Thoughts from our July 30-August 5th Trip

[AC7179]

We have been back for about a week, and I wanted to share our highlights and lowlights of our trip.

1. The heat. Obviously, it couldn't be helped, but we come from a really hot climate and it has always been so nice to visit California for the mild summers. We love being able to need a sweatshirt in the mornings and the evenings after the sun goes down. Not this trip. I was sweating waiting in line to get into the parks before EE on morning at 6:45. Also, does Earl of Sandwich and Naples not have air conditioning or do they choose not to use them? We were markedly uncomfortable dining in both places.

2. MaxPass: This was great. One day we rode RSR and GOG three times each, Soarin' and CS twice, and everything else we wanted at least once, and also had a four or so hour break at the hotel. The expense did add up, though, which leads me to:

3. Nickels and Dimes: I don't know. This was, by far, our most expensive trip yet. We used to visit yearly or every other year, but there was a three and a half year break between this trip and the last and everything has gotten more expensive, which I know is to be expected, but unfortunately, not only are things more expensive, but some of the perks/value have gone downhill so we feel like we are paying more for less. Examples would be the extra fee for park hopping (we declined), and paying way more for PPH than we ever have ($360 a night) yet not being able to cut through the GCH, or even to cross over to get a quick bite to eat at WWS. I do understand why they made the change, but it was more inconvenient and we were paying a whole lot more than usual, so even though they are small changes, we may reevaluate on-site stays in the future. Also. I don't recall the DTD restaurants allowing the people who make balloon animals to stop at the dining tables---didn't care for that OR for going to BAB and the bear stuffer having my child sniff all the smells and listen to the sounds you can put in the bears and telling her to, "Ask Mom." We went in there prepared to spend money---but that just rubbed me the wrong way.

4. My daughter forgot her pillow in the hotel. She was, for some reason, inconsolable. I called PPH Lost and Found and they mailed it home to us without any trouble. The level of service there was great and I really appreciate that from them.

5. The Aladdin's Oasis MSEP meal was one of the best we had in the parks. We dined in and the dining area was very chill and had lots of shade. We loved it watched the parade and fireworks from Small World. Awesome!

6. GOTG: My oldest daughter was prepared to hate it but we all really loved it, including my 5 year old. Super fun.

7. RSR: We have ridden this ride before, but it really is just amazing. We loved every second of it.

8. Ariel's Grotto: Princess Interaction was fun, but the food was not good. Granted, it may be fancier than we are used to, but still----my husband wanted a burger after we ate there. The dessert was amazing, though!

9. Cars Land: A pleasant surprise that we haven't heard much about was how much we loved the OTHER rides in Cars Land. Luigi's put a smile on my face every time, as did Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. I was expecting them to be like the rides in Bug's Land, but we really enjoyed these two--even the adults.

10. Frozen: Loved this show and we were really happy we did it! We almost passed it up but hit it on our last day and everyone really enjoyed it.

 

[chickapin parterre]

thank you for writing.....I often read of folks dismissing the heat and I have two questions in order to give folks caution about that been there , done that heat issue....where did you travel from and did you see the overall weather conditions for the west before you headed out for the trip. naturally hard to cancel a vacation but what do you think you could have done differently to battle the heat? thank you

 

[Shanti]

We have been back for about a week, and I wanted to share our highlights and lowlights of our trip.

1. The heat. Obviously, it couldn't be helped, but we come from a really hot climate and it has always been so nice to visit California for the mild summers. We love being able to need a sweatshirt in the mornings and the evenings after the sun goes down. Not this trip. I was sweating waiting in line to get into the parks before EE on morning at 6:45. Also, does Earl of Sandwich and Naples not have air conditioning or do they choose not to use them? We were markedly uncomfortable dining in both places.

2. MaxPass: This was great. One day we rode RSR and GOG three times each, Soarin' and CS twice, and everything else we wanted at least once, and also had a four or so hour break at the hotel. The expense did add up, though, which leads me to:

3. Nickels and Dimes: I don't know. This was, by far, our most expensive trip yet. We used to visit yearly or every other year, but there was a three and a half year break between this trip and the last and everything has gotten more expensive, which I know is to be expected, but unfortunately, not only are things more expensive, but some of the perks/value have gone downhill so we feel like we are paying more for less. Examples would be the extra fee for park hopping (we declined), and paying way more for PPH than we ever have ($360 a night) yet not being able to cut through the GCH, or even to cross over to get a quick bite to eat at WWS. I do understand why they made the change, but it was more inconvenient and we were paying a whole lot more than usual, so even though they are small changes, we may reevaluate on-site stays in the future. Also. I don't recall the DTD restaurants allowing the people who make balloon animals to stop at the dining tables---didn't care for that OR for going to BAB and the bear stuffer having my child sniff all the smells and listen to the sounds you can put in the bears and telling her to, "Ask Mom." We went in there prepared to spend money---but that just rubbed me the wrong way.

4. My daughter forgot her pillow in the hotel. She was, for some reason, inconsolable. I called PPH Lost and Found and they mailed it home to us without any trouble. The level of service there was great and I really appreciate that from them.

5. The Aladdin's Oasis MSEP meal was one of the best we had in the parks. We dined in and the dining area was very chill and had lots of shade. We loved it watched the parade and fireworks from Small World. Awesome!

6. GOTG: My oldest daughter was prepared to hate it but we all really loved it, including my 5 year old. Super fun.

7. RSR: We have ridden this ride before, but it really is just amazing. We loved every second of it.

8. Ariel's Grotto: Princess Interaction was fun, but the food was not good. Granted, it may be fancier than we are used to, but still----my husband wanted a burger after we ate there. The dessert was amazing, though!

9. Cars Land: A pleasant surprise that we haven't heard much about was how much we loved the OTHER rides in Cars Land. Luigi's put a smile on my face every time, as did Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. I was expecting them to be like the rides in Bug's Land, but we really enjoyed these two--even the adults.

10. Frozen: Loved this show and we were really happy we did it! We almost passed it up but hit it on our last day and everyone really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the great report!

 

[AC7179]

We came from Texas, where the highs are regularly over 100 degrees. Of course, everywhere has air conditioning and you don't really do outside activities in the middle of the day in the summer unless they involve water. However, one of the days we felt the most miserable (sitting in the sun waiting for the 4:00 parade), I checked the weather app and it said it was 86 degrees. That should feel like a break for us, but it felt so much hotter. ‍ I don't know what it was.

 

[chickapin parterre]

so that week was record breaking for the west coast. here in Salem, Oregon, we had four days of triple digit weather, one day approaching 108, 112 on my enclosed deck. And there was nothing you could do about it for vacation planning, like the folks coming to the Oregon coast that week and finding winter conditions on the ocean surf. Pus the app said 86 degrees, but you were down on the athletic turf, so it was hotter than the 86

thank you for your response and will quote your heat experince next year on this site.

 

[Delilah1310]

We came from Texas, where the highs are regularly over 100 degrees. Of course, everywhere has air conditioning and you don't really do outside activities in the middle of the day in the summer unless they involve water. However, one of the days we felt the most miserable (sitting in the sun waiting for the 4:00 parade), I checked the weather app and it said it was 86 degrees. That should feel like a break for us, but it felt so much hotter. ‍ I don't know what it was.

I know exactly what you mean.
We are also from Texas.
We were also there that same week (8/1 to 8/5).
We were also surprised to have hotter temps then we are used to in California summers.

 

[Malcon10t]

We were there the 3-6th also. It was hotter than normal. Waking up to 75 degree wasn't fun.

The balloon people have been coming to tables since I can remember. At least 12 years as my nephew is 14 and I know he got a balloon hat prior to his brothers' births when he was 4. I like them myself.

 

[SteveMP]

As a native of southern california and AP for years and years, i've been to DL in near 100 degrees in the summer(i just cancel if over 100), and in cold pouring rain, and everything inbetween. The past several years we get the SoCal Select APs because the whole summer is blacked out, and I prefer to avoid it anyways(plus the crowds of every kid in the universe on summer break)I would MUCH rather be at DL in the pouring rain than the heat. When its hot, main street turns into an asphalt furnace and the miserable people all atound make it even more miserable. At least in the rain many lines are only 5 or 10 minutes, have done GRR back to back several times in the rain when there was literally no one in line.