My DH and I, our 8 kids (age 2-19) and my 70 year old in-laws just finished up a trip to Disney Land and California Adventure. Both DH and I are 44.
We have been talking about taking a trip to Disney Land for several years and we finally had the opportunity this fall!
I had enjoyed reading the threads from WDW veterans going to Disney Land for the first time so I thought I would share our experience. Our first trip to WDW was in 1999 and we were last there in Oct. 2012. We have taken a total of 10 trips, mostly during free dining and for an average stay of 10-12 nights.
We had 3 day park hoppers. My in laws had 2 day park hoppers.
We arrived Monday, Oct. 20 and stayed at the Desert Inn. (Our in laws stayed at the Tropicana Inn because there were no rooms left at Desert Inn by the time they decided to join us.) Our plan was to check in, buy our tickets at the booth (my oldest son is active duty military so we got the Military Salute Tickets for some of us) and explore Downtown Disney and the resorts. I loved Downtown Disney but my older kids were disappointed at how small it was and what they perceived as a lack of Disney stores compared to WDW. We were all impressed with how close Desert Inn was to the parks! We usually stay on site at a value hotel (Pop, Movies) or moderate (Port Orleans Riverside/Port Orleans) We joked that when we walked to the parks here, we would have only been to the bus stop at WDW. And with a 2 year old and 4 year old still in a stroller, this was wonderful to be able to just leave the hotel and walk over to the parks. The hotel was clean. The rooms were larger than we expected. The breakfast was basic. Toast, bagels, muffins, pastries, boiled eggs, fruit, coffee, juice, cereal (oatmeal, corn flakes and cheerios.) Only 2 minor complaints. We had a 2 room suite and one of the phones didn't work. And one day, there was a smoker on the stairs just outside our room. Not the hotel's fault really but yuck! We had room 336/337.
Tuesday, Oct. 21 CA opened at 10 am. Touring plans predicted a 3 for both parks and updated after the day that DL was a 5 and CA was a 2. ( DL had early morning hours and those are not included in the Military tickets.) Got in line outside gates about 9:25am. They started letting us through the gates at 9:30 am. Our two oldest sons DS19 and DS14 got in line at the rope to get fast passes for Radiator Springs. We leisurely followed. Got fast passes for 11:10/11:15. Everyone but myself and DD2 and DD4 went in to see It's Tough to Be a Bug. Everyone agreed it was just like WDW. While they watched the show, I took the littles to Bugsland to ride some of the kiddie rides. Some of the rides do not allow for 2 littles and 1 adult so we walked over to Carsland and rode Luigi's Tires. I thought it was a cute ride and my daughters loved it. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was closed due to maintenance issues. We rode it later in the trip and there was NO line and all of us liked it. Much better than I was expecting from some reviews.
Radiator Springs! All of us rode it except the 2 year old and we LOVED IT!! It was a little too much for DD4 but she is not a thrill ride lover but if our 2 year old could have ridden it, I am certain she would have loved it. I loved everything about Cars Land! Wow! Just wow!
Little Mermaid- The WDW version opened after our last trip so we have never ridden it. DD2 and DD4 LOVED it. We all enjoyed it. I had read a lot of negative reviews and was pleasantly surprised how much we liked it.
Goofy's Sky School- Rough! But glad we tried it.
California Screamin'- those who rode liked it.
Toy Story Mania- We love WDW version and everyone thought it was the same!
We then hopped over to DL. We never hop at WDW. Too much hassle but we loved how easy it was to hop between CA/DL.
I warned the kids about the castle. They were disappointed but it kind of grew on us. But I do appreciate Cinderella's castle much more now!
We fast passed Indiana Jones. Then did the Tiki room, The Jungle Cruise, and Tarzan's tree while we waited in the area. There was disagreement between us if Indiana Jones is better than Dinosaur. But we all thought it was a GREAT ride!!
Pirates of the Caribbean!! WOW! I loved the DL version much better than WDW.
Haunted Mansion with the overlay- My DH liked it, but my older kids did not like it at all. DD4 would not ride it. DD2 rode it but said it was a scary ghost ride. (she did ride it a 2nd time with us later in the trip). Eh! I think I would prefer it without the overlay.
Splash Mountain- I didn't get to ride and my kids liked it about equally to the WDW version.
Winnie the Pooh- Like WDW version better.
Gotta go watch a Disney movie marathon with the family. I will share our thoughts on the rest of the trip/rides later.
We have been talking about taking a trip to Disney Land for several years and we finally had the opportunity this fall!
I had enjoyed reading the threads from WDW veterans going to Disney Land for the first time so I thought I would share our experience. Our first trip to WDW was in 1999 and we were last there in Oct. 2012. We have taken a total of 10 trips, mostly during free dining and for an average stay of 10-12 nights.
We had 3 day park hoppers. My in laws had 2 day park hoppers.
We arrived Monday, Oct. 20 and stayed at the Desert Inn. (Our in laws stayed at the Tropicana Inn because there were no rooms left at Desert Inn by the time they decided to join us.) Our plan was to check in, buy our tickets at the booth (my oldest son is active duty military so we got the Military Salute Tickets for some of us) and explore Downtown Disney and the resorts. I loved Downtown Disney but my older kids were disappointed at how small it was and what they perceived as a lack of Disney stores compared to WDW. We were all impressed with how close Desert Inn was to the parks! We usually stay on site at a value hotel (Pop, Movies) or moderate (Port Orleans Riverside/Port Orleans) We joked that when we walked to the parks here, we would have only been to the bus stop at WDW. And with a 2 year old and 4 year old still in a stroller, this was wonderful to be able to just leave the hotel and walk over to the parks. The hotel was clean. The rooms were larger than we expected. The breakfast was basic. Toast, bagels, muffins, pastries, boiled eggs, fruit, coffee, juice, cereal (oatmeal, corn flakes and cheerios.) Only 2 minor complaints. We had a 2 room suite and one of the phones didn't work. And one day, there was a smoker on the stairs just outside our room. Not the hotel's fault really but yuck! We had room 336/337.
Tuesday, Oct. 21 CA opened at 10 am. Touring plans predicted a 3 for both parks and updated after the day that DL was a 5 and CA was a 2. ( DL had early morning hours and those are not included in the Military tickets.) Got in line outside gates about 9:25am. They started letting us through the gates at 9:30 am. Our two oldest sons DS19 and DS14 got in line at the rope to get fast passes for Radiator Springs. We leisurely followed. Got fast passes for 11:10/11:15. Everyone but myself and DD2 and DD4 went in to see It's Tough to Be a Bug. Everyone agreed it was just like WDW. While they watched the show, I took the littles to Bugsland to ride some of the kiddie rides. Some of the rides do not allow for 2 littles and 1 adult so we walked over to Carsland and rode Luigi's Tires. I thought it was a cute ride and my daughters loved it. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was closed due to maintenance issues. We rode it later in the trip and there was NO line and all of us liked it. Much better than I was expecting from some reviews.
Radiator Springs! All of us rode it except the 2 year old and we LOVED IT!! It was a little too much for DD4 but she is not a thrill ride lover but if our 2 year old could have ridden it, I am certain she would have loved it. I loved everything about Cars Land! Wow! Just wow!
Little Mermaid- The WDW version opened after our last trip so we have never ridden it. DD2 and DD4 LOVED it. We all enjoyed it. I had read a lot of negative reviews and was pleasantly surprised how much we liked it.
Goofy's Sky School- Rough! But glad we tried it.
California Screamin'- those who rode liked it.
Toy Story Mania- We love WDW version and everyone thought it was the same!
We then hopped over to DL. We never hop at WDW. Too much hassle but we loved how easy it was to hop between CA/DL.
I warned the kids about the castle. They were disappointed but it kind of grew on us. But I do appreciate Cinderella's castle much more now!
We fast passed Indiana Jones. Then did the Tiki room, The Jungle Cruise, and Tarzan's tree while we waited in the area. There was disagreement between us if Indiana Jones is better than Dinosaur. But we all thought it was a GREAT ride!!
Pirates of the Caribbean!! WOW! I loved the DL version much better than WDW.
Haunted Mansion with the overlay- My DH liked it, but my older kids did not like it at all. DD4 would not ride it. DD2 rode it but said it was a scary ghost ride. (she did ride it a 2nd time with us later in the trip). Eh! I think I would prefer it without the overlay.
Splash Mountain- I didn't get to ride and my kids liked it about equally to the WDW version.
Winnie the Pooh- Like WDW version better.
Gotta go watch a Disney movie marathon with the family. I will share our thoughts on the rest of the trip/rides later.
