Our VIP day with a "Plaid"

Beautiful view from your room!!! I'm after that exact view. Can you share the room number (s). Any night time shots?

They were adjoining rooms 4341 and 4343. 4341 Has the bunk beds. I don't have a nighttime shot but it was beautiful!
 
After TSMM the kids rode the King Triton carousel a million times.





And I stood by the pier - which has some closed off dock areas to re-do the rot in the pier from water damage, don't know how they never figured that would happen- and watched people's faces on California Screamin' when they shoot off...it never gets old :)



One strange thing I noticed is a CM at a podium with a long line. It turns out they were people with Disability Passes that apparently have to check in to pick the next ride they want to ride? That was what I basically overheard in the conversations.

Anyway, this is a good time to spoil people's love of those giant "Turkey Legs" - The rumor is they're actually Emu Legs and I pretty much confirmed it with our PGD. She said "I'm not allowed to tell you exactly what they are, and have you ever seen turkey's with giant legs walking around?". I was already kinda grossed out by them but now everytime I see someone chowing one I cringe. :snooty:

After the kids got dizzy on the carousel, we had reservations at Aladdin. I've always skipped it because I saw it 10yrs ago in DL and just figured it was a waste of time. But,
1. Mandie INSISTED that we would love it
2. It was a 45 minute break from walking/standing
3. Grace loves the movie and Mandie promised great seats.

Gina decided to take Jack Jack to CarsLand since he missed it on his nap and the rest of us walked into the Hyperion Premium seating area. I never knew the Hyperion was so big!

Here's a good tip for watching Aladdin, sit as close to the exits as possible. You know how on Star Tours and Captain E0 you pick the best seat in the middle, then the CM comes in and tells you all to shift ALL THE WAY to the left?! Well if you sit in the first 5 rows on either the far left or the far right you wont' have to shift. And if you sit in the first row of the side seats there are only 3 seats and the 2nd and 3rd rows have 5 seats if I remember correctly.

Sitting in the first row is GREAT for the kids. When Aladdin arrives on the elephant he got eye contact with Grace and Natalia and I think they might have swooned. :rotfl: And when the dancers come off stage they stop and touch the first row, it makes such an interactive show.(And if your little one needs to leave to go to the bathroom as mine did then you don't disrupt the whole show)

Interesting Facts from Mandi:
1. There is no flying carpet working right now during that scene because it kept being wobbly and a few weeks ago the girl playing Jasmine
screamed during a performance "I'm going to die" and was promptly fired.
2. The Aladdin cast is unionized. Only those actors and the bands playing around the parks are unionized.
3. There are 2 groups that perform Aladdin 3x a day each. And none of the actors were selected to move on the the Broadway play of Aladdin.
4. There are 3 different genies and Mandie says all 3 are great so you're almost guaranteed to love the play.
5. When they ask you not to use flash photography during the show it's not just because it ruins it for everyone, it really is for safety reason for the cast as they get literally blinded by flashes of light from the dark arena.

After Aladdin, we realized that none of us got phone service in the "backstage" area and couldn't text or call Gina to meet us. So I had to walk all the way to the Mad Tea Party stage to text her and let her know to meet us at Monster's Inc ride. Weird :sad2:

The line was stretched around the stage for the ride and there is no fast pass. As we went in the exit Mandie said this ride always has a long line due to it being a slow moving ride. The CM's are often complaining that it needs to be sped up a bit (I agree, the kids were bored).

We then took PP pics with Jake and got autographs then ran into see Crush. Your PGD can speak to the CM running that show and they will call your kid's name out and ask them something related to them - which is AMAZINGLY cool, yet creepy if you aren't already aware. :goodvibes

We met up with Gina and the whole group hustled over to TSMM to see if we could beat Mandie's score.







For some reason Grace got the hang of this and managed to get 9,900 points on her own! I tried to use Mandie's secret to getting mass points but didn't hit it. Mandie got 525,000 which was the high of the day and it was 6pm! :cool1:
 
Mandie said she wanted to take a picture with "her kids" so we almost managed to get all 3 to look at the camera at the same time. This picture actually sums up how our kids always are: Jack Jack often has his finger in his nose, Natalia is always posing for the camera, and Grace is usually distracted by something shiny.





Then we realized we never got a picture with all of us: (Grace is still looking at shiny things and Jack Jack is looking at Mandie like he's sad we're leaving her soon)



Here's a random pic of Sharon following Mandie, I just liked the sunlight in it:



We then walked over to Boudin Bakery to get the Shrimp Louis Salads. Did I mention we get the bread on the side? That way you get the entire salad, but they give you the whole loaf of bread in plastic and you can save it for later and it's not soggy. Genius, right?! I also get the dressing on the side because I love the take an inside piece of the bread, put a big of dressing and horseradish (which they have out front of the bakery) and add the salad. It's my favorite meal at DCA. Also, we ask for butter on the side then later during show's you have a nice big loaf of bread and butter to snack on.

Then we went back to Ariel and on the way the Phineus and Ferb show was going on in front and Mandie hysterically walks up and starts doing all the moves out of nowhere :banana: It was so funny. When it was over she high-fived the dancers and said to us "You think I've seen this a few times?"

Sadly, by this time Mandie was going to have to leave us after 8 grueling hours of walking in high heels :laughing:

She gave me a paper that had our Fantasmic reservation time and Fireworks times listed and a few open Fast Passes. I've gotten these before but they usually say "Not Valid for World of Color or Radiator Springs" but these said "Available on any ride in Disneyland or DCA" which was really cool. We all gave hugs and thank yous (and tipped her $150 cash which she was so grateful for) and sadly watched our special lady leave. She really was kind and sweet and informative and most of all, patient!

Mom and Aunty Sharon decided to use their FP on Soarin and Gina and I took the kids over to DL to do some shopping. We bought the new black and white Beauty and the Beast tea sets and the vintage glasses and had them sent to the room (another perk of staying onsite! Not having to carry ANY purchases.) I later was dissapointed to learn that none of the items, either glass or acrylic were dishwasher safe.

Our Fireworks reservation was 9:30 and Fantasmic at 10:30 so we eventually went back to the room to change for nighttime and grab glow bracelets that I bought at Michael's and brought for the kids. I always pre-buy the glow bracelets and the kids LOVE them and they cost about $1 for 10 bracelets. It's a good idea because the kids can have as many as they want and lose them or drop them and it's not a big deal.

On the way to the Fireworks we saw Mickey and no line, we later noticed Grace has her hand in a naughty spot :rotfl:



The VIP seating for the Fireworks is in front of the DLRR and they set up some benches with ropes around them.



Grace and Natalia sat in the front row directly facing the castle, there is NO better place to see the fireworks- we were very impressed! They do let people stand behind the roped off area though so if you go early enough you can wait up there and get the same view standing.



Another hint: We always bring headphones for the kids to block the noise. Their little ears just can't take it!



Grace loved seeing Dumbo fly and my Mom cried from joy watching Grace sing along and be so happy.

I forgot to mention that we saw Plaid Chris (Malcon10t's fav guide) whom we know and asked if we could ride the Lillian Belle over to Fantasmic. He got on of the DLRR conductors to come over and we explained that we forgot to reserve it earlier. She said we were in luck and it had been running all day so they would hold it for us when the fireworks were over. Cool!!

Natalia started to lose it so Mom and Aunty Sharon and Natty rode the train in the regular seats and we rode in luxury. It really is a tiny car and narrow. It's also bumpy, but Gina said she got how it must have felt so luxurious to guests.
Sorry the pic of Grace is sideways but it shows how narrow the car is:







The Lillian Belle conductor - yes there is a separate conductor- gave us all tickets to be able to ride it again next time we come to Disneyland.



He said they usually give one to the group but he gave us 8! And each ticket is good for a group...score, this is how happy I was because my DH wants to ride it oneday!



We got over to New Orleans Square and grabbed popcorn and hot chocolates. We checked in with Plaid Chris who somehow had gotten over there that fast and walked in the VIP area which is huge. It's sitting on the steps next to the Dessert Package seats and one row behind people sitting on the ground. FANTASTIC FANTASMIC!

We had the area to ourselves, but when I've sat here before there are always other people but everyone is really respectful about space and sitting not standing.





We had about 15 minutes before show start time so I ran Grace over to ride POTC, which had just re-opened. There was no line and the CM told me the ride is 12 minutes long - 17 minutes with boarding and unboarding. We decided to ride it anyway. When we dashed out of the exit F! had just started and we raced back to our seats.
The show was having technical difficulties and was really much more violent and louder than I remember, I was glad the kids had headphones on.

We waited around until the crowd dispersed and chatted with Plaid Chris until Jack Jack announced he wanted to go "Ni-nights"

 
Those are really cool things about Aladdin. Hearing some of those things makes me actually want to try Aladdin when I'm out there next month. I thought it was all the same cast for those shows over the course of a day and not different casts.
 

Awesome!!! Loving reading your TR :goodvibes

Eww about the turkey legs! I'm not a fan and have never had one. It grosses me out to see others eating one too. LOL.

Love all the photos too! Thank you for sharing :thumbsup2
 
Amazing adventure! HAve a quick question on this. Let's say you meet your guide first thing in the morning and she guides you for 8 hours (putting you at ~5PM). Do they still book the reserved sections for Fantasmic/WoC/fireworks/parade - even though they're still not with you? Or do you need to make sure you arrange the schedule to include those showtimes?
 
Amazing adventure! HAve a quick question on this. Let's say you meet your guide first thing in the morning and she guides you for 8 hours (putting you at ~5PM). Do they still book the reserved sections for Fantasmic/WoC/fireworks/parade - even though they're still not with you? Or do you need to make sure you arrange the schedule to include those showtimes?

The great thing is you schedule your times and they don't have to be with you for any shows or events, just to be the Human Fast Pass for the rides.

We had Mandie from 10am to 6pm because we knew the kids are slow risers and wanted to have room service and take our time getting ready. But you could request them to meet you for Magic Morning or at the park opening if you didn't want to wait in the horrendously long line to get in the parks. They have a private entrance and you don't have to wait to enter or exit (You DO have to wait at the bag check if you walk in from DD though).
It's a great idea if you're wanting to do Anna & Elsa and don't want to hope that your Plaid knows the CM working there because you can walk in the separate entrance and be the first in the park to get in line for the M&G.

Mandie left us at around 6:30 and we didn't do Fireworks and F! until 9:30pm. We had the option to do World of Color but couldn't run between the parks.

They will just book your reservation for the times you want to do any shows or F! or Fireworks or WOC and you check in with the VIP Plaids that are working those shows. Also, they can book you for Aladdin or Muppets or Golden Horseshoe, etc and not be with you.

They also will book you day of meal reservations and can pretty much guarantee them. Since Mom and Aunty Sharon had done the Chef's Table the night before they weren't really in the mood to eat too much the next day at the park so we didn't book Carthay like we normally would.
 
They have a private entrance and you don't have to wait to enter or exit (You DO have to wait at the bag check if you walk in from DD though).
I'm slow. Do you mean that if you bring a bag, you need to go through the normal gates? Or that no matter what, you go through the bag check area and THEN you get met by the concierge who takes you in through a separate entrance?

Mandie left us at around 6:30 and we didn't do Fireworks and F! until 9:30pm. We had the option to do World of Color but couldn't run between the parks.

They will just book your reservation for the times you want to do any shows or F! or Fireworks or WOC and you check in with the VIP Plaids that are working those shows. Also, they can book you for Aladdin or Muppets or Golden Horseshoe, etc and not be with you.

They also will book you day of meal reservations and can pretty much guarantee them. Since Mom and Aunty Sharon had done the Chef's Table the night before they weren't really in the mood to eat too much the next day at the park so we didn't book Carthay like we normally would.

Wow. That in itself is such a benefit. For clarification, is there a separate WoC area like you described for Fantasmic (the steps below the dessert seating)? Or are you in the general Dinner reserved area? We have a 3 yo and I've heard the horror stories of even adults who don't show up way early not seeing. Not a deal breaker, but wanting to understand the values offered.
 
I'm slow. Do you mean that if you bring a bag, you need to go through the normal gates? Or that no matter what, you go through the bag check area and THEN you get met by the concierge who takes you in through a separate entrance?


Wow. That in itself is such a benefit. For clarification, is there a separate WoC area like you described for Fantasmic (the steps below the dessert seating)? Or are you in the general Dinner reserved area? We have a 3 yo and I've heard the horror stories of even adults who don't show up way early not seeing. Not a deal breaker, but wanting to understand the values offered.

You're not slow - I'm bad at explaining and typing fast :goodvibes
We were staying at GCH and decided to start at DL instead of DCA so we met Mandie at GCH and had to walk through DD and through the bag check area for the DL esplanade. The line was about 6-8mins long. Then to get into the park we went into a separate side line where we didn't wait at all. If you meet your guide at GCH and want to go into DCA you still have to wait in that line to show your bags and walk in as well. This is because the Plaid has to open and have their bags searched as well. So it's probably best to meet your Plaid at the esplanade in front of the gate of whichever park you want to go into and they will take you to a side gate/line where you won't have to wait to get into that park.

There IS a separate WoC area, but I've never done it. When you call to do your itinerary they will let you know where it is. I did the WoC dinner seating area twice before with my then 2 1/2yr old and never had an issue though so I think it's subjective to the day.
 
Beautiful view from your room!!! I'm after that exact view. Can you share the room number (s). Any night time shots?

By the way, here are some views from the Park View Rooms we usually request that overlook Paradise Pier and are a stone's throw from Goofy's Sky School. I forgot to mention we chose not to get these this time because it was Grad Night at PP and we didn't want to risk hearing that noise ALL NIGHT (even though the patio doors are pretty sound proof). But we normally request THESE Park View Rooms (Mom, Grace and I in December) :









Grace loves to fall asleep to the Mickey Mouse (Death) Wheel, it stays lit for about 2 hours after the park closes :love:





And it's lovely to wake up to this view (baby girl not included :rotfl2:) :





And you have access to the 6th floor World of Color viewing patio which looks like this:



 
That's an amazing view and your DD is so cute! I think I will start buying a lottery ticket every week and if I win, I will wake up to a view like that! :)
 
So, here's the end. Thanks for following along! I just wanted to do a quick TR on a VIP tour so anyone pondering it would know what to expect and feel free to ask any questions. We're going to do it again in August!

All the kids slept well and around 9am I took the 3 of them down to Storyteller Cafe in their bathing suits to have breakfast since it's literally right across from the pool.

I was sad to see you can't order off the regular menu for breakfast anymore, it's only full brunch. So be aware that you only pay about $5 more to have it in your room for room service!

There are never any great character's there and it's a small space but the food is good (much much much better than Goofy's Kitchen with it's greasy assortments, but GK has WAY better characters) and the picky kids all found something to eat. We went over to the pool and grabbed the complimentary life jackets and G and Natalia waded in the shallow part of the big pool.





Gina then took Grace and Jack Jack into DL to get their sillhouettes done while Natalia and I had "coffees" by the pool with Aunty Sharon and Mom. Mom and Sharon had chorizo quesadilla and breakfast ham quiche from White Water Snacks and said they were good.

Grace at the DLRR


We all went back and showered and bathed and checked out since we had requested late check out. There IS a shower by the pool and you can use the gym showers and lockers if you check out but we were leaving early so we just used the rooms.

We all said our goodbye's since Gina, Sharon, Jack Jack and Natalia were flying earlier than us. They waited at the convenient spot for the Disneyland Express and Mom, Grace and I went over to the Disneyland Hotel to shop in the store that always has something they don't at World of Disney or the park stores. It's right next to Goofy's Kitchen and I don't know the name but it used to be the Lobby Sundries store if you remember that from the old Disneyland Hotel. Right next to the old DLH Cafe....
Anyway, we found some cute stuff, including a coffee mug with the 2014 Disneyland Calendar motif on it! And a few shirts for Grace that they didn't have in the park.

We wandered over to Trader Sam's to sit outside and I ordered my favorite Ahi Poke Tuna (only $12!!!) and Panko Green Beans and Grace and I shared a virgin Pina Colada. It's good to know that you can use the DLH pool while staying at GCH and vice versa. But we had to leave in a few hours and didn't want to get re-wet.





Our last meal and it was time to go back to reality...
 
That's an amazing view and your DD is so cute! I think I will start buying a lottery ticket every week and if I win, I will wake up to a view like that! :)

Thank you! The view is totally worth the upgrade price. My DD gets SO happy waving at people on GSS and just sitting out on the patio and having breakfast with the sounds and smells of DCA (think churros and corn dogs - yummy) and If you can swing going during the week or off season those room are only about $500/night. It sounds ridiculous compared to an off-site but I find that if I factor it into our budget and just ignore the other prices, then I can make it happen pixiedust:
 
Thank you! The view is totally worth the upgrade price. My DD gets SO happy waving at people on GSS and just sitting out on the patio and having breakfast with the sounds and smells of DCA (think churros and corn dogs - yummy) and If you can swing going during the week or off season those room are only about $500/night. It sounds ridiculous compared to an off-site but I find that if I factor it into our budget and just ignore the other prices, then I can make it happen pixiedust:

Okay... I'm going to do it! I'm going low-budget for our upcoming November trip, and I'm going to splurge big-time on our spring trip - including that amazing view and a VIP tour! I'm going to take your advice and just budget it and not think about it again. Thank you so much for sharing all of this, MommyJKM! It will be the best trip ever! ::MickeyMo
 
Thanks for taking the time to write your Trip Report, it was super helpful! :thumbsup2

Those kiddos are all adorable!!
 
By the way, here are some views from the Park View Rooms we usually request that overlook Paradise Pier and are a stone's throw from Goofy's Sky School. I forgot to mention we chose not to get these this time because it was Grad Night at PP and we didn't want to risk hearing that noise ALL NIGHT (even though the patio doors are pretty sound proof). But we normally request THESE Park View Rooms (Mom, Grace and I in December) :

We've stayed in those view rooms and done WOC from the viewing balcony. It's probably the second favorite view I'd say for what we want ... the one looking into DCA at grizzly peak being #1.
 
Okay... I'm going to do it! I'm going low-budget for our upcoming November trip, and I'm going to splurge big-time on our spring trip - including that amazing view and a VIP tour! I'm going to take your advice and just budget it and not think about it again. Thank you so much for sharing all of this, MommyJKM! It will be the best trip ever! ::MickeyMo

Are you still going in November??
 













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