DL EXPERTS: Plan me this!

[sweetpee_1993]

I'm calling on the DL experts out there to help me out here. We'll be flying in on a Sunday morning then returning home on Saturday morning. We're planning mostly weekday touring and know there's a few things we need to catch on Sunday evening and/or Friday night. I'm looking at park hours and daily schedules for corresponding days to our trip from last year. On Sunday night they showed the F! at 9 & 10:30. The fireworks were at 9:30. Ideally I'd like to check both of these things off on our first night. If we stood in the hub area for the fireworks maybe on the Frontierland or Adventureland side would we be able to get over to a decent spot to view F! in time? If you were doing this, detail me where you'd position yourself and how you'd run the time. Be detailed, please. I'm a landmark girl, not an east/west girl.

Thanks. And get ready for more of these types of questions. I'm sure I'll come up with a laundry list before April gets here.

 

[englanddg]

Can't be all that much help to ya, but I am glad to see you all decided to make the trek. You'll completely enjoy your trip! Just curious...Did you decide on the Disneyland hotel?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Another question already. See?!

So we're arriving at SNA at about 10:30 am. I've decided we'll likely just grab a taxi to the Disneyland Hotel. I'd like to get some cases of bottled water and maybe a few 12-packs of soda for our room. We drink a lot of water. The convenience alone is huge. So I checked out Von's for delivery and don't see myself getting even remotely close to their minimum. I was thinking maybe I'd have our cabbie from the airport swing by a convenience store or something on the way in. Prob'ly wouldn't cost us too terribly much additional on the clock. Alternately, hubby found a liquor store or maybe it's a convenience store at the corner of S. Walnut & Katella. He offered to take our boys (16 & 18 @ the time of travel) and walk there to fetch bottled water & soda. Any thoughts on this? I'm not too sure a liquor store would even have cases of water. Would y'all happen to know?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Can't be all that much help to ya, but I am glad to see you all decided to make the trek. You'll completely enjoy your trip! Just curious...Did you decide on the Disneyland hotel?

We keep going back & forth. DH argues we could stay concierge at PPH for $100 more than DLH. Yeah but I don't want to hang around PPH to take advantage of the perks. I'd rather be at DLH. It's 99.9% DLH. If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Right?

 

[englanddg]

Another question already. See?!

So we're arriving at SNA at about 10:30 am. I've decided we'll likely just grab a taxi to the Disneyland Hotel. I'd like to get some cases of bottled water and maybe a few 12-packs of soda for our room. We drink a lot of water. The convenience alone is huge. So I checked out Von's for delivery and don't see myself getting even remotely close to their minimum. I was thinking maybe I'd have our cabbie from the airport swing by a convenience store or something on the way in. Prob'ly wouldn't cost us too terribly much additional on the clock. Alternately, hubby found a liquor store or maybe it's a convenience store at the corner of S. Walnut & Katella. He offered to take our boys (16 & 18 @ the time of travel) and walk there to fetch bottled water & soda. Any thoughts on this? I'm not too sure a liquor store would even have cases of water. Would y'all happen to know?

Ah, now that I can help with.

I actually went to the liqueur store you are referring to. They sell all sorts of other things as well. It's more like a convenience store that sells booze...I don't recall seeing flats of water...but I wasn't looking for that either...

And, it's a very short walk from the hotel.

There's also another one at the corner of Katella and Harbor. A bit of a longer hike, and I've not been there, but google street view is a very neat utility, and they've even walked inside the shop. So, I was able to take a "virtual tour" using that, and indeed, they carry flats of bottled water. It's twice the distance from the other shop (lower eastern corner of the property)...but, I know for certain they have water.

That being said, if that store carries it, I am fairly certain that the other store (the one that's closer) does.

There are some other options you could use as well if you purchased an ART pass, including 7-11 and some grocery stores that are within the various routes of the ART. ART route 3 and ART route 9 will drop you off right at the second store I mentioned.

Still, I think you are pretty safe (that they'll have what you are looking for) going to the first store you mentioned...

 

[englanddg]

We keep going back & forth. DH argues we could stay concierge at PPH for $100 more than DLH. Yeah but I don't want to hang around PPH to take advantage of the perks. I'd rather be at DLH. It's 99.9% DLH. If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Right?

I've walked both hotels. PPH feels cheaper than DLH. I know my vote counts for nothing, but if I were given a choice (especially if PPH costs more), I'd take DLH hands down. You all will enjoy the pool area and Trader Sams, and if they are still running the firepit in April (which I suspect they will be) that's a great place to relax after a day at the parks.

 

[Californian Elitist]

In regards to your first question, you'll have time to catch Fantasmic! after the fireworks. Only thing is, you may not have the best view. As you may or may not know, there's no seating for our F!, only standing.

In regards to your second question, there's a 7-Eleven across the street from the resort. I believe they sell packs of water.

 

[englanddg]

In regards to your first question, you'll have time to catch Fantasmic! after the fireworks. Only thing is, you may not have the best view. As you may or may not know, there's no seating for our F!, only standing.

In regards to your second question, there's a 7-Eleven across the street from the resort. I believe they sell packs of water.

Not that I doubt you, but just because I'm curious (for future trips it would be nice to know)...

When you say across the street from the resort...do you mean Disneyland property or the Disneyland Hotel specifically?

I walked down Walnut and I don't recall any shopping there until you get past the parking lot going south, and it wasn't a 7-11, rather is was a small shopping center with the liqueur store she was referring to, a taco eatery, a nail shop and a few other things...

[edit]

I didn't walk north on Walnut because it all looked residential in nature at a glance...is that where it is?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not that I doubt you, but just because I'm curious (for future trips it would be nice to know)...

When you say across the street from the resort...do you mean Disneyland property or the Disneyland Hotel specifically?

I walked down Walnut and I don't recall any shopping there until you get past the parking lot going south, and it wasn't a 7-11, rather is was a small shopping center with the liqueur store she was referring to, a taco eatery, a nail shop and a few other things...

[edit]

I didn't walk north on Walnut because it all looked residential in nature at a glance...is that where it is?

It's on Harbor, same side as the IHOP, McDonald's, hotels, etc. It's across the street from the street entrance.

 

[unkadug]

Not that I doubt you, but just because I'm curious (for future trips it would be nice to know)...

When you say across the street from the resort...do you mean Disneyland property or the Disneyland Hotel specifically?

I walked down Walnut and I don't recall any shopping there until you get past the parking lot going south, and it wasn't a 7-11, rather is was a small shopping center with the liqueur store she was referring to, a taco eatery, a nail shop and a few other things...

[edit]

I didn't walk north on Walnut because it all looked residential in nature at a glance...is that where it is?

According to Wikimapia the 7-11 is on the corner of Katella and Harbor

 

[englanddg]

According to Wikimapia the 7-11 is on the corner of Katella and Harbor

Yeah, but Katella and Harbor is all the way on the other side of the property from the Disneyland Hotel (eastern lower corner). The Disneyland hotel is on the western part of the property, west of DTD and a bit north of Paradise Pier.

That's where the other liqueur store I was talking about is as well (katella and harbor)...probably the same shopping center. Not that it matter, I was just curious if there was a place closer to the Disneyland Hotel (unrelated to the original question)...because if there is, I must have completely missed it (not unthinkable)...

 

[englanddg]

It's on Harbor, same side as the IHOP, McDonald's, hotels, etc. It's across the street from the street entrance.

Gotcha, ok. That explains it...I didn't walk Harbor at all. Never made it past the bus queue area!

Thanks!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Gotcha, ok. That explains it...I didn't walk Harbor at all. Never made it past the bus queue area!

Thanks!

Makes sense. Your welcome!

 

[englanddg]

Not needed, but I thought this might help out @sweetpee_1993 since she said she's better with landmarks than directions.

In yellow is the Disneyland Hotel
In green is the liqueur store I went to
In blue is the 7-11 / other liqueur store



Hope this helps!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

In regards to your first question, you'll have time to catch Fantasmic! after the fireworks. Only thing is, you may not have the best view. As you may or may not know, there's no seating for our F!, only standing.

In regards to your second question, there's a 7-Eleven across the street from the resort. I believe they sell packs of water.

Yeah, I knew it was standing viewing for F! I'll be honest, we saw F! at DHS in 2006 & were extremely underwhelmed. I couldn't tell you a thing about the show other than it was a long wait then after I was ed we wasted so much time. I remember thinking the hype was completely overrated. That said, I'm curious to give it another shot and curious to see if DL can change our minds about it. I don't think we need prime views. Is there anywhere specific you'd recommend we try to get?

 

[englanddg]

In regards to your first question, you'll have time to catch Fantasmic! after the fireworks. Only thing is, you may not have the best view. As you may or may not know, there's no seating for our F!, only standing.

In regards to your second question, there's a 7-Eleven across the street from the resort. I believe they sell packs of water.

Don't they have a dessert party thing for Fantasmic that does offer seating? I think I've read it's not worth it though...or someone told me that when I was planning my DL trip in Feb (hey, note I didn't call it DLC? I did that just for you!)

[edit]

Yep, found a nice review on it!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/...ds-fantasmic-premium-viewing-dessert-package/

I still am fairly sure though that my DL expert (not from this forum) who helped me plan my trip said it wasn't worth it at all, so we skipped it (the dessert party). The only reason I mention this is that the review link I just posted gave it a rave review...so I suppose it's really up to the individual...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Don't they have a dessert party thing for Fantasmic that does offer seating? I think I've read it's not worth it though...or someone told me that when I was planning my DL trip in Feb (hey, note I didn't call it DLC? I did that just for you!)

[edit]

Yep, found a nice review on it!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/...ds-fantasmic-premium-viewing-dessert-package/

I still am fairly sure though that my DL expert (not from this forum) who helped me plan my trip said it wasn't worth it at all, so we skipped it (the dessert party). The only reason I mention this is that the review link I just posted gave it a rave review...so I suppose it's really up to the individual...

Yeah, not so sure I'd pay that much just to get reserved seating for a show we didn't really care for at DHS.

 

[unkadug]

Don't they have a dessert party thing for Fantasmic that does offer seating? I think I've read it's not worth it though...or someone told me that when I was planning my DL trip in Feb (hey, note I didn't call it DLC? I did that just for you!)

Just out of curiosity...what is DLC?

 

[englanddg]

Yeah, not so sure I'd pay that much just to get reserved seating for a show we didn't really care for at DHS.

Go check out youtube...Fantasmic! at Disneyland is NOTHING like the underwhelming show at DHS.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Go check out youtube...Fantasmic! at Disneyland is NOTHING like the underwhelming show at DHS.

Yeah but wouldn't that be a spoiler???