<~ This WDW Family is headed to DisneyLand for the 1st time! PTR *TR started 7/24*

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

I actually don't think the heat is that bad. But if you ask my mom...

I love the fall time too. That's really when I like to travel. How come you aren't going to Disneyland in the fall?

Well long story short, we were going to take the DCL to Alaska, but decided against it and just had to do SOMETHING this summer and I saw how DL was still offering a great military discount, which as of now ends at the end of September with no guarantee it will extend into October. (My kids' fall break is first week of Oct. and when we go to WDW). So I looked into it and we decided to do the Southern Cal. thing this summer instead. Even if we don't get on all the rides, I'm still excited just to see the original park! And my DS8 is super excited about Legoland...

 

[BeckWhy]

Well long story short, we were going to take the DCL to Alaska, but decided against it and just had to do SOMETHING this summer and I saw how DL was still offering a great military discount, which as of now ends at the end of September with no guarantee it will extend into October. (My kids' fall break is first week of Oct. and when we go to WDW). So I looked into it and we decided to do the Southern Cal. thing this summer instead. Even if we don't get on all the rides, I'm still excited just to see the original park! And my DS8 is super excited about Legoland...

I can't speak for what it's like at Disneyland, but in WDW during the summer the best advice I have is:

Some lines are going to be longer than what you are used to going in the fall. So make sure to take the kids to the bathroom before getting in a long line. Also make sure you have a couple bottles of water, juice, soda, whatever you want to drink.

I'm not sure what the weather is like in Disneyland during the summer, but in WDW it is hot and humid, so my sister and I always carried an extra water bottle with us that we filled with cold water from the bathroom tap. Then when we were waiting in like we could pour it over our heads to cool us down.

 

[martinolichfamily]

I know you probably "have to" see Hollywood but it is so not worth it. Newport is great. The south side of Newport is a beach called Corona Del Mar which is a perfect crescent shaped beach for getting into the ocean. You can also take a sunset cruise from the Newport area for as low as $15 a person. They take you around the harbor showing millionaire homes and then out onto the Pacific to watch the sunset over the Cali coastline. I highly recommend this.

We would like to see the Hollywood sign and the stars sidewalk but that'r pretty much it I think! My MIL wanted to go on the tour but I read it was like 5 hours long! I didn't think that would be a good idea with 4 kids, one being a 9 month old!
The sunset cruise at Newport Beach sounds pretty neat though! I'll have to look into it! Thanks for the tip!

Another fellow WDW vet taking on DL in July here

Looks like our families will be at Minnie's breakfast on the same morning! It's our first day in the parks and I'm super excited! My girls will have their Minnie dresses on, so if you see us, feel free to wave!

I'm pretty worried about the crowds. We would NEVER go to WDW in the summer, so I hope we are not too crazy.

I look forward to reading your report. I'll do one on my blog when we get back.

Maybe we will see each other! How fun! My DD and DNeice might have on black and white Minnie dresses!
We have always gone to WDW in the Summer (one time we went during Spring Break..great weather and didnt think the crowds were bad)...we're use to the crowds. I read on DIS today that the ones of us 'worrying' about the crowds at DL shouldn't be that they aren't that bad! I sure hope so!

I never thought that the crowds during the summer in WDW were that bad, especially after FastPass. I mean you do wait in line, and it is hot and humid, but I never thought it was too much to handle. My little sister and I did all of Epcot by 6 pm once.

Now WDW during Spring Break times... I think that's worse than summer.

I don't know anything about Disneyland since I've never been there.

FP is a great thing! We are use to the crowds at WDW in summer..they are manageable! We also take advantage of EMH! Our favorite are night EMH! Hot and humid! We're from Texas so FL is nothing!
Our very first WDW trip as a family was Spring Break 2007...I loved the weather and didn't think the crowds were too bad.
Austin, huh? It's pretty up there!

 

[martinolichfamily]

It's hard to believe that in 11 days we will be on our way to Disneyland!

A little update:

Last week or so I had decided on taking advantage of the PrePay Photopass+ for DL...I think it was $70! I thought it was a great price! Especially if we use it like we did at WDW one year! I paid $100+ for our WDW photopass CD!

Saturday we received a great little package in the mail from our wonderful TA! It was our Park Tickets, Luggage Tags(much nicer than our ones from WDW), Hotel voucher and Extras Vouchers! I have pics to post but can't get them to cooperate to get them on photobucket at the moment!

G

Tonight I was trying "Name your own price" on priceline for rental cars but no luck on my 'cheap' price I wanted! I'm going to try again tomorrow but it kills me to see $690 as the total rental price for a SUV! Oh well...DH said "Do it!"

I also have our park plans that our TA came up with! I agreed to just go by park.

California Adventure
8:00 California Adventure opens

Radiator Springs Racers (40”)
Luigi’s Flying Tire
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
World of Color Fastpasses at Grizzly River Run
Soarin’ (40”) – get Fastpass if line long
Aladdin (check show times)
Monster’s Inc.
Animation Academy
Turtle Talk with Crush
Muppet Vision 3D
It’s Tough to be a Bug
Tower of Terror (40”)
Red Car Trolley to front of Park
Grizzly River Run (42”)
The Little Mermaid
Toy Story Mania
Goofy’s Sky School (42”)
Rides around Paradise Pier as time permits

7:30 Queue w/ World of Color FP
9:00 World of Color
10:15 World of Color second show
11:00 California Adventure closes

Disneyland Day 1
8:00 Disneyland opens

Peter Pan’s Flight
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Alice in Wonderland
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Mad Tea Party
Matterhorn Bobsleds (42”)
Star Tours (40”)
Buzz Lightyear
Space Mountain (40”)
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Snow White’s Scary Adventure
Enchanted Tiki Room
Big Thunder Mountain (40”)
Tom Sawyer Island
Ride SS Columbia or Riverboat

8:45 Magic, Memories & You at
It’s a Small World
9:00 Fantasmic at Rivers of America
9:30 Magical Fireworks
10:15 Magic, Memories & You
10:30 Fantasmic at Rivers of America
12:00 Disneyland closes

Disneyland Day 2
8:00 Disneyland opens

Indiana Jones Adventure (46”)
Jungle Cruise
Splash Mountain (40”)
Winnie the Pooh
Pirates of the Caribbean
Haunted Mansion
It’s a Small World
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
Ride Monorail full loop
Ride Railroad
Captain EO

8:45 Magic, Memories & You at It’s a Small World
9:00 Fantasmic at Rivers of America
9:30 Magical Fireworks
10:15 Magic, Memories & You
10:30 Fantasmic at Rivers of America
12:00 Disneyland closes


Hoping we can stick with it!

 

[BabyEeyore]

Oh my goodness, only 11 days!! How exciting!!!

 

[martinolichfamily]

Oh my goodness, only 11 days!! How exciting!!!

I know!




UPDATE: Reserved our rental car today! woohoo! Found a Tahoe or similar for $577.93 through rentalcars.com Hope it all goes smoothly!

 

[BeckWhy]

Austin, huh? It's pretty up there![/COLOR]

Well, it's where I'm thinking... I gotta find a job there first.

I'm glad you think it's pretty there... one thing I'm scare of when it comes to big cities is... well... city. I live in a small city (about 30,00) but it's really a lot of hills and farms and trees... so I'm scared of lots of buildings.


As for the 11 days! Ooo yeah! Rock it!

 

[martinolichfamily]

Well, it's where I'm thinking... I gotta find a job there first.

I'm glad you think it's pretty there... one thing I'm scare of when it comes to big cities is... well... city. I live in a small city (about 30,00) but it's really a lot of hills and farms and trees... so I'm scared of lots of buildings.


As for the 11 days! Ooo yeah! Rock it!

There are smaller towns outside of Austin too. If you don't want to live right in smack dab in downtown Austin. My mom use to live up there near Austin..my aunt lives near Georgetown which is outside of Austin too.

 

[BeckWhy]

There are smaller towns outside of Austin too. If you don't want to live right in smack dab in downtown Austin. My mom use to live up there near Austin..my aunt lives near Georgetown which is outside of Austin too.

I think... Georgetown is one of the richer areas around Austin. Actually, I've found out that I can't really find too many people with bad things to say except that the traffic is kind of bad. So if I work downtown, I should probably live downtown. But that can all be worked out later... like I said I need to find a job there first...

Are you in Houston?

 

[DisneytheKid]

I know!




UPDATE: Reserved our rental car today! woohoo! Found a Tahoe or similar for $577.93 through rentalcars.com Hope it all goes smoothly!

Cool!

 

[martinolichfamily]

This time tomorrow...we will be at DL...well next to it anyways!

We may hit DTD but won't get to the parks til Sunday!

 

[BabyEeyore]

Woo hoo!!! I am SO excited for you! Have a safe trip!

 

[LovintheLodge]

I can't wait to hear about your trip! We are a WDW family as well and are heading to DLR for the first time in August. We are visiting and staying with family for 1/2 the time but also booked a good neighbor hotel near DL for 4 nights. We still have to look into car rental and other things we want to do.

Kerry

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[martinolichfamily]

Woo hoo!!! I am SO excited for you! Have a safe trip!

Thanks! We are headed to airport now! Baby fell asleep once he got in car. Hoping for a smooth, quiet flight!

 

[martinolichfamily]

I can't wait to hear about your trip! We are a WDW family as well and are heading to DLR for the first time in August. We are visiting and staying with family for 1/2 the time but also booked a good neighbor hotel near DL for 4 nights. We still have to look into car rental and other things we want to do.

Kerry

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thanks..welcome to my little PTR!
Check into the car rental site I used...it was about $100+ cheaper than Priceline name your own price!

 

[adisneymama]

They made it!

 

[BeckWhy]

Oh my gosh! I lost track of time and forgot to wish you a good trip!

Have fun!

 

[martinolichfamily]

They made it!

We did! time change has us thrown off but we made it...almost didn't have the right car at rental place but ended up with it..who knows!

The kids did great on the plane! Whew!
DH is in hotel doing check in now! So excited!
Gas is high here..$3.75!
Now to get in room..eat something and get to bed! I do believe we have breakfast ressie in morning!!

 

[martinolichfamily]

Oh my gosh! I lost track of time and forgot to wish you a good trip!

Have fun!

Thanks so much!

 

[disney-inspired]

So here goes our list!

7/15 Story Teller's Breakfast

7/16 Goofy's Kitchen Dinner

7/18 Plaza Inn Minnie & Friends - Breakfast in the Park

7/18 Cafe Orleans Lunch (thinking of canceling)

7/19 BBB for girls

7/19 Ariel's Grotto Dinner

7/20 Big Thunder Ranch BBQ Dinner

7/21 PCH Grill Surf's Up Breakfast w/Mickey & Friends


So...what do you think?! I really wish that there were more character options for lunch & dinner!


30 DAYS TO GO!

I know you're already there but I hope you don't cancel Cafe Orleans. They have very good food. I love their salad, pommes frites and Monte Cristo sandwiches (definitely to share!). Delicious!