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Speake
08-17-2001, 12:53 PM
(First, dear site, I have typed this three times - when I hit backspace to clear something, I lose the window ... what am i doing wrong?)

OK - Our family of 5 (3 teens) plans to visit/check out DCA this Sunday for a last summer fling ... a few questions for the experts, if you please.

*Knowing that DCA will not fill a whole day, what time would you arrive? (we are two hours away)

*Why o why are passes to dca not available at The Disney Story, but Disneyland passes are?

*Best place to watch the Main Street (opps!) Electric Parade?

*If we fill time at Downtown - what do you reccommend?

*Youngest is a performer, she and I enjoy shows ... what do we not want to miss?

* Rides not to miss.

* Weather not here (central valley) ... how about there?

better submitt this before i delete again ... apparently it is when i move the curser to backspace something out?

Thanks for the help, Mickey friends.

DisneyFreak2000
08-17-2001, 01:01 PM
1. Though it doesn't fill a day, I'd arrive early (maybe one or two hours after opening), because if you get bored go to DTD or sneak into one of the hotel pools :D
2. Dont know
3. I heard that in The Bay Area, along the Wharf or in front of Golden Dreams were good spots (I may be wrong though)
4. Everything down there is great, it depends what you like
5. You DO want to miss Steps in Times. (jk) I haven't really payed attention to shows, I'd say give Steps in Times and Goofy a shot. Also, check out Al's girls.
6. Soarin', California Screamin', GRR, Bug, Limo, Muppet Vision, Sun Wheel, MaliBoomer and Orange Stinger are worth a visit.

Morrigoon
08-17-2001, 01:07 PM
Agreed... SKIP steps in time.
I've never wanted a show to end so badly in all my life.

stan4d_steph
08-17-2001, 01:50 PM
Definitely catch the "Chance to Shine" show aka "Al's girls." I believe they are now on the list of programs so you should be able to get exact show times. This was an amusing show and the women are very talented.

Rides I liked: Soarin' is very good. Probably my favorite at DCA. Be sure to get FastPass for this, as the line can get very long. Also FP for Grizzly River Run (GRR) and Screamin' coaster. The coaster is great, and has musical accompaniment, which adds to the thrill. GRR is good if it's a hot day and I really like the theming over in that area of the park. Reminiscent of Northern CA redwoods and Yosemite.

I really like Muppet 3D, but I grew up with the Muppet Show, so have a weakness when it comes to anything involving the Jim Henson Co. It's got some cute surprises in it too.

You didn't ask, but a good place to eat that is less expensive than in the park itself is the snack bar at the Grand Californian (can't think of the name at the moment). I had a grilled chicken sandwich with mild chiles and guacamole that was quite good and the brownies are wonderful. :)

For the grownups, I also enjoyed a glass of wine at Mondavi while watching people walk by and had a nice chat with a woman from Germany who was working there. If you're interested in free tasting I would ask when you get there in the AM though, because they said they only had one per day and it was at 3:30, so I had already missed it.

The lobby of the animation exhibit is nicely done, with changing displays of scenes from different movies and the music to go along with them. Also a good place to get out of the heat as there are some nice padded benches in an air conditioned space.

Speake
08-17-2001, 01:54 PM
Stan 4d-Steph,
Beautiful info! Mucho thanks - making notes now - and Hubby and I are also Muppet fans - but, bet we are older than you.

More anyone?

JeffG
08-17-2001, 01:56 PM
Originally posted by Speake

OK - Our family of 5 (3 teens) plans to visit/check out DCA this Sunday for a last summer fling ... a few questions for the experts, if you please.

*Knowing that DCA will not fill a whole day, what time would you arrive? (we are two hours away)

I would recommend getting there as close to opening as possible. Despite some people's insistance that the park isn't a full-day park, for many people it is. I spent around 14 hours in the park on each of my first two visits and still hadn't seen absolutely everything. Admittedly, the second visit was with friends that were there for the first time, which means that we repeated most of the things I saw on the first visit.

It is really only a partial day park if there is a lot that you don't want to see.


*Why o why are passes to dca not avaiable at The Disney Story, but Disneyland passes are?

As I understand it, all full-price, single-day tickets are now valid at either park and all full-price multiday tickets are park hoppers. The tickets sold at the Disney Store probably could be used for DCA, but you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the Southern California discount. In the past, those discounts have always only been available at the ticket booths.

One tip might be to walk up to the end of Downtown Disney if the lines at the main ticket booths are too long. There is another ticket booth next to the monorail station that most people aren't going to know about. It could have much shorter lines.


*Best place to watch the Main Street (opps!) Electric Parade?

I would recommend finding a spot along the curb in front of the fruit stand located near the Farmer's Market restaurant. This location worked out very well for us.


*If we fill time at Downtown - what do you reccommend?

It really depends on your tastes. If you are sports enthusiasts, you might want to check out ESPN Zone. If you are looking for family-oriented dining, Rainforest Cafe is probably the best option. If you want something a bit higher end, we really enjoy Catal.

If this is your first visit to DCA, though, I wouldn't count on having a lot of time available to spend over in Downtown Disney. If you want a table-service dinner, I'd be more apt to recommend going to one of the restaurants in the park or going to Storyteller Cafe in the Grand Californian.


*Youngest is a performer, she and I enjoy shows ... what do we not want to miss?

I would definitely recommend making time to see the "Eureka!" parade. It has a lot of creativity and a lot of energy and you likely will enjoy it quite a bit.

While I wasn't that impressed by it, a lot of people seem to really like "Chance to Shine", a small musical show performed outside of Hollywood & Dine. The "Goofy's Beach Party" show in Hollywood is cute, although there is no shade in the viewing area making it really hard to watch on hot days.

I didn't care for "Steps in Time" at the Hyperion Theater, but if you are really into stage shows you might want to still give it a try. The theater itself and the production values of the show are very, very, good. I just didn't care for the content.


* Rides not to miss.

Again, this will depend somewhat on your tastes. The "big three" at the park that you should probably plan around are "Soarin' Over California" (either see this if the line is short or grab Fastpasses for it first thing in the morning), "Grizzly River Run", and "California Screamin'". Personally, I am also very fond of the swinging cars on the "Sun Wheel". "Maliboomer" is also a lot of fun and some people like "Mulholland Madness", although I don't care for it. While the reactions haven't been too positive, you should at least try "Superstar Limo". I do know some people that like the ride a lot.

You should also definitely make time to see "Muppetvision 3D" and "It's Tough to be a Bug", particularly if you haven't already seen either or both shows at Walt Disney World. "Golden Dreams" is also a very nice presentation.

Finally, make sure that you allow 45 minutes to an hour to fully explore the "Disney Animation" complex in Hollywood. I particularly enjoyed the "Drawn to Animation" show (a cleverly presented demonstration of character animation) and simply watching the film loop in the main lobby.


* Weather not here (central valley) ... how about there?

I assume you mean "hot" instead of "not". :) It won't be quite as hot as it is in the valley, but it still can get very warm. Much of the foliage at DCA is still very young, so shade isn't as readily available as it is in Disneyland. Definitely bring hats and sunscreen. Wearing shorts is probably adviseable as well.

It can cool down quite a bit in the evenings, so it might not hurt to bring along sweatshirts and long pants, and store them in a locker in case you need them later in the day.



Thanks for the help, Mickey friends.

Have a great time!

-Jeff

Speake
08-17-2001, 02:04 PM
Stan 4d-Steph,
Beautiful info! Mucho thanks - making notes now - and Hubby and I are also Muppet fans - but, bet we are older than you.

More anyone?

Cadaverous Pallor
08-17-2001, 02:26 PM
SEE SOARING OVER CALIFORNIA. DO NOT MISS IT!!! It's the best thing in the park. Get a fastpass as soon as you walk in the gates. I love that one!!

Other must-rides/sees - Grizzly, Bug, Screamin', Animation building, Muppet 3-D, Maliboomer. I think that's it. Limo might be worth a look but definitely leave it until after you've done everything you really want to do.

Have fun!

Speake
08-17-2001, 02:34 PM
Oh, dear ... sorry about the double post thing. Just wanted to let you know that YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!

Really looking forward to the day now.
Thanks, again.

(will check the site again Saturday for anymore additions, and btw, I believe it was Lani who wrote an article re: concierge level last fall. We took the advice and upgraded our pkg and though we were not on the concierge floor (Disney Hotel) we were treated to superior service and will recommend this to friends. Thanks again for the always excellent information)
:)

cryan71
08-17-2001, 02:49 PM
The Modavi Winery has a summer special going on... $4 for the first glass of wine, and $2.50 for each refill afterward. I would buy some goat cheese in the store nearby (hey, they have free crackers!!!) and enjoy some wine and cheese.

Morrigoon
08-18-2001, 04:20 AM
Here's a dining suggestion....

The La Brea Bakery restaurant! They have this sandwich- turkey and applewood bacon- that is DELISH!
It's also got grilled onions on it, and somewhere between the onions and something about the applewood bacon flavor YUMMY! Just try it. Oh, and the peoplewatching from there is excellent. I like to go around 2 in the afternoon, perfect time for a slow meal in the shade of an umbrella.