Week before Easter just back!

[FLmomof2]

So I researched endlessly before we left and did not find a lot of information or threads on this, so I was determined to write something for the next person!

I see someone else just left another thread but different dates so I just wanted to give my opinion on a few things.

We are DVC members and we traveled from 3/30-4/6 we left on Good Friday, figuring it would be crazy busy.

I was so stressed about this trip! We have been to WDW over 50 times, so we know it like the back of our hand and the only time I have been to DL was when I was 5, so I didn't remember much.

We flew into SNA Friday 3/30...this airport was great! It was clean and not as crowded as some airports. Luggage was a breeze.

We used Karmel shuttle and they were great. They were on time and didn't circle the airport or wait for other passengers. My almost 7 year old needed a car seat due to the new laws in CA, but a booster seat was fine.

Grand Californian - We stayed here 6 nights because for some reason Wednesday was not available. The hotel is beautiful, definitely felt like the Wilderness Lodge at WDW. We stayed in a studio (DVC), we had a great view of Paradise Pier and World of Color. The room was bigger than I expected and everything was in good condition. It definitely seemed like the rooms were better kept up than the ones we have stayed at at WDW. The pool was very nice and my girls liked the slide and hot tubs. It was chilly so a lot of the kids were in the hot tubs, most of the parents where bundled up on chairs. haha

Disneyland Hotel - We stayed here 1 night to fill in the gap. We thought this hotel was GORGEOUS! We stayed in the Fantasy tower and had a great view of the fireworks. My girls loved the headboard that played music and lit up. The pool was nice, but I didn't like how spread out it was. If my girls wanted to do the waterslides we had to go up to the next level and could not just watch them from our chairs at the pool. No big deal, and they loved the waterslides. FYI - the slides do not open till 11 am, but the rest of the pool is open earlier. The walk from DLH to DL is great too, straight through downtown disney.

Weather - It was chilly in the morning until about noon. I'm so glad we packed sweatshirts and pants. People were dressed in shorts/tank tops to pants/jackets. I was comfortable in capris, tshirt and a sweatshirt.

Disneyland - I thought this park was amazing. We definitely liked it better than WDW. We loved the different rides it had, especially Indiana Jones, and Alice. I found most rides to be different (better) than at DW. Narrow walking paths made it hard to maneuver at times. The crowds...I stressed so much about this. Lucky for us we had Magic Morning hour every day for the entire week. We got there at 6:30am and the park opened at 7. They do not do a big family of the day thing like at DW. We were chosen last year at DW and they really make a big deal out of it. DL they just let the family countdown and let the crowds in. We were let in at 7 and rode everything open in Fantasyland and Space Mountain, Star Tours, and Buzz by 8:00. We got everything else done fairly early and were out of the park by 1:00 most days and onto DCA. By noon the parks were REALLY crowded, and at night it was CRAZY busy!

DCA - Wasn't impressed with this park, but my girls loved the rides. It felt like the boardwalk and Hollywood studios mixed together. We like it just not our favorite, but I have to say Aladdin was AWESOME! We saw it 2 times and just loved it. We also loved the Animation Academy! I'm sure once Carsland is open it will feel more like a Disney park.

Food - UGH! We had a hard time finding different things, WDW has so many choices and places and DL we felt we were searching for places or eating the same thing over and over. We did eat at Storytellers for dinner, Rainforest Cafe for dinner, Goofy's for breakfast (this was awesome!), Naples, Ralph Brennan's Express and White Water Snacks ALOT..just because it was at our hotel.

We flew out of LAX and hands down I would fly out of SNA both ways next time. The lines were longer at LAX and it wasn't as clean as SNA (in my opinion).

So all in all we had a great trip and look forward to returning! Oh ya we met some really great people on our trip too!

 

[ksam97]

Thanks for the information. I am leaving this evening for my first trip to DL.

 

[dougsmom98]

You have made me so excited for our trip. We leave for our first ever DL trip next Saturday!

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

Best tip to give you guys is to fastpass when you can fastpass again go get another one.

Another tip I've used on splash mt is if you don't mind not riding with your group but want to get on the ride quick is do single rider line.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for your observations!

 

[FLmomof2]

Fast passes are great. After we did magic morning hours, we got right into line for Big Thunder Mountain (through the fantasyland entrance), then we got a fast pass for Indiana Jones since that ride got busy quick!

Another fast pass we found great was for Grizzly River, the only time that ride wasn't busy was when it started to shower on our 1st day there!

The parks are SO different than Disney World, but it was just awesome!

We drew Oswald in the Animation Academy and my girls (6 and 9) just LOVED that!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Great report!

I wanted to comment on your comment about eating the same food over and over. I've been thinking lately about food at DLR vs WDW. I've been researching food at WDW (never been) for our summer 2014 trip. Just trying to get a handle on it since you have to plan it all out so early. That had me thinking, I can pick some TS to try but for CS I really don't know what is good where. Even before you said your comment I was thinking we could end up eating the same sort of meal over and over just from lack of knowing what's there. And it seems like the only way to really know is to go.

While I know DLR doesn't have near the amount of food as WDW, there are some definte places we make a point to go to because we know to go there. Like a baked potato with awesome toppings up by the Fantasy Faire, chicken sandwhich at Whitewater Snacks, a beef skewer at Bengal BBQ, and gumbo and pomme fritz at Cafe Orleans. There are still things we need to try, but it took us several years to find our favorite and "different" food items. So I think probably the reason you ended up eating the same things was just because you didn't know. I think it's something you have to try yourself several times because it seems really hard to figure it out in one trip (either to DLR or WDW). Did that make sense?

 

[FLmomof2]

Great report!

I wanted to comment on your comment about eating the same food over and over. I've been thinking lately about food at DLR vs WDW. I've been researching food at WDW (never been) for our summer 2014 trip. Just trying to get a handle on it since you have to plan it all out so early. That had me thinking, I can pick some TS to try but for CS I really don't know what is good where. Even before you said your comment I was thinking we could end up eating the same sort of meal over and over just from lack of knowing what's there. And it seems like the only way to really know is to go.

While I know DLR doesn't have near the amount of food as WDW, there are some definte places we make a point to go to because we know to go there. Like a baked potato with awesome toppings up by the Fantasy Faire, chicken sandwhich at Whitewater Snacks, a beef skewer at Bengal BBQ, and gumbo and pomme fritz at Cafe Orleans. There are still things we need to try, but it took us several years to find our favorite and "different" food items. So I think probably the reason you ended up eating the same things was just because you didn't know. I think it's something you have to try yourself several times because it seems really hard to figure it out in one trip (either to DLR or WDW). Did that make sense?

It makes total sense since it took us several trips to WDW to find great food! My problem is I have VERY picky eaters. My little one eats waffles, pancakes, bacon, and sometimes chicken nuggets. Literally she eats hardly anything! My husband is a bland eater so it made finding places so difficult. So others my have an easier time. I would have loved baked potatoes but I tried to find places that had something for everyone... Next time I may venture out on my own to find some good food!!! We did love the restaurants we tried!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Yeah, that's hard when kids only eat certain things. We had the opposite problem with our children. They were adventuresome eaters even as young as 4, so they didn't want the cheaper kid's meals, they wanted the grown up (and more expensive) food like salmon.

Also, the DLR food has gotten much better. I remember going and wandering around and all you could find was the same old theme park hamburger at every place. We used to go over the DLH looking for something different.

Anyway, I love reading what first timers to DLR think. Thanks for posting!

 

[HydroGuy]

Great report!

I wanted to comment on your comment about eating the same food over and over. I've been thinking lately about food at DLR vs WDW. I've been researching food at WDW (never been) for our summer 2014 trip. Just trying to get a handle on it since you have to plan it all out so early. That had me thinking, I can pick some TS to try but for CS I really don't know what is good where. Even before you said your comment I was thinking we could end up eating the same sort of meal over and over just from lack of knowing what's there. And it seems like the only way to really know is to go.

While I know DLR doesn't have near the amount of food as WDW, there are some definte places we make a point to go to because we know to go there. Like a baked potato with awesome toppings up by the Fantasy Faire, chicken sandwhich at Whitewater Snacks, a beef skewer at Bengal BBQ, and gumbo and pomme fritz at Cafe Orleans. There are still things we need to try, but it took us several years to find our favorite and "different" food items. So I think probably the reason you ended up eating the same things was just because you didn't know. I think it's something you have to try yourself several times because it seems really hard to figure it out in one trip (either to DLR or WDW). Did that make sense?

I have had four trips to WDW now and while we found food we liked the first time, I am still exploring dining there - while still hitting favorites each time.

Further, as you are gathering, WDW is set up to have dining be more a part of the experience and not just a dining experience. It is more integral. Many of the restaurants have stronger theming and tell stories themselves.

When you add in the whole ADR factor six months ahead of time, it really requires a switch in dining philosophy from DLR.

Happy planning!

 

[isisisme]

My problem is I have VERY picky eaters. My little one eats waffles, pancakes, bacon, and sometimes chicken nuggets. Literally she eats hardly anything! My husband is a bland eater so it made finding places so difficult. So others my have an easier time.

Sometimes for little meals, DH and I will get stuff from different places and find some place to eat it. Last trip he got a sandwich at RiverBelle and I went to Bengal and got a veggie skewer and mickey pretzel.

 

[PinkBudgie]

When you add in the whole ADR factor six months ahead of time, it really requires a switch in dining philosophy from DLR.

Happy planning!

No kidding! I think it will take me two years just to figure out. I don't think we'll be using the dining plan. Too much food! Thank goodness DLR isn't so crazy. You just have to know where to go.

Our family will often grab different things for meals too and eat them together somewhere.