Love all the acronyms? hahaha!
We headed to DLR for our 2nd OBB trip in a row. We rented 1 studio for 3 nights and a 2nd studio for 2 nights. I wasn’t able to add a night to my daughter’s 2 night studio by stalking and waitlisting nor was I able to change our rooms over to a 2 bedroom by stalking and WL. (I did see a 2 bed for rent these nights though, but I digress and wont make this about my distain for renting out VGC)
I put in a specific room request 6504 but we didn’t get that room. We got 4509, room ready at 3pm. I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could see some of the fireworks from this room after we came back from the view terrace for WOC. We waited up there for 2 hours and gushed over how nice the room with a view would be during those 2 hours.
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We had dinner at Storytellers this night, it was my first time having a character dinner there. We loved the outfits and Character interaction. But we as a party where half of us are vegan prefer the food selection at Goofys Kitchen for dinner. Chef and server were phenomenal though.
My 1st experience with the viewing terrace was great until 10 min before show. It was empty but we still waited just to be sure we could watch WOC from the front, we knew the view would be obscured we didnt have expectations of a full view. We enjoyed the view of the show, what we didnt enjoy was how people can be so rude. The terrace is huge. Prior to show starting people crowded behind us, like so close I felt hot breath on my neck. I was holding my granddaughter and with the railing I had complete anxiety the entire show that someone would bump me and Id drop her over the railing. This probably took a year off of my life with stress. The lady was so close my 1 year old granddaughter put her hand up pointed at the lady and said “no” I was so proud! She knew someone was encroaching on her personal space and didnt like it. I wanted to say something and I am the type of person who typically does, but my daughter doesn’t like when mom loses her cool in public so I kept my rage internal. Just infuriating how people can be so disrespectful. Which I see a lot at Disney these days.
Our studio at VGC felt dark as always and I felt myself missing the light I get elsewhere when getting ready for the day. The bathroom felt dated. But it was clean so I was still happy. Room service is back baby and I am THRILLED! I loved having breakfast brought in while getting ready for the day. The only thing I was missing was a proper place to sit, we are now 1 bed or larger people and I cant deny it. I booked this room 11 months ago when I had less points so I booked 2 studios. Also missed the W/D a lot. We never ventured into the communal laundry since front loaders creep us out.
Saturday at the parks was great. The biggest let down for us was the 115 minute wait for Jack and Sally. We had LLMP and were able to every ride we wanted too, even over at DCA. We have never ever park hopped in CA and it was kind of amazing, never thought Id want to. But it was very cool especially since the food at DCA is far superior to DLR imo. We did rope drop, which I am not a fan of but my daughter is so I obliged. When we travel without my daughter we are park close people. Well we fell into our habit and stayed until closing, this is the first time I have ever been to the parks from open until close with no breaks. Walked 12 miles. Im not sure if going to the parks so much now that we are
DVC will age me or keep me young.
My one regret is not researching fireworks, as I usually dont like being on Main St during fireworks. I sorely regret this choice, learning that it had a strong Nightmare Before Christmas theme
Very sad to have missed it
All in all great day but I did have a feeling of missing WDW, I never thought I would ever miss WDW over DLR. Not specifically MK but rather WDW. WDW has a special feeling when you are DVC that DLR just doesn’t have. I rode Matterhorn and was like what is this junk give me the smooth spectacular Cosmic Rewind, thrills of Tron! I know blasphemy to the DLR OG ride lovers!
This is the night my daughter got her room. Room ready at 7pm. It was the room I had requested on my reservation 6504! Amazing. Oh how we would have loved to have this room the night before. Both nights she had this room we were at the parks so we could not watch WOC from the room. My granddaughter absolutely loved looking at the park from the balcony.
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Sunday we did Storytellers for breakfast. Food was great even for us vegans as always. Omelette bar takes awhile but we knew this. Our server was not great at all, rare at Disney. I thought it was just his overall personality but I saw him come out of his shell with the table next to us so I was a bit confused by the treatment we got from him, then my son in law informs me the table next to us is an internet celebrity, one of the Diesel Brothers. So I guess that is why. Still inexcusable.
We headed to the pool after breakfast. VGC pool chairs and service amazing as always.
OBB was that night. Corn Dog castle entrance was not open, huge bummer, it was reopened at 3pm last year for OBB. The line at Grizzly Peak went fast even though it was very long.
OBB was very similar to last year with a few swap out of characters. At the start of the party it felt more crowded than last year but by hour 3 it wasn’t so busy. All in all great time at OBB aside from once again rude loud dirty disrespectful people behind us for the parade. I don’t see us doing OBB again next year unless they add more changes, as of now it’s almost a copycat each year. I do like they change up character locations. Kingdom of Hearts Mickey was very easy to meet this year as opposed to last year due to his location. Jacks new face is long overdue and I was so happy to see it. Again our favorite of the night was Ernesto DeLaCruz. Simply amazing. The CM who plays him is perfection.
We had an early flight, caught an UBER to SNA. Easy peasy. The last few times I have flown into Long Beach instead and I now realize Santa Ana is so much bigger than Long Beach. Still not big by any means. Security was easy. Love both.
My last thoughts are on how some of the Magic has died for me at the parks. I don’t like having to be on my phone the whole day trying to optimize LLMP. I miss the sights and sounds because of it. LLPP is not in our budget so its be on the phone or stand in lines sadly.
We are headed back to DLR in just over a month for Christmas cant wait to do Haunted Mansion Holiday again! We will be staying at VDH this go round. Once again in 2 studios.
The room service at vgc is phenomenal, I hope it never leaves
