booked!

You are going to LOVE the chef's counter!

 

[Disneyanajc]

First off...a BIG thank you to Aladora for keeping the list updated

Second...YES! today we purchased our Disneyland ParkHoppers.
Hotel, done .. tickets, done .. working on dinning reservations...

 

[Luv_Tink]

We're about 10 days away from being able to start make dining reservations and I'm trying to get our large group to agree on which days to book the two sit-downs we are planning. I'm hoping for some guidance from you pros, so I can make suggestions on how to plan our days.

Here's the deal, the whole group (12 of us) will be in the parks Tuesday through Thursday and we all have park hoppers with the one magic morning. So first off, which day do we use that magic morning at DL? Keep in mind we have girls in the group who will also want to meet Anna & Elsa, Olaf, and do all the Frozen related stuff and I understand that our best strategy for getting those coveted return tickets would be doing CA rope drop on Tuesday or Thursday.

As for our dining reservations, we are planning to do the Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dinner and Ariel's Grotto Princess Lunch for sure. I just can't seem to wrap my head around how to decide which day to do each of these and it doesn't help that there are no park hours to work with.

 

[jlyanks85]

Can you make dining resverations for August yet? I've checked on the website and it only goes up to August 1st, when I will be there from the 10-15th.

Wanted to make resverations for steakhouse 55, Napa rose and fantasmic package.

 

[Luv_Tink]

Can you make dining resverations for August yet? I've checked on the website and it only goes up to August 1st, when I will be there from the 10-15th.

Wanted to make resverations for steakhouse 55, Napa rose and fantasmic package.

You can make reservations at 60 days out from the date you want to reserve. We plan to call to make ours instead of using the website since we have a large group.

 

[Aladora]

Can you make dining resverations for August yet? I've checked on the website and it only goes up to August 1st, when I will be there from the 10-15th.

Wanted to make resverations for steakhouse 55, Napa rose and fantasmic package.

You can make your Aug 10 reservations on June 11, your Aug 11 on June 12, etc. As far as I know (and someone please correct me if I am wrong!) but unlike WDW where you can make ADRs starting 180 days from the start of your vacation and for 10 days after that (so 180 + 10 days) at DL you can only make them 60 days in advance of the actual reservation date. Since DL reservations are not as hard to get as WDW ones, I usually wait until I can make all of them at once. For your Aug 10-15 dates, you can make reservations for all of your days on June 16th.

Not sure if that made sense, I'm running on 3 1/2 hours of sleep.

I was pointed to this site to help with dates:

PS Calculator

Again, someone please correct me if I am wrong!

 

[Imdboss]

We're about 10 days away from being able to start make dining reservations and I'm trying to get our large group to agree on which days to book the two sit-downs we are planning. I'm hoping for some guidance from you pros, so I can make suggestions on how to plan our days.

Here's the deal, the whole group (12 of us) will be in the parks Tuesday through Thursday and we all have park hoppers with the one magic morning. So first off, which day do we use that magic morning at DL? Keep in mind we have girls in the group who will also want to meet Anna & Elsa, Olaf, and do all the Frozen related stuff and I understand that our best strategy for getting those coveted return tickets would be doing CA rope drop on Tuesday or Thursday.

As for our dining reservations, we are planning to do the Blue Bayou Fantasmic Dinner and Ariel's Grotto Princess Lunch for sure. I just can't seem to wrap my head around how to decide which day to do each of these and it doesn't help that there are no park hours to work with.

Do you have a preference of which park you go to first to start your trip? I like our first day to be at DL. If you want to do DL first then you can use your MM for DL on Tuesday and then be at DCA for rope drop on Thursday or you could flip the two around. I think the day you choose for DCA rope drop is the day I would do Ariel's Grotto. As far as park hours go it's probably safe to say DL will be 8-midnight and DCA will be 8-10pm. I would do BB on a day that you don't plan Ariel's. Good luck rounding up 12 people, that's a big task!

 

[Luv_Tink]

Do you have a preference of which park you go to first to start your trip? I like our first day to be at DL. If you want to do DL first then you can use your MM for DL on Tuesday and then be at DCA for rope drop on Thursday or you could flip the two around. I think the day you choose for DCA rope drop is the day I would do Ariel's Grotto. As far as park hours go it's probably safe to say DL will be 8-midnight and DCA will be 8-10pm. I would do BB on a day that you don't plan Ariel's. Good luck rounding up 12 people, that's a big task!

Good advice. I guess I need the others in our group to let me know which park they want to do first on Tuesday. My family (5 of us) actually arrive on Sunday and will probably spend Monday at DL and possibly park hop to CA. We're leaving it up to the kids to decide our first day since it's a surprise trip for them and we don't have to deal with what everyone else wants to do on that day.

 

[czmom]

Hey everyone!! I am 2 months away from my trip. We won't be at DLR right away as we are visiting San Francisco and Yosemite first. Can't wait!!!

While I am very much excited about Paint the Night, the stories I am reading to get a spot are craziness. Waiting for several hours?!?! No thank you. My kids are only 6 & 8 so we do need to be up front to see, but there is no way we are staking out a spot on Main Street for hours in advance. My plan is just see the parade from back by IASW. Anyone know if the wait time is shorter back there?

We will just stay back by IASW for the fireworks too. Our other DL night we are doing F! so we can watch the fireworks from there. I would love to see them from Main Street but it just sounds insane right now.

Hope your planning is coming along nicely! I have my ADRs ready to go for next week. Yippee!!!