- Joined
- Sep 8, 1999
Hi all!
Finally getting around to posting about our trip from May 26-June 6. This was our third Disneyland trip. We went to WDW yearly from 2003-2013. Then we went to Disneyland for the first time in 2014 and came back in 2015. DS wanted to go back to WDW last year; it was fun, but after discovering Disneyland, WDW's transportation hassles, distances, and horrific weather have become hard to stomach. I was so happy to be coming back to my beloved DLR!
It was me, DH, DD (20), and DS (14). We drove 100 miles to Love Field in Dallas and flew on Southwest to SNA. Lansky picked us up timely as always. We love Lansky's! We got to our hotel (GCV) around 8:30 pm. We ate dinner at Earl of Sandwich and hit the hay.
Highs
Rides-
I am so glad that I asked for opinions on whether to ride GOTG. I took everyone's advice (plus watched Tom's and MaryJo's video) and finally rode it. SO MUCH FUN! I have claustrophobia issues and hate the feeling of being trapped....this is also why I hate to fly! I had no issues at all. I laughed so much on the ride. My only regret is that I never rode TOT....and I'm a huge Twilight Zone fan! DH laughed at me because that was all I wanted to do after that was ride GOTG! With rope drop, fastpasses, and getting in line before the park closed, we were able to ride it three or four times per day.
I was also glad that we got to ride Hyperspace Mountain our first few days and Space Mountain our last couple of days. We are big Star Wars fans! I think that everybody preferred Hyperspace Mountain except for me; I am torn on which one I like better. I also love Path of the Jedi!!
I still also love the dark rides in Fantasyland, BTMRR, Indiana Jones, Silly Symphony Swings, RSR! One morning when the rest of the family rode Screamin', I rode Silly Symphony Swings and was able to just stay on since it wasn't busy yet.
Nice people-
There were so many nice employees. I know on the boards, there is sometimes discussion about whether DLR or WDW has better customer service. While we have had great customer service at WDW, I find the CMs at DLR seem to be friendlier and are more personable. We especially loved the CMs on the trolley in DCA. Another standout was our server at breakfast at Steakhouse 55; I asked who the celebrities were in the picture beside us and she gave me a list to borrow so that I could walk around the restaurant and look at the pictures. Also fantastic CMs at Disneyana, Animation Academy, Star Wars Launch Bay! We have sometimes had some stern CMs at WDW, but we haven't ever experienced that at DLR. We also talked to a lot of nice people in lines. I think the weather makes people a lot more grumpy at WDW....I know we are, lol.
Food-
I'm a big breakfast person. Loved Minnie's breakfast at Plaza Inn and Goofy's Kitchen! And loved, loved, loved my French toast with banana-caramel sauce----BEST FOOD OF ALL TIME!
We went to both Naples and Pizza Press. While we enjoyed them both, the cost was so much cheaper at Pizza Press that we ended up going to a Pizza Press twice- plus we found the employees to be super friendly and helpful at Pizza Press. Since the kids love pizza, on our next long trip, we will go at least twice to Pizza Press. Cheap, tasty, friendly, the kids will eat it....what's not to love, lol! (Plus we are theme park commandos, so I don't feel too bad about the calories!) We also loved the cheese enchiladas at Rancho, so we ate there twice.
I also loved the cheese fries at Golden Horseshoe. As you can tell, we are true gourmets, lol!
And we may have developed a slight Häagen-Dazs addiction by the end of the trip! We would often get shakes there right before bed on our way back to the hotel.
Shows-
We love Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and watched it several times. DD and I are history buffs and love this time period. I also love to watch the 50th DLR anniversary show outside of Mr. Lincoln. We also enjoyed the Frozen show (well, except for DS who chose to skip it due to his profound dislike of Frozen due to it replacing things that he liked...) And I loved the show at the Golden Horseshoe----it was so funny!!! The shows were also good at The Royal Theatre. Mickey's Magical Map was good.
Lows
Rides-
Breakdowns. Now, I know this often happens due to people not loading/unloading fast enough, loading handicapped individuals, people dropping things, dumb actions by guests, blah blah blah.... But why, oh why, is it such a frequent occurrence.....especially IJ! Aye carumba!!!!! We got walked off of Pinocchio and were told to come back later; we tried to go back about 8:15 pm and they were closed for the upcoming fireworks! Now, I understand it's a safety issue and they need to clear the queue before the fireworks so this makes sense for a long line like at Peter Pan, but c'mon, I really don't think the line gets that long at Pinocchio that it needs to be closed and empty 45 minutes before....maybe I'm wrong about that.
We were also disappointed in Soarin'. We really prefer the old one! And we thought the distortion was horrible if you sat on the side, especially during the Eiffel tower scene. And what is up with the icebreaking in Greenland scene; all I can think about is global warming---- was that intentional by the imagineers or is it just me?
People-
We only encountered one rude person on our trip, so I guess we were fortunate. The employee at the Christmas store behind the castle was so condescending. He asked where we were from and when we replied that we were from Texas, he started saying Texas in a very hick accent several times. He just kept saying things like, "Y'all are from TAX-us? From Tax-us? I've never been to Tax-us. Is it nice in Tax-us?" Yes, we are Texans, but I like to think that maybe we don't sound quite as hillbilly as some of the people that we live around. And whether we do or don't shouldn't cause an employee to mock their customers! One time might have been just disregarded and never thought about again, but the way he kept on was so rude that we decided to come back another day..... then we waited too late on our last day to come back and the artist didn't have time to paint 2017 on our ornament, although she was just chatting with the CM when we walked in and didn't appear to be very busy (ahem).
Food-
We did some table service, but nothing fancy. Mainly breakfasts, but we also had dinner at ESPN, Carnation Cafe, Naples. And lunch at River Bell Terrace, which was just not good!! When I asked DS what he would change next year to make the trip better, he said avoid River Bell Terrace. DH and DD both thought it was OK, but DS and I hated it. We spent between $2000-$2500 on food and for the most part everything was meh...however, I realize that we did not do any of the fancy restaurants on this trip. Next year, I plan to eat at more upscale restaurants like dinner at Steakhouse 55.
Shows-
Sorry, guys, I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I vastly prefer the WOC 60th anniversary show. I loved all the Walt Disney stuff, since I'm a sucker for Walt. I also loved the Star Wars part where Han Solo says, "Chewie, we're home." We also missed Paint the Night, but I am glad to hear that is coming back!
Parade Congestion-
THIS is why we despise parades. I'm sure I will get flamed for this, but we loathe the way you are basically either trapped or trampled because of the parades. I really hope that maybe some of this will be alleviated since I believe the pathway near BTMRR has been reopened. We had a fastpass for space Mountain and for IJ with times that basically overlapped and we nearly did not make it, even though we had an hour's time frame. A CM told us to choose which one to do when we were routed one way only to be sent back around in a circle. Uh, how bout, no? We have fastpasses for both and we're going to use them both.
Mixed bag
VGC- We are DVC members and stayed in a 1BR. The hotel is beautiful and I love the theming! I really need to find where I can get some lamps like theirs. However, please fix the plumbing! As I have mentioned in other posts, gurgling bathroom sinks waking me up. Happened last time, too. And I have seen it mentioned in other reviews on other travel websites. And during the last half of the trip, we had loud neighbors. Now I can understand crying babies, I really can. But there was also a loud small child and man who would talk at 3 AM, 4 AM, etc. It was like when do these people ever sleep? I know that is not the fault of the hotel and can happen anywhere, but there is no excuse for the plumbing issues that the hotel evidently does not or cannot fix.
Next year
We really have to resolve the fact that we want to be there before the park opens to beat the crowds while also enjoying the later nighttime hours. The park is even more magical at night! Stupid sleep and having to shower, LOL! Really cuts into park time! And yes, I know we are there for 10 days, which a lot of people feel is too long---not us! (We did have a 6th day trip on an AP-blocked day) I tried going back for naps, but DS refuses to sleep so that doesn't work for us. I guess we should alternate getting there before rope drop and staying until closing.
Any questions?
Finally getting around to posting about our trip from May 26-June 6. This was our third Disneyland trip. We went to WDW yearly from 2003-2013. Then we went to Disneyland for the first time in 2014 and came back in 2015. DS wanted to go back to WDW last year; it was fun, but after discovering Disneyland, WDW's transportation hassles, distances, and horrific weather have become hard to stomach. I was so happy to be coming back to my beloved DLR!
It was me, DH, DD (20), and DS (14). We drove 100 miles to Love Field in Dallas and flew on Southwest to SNA. Lansky picked us up timely as always. We love Lansky's! We got to our hotel (GCV) around 8:30 pm. We ate dinner at Earl of Sandwich and hit the hay.
Highs
Rides-
I am so glad that I asked for opinions on whether to ride GOTG. I took everyone's advice (plus watched Tom's and MaryJo's video) and finally rode it. SO MUCH FUN! I have claustrophobia issues and hate the feeling of being trapped....this is also why I hate to fly! I had no issues at all. I laughed so much on the ride. My only regret is that I never rode TOT....and I'm a huge Twilight Zone fan! DH laughed at me because that was all I wanted to do after that was ride GOTG! With rope drop, fastpasses, and getting in line before the park closed, we were able to ride it three or four times per day.
I was also glad that we got to ride Hyperspace Mountain our first few days and Space Mountain our last couple of days. We are big Star Wars fans! I think that everybody preferred Hyperspace Mountain except for me; I am torn on which one I like better. I also love Path of the Jedi!!
I still also love the dark rides in Fantasyland, BTMRR, Indiana Jones, Silly Symphony Swings, RSR! One morning when the rest of the family rode Screamin', I rode Silly Symphony Swings and was able to just stay on since it wasn't busy yet.
Nice people-
There were so many nice employees. I know on the boards, there is sometimes discussion about whether DLR or WDW has better customer service. While we have had great customer service at WDW, I find the CMs at DLR seem to be friendlier and are more personable. We especially loved the CMs on the trolley in DCA. Another standout was our server at breakfast at Steakhouse 55; I asked who the celebrities were in the picture beside us and she gave me a list to borrow so that I could walk around the restaurant and look at the pictures. Also fantastic CMs at Disneyana, Animation Academy, Star Wars Launch Bay! We have sometimes had some stern CMs at WDW, but we haven't ever experienced that at DLR. We also talked to a lot of nice people in lines. I think the weather makes people a lot more grumpy at WDW....I know we are, lol.
Food-
I'm a big breakfast person. Loved Minnie's breakfast at Plaza Inn and Goofy's Kitchen! And loved, loved, loved my French toast with banana-caramel sauce----BEST FOOD OF ALL TIME!
We went to both Naples and Pizza Press. While we enjoyed them both, the cost was so much cheaper at Pizza Press that we ended up going to a Pizza Press twice- plus we found the employees to be super friendly and helpful at Pizza Press. Since the kids love pizza, on our next long trip, we will go at least twice to Pizza Press. Cheap, tasty, friendly, the kids will eat it....what's not to love, lol! (Plus we are theme park commandos, so I don't feel too bad about the calories!) We also loved the cheese enchiladas at Rancho, so we ate there twice.
I also loved the cheese fries at Golden Horseshoe. As you can tell, we are true gourmets, lol!
And we may have developed a slight Häagen-Dazs addiction by the end of the trip! We would often get shakes there right before bed on our way back to the hotel.
Shows-
We love Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and watched it several times. DD and I are history buffs and love this time period. I also love to watch the 50th DLR anniversary show outside of Mr. Lincoln. We also enjoyed the Frozen show (well, except for DS who chose to skip it due to his profound dislike of Frozen due to it replacing things that he liked...) And I loved the show at the Golden Horseshoe----it was so funny!!! The shows were also good at The Royal Theatre. Mickey's Magical Map was good.
Lows
Rides-
Breakdowns. Now, I know this often happens due to people not loading/unloading fast enough, loading handicapped individuals, people dropping things, dumb actions by guests, blah blah blah.... But why, oh why, is it such a frequent occurrence.....especially IJ! Aye carumba!!!!! We got walked off of Pinocchio and were told to come back later; we tried to go back about 8:15 pm and they were closed for the upcoming fireworks! Now, I understand it's a safety issue and they need to clear the queue before the fireworks so this makes sense for a long line like at Peter Pan, but c'mon, I really don't think the line gets that long at Pinocchio that it needs to be closed and empty 45 minutes before....maybe I'm wrong about that.
We were also disappointed in Soarin'. We really prefer the old one! And we thought the distortion was horrible if you sat on the side, especially during the Eiffel tower scene. And what is up with the icebreaking in Greenland scene; all I can think about is global warming---- was that intentional by the imagineers or is it just me?
People-
We only encountered one rude person on our trip, so I guess we were fortunate. The employee at the Christmas store behind the castle was so condescending. He asked where we were from and when we replied that we were from Texas, he started saying Texas in a very hick accent several times. He just kept saying things like, "Y'all are from TAX-us? From Tax-us? I've never been to Tax-us. Is it nice in Tax-us?" Yes, we are Texans, but I like to think that maybe we don't sound quite as hillbilly as some of the people that we live around. And whether we do or don't shouldn't cause an employee to mock their customers! One time might have been just disregarded and never thought about again, but the way he kept on was so rude that we decided to come back another day..... then we waited too late on our last day to come back and the artist didn't have time to paint 2017 on our ornament, although she was just chatting with the CM when we walked in and didn't appear to be very busy (ahem).
Food-
We did some table service, but nothing fancy. Mainly breakfasts, but we also had dinner at ESPN, Carnation Cafe, Naples. And lunch at River Bell Terrace, which was just not good!! When I asked DS what he would change next year to make the trip better, he said avoid River Bell Terrace. DH and DD both thought it was OK, but DS and I hated it. We spent between $2000-$2500 on food and for the most part everything was meh...however, I realize that we did not do any of the fancy restaurants on this trip. Next year, I plan to eat at more upscale restaurants like dinner at Steakhouse 55.
Shows-
Sorry, guys, I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I vastly prefer the WOC 60th anniversary show. I loved all the Walt Disney stuff, since I'm a sucker for Walt. I also loved the Star Wars part where Han Solo says, "Chewie, we're home." We also missed Paint the Night, but I am glad to hear that is coming back!
Parade Congestion-
THIS is why we despise parades. I'm sure I will get flamed for this, but we loathe the way you are basically either trapped or trampled because of the parades. I really hope that maybe some of this will be alleviated since I believe the pathway near BTMRR has been reopened. We had a fastpass for space Mountain and for IJ with times that basically overlapped and we nearly did not make it, even though we had an hour's time frame. A CM told us to choose which one to do when we were routed one way only to be sent back around in a circle. Uh, how bout, no? We have fastpasses for both and we're going to use them both.
Mixed bag
VGC- We are DVC members and stayed in a 1BR. The hotel is beautiful and I love the theming! I really need to find where I can get some lamps like theirs. However, please fix the plumbing! As I have mentioned in other posts, gurgling bathroom sinks waking me up. Happened last time, too. And I have seen it mentioned in other reviews on other travel websites. And during the last half of the trip, we had loud neighbors. Now I can understand crying babies, I really can. But there was also a loud small child and man who would talk at 3 AM, 4 AM, etc. It was like when do these people ever sleep? I know that is not the fault of the hotel and can happen anywhere, but there is no excuse for the plumbing issues that the hotel evidently does not or cannot fix.
Next year
We really have to resolve the fact that we want to be there before the park opens to beat the crowds while also enjoying the later nighttime hours. The park is even more magical at night! Stupid sleep and having to shower, LOL! Really cuts into park time! And yes, I know we are there for 10 days, which a lot of people feel is too long---not us! (We did have a 6th day trip on an AP-blocked day) I tried going back for naps, but DS refuses to sleep so that doesn't work for us. I guess we should alternate getting there before rope drop and staying until closing.
Any questions?
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