World of Color Dinner Package / traffic

[shmedly123]

We will be out in CA for the first time this October and had a couple of questions about the WOC dinner package. We will be staying in Escondido and the mapquest time from our hotel to DL says 90mins. I am assuming that is with no traffic and that with traffic we are looking at a 2+ hr drive soooo....

do you feel that the WOC dinner package is worth it? If we get a decent start to the day we will probably leave our hotel around 7-7:30 and I am guessing we will be hitting the morning rush hour commute and won't be at DL until around 9:30-10 (is this realistic timing heading from Escondido to Anaheim with traffic?). This also means we won't be able to hit the WOC FP right at opening and since we only have two park days we thought the dinner package would save our family a lot of time.

Has anyone done the Ariel's grotto dinner package and if so did you enjoy it? We have two DDs 6&4 and the picnic lunch does not sound appetizing at all especially to a family of picky eaters. Thoughts?

would you recommend it? or do you think I will have enough time to get a decent FP viewing if we don't reach the machine until 10ish?

Also I read HydroGuy's review of DL for WDW vets and although it said you can book the package 60 days in advance when I called DL for reservations I was told they only do it 30 days in advance like the Fantasmic DP

 

[JaxsonsMom]

Well I guess I am a good person to respond to the driving question since I live in Escondido

It won't take 2 hours to get to Disneyland even if you hit traffic, it would take a major accident to have that happen. Just make sure you make use of the carpool lanes and that will get out of most of the traffic. If you leave at 7 I imagine you getting the vacinity at about 8:30. Many things can happen, but it is a fairly nice and beautiful drive.

I suppose you plan are parking on property and that is most likely were you will hit traffic some of the lines are a little crazy!

Hope you enjoy your stay... not many people visit Escondido.....

 

[shmedly123]

Well I guess I am a good person to respond to the driving question since I live in Escondido

It won't take 2 hours to get to Disneyland even if you hit traffic, it would take a major accident to have that happen. Just make sure you make use of the carpool lanes and that will get out of most of the traffic. If you leave at 7 I imagine you getting the vacinity at about 8:30. Many things can happen, but it is a fairly nice and beautiful drive.

I suppose you plan are parking on property and that is most likely were you will hit traffic some of the lines are a little crazy!

Hope you enjoy your stay... not many people visit Escondido.....

Thanks for the advice on the carpool lane. We are excited as we hear Escondido is beautiful. So if you are a local do you recommend the Stone brewery to eat or is it not really kid friendly? There are some "breweries" up my way that are actually quite kid friendly but i don't wanna be 'that guy'. If not can you recommend a couple of places to eat?