kapeppy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2000
First let me start off by thanking everyone for all their wonderful tips and words of wisdom. I am an obsessive vacation planner and am a pro at WDW but this was our first trip to DL. I booked our package through AAA and was extremely happy with the service I received. We stayed 7 nights at the Candy Cane Inn, had three day flex passes, tickets to the San Diego Zoo and a rental car.
Day 1 (Saturday)
Our flight from Syracuse, NY to Orange County was a long but uneventful one. We landed in sunny CA around noon and had picked up our luggage and our rental car and were at the Candy Cane Inn by 1:15. I was extremely happy with our choice of hotels. I had read some mixed reviews but decided to take a chance and am glad I did. Our room was perfect - two queen beds, coffee maker, refrigerator and hair dryer. We were directly across from the pool and very close to the shuttle bus stop. Now, Candy Cane Inn is basically your average motel (two stories with exterior corridors) but it really reminded me of the Caribbean Beach Resort in WDW. The flowers were beautiful, the rooms were roomy and bright, and it had wonderful atmosphere. We spent the first day exploring the grounds and doing a little shopping. We found a WalMart where I bought all my postcards and some soda and snacks. For our first dinner we decided to take a stroll to McDonald's. I know it doesn't sound exciting but McDonald's is where my DH and I met. Also, it is a pretty cool feeling to be sitting there munching on some fries while watching the Monorail go by! Can't do that in Upstate NY! Next we decided to check out Downtown Disney. Gotta love that World of Disney Store! The long flight and the three hour time change did us in so we were in bed by 9:00 which worked out great since the next day was our trip to the San Diego Zoo.
Day 2 (Sunday)
We were a little nervous about the drive to San Diego but we found our way there easily and the traffic was almost non-existent. It took us just about an hour and a half to get there and we arrived just after the zoo had opened. I can't believe how beautiful the zoo is! DH and I had a great day here and wouldn't hesitate to go back. (Our tix did include a bus ride around the park but we upgraded to a different bus that stops at 8 places around the park and you can hop on and off all day. I am glad we did this since the zoo is huge! It let us save our energy for our up-coming Disney Days!) We spent the entire day here and since we didn't know where we were going, we just went back to the hotel. I would love to go back to CA and spend a few days here.
Disney Day 1 (Day 3 - Monday)
We woke up at 6:00 and headed over to the pool to have our free continental breakfast by 7:00. The continental breakfast included juices, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, three different cold cereals, instant oatmeal, several different breads for toast, big bagels, fruit, croissants and muffins. It was very good but got old after being there all week. Early entry meant 7:30am so we were at the park by then and found just a short line waiting to get in. It was very hard for me not to wander aimlessly around Main Street but I knew I really should take advantage of the ride time so I put blinders on and headed to BTMRR. DH is not a roller coaster person but he has the patience of a saint when it comes to my passion for Disney and thrill rides. There were only a few people in line so I went on. Then I went on again. Then I went on again. Then I went on again. It was awesome! I finally tore myself away and DH and I headed to Tomorrowland so I could ride SM. I did that twice in a row (thought it was much better than SM in WDW. Loved the soundtrack!) and probably would have done it again if the cue wasn't so long! Next stop was Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. DH and I loved this in WDW so of course we had to do it in DL. Twice in a row. Next stop was Star Tours. DH doesn't love this ride but he is a good sport and came on it with me. Once we finished Star Tours we realized that it was rope drop time so we headed straight over to Indy. When we got there it said the stand-by time was already 15 minutes but we got on in less than 5. Our favorite WDW rides are POC and Haunted Mansion. As soon as we got off Indy we went to POC and boy was I impressed! First of all, I had no idea there were two drops and second of all this ride is so much better than WDW's version. We walked on the ride twice in a row and then headed to HM. Again, I was shocked to find that I liked this ride better here than in WDW! It was a walk on so we did it three times in a row! Then I remembered that I wanted to have lunch at Blue Bayou so we immediately headed over there and the only time they had open was noon which was fine with us. By now it was already 10:30 so we decided to slow our pace and just do some wandering and take some time to stop and enjoy the fact that we were in Disneyland! We headed to Blue Bayou at 11:45 and were seated promptly at noon. DH and I were lucky enough to get a waterfront table and I thought I died and went to heaven! Our server was Dan and he was very attentive. We both ordered the Monte Cristo (YUMMY!) and were not disappointed! I could have sat there all day. Of course, as soon as we were seated the ride broke down so for the first 10 minutes or so there were no boats going by at all and then after that they were sending through empty boats. When we left they were still not loading the boats! Even so, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and theming of this restaurant and would love to be sitting there right now! After a leisurely lunch we did POC and HM a few more times and then took the Walt Disney RR for a couple loops around the park. The rest of the day is a blur of Small World, Splash Mountain, more POC and HM, parade (not as good as either of WDW's parades), Toontown, etc.... We didn't really eat again at the park but we did try a churro and we HAD to have a Dole Whip which was good but I miss the vanilla swirl! They finally threw us out of the park so we headed to Tony Roma's for a quick bite to eat. After a long day of being on the go we headed back to the hotel and collapsed.
Disney Day 2 (Day 4 - Tuesday)
DH and I were up early again and headed to DL for EE. We walked onto most of the rides that were open with little or no wait. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in just and hour and a half. We stayed at DL just until DCA opened the ticket booths. There was a short line to get into the park and we were at Soarin' before the park was officially opened. After approximately 15 minutes of waiting, we were soarin'! What an amazing experience. While I love thrill rides, I am not a good flier and actually usually find myself sick to my stomach watching an Imax-type movie but this ride was incredible. DH is not much of a thrill rider and while I basically knew what kind of ride this was, I wasn't quite sure how they pulled it off so I just told him to relax and have faith in me that he would like the ride. Well, when we got inside and he saw the warning signs that said we were going to be suspended and that the ride may bother those with fears of heights and have motion sickness I thought for sure he would be history. Luckily, he stayed with me and had a great time. We rode it three times before leaving the park. (Gotta' love Fastpass!) After Soarin' we meandered over to Paradise Pier where I did all the "scary" rides while DH did the videotaping and picture taking. I absolutely loved Screamin' (three times in a row!) and thought Maliboomer was disappointing. After a snack from McDonalds, we did ITTBAB with no wait and even wandered around the "farm." I have to say, I don't really get the whole Bountiful Farms thing, the tortilla factory or the sourdough bread bakery. We actually enjoyed the tours but I really don't think they actually "belonged" in the park. Next, we headed to Sam Andreas Shakes and sat at a picnic table on the parade route and watched the Eureka parade while eating our yummy ice creams. The parade was ok, but again not very Disneyesque. I know DCA is not supposed to be another Disneyland but I felt it lacked the Disney touch and needed more rides. We ended the day in the Grizzley Peak recreation area just watching all the tubes go by! How we laughed. We would have gone on it had I not seen how wet you really get! I love those types of rides but there is nothing worse than sloshing around the park in wet sneakers and underwear! We were in a great spot where we got sprinkled from time to time. We did a little shopping just before leaving the park and then headed back to the hotel. We were pooped so we just ordered pizza from Lucky's and let's just say it wasn't lucky for us! Anyway, I really enjoyed the park but I feel it needs some time to grow.
Stay tuned for more.........
Day 1 (Saturday)
Our flight from Syracuse, NY to Orange County was a long but uneventful one. We landed in sunny CA around noon and had picked up our luggage and our rental car and were at the Candy Cane Inn by 1:15. I was extremely happy with our choice of hotels. I had read some mixed reviews but decided to take a chance and am glad I did. Our room was perfect - two queen beds, coffee maker, refrigerator and hair dryer. We were directly across from the pool and very close to the shuttle bus stop. Now, Candy Cane Inn is basically your average motel (two stories with exterior corridors) but it really reminded me of the Caribbean Beach Resort in WDW. The flowers were beautiful, the rooms were roomy and bright, and it had wonderful atmosphere. We spent the first day exploring the grounds and doing a little shopping. We found a WalMart where I bought all my postcards and some soda and snacks. For our first dinner we decided to take a stroll to McDonald's. I know it doesn't sound exciting but McDonald's is where my DH and I met. Also, it is a pretty cool feeling to be sitting there munching on some fries while watching the Monorail go by! Can't do that in Upstate NY! Next we decided to check out Downtown Disney. Gotta love that World of Disney Store! The long flight and the three hour time change did us in so we were in bed by 9:00 which worked out great since the next day was our trip to the San Diego Zoo.
Day 2 (Sunday)
We were a little nervous about the drive to San Diego but we found our way there easily and the traffic was almost non-existent. It took us just about an hour and a half to get there and we arrived just after the zoo had opened. I can't believe how beautiful the zoo is! DH and I had a great day here and wouldn't hesitate to go back. (Our tix did include a bus ride around the park but we upgraded to a different bus that stops at 8 places around the park and you can hop on and off all day. I am glad we did this since the zoo is huge! It let us save our energy for our up-coming Disney Days!) We spent the entire day here and since we didn't know where we were going, we just went back to the hotel. I would love to go back to CA and spend a few days here.
Disney Day 1 (Day 3 - Monday)
We woke up at 6:00 and headed over to the pool to have our free continental breakfast by 7:00. The continental breakfast included juices, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, three different cold cereals, instant oatmeal, several different breads for toast, big bagels, fruit, croissants and muffins. It was very good but got old after being there all week. Early entry meant 7:30am so we were at the park by then and found just a short line waiting to get in. It was very hard for me not to wander aimlessly around Main Street but I knew I really should take advantage of the ride time so I put blinders on and headed to BTMRR. DH is not a roller coaster person but he has the patience of a saint when it comes to my passion for Disney and thrill rides. There were only a few people in line so I went on. Then I went on again. Then I went on again. Then I went on again. It was awesome! I finally tore myself away and DH and I headed to Tomorrowland so I could ride SM. I did that twice in a row (thought it was much better than SM in WDW. Loved the soundtrack!) and probably would have done it again if the cue wasn't so long! Next stop was Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. DH and I loved this in WDW so of course we had to do it in DL. Twice in a row. Next stop was Star Tours. DH doesn't love this ride but he is a good sport and came on it with me. Once we finished Star Tours we realized that it was rope drop time so we headed straight over to Indy. When we got there it said the stand-by time was already 15 minutes but we got on in less than 5. Our favorite WDW rides are POC and Haunted Mansion. As soon as we got off Indy we went to POC and boy was I impressed! First of all, I had no idea there were two drops and second of all this ride is so much better than WDW's version. We walked on the ride twice in a row and then headed to HM. Again, I was shocked to find that I liked this ride better here than in WDW! It was a walk on so we did it three times in a row! Then I remembered that I wanted to have lunch at Blue Bayou so we immediately headed over there and the only time they had open was noon which was fine with us. By now it was already 10:30 so we decided to slow our pace and just do some wandering and take some time to stop and enjoy the fact that we were in Disneyland! We headed to Blue Bayou at 11:45 and were seated promptly at noon. DH and I were lucky enough to get a waterfront table and I thought I died and went to heaven! Our server was Dan and he was very attentive. We both ordered the Monte Cristo (YUMMY!) and were not disappointed! I could have sat there all day. Of course, as soon as we were seated the ride broke down so for the first 10 minutes or so there were no boats going by at all and then after that they were sending through empty boats. When we left they were still not loading the boats! Even so, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and theming of this restaurant and would love to be sitting there right now! After a leisurely lunch we did POC and HM a few more times and then took the Walt Disney RR for a couple loops around the park. The rest of the day is a blur of Small World, Splash Mountain, more POC and HM, parade (not as good as either of WDW's parades), Toontown, etc.... We didn't really eat again at the park but we did try a churro and we HAD to have a Dole Whip which was good but I miss the vanilla swirl! They finally threw us out of the park so we headed to Tony Roma's for a quick bite to eat. After a long day of being on the go we headed back to the hotel and collapsed.
Disney Day 2 (Day 4 - Tuesday)
DH and I were up early again and headed to DL for EE. We walked onto most of the rides that were open with little or no wait. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in just and hour and a half. We stayed at DL just until DCA opened the ticket booths. There was a short line to get into the park and we were at Soarin' before the park was officially opened. After approximately 15 minutes of waiting, we were soarin'! What an amazing experience. While I love thrill rides, I am not a good flier and actually usually find myself sick to my stomach watching an Imax-type movie but this ride was incredible. DH is not much of a thrill rider and while I basically knew what kind of ride this was, I wasn't quite sure how they pulled it off so I just told him to relax and have faith in me that he would like the ride. Well, when we got inside and he saw the warning signs that said we were going to be suspended and that the ride may bother those with fears of heights and have motion sickness I thought for sure he would be history. Luckily, he stayed with me and had a great time. We rode it three times before leaving the park. (Gotta' love Fastpass!) After Soarin' we meandered over to Paradise Pier where I did all the "scary" rides while DH did the videotaping and picture taking. I absolutely loved Screamin' (three times in a row!) and thought Maliboomer was disappointing. After a snack from McDonalds, we did ITTBAB with no wait and even wandered around the "farm." I have to say, I don't really get the whole Bountiful Farms thing, the tortilla factory or the sourdough bread bakery. We actually enjoyed the tours but I really don't think they actually "belonged" in the park. Next, we headed to Sam Andreas Shakes and sat at a picnic table on the parade route and watched the Eureka parade while eating our yummy ice creams. The parade was ok, but again not very Disneyesque. I know DCA is not supposed to be another Disneyland but I felt it lacked the Disney touch and needed more rides. We ended the day in the Grizzley Peak recreation area just watching all the tubes go by! How we laughed. We would have gone on it had I not seen how wet you really get! I love those types of rides but there is nothing worse than sloshing around the park in wet sneakers and underwear! We were in a great spot where we got sprinkled from time to time. We did a little shopping just before leaving the park and then headed back to the hotel. We were pooped so we just ordered pizza from Lucky's and let's just say it wasn't lucky for us! Anyway, I really enjoyed the park but I feel it needs some time to grow.
Stay tuned for more.........
