What to pick up at City Hall

[mommyof2boys1girl]

I am a notorious list maker, and I am making my list of all the stuff to pick up at City Hall. Some of these I am not sure about, so please feel free to correct my misconceptions!!
-daily program guide
-character meet and greet spots (?)
-map for locations of pressed coin machines (?) (we may try to collect these more than autographs this time around - we'll see how the kids react to the characters!)
-birthday pins for Ds1 (his birthday is actually the week before we go, but it should still be ok to get a pin for him, shouldn't it?)

Anything else? keep in mind, if it is not on my list, I will climb over it, step on it, or otherwise completely ignore it, even if it would be something I would like to have... I get kind of single minded sometimes, and I don't like to waste time "browsing"

 

[DangerMouse]

You can pick up the Times Guide (daily program guide) as you enter the turnstiles along with your map.

You can pre-print out your pennies info here: http://www.parkpennies.com/disneylandpennychecklists/disneylandchecklist.htm

They won't be able to provide you with a "list" of character meets/greets. Some will be listed on the map/times guide. But if you have a specific character you want to meet, they can help locate their schedule by contacting a Character CM.

 

[mystic_path]

I go there to get my Disney dollars

 

[audrabolster]

They also have other buttons you can get too if it's a first visit, anniversary, etc. Don't know if it applies or not, but it's an option?

 

[mo3bys]

We also get Disney Dollars there too. If you need to take $ out of the Atm, and don't want to pay any fees, just go to City hall and you can get Disney Dollars.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ooh I did not know that about the DDollars.

Are you celebrating your son's birthday at DLR? If so, then of course it's OK to get him a b'day button. They want people to celebrate there, they don't care if it's not the exact day.

By daily program guide, you might mean the Entertainment Times Guide, and those are right next to the maps in front of the turnstiles as you show your tickets and enter the park. Oh, danger already mentioned that, oops.

So really it's just buttons you will want to pick up there, and maybe DDollars (but you can get those at shops, even if they pretend it's a huge pain to get them out from under their cash drawers, LOL).

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Thanks guys! Yep - Times Guide - aka to Carm program guide (don't ask why I thought that was the proper terminology - blame the past 3 sleepless nights and the horrible bug that has me and all my 3 kiddos sick - so far only 1 on antibiotic! dual ear infection - ugh!!)

now, also blame sick fuzzy dumb Carm-can't-get-no-sleep brain for this one, but do we have to get disney dollars, or are they just a good idea instead of cash. We are giving the kiddos monopoly money to trade in at the 'bank of Mom and Dad' for their real spending money (then if they lose it, big deal!), and otherwise we try to use visa for most everything else (rack up those travel points baby - more trips to DL!!)

ETA - yep, Molly, we are celebrating Ds's b-day there, in that he's only getting his 'school friend's' party here, and everything else at DL. He's asking everyone for money for his 'Disney jar' (their allowance jars have been transformed into Disney Jars where they keep all their money for DL!) Not sure if we are going to do the official birthday thing at a b-fast or something - still have to look into what exactly that is...I've seen pics of special Mickey cakes you decorate or something, but otherwise I am not sure how to arrange/plan for that.
Also, if we do something special like that for ds1 (5yrs) we may also want to do it for ds2 (3yrs) whose b-day was in early March - in for a penny, in for a pound. Looking into that is one of the next things on my to do list....

 

[bumbershoot]

I was being tongue in cheek about if you were celebrating it. Obviously if you want to get him a button, then you're celebrating it in some way!

My guy has now said repeatedly that he wants breakfast with princesses, so I guess we're going to Ariel's May 26. Hey, if it keeps us from having to wait at the Fantasy Faire again, it's a good thing. But it's easy to do his b'day there, b/c we only have the one kid so far, no need to try to be fair.

Oh wait this is your thread!

I like your monopoly money idea. I don't think there's a NEED to get them, unless you aren't going to have ANY cash on you. Should you want to buy something from one of the carts that don't take cards (random need for a mickey bar while at DCA, or a churro or something) you'll need cash or DDollars...I personally am going to have some DDollars b/c it's easier for me to keep track of expenditures like that. And it might even be easier for you, not having to change money...just make a purchase at a giftshop (or city hall) and get the DDollars. Then when you use them you get cash back, no currency exchange needed. (but I don't know if that's good financial practice, currency changing confuses me like nothing else)

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

I was being tongue in cheek about if you were celebrating it. Obviously if you want to get him a button, then you're celebrating it in some way!

My guy has now said repeatedly that he wants breakfast with princesses, so I guess we're going to Ariel's May 26. Hey, if it keeps us from having to wait at the Fantasy Faire again, it's a good thing. But it's easy to do his b'day there, b/c we only have the one kid so far, no need to try to be fair.

Oh wait this is your thread!

I like your monopoly money idea. I don't think there's a NEED to get them, unless you aren't going to have ANY cash on you. Should you want to buy something from one of the carts that don't take cards (random need for a mickey bar while at DCA, or a churro or something) you'll need cash or DDollars...I personally am going to have some DDollars b/c it's easier for me to keep track of expenditures like that. And it might even be easier for you, not having to change money...just make a purchase at a giftshop (or city hall) and get the DDollars. Then when you use them you get cash back, no currency exchange needed. (but I don't know if that's good financial practice, currency changing confuses me like nothing else)

Threadjacker!!

I'm thinking we will probably just do the money exchange here for our spending cash (tips for cabs, hotel staff, etc...) and then use our Visa wherever possible otherwise - I HATE exchanging currency! Perhaps part of the reason we never travel!!?? We still have a wad of American cash from our last trip to Mexico, which was 6 years ago...??? So perhaps we will finally use that up!! So maybe a few disney dollars for general 'mommy snack' expenditures (to heck with the kids - I want a churro!!), then mostly regular cash for the rest - do Disney dollars expire, by the way?

As for 'breakfast with princesses' that seems infinitely more relaxing than PFF - I am dreading that trip with our dd, when she's old enough to care, and we have 2 ds's pulling towards Jedi Training, and DD heading for PFF, and Mom and Dad caught in the middle....sigh....a few years off yet, hopefully!

As for the birthday celebrating, I just have this thing in my head that says if you aren't inviting all the kiddos and having a cake and sparklers and all the rest, you aren't celebrating a birthday! Gotta get over that one....so, yes, we are celebrating it, but not in the traditional way!

 

[bumbershoot]

Threadjacker!!


As for the birthday celebrating, I just have this thing in my head that says if you aren't inviting all the kiddos and having a cake and sparklers and all the rest, you aren't celebrating a birthday! Gotta get over that one....so, yes, we are celebrating it, but not in the traditional way!

Guilty as charged.


I'm such a weirdo, b/c we haven't yet invited a kid to E's b'day parties (though one did come last year and they had great fun until E tackled the boy and held him down on the floor, oops). And this year we're going to DLR to *avoid* the party b/c I just really dislike the pressure! But then I was a kid who burst into tears when Happy Birthday was sung to me, so it's pretty obvious that this is an issue with this part of my character, LOL.

Oh my gosh I started threadjacking again and had to delete a whole bunch. I just need to start a pre-trip thread for our May trip to get all my thoughts out.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Be sure to get your pins early in the day, because they do run out (which is how I ended up with a first time pin instead of a citizen pin [I wanted something to replace the pin that kept falling off of my backpack earlier in the day] and then had to explain to CMs that no it wasn't my first time, that I've been countless times before).

 

[tink too]

Disney Dollars and 1st Visit Buttons duly added to my list of stuff to get at City Hall.

Hi, I'm tink,too... and I'm a list maker.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Sorry... to tack onto Bumbershoots threadjack... my dd (just turned 4) had a traditional 1st b'day party, and then we spent the next 3 b'days in Mexico on a beach... ahhhh.... talk about no stress b'days!

Anyhow, I am all for celebrating elsewhere... and dl sounds like a good place to have a b'day!

--Lisa

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Maybe we should turn this into a "holy cow - another birthday party and how to avoid it" thread!

Just to milk the sympathy for all it's worth, here's my nightmare story. I promised ds ages ago that he could have another birthday party with his friends from preschool, just like last year (ARGH!) So there's 8 boys in his class, and he wants ALL of them! Plus the little guy next door. Plus a couple kids for my ds2 to play with, since all ds1's 5 year old friends are way too cool to play with a 3 year old....So in total, including my own kiddos, we've got over 15 kids 5 and under in my house for 2.5 hours ...wait for the kicker....two days before we leave for DL!!!!

The birthday Gods must really hate me....

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Disney Dollars and 1st Visit Buttons duly added to my list of stuff to get at City Hall.

Hi, I'm tink,too... and I'm a list maker.

Perhaps we should start a support group, Tink,too! DLA - Disney Lists Anonymous - At least we could share our lists!

 

[BELLEDOZER]

Hi Mommyof2boys1girl, you have my sympathies, it sounds like you had a moment of temp insanity, caused by the pleas of your son. Good luck with the birthday party. Don't we all have moments of weakness with our kids. I give you alot of credit for having the party, despite being in the throes of pretrip packing. I have also avoided birthday parties for both DS5 and DS4. I figure that once DS5 starts kindergarten in the fall, I'll have to start making birthday parties for the kids again. Until then I'm avoiding them at all costs. Just find it to be alot of extra expense, and a major hit on the pocketbook. Have a great trip!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Maybe we should turn this into a "holy cow - another birthday party and how to avoid it" thread!

Just to milk the sympathy for all it's worth, here's my nightmare story. I promised ds ages ago that he could have another birthday party with his friends from preschool, just like last year (ARGH!) So there's 8 boys in his class, and he wants ALL of them! Plus the little guy next door. Plus a couple kids for my ds2 to play with, since all ds1's 5 year old friends are way too cool to play with a 3 year old....So in total, including my own kiddos, we've got over 15 kids 5 and under in my house for 2.5 hours ...wait for the kicker....two days before we leave for DL!!!!

The birthday Gods must really hate me....

 

[mommyof2boys1girl]

Guilty as charged.



Oh my gosh I started threadjacking again and had to delete a whole bunch. I just need to start a pre-trip thread for our May trip to get all my thoughts out.

truly - threadjacking is fun! i love seeing where a conversation will go if it is let out of it's original boundaries and allowed to run free!

And if you've been on the Trip Report board lately, you may have noticed I had to do the same - my lists and binders and reams of papers printed from the internet were not enough to purge all the disney obsession from my brain, so I started a pre trip report simply to have a forum in which to deal with all my "verbal diarrhea" where this trip is concerned!
(also incredibly excited with the thought of buying a property in CA - then we could ALL go to DL more often!!)