Tell me what you love about Disneyland! (and where we should stay)

[cdatkins]

Just be aware that Storyteller's discontinued their menu last year, so the buffet is the only option. I'm still sad/mad about that.

you and me both! we made Storytellers Dinner reservations on the evening of our arrival, looking forward to ordering off the menu, and were surprised/saddened to learn that it was buffet only now. :-(

 

[cinnaminny]

I actually prefer the WDW style of the HM exterior, however it is too obscured to see it well. I do love how you walk right in the front door at the DL version, and it is cool when it is decorated for the holidays.

I would agree with this. My favorite is the holiday version, but for a regular HM experience, I prefered the exterior of the WDW version.

 

[wowsmom]

you and me both! we made Storytellers Dinner reservations on the evening of our arrival, looking forward to ordering off the menu, and were surprised/saddened to learn that it was buffet only now. :-(

I keep hoping it will return. They used to be busy most of the time but since it went buffet only, I haven't seen it more than maybe 1/3-1/3 full.

 

[pineapplepalms]

The traffic is no joke. I would highly recommend staying nearby instead of near the beach. For off-property I'd recommend Hyatt House Anaheim. The location is convenient with a Starbucks and Walgreens nearby, and they have suites with full kitchens. The walk to the parks isn't bad, and we've also walked to the Toy Story lot and taken the bus from there occasionally.

If you're going before Halloween ends it's an amazing time to be at DLR with all the decorations, seasonal treats, and ride overlays (like HM and GOTG). Cars Land is so much fun all decorated for Halloween. If you like tours, the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour is amazing. Enjoy the rides that don't exist at WDW like Alice in Wonderland, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Matterhorn... and the ones that are better like BTMR.

LOVE the ice cream at Salt & Straw in DTD.

We love both WDW and DLR for different reasons. It's nice to not have to spend a ton of time pre-planning a DLR trip, since you don't need to book ADRs far in advance and MP works so well. I don't think you'd regret making another trip out in the fall!

 

[LizzyS]

I would agree with this. My favorite is the holiday version, but for a regular HM experience, I prefered the exterior of the WDW version.

I suspect Walt wouldn't like the WDW HM exterior as much as the Disneyland one. The imagineers wanted to make the HM exterior at Disneyland actually LOOK like a haunted house and he was having none of it, lol. HM at DLR is in NOS, so its plantation look fits perfectly and it's def my fave version. I also really appreciate the Hatbox Ghost since he made his return.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... LOVE the ice cream at Salt & Straw in DTD...

And S&S takes allergy awareness and protocol very seriously. CMs there are well trained to ask about any allergies and to act accordingly -- to the point of getting a fresh container of the requested flavor and a clean scooper. S&S is very generous about giving samples, too, so if the OP has any questions about any of the flavors (which can be quite unusual), do not hesitate to ask for a sample (and to ask about any of the ingredients)!
OP: be aware that, in our experience, Black Tap Burgers in DTD has not been as good about allergy awareness. Their basic/non-fancy shakes were good, but I don't feel comfortable taking the risk eating there with CMs who could not answer my basic questions and didn't seem to know what to do. They've been open for a while now, so hopefully CMs are more comfortable with allergy protocol by this time.

 

[sgrap]

The DVC units at the Grand Californian have kitchens. The 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units have full kitchens, while the studios have kitchenettes. You can rents points through a couple of different rental websites. However, it is the most difficult DVC property to get a room because it is so small.

 

[AustinTink]

I have a severe shellfish allergy and have had nothing but positive experiences at DL. Blue Bayou and Storyteller's cafe are two of my favorites. I always get a visit from the chef who manages my order personally.

 

[calimama]

When I first started going to Disneyland after moving to California from the Midwest, I wasn't too impressed, but over the years I have really come to appreciate the differences and the uniqueness WDW and DL individually. I normally make it to WDW every 3 years or so, and go to DL every year in between. Although DL isn't quite the immersive experience that WDW is, I have really come to appreciate it for what it is. We usually prefer to go to DL during the holidays (before Thanksgiving) and I think DL does much more with respect to holiday overlays and such--It's A Small World and Haunted Mansion are highlights. I love that with a park hopper pass we can literally toggle between the 2 parks all day if we want to since you just walk across the plaza from one park to another, and you can just walk into Downtown Disney from there as well. Makes it much quicker to move between parks and dinner options as opposed to having to wait for a bus or anything.

We always stay on property at WDW but find that the DL hotel properties are not only very expensive, but don't really provide that much in the way of extra conveniences with respect to proximity to the parks. We prefer to stay in a property that is nearly across the street from the main entrance--there are about 6-7 hotels that are close walking distance across from the main entrance. Our go-to place to stay is the Park Vue Inn, which is directly across the street from the entrance. Super easy to just walk across the street and you are there. No fancy bells and whistles, but it is clean and has a decent free breakfast every morning. We spend so little time in the hotel it just does not make sense to spend $500-$600 a night to stay on property -- it's a matter of bang for your buck for us.

 

[redleader74]

We always stay on property at WDW but find that the DL hotel properties are not only very expensive, but don't really provide that much in the way of extra conveniences with respect to proximity to the parks. We prefer to stay in a property that is nearly across the street from the main entrance--there are about 6-7 hotels that are close walking distance across from the main entrance. Our go-to place to stay is the Park Vue Inn, which is directly across the street from the entrance. Super easy to just walk across the street and you are there. No fancy bells and whistles, but it is clean and has a decent free breakfast every morning. We spend so little time in the hotel it just does not make sense to spend $500-$600 a night to stay on property -- it's a matter of bang for your buck for us.

Having stayed at DLH back in 2017 I'd have to agree. Yes, there are Disney themes everywhere on the property but for me, when you're really tired after a day the park or just need to get back to the hotel quickly for a quick change or shower, you don't want to walk that far. Those "6-7 hotels" truly are a great value considering their location and competition between them keeps things relatively nice, clean, well run. This is all, of course, in consideration of how expensive the DL hotels are. Now, if you're going to be indulging in all the other DL hotel services, like spas, fancy pools, etc., then all bets are off.