On a whim, booked today--leave SUNDAY!

[hightown]

Spent a few hours at Disneyland 30 years ago! So basicaly, I'm a newbie. Daughter (9) who was shocked to death at the news! The look on her face was 'priceless'. We leave 3/2. Come back 3/6. So I don't know where to start with questions. Here's a few:

Should I make any special requests for room assignments in advance (disneyland hotel). I know there are three buildings. What are the recommendations for convience.

The hotel can set me up with tranportation to Universial Studios right? Assume there's some sort of bus that can be arranged.

If we do only one character breakfast, what's the best for food quality and characters?

We're just getting into pins. Do you just go to the pin sales carts and ask for any new releases or special LE?

Any other special tips or recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>You're going to be pleasantly surprised at all the changes at the resort.

Here is a map of the Disneyland Hotel. I've stayed in the Marina and Bonita Towers.

The Sierra is probably the closest to the entrance of Downtown Disney, and you need to walk through Downtown Disney to get to the Disneyland and California Adventure parks. There is an entrance to the monorail on the other side of ESPN Zone (next to the Rainforest Cafe that you don't see here).

The views from the Marina will give you the parking structure to the north, and the resort (pool, etc) to the south. The Sierra will give you a view of Downtown Disney & parks to the east, and the resort to the west. The Bonita Tower will give you a view of pine trees & waterfalls at the resort , with a glimpse of the Grand Californian, Downtown Disney, and the Matterhorn to the north, and a parking lot and the city to the south (in my opinion, this is the least preferred view.)

I would imagine that the best views would be from the Sierra Tower, although we were very pleased with our room & location. You can see more pictures of the Disneyland Hotel at the following link. I'll try & upload more later:

In the view # option to the left (after you click on the link), choose 24 pictures so you don't have to toggle between the two pages.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=561&thumb=1

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>Here's a link regarding character dining ...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=329164

 

[hightown]

THANK YOU, MJ!

That's terrific

Sharon

 

[NHLFAN]

Most pin carts have a frame displaying the new releases...but it's also good to ask.
There is a pin cart in DTD across from Lego (close to RainForest Cafe).

For big selections of pins check out the Premier shop in Tommorowland , Greetings just inside the gate in DCA and World of Disney in DTD.

For Pin trading ask about the "Super Traders" who cruise the parks but have set hours at Premeir and Greetings pin carts.

 

[hightown]

Thanks NHLFAN, That's very helpful!

Sharon

 

[funnygarcia]

perfect time to go if you want any special pins- the first weekend of the month they have a pin free w $15 purchase.
They are usually mini pins and they are a set theme for each month-- you can trade and get the rest of the series.
We managed to trade for every pin in a winnie the pooh series during our last visit in October. (bought the first pin in the series on trip in May

Gee and I thought I had last minute planning (2 weeks out)- have fun!! Ours is still a suprise for the kids .. they have no clue we are going on the 8th!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>Surprise visits are so much fun.

Another pin idea you might want to consider. Over in Tomorrowland you can 'make your own pin.' There are a few different backgrounds, and then little characters. You can choose whatever character available to go on the appropriate background.

A perfect one for my dd & her friend was a camping background where you can put two characters - we went camping last summer, so I surprised them with the camping background & a Pooh and Tigger in each pin - they are total Pooh & Tigger fans, as you can see in this photo:

<img width=550 src=http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/data/561/7poohntigger.JPG>

They have their pins on their backpack straps (that they wear backwards) - that is how they dress everytime we go.

 

[hightown]

Great info, guys....

Funnygarcia, Is the spend $15 free pin at certain shops in parks or resort giftshops too? Where is the best bet for trading for the others in the series? Castmembers or independant traders?

Mary Jo, your tip will be great for us if they happen to have Chip and Dale. Those are my DD's favorites. Even if not, that sounds like a really cool special pin. Cute picture!

Surprises are fun. I was feeling somewhat sick all day Monday after booking with the $ but once I told Callie and saw her face, excitement set in.


Sharon

 

[funnygarcia]

The $15 free pin w purchase is INSIDE the parks.. NOT at the resort hotels or the DTD cart or world of Disney.

Get them at the pin carts inside DL and DCA. We had better luck getting the pin w purchase in DCA as DL ran out very quickly. We asked on a Monday and they still had them. ( 1st Sunday of the month is the free day).

I do my trades with Cast members - independent traders are looking for specific pins and I usually buy clearance ones from the Disney store for trading.. I just picked up a bunch at my local store for .61 each!! These are the old blue back card 12 months of magic series. The black card back of musical memories are $1 a piece with the music playing ones at $2.
As another poster said .. find a Super trader- this is a CM with a vest on - tons of pins to choose from and very knowledgeable.

They do have a kids trading area in the Tomorrowland pin shop - and the cool build a pins there too!!

OHHHHh- and if you have an AP you can get free dining pins w purchase. Sorry can't remember which locations for those - and it is a $20 purchase. Disney Club did have its own series of pins for purchase at the tomorrowland shop - not sure if that continued.
There were special AP pins at any of the carts/shops too- but again not sure if they still do that.

Pins are addicting!!

HAVE FUN!!

 

[hightown]

Your tips are really getting me more excited....

We did catch the 75% off sale at the Disney store and bought a lot because we'll probably go back to wdw this november. So we have a good stock of traders! Unfortunately between my daughter and I, we don't want to part with quite a few that we bought! LOL

We don't have APs but do still have valid Disney Club card. We'll look for D card pins too!

After our first trip to the World (11/99) we collected all (but one) of the Millinium pin series. Then stopped collecting anything else. We do still have some duplicates (triplicates) of those and thought those might entice the independant traders and get us something good in return.

It will be fun!

 

[NHLFAN]

YES...

You can still buy the (3) Disney Club pins at Premier and Greetings...

A new Disney Club pin was release last week (2/18/02) while we were there and alot of people (new traders?) kept asking "How do you join the Disney Club?".

Here's the picture from PinPics of the new Fantasmic Mickey Club Pin: