Suggestions on my plan

[indygirl99]

I am surprising DH for his 58th birthday with a trip to DL. We will arrive on May 1st and leave on May 8th. So 6 full days and 2 part days to enjoy.

He has been many times but always with kids in tow (but not for around 10 years and no kids now). He gets to be the kid!

He is working fulltime AND is a full time student at an online university working on his BS degree. So he really deserves this "kid time". But will need about 2-3 hr a day to get online to work on class.

I plan to have a break each day, mid dayish, to go back to the hotel to relax and for him to do class work.

Tell me if you think I am trying to do to much. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I have only been to DL once and it was a whirlwind 3 day "ride till you drop visit" at christmas 5 years ago.

DH really likes to know how things work so I thought one day we could do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour, maybe on Wednesday? So he gets the "magic" the first morning.

I also like the looks of the Experience Movie Magic tour and was thinking this would be good to do on Saturday. But this is a full day and I don't know if it duplicates part of the Walk/footsteps tour.

What do you think? Do both or only the Footsteps one and leave the all day tour to after he finishes school in 18 months and we visit again?

Also thought of doing the F Desert package Fri night.

World of Colour Sunday night. Also the Gospel brunch Sunday.

Mornings and late afternoon/evenings in the park on Wed/thur/fri/sun/mon. (We have 6 day hopper tickets). With mid day to rest/study. Would this give him time to ride what he wants more than once? I know that week is an off season time so crowds would be less, except for the weekend.

For eating I thought Blue Bayou (he is a big Priates fan), Big Thunder Ranch, must do for him is the Gospel brunch, fancy dinner at Napa Rose for me. I know these all need reservations.

Any other must do's for eats. He will eat anything and would be happy with fast food but enjoys when we do go to nicer places to eat.

What about adding some time at the Mandrin Spa/ I see they are running a special massage/facial right now that would take about 90 minitues.

Thank you so much in advance. I am reading and reading and learning so much.

 

[skiingfast]

Can he do any of the classes at night or in the morning? On your dates, with the short hours 3 hours of class during the day, means leaving the park for 4 or more hours. It's a long ways back to the hotel.

I would do the Light Camera Action Tour. It would be great to break up your park days. You can see a lot of the area.

The Walk in Walt's Footsteps is great, but if he has been to the park a lot and knows his history of Disneyland, he may not learn alot. That's why the other tour may be better.

With the low crowds you should be able to get plenty of rides in. Get the Tiki Room in early it closes on the 7th.

 

[Hound 109]

What a nice DW.

A couple of quick questions: Where are you staying (onsite?) & what time zone are you coming from? (the answers kind of make a difference)

I'm a mid 50s guy & will give you my opinions.....comments below.

I am surprising DH for his 58th birthday with a trip to DL. We will arrive on May 1st and leave on May 8th. So 6 full days and 2 part days to enjoy.

Lots of time to get it all in. Plus, you should have short park hours during the week. Maybe get most of the "online" activity done in the early AM, since on some days the parks won't open till 10am?. (that would be my preference, since i'm mentally fresher in the morning)


He has been many times but always with kids in tow (but not for around 10 years and no kids now). He gets to be the kid!

He is working fulltime AND is a full time student at an online university working on his BS degree. So he really deserves this "kid time". But will need about 2-3 hr a day to get online to work on class.

I plan to have a break each day, mid dayish, to go back to the hotel to relax and for him to do class work.

With 6 days, I definitely recommend this. Let him finish up what he didn't get done in the early AM. Plus, I enjoy a short break in the afternoon to relax, change the socks & to re-tool before returning to the parks with a pocket full of FPs that i collected that morning.


Tell me if you think I am trying to do to much. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I have only been to DL once and it was a whirlwind 3 day "ride till you drop visit" at christmas 5 years ago.

DH really likes to know how things work so I thought one day we could do the Walk in Walts footsteps tour, maybe on Wednesday? So he gets the "magic" the first morning.

I would use most (all) mornings to ride & FP collect. Do the footstep tour in the afternoon (or on a weekend) when it's more crowded.

Also, if he "likes to know how things work".....print off all of Hydroguy's tip threads (along with a park map) & have him read up & strategize prior to making final plans.


I also like the looks of the Experience Movie Magic tour and was thinking this would be good to do on Saturday. But this is a full day and I don't know if it duplicates part of the Walk/footsteps tour.

What do you think? Do both or only the Footsteps one and leave the all day tour to after he finishes school in 18 months and we visit again?

Also thought of doing the F Desert package Fri night.

Sounds like a girl thing. Use that money to get a big steak Friday afternoon & then get a Mickey Bar & a churro and watch Fantasmic.


World of Colour Sunday night. Also the Gospel brunch Sunday.

Where's the Gospel Brunch? Tell us about that. If it's a noonish or early afternoon buffet in DTD (after touring & FP collecting) that morning, then that sounds pretty good. As would a Goofy buffet or a Surf's up Buffet.


Mornings and late afternoon/evenings in the park on Wed/thur/fri/sun/mon. (We have 6 day hopper tickets). With mid day to rest/study. Would this give him time to ride what he wants more than once?

Yes, but again....I think that the key would be early morning online activity (especially if the park opens at 10am) to get most of it done & ouat of the way before going to the parks (will you be coming from the central or eastern time zones?.....it will be VERY easy to get up early if so)....so he can go to the parks & enjoy without worry about work he needs to do.


I know that week is an off season time so crowds would be less, except for the weekend.

For eating I thought Blue Bayou (he is a big Priates fan), Big Thunder Ranch, must do for him is the Gospel brunch, fancy dinner at Napa Rose for me.

Maybe do this early evening & do WOC afterwards?


I know these all need reservations.

Any other must do's for eats. He will eat anything and would be happy with fast food but enjoys when we do go to nicer places to eat.

Is Big Thunder Ranch "nice"? I like BBQ & i like casual, but this place seems like "safe" BBQ & more family oriented (& not really a REAL BBQ joint....and not really a "nice" meal venue). For the money & if two adults with no children, I'd use that money instead for a big steak or something similar in a "nice" restaurant instead of a fake BBQ pig out at a more family oriented Big Thunder Ranch.


What about adding some time at the Mandrin Spa/ I see they are running a special massage/facial right now that would take about 90 minitues.

Um.....thanks....but no thanks. Let's go ride Screamin' 6 times during that 90 minutes & use that "facial" money to buy a bunch of corny dogs & mickey bars.


Thank you so much in advance. I am reading and reading and learning so much.

You're a nice wife! Have a great time at Walt's Park.

.

 

[indygirl99]

Thanks ski and hound 109 (for the guys point of view). We are coming from the Pacfic Northwest so we are already on DL time. We are staying off property at the Residence Inn. Planning to use ART to save on our feet.

DH works 3am to noon and is in bed by 7pm. Done this for 40 years. So on non work days he takes a power nap around 1 pm or I have to pour him into bed by 7:30pm. So an afternoon break is a must.

It looks like park hours will be 9-9 so I'm sure he can get some class time in from 6-8am. And maybe an hour after his nap in the afternoon. He is no good for anytime resembling thinking after 7pm at night so no school work late. And he has a final due the day we leave DL.

I will nix BTBBR and make reservations for the Steakhouse. Thanks for that suggestion Hound! He does love his steak and I'm the bbq person.

The gospel brunch is at the House of Blues and is at 11:00.

I was going to wait until the night before we leave to tell DH where we are going but I am thinking that might not be a good idea. I am the planner and he usually tells me "whatever you want is fine by me".

Hound do you think since the entertainment schedule is posted 30 days out that if I wated until then and told him he would have time to strategize?

I want this to be fun and relaxing for him, not a chore.

Thabnks again for all advise and suggestions and keep them coming.

 

[Gisele]

That is such a nice and wonderful thing for you to do. I don't know if he is interested in wearing a birthday button, but if he is, then make sure to ask for that.
Good choice for dining at the Blue Bayou. I highly suggest requesting a waterside table when you arrive at the restaurant, and to arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes early. That way it will ensure a better opportunity to be seated waterside. For dessert, a nice chocolate mousse is served for ones birthday complementary. Make sure to mention when placing the reservation that it is for a birthday. And it is a good idea to mention it to the waitperson as well, when the time is right.

Happy Birthday to your husband, and I am sure that you both will have an awesome time!

~~ I love you Phil and you will forever be with me! Forever my very best and most special friend! I love you to no end. ~~​

 

[Gisele]

Indygirl, I sent you a p.m.

~~ I love you Phil and you will forever be with me! Forever my very best and most special friend! I love you to no end. ~~​

 

[indygirl99]

Gisele

Thank you so much. I am learning daily how all this computer stuff works.

The 2yr old grand says "Grandma no learn" and then shakes his head.