Speed Planning - Please Help!

[humboldthny]

Due to the fact we have been crazy busy at our house, somehow our trip has snuck up on me and we leave Sat.!! I haven't done any of the planning/research I usually do for our WDW trips and since it's been over 20 years since I've been to DL I'm totally out of the loop....We will be meeting my cousin and his family for the first few days, and they've been quite a bit, so that will help, but I'd like some other opinions too...

I did manage reservations for WOC/dinner, Plaza character breakfast, and lunch at Blue Bayou.

So...this is where you come in....please answer the questions below - whatever is posted is going to become my DL/DCA cheat sheet

1. List your 2 favorite counter service restaurants and your 1 or 2 favorite menu items at each.
2. List your 2 favorite snack items and where to find them (you don't have to list Dole Whip...dh will probably visit there the first day!).
3. Best ride at DL and DCA to ride first.
4. Best character meet-n'-greets

 

[KalamityJane]

1. Pacific Wharf in DCA - clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl...mmmm!

As to rides, we went on Buzz Lightyear and TSMM a ton!

 

[hurleysweety]

In DL...
Food:
Redd Rocketts Pizza Port
-chicken fusilli
-chicken Caesar salad (looks better some days than others, lol)
Hungry Bear
-turkey focaccia sandwich
-my fav lunchtime spot sitting upstairs with a view of the river
Snack:
Dole whip by the tiki room
Beef skewer at Bengal BBQ
Breakfast
Cinnamon roll at the bakery
Breakfast burrito at tomorrow land terrace

Ride First:
Get space mtn FP and then head to Peter Pan. If if young kids in the group, ride any additional fantasyland rides there too Then head over and hit all the critter country/adventure land/frontier land stuff and make your way back through to tomorrow land.

In DCA...
Cove Bar:
-great lunch spot, I believe kids can eat there too
-lobster nachos, yum!
Pacific Wharf Cafe
-all the salads and soups in bread bowls
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
-flatbread pizza, any kind, yum!
-salads are good there too
Cozy cones:
-pretzel bites with cheese
Breakfast
Brioche French toast at Flos v8 cafe

Ride first:
Look for the cars land tread and more recent info on getting FP for RSR first thing. Then head to toy story, and California screamin. Then head back and ride Tot and get FP for soarin (or vice versa). Now do the less popular rides until your RSR FP opens up. If you want to ride mater or luigi, you would do that after getting FPs and still be prepared to wait.

Hope that helps

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[HydroGuy]

1. List your 2 favorite counter service restaurants and your 1 or 2 favorite menu items at each.

I would list Plaza Inn but you are already going there. So

Redd Rocketts Pizza Port at DL - pizza or spaghetti
Pacific Wharf Cafe DCA - Santa Rosa Corn Chowder

2. List your 2 favorite snack items and where to find them (you don't have to list Dole Whip...dh will probably visit there the first day!).

Tigger Tails at DL Pooh Corner
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies also at Pooh corner

3. Best ride at DL and DCA to ride first.

At DL that is Peter Pan (always firs)
At DL it is RSR or TSMM

4. Best character meet-n'-greets

Princess Fantasy Faire and Mickey's House in Toontown

 

[KateDrake]

Due to the fact we have been crazy busy at our house, somehow our trip has snuck up on me and we leave Sat.!! I haven't done any of the planning/research I usually do for our WDW trips and since it's been over 20 years since I've been to DL I'm totally out of the loop....We will be meeting my cousin and his family for the first few days, and they've been quite a bit, so that will help, but I'd like some other opinions too...

I did manage reservations for WOC/dinner, Plaza character breakfast, and lunch at Blue Bayou.

So...this is where you come in....please answer the questions below - whatever is posted is going to become my DL/DCA cheat sheet

1. List your 2 favorite counter service restaurants and your 1 or 2 favorite menu items at each.
2. List your 2 favorite snack items and where to find them (you don't have to list Dole Whip...dh will probably visit there the first day!).
3. Best ride at DL and DCA to ride first.
4. Best character meet-n'-greets

First of all, take a deep breath! It is just a lot less stressful at DLR, and you are going to have an awesome time! Here are my answers:

1. Both at DCA
Pacific Warf Cafe - Shrimp Louis Salad and Santa Rosa Corn Chowder
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta - Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, Four Cheese Ravioli
(I am a huge Indian food fan, so I'm also hoping to try the Roasted Veggie and Paneer sandwich at Fiddler, Fifer and Practical next time!)

2. Churros, which can be found all around the parks, and corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon on Main Street. Also just about anything from the Candy Palace and Pooh Corner.

3. DLR - Space Mountain (Ghost Galaxy overlay will up up, causing long lines) or Peter Pan/Dumbo
DCA - RSR, followed by the rest of Cars Land

4. We love Minnie's, but you are already doing that. We also like Paradise Pier in front of TSMM (Toy Story characters) and Princess Fantasy Faire, though I think it's called Royal Walk now. They just moved it, I think it is now in front of IASW.

Have so much fun!

 

[asunutgirl]

Rides:
If you want roller coaster - get a fast pass for Space Mountain first. Ride it first, save the FP for later.

Or get in line for Nemo and send someone to get the Fast Pass for SM. Nemo line gets long early and the line loading is slow.

If you have little kids and want to go the Fantasy Land route - do Dumbo first, then straight to Peter Pan.

It has been hot here and Splash Mountain line gets long when it is hot. Do that ride early if you want to ride.

I highly recommend the touring plans from the "Unofficial Guide to DL" - it is very helpful.

Haven't been to DCA yet since Cars Land opened but I would suspect that you should do RSR first. Get to Toy Story Mania before that line gets long too. Great ride.

Snacks:
Mickey Bar. 'nuf said

We recently ate at La Brea Bakery for the first time in Downtown Disney. Was pleasantly surprised. It is outside the park, though.

Have a great trip!

 

[mouseymommy]

Due to the fact we have been crazy busy at our house, somehow our trip has snuck up on me and we leave Sat.!! I haven't done any of the planning/research I usually do for our WDW trips and since it's been over 20 years since I've been to DL I'm totally out of the loop....We will be meeting my cousin and his family for the first few days, and they've been quite a bit, so that will help, but I'd like some other opinions too...

I did manage reservations for WOC/dinner, Plaza character breakfast, and lunch at Blue Bayou.

So...this is where you come in....please answer the questions below - whatever is posted is going to become my DL/DCA cheat sheet

1. List your 2 favorite counter service restaurants and your 1 or 2 favorite menu items at each.
2. List your 2 favorite snack items and where to find them (you don't have to list Dole Whip...dh will probably visit there the first day!).
3. Best ride at DL and DCA to ride first.
4. Best character meet-n'-greets

Troubadour Tavern for loaded baked potatoes. Plaza Inn for fried chicken.

Snacks: Corn Dogs and nachos from White Water snacks in the Grand.

Rides: RSR and Peter Pan

Have fun!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Troubadour Tavern for loaded baked potatoes. Plaza Inn for fried chicken.

FYI Troubadour Tavern is closed as they move PFF and re-outfit the stage there for shows next summer.

 

[tiffjoy]

DLR:

1. Counter Service:
French Market - meatloaf
Ranch del Zocalo - soft tacos
(I love Troubador Tavern, and it's my number one, but it is sadly closed right now.)

2. Snacks:
Corn dog from the Little Red Wagon (by the Baby Care Center). And I don't even like corn dogs! We were just there and my family shared one three different times.
Churros.

3. I'm not good at this as we let our DD3 pick a lot. But I definitely agree with Peter Pan first.

4. The front of the park. We asked a cast member at the ride wait time board (at the end if main street near the entrance to Frontierland) about when different characters would be out. We met so many, including Minnie and Mickey together. I think the access to the characters throughout the park, without going to specific meet lines, is one thing that makes Disneyland very special.

DCA:

1. Counter Service:
Cozy Cones - Chili in a bread cone (delicious!)
Flo's V8 Cafe - turkey platter (such a nice addition to DCA. we enjoyed getting something homey to eat while on vacation.)

2. Snacks
Churros (we really love Churros)
Ghiradelli's ice cream (we did this for lunch one day because it was so very hot this week.)

3. Not sure as we do little kid rides only and never experienced much wait. I'd say anything in Cars Land as it was always so busy we skipped the rides there.

4. Again, front of the park outside the stores across from Carthay Theater. We again asked the person standing in front of the times list (also there on the circle) and got the info on who would be where when.
We did Ariel's Grotto and were disappointed. The princesses come around once and visit very, very briefly. The other character dining experiences are much better. However, it was super hot and I was glad to do the meal as opposed to waiting in the heat for 45-55 minutes to meet then at DLR in their meet and greet line.

I highly recommend Mickey's Surf's Up at PPH. It was our best character experience ever, including ones we have done at WDW. The character interaction was amazing and the food is actually pretty good. We do love Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza Inn and will continue to do that one, but Surf's Up is going to become our last day tradition.

 

[ksdisneyfan]

According to Allears, the Harbour Galley is now offering the baked potatoes that were at Troubador Tavern. I love the chicken BBQ potato.

 

[tiffjoy]

According to Allears, the Harbour Galley is now offering the baked potatoes that were at Troubador Tavern. I love the chicken BBQ potato.

Grrr. Now you tell me.

 

[mouseymommy]

First I saw this:

FYI Troubadour Tavern is closed as they move PFF and re-outfit the stage there for shows next summer.

And I was like this:

And then I saw this:

According to Allears, the Harbour Galley is now offering the baked potatoes that were at Troubador Tavern. I love the chicken BBQ potato.

And then I was like this: