Trip last week-- reflections

[westie55]

Last week my family (including kids ages 7, 5, and infant) went to Disneyland 8/15-8/20. We are from the east coast and are WDW veterans but DL newbies. These are my observations:

1) I liked Genie+ and found it easy to use. I was worried about this and I was pleasantly surprised. Just about every ride had LL available immediately. Nothing seemed to run out early, even Rise of The Resistance.
2) Just like WDW, getting to the parks early is necessary if you want to minimize wait time. We stayed at DLH and while we wanted to do early entry, we only made it one day (at about 7:40-- the line for Peter Pan was already long). It was just too difficult to get everyone out of the room earlier. By 9:30-10:00 lines were starting to build everywhere.
3) Goofy's Kitchen really surprised me. The spread was extensive and the food was actually very good. We went for dinner. This is WAY better than Chef Mickey's in WDW. The character interactions here are back to normal with the characters posing at each table for pictures. They do not just dance through the restaurant, which I was happy about. This was seriously one of the best meals of our trip lol.
4) The DLH was nice. The walk was a few minutes further than the GC, where we stayed last time, but wasn't far enough to justify the GC being twice the price. We were in Adventure tower on the 3rd floor. Our standard view room faced a bunch of foliage and palm trees. We couldn't hear construction at all. We could see and hear it by the pool (especially by the waterslides) but it wasn't overly bothersome. We had no trouble at all finding chairs in the shade mid day every day we went to the pool (Tuesday-Friday). After reading this board I was scared about a super crowded pool with no chair availability but it didn't end up being the case for us.
5) We also did well with ride breakdowns. Everything was open when we wanted it to be. Once we had ILL for RSR and it was closed upon our arrival, but it opened back up about 15 minutes later. Other than that we experienced no rode closures at all.
6) We loved the WOC dessert party even though the desserts were lackluster. A Mickey bar on a plate would have been better. But IMO no dessert beats a Mickey bar. Did we need to pay that much? Probably not, but I don't regret it because it was a really nice experience. My kids loved the glow ball drinks.
7) We also got reserved seating for MSEP with the Plaza Inn dining package. This was unnecessary. There was plenty of room right on the curb in front of the railroad station in front of us until quite close to the start of the parade. A few women didn't do the package and walked right into our area after the CM took down the ropes right before the parade. No one stopped them.
8) Lines were long but with a combination of Genie+ and going early, 10 minutes was the longest we waited for a ride our entire trip. It seems a lot of people in DL don't spend the money on Genie+ or ILL. For us those were worth it. Waiting in lines that long with small children just isn't possible (or fun).
9) Characters everywhere- WOW! This is a huge difference from WDW. My children met so.many.characters every single day.
10) We ate in Downtown Disney a lot. The menus are just more extensive than in the parks. Tortilla Jo's, Ralph Brennan's, and Naples were all good. We also went bowling at Splitsville one day and that was a hit too-- with no wait.

Overall it was a great trip and we will be back to DL for sure!

 

[LizzyS]

Glad to hear you had a great trip!

 

[kikismom]

I'm so glad you had fun! I enjoyed reading your report.

 

[Pluto468]

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

 

[CandyMouse]

Awesome! Sounds like a great trip!

 

[Aurora0427]

Last week my family (including kids ages 7, 5, and infant) went to Disneyland 8/15-8/20. We are from the east coast and are WDW veterans but DL newbies. These are my observations:

1) I liked Genie+ and found it easy to use. I was worried about this and I was pleasantly surprised. Just about every ride had LL available immediately. Nothing seemed to run out early, even Rise of The Resistance.
2) Just like WDW, getting to the parks early is necessary if you want to minimize wait time. We stayed at DLH and while we wanted to do early entry, we only made it one day (at about 7:40-- the line for Peter Pan was already long). It was just too difficult to get everyone out of the room earlier. By 9:30-10:00 lines were starting to build everywhere.
3) Goofy's Kitchen really surprised me. The spread was extensive and the food was actually very good. We went for dinner. This is WAY better than Chef Mickey's in WDW. The character interactions here are back to normal with the characters posing at each table for pictures. They do not just dance through the restaurant, which I was happy about. This was seriously one of the best meals of our trip lol.
4) The DLH was nice. The walk was a few minutes further than the GC, where we stayed last time, but wasn't far enough to justify the GC being twice the price. We were in Adventure tower on the 3rd floor. Our standard view room faced a bunch of foliage and palm trees. We couldn't hear construction at all. We could see and hear it by the pool (especially by the waterslides) but it wasn't overly bothersome. We had no trouble at all finding chairs in the shade mid day every day we went to the pool (Tuesday-Friday). After reading this board I was scared about a super crowded pool with no chair availability but it didn't end up being the case for us.
5) We also did well with ride breakdowns. Everything was open when we wanted it to be. Once we had ILL for RSR and it was closed upon our arrival, but it opened back up about 15 minutes later. Other than that we experienced no rode closures at all.
6) We loved the WOC dessert party even though the desserts were lackluster. A Mickey bar on a plate would have been better. But IMO no dessert beats a Mickey bar. Did we need to pay that much? Probably not, but I don't regret it because it was a really nice experience. My kids loved the glow ball drinks.
7) We also got reserved seating for MSEP with the Plaza Inn dining package. This was unnecessary. There was plenty of room right on the curb in front of the railroad station in front of us until quite close to the start of the parade. A few women didn't do the package and walked right into our area after the CM took down the ropes right before the parade. No one stopped them.
8) Lines were long but with a combination of Genie+ and going early, 10 minutes was the longest we waited for a ride our entire trip. It seems a lot of people in DL don't spend the money on Genie+ or ILL. For us those were worth it. Waiting in lines that long with small children just isn't possible (or fun).
9) Characters everywhere- WOW! This is a huge difference from WDW. My children met so.many.characters every single day.
10) We ate in Downtown Disney a lot. The menus are just more extensive than in the parks. Tortilla Jo's, Ralph Brennan's, and Naples were all good. We also went bowling at Splitsville one day and that was a hit too-- with no wait.

Overall it was a great trip and we will be back to DL for sure!

I’m so glad to hear Goofy’s Kitchen is back to normal. We ate there for dinner on July 4 and it wasn’t and we decided we wouldn’t be back until they came to your table. Yay!

I’m glad the hear the construction wasn’t a huge issue…. I’m debating between the GCH and the DLH for December. I know I’d love the GCH at Christmas, but the DLH is $300 cheaper.

 

[DisneylandFan22]

Did you see the first or second WOC? How was check in?

 

[westie55]

Did you see the first or second WOC? How was check in?

We saw the first WOC. I went to check in prior to 8pm (maybe around 7:50?) and the line was really long. Like reallllllly long. I had trouble finding it— it was by the “Eureka” tower (I think that’s what it was called) over towards the Grizzly Rapids. At that time there was also a line for the 2nd show. Once 8pm hit it seemed like the line started to move and from that point forward it went pretty quickly and we were seated at a low top table. Perhaps they didn’t start checking people in until that time? It was definitely as if there was no movement whatsoever and then at 8 huge movement and I was seated within minutes. Everyone in line around me was confused and asking if this was the line for the first show. I didn’t make any table request and our view was just fine. The desserts and drinks came out with plenty time to spare before the show.

 

[elenex]

Sounds like a great trip!

We also like Goofy's kitchen and prefer the DTD restaurants to the ones in-park. The next time you visit DLR, I recommend the quick service. As a longtime WDWer, I was very disappointed initially with the park restaurants in DLR, only to eventually realize that it's the opposite of WDW. Quick service tends to be great, restaurants hit or miss (mostly miss). Watch a vlog or 2 from magic journeys on YT, they do a good job of finding the good eats.

 

[Aurora0427]

Sounds like a great trip!

We also like Goofy's kitchen and prefer the DTD restaurants to the ones in-park. The next time you visit DLR, I recommend the quick service. As a longtime WDWer, I was very disappointed initially with the park restaurants in DLR, only to eventually realize that it's the opposite of WDW. Quick service tends to be great, restaurants hit or miss (mostly miss). Watch a vlog or 2 from magic journeys on YT, they do a good job of finding the good eats.

Yes! Prior to moving to Southern California, we were WDW veterans…. Maybe 12 trips in ten years? And out there our trips revolved around what restaurant we were eating at because they are so good. We quickly discovered at Disneyland it’s the opposite…. Great quick service and the table service restaurants are meh. Saves us money though! Ha.

 

[PlutoIsHere]

Great trip report, thanks for sharing. I've been on these boards a long time and I've found that peoples expectations vary wildly which often times leads to a large disparity in terms of how people view the current state of the parks. Glad you had a great time!

 

[evilmommie]

Yay! Glad you had a great trip. We’re staycationing at GCH in October. Can’t wait!

 

[katyringo]

Ohhhh hearing you had a normal expirence at goofy's makes me happy! Please don't be a fluke!

 

[DnA2010]

Thanks for sharing! We are in the parks sept 7/8/9 with 2 just turned 6 year olds and a 3 year old, so your tips are very helpful!
did the 5 year old enjoy WOC?

 

[DLgal]

Sounds practically perfect! You didn't experience the pool crowds because schools have largely started back up in So Cal and you were there during the weekdays. Weekends poolside are another story. I'm so glad everything seemed to work out in your favor and you had a great trip!

DTD restaurants are where its at! So many people ignore these in favor of in park TS, but it's a mistake. Downtown Disney is so close by its worth the 5 minute walk from the parks to eat better food.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Last week my family (including kids ages 7, 5, and infant) went to Disneyland 8/15-8/20. We are from the east coast and are WDW veterans but DL newbies. These are my observations:

1) I liked Genie+ and found it easy to use. I was worried about this and I was pleasantly surprised. Just about every ride had LL available immediately. Nothing seemed to run out early, even Rise of The Resistance.
2) Just like WDW, getting to the parks early is necessary if you want to minimize wait time. We stayed at DLH and while we wanted to do early entry, we only made it one day (at about 7:40-- the line for Peter Pan was already long). It was just too difficult to get everyone out of the room earlier. By 9:30-10:00 lines were starting to build everywhere.
3) Goofy's Kitchen really surprised me. The spread was extensive and the food was actually very good. We went for dinner. This is WAY better than Chef Mickey's in WDW. The character interactions here are back to normal with the characters posing at each table for pictures. They do not just dance through the restaurant, which I was happy about. This was seriously one of the best meals of our trip lol.
4) The DLH was nice. The walk was a few minutes further than the GC, where we stayed last time, but wasn't far enough to justify the GC being twice the price. We were in Adventure tower on the 3rd floor. Our standard view room faced a bunch of foliage and palm trees. We couldn't hear construction at all. We could see and hear it by the pool (especially by the waterslides) but it wasn't overly bothersome. We had no trouble at all finding chairs in the shade mid day every day we went to the pool (Tuesday-Friday). After reading this board I was scared about a super crowded pool with no chair availability but it didn't end up being the case for us.
5) We also did well with ride breakdowns. Everything was open when we wanted it to be. Once we had ILL for RSR and it was closed upon our arrival, but it opened back up about 15 minutes later. Other than that we experienced no rode closures at all.
6) We loved the WOC dessert party even though the desserts were lackluster. A Mickey bar on a plate would have been better. But IMO no dessert beats a Mickey bar. Did we need to pay that much? Probably not, but I don't regret it because it was a really nice experience. My kids loved the glow ball drinks.
7) We also got reserved seating for MSEP with the Plaza Inn dining package. This was unnecessary. There was plenty of room right on the curb in front of the railroad station in front of us until quite close to the start of the parade. A few women didn't do the package and walked right into our area after the CM took down the ropes right before the parade. No one stopped them.
8) Lines were long but with a combination of Genie+ and going early, 10 minutes was the longest we waited for a ride our entire trip. It seems a lot of people in DL don't spend the money on Genie+ or ILL. For us those were worth it. Waiting in lines that long with small children just isn't possible (or fun).
9) Characters everywhere- WOW! This is a huge difference from WDW. My children met so.many.characters every single day.
10) We ate in Downtown Disney a lot. The menus are just more extensive than in the parks. Tortilla Jo's, Ralph Brennan's, and Naples were all good. We also went bowling at Splitsville one day and that was a hit too-- with no wait.

Overall it was a great trip and we will be back to DL for sure!

We were there at the same time as you (August 16-19), staying at VGC (we are DVC). We also had a great week. I was pleasantly surprised by the crowds. I thought it was going to be horrible because our MKs opened that week, but the schools being back really helped. It was also in the lull before all the Halloween hoopla so that was probably a big factor. We had a lot of ride breakdowns--sounds like bad timing on our part--but we ended up with a couple auto multiple experiences so that was nice. For the most part, we had good restaurant experiences, but Tortilla Jos still bums me out. It's historically been our favorite Disney restaurant, but they still haven't brought back our favorites--the table side guac is sooo good and the full menu with the traditional quesadilla--and my margs were very light on alcohol. This is our third visit since the pandemic and each time I hope they will bring stuff back, and the longer it gets, I feel like this is going to be permanent.

Meant to add ... my husband has a funny COVID saying about businesses: Does it cost me money? Sorry, COVID; does it make me money? No COVID! This certainly applies to most of Disney nowadays and explains to my mind why so many things are not "back." i.e. if I can sell pre-made guac from a container in the back for the same price as table-side that requires fresh ingredients and extra servers, which am I going to do? I refuse to buy the guac now, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who don't know the difference or care.

We saw the first WOC. I went to check in prior to 8pm (maybe around 7:50?) and the line was really long. Like reallllllly long. I had trouble finding it— it was by the “Eureka” tower (I think that’s what it was called) over towards the Grizzly Rapids. At that time there was also a line for the 2nd show. Once 8pm hit it seemed like the line started to move and from that point forward it went pretty quickly and we were seated at a low top table. Perhaps they didn’t start checking people in until that time? It was definitely as if there was no movement whatsoever and then at 8 huge movement and I was seated within minutes. Everyone in line around me was confused and asking if this was the line for the first show. I didn’t make any table request and our view was just fine. The desserts and drinks came out with plenty time to spare before the show.

We also did WOC dessert party on Thursday 8/18). We've done if a few times, but this was our first time doing it in a couple years so it was confusing for us as well since they moved the check-in area. Fortunately we decided to go really early at 7:15, but we were still about 8-10 groups back. I want to say they didn't start checking people in and handing out wrist bands until right before 8, and then maybe 15-20 minutes later they took us to the seats? We did get a table assignment with our wrist bands, and I suspect that was because we were close enough to the front of the line to check in before the line moved. You are right--once it moved, it moved quickly. But I do know that after getting our bands, my husband and son had time to go ride Mermaid and hit the restrooms. To my surprise we were able to get a hightop in the center--I thought the people in front of me would go for those, but I got a great table so I guess the wait was worth it. It was kind of a bummer having to wait that long in line for a 9 pm show, and I wondered whether getting a high table was worth it. They seem to have dealt with some of the view issues in the lower tables that we noticed before by moving the people in the section in front of the dessert party area forward. I'm not much of a dessert eater, but I liked the included sparkling wine

 

[westie55]

Thanks for sharing! We are in the parks sept 7/8/9 with 2 just turned 6 year olds and a 3 year old, so your tips are very helpful!
did the 5 year old enjoy WOC?

My 5 year old did like it, but he fell asleep by the end. Granted, we are east coast residents so the time change makes it even harder for littles. If your child knows the movies, I think it will be a hit. Mine were excited every time a new character came on that they recognized.

 

[westie55]

Yes! Prior to moving to Southern California, we were WDW veterans…. Maybe 12 trips in ten years? And out there our trips revolved around what restaurant we were eating at because they are so good. We quickly discovered at Disneyland it’s the opposite…. Great quick service and the table service restaurants are meh. Saves us money though! Ha.

Yes, WDW has better dining. There’s a lot I liked better about DL. The weather, the fact that I never had to ride a bus or fold my stroller… but I did miss the California Grill!!!!