Planning Help Needed!

[vincev33]

Our hours were just posted today for our arrival day of 12/5 and I have a couple of quetions for you DL vets out there. This is a surprise trip for DW and we will only be in DL for 1 1/2 days then we head to Vegas for a few days. Our flight lands at LAX at 11:00am and I was hoping to take the DLE, check in at DLH and be in the parks by 2:00. Do you think it will take longer? Since this is a surprise trip for her birthday I also wanted to start the trip off right with a nice dinner at Blue Bayou. The problem is that the parade is at 5:30 and the fireworks at 7:30. Can we squeeze in something between there? I originally made reservations for 7, but was thinking that I would move it up because that would be 9 our time. I am now thinking that a sit down resturaunt might eat too much time up and we should jsut eat at a counter somewhere. This is our first trip to DL, but we are WDW vets who go every other year during free dining. So we are very use to one sit down a day, but I don't think that will work for this trip. I do also have a WOC dinner package booked for day 2 and Storytellers breakfast before DW's SPA morning at GC and our departure on day 3 (not going to the parks before we leave). Thoughts? I am now regreting only the two days...
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[mydisneymoney]

The last time we flew into LAX we arrived at 1:45 (on a Saturday) and had to wait for luggage. We rented a car and had to shuttle to the car lot (all car lots are off site). We drove to the GCH from LAX which took about 50 minutes due to some heavy traffic areas, parked the car, checked in and headed to the CA. I think it was about 4pm by the time we made it into CA.

I think if you make your reservations for 6pm, make sure you watch the parade from the Adventure land side of the park, you can leave the parade and go to your sit down dinner and get out in time to watch the fireworks. However, you may not get a prime viewing area for the fireworks but none the less, you should be done in time to watch them.

 

[vincev33]

Thanks mydisneymoney! I feel better about the 3 hours I alloted to get from LAX to DL now. I think we will only have carry on bags so we should be ok in 3 hours or less. I appreciate the feedback on the times betwen the parade and fireworks. I just noticed on the web site that there is also a show at IASW right before close. I am going to have to skip something..
Just not sure what I want to skip! I want us to do it all!

 

[cypressmom]

We flew into LAX on Wednesday, Oct 12th and arrived at 9:24am. We were in the front of the plane and did not check luggage. We walked to the DLE pick-up location and realized we missed the 9:30 shuttle by just a few minutes. We got on the 10:00 shuttle and were at the GCH by 10:40. We checked in, and were at Naples in DTD by 10:55 - they opened at 11:00. We had lunch and were in the parks by noon.

 

[ArchOwl]

I can't really comment on the airport arrival timing, but I did want to say that you shouldn't really go out of your way to watch the Magic, the Memories and You! that projects on IASW. It is a short show that is cool to watch, but nothing as exciting as WOC or the fireworks. So if it happens that you are there when it is going on, watch it. But for folks low on time, I don't think you should re-arrange your schedule for it.

Blue Bayou is a tough call. It is an absolute killer atmosphere, very romantic. But the food is really nothing special. So if you are doing it because it is so cool to be inside POTC and you really want to experience that, then do it. If you are going because of the food, I wouldn't. It is pricey for only mid range food, but it does have the best ambiance in the parks. So do what you think you and your DW would like best.

If you squeeze BB in between the parade and fireworks, you most likely will not get a prime spot for fireworks. You can still see the fireworks, you just won't have the best spot for them. Since you have such a limited time, a sit down place might not be the best idea for you.

I don't know if you are interested, but since you won't be getting to Disneyland until later in the day, it might be worth your time to book the Holiday Time Tour. The tour is 2 1/2 hours I think, but you get priority boarding on IASW and HMH, and actual seating (in real chairs) for the Christmas parade. Since you could easily burn up 2 hours riding those two rides (if FPs were no longer available for HMH) and saving seating for the parade, it might be something you are interested in. You get a special tour of the Christmas decorations, a special pin, and a warm beverage and snack. If you did this instead of BB, you could grab dinner at a counter somewhere and then snag a spot for the fireworks. And it would be something special you could do together that would have you exploring the parks and seeing the parade. Just an idea...

 

[vincev33]

Thanks cypressmom! I feel better about the arrival time as long as the plane gets in on time!

Archowl -thanks! That's a great idea! I was considering BB because of the atmosphere. I like the idea of the tour, but will have to read up on it more. Do you have a good link handy? I can probably find something on the boards here.
Thanks again!

 

[GenGen22]

I think when you don't have a lot of time in the park sometimes it's better to do a cs meal as opposed to a ts meal. With that siad I would like to suggest Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante. They have mexican food and a cool patio seating that's nice. We ate here on New Years because we had an ADR in DTD and had to miss it because the park was at max capacity and if we went to dinner at DTD we would be locked out for New Years. Anyhow, I loved the outdoor patio area with the christmas lights hanging all about and the food was good too and they have heat lamps so, you don't freeze.

Heres a like to the restaurant: http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/rancho-del-zocalo-restaurante/

Menus: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/dining/menus-detail.cfm?restaurant.ID=523

 

[princesskayla]

I don't know if you are interested, but since you won't be getting to Disneyland until later in the day, it might be worth your time to book the Holiday Time Tour. The tour is 2 1/2 hours I think, but you get priority boarding on IASW and HMH, and actual seating (in real chairs) for the Christmas parade. Since you could easily burn up 2 hours riding those two rides (if FPs were no longer available for HMH) and saving seating for the parade, it might be something you are interested in. You get a special tour of the Christmas decorations, a special pin, and a warm beverage and snack. If you did this instead of BB, you could grab dinner at a counter somewhere and then snag a spot for the fireworks. And it would be something special you could do together that would have you exploring the parks and seeing the parade. Just an idea...

I second the Holiday Time Tour. IASW and HM are two if the "must sees" for WDW vets, plus you get special seating. Other must sees - POTC, Indiana Jones, and I would also plan time to get to CA to see Aladdin. Aladdin is well worth your time!

I will chime in on the DL Express. I will never take it again. I had a horrible experience. I got to LAX at 8:02, waited around to 9 to catch the next bus. I was on the bus at 9:00am and we did not leave the airport until 9:50. I kid you not. I was fuming. The bus driver took his sweet time. We arrived at DLH at 10:55. Then someone got on the bus at DLH and took our money. At about 11:20 when we still hadn't left DLH - I asked the bus driver how much longer until we got to my hotel (Hojo's) he said it would be another 45 to 60 mins! I promptly got off the bus and walked from DLH to HoJo's. By the time I checked in at the hotel and got back to the park it was 12:30. Not the way I wanted to spend the only day I had at the park (I was there solo on a business trip) Based on my experience, I would take a cab. You don't have to schedule anything, you don't have to wait on anyone and you go straight to your hotel. It may cost a little more, but you get the pieace of mind that you are not stuck on bus if you get into a situation like me. Given that you have such a short amount of time, time is money. Even when I go with my family in 9 days...we are taking a cab. Just my 2 cents.

 

[vincev33]

Thanks Gen Gen for the CS recomendation! I am still very torn. I know that eating a TS will eat up some time, but BB looks so cool!

Thanks princesskayla! Sorry to hear about your bad experience on DLE. I have read on these boards that there was a copy cat company using smaller buses and vans pretending to be DLE. I am going to stick with it because it is not until that big bus pulls up with Disneyland on the side that my wife will know where we are going. I am hoping since when we come in it will be every half hour as well. Thanks for the list of must sees!
I love the idea of the tour, but at over 2 hours it will be a tough one to pull off. I need to find out more. If I do the tour I will definately cancel BB which I am assuming will be an hour.

 

[ArchOwl]

Archowl -thanks! That's a great idea! I was considering BB because of the atmosphere. I like the idea of the tour, but will have to read up on it more. Do you have a good link handy? I can probably find something on the boards here.
Thanks again!

Hey, I think you already found this link, but here it is: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2820066

The Holiday Time Tour information is there. I am not sure what times will be available for your dates, but you can definitely call and ask. Factor into the tour time that you will have minimal to no waiting for Haunted Mansion Holiday, IASW, and getting a good spot for the parade (front seats with chairs if you do the tour). That means you will only have to stake out a spot for the fireworks.

I know you and your DW will have so much fun whatever you decide. Happy planning!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! The Holiday Tour!!!