Going to DLR & DCA for 11th Anniversary...

UPDATE ON POST NUMBER 11

So my wife and I are celebrating our 11th Anniversary (July 27th)....


Last year, on the day of we celebrated at MK in WDW...


So, this year I am surprising her with a trip to Disney Land and Disney's California Adventure...

Here's my question, as I've already got the flight and hotel booked...

Anyone know of a good reputable "discounter" of tickets for a 3 day Adult PH to DLR/CA? I used a good source for this summer's trip for all four of us to WDW (from May 27th-June 1st)... but I've yet to find a great source for reasonable discounts to the Cali park.


Any suggestions?:shrug:

This will be my 4th trip the the Land, wife's 1st... and our 1st to DCA together, btw.:sohappy:

Come on now... any ideas at all?:shrug:

I wish I had some ideas, but seeing as I don't buy the tickets in the family, I'm of no help.

I'm sure someone has some ideas.

IROC it said:

So my wife and I are celebrating our 11th Anniversary (July 27th)....


Last year, on the day of we celebrated at MK in WDW...


So, this year I am surprising her with a trip to Disney Land and Disney's California Adventure...

Here's my question, as I've already got the flight and hotel booked...

Anyone know of a good reputable "discounter" of tickets for a 3 day Adult PH to DLR/CA? I used a good source for this summer's trip for all four of us to WDW (from May 27th-June 1st)... but I've yet to find a great source for reasonable discounts to the Cali park.


Any suggestions?:shrug:

This will be my 4th trip the the Land, wife's 1st... and our 1st to DCA together, btw.:sohappy:

Click to expand...

Check out this link towards the bottom for current discounts:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=dl070611xx

Also, I was staying in the Marriott at Disneyland this weekend and they had posters in their elevators advertising their prices. For any passes three days and up you saved at least $15 per ticket. I thought that was pretty good.
So maybe you can call your hotel and see if they have discounted tickets, or call the Marriott and see if you have to be a hotel guest to buy them.

Thanks, Disneyfalcon... a most helpful post!

I'll be sure and check into these ideas!

FYI -

Just to inform everyone - there are hardly any better discounts than the official Disneyland . com website - for 3 days or more.

And, if you don't want to wait on shipping, and have one close enough, the Disney Store at the mall is the same price as the online price, and your tickets are in hand!

$159 per adult for 3 days PH.. not bad at all IMO.


(btw- 100th post! yippee!)

I agree! Not bad!

^That's us on either side of Mickey - the Disney Adults in the avatar...

Be there tomorrow for our stay through Monday!

We'll dine in DTD tomorrow night... Either Catal or Jazz Kitchen - not sure which.

Then be in-park the next few days!

11th is on the 27th!:sohappy:

Congratulations! Have a great time!

Congrats! Have fun!

If you see someone running to every character taking pics with them, that's me. lol

Been back a week, still PUMPED!

Man oh man...

All of my "missing" childhood memories that I thought I couldn't place when we went to WDW the last two years have been renewed after going to DL!!

Man, Pirates is better... I knew I missed something at WDW! Seemed like five more scenes... two drops! Jolly Roger and Davy Jones!

Pirates Lair is awesome! Definitely search the caves! And we met Captain Jack Sparrow, got his autograph, and a picture with him! The small skit/stunt show was excellent as well.

Space Mountain totally OWNS the one at WDW... almost as if DL is Xtra Strength version and WDW is SM Lite... lol... DL's is totally dark, and I was even unaware of what was next! It made me woooozy! Greatness!

The Haunted Mansion is superior in every way... entry way hall... graveyard... everything.

BTMRR is longer! Seemed about a 1 & 1/2 length of MK's.

Splash is a little different... and I enjoy the single file log better! Ride in the back for less wet.

What else... Oh! I missed COP, but I dig their version of Innoventions.. a must do if you get the chance...

NEMO - What more can I say? We waited until 11:55 PM to get in line on our last night (park closes at midnight, but they'll wait for everyone to ride it if you were in line before 12)... the wait was only about 30 mins at that point... had been 2 hours+ all weekend... NEMO SUBS totally blow the clam mobiles away! I dig the explosions!! Rockin!!! (literally) My wife is claustrophobic - but she rode it as the last passenger in our group's line, and she was so caught up in the great presentation that she forgot her limited space... tip: talk with a cast member BEFORE boarding if you don't like dark tight spaces.. they advised us, and it worked out fine...

Matterhorn - Great as always... a bit bumpier than it used to be I'm sure, but hey... it was the first of it's kind... And I still love the Abominable Snowmen in there, 3 IIRC.

INDIANA JONES & the Temple of the Forbidden Eye... Sweet... reminded me of CTX - but definitely unique enough to warrant more visits.

Mr. Toad!! Soooo miss this at WDW... glad it's still around...and just over it...

Alice in Wonderland! Nice one... gotta love the mirror room with all the card soldiers...

Pan's flight is not as rushed here at DL...

Snow White left me a little cliff hung... glad the finish is at MK...

Pinnochio - come on, there has got to be a place to stick this in at MK, right? Too good.

I like the train better at DL... nice seating arrangment...

The monorail - not so much, except we rode up front with Pilot!! Nice A/C in the cockpit... One pilot told us the WEDWAY Peoplemover is in talks of a comeback by 2010... hope so!

Roger Rabbit? Meh... okay, Nice "scenery" -hard to steer.

Buzz's Astro Blasters - while it seemed more "free" without the guns mounted, I found it harder to aim and gain points... the free emailed picture from the ride is cool though...

Didn't ride Star Tours... same film, so we spent the time at CA... which leads me to...

Monster's Inc. - Very good presentation... just a little on the Fantasyland side with the layout though... could use a sister fast coaster attraction...

ToT- Just as cool as MGM's

California Screamin' - Worth every minute of wait... rode twice... the take off is super sweet.... (I understand this was formerly a version of RnR??) -great coaster... we bought a picture...

GRR - Didn't need to ride "Khali River West" - got great pics and vids of other people getting soaked though... will do when kids are with us.

Soarin' - Just as cool (of course it's the original) -and still worth going into... I finally got a front/top row seat near the middle of the screen!

Mulholland Madness - I agree with one review I've read on allears... this may have some of the scariest half seconds of your life around some of the turns - it feels like you'll fly right off the track - great theming and atmosphere up there... look for the broken signage at one of the hard turns - you'll feel it in your stomach on that one!

Stinger - WARNING - if you have large hips (I guess I do??) this is the only ride in all of Disney property I've ever had issue fitting into. As a result I did not ride this "swing carousel" -but we didn't ride any carousels or Dumbo type rides either for that matter - Dude! There's coasters to ride! No kids this trip? COASTERS!! -so no big, unless you are - which I must be.

Didn't do any Bug's Land either - they've got the film in AK's Tree in there though...Tough to be a Bug...

MaliBOOMer - chose to ride Cali' Screamin' again... ToT is all I need of this type ride anyway... Sunwheel - same thing (I've got the Texas State Fair for that).

Aladdin Live at the Hyperion!!!!! AAA+++ The single best tip I can give you is to go on the last showing of the day - Genie improvised his butt off, it was tooooo hilarious! The 45 minute show went about 57 minutes for us... great sets, props... very close voicing for Aladdin and Jasmine to the film... DO NOT miss this show if you go to DLR - I rate above the SUBS in must see/do category...

In Downtown we ate at Catal - Great food, great service... get there around 8:30 (call 714-781-3463 a day before at least for a 2 seat balcony table) the fireworks at DL are visible about 9:25 - but don't get up at 9:15 thinking you can't see them - that's the end of Fantasmic (which was every bit as cool, but we didn't sit and watch because we wanted to ride more rides)... Anyway, we had the special -not on the menu- bing cherry cobbler for dessert at Catal... AWESOME! Ask if they're having it. A bit pricey all totaled, but excellent place with the best balcony porch.

Better shopping in DL's version too... less Disney-only branded shops....

I'm sure there's more I'm not remembering... and of course one is our dinner at Blue Bayou (overlooks POTC) and the Disney Gallery afterwards... Right next door to Club 33...

WE HAD A BLAST!!!:sohappy::sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:

EDIT: I almost forgot - I have a new favorite fireworks show!! Especially how they include all the attractions into the show.. HM, POTC (they have a stinkin' cannon battle!!), Star Tours, INdy!! It's too cool...

And how could I ever forget probably the most thought stirring/refreshing event of the whole trip... "In thousand of sparkling lights.... the Mainstreet Electrical Parade!!" That was sweetness!! I loved it.

A lot of the weekend brought tears to my eyes as well as my wife's.

Special thanks to a CM who called herself "Grandma Pat." She works in the Fantasyland/IASW area. She saw our Anniversary buttons, got us each a crown!! -gave us a special "chaperoned" cruise on the Storybook Canal boat (which is quite cool by the way)... then she marched in front of us ringing a hand held towne cryer type bell saying "____ & _____'s 11th Anniversary!! Yea!!!" getting the crowds around us to cheer - all the way to IASW, got us our own personal boat there, and had them announce it on the PA to the people waiting in line!! We felt so special.. it truly was a magical day! Then we came out of IASW and went on the Casey, Jr.

Awesome day(s)... and that post is in no way shape or form in order of how it happened...

To sum it up, we started at Downtown the night we flew in. Went to DL on day 1, hopped to CA and back (16 hours).. took an off day, slept in a bit, went sightseeing the stuff around LA, Hollywood, Bev Hills, Beaches (Santa Monica, LB, Huntington)... then went back to DL & CA another day (14 hrs)... slept in a bit and flew home...

So somewhere in there we did all of that and more!

TIP: Eat a "Steamboat" for breakfast at the River Belle with an OJ, and you'll have energy for a good long time... we hit 18 attractions in the first day alone!

Whew... that's it for now.

Thanks so much for the update! It sounds like you had an awesome time! I'm looking forward to visiting dl even more now!

Iroc it that is a great summary! Thank you for taking the time. I'm so glad you loved it!

No problem!

Hey thanks everyone...

We just got through watching our videos and slide show (I composed 'em all on Nero to dvd) with the kids...

I remembered a couple of things too...


Enchanted Tiki Room.... is NOT, I repeat, NOT under new management (in fact in the live Aladdin show at CA, Genie called Iago a "Tiki room reject!!) ---
And the DOLE WHIP FLOAT is still the best ever!!!

Also for another classic ride... the JUNGLE CRUISE is awesome comparatively - With dynamite throwing gorillas, pistol brandishing/shooting chimps... nearly boat rocking hippos... and MAN EATING PIRAHNAS!!

So much good fun...

Anyway, as I have more memories come back, I'll chime in...

p.s. -we're trying to pre-plan a DLP trip for our next Anniversary now!:king:

Just wanted to point out that GRR is NOT "Kali River West."
Kali is boring, with no scenery and little movement.
GRR is a well-themed, surprising adventure ride - very fun and very wet!

Pardon the pun, but you missed the boat on that one IROC!

hoppypooh said:

Pardon the pun, but you missed the boat on that one IROC!

Click to expand...

We will ride it with the kids, probably next spring...

We only had 2 days, and it was getting dark about the time of both trips over to DCA... so, we elected to not be soaked after seeing some fully clothed sponges walking around... with the temps dropping 10 - 15 degrees as night fell... We'd both had summer colds in recent weeks (that we actually got while at MGM on June 1st when Tropical Storm Barry stalled out over central Florida for the last 10 hours of our time in the park! Talk about soaked!), and didn't want to risk it again with the return to reality and a work week looming at the end of our trip.

But I'm glad it's better than the way I described it... ha, ha... It was a good pun though!

We will definitely do it when all four of us are there though... Planning on staying at Grand Californian for a quick clothing change if needed too!:animwink: