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MommyTo3Boys1Girl
06-17-2004, 02:44 PM
I know there are all kinds of things we can do besides just going the parks and having a blast with the kids. And I also know that I am planning WAY ahead of time, but I am a planner and I cannot wait to go!
Our trip is for 6 days at the park, the first week of November. We are staying at Hojo, I booked us but will keep watching for a great AP rate at PP. What special things can we do, sign up for etc, at the parks? My kids will be 3 and 1.
I am planning a dinner at Blue Bayou, how far in advance can I book this?
Character meals, how far in advance to book and which is the best?
Other ideas? PLEASE!

rentayenta
06-17-2004, 02:53 PM
Don't feel bad about planning early. I am planning a surprise trip during Christmas. Do you love staying at HoJo?

C.B.
06-17-2004, 03:09 PM
Blue Bayou reservations have never been a problem, so long as your name is submitted a few hours in advance. Weekends might be a bit trickier, but I doubt that you'd have any difficulties if you register before noon.

One thing I've found to be fantastic to do for "the little ones", is to secretly obtain and 'plant' some toys or "plush" of their favorite characters in the hotel room (in an obvious location) while they're off doing something, to be 'discovered' when they return from the Parks. It's a sure-fire WOW!, that they'll remember for the rest of their lives.

mickeygirl99
06-17-2004, 03:41 PM
Hi,
I am planning a "surprise" trip for my husband for our anniversary in December. I cannot wait and love to talk to anyone about it, since I can't talk to him.
We usually take the family to Disneyland every summer and eat dinner one of the nights at the Blue Bayou.
As soon as I get to the park I head straight for the restaurant to make my reservation for that evening. We have been able to do it for years.
However we always end up waiting over 30 min to get our table.
I love it though....
This trip in December is going to be so much fun.. I got us a reservation for Club 33.. and I can hardly wait!
Have a great time in Novemeber.

Photographer
06-18-2004, 06:08 AM
Have you been inside the theater on Main Street? There are several screens going at the same time showing different vintage Mickey Mouse cartoons. There's a small island in the middle to stand on, or sit if it's empty. They'd probably like that. I think you can take strollers inside.

If you wanted an early or late birthday party, they have the Happiest Birthday Parties (?) at the Plaza Inn. The kids can decorate their own cakes (bring wipes) and meet Mickey and Minnie for special photos (additional fees apply). But it's fun, they get party hats, a souvenir cup and a sugar high. LOL

garkat
06-18-2004, 07:43 AM
Mickeygirl99 - Congrats on your Club 33 reservation!! Last year my family and I got to have lunch there and what a great time we had!! I'm sure you and your husband will a enjoy it very much... :)

LAsptsfan3
06-18-2004, 09:41 AM
are you going to be just at the parks?
will you have an available car to drive around with?

if your interested at fun activites outside of the park in and around orange county let me know cause theres plenty of fun places to explore!

i think one of the things that makes a trip to disneyland special for kids is a character meal (goofys kitchen), or photo ops with a bunch of characters to review after the trip, "I met mickey!" :)

take loads of pictures, some of the pictures my mom has of me at disneyland with my dad are my most treasured.

Emma
06-18-2004, 10:27 AM
I am planning a dinner at Blue Bayou, how far in advance can I book this?
Character meals, how far in advance to book and which is the best?
Other ideas? PLEASE!

I'm not certain if this is till the policy, but I am pretty sure that the earliest you can make Blue Bayou reservations is the morning of.

Another fun thing to try might be the Fantasmic Desert Balcony. It's wonderful. :)

As for Character dining, I think you can make those reservations 60 Days out.

EdD
06-18-2004, 10:49 AM
You can make priority seating arrangements 60 days in advance through Disney Dining 714-781-3463. This is for any Disney restaurant that has ps, including the Blue Bayou.

Tickets for Fantasmic Balcony go on sale 30 days in advance. It is a wonderful experience, but I don't know if I would recommend it with a 1 and 3 year old, as approx $200 for you, spouce and kids is not cheap, and I really don't think the 1 yo will get much from it. If you can afford it, great, but make sure you call as soon as they open in the am to get your tickets.

IMHO, Goofy's was the best charecter dining. Also, look at doing BB for lunch, much cheaper and you can get a monte cristo.

C.B.'s idea about hiding little touches is a very good one. I got my daughter (4) Disney jammies our first day, and she loved them and wore them every day, a way to remind her at night that we were at DL.

Have fun!

got2travel
06-18-2004, 10:58 AM
This past weekend I did Ariel's Grotto and Goofy's Kitchen. Our first character dining in DL. Previously we've only done WDW. I preferred Goofy's Kitchen. We saw more characters there and it was an all you can eat brunch. We met Baloo, Aladdin, Alice, Mad Hatter, Donald, Pluto, and of course Goofy.

For Blue Bayou, you can get reservations via the Priority Seating line now, up to 60 days in advance. No more racing to the restaurant to get a spot. My tip for BB is to get either the earliest lunch or the latest lunch.

Do you pin trade? I didn't until last Saturday. I didn't want to get hooked, but I went ahead and got my son a few pins from a discount Disney Warehouse. Then the Pin Traders shop across from Space Mountain has a pin talk twice a day for kids 12 and under. They explain the history and rules of pin trading, then each child gets 2 free pins to get started.