lbrackjo
01-24-2010, 06:45 AM
Travel dates: Jan 8 -12, 2010
Travel method: Air to SNA, Taxi
Resort: DLR, Grand Cal. Hotel
Accommodations: Grand Cal. APH rate standard room (courtyard view)
Ages Represented in Group:7,9, 4 x 40s, 3 x 60+s.
Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: 10 visits for some, 3 visits for others.
Comments: Extended family trip with a variety of attraction interests and ages.
Cast of characters: Me 40s, DW 40s, DS 9, DD 7. In-laws = Aunts 2 @ 40s; Grandmas and a Grandpa at 60+.
Grand Cal. arrival was Friday night at 6:20. Check in was a breeze. CM was very helpful. In addition to room had pre-purchased premium character meal vouchers which the CM had ready for us. (Find it a tad less bc tip and tax are included than the 10% DAP discount.) Room was very clean, love the new flat screen and dvd player. Shower/tub walls were so immaculate, I think they were just re done. Some hotel wings were undergoing renovations, but only some slight constution noise after 8:30 am and no noise after 4pm that we noticed. Pools nice and clean and practically deserted. Hotel seemed less than half full. All CMs nice, helpful, got extended check out til noon on day of departure.
All days were sunny and 70-74.
This may seem (cuz it is) a disjointed circuit of attractions. The in-laws and DS say they have lots more fun at DCA. So somewhat impatiently they can’t wait to get over there. While I'm not a DCA hater I'd split my time 80/20 prefering DL by far. What gets missed is the small moments of enjoying the out of the way places at DL. You will note: Nemo got voted down, Toon Town was tossed aside. Zero shows (except for the Animation Academy drawing class). Also after lunch often times the group split ways. This represents what the bulk of the group did. DD passes on Space and Screamin, so I just hang with her taking in the sights and sounds. She memorized the launch sequence at Screamin.
Friday January 8: Dinner at Jo’s. Just me and DS and DD into DL at 8:30pm walk Main Street, wishing HM was open, but closed for overlay removal, rode Splash, went past BTMRR but the line was to the bridge so offered up any open Fantasyland ride and we settled on Casey Jr. While in line watched the fireworks that were fired from Toon Town on one side and the Castle on the other. Impressive place to be, too bad they don’t play the soundtrack in Fantasyland. That was it for us because we had plans for an early morning.
Sat. January 9: 8:15 for monorail into DL. Rode Space, Buzz, Astro Orbitor, Thunder, Pirates, Indy. Indy broke down with our vehicle in the idol room. 15 minute wait, but we then completed the ride on a restart and they ran us through a second time so we could have an uninterupted trip. Then off to DCA at 11 for Screamin, then 11:30 lunch at Pacific Warf, Toy Story, Screamin, Grizzly River, then at 2 to the hotel pool for the afternoon swimming time. At 4:30 we went back to DCA for Soarin, Mulholland before dinner at Naples. After dinner we went to DL for Small World (all lit up) and Space.
Sunday January 10: EE via monorail, Alice, Dumbo, Toad, Pan, Snow White, Tea cups, Storybook Land boats, BTMRR, Pirates, Pooh. Then to DCA: Screamin, Princes Lunch, ToT, Animation Bldg. Then Pool time at 3. After dinner at Hook‘s: BTMRR, BTMRR, Splash and again BTMRR--sooo much better at night.
Monday January 11 (10 am open) Blasphemously started the day in DCA (forgive my relatives, they know not what they do). Toy Story, Screamin, King Triton, Screamin, Monsters, Animation Bldg, drawing class, lunch at Baker’s Field Bakery and Taste Pilots. Then to DL: Great Moments with Lincoln, Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Tarzan Tree House. To the pool at 3:30. Down time in the room. Shopped up and down Main Street. Then dinner at Naples and never went back in.
Tuesday January 12 EE at 9: Space, Pan, Matterhorn, Alice, BTMRR, BTMRR again, wanted to do Pirates but it was a temp. shut down, Pooh, Pirates still not up. DCA: Screamin, Toy Story, Soarin, Redwood Creek. Lunch at Whitewater. Lounged at poolside till time to catch a cab to John Wayne.
Travel method: Air to SNA, Taxi
Resort: DLR, Grand Cal. Hotel
Accommodations: Grand Cal. APH rate standard room (courtyard view)
Ages Represented in Group:7,9, 4 x 40s, 3 x 60+s.
Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: 10 visits for some, 3 visits for others.
Comments: Extended family trip with a variety of attraction interests and ages.
Cast of characters: Me 40s, DW 40s, DS 9, DD 7. In-laws = Aunts 2 @ 40s; Grandmas and a Grandpa at 60+.
Grand Cal. arrival was Friday night at 6:20. Check in was a breeze. CM was very helpful. In addition to room had pre-purchased premium character meal vouchers which the CM had ready for us. (Find it a tad less bc tip and tax are included than the 10% DAP discount.) Room was very clean, love the new flat screen and dvd player. Shower/tub walls were so immaculate, I think they were just re done. Some hotel wings were undergoing renovations, but only some slight constution noise after 8:30 am and no noise after 4pm that we noticed. Pools nice and clean and practically deserted. Hotel seemed less than half full. All CMs nice, helpful, got extended check out til noon on day of departure.
All days were sunny and 70-74.
This may seem (cuz it is) a disjointed circuit of attractions. The in-laws and DS say they have lots more fun at DCA. So somewhat impatiently they can’t wait to get over there. While I'm not a DCA hater I'd split my time 80/20 prefering DL by far. What gets missed is the small moments of enjoying the out of the way places at DL. You will note: Nemo got voted down, Toon Town was tossed aside. Zero shows (except for the Animation Academy drawing class). Also after lunch often times the group split ways. This represents what the bulk of the group did. DD passes on Space and Screamin, so I just hang with her taking in the sights and sounds. She memorized the launch sequence at Screamin.
Friday January 8: Dinner at Jo’s. Just me and DS and DD into DL at 8:30pm walk Main Street, wishing HM was open, but closed for overlay removal, rode Splash, went past BTMRR but the line was to the bridge so offered up any open Fantasyland ride and we settled on Casey Jr. While in line watched the fireworks that were fired from Toon Town on one side and the Castle on the other. Impressive place to be, too bad they don’t play the soundtrack in Fantasyland. That was it for us because we had plans for an early morning.
Sat. January 9: 8:15 for monorail into DL. Rode Space, Buzz, Astro Orbitor, Thunder, Pirates, Indy. Indy broke down with our vehicle in the idol room. 15 minute wait, but we then completed the ride on a restart and they ran us through a second time so we could have an uninterupted trip. Then off to DCA at 11 for Screamin, then 11:30 lunch at Pacific Warf, Toy Story, Screamin, Grizzly River, then at 2 to the hotel pool for the afternoon swimming time. At 4:30 we went back to DCA for Soarin, Mulholland before dinner at Naples. After dinner we went to DL for Small World (all lit up) and Space.
Sunday January 10: EE via monorail, Alice, Dumbo, Toad, Pan, Snow White, Tea cups, Storybook Land boats, BTMRR, Pirates, Pooh. Then to DCA: Screamin, Princes Lunch, ToT, Animation Bldg. Then Pool time at 3. After dinner at Hook‘s: BTMRR, BTMRR, Splash and again BTMRR--sooo much better at night.
Monday January 11 (10 am open) Blasphemously started the day in DCA (forgive my relatives, they know not what they do). Toy Story, Screamin, King Triton, Screamin, Monsters, Animation Bldg, drawing class, lunch at Baker’s Field Bakery and Taste Pilots. Then to DL: Great Moments with Lincoln, Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Tarzan Tree House. To the pool at 3:30. Down time in the room. Shopped up and down Main Street. Then dinner at Naples and never went back in.
Tuesday January 12 EE at 9: Space, Pan, Matterhorn, Alice, BTMRR, BTMRR again, wanted to do Pirates but it was a temp. shut down, Pooh, Pirates still not up. DCA: Screamin, Toy Story, Soarin, Redwood Creek. Lunch at Whitewater. Lounged at poolside till time to catch a cab to John Wayne.