WDW Vets - first time DL trip

[Claire&TheBoys]

My husband and I are WDW veterans - we go almost every year or sometimes more than that - but we've never been to DLR. We were invited to a family event taking place in San Diego in February and decided to extend our trip and visit Disneyland. We will be there sometime the week of 2/10-2/14. We're staying in a timeshare somewhere near the park, but I'm not sure what resort - our sister-in-law was given points and booked it. My husband is retired military so we can purchase the Military Salute tickets, which are 3 Park-Hopper days for $295, or we can add LLMP for $391.

We plan to fly into SNA and rent a car because we will need to drive to San Diego for the family event on the weekend. We'll fly home from San Diego.

I guess I mainly have the following questions:
1. How many park days will we likely want to spend there? We may have other family in tow that has a toddler & an infant, but I doubt they'll plan to be there all day, whereas we likely will be. The 3-day military ticket is cheaper than a regular 2-day ticket, so even if we don't use all 3 days, we'll probably buy that pass anyway.
2. Will we need the LLMP? We often buy the LLs at WDW, because we usually wind up visiting during busy times with our young-adult sons who are on work or college breaks. If it's just the two of us, we don't mind waiting a bit, but we will want to see as much as we can. Are there any night-time parades or fireworks?
3. Are there any DLR-only experiences we shouldn't miss? We're not into fine dining, but we may want to eat at one iconic restaurant if it's worth it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[irlandaise]

That is very exciting that you'll be visiting Disneyland for the first time!

You'll be there the week before Presidents Day. I checked the LAUSD calendar and the schools only close for that one day, but the locals on this board should be able to tell you whether other schools are closed the week before or after. I'm guessing that the 17th to 21st might be busier. If it is going to be crowded the week of the 10th, then by all means get LLMPs.

For three days, the general recommendation is DL-DCA-DL. There's a lot to see and do at Disneyland Park.

The "one iconic restaurant" at Disneyland is definitely the Blue Bayou inside Pirates of the Caribbean. Given how popular it is, I've never understood why Disney didn't do something similar at Pirates in Florida.

Have fun!

 

[LKing]

We will be there sometime the week of 2/10-2/14

If you haven't seen it, here is a calendar of events for the year. Note that Disneyland will close early for Sweethearts Nite on both Feb 11 and 13.

but I'm not sure what resort

In WDW, each hotel is a resort of it's own. There are three Disney owned hotels, two Disney parks and Downtown Disney. All encompassing they are referred to as the Disneyland Resort (DLR). A timeshare likely isn't near any of the Disney owned hotels.

1. How many park days will we likely want to spend there? We may have other family in tow that has a toddler & an infant, but I doubt they'll plan to be there all day, whereas we likely will be. The 3-day military ticket is cheaper than a regular 2-day ticket, so even if we don't use all 3 days, we'll probably buy that pass anyway.

It depends on if you are a rope drop to park close family or what exactly you want to get out of your visit. If you want to see and do it all, you'll probably want 2-3 days at Disneyland and 1-2 days at DCA. If you are okay skipping rides that are the same or similar at WDW, then you can probably do 2 days at DL and 1 at DCA. DCA was built on Disneyland's original parking lot. It is super easy to walk from one park to the other which makes Park Hoppers a smart investment.

This is a good thread to look through: https://www.disboards.com/threads/longtime-dw-1st-time-dl-in-january.3952377/

Are there any DLR-only experiences we shouldn't miss? We're not into fine dining, but we may want to eat at one iconic restaurant if it's worth it.

@BrianL made a great list comparing the two parks. Not sure how different Tiana's is. @BrianL have you been on both?

DL Exclusive Attractions:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye (uses same ride system as DINOSAUR at AK)
Snow White's Enchanted Wish
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Mister Toad's Wild Ride
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Alice in Wonderland
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin
Chip & Dale's Gadget Coaster
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
The Matterhorn (note this uses the same ride system as Space Mountain at MK)
Space Mountain (same theme but completely different ride)

DL Similar but not exactly the same:
Enchanted Tiki Room - longer show
Pirates of the Caribbean - longer with more show scenes
Haunted Mansion - even without the Nightmare overlay it is slightly different
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Big Thunder Mountain - some additional effects and scenery
Autopia - much longer than the Tomorrowland Speedway, but basically the same
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - removable laser blasters make it a little better

DL Exactly (or basically) the same:
Peter Pan's Flight - technically some minor differences
Dumbo
King Aruthur Carousel
Milennium Falcon: Smugglers Run - all of Galaxy's Edge is practically identical
Rise of the Resistance
Mad Tea Party
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway - The queue is very different and cool - may be new to you and is worth it if so.
Star Tours
Astro Orbitor - though at ground level

CA Exclusive Attractions:
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout - based on Tower of Terror, though the DL version works a little differently
WEB Slingers
Radiator Springs Racers - this is like a massively bigger Test Track
Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters
Incredicoaster
Inside-Out Emotional Whirlwind
Silly Symphony Swings - though this is an off-the shelf "wave swinger" ride
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Golden Zephyr
Goofy's Sky School

CA Similar but not exactly the same:
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree - the same as Alien Swirling Saucers
Grizzly River Run - longer version of Kali River Rapids - definitely a wet ride!

CA Exactly (or basically) the same:
Mickey's Philharmagic! - smaller screen though
Turtle Talk with Crush
Ariel's Undersea Adventure - same as Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Jessie's Critter Carousel
Soarin' - though note sometimes (during Food & Wine Festival) they run it with the original Sorain' over California, in which case it is a must do!

 

[katyringo]

I guess I mainly have the following questions:
1. How many park days will we likely want to spend there? We may have other family in tow that has a toddler & an infant, but I doubt they'll plan to be there all day, whereas we likely will be. The 3-day military ticket is cheaper than a regular 2-day ticket, so even if we don't use all 3 days, we'll probably buy that pass anyway.

I think a mistake WDW vets make at DL is thinking less days are needed because it's "smaller". We easily fill five days at Disneyland and would probably buy a longer ticket if it were an option. Our first trip was 3 days. I wouldn't do less to be honest.

2. Will we need the LLMP? We often buy the LLs at WDW, because we usually wind up visiting during busy times with our young-adult sons who are on work or college breaks. If it's just the two of us, we don't mind waiting a bit, but we will want to see as much as we can. Are there any night-time parades or fireworks?


Yes. I would plan on buying LLMP. It does work slightly different at Disneyland in that you cannot book anything ahead of time and you cannot use it until you have scanned into the park for the first time that day. Waits get just as long at Disneyland for major attractions. Rope drop combined with LL will give you the best experience.

California adventure is home to world of color which if you have never seen you should. Fantasmic plays in Disneyland on rivers of America, but not sure about its winter schedule. It's a much different experience than Fantasmic at WDW- with up close and personal on the river and the ship Columbia . I'm not sure what the Feb schedule is for fireworks but know at Disneyland fireworks typically only happen on weekends during winter- they do projections on castle on weeknights usually. No nighttime parade right now- paint the night returns in May.

3. Are there any DLR-only experiences we shouldn't miss? We're not into fine dining, but we may want to eat at one iconic restaurant if it's worth it.

I personally think for first timers it's worth trying to snag a table at Blue Bayou- restaurant inside pirates ride and Lamplight lounge in DCA. There is a lot of really good quick service at Disneyland too. I travel to both coasts and will choose Disneyland food over WDW any day..

world of color is unique to the Disneyland resort and nothing quite like it at any other Disney park. The dessert party for it is highly liked on these boards. Pricy at around $90 per person, but it's seated during the show and desserts!

 

[LKing]

Are there any night-time parades or fireworks?

No night time parades until May 16 when Paint the Night returns.

Parades - Disneyland usually has two parades, however it looks like there may only be a cavalcade during the time you are visiting. The first starts near Small World and ends at Main Street. The second goes in the opposite direction - starting at Main Street and ending near Small World. DCA should have a Lunar New Year parade. To my knowledge, dates and times haven't been posted yet.

Fantasmic (DL) - The first show is at 9 pm and the second is at 10:30 pm. Note that it is currently weekends only. Fantasmic takes place on Tom Sawyer's Island and the Rivers of America. Viewing is from Frontierland & New Orleans Square. There is no amphitheater type seating like at WDW. The majority of the viewing is either sitting on the ground (reserved dining packages) or standing (standby). Fantasmic dining packages are offered at Cafe Orleans, River Belle Terrace and Rancho del Zocalo. River Belle and Rancho del Zocalo are a separate Fantasmic Dining Package listing on the Disneyland App. Cafe Orleans will replace Blue Bayou as the third dining package restaurant beginning on January 10. As of this posting, there is not a specific reservation for Cafe Orleans Fantasmic dining package. You make a regular CO reservation and request the prix fixe Fantasmic package when you are seated. There is a very long Fantasmic thread with pictures of menus, food and comments about seating.

Fireworks (DL) - Occur (weather permitting) at 9:30 pm. Projections that accompany the fireworks occur even if there are no fireworks. The best viewing is in front of the castle, but people start gathering very early (hours) for that. Main Street is another popular viewing space. Projections are also on Small World and on the water at Rivers of America. If you have a dining package for the first Fantasmic show, you can stay in your seat and watch the fireworks from there (Fantasmic ends at 9:27 and fireworks begin at 9:30). Viewing from Star Wars Galaxy Edge is Fire of the Rising Moons. I'm local and have photos of fireworks from just about every location. If you are curious about the views, let me know and I will share some pictures.

World of Color (DCA) - The first show is at 9 pm and the second is at 10:15 pm. Note: DCA closes at 10 pm so you will be ushered straight out of the park after the 2nd show. There is a very popular WOC dessert package as well as dining packages at both Storytellers (GCH) and Wine Country Trattoria (DCA). For the dining packages, you only need a reservation at the restaurant. Once you are seated, you are given the option of a regular menu or a WOC dining package menu. Dining package viewing is standing only. There is a good thread about WOC dessert package table numbers with views.

 

[BrianL]

If you haven't seen it, here is a calendar of events for the year. Note that Disneyland will close early for Sweethearts Nite on both Feb 11 and 13.

View attachment 925754

In WDW, each hotel is a resort of it's own. There are three Disney owned hotels, two Disney parks and Downtown Disney. All encompassing they are referred to as the Disneyland Resort (DLR). A timeshare likely isn't near any of the Disney owned hotels.


It depends on if you are a rope drop to park close family or what exactly you want to get out of your visit. If you want to see and do it all, you'll probably want 2-3 days at Disneyland and 1-2 days at DCA. If you are okay skipping rides that are the same or similar at WDW, then you can probably do 2 days at DL and 1 at DCA. DCA was built on Disneyland's original parking lot. It is super easy to walk from one park to the other which makes Park Hoppers a smart investment.

This is a good thread to look through: https://www.disboards.com/threads/longtime-dw-1st-time-dl-in-january.3952377/


@BrianL made a great list comparing the two parks. Not sure how different Tiana's is. @BrianL have you been on both?

DL Exclusive Attractions:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye (uses same ride system as DINOSAUR at AK)
Snow White's Enchanted Wish
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Mister Toad's Wild Ride
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Alice in Wonderland
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin
Chip & Dale's Gadget Coaster
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
The Matterhorn (note this uses the same ride system as Space Mountain at MK)
Space Mountain (same theme but completely different ride)

DL Similar but not exactly the same:
Enchanted Tiki Room - longer show
Pirates of the Caribbean - longer with more show scenes
Haunted Mansion - even without the Nightmare overlay it is slightly different
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Big Thunder Mountain - some additional effects and scenery
Autopia - much longer than the Tomorrowland Speedway, but basically the same
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - removable laser blasters make it a little better

DL Exactly (or basically) the same:
Peter Pan's Flight - technically some minor differences
Dumbo
King Aruthur Carousel
Milennium Falcon: Smugglers Run - all of Galaxy's Edge is practically identical
Rise of the Resistance
Mad Tea Party
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway - The queue is very different and cool - may be new to you and is worth it if so.
Star Tours
Astro Orbitor - though at ground level

CA Exclusive Attractions:
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout - based on Tower of Terror, though the DL version works a little differently
WEB Slingers
Radiator Springs Racers - this is like a massively bigger Test Track
Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters
Incredicoaster
Inside-Out Emotional Whirlwind
Silly Symphony Swings - though this is an off-the shelf "wave swinger" ride
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Golden Zephyr
Goofy's Sky School

CA Similar but not exactly the same:
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree - the same as Alien Swirling Saucers
Grizzly River Run - longer version of Kali River Rapids - definitely a wet ride!

CA Exactly (or basically) the same:
Mickey's Philharmagic! - smaller screen though
Turtle Talk with Crush
Ariel's Undersea Adventure - same as Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Jessie's Critter Carousel
Soarin' - though note sometimes (during Food & Wine Festival) they run it with the original Sorain' over California, in which case it is a must do!

Thanks for the shout-out. I have not ridden either version of Tiana's Bayou Adventure yet, but I can talk about the differences in Splash Mountain. At WDW, the logs are larger and seat two per row, whereas at DL they seat single-file with a possibility of two in the very back (two small people). The WDW version is slightly longer I think, but not significantly. The show scenes were pretty similar, except down in the bowels of the thing where DL had the bee hives. I hear the Tiana's at DL is a bit less sparse, possibly owing to the slightly smaller design in general, but I can't say for sure. Word is also that the DL flume still gets you much more wet than the version at MK, which was also true of Splash.

 

[xipotec]

Looks like you got a lot of great answers.

Heres my take, as a WDW vet of decades and hundreds of trips, now about to goto DL for the 2nd time.

1, Make sure to prioritize INDY, Mr Toad, and the Castle Sleeping Beauty walk through. Nothing close to those in WDW and very unique in themselves. I think you HAVE to do Matterhorn , but take the warnings seriously about what it can do to you body, and ride it late in the trip , and late in the day, just in case you get smacked around a lot. There are other rides like Monster Inc and Roger Rabbit that are unique, but the first ones I mentioned are absolute musts. (Of course Carsland, more on that later)

2. Marvel in the free roaming characters. It so wonderful to just bump into Genie , or the wicked step mother , or see Peter running through the parks.

3. It WILL feel small to you. But it's so great to not have to walk as much. Having DCA across the esplande is amazing but DCA is a lot more walking to my feet for some reason.

4. My three days as DK-DCA- DL (start and possibly park hop last day) It's way more realistic to park hop, and you can do it all day, back and forth, as much as you want , as long as you don't mind the 15 minute walk between the two.

5. I hear alot of people say goto Blue Bayou, we didn't care for it really. It's a cool place (think San Angel in Epcot) but honestly , I would sweat missing it. Nothing foodwise really stood out to us besides Trader Sam's , which was excellent. We are hitting a lot more of the places we missed this trip however. Mobile order is a godsend, DO get Walt's Fried Chicken and Chili.

6, And while we are in that subject. Try to hit up as many Walt places you can, it was a constant amazement to be walking along the same streets he did. Look for the bench, the light in the window and the fire truck to name a few. Just remember you are walking in his literal footsteps at DL.

7. Ride POTC many times, same with Space. They are the clear winners in the comparisons of WDW and DL. FAR superior to WDW versions. (warning, it kinda ruins the WDW versions a bit). To add to this the line for Space in DL may be my most hated line in all the parks....it's really a horrible experience compared to the line at WDW. I also thin alot of the ques are not great in DL, which is a sp-ce issue I am sure. Indy and RSR are notable exceptions. Splash and HM have new Que lines I have yet to see.

8. Carsland. It's a marvel, but be absolutely sure you spend some time there at dark, I always tell first time WDW visitor to be sure to hit Frontierland and Liberty square at night , but in DL, CarsLand cannot be missed once the light go on. Try to be there for the moment they turn them on, it's magic you will not forget. ShaBOOM!

9. Skip touring the hotels, you will be disappointed in them, especially if your a WDW regular, they are nice , but compared to the theming of many of the WDW hotels , they just can't compete,

10. I don't know if it's the proximity to Hollywood or what, but the CMs in DL are just a bit better than WDW. I love all the CMs for both parks, but the California vibe is evident to anyone from the east coast. Same goes for the people in the park. DL is just WAY more chill than WDW. It's actually my preferred park now for just the laid back and ease of the whole experience. WDW is really becoming a major hassle, even for someone like me that knows EVERYTHING about the entire Orlando resort area, it's just a lot harder to tour WDW than DL.

Have a great time!

 

[irlandaise]

Looks like you got a lot of great answers.

Heres my take, as a WDW vet of decades and hundreds of trips, now about to goto DL for the 2nd time.

Lots of great advice, xipotec!

One question:

4. My three days as DK-DCA- DL (start and possibly park hop last day) It's way more realistic to park hop, and you can do it all day, back and forth, as much as you want , as long as you don't mind the 15 minute walk between the two.

You mean 15 minutes from the back of one park to the back of the other, right? Because it's only about one minute to walk across the Esplanade from entrance to entrance.

 

[xipotec]

Lots of great advice, xipotec!

One question:

You mean 15 minutes from the back of one park to the back of the other, right? Because it's only about one minute to walk across the Esplanade from entrance to entrance.

Yea that's what the average was for us. From the point we decided to walk to the other parks.

We never made that call at the entrance. Its a slog from anywhere in the park to just get back to the entrance.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Wow! Thanks for the great advice! Especially the differences between the two complexes, and what is different between them. We don't have the option to be there on a weekend, so we probably won't get to see Fantasmic, but we rarely go at Studios, anyway - shows aren't our favorite thing. I do want to be sure to see World of Color, as I've heard it's amazing. Definitely want to do Matterhorn, see Carsland, and do the things that are unique. I'm sure I'll be in awe of the fact that it's where Walt walked. We may not do things like Galaxy's Edge /RotR since we have already been to the one at Studios multiple times. I'm glad to know that PotC is different than at WDW - we'll make sure to go. I found out that the timeshare is about a 15 minute walk to DL (Peacock Suites, I think she said?) so that's an easy walk.

I'll definitely copy some of your advice and be sure to take it with us. We might not get to spend all 3 days, but we'll make the most of the days we do have!

 

[irlandaise]

I found out that the timeshare is about a 15 minute walk to DL (Peacock Suites, I think she said?) so that's an easy walk.

I just found a Peacock Suites on Google Maps, and if it really is on Katella almost at I-5, you're looking at a good 25-minute walk each way. You might want to consider taking a rideshare.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I just found a Peacock Suites on Google Maps, and if it really is on Katella almost at I-5, you're looking at a good 25-minute walk each way. You might want to consider taking a rideshare.

I agree. When I first started going to Disneyland I used to stay at Motel 6 which is next door to Peacock Suites. On a non park day I would walk to the park and it would take about the 25 minutes. Distances are a lot different in real life as you have to also factor in crossing streets at cross walks and waiting at the cross walks. On park days I would use ART local bus to and from Disney, theres no way I would walk back after a long park day. Its a safe enough walk at 11pm, as theres a huge amount of people walking out of the parks and down Harbour Boulevard, its just my body and feet ache too much to face a 25 minute walk.

 

[irlandaise]

I agree. When I first started going to Disneyland I used to stay at Motel 6 which is next door to Peacock Suites. On a non park day I would walk to the park and it would take about the 25 minutes. Distances are a lot different in real life as you have to also factor in crossing streets at cross walks and waiting at the cross walks. On park days I would use ART local bus to and from Disney, theres no way I would walk back after a long park day. Its a safe enough walk at 11pm, as theres a huge amount of people walking out of the parks and down Harbour Boulevard, its just my body and feet ache too much to face a 25 minute walk.

Thanks for the reminder about ART. I hadn't thought of that going by Peacock Suites. That could be a good option for Claire.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks for the reminder about ART. I hadn't thought of that going by Peacock Suites. That could be a good option for Claire.

I agree about taking ART from/to Peacock Suites. We stayed there a couple of times and used ART; there’s a stop right outside. We bought multi day tickets - can’t remember whether online or at a kiosk there - and it was very convenient.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Peacock Suites is about a mile walk from the Esplanade. It’s a pleasant walk, about twenty minutes — faster than the ART.

Alternaticely, if you have tired legs, you could take the ART for free to the Toy Story parking lot. It’s just over 1/2 mile walk and will take you less than 15 minutes, but almost entirely within the parking lot itself so it’ll feel faster.

 

[ilovebassets]

Word is also that the DL flume still gets you much more wet than the version at MK, which was also true of Splash.

Just went to Disneyland for the first time after many WDW trips and can confirm that this is true especially if you are sitting in the front! My teenage son had to go back to the hotel to change. He was absolutely soaked to the bone--Kali River Rapids style.

Also as a general rule if you are a WDW veteran, EVERYTHING at DL is different. Everything. Even the rides that are supposedly carbon copies have differences like a different aspect ratio at Philharmgic and a totally different (and better) line at Runaway Railway. And then there are those things are actually very different but still have similarities. Like the Radiator Springs Racers is really just Test Track at the end (I had never read that before despite all my research.) So take it all in and just enjoy.

We went for three days at a very crowded time of year (1/1-1/3) and managed to do a considerable amount with lightning lanes. Definitely use them including individual lightning lane for Radiator Springs given that doesn't exist at WDW. (Galaxy's Edge seemed to be an exact replica when we walked through it, so we didn't bother with those rides.) The Disneyland Park-California Adventure-Disneyland Park pattern worked well for us. We arrived at 9:30am on day 1 and 8:30am on day 2 and 3 (park opening was 8am all three days). While rope drop would probably have been even better, with lightning lanes, this timing worked well for us. On day 2 and 3, we took a long midday breaks at our hotel (Disneyland Hotel--absolutely loved it by the way.)

Table service was overall disappointing to us--hard to find menus that worked for our family (kids, vegetarian, etc). That said, we had great meals at Wine Country Trattoria in California Adventure park and at Naples Ristorante in Downtown Disney. The Storytellers Cafe dinner buffet at the Grand Californian was great food but just ridiculous prices. The all-you-can-eat character breakfast (pay at a stand and no server) at the Plaza Inn was surprisingly charming and better value than most types of all you can eat meals because you're not paying a tip to a server. Food was good and in some ways, it was easier to get your own beverages than waiting on a server. There were EIGHT different characters with lots of interaction. Highly recommend if you want a character meal. Much better than the insane prices at Goofy's Kitchen.

Counter service was more plentiful and generally better at DL. Specifically, we really enjoyed Alien Pizza Planet and especially Bengal Barbecue--both in Disneyland Park. Use mobile order! I'm shocked how many people still wait in long lines to order. It's so easy to use even for things like ice cream (Clarabelle's Ice Cream at California Adventure) or coffee (the coffee shop at Disneyland Hotel).

 

[jimmymc]

1. How many park days will we likely want to spend there?

A 3-day ticket is great for a first trip, with 2 days in Disneyland and 1 in California Adventure. LLMP works pretty well in both parks, so if you want to try and do as many attractions as possible, I think it's worth the extra $96. Two days is not enough IMO, even with a park hopper.

2. Will we need the LLMP?

No, but it's very nice to have. Disneyland has a lot of smaller rides that don't use LL and don't get super long lines, but they also have a good number of big attractions. It would be difficult to ride everything in two days and still have time to see shows or eat. Overall, it really depends on how much you want to focus on larger rides vs smaller ones.

3. Are there any DLR-only experiences we shouldn't miss?

An earlier post covers all the unique, similar, and identical attractions, so I won't list all of them. But I would definitely recommend Radiator Springs Racers, Spiderman Webslingers, GotG Mission Breakout, Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, Alice in Wonderland, Mr Toad's Wild Ride, Storybook Land Canal Boats, and Runaway Railway (for the queue). Galaxy's Edge and Soarin are exactly the same as in WDW, so they can be lower priority.

The shows and parades at Disneyland are amazing. Fantasmic, World of Color, the main fireworks show, and Magic Happens are all worth seeing.

There isn't a single high-end meal I think you have to do. Napa Rose and Carthay Circle are both excellent if you want to do one, but neither is a must-do. I really like Lamplight Lounge (the best table service IMO), the food in San Fransokyo, Bengal BBQ, Cafe Orleans, and Adorable Snowman's Frosted Treats. My hot take is that Jolly Holiday is overrated. The corn dogs and churros are definitely better on the west coast.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Does Scat Cat Lounge have live Jazz again yet?

Quoting you because you have some insurance experience. Am I misunderstanding the situation? I am assuming people are NOT expecting their insurance to pay to replace a worn out roof, just the damage from a leak?
It would seem if you are responsible and replace your roof when a leak is first detected that the damage probably wouldn't even be as much as the deductible most people have. I can see the insurance refusing to pay for interior damage if the homeowner waiting and let a leak continue say for months or years.
Again, in 40 years I have owned my home, other than when I purchased the house, my insurance has never asked anything about it. Now, I don't know that they haven't had someone do a drive by of the property from time to time, and that they could be checking with the building department to see when permits were issued over the years for a new roof.

I just found a Peacock Suites on Google Maps, and if it really is on Katella almost at I-5, you're looking at a good 25-minute walk each way. You might want to consider taking a rideshare.

I agree. When I first started going to Disneyland I used to stay at Motel 6 which is next door to Peacock Suites. On a non park day I would walk to the park and it would take about the 25 minutes. Distances are a lot different in real life as you have to also factor in crossing streets at cross walks and waiting at the cross walks. On park days I would use ART local bus to and from Disney, theres no way I would walk back after a long park day. Its a safe enough walk at 11pm, as theres a huge amount of people walking out of the parks and down Harbour Boulevard, its just my body and feet ache too much to face a 25 minute walk.

Thanks for the reminder about ART. I hadn't thought of that going by Peacock Suites. That could be a good option for Claire.

I agree about taking ART from/to Peacock Suites. We stayed there a couple of times and used ART; there’s a stop right outside. We bought multi day tickets - can’t remember whether online or at a kiosk there - and it was very convenient.

Peacock Suites is about a mile walk from the Esplanade. It’s a pleasant walk, about twenty minutes — faster than the ART.

Alternaticely, if you have tired legs, you could take the ART for free to the Toy Story parking lot. It’s just over 1/2 mile walk and will take you less than 15 minutes, but almost entirely within the parking lot itself so it’ll feel faster.

Thank you all for the information on the walking distance to the park, and about the bus. That's really valuable info - probably one day my BIL and SIL and nieces (2 and infant) will be going to the park as well, and they definitely won't want to push a stroller a mile each way, I'm sure.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I really appreciate all the info you guys have given me about DLR. It's truly a bucket-list item for me and I don't know much at all about it. I know WDW inside and out - have stayed at multiple resorts, know the transportation system like I know my own city, and tell my kids they could blindfold me and set me down in the MK and I'd be able to tell them where I am by the sounds and smells, it's as familiar as my own neighborhood. It's kind of an odd feeling for me to be anticipating a trip to a Disney property and really have no idea how it's laid out, where anything is, or what it looks like. I've thought about watching some videos and such, but ultimately decided that I want that first-time experience like the first time I went to MK when I was 4 years old, or the first time I took each one of my kids and everything was new and magical.

 

[irlandaise]

I really appreciate all the info you guys have given me about DLR. It's truly a bucket-list item for me and I don't know much at all about it. I know WDW inside and out - have stayed at multiple resorts, know the transportation system like I know my own city, and tell my kids they could blindfold me and set me down in the MK and I'd be able to tell them where I am by the sounds and smells, it's as familiar as my own neighborhood.

It's kind of an odd feeling for me to be anticipating a trip to a Disney property and really have no idea how it's laid out, where anything is, or what it looks like. I've thought about watching some videos and such, but ultimately decided that I want that first-time experience like the first time I went to MK when I was 4 years old, or the first time I took each one of my kids and everything was new and magical.

You'll be fine, Claire! Just think about how small DLR is overall; you'll find your bearings quickly. I like your idea of not viewing too much in advance so it will all be new to you!