Dsnylndlvrs
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2006
We got to Disneyland Saturday and left early Wednesday morning. I'm including a little info aobut he Fantasmic balcony seating and the Year of a Million Dreams.
Saturday (check in and "half day" at Disneyland) Arrived at the Grand Californian at about 2:30. The room wasn't ready but they told us it would be ready between 3:00 and 4:00. We were really hungry and needed lunch still (long drive) so we just checked our bags in and went to Downtown Disney to grab something to eat. Figured the timing would be perfect and that the room should be ready by the time we were done. At 3:30, we called to check about the room and were told it would be another half hour. Called again a half an hour later and again was told it would be a half hour later. This happened another couple times and we finally got into a room about 4:45.
We were a little frustrated about not getting into the park until nearly 5:00 but that disappointment disappeared very quickly. As we walked under the bridge, we quickly realized we were arriving at a perfect time. It was nearly dark and everything was beautifully decorated and lit up - except the Christmas tree. Right when we got to the Christmas tree, wondering when it would be lit up, they made the announcement about the lighting of the tree! Perfect timing to see the tree lighting! That was just a magical way to start!
The new projections shown at night on Small World were really cool. We enjoyed watching them a couple times during our visit.
That night, the park was busy, but not nearly as busy as when we were there in July 2005 for the 50th. Really wasn't bad at all. When we returned to the hotel that night, our Downtown Disney view room really didn't seem that great - we had to walk down one never ending hall only to have to walk down another never ending hall to get to our room. Tired feet and legs don't like long halls! When we got to the room, the key cards wouldn't open the door!!! DH headed down to the desk to try to get new key cards and while he was gone, security happened by. He couldn't get into the room either! DH got back and the new key cards wouldn't work either! The security guy ended up getting an engineering guy to finally get us in the room. Not quite sure what was up with the room, but it was very frustrating.
Sunday (California Adventure) We chose to spend this day only at DCA so we could sleep in, go to Storytellers breakfast buffet (always good!), and get to bed early in prep for early entry the next day. DCA seemed almost empty that day. Very pleasant! It gave us hope that perhaps our choice to spend the first part of Thanksgiving week at Disneyland would be a good decision. We saw Golden Dreams for the first time - I loved it but the kids were BORED. We saw Turtle Talk with Crush for the first time and all loved it - saw it a second time that day even! Saw the Aladdin musical (which we've seen before) and loved it again! We were using the enhanced fastpass from AAA, so we never had to deal with lines (although the crowds were so light that most lines weren't really that long anyway.) After getting absolutely drenched at about 9:20 p.m. on GRR, we headed back down those long hallways to get to our room and into comfy pajamas. At about 9:35, I heard a lot of very loud noise in Downtown Disney and stepped onto to the balcony to see what was going on. Nothing like watching fireworks in your pajamas from your private balcony! After that little magic, the hallways didn't seem so bad!
Monday (Disneyland and Fantasmic balcony dessert buffet) It was more crowded than we expected this day. The enhanced fastpass was very handy this day!
For the Fantsmic balcony seating - we'd been looking so forward to trying this! We stopped by the stairs about 8:00 and were told not until 8:30, so we wasted a little time in nearby shops. At about 8:20, we saw people going up the stairs and went back. He told us we were welcome to go upstairs and look around the gallery until 8:30, which we chose to do (some great memorabilia from Pirates of the Carribbean movie up there!) It was really unclear when we got up there who we should talk to or how to check in. Eventually, someone told us we should go sit on the inner patio to wait to check in. This was rather confusing. Finally, someone came to get us and sat us in the second row of the balcony, which was a surprise, as I'd been told I was the first one to order tickets for that showing. Being in the second row was not perfect, a little hard for my daughter to see and for the other three of us trying to see between heads. The view from up there does give a whole new perspective on Fantasmic, but if I did it again, I would first ask about specifically where I would be seated. The buffet was nice but not exciting really. Some fruit, cheese, crackers, assorted desserts - some really good, some just OK. The hot chocolate was really good and they gave us cards at the end with the recipe for a little souvenier.
Tuesday (Disneyland and lunch at Blue Bayou) This day was surprisingly busy! Not quite as crowded as July 2005 around the 50th but pretty darn close at times. Still, the enhanced fastpass allowed us to pretty much avoid long lines. I think there was only one time we spent more than 10-15 minutes in a line. We ate in Blue Bayou this day. BB is one of our must do's. We love this restaurant, especially it's atmosphere. But on this visit, we really weren't excited by the food. The wedge salad lasted maybe 6 bites, it was so tiny. The rest of the food we each ordered was good but not outstanding and the portion sizes for the entrees seemed smaller than what weve seen at BB in the past. Only the prices have gone way up. If we eat here in the future, it will likely be only for dessert.
Year of a Million Dreams - We didn't get anything and that's OK. We didn't see anyone get anything either and I was a little sad about that. I did see one cast member call over the dream team once by the name "dream team" so I got to see them at least. They were wearing medium blue shirts and slightly darker blue pants. On Saturday, I saw a couple people wearing dream fastpasses and maybe one pair of dream ears. On Sunday, I saw maybe 10 people with dream fastpasses. On Monday, I saw many, many people with dream fastpasses around 8:30 in the critter country/new orleans square area and in general throughout the day, as well as quite a bit more dream ears. On Tuesday, we only saw a few dream fastpasses and ears. For the most part, I don't think the promotion was very obvious and I'm betting a whole lot of people there didn't even know about the promotion at all.
In general, our trip was a good one - about the right amount of time, a few little touches of magic, lots of rides and a lot of fun time together!
Saturday (check in and "half day" at Disneyland) Arrived at the Grand Californian at about 2:30. The room wasn't ready but they told us it would be ready between 3:00 and 4:00. We were really hungry and needed lunch still (long drive) so we just checked our bags in and went to Downtown Disney to grab something to eat. Figured the timing would be perfect and that the room should be ready by the time we were done. At 3:30, we called to check about the room and were told it would be another half hour. Called again a half an hour later and again was told it would be a half hour later. This happened another couple times and we finally got into a room about 4:45.
We were a little frustrated about not getting into the park until nearly 5:00 but that disappointment disappeared very quickly. As we walked under the bridge, we quickly realized we were arriving at a perfect time. It was nearly dark and everything was beautifully decorated and lit up - except the Christmas tree. Right when we got to the Christmas tree, wondering when it would be lit up, they made the announcement about the lighting of the tree! Perfect timing to see the tree lighting! That was just a magical way to start!
The new projections shown at night on Small World were really cool. We enjoyed watching them a couple times during our visit.That night, the park was busy, but not nearly as busy as when we were there in July 2005 for the 50th. Really wasn't bad at all. When we returned to the hotel that night, our Downtown Disney view room really didn't seem that great - we had to walk down one never ending hall only to have to walk down another never ending hall to get to our room. Tired feet and legs don't like long halls! When we got to the room, the key cards wouldn't open the door!!! DH headed down to the desk to try to get new key cards and while he was gone, security happened by. He couldn't get into the room either! DH got back and the new key cards wouldn't work either! The security guy ended up getting an engineering guy to finally get us in the room. Not quite sure what was up with the room, but it was very frustrating.
Sunday (California Adventure) We chose to spend this day only at DCA so we could sleep in, go to Storytellers breakfast buffet (always good!), and get to bed early in prep for early entry the next day. DCA seemed almost empty that day. Very pleasant! It gave us hope that perhaps our choice to spend the first part of Thanksgiving week at Disneyland would be a good decision. We saw Golden Dreams for the first time - I loved it but the kids were BORED. We saw Turtle Talk with Crush for the first time and all loved it - saw it a second time that day even! Saw the Aladdin musical (which we've seen before) and loved it again! We were using the enhanced fastpass from AAA, so we never had to deal with lines (although the crowds were so light that most lines weren't really that long anyway.) After getting absolutely drenched at about 9:20 p.m. on GRR, we headed back down those long hallways to get to our room and into comfy pajamas. At about 9:35, I heard a lot of very loud noise in Downtown Disney and stepped onto to the balcony to see what was going on. Nothing like watching fireworks in your pajamas from your private balcony! After that little magic, the hallways didn't seem so bad!
Monday (Disneyland and Fantasmic balcony dessert buffet) It was more crowded than we expected this day. The enhanced fastpass was very handy this day!
For the Fantsmic balcony seating - we'd been looking so forward to trying this! We stopped by the stairs about 8:00 and were told not until 8:30, so we wasted a little time in nearby shops. At about 8:20, we saw people going up the stairs and went back. He told us we were welcome to go upstairs and look around the gallery until 8:30, which we chose to do (some great memorabilia from Pirates of the Carribbean movie up there!) It was really unclear when we got up there who we should talk to or how to check in. Eventually, someone told us we should go sit on the inner patio to wait to check in. This was rather confusing. Finally, someone came to get us and sat us in the second row of the balcony, which was a surprise, as I'd been told I was the first one to order tickets for that showing. Being in the second row was not perfect, a little hard for my daughter to see and for the other three of us trying to see between heads. The view from up there does give a whole new perspective on Fantasmic, but if I did it again, I would first ask about specifically where I would be seated. The buffet was nice but not exciting really. Some fruit, cheese, crackers, assorted desserts - some really good, some just OK. The hot chocolate was really good and they gave us cards at the end with the recipe for a little souvenier.
Tuesday (Disneyland and lunch at Blue Bayou) This day was surprisingly busy! Not quite as crowded as July 2005 around the 50th but pretty darn close at times. Still, the enhanced fastpass allowed us to pretty much avoid long lines. I think there was only one time we spent more than 10-15 minutes in a line. We ate in Blue Bayou this day. BB is one of our must do's. We love this restaurant, especially it's atmosphere. But on this visit, we really weren't excited by the food. The wedge salad lasted maybe 6 bites, it was so tiny. The rest of the food we each ordered was good but not outstanding and the portion sizes for the entrees seemed smaller than what weve seen at BB in the past. Only the prices have gone way up. If we eat here in the future, it will likely be only for dessert.
Year of a Million Dreams - We didn't get anything and that's OK. We didn't see anyone get anything either and I was a little sad about that. I did see one cast member call over the dream team once by the name "dream team" so I got to see them at least. They were wearing medium blue shirts and slightly darker blue pants. On Saturday, I saw a couple people wearing dream fastpasses and maybe one pair of dream ears. On Sunday, I saw maybe 10 people with dream fastpasses. On Monday, I saw many, many people with dream fastpasses around 8:30 in the critter country/new orleans square area and in general throughout the day, as well as quite a bit more dream ears. On Tuesday, we only saw a few dream fastpasses and ears. For the most part, I don't think the promotion was very obvious and I'm betting a whole lot of people there didn't even know about the promotion at all.
In general, our trip was a good one - about the right amount of time, a few little touches of magic, lots of rides and a lot of fun time together!
