Non-Park Hopping Tickets and Dining Ideas

[chttyangel]

Good morning,

So last time I was on here I was planning DH's first trip to DL. Well here we are 6 months later and I am once again planning DH's first trip. Due to some things in life....we had to postpone our trip last Spring and I have been dying to go since. I love the holidays in the parks and DH had a bunch of frequent flyer miles...so here we go! Headed down Nov 14-17.

DH has accounts all over the West so he will be working the 14th and technically we only are spending 2 days in the parks (15-16). It will be a whirlwind two days trying to give him his first glimpse into Disney, enjoying the holiday stuff and hoping he will love it as much as I do!

So questions and notes;

* We are staying at Ayres Inn Orange. I NEVER stayed this far away from the Park so this should be interesting. But it got great reviews and had a great price. So we shall see.

** Because this is just a quick trip; we are only getting non-park hopping tickets. This is the BIGGEST change for me. It is a big cost savings thou and Im thinking this short of trip with a newbie might not be such a bad idea. So here is the question; Sat is early morning at DL which we don't have. So thinking Sat at DCA and Sun at DL? That will make Sat our short day and Sun are long one thou due to park hours, shows, etc. Thoughts?? This is the marathon weekend if that makes a difference since not sure where that mostly takes place.

**We did'nt have to buy airfare, getting a stelar deal on tickets & hotel so want to splurge on dinner either Friday night outside the Park or the day we do to DCA. (The DL day will be too busy to sit down). Whats your fav place to eat in DTD or DCA if you were splurging?? We will have DS 8 with us but he goes out with adults allot so is very well behaved.

Thanks. Hope I have another DL Lover in our family very soon!

 

[dmcdixie]

I love the Jazz Kitchen in DTD and I have always wanted to try Steakhouse 55! Have fun!

 

[chttyangel]

I just checked out Steakhouse 55; looks YUMMY! Thanks!

 

[Pheran]

I agree with your strategy of avoiding the EMH days since you don't have them. So Saturday at DCA and Sunday at DL makes perfect sense.

If you want to splurge, Napa Rose is the best restaurant at the resort and it's in the Grand Californian so does not require a park ticket - thus you could do it Friday. Reservations are definitely recommended.

 

[chttyangel]

I have always wanted to try Napa Rose. Ill have to have DH check out the menu tonight. Thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[Epek]

At DCA, I would splurge at Carthay Circle.

I also agree with going to the opposite park as the EMH.

 

[fiddlesticks]

I wonder if since you are in a splurging mood, if maybe one of the WOC dinners would be good! You could get a great dinner and then have some preferred seating for WOC! We did it once and it was the best way to do WOC. We didn't have to wait in line as long which was huge for us!

 

[chttyangel]

As many times as I have been to DCA I have never waited around for WOC; so that is an awesome idea. I will check out the packages for it; thanks. And Ill check out Carthay too!

 

[Pheran]

As many times as I have been to DCA I have never waited around for WOC; so that is an awesome idea. I will check out the packages for it; thanks. And Ill check out Carthay too!

Carthay Circle is one of the WoC options, so you can combine those if you like. The other two WoC options are Ariel's Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria, but Carthay is generally regarded as the best food of the three.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Staying farther way is ok, just make sure to get up and going early. For a splurge meal I'd say Napa Rose in GCH unless you're both steak people in which case Steakhouse 55 in DLH. You can google allears Disneyland menus to get a look at current menus all over the parks & hotels.

 

[TreeDharni]

I just checked out Steakhouse 55; looks YUMMY! Thanks!

We ate at Napa Rose last Friday night. The portions are not very big. Me and my friend shared a salad, an appetizer for two, and each had our own entrée. She also had soup, a drink and a scoop of ice cream. Our bill was $184. I absolutely loved every bite of food and was full and satisfied after our meal but I do not think I will every eat there again because of the cost. I was happy to experience it.

 

[GPmice]

Carthay Circle is one of the WoC options, so you can combine those if you like. The other two WoC options are Ariel's Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria, but Carthay is generally regarded as the best food of the three.

We had the WOC lunch at Carthay on Saturday. While the food was good, I was very disappointed with the location of our table. We had an L-shaped booth that faced a hallway/register and couldn't see any of the decor of the room AT ALL. DH said it was the worst table he'd ever had at a nice restaurant and I had to agree. Thinking that maybe we somehow "lucked out" and got the worst table in the whole restaurant, we both looked around on our way out and saw lots of other tables that were also strangely situated.... I did think my food was good, but not really better than restaurants I go to on a routine basis in my hometown.

Also, I wasn't really happy with the viewing location for the WOC show. The first time we saw the show, we were right in the front in the spray section and it seemed like we were right in the middle of the action. The Carthay viewing area is in the center, but in the back. And, unfortunately, I was standing behind one of the colored globes and a very tall man, so I couldn't see a lot of the animation. My bad for only getting there 20 min early, but still... I did just drop $180 on lunch.

That said, we did luck out and get a waterside seat at Blue Bayou the day before, and they even brought us a little chocolate mousse Mickey cake for our anniversary, so it wasn't all bad.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...While the food was good, I was very disappointed with the location of our table. We had an L-shaped booth that faced a hallway/register and couldn't see any of the decor of the room AT ALL. DH said it was the worst table he'd ever had at a nice restaurant and I had to agree. Thinking that maybe we somehow "lucked out" and got the worst table in the whole restaurant, we both looked around on our way out and saw lots of other tables that were also strangely situated...
Also, I wasn't really happy with the viewing location for the WOC show. The first time we saw the show, we were right in the front in the spray section and it seemed like we were right in the middle of the action. The Carthay viewing area is in the center, but in the back...

If you want a table at CCR with a good view of the room, make the request when you make your reservation. Repeat the request when you check in. CMs will say that they cannot make any promises or guarantees, but they will try to seat you according to your request. We do this every time and always get a table in the area we want.
Regarding the CCR area of WOC, you are right that it is toward the center back. But with a CCR Preferred Dining FP, you can tell the CMs that you want to be down front, and they will allow you to move.

For the OP, make sure to check the AP blockout calendar for the Saturday. If most passes are blocked out, then that might be the better day to do DL. If most/all APs are good on the Sunday, that will be a very crowded day at DL.

 

[chttyangel]

That said, we did luck out and get a waterside seat at Blue Bayou the day before, and they even brought us a little chocolate mousse Mickey cake for our anniversary, so it wasn't all bad.

Love, Love, Love Blue Bayou. If I was staying longer; this and the F Dessert would be the two items would take DH too. Glad you got a waterside table!

 

[chttyangel]

For the OP, make sure to check the AP blockout calendar for the Saturday. If most passes are blocked out, then that might be the better day to do DL. If most/all APs are good on the Sunday, that will be a very crowded day at DL.

Great tip. I just checked the calendar; So Cal and So Cal select are blocked on Sat. So Cal Select is blocked on Sunday. Think that makes a big diff? ALSO...the 5k and kids races are Sat AND the 1/2 marathon is Sunday. So on that thread they were talking about the parks clearing out Sunday after the race.

Crowds don't bug us....but obviously if we are standing in 90 min lines then we wont see as much so appericate the thoughts.

 

[MommyJKM]

I just treated my Mom and Aunt to the Chef's Table at Napa Rose in May and they absolutely loved it. It's a little different since the re-model but I'd still recommend it!

It's about $100/per person and they said it filled them up!

Plus you might be there on a night when Chef Andrew Sutton is there and he will sign a menu if you ask nicely