JenniferWooster
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2001
I just got back from Disneyland tonight and thought I would write a quick report. I was only there for a weekend. Flew from Sacramento to Burbank. When we were through the xray machine they found my $11 pair of cutical cutters and since they could be used as a weapon? they had to get checked in with my luggage or get tossed. We decided to use only carry ons, so decided to toss them since the lines were so long and didn't want to to stress about missing the flight. It ended up our flight was an hour late and I was fine until I got to the car rental counter. Alamo had closed at 9pm and it was 9:15! I couldn't believe that my 19.99 a day reservations company had closed at 9pm and since it was an airport location I was sure they'd be open. They had our flight number so they knew we were late. There were loads of people waiting for the other companies, I ended up with Avis for 28.49 a day. Not a bad salvage to our evening considering how desparate we were for a car.
We drove from Burbank to Anaheim in about an hour, no traffic. Arrived at our hotel the Marriott on Convention Way, have stayed here before and loved it. Priceline rate of 32 a night bid which worked out to be 41 a night for 2 nights plus the 12 per day parking, this includes all taxes, etc. No hidden resort fees here! We received our non smoking king bedroom as requested on the 14th floor. No real view of the parks since the Hilton blocks the main views, but it was a view of the city and nice all the same.
Next morning went down to the Starbucks in the lobby for 2.89 pair of Krispy Kreme donuts and a oj. By 7:30am we were on the shuttle to the parks. Arrived there and there was almost no line for tickets, bought a 4 day park hopper pass which DOES NOT EXPIRE FOR 2 YEARS AND ALLOWS PARK HOPPING. It has to be bought at the park and is a special, but I saw it in May this year so I don't know how long it will last. Maybe just for the off season, who knows? My hubby and I hoped it would be available because if not, then no park hopping for us. It ended up we were like park hopping rabbits!!!
At 8:00am, absolutely not a minute earlier, we started going into DL and for the first hour it was no wait or 5 minutes or less wait for all the rides, we hit Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. From 9 to 9:45 it was still light and we hit Adventureland and Critter Country.
At 9:45am we made our way over to CA and were there when it opened at 10am. It seemed as if all the areas were deserted with short lines except Soaring, everyone ran to that. We decided to get a Fastpass for it. My hubby also decided he must HAVE COFFEE so we stopped for a coffee and a chocolate raspberry brownie which he swore he was going to share, but it disappeared before I had a chance. he said it was the best! I was in a rush to go to more rides so decided to skip getting my own. We went on everything we wanted but the crowds started building all day. We ended up going back to Disneyland around 3pm with the intention if seeing a show, but after being spoiled with short crowds our past few visits, we decided to give up and take a nap at the hotel. It wasn't bad really 40 minutes for Space Mountain, 60 for Splash. 20 minutes for most Fantasyland. rides.
After a long nap, we went back to CA and rode several more rides, loved Screaming, my hubby thought this was the best ride at Disney yet! We also had dinner at the Pacific Wharf, Brocolli and cheese soup in a bread bowl 6.99 and Sonoma Chicken salad 7.99 , both were fabulous!
We ended back at Disney for the best fireworks show I've seen. There is nothing quite like it, with the music and grand finale with partriotic America is mind. There were a few tears in the crowd.
Luckily, as a I predicted, after the firworks the crowds seemed to head straight for the gate and lines were reasonable again, not nearly as good as the morning, but much improved. The only exception with the Nightmare Before Christmas/Haunted Mansion experience which even at 10:30pm still was a 80 minute wait. As we were pondering what to do since the Fastpasses were out, a couple approached us and offered theirs since they didn't want ot wait, yeah! We both loved the ride and you have to see it before Jan, that's when it is supposed to go down.
We ran around from ride to ride getting our fill until 11:45pm and then went back. We saw almost everything at both parks we had wanted to see and now have 3 days left on the tickets that must be used in 2 years. This is the way to get my hubby to come back for sure!!!!
Overall, DCA was a pleasant surprise. The food there was much better IMHO than Disney, although it was limited. The crowds were more reasonable on Sat as well. The park hopper saved our trip because I don't think we would have enjoyed spending a full day at DCA or a full day at DL. We liked the flexbilitly of going between the two and it was so convenient. It wa also nice because DL was open from 8 to midnight and DCA only from 10am to 10pm and this way we experienced the opening slow times for both parks!
We drove from Burbank to Anaheim in about an hour, no traffic. Arrived at our hotel the Marriott on Convention Way, have stayed here before and loved it. Priceline rate of 32 a night bid which worked out to be 41 a night for 2 nights plus the 12 per day parking, this includes all taxes, etc. No hidden resort fees here! We received our non smoking king bedroom as requested on the 14th floor. No real view of the parks since the Hilton blocks the main views, but it was a view of the city and nice all the same.
Next morning went down to the Starbucks in the lobby for 2.89 pair of Krispy Kreme donuts and a oj. By 7:30am we were on the shuttle to the parks. Arrived there and there was almost no line for tickets, bought a 4 day park hopper pass which DOES NOT EXPIRE FOR 2 YEARS AND ALLOWS PARK HOPPING. It has to be bought at the park and is a special, but I saw it in May this year so I don't know how long it will last. Maybe just for the off season, who knows? My hubby and I hoped it would be available because if not, then no park hopping for us. It ended up we were like park hopping rabbits!!!
At 8:00am, absolutely not a minute earlier, we started going into DL and for the first hour it was no wait or 5 minutes or less wait for all the rides, we hit Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. From 9 to 9:45 it was still light and we hit Adventureland and Critter Country.
At 9:45am we made our way over to CA and were there when it opened at 10am. It seemed as if all the areas were deserted with short lines except Soaring, everyone ran to that. We decided to get a Fastpass for it. My hubby also decided he must HAVE COFFEE so we stopped for a coffee and a chocolate raspberry brownie which he swore he was going to share, but it disappeared before I had a chance. he said it was the best! I was in a rush to go to more rides so decided to skip getting my own. We went on everything we wanted but the crowds started building all day. We ended up going back to Disneyland around 3pm with the intention if seeing a show, but after being spoiled with short crowds our past few visits, we decided to give up and take a nap at the hotel. It wasn't bad really 40 minutes for Space Mountain, 60 for Splash. 20 minutes for most Fantasyland. rides.
After a long nap, we went back to CA and rode several more rides, loved Screaming, my hubby thought this was the best ride at Disney yet! We also had dinner at the Pacific Wharf, Brocolli and cheese soup in a bread bowl 6.99 and Sonoma Chicken salad 7.99 , both were fabulous!
We ended back at Disney for the best fireworks show I've seen. There is nothing quite like it, with the music and grand finale with partriotic America is mind. There were a few tears in the crowd.
Luckily, as a I predicted, after the firworks the crowds seemed to head straight for the gate and lines were reasonable again, not nearly as good as the morning, but much improved. The only exception with the Nightmare Before Christmas/Haunted Mansion experience which even at 10:30pm still was a 80 minute wait. As we were pondering what to do since the Fastpasses were out, a couple approached us and offered theirs since they didn't want ot wait, yeah! We both loved the ride and you have to see it before Jan, that's when it is supposed to go down.
We ran around from ride to ride getting our fill until 11:45pm and then went back. We saw almost everything at both parks we had wanted to see and now have 3 days left on the tickets that must be used in 2 years. This is the way to get my hubby to come back for sure!!!!
Overall, DCA was a pleasant surprise. The food there was much better IMHO than Disney, although it was limited. The crowds were more reasonable on Sat as well. The park hopper saved our trip because I don't think we would have enjoyed spending a full day at DCA or a full day at DL. We liked the flexbilitly of going between the two and it was so convenient. It wa also nice because DL was open from 8 to midnight and DCA only from 10am to 10pm and this way we experienced the opening slow times for both parks!
