Something I've noticed...

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Dbf and I have gone to DL a lot this year. We have gone on one long vacation 5 days in the park, and the rest were weekend trips. I have been looking at a lot of the forums with the pictures (i.e. Disney UNO game, Pic of the Day), and noticed I have never seen a lot of the areas where those pictures were taken. The next trip we are taking in January (I say it's a two month trip because we are going Jan 29-Feb 3, ), I want to relax a little bit more, and enjoy more of the areas. I don't care for Toon Town, but what other areas could we explore? We are also doing the Segway Tour ! Money is not really an obstacle because we aren't getting each other X-mas gifts, and we're going to save every penny. If you had this many days, how would you plan it?! I want to make this the best trip ever, just the two of us. I am also thinking about the Blue Bayou, a nice table by the water, for just desert. Would that be a problem? I really want to try a Cookie Boat! I am afraid the park hours are going to be too short though, but with that many days I'm sure we will survive.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I would make sure you go over to the GCH lobby and enjoy that. If the hours are short, go over one evening and enjoy the lobby. Also, the grounds of the Disneyland Hotel. I love the Koi Ponds, waterfalls and they have these little jungle cruise remote boats you might enjoy (my husband is 41 and he does lol). In the park, I like some of the areas in DCA over by GRR. There is a path that is out of the way that is so nice and peaceful. Maybe someone can give you the specific name of that one.

Definitely go to Blue Bayou. Make sure you tell them when you check in you are willing to wait for a waterside table. If you book the earliest seating, that helps with getting that.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I've been going to DL/CA for years but there were still a few things I had never done or things I had never taken my kids to do. For our trip in July, we had 5-day passes so we decided to do absolutely everything this time (well, almost everything!). I had never been to Tom Sawyer Island (now Pirate's Lair) and neither had my boys so we made a trip over there. We had never seen the Alladin show so we planned that one morning. My son wanted to hang out at ESPN Zone so I let him play games while the adults rested their feet. We also took the kids to the Tiki Room since they'd never been. We tried to think of all the things we usually end up skipping due to time and we made sure we did them since we had a longer trip this time.

 

[sonnyjane]

I've been going to DL/CA for years but there were still a few things I had never done or things I had never taken my kids to do.

I thought I had really been to every nook and cranny and then someone posted a picture of the Grand Canyon/Primeval World on here and I was like, "um, where did THAT come from!?" I never rode the train because I figured it just went in a simple loop around the park but I made a point of going on it on my last trip after someone posted the picture (thanks DIS yet again!).

 

[wendypooh22]

We like to eat lunch underneath the Hungry Bear counter service in critter country. It's right on the water and you can see the canoe's and the big ships sail by. Very relaxing. On those days when the HB is closed we grab a churro or some popcorn to snack on.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Wow, Amy&Dan that sounds great! I have never thought to do that since I didn't know you were allowed in the DLH or GCH if you aren't a... what's it called... staying person. Can't think of the word!! My bf will love the boats too!

Luv Bunnies, I have never been to the Lair either, but from what I heard the lake will be drained when we are there! We also have never done Alladin or the Tiki room but I want to do the Tiki room one day when we go!

Haha, Sonnyjane I know what you mean! I thought I had most of it down but turns out there is so much more! I see pictures on those threads and I can't think of where they are or anything! I didn't even know there was a ride at Bugs Land or whatever it's called. I have never been inside there haha! I actually have been on that part of the train, and I did not expect that, but that's DL for you.

And WendyPooh I love that spot! We eat there all the time. I only discovered it though cause I asked a CM where the nearest restroom was and had never been inside the HB. But we love the food and the view. It's one of my happy places.

 

[disneyobsessed808]

Sounds like a great plan. I definitely would say see some of the shows you might have skipped on shorter trips. The Animation Academy and Turtle Talk with Crush at the Animation Building are a lot of fun, if you haven't seen them. Also, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies are a must do. The GCH lobby is a good place to just relax too. You might also want to check out the Blue Sky Cellar in DCA, there is some interesting stuff on the upcoming World of Color show there. Good luck with the trip planning.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Thanks! I will see I guess when they have their hours up how much we will be able to do.

 

[Amy&Dan]

You can absolutely enjoy the grounds of the onsite hotels even if you aren't staying there. You might also think about doing a meal there, we love Goofy's Kitchen at the DLH as well as Steakhouse 55 and Hook's Pointe (but all are pricey, although Steakhouse 55 has a reasonable breakfast menu), we like the Lilo and Stitch Breakfast at Paradise Pier Hotel (but no grounds to enjoy at that one) and at the GCH White Water Snacks is an EXCELLENT cs place that has great items for decent prices, and we also enjoy Storytellers for breakfast. If you wanted to go all out, try Napa Rose at the GCH (very, very expensive). The lobby at the GCH is an attraction in and of itself! The only thing you cannot do at the onsite hotels is use their pools, those are gated and accessed by a room key. But the remote jungle boats at the DLH are not behind a gate. Also, they all three have nice gift shops to poke around in.

Disneyland has so much to offer outside the parks and in the parks there are lots of little things that are fun to do that don't bring in the crowds.

Have fun, I hope you get to discover some new favorites on your next trip!!

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

thanks so much! that sounds great, and I would love to do a meal at DL but I think we are going to try to do Blue Bayou! Maybe just for desert though. Do they allow that?

Also, are rides like... Mike & Sully, Toy Story, and Buzz Lightyear worth doing? Anything in Bug's Land? Don't hurt me! Haha, I have just never taken the time to try many new things! I have done all of the major rides, some of the darkrides in Fantasyland, Dumbo, Pooh (Just discovered that two trips ago), Just did Tarzan's Treehouse last trip (@ night, didn't get to see everything), and that's pretty much it! I've never been on the boats or to the layer but I won't be able to do that next time. So this next trip needs to be our "two month" explore DL trip. I love how I can say that we will be there 2 months.

 

[pixiewings71]

thanks so much! that sounds great, and I would love to do a meal at DL but I think we are going to try to do Blue Bayou! Maybe just for desert though. Do they allow that?

Also, are rides like... Mike & Sully, Toy Story, and Buzz Lightyear worth doing? Anything in Bug's Land? Don't hurt me! Haha, I have just never taken the time to try many new things! I have done all of the major rides, some of the darkrides in Fantasyland, Dumbo, Pooh (Just discovered that two trips ago), Just did Tarzan's Treehouse last trip (@ night, didn't get to see everything), and that's pretty much it! I've never been on the boats or to the layer but I won't be able to do that next time. So this next trip needs to be our "two month" explore DL trip. I love how I can say that we will be there 2 months.

We love the GCH lobby, we like to sit by the fireplace and go to story time. They have no problems at all with people hanging out in there, go and enjoy!
As for the rides you asked about, I think TSMM and Buzz are 2 of the funnest rides. Especially TSMM! Monsters Inc we have no problems skipping, it's cute but we had a bad experience waiting for 3 hours after it first opened so now we won't ride it unless it's a 5 min. wait. LOL I also very highly recommend Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, that's my favorite ride in Bug's Land and yes, we go there just so Mom can ride Heimlich! LOL I really do love that ride, it's so darn cute!