Trip report/observations: July 18th -25th

[ND Disney Daddy]

The backstory:
5 adults and 3 kids visiting sunny California from currently sunny, often freezing North Dakota. 6-day parkhoppers for Disney, and a day each at SeaWorld and Universal. My most recent trip was 2005, and we had several first-timers along. The kids are my daughters, ages 8, 7, and 4.

The hotel:
Park Vue Inn. I couldn't have been happier with our choice of hotel, it fit our needs perfectly.

• Amazing location, right across the street from Disney's main entrance.
• Free hot breakfast and free evening snack/meal were time- and money-savers for us.
• Rooms were clean and comfortable (new carpets recently installed).
• Parking was always available.
• When the A/C went out in one room, they had it fixed within 15 minutes of me notifying the front desk.
• Pool is outdoors but enclosed, my girls loved it.
• The only (minor) disappointment was that they discontinued the free bottled water in the lobby that I had heard about. No biggie, we just stocked up and filled the fridges.
• I would absolutely stay here again if the price is reasonable.

The crowds:
I don't get to DL often enough to know if it was really crowded or not. It seemed quite busy, but managable. Typical afternoon/evening wait times were: Star Tours/GRR 120 min, Space/Splash/Indy 60-90 min, POTC/Big Thunder/Peter Pan/Soarin/ToT 30-45 min.

Thanks to fastpasses and proper timing, the longest lines we waited in were Toy Story (45 min) and meeting Rapunzel (60 min). Except for a few minor things, we visited every attraction at least once, many several times.

Arriving at opening for fastpasses and short lines really pays off. This time of year, I highly recommend afternoon breaks to nap or swim and get away from the crowds and heat. Most days we were there from 8 am til about 1 pm, then returned around 7 pm and stayed until after midnight.

The shows:
World of Color - Truly amazing show, we all loved it. With 3 little ones (and all of the adults being under 6'), I wanted to ensure that we got a good viewing area. Went to DCA at opening, got passes for the Blue zone, 9 pm showing. We arrived around 7:30, joining about 30 other people there. I found it a bit odd that there was no line, just a mass of people gathering around the entrance. When they let us in at 8:00, many people dashed to get a spot near the water - we found a nice spot along a rail further back, lined up directly with Mickey's Fun Wheel. This worked out well for us, and we even had enough room at the rail to let some of the people behind us move their little ones up for a better view when the show started.

Fantasmic - We got a spot on the POTC bridge railing for the 2nd show without having to arrive terribly early. Enjoyed mint juleps, mickey beignets, and clam chowder while we waited 20 min or so for the show to start. Fantasmic was awesome as always. This was my first time seeing the new Maleficent dragon AA (Murphy?), and I was impressed!

Fireworks - We viewed the "Magical" show from several different locations - Tomorrowland, Main St. Station, hotel room balcony. It was nice, but I didn't feel the need to view it from near the castle like I did with "Remember".

Aladdin - This was my first time seeing this show. Boy have I been missing out! Even sitting almost as high up as possible, we all thoroughly enjoyed this production. Aladdin has become a "must-see" for any future visits, and next time we'll get there earlier for better seats.

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies - Another show that I had managed to miss on previous visits, we liked this one too. We found out the hard way that seating is first-come, first-serve. After ordering our food at the Golden Horseshoe about 15 min prior to the next show, we found there were no tables availables and had to eat outside. Disappointing, but we waited for the next show and grabbed a table early, enjoying a slice of mile-high chocolate cake while we sat. If you plan on dining while you see the show, I'd recommend sending a party member to secure a table before you order your food. The show is a lot of fun, and we went back to see it again on a later day.

Trader Sam's - While not technically a show, we did find Trader Sam's to be a very entertaining place to enjoy a few drinks.

The rides
Star Tours 2.0 - Although the update is very nice and I do like this ride, I can't imagine waiting in a 2-hour standby line for it. We fastpassed it twice, and I was satisfied. We'll get more rides in on the next visit, when it's not the hot new ride.

Ariel's Undersea Adventure - Loved it! A wonderful ride for the whole family. It's got great music, a nifty "submerging underwater" effect, and amazing AA's - all coupled with a fast-moving line! We rode half a dozen times, never waiting more than 10 minutes.

Toy Story Midway Mania - I'm not going to say that I didn't like it, but it was an awfully long wait for something that I can basically do at home on my Wii. It's not something I would wait more than 20 minutes for again.

Matterhorn Bobsleds - Closed for refurbishment, as expected. Something to look forward to on our next visit!

Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island - This was my first time to the Island since the pirates landed. I don't have any strong nostalgic ties to pre-pirates TSI, and had no trouble enjoying the new elements that have been added. My youngest daughter (4) was quite scared by the effects in Dead Man's Grotto. She's my little thrill junkie, thriving on rides like Big Thunder, Splash, and Space Mountain, so I was actually a bit relieved to find she is scared of something! (Later we discovered she is also afraid of the Mad Hatter, refusing to go with her big sisters for a pic with Alice and him.)

SeaWorld
SeaWorld hasn't changed a whole lot since our last visit. We did miss the manatees, who were apparently evicted in favor of sea turtles. Does anybody know why the manatees left?

Universal
We went into Universal expecting to spend only the morning there, and I think that worked out well. There just isn't a whole lot there for young kids to do. We all rode the Simpsons ride together (which was fantastic), then split up into two groups. The kids stayed with my mom to see Shrek 4D and play in the Curious George water zone, while the rest of us went to the lower level for Jurassic Park (also great) and The Mummy (meh). By the time we met back up around noon, it was getting seriously crowded, and we bailed. Back to the Park Vue for some rest before heading to...

The beach
My goal was to find a beach with tide pools for the kids to explore, and Little Corona Del Mar didn't disappoint. I've never seen so many hermit crabs in my life!

The conclusion
It was an amazing trip! We can't wait to go back... hopefully next summer.

A big thank you to all the helpful DISers who provided great advice.
Hydroguy, you're the patron saint of Disneyland advice.

Hope you enjoyed my little report, it's the first time I've written one. Feel free to post any comments or questions.

 

[sonnyjane]

SeaWorld
SeaWorld hasn't changed a whole lot since our last visit. We did miss the manatees, who were apparently evicted in favor of sea turtles. Does anybody know why the manatees left?

I was just at Sea World last week to visit my friend who is now taking care of the turtles at Turtle Reef. I got to go backstage into the exhibit and talked with her supervisor about where the manatees went. She said that because manatee numbers are still dropping, and because someone new came into office in Florida, legislation mandated that all manatees in zoos and aquariums outside of Florida must return them to Florida immediately. This happened early 2010. They weren't evicted for the turtles...the manatees had to leave and SW scrambled to find somebody to put in their place

 

[g0lden]

Loved your report--so concise! The DISers really helped me with my trip by sharing their tips, and that's why I wrote my first report, too. We were at DLR on July 21-22, so the dates of your trip caught my eye. Sounds like your daughters were well-behaved and great sports--my nieces and nephews had no interest in any shows. You guys got to do everything I wanted to do (such as World of Color, Aladdin and Little Mermaid) and pretty much stood where I was thinking for viewing, too. IF I could go back in history and choose between fireworks and Fantasmic, I'd go with Fantasmic. One of our hotel rooms had a view of the fireworks, and while it is not the same as being there, you can't see Fantasmic any other way than in person.

Aren't you worn out from doing multiple theme parks?

As for the beach, we wanted to hit nearby Huntington or Redondo (steamed crab?), but we ran out of time.

 

[blackjackdelta]

The backstory:
5 adults and 3 kids visiting sunny California from currently sunny, often freezing North Dakota. 6-day parkhoppers for Disney, and a day each at SeaWorld and Universal. My most recent trip was 2005, and we had several first-timers along. The kids are my daughters, ages 8, 7, and 4.

The hotel:

Park Vue Inn. I couldn't have been happier with our choice of hotel, it fit our needs perfectly.

• Amazing location, right across the street from Disney's main entrance.
• Free hot breakfast and free evening snack/meal were time- and money-savers for us.
• Rooms were clean and comfortable (new carpets recently installed).
• Parking was always available.
• When the A/C went out in one room, they had it fixed within 15 minutes of me notifying the front desk.
• Pool is outdoors but enclosed, my girls loved it.
• The only (minor) disappointment was that they discontinued the free bottled water in the lobby that I had heard about. No biggie, we just stocked up and filled the fridges.
• I would absolutely stay here again if the price is reasonable.

The crowds:
I don't get to DL often enough to know if it was really crowded or not. It seemed quite busy, but managable. Typical afternoon/evening wait times were: Star Tours/GRR 120 min, Space/Splash/Indy 60-90 min, POTC/Big Thunder/Peter Pan/Soarin/ToT 30-45 min.

Thanks to fastpasses and proper timing, the longest lines we waited in were Toy Story (45 min) and meeting Rapunzel (60 min). Except for a few minor things, we visited every attraction at least once, many several times.

Arriving at opening for fastpasses and short lines really pays off. This time of year, I highly recommend afternoon breaks to nap or swim and get away from the crowds and heat. Most days we were there from 8 am til about 1 pm, then returned around 7 pm and stayed until after midnight.

The shows:
World of Color - Truly amazing show, we all loved it. With 3 little ones (and all of the adults being under 6'), I wanted to ensure that we got a good viewing area. Went to DCA at opening, got passes for the Blue zone, 9 pm showing. We arrived around 7:30, joining about 30 other people there. I found it a bit odd that there was no line, just a mass of people gathering around the entrance. When they let us in at 8:00, many people dashed to get a spot near the water - we found a nice spot along a rail further back, lined up directly with Mickey's Fun Wheel. This worked out well for us, and we even had enough room at the rail to let some of the people behind us move their little ones up for a better view when the show started.

Fantasmic - We got a spot on the POTC bridge railing for the 2nd show without having to arrive terribly early. Enjoyed mint juleps, mickey beignets, and clam chowder while we waited 20 min or so for the show to start. Fantasmic was awesome as always. This was my first time seeing the new Maleficent dragon AA (Murphy?), and I was impressed!

Fireworks - We viewed the "Magical" show from several different locations - Tomorrowland, Main St. Station, hotel room balcony. It was nice, but I didn't feel the need to view it from near the castle like I did with "Remember".

Aladdin - This was my first time seeing this show. Boy have I been missing out! Even sitting almost as high up as possible, we all thoroughly enjoyed this production. Aladdin has become a "must-see" for any future visits, and next time we'll get there earlier for better seats.

Billy Hill and the Hillbillies - Another show that I had managed to miss on previous visits, we liked this one too. We found out the hard way that seating is first-come, first-serve. After ordering our food at the Golden Horseshoe about 15 min prior to the next show, we found there were no tables availables and had to eat outside. Disappointing, but we waited for the next show and grabbed a table early, enjoying a slice of mile-high chocolate cake while we sat. If you plan on dining while you see the show, I'd recommend sending a party member to secure a table before you order your food. The show is a lot of fun, and we went back to see it again on a later day.

Trader Sam's - While not technically a show, we did find Trader Sam's to be a very entertaining place to enjoy a few drinks at.

The rides
Star Tours 2.0 - Although the update is very nice and I do like this ride, I can't imagine waiting in a 2-hour standby line for it. We fastpassed it twice, and I was satisfied. We'll get more rides in on the next visit, when it's not the hot new ride.

Ariel's Undersea Adventure - Loved it! A wonderful ride for the whole family. It's got great music, a nifty "submerging underwater" effect, and amazing AA's - all coupled with a fast-moving line! We rode half a dozen times, never waiting more than 10 minutes.

Toy Story Midway Mania - I'm not going to say that I didn't like it, but it was an awfully long wait for something that I can basically do at home on my Wii. It's not something I would wait more than 20 minutes for again.

Matterhorn Bobsleds - Closed for refurbishment, as expected. Something to look forward to on our next visit!

Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island - This was my first time to the Island since the pirates landed. I don't have any strong nostalgic ties to pre-pirates TSI, and had no trouble enjoying the new elements that have been added. My youngest daughter (4) was quite scared by the first effect in Dead Man's Grotto. She's my little thrill junkie, thriving on rides like Big Thunder, Splash, and Space Mountain, so I was actually a bit relieved to find she is scared of something! (Later we discovered she is also afraid of the Mad Hatter, refusing to go with her big sisters for a pic with Alice and him.)

SeaWorld
SeaWorld hasn't changed a whole lot since our last visit. We did miss the manatees, who were apparently evicted in favor of sea turtles. Does anybody know why the manatees left?

Universal
We went into Universal expecting to spend only the morning there, and I think that worked out well. There just isn't a whole lot there for kids to do. We all rode the Simpsons ride together (which was fantastic), then split up into two groups. The kids stayed with my mom to see Shrek 4D and play in the Curious George water zone, while the rest of us went to the lower level for Jurassic Park (also great) and The Mummy (meh). By the time we met back up around noon, it was getting seriously crowded, and we bailed. Back to the Park Vue for some rest before heading to...

The beach
My goal was to find a beach with tide pools for the kids to explore, and Little Corona Del Mar didn't disappoint. I've never seen so many hermit crabs in my life!

The conclusion
It was an amazing trip! We can't wait to go back... hopefully next summer.

A big thank you to all the helpful DISers who provided great advice.
Hydroguy, you're the patron saint of Disneyland advice.

Hope you enjoyed my little report, it's the first time I've written one. Feel free to post any comments or questions.

Sounds like a great time. Did you catch Waterworld and the tram tour while you were at USH?

Jack

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

They weren't evicted for the turtles...the manatees had to leave and SW scrambled to find somebody to put in their place

Ah, I see. The manatees will be missed, they were one of our favorites to visit. Thanks for the info!

Aren't you worn out from doing multiple theme parks?

Yes, haha. It helped that we kept the days at SeaWorld and Universal short, but the extra driving did take a toll. Next trip I'll hopefully have less of a "Must... do... EVERYTHING!!!" mentality.

Sounds like a great time. Did you catch Waterworld and the tram tour while you were at USH?

Jack

I would have liked to, but my daughters had no interest in them. The crowds and heat were getting to them, so we left early rather than deal with 3 cranky kids.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

Thanks for the report! Glad you had a great time! We also did seaworld a couple of weeks ago on our DL trip and didn't find it as good as I had hoped, and boy it was crowded!

 

[HydroGuy]

The conclusion
It was an amazing trip! We can't wait to go back... hopefully next summer.

A big thank you to all the helpful DISers who provided great advice.
Hydroguy, you're the patron saint of Disneyland advice.

Hope you enjoyed my little report, it's the first time I've written one. Feel free to post any comments or questions.

I loved your report! I did not see your reference to me til the end and before that I kept thinking "wow, that is exactly what I would have done!".

Thanks.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Sounds like you have a lot of fun!

Yes, we skipped Aladdin on our first few trips. Now it's a must-do everyday of our trip!

We are amazed how the cast changes daily. My family has a lot of fun pointing how Aladdin is now one of the palace guards. Jasmine must switch with the chorus as well. Jafar and Genie are never the same. Plus Genie ad libs differently every performance.

We just love it!

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

We are amazed how the cast changes daily. My family has a lot of fun pointing how Aladdin is now one of the palace guards. Jasmine must switch with the chorus as well. Jafar and Genie are never the same. Plus Genie ad libs differently every performance.

Ooh, I didn't know that! I suppose that makes sense though; it would be exhausting to be the Genie four times a day!

 

[emacat]

What a fun time! Thanks for the great report!

 

[mrswh]

Great trip report - thanks for posting!

Just curious what your girls thought of Fantasmic. My kids are now 5 and 6 (turning 7 on our trip this month) and I am debating whether they are ready for it. I have never seen it myself but understand it can be scary for some. Would love any insight!

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

Great trip report - thanks for posting!

Just curious what your girls thought of Fantasmic. My kids are now 5 and 6 (turning 7 on our trip this month) and I am debating whether they are ready for it. I have never seen it myself but understand it can be scary for some. Would love any insight!

Wow, your first time seeing Fantasmic!? You're gonna love it, and I think your kids will too. My oldest were 3 and 2 when they first saw it, and they enjoyed it (as long as they had a grown-up to snuggle with through the scary parts). My 4-year-old loved it on this trip. As a point of comparison, I would say that if your kids can handle the stretching room of Haunted Mansion without bursting into tears, they'll do fine at Fantasmic.

I would recommend viewing from the railing on the POTC bridge. It's a great view, it's not too hard to get, and the extra distance between you and the show may help set your little ones at ease. I mean, if the dragon's hungry, he's probably gonna eat all those people down by the water first, right? Plus, you'll be able to make a hasty retreat to Adventureland or NO Square if the kiddos do get too scared and want to bail out.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[kayleigh83]

Sounds excellent!!! I'm glad to hear the Ariel ride is good, I definitely want to check that one out!

I'm curious on the pricing at Park Vue, I'm planning to go around this time next year as well... how is the pricing there? I'd be going just myself and my boyfriend, so two adults.

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

I'm curious on the pricing at Park Vue, I'm planning to go around this time next year as well... how is the pricing there? I'd be going just myself and my boyfriend, so two adults.

We paid $126/night. For two adults, the Park Vue may not be the best choice, especially if you're on a budget. For us, the convenience of the location and having a hot breakfast ready for my 3 daughters each morning was well worth the extra cost, but for you and your bf it may not be. If you're looking for something right across the street from the main entrance, the Desert Inn was the cheapest I found at around $100/night. If you're willing to walk further or take a bus, I'm sure you'll find better rates.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your hotel hunting!

 

[rune_74]

I did universal, seaworld and disneyland last time...I found seaworld a nice slow day. Universal I felt wasn't enough for a whole day...I am tempted to go again just so my wife and daughters could go(they didn't go last time), just not sure the cost is worth it yet.

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

I did universal, seaworld and disneyland last time...I found seaworld a nice slow day. Universal I felt wasn't enough for a whole day...I am tempted to go again just so my wife and daughters could go(they didn't go last time), just not sure the cost is worth it yet.

I hear ya. I've always enjoyed Seaworld as a nice one day visit for a change of pace.

On the other hand, while I loved the Simpsons and Jurassic Park rides at Universal, we had done everything we really wanted to do there in about 3 hours. Makes it hard to justify the drive and the cost of tickets. I don't think we'll be back to Universal until my daughters are old enough to want to spend a full day there.

 

[blackjackdelta]

It always takesus a full day with shopping, park tour and a meal at a City walk eatery. We look at and do everything. Love Waterworld.

Jack

 

[basketballmom]

thank you for posting this mini report! we will be checking in to the park vue for the first time on friday.
also, the beach info was helpful because we have decided to tear ourselves away from disneyland and go to the beach for a bit.

 

[Porturican]

We paid $126/night. For two adults, the Park Vue may not be the best choice, especially if you're on a budget. For us, the convenience of the location and having a hot breakfast ready for my 3 daughters each morning was well worth the extra cost, but for you and your bf it may not be. If you're looking for something right across the street from the main entrance, the Desert Inn was the cheapest I found at around $100/night. If you're willing to walk further or take a bus, I'm sure you'll find better rates.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your hotel hunting!

What kind of food did they serve at breakfast and in the evening?

 

[ND Disney Daddy]

What kind of food did they serve at breakfast and in the evening?

For breakfast each day they had eggs, bacon or sausage links, make-your-own waffles, dry cereal, donuts, bagels, juice, milk, and coffee. They also usually had some combination of potatoes, pancakes, and/or french toast. I thought it was a pretty good variety and quality of food.

For the evening meal, they served one different entree along with several soups and salads each night. Some of the entrees they served while we were there included: Mac & cheese with chicken nuggets, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, and mini chicken sandwiches. Not as impressive as the breakfast spread, but it's kid-friendly food and makes a decent snack, or a meal if you're a light eater.

Hope this helps!