22-26 Jan trip: highs and lows

[loladelorean]

We got back on Friday from an amazing bargain January trip. Here's my quick summary:

Highs

• Characters everywhere! It seemed like everywhere we turned there were meet and greets or random character interactions. This was really fun
• Golden Forest - unbelievable what you get for a relatively small difference in price. We loved the afternoon tea, having fastpasses, the lounge, being in the main building. And Sequoia Lodge is just my favourite hotel, it was great to be back
• Tiny or non existent queues. Like seriously, we rode Crush 3 times in one day. What?! We walked straight onto BTM and Ratatouille without even having to stop walking. It was like a dream
• Minimal breakdowns. Previous trips have been really marred by ride breakdowns but we didn't notice any significant interruptions this time
• Meal plan - we had the free meal plan and enjoyed AMAZING meals at Chez Remy, Agrabah, Inventions (with supplement paid) and Captain Jacks
• Vegan food - a pleasant surprise! CMs were super helpful, in the hotel and all restaurants (except Annette's, see below). Particular shout outs to Agrabah for being vegan paradise, to the amazing CM in Inventions who made sure I had everything I wanted, and to the CM at Golden Forest check in who ensured there was soya milk at breakfast every day
• Weather was surprisingly good for January, tiny bits of rain
• Season of the Force: loved the show at night in particular, and the two Star Wars rides (first time riding them for us)
• Parade - first time we've seen it and we loved the floats and the new song
• We generally felt the park is looking really well, service is good, there was a buzz despite low crowd numbers - it feels like the parks are being taken care of better than in the past

Lows (none of these really made a dent in our enjoyment at all!)

• Annette's wasn't a great experience - the food was all stodgy and a bit gross, service was sullen, and there was no interest in helping me when I said I was vegan.
• We missed the shows. I know that's what we get for going in the cheap quiet time but it felt weird without any at all
• Vapiano - I'd been excited to try this but service was rude from a guy who seemed to be the manager, and we just didn't think the concept worked. You can end up spending your whole evening apart from your family/friends standing waiting. On the plus side the food was delicious, but don't think we'd go back
• Drink prices seem to have gone up yet again?! It's getting harder and harder to get drunk at Disneyland... we couldn't complain too much as with the meal plan and gift voucher, alcohol was pretty much the only thing we had to spend money on!

We MIGHT have already booked our next trip - November at the DLH, for the first and possibly only time! I've got a big birthday this year, so it's now or never - and the German offer was too good to resist.

 

[Shanbo]

Thanks for the review. I wish they would keep the alcohol more affordable, WDW prices are rediculous.

 

[markpsych]

Thank you for sharing
January is sounding increasingly like a good time to visit!

It's getting harder and harder to get drunk at Disneyland

Probably the first time I've read that in a trip report, lol

We generally stay at the DCR and purchase 'supplies' from the local Auchan.
Perhaps one of these is needed for your next trip!: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=disney+hip+flask&_sop=15

 

[california37]

Hi there
Great report - thanks for letting us know about your trip-sounds like you had a great time. We visit next week (eek!) and we’re looking at the me options (we have half board at sequoia) so I wondered how much extra you paid for inventions?! If you don’t mind me asking! Also did you swap any of the set meal options and if so what did they charge?

We’ve booked Chez Remy, billy bob and plaza gardens so far for our evening meals but may change depending on the ability to swap. Unfortunately Café Mickey is closed for us so we can’t book there!!

Thanks!

 

[loladelorean]

Thank you for sharing
January is sounding increasingly like a good time to visit!



Probably the first time I've read that in a trip report, lol

We generally stay at the DCR and purchase 'supplies' from the local Auchan.
Perhaps one of these is needed for your next trip!: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=disney+hip+flask&_sop=15

Haha, love this idea! Thank goodness for happy hour at King Ludwigs, that's all I'm saying. We also went along to the Cheyenne bar which is more affordable than SL! We're not alcoholics honest...

Hi there
Great report - thanks for letting us know about your trip-sounds like you had a great time. We visit next week (eek!) and we’re looking at the me options (we have half board at sequoia) so I wondered how much extra you paid for inventions?! If you don’t mind me asking! Also did you swap any of the set meal options and if so what did they charge?

We’ve booked Chez Remy, billy bob and plaza gardens so far for our evening meals but may change depending on the ability to swap. Unfortunately Café Mickey is closed for us so we can’t book there!!

Thanks!

We paid around 25 EUR extra each for Inventions food, plus drinks.

We didn't swap any set meal options - at Annette's I did ask if I could have fruit salad or a smoothie as a dessert because I'm vegan and none of the desserts were suitable, and was told no, I'd need to pay separately. So I could only have 2 courses. This might have just been the bad service there though, as mentioned above we didn't have a great experience at Annette's overall. Chez Remy is amazing - we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals and service was brilliant, I have a feeling they might have been more flexible but we didn't need to change anything there.