Please help plan our trip :)

[smercerdiemont]

We are going Jan. 27- Feb. 2 and staying at the Disneyland Hotel, 5 days in the park, traveling with DS (16), DD (9) and LDD (3) who will be celebrating her birthday in the park. I have booked hotel through Getaway, and bought our tickets through LMT. I will be purchasing Maxpass as well. I plan on making dining reservations starting Nov. 29th (60 days in advanced), making a touring (plan of attack using Disneyland Daily's plan) for two days in DL and two in CA with 5th day a slow day with Character dinning in the morning, and maybe BBB for my 3 year old. Bringing a dreaded stroller due to 3 yr old's health, and a backpack for DH and for DS for snacks and refillable water bottles. I would love any advice or anything I might be missing, best places to eat, a good touring plan, how to best utilize Magic Morning, ect. I really want to do a Fantastic dinning package, but still don't see calendars for next year. Thank you all so much for any help that you can offer, I really hope to make this a magic trip for my three year old since it is her first visit, birthday and we are celebrating that her health is better.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Sounds like you’re all set! My tip (2&3 yo were there in March) is go with the flow. If the baby needs to sleep in someone stays with her and the other parent can go start Disneyland daily’s plan with the big kids.

We were in the parks about 5 hours total a day. Spent lots of time in our room even though 3 yo doesn’t nap. We had 5 days. Traveling with older and younger kids will be verrrry challenging! Take it as it goes. I wish I had taken it slower and not checked off all the rides I wanted the kids to watch.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Oh...my fave restaurants are...
French Market
Bengal bbq

Award wieners (veggie sandwich)
Board walk pizza & pasta

Use online ordering when possible.

 

[smercerdiemont]

Thank you!! I am hoping that dd can take a nap in the afternoon and dh can take the older two to the bigger rides, and then we can switch the next day. I have heard that the Bengal BBQ is amazing, I will have to look up the menus of the other places you suggested

 

[smartlabelprint]

I like allears menus. Google it.

Jolly holiday is pretty good if you like cheese and bread. Lol. I always get grilled cheese sandwiches there.

Dole whip rum floats in Disneyland hotel are on my list for 3 weeks from now.

Plaza inn. Many like the fried chicken. Dh likes it. I don’t like the pasta there.

Blue Bayou if you want an expensive experience. We’ve done it the past few trips. Skipping this time.

I really enjoyed the WOC dessert party if its back up when you come. Maybe the older kids can babysit a sleeping baby one evening for you. Dh stayed with kids while I went with my sis.

You may like the cozy cones. I *love their chili*. I’ll be back.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Don't forget to get buttons for your family (First Visit and Birthday for DD3 and Celebrating for everyone else). Wear them proudly! The buttons should be available at City Hall, Chamber of Commerce, most shop registers, and possibly at the DLH front desk. If you are interested in ordering a custom birthday cake which can be delivered to any TS restaurant on site, that can be ordered through Disney Dining. There is a thread on this forum about Disneyland cakes -- the more recent posts have photos and pricing information.

 

[smercerdiemont]

Don't forget to get buttons for your family (First Visit and Birthday for DD3 and Celebrating for everyone else). Wear them proudly! The buttons should be available at City Hall, Chamber of Commerce, most shop registers, and possibly at the DLH front desk. If you are interested in ordering a custom birthday cake which can be delivered to any TS restaurant on site, that can be ordered through Disney Dining. There is a thread on this forum about Disneyland cakes -- the more recent posts have photos and pricing information.

Thank you so much for this info! I totally forgot about buttons. I am going to find that thread now, I bet dd would be so excited about a birthday cake.

 

[smercerdiemont]

Bumping for some questions - is BBB worth it for littlest dd? Should I buy a dress for her from the Disney store before hand or is that even an option? Is the DLH pools heated? Where can I buy Character Dining tickets for January? When will I be able to see the calendar for January? I am trying to figure out when Fantasmic and parades will be, will they be everyday/night? How do I maximize our Magic Morning hours throughout the week? Does the Monorail allow us to go straight into the park in the mornings? I have been searching this site for most of these answers but I feel like some of the information is outdated? Please help!

 

[smartlabelprint]

BBB will be worth it for my daughter. She is a *princess*. DH said next trip she has to go. (Just 3 now. ) eye roll. It’s not my cup of tea!

 

[smartlabelprint]

Bumping for some questions - is BBB worth it for littlest dd? Should I buy a dress for her from the Disney store before hand or is that even an option? Is the DLH pools heated? Where can I buy Character Dining tickets for January? When will I be able to see the calendar for January? I am trying to figure out when Fantasmic and parades will be, will they be everyday/night? How do I maximize our Magic Morning hours throughout the week? Does the Monorail allow us to go straight into the park in the mornings? I have been searching this site for most of these answers but I feel like some of the information is outdated? Please help!

Yes, you can buy your dress beforehand. JCPenney and amazon even have them.
yes, i'm sure the pools are heated. But they're not spa warm, just not freezing!
Get away today should have dining tickets. You only save about $5 so I just buy inline at disney, personally.
The calendar usually shows up 6 weeks in advance.
You shouldn't use the monorail in the morning. It is not always running and if it is the lines will be huge. You'd miss out on valuable time.
Read about magic mornings on disneyland daily. They're not as good in disneyland since only 2 lands are open and

 

[Niltiac]

Is the DLH pools heated?

Yes, they were warmer than I expected (although I wasn't there in January).

When will I be able to see the calendar for January? I am trying to figure out when Fantasmic and parades will be, will they be everyday/night?

The standard is 6 weeks, but not always, and often that will be the bare-bones calendar and entertainment will be filled in later. The entertainment calendar might be a bit hard to predict until we find out when WoC will be back up and running. If WoC is down, they might run other entertainment more frequently to make up for it. It's hard to say.

How do I maximize our Magic Morning hours throughout the week?

Generally speaking, your early mornings at DCA are more valuable than at DL. At DCA only on-site hotel guests are allowed in early and most rides are open, whereas at DL only part of the park is open and many non-hotel guests have access as well. So if you need a day to sleep in, I would choose a DL EMH day rather than a DCA day. Most of the big rides at DCA are for older kids so you could let the 3yo sleep in.

Does the Monorail allow us to go straight into the park in the mornings?

Yes, but it's generally not recommended as a time saver. Ride the monorail if you want to ride it for its own sake. The walk to the main entrance isn't very long, so unless the monorail is there and ready to board (and the line is short enough that you make it on the first one), it will probably take longer than walking. Not to mention it could be delayed at opening (like any ride).

 

[smercerdiemont]

Yes, you can buy your dress beforehand. JCPenney and amazon even have them.
yes, i'm sure the pools are heated. But they're not spa warm, just not freezing!
Get away today should have dining tickets. You only save about $5 so I just buy inline at disney, personally.
The calendar usually shows up 6 weeks in advance.
You shouldn't use the monorail in the morning. It is not always running and if it is the lines will be huge. You'd miss out on valuable time.
Read about magic mornings on disneyland daily. They're not as good in disneyland since only 2 lands are open and

You are seriously a godsend for answering my questions. Thank you!!! I think dd would be so excited over BBB, but the pricetag is up there, but since it is her bday I was thinking it would be worth the splurge. I was thinking of asking a friend to make a dress for dd. I think my kids are going to try to go swimming when we go, sigh. I keep on checking for Character dining tickets, but Getaway doesn't have our dates yet. I will check Disneyland online. Thank you for the tip on the monorail. Maybe that will be the way we get back to our hotel at night then. Do you know how long it is running for?

 

[Niltiac]

I think my kids are going to try to go swimming when we go, sigh.

The pool area is really nice at the DLH. At one end there is a splash area where the 3yo can play and big slides for the older kids. When we were there, there were servers walking around to take drink orders. It's not a bad way to take a break if it isn't too cold out.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I meant you don’t need to buy vouchers for dining. You can just make a reservation, walk up and pay then.

My kids always swim. Take their suits! I bundle up as much as I can and enjoy the sun.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Bumping for some questions - is BBB worth it for littlest dd? Should I buy a dress for her from the Disney store before hand or is that even an option? Is the DLH pools heated? Where can I buy Character Dining tickets for January? When will I be able to see the calendar for January? I am trying to figure out when Fantasmic and parades will be, will they be everyday/night? How do I maximize our Magic Morning hours throughout the week? Does the Monorail allow us to go straight into the park in the mornings? I have been searching this site for most of these answers but I feel like some of the information is outdated? Please help!

BBB is pretty darn magical for the little ones and your DD will be a prime age for it. I went with my niece a few months ago and she was in complete heaven. You can bring your own dress if you want. It is a splurge for sure but it’s her birthday after all. Book it ASAP as those appointments fill up fast.

I had my 3.5 year old son with me and he got all quiet and sad and we asked what was wrong and he said he “wanted to be a princess too”. My SIL treated him to the “prince” makeover... best bargain in the park in my opinion. He got a sword and shield and then sat in the same chairs as the girls and a fairy godmother did his hair “like Prince Eric,” sprinkled victory confetti in his hair and let him see himself revealed in the magic mirror. He was soooooooo happy! I think it was like $20 (just buying a similar sword and shield in the parks would cost $25 so it really doesn’t get better than that!).

 

[smercerdiemont]

Yes, they were warmer than I expected (although I wasn't there in January).
Thank you! I know that my kids are going to go swimming even if it is a polar bear plunge, lol.

The standard is 6 weeks, but not always, and often that will be the bare-bones calendar and entertainment will be filled in later. The entertainment calendar might be a bit hard to predict until we find out when WoC will be back up and running. If WoC is down, they might run other entertainment more frequently to make up for it. It's hard to say.
Fingers crossed for WoC. We saw it years ago and it was the highlight of our trip. I will keep on checking on the calendar and just wait to make our touring plan until they post it
Generally speaking, your early mornings at DCA are more valuable than at DL. At DCA only on-site hotel guests are allowed in early and most rides are open, whereas at DL only part of the park is open and many non-hotel guests have access as well. So if you need a day to sleep in, I would choose a DL EMH day rather than a DCA day. Most of the big rides at DCA are for older kids so you could let the 3yo sleep in.
Thank you SO much for this! Words of wisdom right here for me.
Yes, but it's generally not recommended as a time saver. Ride the monorail if you want to ride it for its own sake. The walk to the main entrance isn't very long, so unless the monorail is there and ready to board (and the line is short enough that you make it on the first one), it will probably take longer than walking. Not to mention it could be delayed at opening (like any ride).

This helps me out a lot too. My dh was saying we should ride it everyday to get there and I was trying to explain things have changed a lot since he stayed in the DHL with his parents....back in the late 80's.....

The pool area is really nice at the DLH. At one end there is a splash area where the 3yo can play and big slides for the older kids. When we were there, there were servers walking around to take drink orders. It's not a bad way to take a break if it isn't too cold out.

This sounds amazing, and relaxing.

I meant you don’t need to buy vouchers for dining. You can just make a reservation, walk up and pay then.
Oh my gosh I am such a dweeb, lol. Thank you! I should have known that.
My kids always swim. Take their suits! I bundle up as much as I can and enjoy the sun.

The kids are already telling to make sure to pack their suits

View attachment 366383 View attachment 366384
BBB is pretty darn magical for the little ones and your DD will be a prime age for it. I went with my niece a few months ago and she was in complete heaven. You can bring your own dress if you want. It is a splurge for sure but it’s her birthday after all. Book it ASAP as those appointments fill up fast.
Thank you for this. I can't wait to see her little face. She went to a princess party this past weekend and was in awe of all the pretty dresses and princesses.
I had my 3.5 year old son with me and he got all quiet and sad and we asked what was wrong and he said he “wanted to be a princess too”. My SIL treated him to the “prince” makeover... best bargain in the park in my opinion. He got a sword and shield and then sat in the same chairs as the girls and a fairy godmother did his hair “like Prince Eric,” sprinkled victory confetti in his hair and let him see himself revealed in the magic mirror. He was soooooooo happy! I think it was like $20 (just buying a similar sword and shield in the parks would cost $25 so it really doesn’t get better than that!).[/QUOTE
AWE!!! These are seriously THE cutest pictures ever! I adore that he wanted to be a prince, and he is the sweetest one ever.

Thank you all again for helping me make our trip magical. It's our kids Christmas big present this year. We decided that we wanted to make memories vs more toys after some medical scares for my daughters this past year. I do have another question, the kids know we are going to Disney because I can't keep a secret that long, but what should Santa bring them to help make the trip more memorable? Or what gifts can we give them so they have something to unwrap? Wonkakid kindly sent maps, thank you again, so I can wrap them from Santa to help the kids get more excited.

 

[smercerdiemont]

Shoot, I forgot to ask - ldd and mdd have Stitch costumes, that look like union suits. One from Hot Topic and the other from the Disney store if you want to google? Can they wear these in the park? Ldd is 3 turning 4 and mdd is 9 turning 10.