Here now Help! DCA

[cruisehopeful]

There was very long wait for Cove bar. Is there alternative for few cocktails? Casual place

Carthay circle lounge. It's usually easy to get a seat in there and they have air conditioning.
Hearthstone in the lobby at Grand Californian, but with the current construction, I don't know how that will be at this time.

There are both wine and beer in a few places in the park. The margarita stand in pacific wharf (the margaritas are like a frozen slushy drink) also sells sangrias which are pretty good. Several of the other normal food places also have sangrias.

 

[HappyGrape]

Today we did radiator springs x2. I was first at the fast pass machine. Pulled 1 set for 8 to 9 and 1 minute later 2nd for 805 so we did it twice. 3 times the grizzly river ride. Met black widow. I picked guardians of the galaxy fp and did california screaming single rider. DH and DS did toy story and goofy flying school. We all did golden zephyr. Had lunch at paradise garden grill DS from the pasta place. Picked another fp for radiator springsm ghirardelli sundaes and left by 1210 o'clock for rest

Will return after 4 for guardians fast pass use and cars land. The guys will do animation academy while waiting for me. We have fp for blue section of world of colour. Need to find good viewing spot for it if we have the energy to wait

My family does not have love for Disneyland park at all but DCA seem to be a big hit.

Food at garden grill is great. We laughed so much on grizzly river. Lovely to see themore so happy

 

[Satchmo128]

Make sure to go on Tow-Maters Junkyard Jamboree! It is a kiddie ride, but SO MUCH FUN!

 

[Yusani]

Take some down time to see Frozen at the Hyperion.

Not sure how old your crew is, but maybe hang out on Buena Vista Street and meet the characters? (Watch the app for times).

Have some ice cream. Catch World of Color tonight.

You'll notice I haven't listed a single ride yet. Lots of ways to slow down.

We typically go in and spend the first hour or two riding lots of rides, then slow down and do some "hanging out" kind of stuff. I don't think you have to completely slow down, just add down time for balance.

As for the top 5 rides, what does your family say? Do they have favorites?

This is how I like to do the parks! Hit the most important rides in the morning and then poke around. Look at the flower arrangements. Have a glass of wine. Watch the characters. Let our little kids look at stuff in the shops. Sit and look at the fountains.

 

[DLgal]

Where do you get glas of wine around there?

There is an entire wine terrace! It is located up a set of stairs on the walkway directly across from the entrance to carsland. You can get wine by the glass, wine flights, etc. It's all outdoor terrace seating.

Carthay Circle lounge has a VERY LIMITED cocktail menu. It is mostly old fashioned drinks.

Cove Bar is worth the wait! If you just want a quick cocktail, go by yourself...they can often seat singles at the bar with no wait.

 

[HappyGrape]

What's good at the cove bar?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

What's good at the cove bar?

The lobster nachos are legendary! (You can also request to have them made with chicken.) BTW, for the Blue section for WOC, look at the WOC Superthread on this forum -- the map is on the first page. That will show you where to go for good viewing. Try to be up by the railing toward the Little Mermaid ride end of the section. You don't want people in front of you if you can avoid it.

 

[HappyGrape]

So sad.... it was our last night.

We had some prossecco and appetisers at the wine country trattoria and moved to cover bar after we used our fast passes for Soarin, guardians and radiator springs. We didn't make it for woc as we still wake up way too early. I wish we had more days in this park

 

[cruisehopeful]

I seem to generally enjoy DCA more than DL at this point, too. I do love DL and all the classic rides there. DCA is just so much more relaxed and easy to walk around and easy to find a nice spot to kick back for a while if we want to do that. I feel like DL is mostly about navigating through crowds and waiting in lines.

 

[Malcon10t]

Carthay Circle lounge has a VERY LIMITED cocktail menu. It is mostly old fashioned drinks.

Just to clarify, their specialty menu is mainly older styled drinks, as that is what the place is about. However, you can order just about anything. My daughter loves the Michelada, I tend to stick to a margarita, Black Pearl, or amaretto sour. Oh, or a Scooby Snack! I don't think I have ordered anything off their specialty menu.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Oh, or a Scooby Snack!

What is the Scooby Snack? I normally just order off the specialty menu, but don't recall a Scooby Snack.

 

[DLgal]

Just to clarify, their specialty menu is mainly older styled drinks, as that is what the place is about. However, you can order just about anything. My daughter loves the Michelada, I tend to stick to a margarita, Black Pearl, or amaretto sour. Oh, or a Scooby Snack! I don't think I have ordered anything off their specialty menu.

I guess that has changed because we went a couple years ago and I tried to order a couple "off menu" items that other bars at DLR have, and they couldn't make them because they "don't have those ingredients." Some of "those ingredients" included basic things even I have in my small home bar. I was not impressed. I was referred to the standard menu and told those were my only options. I have never been back because of that.

 

[Malcon10t]

Not sure about it changing as my first order a week after opening was an amaretto sour. A Scooby snack is a drink one of the bartenders recommended it has Midori pineapple juice, creme de banana and something else. I will take a pic of one this weekend.

What were you wanting to order?

They do not use blenders so you won't find items like frozen margaritas and daiquiri

 

[squeezle]

Carthay Circle lounge has a VERY LIMITED cocktail menu. It is mostly old fashioned drinks.

We loved the Carthay Circle Lounge because of the classic cocktails on the menu. Personally, I am not a fan of most sweet/fruity drinks so I liked being able to have something like a Manhattan or a Negroni. But it is great that CA offers a place for everyone's tastes.

 

[DLgal]

Not sure about it changing as my first order a week after opening was an amaretto sour. A Scooby snack is a drink one of the bartenders recommended it has Midori pineapple juice, creme de banana and something else. I will take a pic of one this weekend.

What were you wanting to order?

They do not use blenders so you won't find items like frozen margaritas and daiquiri

I wanted a Kate and Ella from Napa Rose. The ingredients are fresh squeezed orange juice, Vodka, Aperol, Licor 43, lemon juice, and honey.

I then tried to order a Cosmopolitan. No go. Like seriously?

Maybe I just got a crappy bar tender. He didn't want to go off menu.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Lovely to see themore so happy

So sad.... it was our last night... I wish we had more days in this park

Sounds like you have great reasons to plan another trip! Come on back when you're ready -- we'll be so happy to help!

 

[cruisehopeful]

I wanted a Kate and Ella from Napa Rose. The ingredients are fresh squeezed orange juice, Vodka, Aperol, Licor 43, lemon juice, and honey.

I then tried to order a Cosmopolitan. No go. Like seriously?

Maybe I just got a crappy bar tender. He didn't want to go off menu.

Seems odd that they couldn't make a Cosmo. My first visit there I asked for a Glowtini and they said they didn't have that. After that, I only ordered off the menu.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Not sure about it changing as my first order a week after opening was an amaretto sour. A Scooby snack is a drink one of the bartenders recommended it has Midori pineapple juice, creme de banana and something else. I will take a pic of one this weekend.

What were you wanting to order?

They do not use blenders so you won't find items like frozen margaritas and daiquiri

This sounds delicious! I might have to try it when we're down there for my bday!

 

[DLgal]

Seems odd that they couldn't make a Cosmo. My first visit there I asked for a Glowtini and they said they didn't have that. After that, I only ordered off the menu.

I can see how they might not have the glow cube, but see, this drink is something ANY bar should also be able to make. It's Citrus Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Blue Curacao, Sweet & Sour, and Pineapple Juice. This is what I'm saying...this bar is not a fully stocked bar if they can't make a Cosmopolitan or a Blue Glowtini (sans the glow cube).

A Cosmo is Vodka, Cointreau/Triple Sec, Cranberry juice, and lime juice. Could not be more basic.

 

[Malcon10t]

OK, spoke to one of the bartenders this trip. The issue with the Kate and Ella is the Licor 43, they don't have it at Carthay. They do however make Cosmos. And they will make an altered version of the Kate and Ella.

Now, they did comment there were issues making "off menu" items because bartenders use their own recipes. As an example, my daughter usually requests a specific bartender make her Michelada. They did say that too often if Bartender 1 makes a drinks, then the next time the person asks for this drink and a different bartender makes it, sometimes the person complains because it wasn't like the prior one. And they did go thru a period where management did not want them making anything not on the menu.

Drinks I (or my kids) had this trip there: Michelada, Kate and Ella, Tennesee Buck, Scooby Snack, Black Pearl, and a margarita.