More First Timer Questions

[TinkSassy]

Looking at dining - Blue Bayou looks cool, but is it worth the price? Also what is the best character dining with the classic characters - is it Plaza?

Also, on snacks - at WDW we get groceries and carry bottled drinks in a backpack along with granola bars, etc. I have heard a lot of rumors that I won't be allowed to do this at DL and that bottled drinks have to be disposed of before entering rides - could someone shed some light on this?

Has anyone done the Toontown special open? Is this worth seeing? Can you get to the characters quickly during this time? Any tips?

For DCA - what are the crazy busy rides? Is Soarin as tough as Epcot, what about TSMM???

Does anyone publish show times in advance of morning opening?

One more - according to our package we have priority seating for Aladdin at DCA. Can anyone tell me how this works?

Whew!!!!! Any help is appreciated! It is soooo much harder to get info on DL that WDW. I hope it's because it's easier to navigate - LOL

 

[nemofinder22]

Hmm well I can't help on all your questions but I can on a few-

For DCA attractions the lines are pretty managable.
TSMM does not have FP so it an entire standby line makeing the line always move. With the highest wait times around 50 but most of the time I think its been at 20 mins. Plus theres a single rider line depending on the crowds.

Soarin' depends on the day, but it also have a single rider line.

Oh and DLR is very easy to navigate. The parks are right across the way from each other. The best way to think of it is instead of the 7 Seas Lagoon its DCA.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I ate at the Blue Bayou and I really thought it was worth it. I had the monte cristos (I used to love those in WDW until they took them away). The atmosphere was really neat. I think it is probably worth going at least once. We went for lunch by the way.

I didn't do the pre seating thing for the Aladdin show, but I did see that they had a separate line for those people. That's all I can really help you with there.

I remember that Soarin' was a long line but not as long as epcot's, but probably still worth using a fast pass. Tower of Terror's line was really short. Even California Screamin's line moved pretty fast. Haven't been there while TSM has been operating.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Looking at dining - Blue Bayou looks cool, but is it worth the price? Also what is the best character dining with the classic characters - is it Plaza?

Also, on snacks - at WDW we get groceries and carry bottled drinks in a backpack along with granola bars, etc. I have heard a lot of rumors that I won't be allowed to do this at DL and that bottled drinks have to be disposed of before entering rides - could someone shed some light on this?

Has anyone done the Toontown special open? Is this worth seeing? Can you get to the characters quickly during this time? Any tips?

For DCA - what are the crazy busy rides? Is Soarin as tough as Epcot, what about TSMM???

Does anyone publish show times in advance of morning opening?

One more - according to our package we have priority seating for Aladdin at DCA. Can anyone tell me how this works?

Whew!!!!! Any help is appreciated! It is soooo much harder to get info on DL that WDW. I hope it's because it's easier to navigate - LOL

I have a few answers too! We never had a problem bringing snacks for little ones and bottles of water. We never tried to carry water on a ride, it was always in our backpack by that point, so if you're worried, put it in your backpack.

My family did Toontown Morning Madness one morning while we waited and they said it was great. Definitely worth it.

TSMM is crazy as is Soarin. Tower of Terror and Screamin can both get crazy. Take advantage of fastpasses.

We've done the priority seating too, but that ones been a few years. As I recall, we didn't have to get there very early and we had good seats. Definitely worth trying.

 

[Nicole220]

Best character dining is Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. There are a lot of characters and you get a LOT of interaction with them.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Best character dining is Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. There are a lot of characters and you get a LOT of interaction with them.

Oh I forgot that question. I totally agree. We've eaten there several times and there's a great selection of characters!

 

[Bug715]

I have a few questions too.

I'm about to take my first trip to DL and it'll be my friend's second (she was quite a bit younger before). We were talking about doing to Welcome to Disneyland Tour and the Walk in Walt's Footsteps one.

I just looked more into the Welcome to Disneyland one and it said that it's only offered Friday-Monday. Since we get there on a Wednesday I think it may be a waste since by Friday we will know our way around for the most part. Or should I do it?

If I do the tour should I do the show or parade VIP seating? Also, is the firework and food or parade and food package worth it?

Any other tips would be apreciated. I don't know the next time I'll get to DL so I want to do everything (I'll be there a week) but don't want to spend a ton of money since DL costs more than WDW. Thanks!!:wave:

 

[I-Miss-Horizons]

I would definitely recommend Blue Bayou, I went to Disneyland for the first time a few weeks ago and Blue Bayou was one of the best dining experiences i've ever had at any disney park. It is expensive but the food is very good (at least what I had) and the atmosphere is also one of the best things about it.

 

[nemofinder22]

I have a few questions too.

I'm about to take my first trip to DL and it'll be my friend's second (she was quite a bit younger before). We were talking about doing to Welcome to Disneyland Tour and the Walk in Walt's Footsteps one.

I just looked more into the Welcome to Disneyland one and it said that it's only offered Friday-Monday. Since we get there on a Wednesday I think it may be a waste since by Friday we will know our way around for the most part. Or should I do it?

If I do the tour should I do the show or parade VIP seating? Also, is the firework and food or parade and food package worth it?

Any other tips would be apreciated. I don't know the next time I'll get to DL so I want to do everything (I'll be there a week) but don't want to spend a ton of money since DL costs more than WDW. Thanks!!:wave:

When are you going? DL will not have a parade until late March since Main Street is getting repaved. I did the Walk in Walts footsteps one a few years ago defiantly would recommend that one.

As for firework/parade food packages are concerned fireworks are not shown every night at DL unless its summer or the holidays, so it will depend on the time you go

 

[Bug715]

When are you going? DL will not have a parade until late March since Main Street is getting repaved. I did the Walk in Walts footsteps one a few years ago defiantly would recommend that one.

As for firework/parade food packages are concerned fireworks are not shown every night at DL unless its summer or the holidays, so it will depend on the time you go

I'm going in early June. I'm pretty sure we're gonna do the Walk in Walts footsteps. We're thinking about now doing Walk in Walts footsteps our first morning since the Welcome to Disneyland may not be that morning.

 

[TP2000]

We're thinking about now doing Walk in Walts footsteps our first morning since the Welcome to Disneyland may not be that morning.

Don't do the Welcome To Disneyland tour, it will be boring and too basic for you. You know Disney, you've heard about Disneyland and that it's comprised of different "lands", you know the basic layout of the place, you've heard of Walt Disney before, and you know that there are two parks, three hotels and a Downtown Disney there. None of that info will be interesting to you as told by a young girl in a plaid skirt and riding hat.

The Welcome To Disneyland tour is for people who have very limited time there and have never been to any Disney theme park and have no idea what to do with themselves at such a place. It will bore you to tears and all you'll want to do is break away from the group and run over to Pirates of the Caribbean and start having fun.

The Walk In Walt's Footsteps tour, on the other hand, is fabulous. Any Disney theme park fan worth their mouse ears should take that tour at Disneyland once in their life.

 

[Bug715]

Don't do the Welcome To Disneyland tour, it will be boring and too basic for you. You know Disney, you've heard about Disneyland and that it's comprised of different "lands", you know the basic layout of the place, you've heard of Walt Disney before, and you know that there are two parks, three hotels and a Downtown Disney there. None of that info will be interesting to you as told by a young girl in a plaid skirt and riding hat.

The Welcome To Disneyland tour is for people who have very limited time there and have never been to any Disney theme park and have no idea what to do with themselves at such a place. It will bore you to tears and all you'll want to do is break away from the group and run over to Pirates of the Caribbean and start having fun.

The Walk In Walt's Footsteps tour, on the other hand, is fabulous. Any Disney theme park fan worth their mouse ears should take that tour at Disneyland once in their life.

Thanks!! My friend and I were thinking that.

 

[ktflisa]

Husband and I went to DL and DCA Mid December on a Wed - Sat. It is a completely different experience that WDW, and we had a GREAT time! I'd been to DL many times, but never as the sole focal point of our vacation. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Manchester - very nice and clean and low key. No gift shop, no fanciness - just a clean comfy place to stay. We used the Anaheim Resort Transit Shuttle and really didn't have too many problems. The wait at the hotel was not bad, but the wait at the park was too long (for the shuttle).

Anyway, we ate at Goofy's Kitchen and I was so disappointed. The food was great... the people at the front desk were extremely snooty. Very snippy and not helpful at all. When we got there we were all excited... "Hey, it's our first time here, let us know what we need to do! yay!" and all we got was a frowny "wait over there, we'll call you and our photographer will take your photo". Blah.

It was a slow night and we were tired, so I'd be willing to give them another chance. We don't have kids, so maybe the characters left us alone on purpose. The Disneyland Hotel is SO FREAKING COOL!

Just my 2 cents... maybe I should do a trip report...

 

[TinkSassy]

Trip report would be great!
After years of WDW travelling - I'm shocked at the lack on information available on DL. However, I did subscribe to RideMax and it confirmed a few things and gave me a wake up call on a few others.

Who new Nemo Subs would be such a challenge to get onto quickly?

 

[marsrunner]

Trip report would be great!
After years of WDW travelling - I'm shocked at the lack on information available on DL. However, I did subscribe to RideMax and it confirmed a few things and gave me a wake up call on a few others.

Who new Nemo Subs would be such a challenge to get onto quickly?

The Nemo subs are just like the 20k subs used to be at the Magic Kingdom. It doesn't matter if its busy or not, the line will be horrendous because it loads so slowly. And in the fact that the kids want to see it because of Nemo and its just worse. Iwent last Saturday and the park was empty all day long. I never waited more than 20 minutes, and that was only for Space Mountain and Indiana Jones, but the line for Nemo was anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. Luckily I had Magic Morning at 7 am so I rode it first thing and waited about 5 minutes.

 

[Dollysmama]

Priority Seating is Great for the ALADDIN SHOw, You get to stand in a seperate line than everyone else, look for a guy with a podium at the entrance, give him your ticket, and all priority seating line guests get to enter first before the regular line.Make sure to get their at least 30 minutes + prior to show time. We got front row seats, It is an AMAZING SHOW. The Genie is Hilarious!!!:ROFLOL: