Our Princess turned 10 so we went to Disneyland!

FlyingBelle

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2006
My intent is to keep this really straightforward and hopefully useful. Sorry to say, I'm just not very humorous, so the pressure to post an entertaining trip report is too much!

Background: I'm a lifelong Disney fan, an airline employee, and a wife and mom from the Chicago area. I used to only vacation in Walt Disney World, but about 8 years ago my sister moved to California, so we started making our way to Disneyland. The first time I walked down Main Street in Anaheim I kept looking for the castle, but couldn't see it because of the Christmas tree. When we finally saw it I couldn't stop laughing because it was so small! I just wasn't prepared for that. But I've come to really love Disneyland over the years.

My husband is a stay-at-home dad (by choice). I'm the planner, but he's always asking for the next Disney trip and puts in his requests early and often! I have two kids: DS is 6 and a huge Star Wars fan. DD just turned 10 and still loves all things princesses (especially Ariel). DD also has an intellectual disability, so while she may look like the average kid, there is a lot going on in that little brain of hers that causes her anxiety and confusion. She's a sweet kid and a lot of fun. And there is our new addition to the family, an 8 month old Cavapoo puppy named Ginger. Unfortunately she had to stay home at the puppy hotel this trip.

The reason for our trip? As the title says, DD turned 10 earlier this week. We asked her what she wanted to do for this milestone bday - DisneyWorld? Cruise? Wisconsin Dells? Tampa/Clearwater to see the dolphins Hope & Winter? Her choice... to visit with cousins and go to Disneyland the day after her birthday!

I won't spend time talking about the days leading up to Disneyland, since that was mostly spent with my sister and her family, but we were looking forward to spending time in Disneyland!

Our goals:
1) DS wanted to fight Darth Vader (He did it years ago in Disney World, and hasn't wanted to since, but this time it was on his must-do list!)
2) I wanted to ride the Matterhorn (on my Disney bucket list), and see Fantasmic!
3) DD wanted to meet Moana
4) Hubby wanted to eat at Earl of Sandwich and do whatever we wanted to do

Arrival:
My sister drove us to the drop-off area on Harbor Blvd. about 8:10am and we did the 1 block walk up to the Disneyland entrance. Since we were leaving the next day for Chicago (really early am), we had all our backpacks and stuff from the week. We were able to get through bag check pretty easily (although I felt bad for the folks in line behind us since we had so many bags) and we made our way to the lockers to the left of the Disneyland entrance.

The lockers were easy to use, it just wasn't clear how to select a locker, until we started on the screen and it pre-selected a locker for us based on size. We were able to secure the largest size locker, which fit our large duffel bag and 4 small-ish backpacks. You can select your own code, and can go back into the locker as many times as needed throughout the day.

We had purchased our 1-day pass on the Disneyland app, so we were all set. It was an early entrance day that opened at 8am, but we wouldn't be able to get in until 9am. People were already lining up, but we decided to grab a bite to eat at Brea Bakery. About 8:45am we went to line up, and just 5 minutes later they started letting everyone into the park. NOTE: those that were lined up next to the early entry lines were able to hop over to the line as it converted over to all entry. We were a little to far away to do that, but it still only took us a few minutes to get in. Since we purchased our ticket on the app, they took a quick photo of us and issued us a paper ticket.

Next up... We're in!
 
We're in!

Since DS wanted to do Jedi Training, I sent DH and DS over to the kiosk by Star Wars Launch Bay to sign up. DH said the line wasn't very long, and he had the choice of any of the show times to select. He chose 10:30am. They asked DS a few questions to make sure he would respond and not be too frightened. NOTE: the child participating needs to be with you at sign up

While DH and DS were off, DD and I went over to Town Hall to speak to someone about fast passes. We had some unfortunate experiences in Disneyland last year and they were wonderful to add a couple of fast passes to our account. It only took a moment for them to look it up and then added 3 fast passes to each of our tickets. DH was able to text me a photo of their ticket bar codes since each one had to be scanned to load the fast passes. We were told they would be good for any attraction (not Fantasmic! or meet and greets). If the ride didn't have a fast pass entrance, we were to go to the exit and let a cast member know we had a return time to scan our tickets. While we were waiting there, DD say Moana walk by! She got so excited, so we asked where we could meet her - we were told in Adventure land near where Jasmine and Aladdin usually are.

We then met up and headed to the Fast pass kiosk for Fantasmic! and were able to get the early viewing at 9pm. So by 9:20am we were all set for the day and ready to start having fun!

Our first ride attempt was Pinocchio. Unfortunately while we were in line the ride broke down and they advised we could wait or come back later. DD was starting to have a case of the nerves... Is it dark? Are there any drops? Is it loud? The same questions over and over.... so we decided to bail.

Next up was Snow White's Scary Adventure - I don't know that I've ever ridden it, but DD's first favorite princess was Snow White. After much convincing that it wasn't Seven Dwarf Mine Train (which I dragged her on last year), I got her on the ride, but she didn't like it. It was too dark and too loud for her.

As we started to make our way to Tomorrowland, we stopped at It's a Small World. This is DD's all-time favorite ride (we usually have to do it 2-3 times per visit). She was so exicted! But she started to get disappointed thinking that it just went in a circle outside and didn't have any of the dolls. Boy was she surprised when we went inside - she was giddy! Fortunately I can tolerate this ride (and find myself singing the song at home randomly). I definately love the version in Disneyland better than DisneyWorld. #1: you're in a small canal - so I don't have as many issues with the kids wanting to touch the water. #2: the Disney characters are woven in with the dolls and the kids love searching for them and calling out their names when they find them. #3: Christmas overlay - yay! I've only seen it twice and it's crazy-over-the-top Christmas with the song overlay and it's amazing and tacky at the same time.

After Small World, we grabbed a few Fast Passes for DS and I to do Star Tours - that kid loves that ride and 9 times out of 10 he gets selected as the Rebel Spy! Of course, he has a different Star Wars shirt for every day of the month (no joke) and he's so darn cute (IMHO). We grabbed a few churros (yum!) and headed over to check in for Jedi Training.

DS did the Jedi Training back when it was only Darth Vader (his favorite character), but he's seen the newer version, Trials of the Temple, with Seventh Sister and Kylo Ren. To be honest, we don't have cable, so I had no idea who Seventh Sister was, but DS assumes it's Darth's Sister (ha!) so it's all good. The photo pass people handed out cards to be able to access the photos, and they gave the parents the option of walking over to the reserved viewing section or waiting with the kids. We went over the reserved viewing section with the group, and there were already several people in that section. We got on spot on the right hand side (if you're facing the stage). NOTE: You'll want to sit on the other side (nearer to Nemo) so that you can get your kid's face in the photos. otherwise you'll only get photos of the back of their heads (or their robe hoods). They split the kids into two groups, one group fights on stage, the other on the main floor. DS was put in the group that goes on stage. At first, it was Darth Vader fighting on stage and I was so happy... but half way through Darth and Seventh Sister switched places, so DS would be fighting Seventh Sister. I was so worried he was going to be upset, but he did it and was taking it all so seriously! Afterward I asked him if he was upset, and he said "NO! I got to fight more of the dark side!" Go little SW dude!

DH took DD over to Adventureland in search of Moana, so DS and I headed to our FastPass return time for Star Tours. We were in the back row, all the way on the end... and AGAIN DS was chosen as the Rebel Spy. I'm starting to think he has a secret life...? Now, I know it's supposed to be random, but the last 5 out of 6 times we've ridden we've gotten the pod race and then the water thing behind JarJar Binks. Kinda ready for something new...

So DH and DD grabbed a Dole Whip (without us!) and lined up for Moana. We were able to catch them just as her turn came up. Oh she was so excited! Moana had her twirl around and talk to the ocean, and then hands on the hips for a photo! So cute! Then we all went over to the Enchanted Tiki Room and DS and I were able to enjoy our Dole Whip. Note: I've seen comments where the Dole Whip line is shorter inside the queue for Enchanted Tiki Room. This time it was definitely true, but last August we waiting a long time in line.

We were starting to get hungry, so we waited in line (a long time) for the train, and rode it over to Tomorrowland where we then boarded the Monorail.

Next up... lunch!
 
Lunch!

A few years ago, based on Disboard recommendations, we tried Earl of Sandwich in Walt Disney World for the first time... and we're hooked! Can't get it anywhere near home, so we always try to stop whenever we're at either coast. I knew it wasn't far off the monorail stop, so we may a quick detour out of Disneyland for lunch. And it didn't disappoint! I love the Original, but I swap out ranch for the horseradish sauce. DH loves their Holiday Turkey, and by far the best mac & cheese anywhere.

After lunch, we did a quick stop in the lego store and let the kids pick out something small. Note: There is a Starbucks there as well, but we chose to skip it this time.

Then back on the monorail and back into Disneyland. Since the bag check happens at Downtown Disney, we didn't have to get our bags checked again at the monorail.

Back in Disneyland, we headed back to Adventureland and did the Jungle Cruise. It posted a 10 minute wait. I forget that there are stairs in the queue, and my poor knee just can't take it. So I waited at the bottom of the stairs while DH and the kids stayed in line. Just 3 minutes later they came down the stairs and we were off on our cruise.

We made a quick stop at Bengal BBQ to get the asparagus and bacon skewer - yum! I could eat a bunch of those! Then we got in line for Pirates. The line was pretty short (about 15 minutes) and I just love the initial part of the ride alongside the restaurant. I kept pointing out the fireflies - but DS (the smartypants) said they weren't real and they are on strings you can't see.

We walked around some more - stopped in a few shops, and made our way over to Winnie the Pooh ride. My family hadn't been on it before and DD just loved it. Afterwards, DS said he wanted to meet Winnie the Pooh, so we went over the queue line, but you have to meet all the characters to meet Pooh. DD is terrified of characters with masks (may have something to do with a run-in she had with Pooh when she was 2 and escaped us as Epcot!) so DH took her inside one of the shops to wait. Well, it was time for a break so the characters started heading backstage. I saw where they were headed, and Pooh hadn't left yet, so I took DS over to the fence so he could at least get a high-five or something from Pooh. Well, we decided to wait there a few minutes, and then the characters started coming back. DS wasn't paying attention, and Tigger bounded out from behind the wall right in front of DS and high-fived him! Boy DS was so surprised he just laughed and laughed! Said it was his favorite moment of the whole day.

We tried to get on the train to ride it all the way around, but the lines were just so long. So we walked....DH needed something out of his backpack in the locker, so we headed over to main street - where a parade had just started. Believe it or not, there were plenty of spots along the curb, so me and the kids watched the parade while we waited for DH. Afterwards we headed over to Great Moments with Mr Lincoln. They kids watched it, but not sure they understood most of it.

Back on main street, we started to use some of our pre-loaded Fast Passes, and went to ride Nemo. The kids really enjoyed it, and it was great to not stand in the 40+ minute line. Next DH and DS used a fast pass for Buzz Lightyear, while DD and I went in search of princesses.

It was a 30 minute wait for the princesses: Snow White, Cinderella, and Ariel. Since we hadn't seen princesses except for the parade float, we decided to wait. That was a lot of standing in one place for a long time! We finally made it in (definitely longer than 30 minutes) and did a few spins with Cindy, and then DD spotted Ariel with legs! She's met her twice in Disney World (with fins), and was so surprised Ariel remembered her :rolleyes1 and then we were off to meet Snow White. It was just a little too quick of a meet and greet for what I expected. I only got a quick photo with my camera, and they only took a few photos with theirs - none of which turned out really great. I was expecting something like the Ariel meet and greet in her grotto in the Magic Kindgom where we get tons of cute photos. Oh well, DD had a blast and that's all that matters.

Next up... Dinner and evening attractions
 
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Dinner and the evening attractions....

While DD and I were meeting princesses, DH and DS were looking for a place for dinner - we all ended up at Stage Door for chicken nuggets. Nothing special, but the kids were hungry and tired, so it gave us an opportunity to sit down.

We had a little time left before our 8pm return time for Fantasmic! So we decided to use the last of our Fast Passes. I've never ridden the Matterhorn, so I made my way there. It was a 30 minute wait for standby, and almost no wait for single rider, so I really didn't need my fast pass. That was a fun ride! Note: last year my extended family rode it during the fireworks and said it was amazing! Every time they came to an opening in the mountain there were fireworks going off!

I met back up with my family at the carousel - where we rode 4 horses in a line. We then used our last fast pass for Peter Pan

at 8:15-ish we headed over to the Fast Pass section for Fantasmic. It's all standing room only and we were exhausted! We found a spot along the front by one of the large light towers. Everyone was seated on the ground, but 15 minutes to 9pm they make everyone stand and move forward. We were glad we were by the front or the kids would not have been able to see anything (as was the complaint by several folks that came in later).

The show was cool - a mix of lasers, fireworks, movies, and live action. We particularly loved with the pirate ship came by - it was so huge!

The show lasted about 25 minutes. Afterwards several people left and others moved forwards towards the river. I've heard they do some of the fireworks projections on the fantasmic area. We decided not to stay. It was 9:30pm and we had been there since 8:15am, and had a 4:45am wake up call the next morning for our flight.

We used the backstage walkway to the front of the park, it probably wasn't shorter than walking down main street, but certainly less crowded, and we could see where the Jungle Cruise boats were docked. It let us out by the fire station _ a quick glance up at Walt's lantern... and then out of the park. We picked up our bags, and headed to the pick/up drop/off area on Harbor.

We had planned to use Uber to our hotel, but there was a 20 minute wait for a driver, and there were tons of cabs lined up, so took the cab to the hotel.

Next up... final thoughts
 


Final thoughts... We had a great day! We accomplished everything we wanted to, and we all had fun. The crowds weren't too bad at all - I think it was a combination of SoCal blockout dates, school starting for some kids, and a cool light drizzle of rain in the morning when we arrived. Our longest wait was 30 minutes (for the princesses), but we did take advantage of the fast passes.

It's worth it to purchase tickets in advance on the mobile app - it was a very quick process getting in the park, and we saw long lines at the ticket booths. During last year's trip we had several issues that resulted in a stop to guest services before we left. We don't complain, it was more of an FYI for them of our experience, and they were more than accommodating. I was doubtful if the fast passes would be available to us on this trip, but they looked up our account and found them in a matter of moments.

If I'm able to, I'll try to upload a few photos (it's been awhile since I've done it)!. If you have any questions, let me know and I'll try my best to answer!
 
So much fun! Loved your report, and that you had a great day! Super cute pictures!
 


I love her pose with Moana! So cute! Glad you all had such a great time! Thanks for the notes on Jedi Training logistics! Very helpful.
 
I love her pose with Moana! So cute! Glad you all had such a great time! Thanks for the notes on Jedi Training logistics! Very helpful.
No problem - I walked over closer to the Nemo side to get the photo above where you can actually see my son's face - otherwise it would have just been the back of his head!
 
We had a little time left before our 8pm return time for Fantasmic! So we decided to use the last of our Fast Passes. I've never ridden the Matterhorn, so I made my way there. It was a 30 minute wait for standby, and almost no wait for single rider, so I really didn't need my fast pass. That was a fun ride! Note: last year my extended family rode it during the fireworks and said it was amazing! Every time they came to an opening in the mountain there were fireworks going off!

I met back up with my family at the carousel - where we rode 4 horses in a line. We then used our last fast pass for Peter Pan

at 8:15-ish we headed over to the Fast Pass section for Fantasmic. It's all standing room only and we were exhausted! We found a spot along the front by one of the large light towers. Everyone was seated on the ground, but 15 minutes to 9pm they make everyone stand and move forward. We were glad we were by the front or the kids would not have been able to see anything (as was the complaint by several folks that came in later).

Thanks for your trip report. I am a Disneyland regular, but trying to get information on the crowd control issues that have changed since the latest version of Fantasmic! debuted.


When FP first came to F!, the tickets used to be labeled with colors for the different sections. I found a great resource here:
http://www.themouseforless.com/blog_world/2015/03/disneylands-new-fantasmic-fastpass-system/

...but I think this system has been changed for the new show.


Were there different places to come back for your F! FP?
 
Thanks for your trip report. I am a Disneyland regular, but trying to get information on the crowd control issues that have changed since the latest version of Fantasmic! debuted.


When FP first came to F!, the tickets used to be labeled with colors for the different sections. I found a great resource here:
http://www.themouseforless.com/blog_world/2015/03/disneylands-new-fantasmic-fastpass-system/

...but I think this system has been changed for the new show.


Were there different places to come back for your F! FP?

We were told to go to the boat dock, which would be the holding queue for FastPass holders. Our FastPass return time was 8pm-9pm (show started at 9pm). When we arrived (about 8:30pm) they had already cleared the queue - so they sent us to the spot in front of Stage Door. There were quite a few castmembers along the ropes, they scanned our passes and helped us find a good spot. We were definitely off to the side though, not directly in front of the island. I didn't notice anything about colors or sections.
 

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