August 2017 Disneyland Check-In & Chat!

Hi! Checking in. We are visiting for a short trip Checking in to Best Western Park Place Aug. 15 checking out Aug. 18. We are only doing parks for 2 days Aug.16 & 17. Debating about getting park hopper or 1 park each day tickets to save $ to put towards an extra character meal.
Some background: I used to be an AP holder for years but then moved to NY. It is so challenging going now with limited time and I am so used to park hopping. Just not sure it will be worth it for 2 park days. It will be 2 adults and 1 2.5yo. Our way of visiting has definitely changed now that we are parents. We never used to do character meals but now our daughter loves them. We just did DW in Nov/Dec, but can't miss squeezing in a visit to my Disney "Home".
 
My wife and I have been telling the kids no DL trip this year because we're saving up for a two week trip to Disney World next year. We've been debating for a little while on doing a surprise trip for the kids in August and yesterday decided to commit to it and bought our airline tickets. We're not telling the kids until the morning we leave and we'll be in the park from the 17th to the 20th. Can't wait to surprise them. :)
 


Debating about getting park hopper or 1 park each day tickets to save $ to put towards an extra character meal.

I understand trying to do some saving on the ticket costs. However, with our family we have always ended up jumping between parks multiple times in a long day. So, the hopper was always needed. We typically start with the early hours at one park and stay there until lunch, then take an afternoon siesta back at the hotel and return to the other park in the evening. Many times we would catch Phantasmic on the Disneyland side, cross over to Cali Adventure to watch WOC and then cross back to Disneyland for the late parade and the shorter lines for E-ticket rides (we typically "close the park" with a final ride on Splash Mtn. and go back to the hotel wet, tired, and happy)! I have always thought the added $ was worth it...
 
Today was the first day I could make ressies! Booked the Blue Bayou for dinner. I had the opportunity to talk for some time with one of the CM's for the reservations and she passed me to her shift manager to get some answers concerning Pantasmic and dinner package. None of this is out in print officially, but the reservation CM's are being coached on it now...



The plan is to have F! start "soft" openings around July 4 but there won't be any dinning options for F! until August 18th. Currently the dinning/show options are for the Electric Light parade. On the 18th, the dining/show bookings are to be changed from the Electric Light Parade back to F! June 18th is the earliest (60 day window) you will be able to book special dinner seating for F! again.

Thanks for the info. I can make my dining reservations on Saturday:cool1:, so I will ask about F! If I have to call back on the 18th I will!
 


I've been going back and forth on if we should do BB or CO for one of our sit down meals (would be lunch), and I think we're going to do CO. The kids surprised me and said they wanted to do a Character meal even though they're older now, so we'll be doing a late breakfast at Goofy's one morning. I need to hurry up and nail down which days I want with meals, it's almost 60 days out!

I'm also thinking about renting a cabana at the DLH one afternoon. We're staying there and plan to spend afternoons at the hotel, so I thought it might be worth it for some relaxing. Is that something I need to do in advance, or can it be done once we're there?

Also hoping my youngest grows an inch or so to hit 48"!! He's hovering at 46.5 without shoes and he grows so slow!! At least he's over 46 and will be able to go on almost everything.
 
I'm jumping in here pretty late, after just finding this thread. I haven't been active on the Disboards in a few years but I stumbled back to help with planning for my upcoming trip. I'm an east-coaster with a WDW AP, but heading west in August! My oldest daughter is starting her senior year of HS and my husband and I decided it was time to take a trip to California with the kids before we have a tuition bill staring at us! We will be in CA from 8/1-8/8, spending a couple days in LA and visiting Universal Studios, before driving down the coast and staying in San Diego for 2 nights. We will head back up to Disneyland 8/5 and spend 3 days in the parks. In Anaheim, we are staying at the Springhill Suites - Convention Center. My husband has travelled to Southern CA quite a bit for work; I've only been once, with him, a few years ago. The kids (ages 8, 15, and 16) have never been! I'll be lurking on this thread to get some planning tips and will jump in whenever possible! I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else is planning for their trips.
 
I have been busy booking our dining reservations this week. But I was startled yesterday by not being able to get first seating at Minnie & Friends on a Thursday when I booked online. I am always able to get the seating I want at 60 days out! So I called the dining reservation line today and was able to move my reservation back 1.5 hours. So if you don't see the time you want online, be sure and give the dining line a call just in case as they may be able to change your reservation.
 
Checking in as well! August 23rd - August 29th. I'd thought about WDW in August (the only month we can go now that kids have school stuff), but was dreading the heat. We used to live in AZ years ago and had APs for DL, so I've been many times; the kids not so much -- oldest was 4 the last time we went and he won't remember). So despite having 5 WDW tickets in my safe, I decided to bite the bullet and do DL instead! A shorter trip than if we'd done WDW, a more expensive trip, but a more enjoyable trip I hope.

Flights are booked (Southwest @ $300 pp RT, which isn't bad coming from Wisconsin). I still have to book the hotel (thinking Hyatt House for the extra space and breakfast). And still have to buy tickets.

I've not yet told the kids we're going to DL and not sure I will. At some point I might say "we're going to Disney in August." And then when we get on the plane I'll say "oh Anaheim? John Wayne Airport? We're just flying into a different airport." We'll see how long I can wing it like that. Knowing my kids and their obliviousness, focused on their devices, they probably won't catch on until we're at the front gates.

Excited and nervous!!!!
 
Do you think if Fantasmic! dining reservations are not available until August 18th that the show won't be on the schedule until then? That it will just be hit or miss until then? Or are they just wanting people who booked Electric Parade to get the Electric Parade?
 
Checking in as well! August 23rd - August 29th. I'd thought about WDW in August (the only month we can go now that kids have school stuff), but was dreading the heat. We used to live in AZ years ago and had APs for DL, so I've been many times; the kids not so much -- oldest was 4 the last time we went and he won't remember). So despite having 5 WDW tickets in my safe, I decided to bite the bullet and do DL instead! A shorter trip than if we'd done WDW, a more expensive trip, but a more enjoyable trip I hope.

Flights are booked (Southwest @ $300 pp RT, which isn't bad coming from Wisconsin). I still have to book the hotel (thinking Hyatt House for the extra space and breakfast). And still have to buy tickets.

I've not yet told the kids we're going to DL and not sure I will. At some point I might say "we're going to Disney in August." And then when we get on the plane I'll say "oh Anaheim? John Wayne Airport? We're just flying into a different airport." We'll see how long I can wing it like that. Knowing my kids and their obliviousness, focused on their devices, they probably won't catch on until we're at the front gates.

Excited and nervous!!!!

Same here. We've from Ontario Canada and WDW is much closer to us (although only been once), so we considered going there before our kids return to school. But we'd rather take "hot" over "hot, humid and daily thunderstorms". We bought cooling towels so hoping they help, even if a little bit. And since coming so far, we extended to LA + Disney trip.

And same with our kids. I wanted to tell them as soon as they started camp but our son keeps saying how he'd like a surprise some time...so maybe, we'll wait until very close. That would be funny if your kids know they are going to a Disney park but don't realize Disneyland until you arrive. Know what you mean about technology...which is great for plane rides .
 
Checking in- we will be there August 21-25 and have 5 day park hoppers. We have been to WDW 6 times and Disneyland 2 other times and are super excited to come back. We vlog our trips are so excited as Disneyland is a favorite! We are staying at the Best Western Plus Anaheim where we stayed 2 years ago and love the convenience of it being right across the street.
 
We just decided to drive down from Nor Cal the weekend of Aug. 11-13, just DH & I. I must see the MSEP before it goes away! Now with the announcement that Fantasmic! is returning in July, it just confirmed my plan. I was able to book Blue Bayou with the MSEP dining package, so I'm excited for that too!
 
So so so excited Fantasmic! will be back for all of our August trips! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Fantasmic! dining package or dessert party. I was able to reserve our WOC dessert party today. We're getting closer!
 
We will be there 2nd-5th, leaving early in fifth to head to Yosemite. All three of our kids will be in college this fall so we wanted to explore CA before we have no kids at home!

This will be their first trip they remember, they were all under 4 :)...celebrating our 25th anniversary as well staying at Dounletree unless better deal pops up (5 of us)
 
I'm so excited the RR and Fantasmic will be back, but I think it's going to be BUSY!!! I better mentally prepare myself!!
 
Started to make my ADRs this week! Storyteller's breakfast and WOC dessert party for a start. I'm so hoping a dining package or dessert party for Fantasmic! will be available for us August trippers!
 

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