We're BACK!!! Ask me anything.

[wallawallakids]

We are back and had an AMAZING trip! We arrived Sunday and left yesterday evening. There were a TON of highlights for us this trip. It was our first trip back in 3 years. I am not sure how to write a real TR, but I will tell you some highlights/tips I learned for anyone who is interested:

1) CARS is as amazing as they say. I was doubting the hype but I was wrong. It is my new favorite ride. We all loved it. It did break down twice while we were in line, but we still managed to ride it 4 times over our trip. I felt so bad for the families that couldn't seem to get it in, so on our last day I waited in line for FPs and gifted them to a nice family I saw. I think they thought I was a tad crazy asking if they had been on it and if they had FP's yet, but the smile I got when I handed them over our passes was awesome and totally worth it!

For those going, FP is the way to go if you have a large family (IMO). We did the mad dash at rope drop but it was crazy and even though we got onto the ride quickly, the shear number of adults that have no issue of running over your children or through your hands while you are holding your 6 year old, is crazy. My oldest DD was crying by the time we got in line. In all, not worth it for us. Esp. when the FP was pretty easy to get (we got them 4 times). We just hoped into line right before park opening and really only had a long line on Thursday. Monday/ Wednesday/ and Friday was fast. Plus you only have to have one person wait, which is another added bonus. Twice when the ride broke down during our FP return window, they let us come back later in the day when it was back up. My vote is to hit TSM at rope drop. Did that the second day and there was no line, then we did Screaming twice, before going over to Cars FP line. Much better than getting run over!

2) I got to meet Kevin and John who were there on an ABD trip! Which was a nice added bonus. (they also probably thought I was crazy! My kids did, because I was so excited to meet them!)

3) It was busy but not crazy crowded. We were able to ride every ride in the park without much of a wait and we rode the headliner rides 3/4/5 times over our stay. This was with 4 kids in tow. We did Rope Drop 3 mornings and stayed until closing. The other 3 days we did more mellow days with time hanging around the pool/ visiting family.

4) My 6 year olds rocked on the walking. They never complained and went from 8am-8pm without needing a stroller. We went to WDW when they were 4 and it was a huge improvement from 4-6 in stamina and ease. I can not tell you how great it is and easy it is to do the parks without a stroller. It is SOOO nice. So don't be afraid to ditch the ride!

5) We encountered some really nice CMs along the way on this trip. In particular we had purchased Carthay WOC for our family of 6 in hopes our youngest DS (who has very poor vision) would be able to see the show. We got in line early but a family of 5 adults were ahead of us and then "saved" the railings for "other family members". (I know this is par for the course as we have been to WOC in the past, but this was the entire railing!) A really nice CM went above and beyond when she saw him and asked him if he could see from so far away. When he said no, she brought him and our family up front to a bench and told us to sit there. We ended up having a great view and he could see it all. There was a waiter at Carthay who also did a special thing for him and another at Steakhouse 55 that gave my DD, who turned 12 on the trip, a cute cake with a candle in it. She was touched.

6) We stayed at the DLH. It was nice. We had a refurb room before, so it was not something new, but the pool was new. The kids loved the pool. Several times they were closed though due to kids getting sick in them. Over all, I think I prefer the Grand though! Esp. now that the kids are walking. It was doable and they did great, but the added convince of being close with the twins would have been nice. But I can not say anything bad about DLH. It is still a solid choice with nice rooms, CMs, etc.

Something I did notice on this trip: EMH/MMH were insanely busy. Much more so than they were 3 years ago. Not sure if it was because the park opened later, so more people made it, or if they have larger numbers of people getting MMH but it was a little bit much. On Friday we skipped it and went to the opposite park and actually got more done. In the past we used to be able to get all of Fantasyland done in that one hour, not this time. We were lucky to get three rides in. That was different for us.

We loved Starbucks being in the parks and the sign went up in DTD on Friday!

We did Fantasmic reserved seating for the second time. (and the last.) It just isn't worth the price IMO. We waited a LONG time and got great seats but it was loud and for $340, just not worth the splurge. We did it for DD's birthday as her special thing. Twice is enough of that.

Lastly, we used DK Livery. We had an amazing driver there but on the way back it was BAD! I didn't think we were going to live to make it to LGB. He almost side swiped a car going 80 and he didn't seem to speak very good English. We tried asking him a few questions and got no where. It was not a great experience.

Any questions about anything? Over all it was an amazing trip and I know we probably won't be back anytime soon, which makes me sad, but I will be dreaming of our next time back!

 

[WillowHaven]

Sounds like a fantastic trip! Thanks for sharing.

 

[karenkspears]

Thank you for sharing your trip. Always love to read everyone's experience.

For the Fantasmic, what do you mean by need to wait for a long time? We are taking my boys 6 and 4 for their very first trip to Disney and I did reserve the dessert package just so we don't have to worry about claiming good seats very early.

We are also going to use DK Livery to and from LAX, so hopefully they will be good.

 

[wallawallakids]

Thank you for sharing your trip. Always love to read everyone's experience.

For the Fantasmic, what do you mean by need to wait for a long time? We are taking my boys 6 and 4 for their very first trip to Disney and I did reserve the dessert package just so we don't have to worry about claiming good seats very early.

We are also going to use DK Livery to and from LAX, so hopefully they will be good.

We got in line at 6:30 for a seat assignment and we were #3 in line. The line grew a lot up until 8pm, when they handed out seat assignments. So in all we waited an hour and a half for seats. We did get the front row, so that was nice. After they told us to leave and we could come back between 8:30 and 9 to check in again. In all it was a lot of waiting considering the price we paid.

We flew into LAX and our driver from DK Livery was great on the LAX-DLH drive. It was only our return with a different driver and out of LGB that was dicey. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[wallawallakids]

Sounds like a fantastic trip! Thanks for sharing.

It was. Thank you!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

can you tell me what was in the box? I am asking for the most recent reviews because i know it has changed i read one person tell me earlier but i just read your review and wondered if it was the same thing. Thank you for any info you can tell me. Did you get pics of the box? I am going back and forth wanting seats and desert for f to just doing late show and buying what we want for the 180.

Does any one know if we can get 20% off F package by using Disney chase?

 

[tr-ray]

As a fellow East-Coastie, how long did it take you & your family to adjust to the time shift?

We fly from Providence at 6AM and arrive at 11AM PST. Expecting to be pretty tired by 7 PM PST that night, and concerned about it being our only night to see F!.

Thanks!!

 

[karenkspears]

We got in line at 6:30 for a seat assignment and we were #3 in line. The line grew a lot up until 8pm, when they handed out seat assignments. So in all we waited an hour and a half for seats. We did get the front row, so that was nice. After they told us to leave and we could come back between 8:30 and 9 to check in again. In all it was a lot of waiting considering the price we paid.

We flew into LAX and our driver from DK Livery was great on the LAX-DLH drive. It was only our return with a different driver and out of LGB that was dicey. Hope you have a great trip!

I have to agree that's a very long wait considering we are paying for our seats (not cheap either). They should have assigned seats for us when reserving to save all these trouble since booking is first come first serve to begin with anyway. I guess I will try to be get in line at 6:30 and have my husband take the boys to do something else.

 

[sherilaine]

Thanks for the info on the Fantasmic seating - I feel much better for opting out of buying it now - I also hate the idea of having to pick one night to go and view it and if that night it gets cancelled - then you are out of luck.

We watched the 2nd show our last trip - had great seats right up front right across from Mickey and we sat there for less than an hour before the show - for free!

I guess since only 1 person has to wait in line that does help justify it but wow, that is a long time.

 

[Jairy]

What do you mean by the Fantasmic show was loud? In reserved seating specifically? Because you are closer to the speakers?
We did the dessert seating in 2008 and it was a highlight of my kids trip. Maybe partly because it was so decadent for them to each have a very large box of desserts to themselves! Lol
We booked it again for our upcoming March trip. I hope we enjoy it as much as last time.

 

[jordansmomma]

Are they still taking pictures when you enter with a PH?

 

[disneymum58]

We are here now, heading home tomorrow. We had a 5 day hopper. The first time we used it they took our pictures, then made us sign the Park Hopper card in black sharpie.
They were very organized whenever we entered the parks. When the lines were long during EMH/MM they had an extra CM at each line scanning the park hopper to see if you were one in the picture before getting to the turnstile.

 

[wallawallakids]

can you tell me what was in the box? I am asking for the most recent reviews because i know it has changed i read one person tell me earlier but i just read your review and wondered if it was the same thing. Thank you for any info you can tell me. Did you get pics of the box? I am going back and forth wanting seats and desert for f to just doing late show and buying what we want for the 180.

Does any one know if we can get 20% off F package by using Disney chase?

The box was the same as when we did it in 2011. I didn't take a picture, but I have seen lots on here before so I am sure you can search for one. It had: Cheese and crackers, cookie with jam filling, chocolate cake, lime cake, one white chocolate truffle, one milk chocolate truffle, coconut macaroon, grapes.

There is no discount with the Disney Chase or for AP holders. HTH

 

[wallawallakids]

As a fellow East-Coastie, how long did it take you & your family to adjust to the time shift?

We fly from Providence at 6AM and arrive at 11AM PST. Expecting to be pretty tired by 7 PM PST that night, and concerned about it being our only night to see F!.

Thanks!!

It wasn't that bad actually. (But we fly to Portland OR every year to see family so we are sort of used to it.) We arrived at 12am PST (so 3 am EST). We were in bed by 1am PST, but we were up at 6am ready to go for rope drop. That night we were a little tired but we stayed up for F! only DS fell asleep during the show. The other 3 kids were excited and wide awake. We managed to get up every morning by 6am and make it until park closing at night. It is harder going back, IMO. This morning has been rough! Getting the kids up at 6am for school has made everyone cranky. They had more motivation to get up there. I think you should be fine for F! the first night. It makes for a long day, but it is a fun long day.

 

[wallawallakids]

What do you mean by the Fantasmic show was loud? In reserved seating specifically? Because you are closer to the speakers?
We did the dessert seating in 2008 and it was a highlight of my kids trip. Maybe partly because it was so decadent for them to each have a very large box of desserts to themselves! Lol
We booked it again for our upcoming March trip. I hope we enjoy it as much as last time.

Yes. It was MUCH louder than I remembered. I feel like they have changed the speakers since we went the last time. The speakers are right by you, so I am sure that is why, but it was crazy loud this time. Didn't stop DS from falling asleep, for the second time through this show though! But I was wishing I had some ear plugs for me!

 

[wallawallakids]

Are they still taking pictures when you enter with a PH?

Exactly as PP mentioned. They take them on the first day and have an extra CM on hand checking before park opening. It went fairly quickly and was much more organized than I had pictured in my head. The entrance at the GCH always seemed to have an extra CM checking pictures through out the day as well.

 

[TheChapman6]

So what were the best things you are on your trip?

 

[wallawallakids]

So what were the best things you are on your trip?

For my husband and kids, they LOVED Carthay and Steakhouse 55. My oldest kept taking about the steak at Steakhouse and the burger at Carthay. She claimed they were the best she had ever had. I am not really a big meat eater, so I can't comment on those but I really liked Cafe Orleans. It was the first time I have ever eaten there and I was really impressed with my salad. The salad at Carthay was amazing as well. Loved the butternut squash with the candied pecans! Yum! Other highlights were the apple tart at Carthay and breakfast at Steakhouse 55.

The only place that I wasn't impressed with was Tangora Terrace. The food, IMO, was unimpressive and expensive for what you get. The kids hamburger is the size of a baby's fist. My kids are not big eaters, in fact my 6 year old only weighs 32 pounds, but she eats more than a tiny hamburger. We ended up having to go back in and ordering the twins an extra kids meal and a pizza to share. DD got a steak, which she said wasn't very good. DH ordered a hamburger and DS got a pizza. I had a salad. Nothing was impressive and by the time we were done it was almost $100, for quick service. Not the best use of our time or money. I will avoid that place in the future.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We got back late last night, too. I think being from the east coast makes it EASY to get to the parks by 8-9 am

One thing, we did the EE for 2 days, then had a non park day. After that, we switched it up and did the opposite of the EE park…. THAT gives you a REALLY sweet 1-2 hours of low crowds, it seemed like. (most of the early risers are in the EE park).

We rode RSR 5X during our trip. It is truly special, especially at night.

They do NOT have a nice opening ceremony at DL like they do at MK, so if you "miss" park opening, you did not miss anything, other than an announcement.

 

[oklamomof4boys]

When you are staying onsite, what do you have to show to get the extra early entry (since your ticket just has one). We ate staying there but my oldest is staying with his cousin who lives in Anaheim since the room only sleeps 5. I was wondering if it would be possible to give him my extra early entry.