Tidbits from recent DLR/GCH visit

[guynhawaii]

Aloha,
Several tidbits and thoughts from recent visit to DLR. Myself, wife and our pair of college age children checked into GCH on Saturday, 21 May for a five PM stay including four days at the parks. Used Genie+, ILL and park hoppers.
DCA Rope Drop (RD) strategy. Attended RD twice at both parks. For DCA, first DCA visit we RD GOTG. Recommend to line up on the FAR left at the rope where the CMs hold everyone before entering GOTG. The CM leading everyone into GOTG leads single file from the FAR left. Did single rider for RSR and later used ILL for RSR. Then used single rider for IC and G+ for TSM. Worked around the park clockwise. Would use G+ later for the rides we earlier used the standby/SR lines. Done by 12:30. Second DCA visit, for RD we used the GCH/DCA entrance and did double rides on TSM and IC. Used Single Rider on IC. Then worked counterclockwise to GOTG and RSR. Used G+ for GOTG and single rider for RSR. Purchased ILL for RSR only to have it refunded back when it unexpectedly closed for the rest of the day/week. DCA was basically a half day for us as we used RD/G+ and ILL to do all of the significant rides twice with minimal waiting.
DL RD strategy. Used RD, G+ and ILL. Lined up inside the hub on the right side facing the castle by Tomorrowland. Hit Fantasyland, rolled to Matterhorn, Space MT and proceeded to go clockwise to Adventureland, NOS, etc...Used ILL to purchase ROTR. Second DL visit was tough as PP was down as well as Matterhorn, Splash and others which resulted in unusual overcrowding early in the AM. Was able to recover later in the day using G+.
Observations. Due to the evening entertainment, RSR and SR were walk ons starting around 8:30 PM. SWGE was a ghost town. Both rides closed at 9 PM. CMs were outstanding except for one which is a stellar batting average. Very professional and greatly more proficient than the CMs at WDW which we visited last March during Spring Break.
Food and Beverage. Our greatest disappointment. Quality and quantity have both taken significant hits. Schmoozies (msp?) uses more ice in their drinks which greatly dilutes the taste. Noticed this last July and a repeat again this May. The CMs stated they use the same menu as before C19 which may be true as our last DLR visit was in 2018. But the menu using more ice has most definitely changed since our 2018 visit. Smokejumpers Grills has gone off the cliff. The fixins bar has yet to return. The waffle fries are gone. Used mobile order and the food was cold. Unbelievable that the chicken sandwich by Popeyes, KFC, McDonalds, Chick Fil A, etc...is vastly superior at half the cost. GCH Craftsman Grill and Storytellers Cafe were also great disappointments. The Quesadillas and pepperoni pizzas were undercooked. Mgr gave us a $50 credit. The waiter at Storytellers cafe was the worst we have experienced in memory. Refused to refill our drinks or take our plates away. We had to ask the other waiters for help and assistance. Needless to say, we shall not be returning to these GCH restaurants.
Cafe Orleans. Waiter was superlative. Received big tip. The Monte Cristo has been greatly reduced in both quantity and quality. Mostly batter...grossly too much batter. Menu rather limited. No okra in the gumbo. Unable to order the Pomme Fries separately. Changed the size of the fries to bigger fries which we preferred. Nice atmosphere but food was a disappointment.
Rancho Del Zocalo. No more free drink refills. Still using refried beans vice the more healthier black beans. Chicken meal was of poor quality.
Pym Test Kitchen. Enjoyed the free drink refills. Portions (other than the preztel) were small and over priced.
Overall. Enjoyed the rides and managed the parks well with the use of RD, G+ and ILL. Food was a disappointment. Prefer Maxpass and the Early AM entry for the DLR hotel guests. Don't like being channeled to used G+ and ILL. But had to adjust IOT manage the parks with minimal waits. Sadly, don't anticipate any return to DLR in the future. Can get a bigger bang for the entertainment $$ elsewhere.

 

[maleficent55]

Thank you for your report and observations

 

[DizMe]

I'm sorry to hear about the overall drop in quality. I'm going in a few weeks and taking a friend as a special treat for her. But everything I knew about the parks is now of questionable value, so I'm anxious it will be a lot of money for a so-so trip.

Thanks for your assessment. I know we'll have fun, but I'm very unhappy with the fact that the degraded quality at reopening is still present. Was hoping to see things improve by now.

 

[sweethannah]

Thank you for the detailed update. I'm anxious about the food quality for when we go especially as it's likely to be v.crowded and I feel that will further impact quality. Can you explain about the free drink refills at Pyms? I didn't know any CS that offered drink refills. Thanks!

 

[DLgal]

Thank you for the detailed update. I'm anxious about the food quality for when we go especially as it's likely to be v.crowded and I feel that will further impact quality. Can you explain about the free drink refills at Pyms? I didn't know any CS that offered drink refills. Thanks!

You can get free drink refills at every CS location that has a self serve machine. Pyms, in particular, has a Coke Freestyle machine.

Rancho is an outlier in that they do not allow free refills. I don't know why.

 

[DLgal]

Food has taken a hit lately at some places, while improving vastly in others. That chicken sandwich at Smokejumpers needs a recipe overhaul. It is a soggy mess and FAR too spicy. I found it incredibly disappointing as well. I prefer the new crinkle fries to the waffle fries, though. The waffle fries were completely void of flavor.

I had an amazing chicken meal at Rancho, with one of the largest half chickens I've ever seen. I could not finish even just the white meat. They have been serving refried beans here (no less healthy than black beans, FWIW, as they are really not "fried" but rather just mashed up) for years. Black beans are over at DCA at the Cocina Cucamonga. Never seen black beans at Rancho.

I'm surprised that you found Pyms portions too small. We eat there all the time and it's always way too much food. We split the french toast meals between 2 people as well as the chicken sandwich (we order an extra side of tots). And we are not small eaters. This is the one place that I cannot complain about portion sizes.

 

[DLgal]

I'm sorry to hear about the overall drop in quality. I'm going in a few weeks and taking a friend as a special treat for her. But everything I knew about the parks is now of questionable value, so I'm anxious it will be a lot of money for a so-so trip.

Thanks for your assessment. I know we'll have fun, but I'm very unhappy with the fact that the degraded quality at reopening is still present. Was hoping to see things improve by now.

There isn't an overall drop in quality. I'm there every week, and we usually eat both lunch and dinner at the parks, so we "get around."

There are some places that are better than others, as it has always been. Schmoozies has never had good smoothies. They have ALWAYS had that icy/McDonalds smoothie from a mix taste. Their milkshakes are good, though. If you want a good smoothie at DLR, go to Jamba.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Can get a bigger bang for the entertainment $$ elsewhere.

That's my feeling exactly. Given the extra money it costs to go to Disneyland, I have slightly higher expectations for it than other parks but post pandemic, it consistently fails to meet those expectations.

 

[DLgal]

That's my feeling exactly. Given the extra money it costs to go to Disneyland, I have slightly higher expectations for it than other parks but post pandemic, it consistently fails to meet those expectations.

Where else do you go stateside?

 

[DizMe]

There isn't an overall drop in quality. I'm there every week, and we usually eat both lunch and dinner at the parks, so we "get around."

There are some places that are better than others, as it has always been. Schmoozies has never had good smoothies. They have ALWAYS had that icy/McDonalds smoothie from a mix taste. Their milkshakes are good, though. If you want a good smoothie at DLR, go to Jamba.

Thank you!! I went in Nov and Dec 2021, and had wonderful trips both times. Lately, I've read so much DLR bashing that I've gotten the impression it has gone downhill. I just heard from my daughter (who turned 22 today and went to DLR with her friends). They're having an absolute blast. She told me not to worry

 

[DLgal]

Thank you!! I went in Nov and Dec 2021, and had wonderful trips both times. Lately, I've read so much DLR bashing that I've gotten the impression it has gone downhill. I just heard from my daughter (who turned 22 today and went to DLR with her friends). They're having an absolute blast. She told me not to worry

I just try and remember that there IS still a lot of inconsistency in a lot of aspects of a Disneyland visit. But overall, we are satisfied with the experience in the parks over the last several months. Sure, we hit a dining dud every now and then, but we keep going back and trying those places again and often they are much better on a different day, so it's all relative.

We had some bad luck on a girl's trip in late April with the dining. Places I had had wonderful meals at were downright awful, and it sucked because my friend hadn't been since 2019. She was like "you led me wrong on the food this time." And it was just a fluke, because I had literally eaten those same meals just weeks earlier and they were FAR better. Sometimes, you get a bad cut of meat, or cold food, or stale bread. It happens. But it's not some overall decline.

 

[starry_solo]

You can get free drink refills at every CS location that has a self serve machine. Pyms, in particular, has a Coke Freestyle machine.

Rancho is an outlier in that they do not allow free refills. I don't know why.

wait, Rancho stopped offering free refills? I wonder when that happened.

 

[Aspencreek]

Sadly, don't anticipate any return to DLR in the future. Can get a bigger bang for the entertainment $$ elsewhere.

That's my feeling exactly. Given the extra money it costs to go to Disneyland, I have slightly higher expectations for it than other parks but post pandemic, it consistently fails to meet those expectations.

So where then to spend some cash for fun instead? San Diego? Other LA area parks? Cruise?

 

[CO2CA]

wait, Rancho stopped offering free refills? I wonder when that happened.

At least back in March. I went in to get a refill and was stopped by the cashier. It wasn't a fluke either because I saw a few other people go in and come out complaining that they weren't allowed to get refills (one teenage girl was pretty vocal in her displeasure, haha!). I can kind of see if it's a sanitary/COVID thing, but it's a bummer since that was one of the big draws of going to Rancho.

 

[DLgal]

At least back in March. I went in to get a refill and was stopped by the cashier. It wasn't a fluke either because I saw a few other people go in and come out complaining that they weren't allowed to get refills (one teenage girl was pretty vocal in her displeasure, haha!). I can kind of see if it's a sanitary/COVID thing, but it's a bummer since that was one of the big draws of going to Rancho.

Yeah, they have always played gatekeeper there. We use the fountain often for ice for our water bottles and EVERY TIME get stopped by a cast member as we enter to approach the machine. They happily let us get our ice when I tell them what I need, and direct me to the outside water spout for water.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Where else do you go stateside?

So where then to spend some cash for fun instead? San Diego? Other LA area parks? Cruise?

Lately, I've felt that SeaWorld is the best value for me as an Annual Passholder. I had a pass to Universal Hollywood but there's not quite enough to do in my opinion. Right now, Cedar Fairs parks like Great America in Norcal aren't quite operating at their best.

Last year, I went to Hawaii but it's not a good deal anymore. I also did Vegas a few times last year but Caesars changed their loyalty program so Vegas and Lake Tahoe are now axed from the list. Orlando is in the plan for this year but I may do at most, one day in Magic Kingdom and a night at the Swan/Dolphin to enjoy the resort then focus on the SeaWorld parks rather than WDW.

When Japan and Taiwan reopen properly, I'll be spending less on entertainment in the US.

 

[CO2CA]

Yeah, they have always played gatekeeper there. We use the fountain often for ice for our water bottles and EVERY TIME get stopped by a cast member as we enter to approach the machine. They happily let us get our ice when I tell them what I need, and direct me to the outside water spout for water.

Previous visits (going back years), we've never had an issue with getting refills. In fact, I remember mentioning to the cashiers at different times (on different trips) that I was just getting a refill and they would nod their head or say ok. I didn't want them to think I was stealing so felt compelled to announce what I was doing haha.

 

[sweethannah]

You can get free drink refills at every CS location that has a self serve machine. Pyms, in particular, has a Coke Freestyle machine.

Rancho is an outlier in that they do not allow free refills. I don't know why.

Thank you!

 

[DLgal]

Lately, I've felt that SeaWorld is the best value for me as an Annual Passholder. I had a pass to Universal Hollywood but there's not quite enough to do in my opinion. Right now, Cedar Fairs parks like Great America in Norcal aren't quite operating at their best.

Last year, I went to Hawaii but it's not a good deal anymore. I also did Vegas a few times last year but Caesars changed their loyalty program so Vegas and Lake Tahoe are now axed from the list. Orlando is in the plan for this year but I may do at most, one day in Magic Kingdom and a night at the Swan/Dolphin to enjoy the resort then focus on the SeaWorld parks rather than WDW.

When Japan and Taiwan reopen properly, I'll be spending less on entertainment in the US.

Good to hear about Sea World. Kids want to go this summer. I told them we would take the Surfliner down one day.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Good to hear about Sea World. Kids want to go this summer. I told them we would take the Surfliner down one day.

The rides and nighttime entertainment are not as good as Disneyland but I like the animal shows and the ability to just slow down and see the animals. Don't expect the staff to be as experienced as cast members at Disneyland and know that rides are secondary to animals. I don't want to give you a wrong impression because if we ignore price, I'd say Disneyland is the better park.

But when we include price in the equation, a Platinum Pass to SeaWorld which also allows me to visit other SeaWorld owned parks such as the ones in Orlando costs less than half an Enchant Key and has more perks. As someone who has to travel to all of these parks, San Diego and Orlando have other additional things I'd want to do on vacation while Anaheim does not. Your situation is different from mine.

Check the SeaWorld website for sales because tickets are often like $60 if you prepurchase online and be aware that two rides in the park have an extra $6 fee unless you have an annual pass.