PirateRedhead
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2017
- Messages
- 133
I just had a wonderful trip with DH, DS(almost)7 and DD(almost)2. We stayed at the GCH from Oct 1-5, so I'm just throwing together some of my thoughts here. I should preface this by saying that we were at DLR in January of this year, and I foolishly went in expecting low crowds, not realizing that a) there's really no such thing anymore at DL, and b) we had booked Thurs.-Sun. during the first weekend of the return of the MSEP. Holy human sardines, Batman. There were times during that weekend when I was nervous for our safety because the crowds were so intense that we could not move. We felt suffocated; it was hard to get anything done, and our last two trips had been to WDW, so we were used to FP+ and struggled to maximize our time with the paper FP system. I came home feeling somewhat let down, in spite of many wonderful moments, because the plan I'd had in mind was totally blown up by the crowds.
This time, I knew we'd be there during Halloween season, so I went in expecting intense, scary crowds. I was mentally prepared for it, and I didn't over plan (last trip, I booked tons of reservations - ADRs, BBB, WoC, MSEP dining package, etc. - which only added to the frenetic, panicky pace). This time, I was determined to relax, soak in the atmosphere, and take things as they came... And as a result, I was shocked by how light the crowds felt. I think that my shift in perspective helped. I'm also pretty sure the crowds during this trip weren't anything close to those initial MSEP crowds. There was never a moment where I felt stuck in the crowd and unable to move. Using Maxpass and Rider Switch, the longest lines we stood in (truly and honestly) were for snacks at the dang Cozy Cones, and to meet Moana. It was the best.
Thoughts:
Maxpass is awesome. We used it every day, even if we were only in the park for a few hours. Without question, for us, Maxpass was the right way to go. Yes, wifi is the worst, but we used data and it was almost always fine. We arrived in the early afternoon on Sunday 10/1, and after checking in, the first thing we did was go into DCA so that I could purchase Maxpass and start booking FP returns for the evening. We then left the park immediately and went to eat and play in DTD while I stacked up some FPs. It was 1pm, and I managed to snag RSR for 8:25, which was the perfect way to end our first evening. I also grabbed SMGG, and was able to grab BTMRR twice in a row, which was good because it went down for refurbishment the next day. With Rider Switch, DS got to ride it 4 times, so he didn't really miss it the rest of the trip. Maxpass let us do everything we wanted to do, and more, and more than once!
I'm very glad we stayed at the Grand. We stayed at DLH last time, and while it's certainly more magical (those headboards!) and more spacious, and has WAY cooler water slides (which were closed for refurb when we stayed there, alas) it is also a heck of a walk back if you just want to put down DD for a nap, or if you have a foot issue like I do. The Grand was so much easier. It made the difference that we were in a room near an elevator right above the lobby. Some of the rooms at the Grand are so far flung that you might as well do DLH.
HMH! Wow. I went in unspoiled - skipped any blog post or vlog that described HMH in detail or showed video of it, because I wanted to be surprised. I'm glad I did. That overlay is amazing! I didn't anticipate anything so comprehensive. I grew up near Disneyland and (like many of us here, I'm sure), I have the Ghost Host's lines down pat. That ride is so familiar to me that the changes were genuinely thrilling. I love, love, loved it. Like getting a whole new ride.
We ended up being at the gate of Toontown when it opened one morning, and I'm glad that happened. It was so cute to see DS run in there and skip along with Pluto, and then we were able to hop right into Mickey's House. We had photos with Mickey inside of 10 minutes. It wasn't something we planned, but it was lovely.
The new Rider Switch system worked fine for us. CMs are familiar with it now, and they consistently issue appropriate return times. We still didn't always get to use our RS passes because one of our kiddos would need something completely unreasonable like the restroom or a drink
, and our hour would expire. So yes, I do miss the RS of old and its more flexible return times, but I have no real complaints.
I'm glad we spent time at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. DD was either in the stroller or being held in line so much of the time that it was critical to find places where she could cut loose. RCCT was perfect. DS loved the zipline and the rock climbing wall. There was a wonderful CM there supporting the kids and making them feel great even when they fell off and needed to try again. Gave DS a huge confidence boost.
One of my favorite moments of the entire trip was when I stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce to compliment a handful of great CMs. It only took a moment (the CM behind the counter asked for the names of the great CMs and for a description of what happened; they recorded everything for me) and it made me feel like part of the parks in a whole new way. I took a couple of selfies with awesome CMs along the way to help me remember their names. Giving CM compliments at the CoC/City Hall is something I've never taken the time to do before, and it's something I will never pass up the opportunity to do again.
Star Tours at DL seems less jerky than at WDW. It was a little easier on my back, or that was my impression. Is that just me?
I miss the atmosphere and hilarious CM interactions of ToT. But I prefer the actual ride mechanics of GotG (and the music!). Monsters After Dark was fun too.
Pretty much everything has been said about Mickey's Halloween Party, but here are my two cents: I made sure to see the Cadaver Dans, in spite of the fact that DS didn't really want to stop for them, and it was worth it. They were wonderful. But I wouldn't do the MHP preparty in Toontown again. We're not dedicated to getting lots of character pictures with the different costumes - we had our Mickey and Minnie pics for the trip already - so the preparty was just really long lines for candy. If there was more to it, we missed it. We would've been better off starting over by Thunder Mountain.
There are a lot of bulbs out on Splash Mountain, and broken animatronics as well. I'm not sure I would have noticed all of them if it hadn't been brought up here (by Linkura, I think?) but boy, do they need to get in there and make that ride shine again.
Moana really deserves a Photopass photographer. The actress playing her was absolutely delightful, and seeing DS in the presence of one of his heroes was one of the highlights of the trip - I just wish there were more pictures of it.
We rented a poolside cabana at the Grand for half a day. We weren't sure it was going to be worth it. It was. DD fell asleep in her stroller at the perfect moment, and for a couple of hours, it almost felt like we were on an island vacation in our little tent of cocktails and fluffy robes. The CM who booked it for us over the phone quoted us a lower price than what they charged us, because apparently the rates changed a day or two after we booked, and the CM who reserved our time didn't know that. We said we were surprised by the fee, explained what we were quoted, and they honored it, which was a relief.
A lot of people seem to think that the Halloween vibe is stronger at DL, but I thought it was best in the evening at DCA. The music, the purple lights, the Headless Horseman - it all came together to create a spookier, more spirited, and more distinctly Halloweeny atmosphere.
I was committed to traveling light in the parks this time, and found some great advice on these boards about how to do it. Consequently, I felt much less hassled every time we parked the stroller and went to get in line for a ride. DH and I wore these ID cases (I put them on Disneyland lanyards that were more comfortable than the string these came with). Hotel room keys, gift cards, Disney Visa, and tickets fit easily inside, and they were very sturdy. I had my ticket with the barcode facing out, and DS's on the other side with his barcode facing out, so scanning FPs was a breeze (they scan right through the plastic, so they never have to come out). Before our trip, I made a copy of DS's ticket so that my husband had the exact same thing - his barcode and DS's - so that it didn't matter which one of us was Rider Switching, we always both had what we needed with no handoffs necessary.
Dining:
How have I never eaten at the Earl of Sandwich before? Next time, I will eat there every day. That Thanksgiving leftover sandwich is the business. Turns out, some of the the best food at DLR is an $8 sandwich in DTD.
Very much enjoyed the Dole Whip with rum at the Coffee House at the DLH. True, it isn't much rum, but since I had just drunk an Uh-Oa at Trader Sam's, it's probably for the best that the Dole Whip only had a light shot.
The ahi tuna at Trader Sam's was the best table service food I had the whole trip, including dinner at Carthay. Very flavorful seaweed, everything worked beautifully together.
A later lunch at Ariel's Grotto is a better experience, or at least, that's what we've found. This time, we booked the first lunch service at 11:20, and I felt the entire time like they were trying to rush us out of there to get the next group in. We had ordered a Disney birthday cake for the end of the meal, and they were cleaning up all around us while we were trying to celebrate DS. By comparison, when we went to a 3pm (possibly 3:30?) lunch there in January, the pace was much friendlier. We also sat outside that time, which I much preferred. But the Disney birthday cake we pre-ordered for DS was super yummy! Reminded me of wedding cake. Also very affordable, by Disney standards. It was nice that they had it ready at Ariel's after our lunch ended.
Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza is a nicer experience outdoors as well, or at least that's now my take. There wasn't enough room to maneuver for pictures and greetings with the characters at the indoor corner table where we were seated. Last time we were there, we were out on the porch, and there was more freedom of movement. We still had a great time on this visit, but next time I will request the porch for sure. I do prefer the Crystal Palace at WDW, though. Fewer characters, yes, but it's a more consistent experience.
Flo's is fine. Solid, kid-friendly breakfast. I had heard raves about the brioche French toast, so I ordered it. Having never had brioche French toast, I don't know how it compares. I thought it tasted like bread pudding with caramel and bananas instead of raisins. Fine with me.
I liked the poison-appletini at Carthay, and the seasonal soup was delicious. I loved the ice sphere in my Manhattan. I thought it was very cool. No pun intended.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus at Bengal Barbecue: I had looked forward to it, and I liked it. DH preferred the beef skewers.
White Water Snacks: We asked them if we could have chicken and beef on the nachos, since I wanted chicken and DH wanted beef and we knew we weren't hungry enough for two servings. They gladly accommodated the request. Nice folks there, and the nachos were fine.
Room service food at the Grand was not good. The fries were especially, and inedibly, bad. I am not a picky eater and I would not eat those fries. Maybe it was an off night. It was pretty surprising. I should have said something at the time but didn't - we were too pooped to bother.
This time, we had corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon. Last trip, we had them from Corn Dog Castle. In DH's opinion, the LRW was better. IMO, they are pretty much the same. Both top notch corn dogs. No corn dog finer than a Disneyland corn dog.
DH hunted around for the best chocolate shake. Flo's was blah. Ghirardelli's was good. Haagen Dazs was best (though as DH put it, the flavor at HD did not "punch you in the face" as much as the one from Ghirardelli's, so it depends on what you like). The soft-serve chocolate ice cream at the Cozy Cone was also pretty good, which it ought to be given the wait!
The firefly pie at the Coke corner is wonderful. Classic Frito pie, assembled in a little bag with lots of jalapenos. It's not on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask for it. Yum.
Oh, beignets. Beignets, beignets. I love you, beignets. Classic, not dreamsicle, which I did not try because if it's not Baroque, don't fix it.
Final takeaway:
It was our best family Disney experience yet. A wonderful trip, that felt charmed in many ways. I can't wait to go back.
This time, I knew we'd be there during Halloween season, so I went in expecting intense, scary crowds. I was mentally prepared for it, and I didn't over plan (last trip, I booked tons of reservations - ADRs, BBB, WoC, MSEP dining package, etc. - which only added to the frenetic, panicky pace). This time, I was determined to relax, soak in the atmosphere, and take things as they came... And as a result, I was shocked by how light the crowds felt. I think that my shift in perspective helped. I'm also pretty sure the crowds during this trip weren't anything close to those initial MSEP crowds. There was never a moment where I felt stuck in the crowd and unable to move. Using Maxpass and Rider Switch, the longest lines we stood in (truly and honestly) were for snacks at the dang Cozy Cones, and to meet Moana. It was the best.
Thoughts:
Maxpass is awesome. We used it every day, even if we were only in the park for a few hours. Without question, for us, Maxpass was the right way to go. Yes, wifi is the worst, but we used data and it was almost always fine. We arrived in the early afternoon on Sunday 10/1, and after checking in, the first thing we did was go into DCA so that I could purchase Maxpass and start booking FP returns for the evening. We then left the park immediately and went to eat and play in DTD while I stacked up some FPs. It was 1pm, and I managed to snag RSR for 8:25, which was the perfect way to end our first evening. I also grabbed SMGG, and was able to grab BTMRR twice in a row, which was good because it went down for refurbishment the next day. With Rider Switch, DS got to ride it 4 times, so he didn't really miss it the rest of the trip. Maxpass let us do everything we wanted to do, and more, and more than once!
I'm very glad we stayed at the Grand. We stayed at DLH last time, and while it's certainly more magical (those headboards!) and more spacious, and has WAY cooler water slides (which were closed for refurb when we stayed there, alas) it is also a heck of a walk back if you just want to put down DD for a nap, or if you have a foot issue like I do. The Grand was so much easier. It made the difference that we were in a room near an elevator right above the lobby. Some of the rooms at the Grand are so far flung that you might as well do DLH.
HMH! Wow. I went in unspoiled - skipped any blog post or vlog that described HMH in detail or showed video of it, because I wanted to be surprised. I'm glad I did. That overlay is amazing! I didn't anticipate anything so comprehensive. I grew up near Disneyland and (like many of us here, I'm sure), I have the Ghost Host's lines down pat. That ride is so familiar to me that the changes were genuinely thrilling. I love, love, loved it. Like getting a whole new ride.
We ended up being at the gate of Toontown when it opened one morning, and I'm glad that happened. It was so cute to see DS run in there and skip along with Pluto, and then we were able to hop right into Mickey's House. We had photos with Mickey inside of 10 minutes. It wasn't something we planned, but it was lovely.
The new Rider Switch system worked fine for us. CMs are familiar with it now, and they consistently issue appropriate return times. We still didn't always get to use our RS passes because one of our kiddos would need something completely unreasonable like the restroom or a drink
, and our hour would expire. So yes, I do miss the RS of old and its more flexible return times, but I have no real complaints. I'm glad we spent time at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. DD was either in the stroller or being held in line so much of the time that it was critical to find places where she could cut loose. RCCT was perfect. DS loved the zipline and the rock climbing wall. There was a wonderful CM there supporting the kids and making them feel great even when they fell off and needed to try again. Gave DS a huge confidence boost.
One of my favorite moments of the entire trip was when I stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce to compliment a handful of great CMs. It only took a moment (the CM behind the counter asked for the names of the great CMs and for a description of what happened; they recorded everything for me) and it made me feel like part of the parks in a whole new way. I took a couple of selfies with awesome CMs along the way to help me remember their names. Giving CM compliments at the CoC/City Hall is something I've never taken the time to do before, and it's something I will never pass up the opportunity to do again.
Star Tours at DL seems less jerky than at WDW. It was a little easier on my back, or that was my impression. Is that just me?
I miss the atmosphere and hilarious CM interactions of ToT. But I prefer the actual ride mechanics of GotG (and the music!). Monsters After Dark was fun too.
Pretty much everything has been said about Mickey's Halloween Party, but here are my two cents: I made sure to see the Cadaver Dans, in spite of the fact that DS didn't really want to stop for them, and it was worth it. They were wonderful. But I wouldn't do the MHP preparty in Toontown again. We're not dedicated to getting lots of character pictures with the different costumes - we had our Mickey and Minnie pics for the trip already - so the preparty was just really long lines for candy. If there was more to it, we missed it. We would've been better off starting over by Thunder Mountain.
There are a lot of bulbs out on Splash Mountain, and broken animatronics as well. I'm not sure I would have noticed all of them if it hadn't been brought up here (by Linkura, I think?) but boy, do they need to get in there and make that ride shine again.
Moana really deserves a Photopass photographer. The actress playing her was absolutely delightful, and seeing DS in the presence of one of his heroes was one of the highlights of the trip - I just wish there were more pictures of it.
We rented a poolside cabana at the Grand for half a day. We weren't sure it was going to be worth it. It was. DD fell asleep in her stroller at the perfect moment, and for a couple of hours, it almost felt like we were on an island vacation in our little tent of cocktails and fluffy robes. The CM who booked it for us over the phone quoted us a lower price than what they charged us, because apparently the rates changed a day or two after we booked, and the CM who reserved our time didn't know that. We said we were surprised by the fee, explained what we were quoted, and they honored it, which was a relief.
A lot of people seem to think that the Halloween vibe is stronger at DL, but I thought it was best in the evening at DCA. The music, the purple lights, the Headless Horseman - it all came together to create a spookier, more spirited, and more distinctly Halloweeny atmosphere.
I was committed to traveling light in the parks this time, and found some great advice on these boards about how to do it. Consequently, I felt much less hassled every time we parked the stroller and went to get in line for a ride. DH and I wore these ID cases (I put them on Disneyland lanyards that were more comfortable than the string these came with). Hotel room keys, gift cards, Disney Visa, and tickets fit easily inside, and they were very sturdy. I had my ticket with the barcode facing out, and DS's on the other side with his barcode facing out, so scanning FPs was a breeze (they scan right through the plastic, so they never have to come out). Before our trip, I made a copy of DS's ticket so that my husband had the exact same thing - his barcode and DS's - so that it didn't matter which one of us was Rider Switching, we always both had what we needed with no handoffs necessary.
Dining:
How have I never eaten at the Earl of Sandwich before? Next time, I will eat there every day. That Thanksgiving leftover sandwich is the business. Turns out, some of the the best food at DLR is an $8 sandwich in DTD.
Very much enjoyed the Dole Whip with rum at the Coffee House at the DLH. True, it isn't much rum, but since I had just drunk an Uh-Oa at Trader Sam's, it's probably for the best that the Dole Whip only had a light shot.
The ahi tuna at Trader Sam's was the best table service food I had the whole trip, including dinner at Carthay. Very flavorful seaweed, everything worked beautifully together.
A later lunch at Ariel's Grotto is a better experience, or at least, that's what we've found. This time, we booked the first lunch service at 11:20, and I felt the entire time like they were trying to rush us out of there to get the next group in. We had ordered a Disney birthday cake for the end of the meal, and they were cleaning up all around us while we were trying to celebrate DS. By comparison, when we went to a 3pm (possibly 3:30?) lunch there in January, the pace was much friendlier. We also sat outside that time, which I much preferred. But the Disney birthday cake we pre-ordered for DS was super yummy! Reminded me of wedding cake. Also very affordable, by Disney standards. It was nice that they had it ready at Ariel's after our lunch ended.
Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza is a nicer experience outdoors as well, or at least that's now my take. There wasn't enough room to maneuver for pictures and greetings with the characters at the indoor corner table where we were seated. Last time we were there, we were out on the porch, and there was more freedom of movement. We still had a great time on this visit, but next time I will request the porch for sure. I do prefer the Crystal Palace at WDW, though. Fewer characters, yes, but it's a more consistent experience.
Flo's is fine. Solid, kid-friendly breakfast. I had heard raves about the brioche French toast, so I ordered it. Having never had brioche French toast, I don't know how it compares. I thought it tasted like bread pudding with caramel and bananas instead of raisins. Fine with me.
I liked the poison-appletini at Carthay, and the seasonal soup was delicious. I loved the ice sphere in my Manhattan. I thought it was very cool. No pun intended.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus at Bengal Barbecue: I had looked forward to it, and I liked it. DH preferred the beef skewers.
White Water Snacks: We asked them if we could have chicken and beef on the nachos, since I wanted chicken and DH wanted beef and we knew we weren't hungry enough for two servings. They gladly accommodated the request. Nice folks there, and the nachos were fine.
Room service food at the Grand was not good. The fries were especially, and inedibly, bad. I am not a picky eater and I would not eat those fries. Maybe it was an off night. It was pretty surprising. I should have said something at the time but didn't - we were too pooped to bother.
This time, we had corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon. Last trip, we had them from Corn Dog Castle. In DH's opinion, the LRW was better. IMO, they are pretty much the same. Both top notch corn dogs. No corn dog finer than a Disneyland corn dog.
DH hunted around for the best chocolate shake. Flo's was blah. Ghirardelli's was good. Haagen Dazs was best (though as DH put it, the flavor at HD did not "punch you in the face" as much as the one from Ghirardelli's, so it depends on what you like). The soft-serve chocolate ice cream at the Cozy Cone was also pretty good, which it ought to be given the wait!
The firefly pie at the Coke corner is wonderful. Classic Frito pie, assembled in a little bag with lots of jalapenos. It's not on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask for it. Yum.
Oh, beignets. Beignets, beignets. I love you, beignets. Classic, not dreamsicle, which I did not try because if it's not Baroque, don't fix it.
Final takeaway:
It was our best family Disney experience yet. A wonderful trip, that felt charmed in many ways. I can't wait to go back.
