Trip Report I'm headed back to Disneyland! Solo & San Diego this time too! (February 5-9, 2023 DLR/San Diego TR!)

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Alrighty folks, starting another Pre-Trip Report....
This time it's for my return to Disneyland after only 8 years!!!!!!

Originally, I had intended to do this last year in November, but my parents and the situation in California prevented me from doing so, and I ended up going up to Atlanta, GA for a fun 4-day, 3-night adventure from November 14th through the 17th. It was a nice thing to do, the weather was nice, it was okay and all, but there wasn't a lot to do per say. So now it's been there done that for me.

Now this time, I'm going to try again!

This will be my second time in Disneyland, and was going to be my first time doing Viva Navidad at DCA (Three Caballeros Fan here ;)) and I was so excited too! For that regards I am a current WDW AP and have seen both Panchito and Jose (the former being my top favorite Disney Character, alongside Scrooge McDuck, Judy Hopps, and Chip'n'Dale) in Discovery Island Carnivale and Move It Shake It Mousekedance It!

However, I've since decided to go up to Savannah, GA and down to West Palm Beach and Ft Lauderdale instead during 11/13-11/17. But in the bright side of things, this is going to be my VERY FIRST TIME doing the Lunar New Year's Celebrations at DCA and may be my first time meeting Mushu and Mulan!

The Itinerary is as follows...

Sunday February 5 - Travel/Downtown Disney
Flying from MCO to SAN (with a connection at PHX) on American Airlines, departing 7:08am, eta in SAN at 11:26am.
MTS 992 to Santa Fe Depot before taking Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner up to Anaheim
Check-In and Downtown Disney in the evening

Monday February 6 - 1st Park Day (Disneyland AM/DCA PM)
Likely going to see World of Color and may end up meeting Mushu and Mulan that day
Main Focus for DL is Frontierland, Adventureland, and (1/2 of ) Fantasyland, DCA it'll be Pixar/Paradise Pier, Cars Land, & Paradise Gardens Park

Tuesday February 7 - 2nd Park Day (DCA AM/Disneyland PM - Disneyland After Dark Sweethearts Nite)
Main focus for DCA will be MOST LIKELY Avengers Campus, Grizzly Park Airfield, and Hollywood Blvd, and DL it'll be the remaining 1/2 of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland (and possibly Runaway Railway). This will also be when I do Disneyland After Dark, so I'm excited about this!

Wednesday February 8 - Checkout of DLH, then back to San Diego
I'll check out of the hotel and around 11:30ish catch an ART Bus to the Anaheim Train Station and catch an Amtrak train back to San Diego before heading to the Hampton Inn at the San Diego Airport via Uber to check-in there, and catch the MTS and check out what Downtown San Diego and the pier has to offer.

Thursday February 9 - Travel Home
Early in the morning, I'll catch an airport shuttle from the hotel to San Diego Airport, and then fly out back to MCO (with a connection in DFW) on American Airlines.

I'm hoping the air travel chaos subdues somewhat by then and that American doesn't screw up (fortunately, back in August 2021 I flew them MCO-CLT-BWI, and the flight to BWI from CLT got cancelled, so I did standby on another flight for free, and I made it to BWI, basically making AA a saving grace to me. I rebooked my return travel the next day and the agent on the phone kindly put me on an earlier flight from BWI to CLT and in turn to MCO.)

Hotel: Renaissance Orlando Airport (2/4-2/5), Disneyland Hotel (2/5-2/8), Hampton Inn San Diego Airport (2/8-2/9)
Tickets: 2-Day w/ Park Hopper & Genie+
Dates: February 5-9, 2022
 
Last edited:

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tomorrow is dining reservation day!!!!
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Trying to snag at a minimum Wine Country Trattoria (World of Color Package) for Monday (2/6) and River Belle Terrace (Fantasmic! Package) for Tuesday (2/7). Still up in the air for Sunday evening and Wednesday Morning...

Also some good news from Amtrak....
OCTA, the agency leading the construction, is estimating that the tracks will reopen the week of January 30, 2023.
And AA changed my MCO to PHX flight to leave at 7am, and arrive into PHX at 10:00am!
 
Last edited:

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ok we've got three days of Dining Down!

Sunday -
Naples Ristorante E Bar (7:30pm)

Monday -
Wine Country Trattoria (6:00pm for WOC Package)

Tuesday -
Carnation Cafe (6:40pm)

Unfortunately, I doubt F! will be presented during the time I'll be there.

Wednesday AM breakfast is up in air, either DTD, Trader Sam's, or Goofy's Kitchen.
 

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Also, with mention of Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts Nite on 2/7, all stars point to me doing that!!! So it looks like I'll be on Plan "C".
 

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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Looks like I'll be doing a bus bridge between Oceanside and Irvine by the looks of it after all... Have heard nothing about Amtrak service between the two stations resuming as of now.
 
Last edited:

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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Now for an updated gameplan.
It appears as if due to track work in San Clemente that I will be on train 1785/785 from San Diego to Anaheim on 2/5 (as opposed to 581, which currently originates in San Juan Capistrano), which could likely result in additional than expected travel times.

February 4, 2023 - Day 0
Renaissance Orlando Airport
Check-in: 4pm
Leave for hotel between 3-5pm (via Lynx 103 & 436S)

February 5, 2023 - Day 1
Airport Shuttle from Hotel to MCO (between 4-4:30am)
American Airlines Flight 2015 (MCO-PHX)
Depart: 7:08am
Arrive: 10:05am

American Airlines Flight 2838 (PHX-SAN)
Depart: 11:06am
Arrive: 11:25am

Grab Bags from Baggage Claim
MTS Route 992 to Santa Fe Depot
Drop off & Check Bag for Train

Lunch TBD

Amtrak Train 581 (San Diego to Anaheim)
Depart: 2:01pm
Arrive: 4:08pm
Business Class

OR Amtrak Train 1785/785
Depart: 3:26pm
Arrive: 6:13pm
Business Class

Disneyland Hotel
Check-In: 3pm or online

Unpack, Settle-in

Dinner - Naples Ristorante e Bar
  • 7:30pm
Shopping at Downtown Disney District

February 6, 2023 - Day 2 (Disneyland Park AM, Disney California Adventure PM)
Breakfast TBD

Disneyland Park (8am to 10pm; EE 7:30am to 8am) - AM PARK
Early Entry - Snow White & Pinnochio
  • Rope Drop - Big Thunder Mountain
  • Splash Mountain (G+ LL)
  • Pirates of The Caribbean
  • Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Enchanted Tiki Room
  • Lunch - Golden Horseshoe

Disney California Adventure (8am to 9pm) - PM PARK
  • Luigi’s Rockin’ Roadsters
  • Radiator Springs Racers (ILL, 2:45-3:45pm)
  • Incredicoaster (Single Riders; optional)
  • Pixar Pals Go-Around
  • Goofy’s Sky School
  • Meet Mulan & Mushu (and Thumper, Mrs Bunny, and White Rabbit?)
  • Mulan’s Lunar New Year’s Processional (4:45pm Show)
  • Golden Zephyr
  • Dinner - Wine Country Trattoria
    • 6:00pm
    • World of Color Package
  • World of Color One (9pm show)

February 7, 2023 - Day 3 (Disney California Adventure AM, Disneyland Park PM)
Breakfast TBD

Disney California Adventure (8am to 10pm?; EE 7:30am to 8am) - AM PARK
  • Early Entry
    • Web Slingers
    • Mission Breakout
  • Soarin’ (G+ LL)
  • Monsters Inc Mike & Sulley to the Rescue
  • Disney Animation Sorcerer’s Workshop
  • Lunch - Pym Test Kitchen or something Pacific Wharf
Disneyland Park (8am to 8pm; DLAD 8pm to 1am) - PM PARK + Disneyland After Dark
  • Mr Toad’s Wild Ride
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Storybook Land Canal Boats
  • Matterhorn (Single Riders or G+LL)
Monorail back to hotel, change clothes? Return NLT 5:30pm via Monorail (or stay in DL)
  • Dinner TBD
  • Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
  • Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
  • It’s A Small World (At Discretion Only)
  • Meet Bernard & Bianca (and any other good ones I can snag :))
  • Space Mountain
  • Big Thunder Mountain
  • Fireworks (TBD)
  • Autopia (at Discretion Only)
  • Monorail back to hotel
 

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Update - I did get a call from Amtrak earlier today regarding the rail portion of this trip!!
Looks like I will be doing a bus bridge from Oceanside to Irvine after all…
Also was moved to train 1785/785 from San Diego to Anaheim.
Hopefully nothing gets screwed up.
 

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
With only 6 days left, some major milestones are coming up!
  • First, tomorrow will be the day that online check-in opens up at DLH! For the Renaissance Orlando Airport, their online check-in opens in the next couple of days.
  • Second, Wednesday is the day that my Travel ePackage will be available through the Disneyland Website and App!
Also I took care of the whole Amtrak scheduling for 2/5 over the phone w/ Amtrak so now I'm back on train 581 from San Diego to Anaheim. I'll be packing on Friday with my mom's help of course! Looks like it's gonna be a COLD one over in California (highs in lower to upper 60s, lows upper 40s) while I'm there!
 

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