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View Full Version : May 13 is our first trip!



JBarb
04-19-2005, 07:58 AM
Ok, I've been reading the messages here for the last month or so but now it's really getting close. For my daughter's 8th birthday we're going to DL. It will be my wife, my daugther, her 8 year old cousin, my 12 yr old son and his friend and I. We leave May 13 at 7:25AM from Sacramento and arrive in LAX at 8:40. We're renting a van and hope to be at DL by 11. We're staying in the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites (one of the few places that had a 2BR, 2BA with hide a bed) but probably won;t check in until Friday. We leave on a 730PM flight on Monday night.

I've got Ridemax to help us with schedules but I've got a lot of questions and would appreciate answers on any of them.

1) Since all of us have either never been to DL or haven't been in ages, what's the best way to decide on what rides/shows to program into Ridemax?
2) We're probably going to skip the character meals but any suggestions on other places to eat that 2 8 yr olds, 2 12 yr olds and 2 adults would like?
3) What about Medieval Times? How far is it? Would it be worth a side trip to for dinner?
4) Can we reasonable cover DL and DCA Friday, Saturday and SUnday or will we need a 4 day park hopper to include part of Monday?
5) Any ideas on helping make my daughter's birthday special? I saw a previous post about checking in somewhere to get a birthday badge or something.
6) On Sat and Sun, should we drive our car to DL or DCA from the hotel or should we depend on the shuttle?

That's all I can think of now. I appreciate any answers or other suggestions you can give me.
Thanks
Jeff

miss_sonja
04-19-2005, 08:24 AM
If the kids like Mexican, Rancho del Zocolo might be a good food choice. Big plates easy to share and a variety of kid-pleasing Mexican options. Fast service, lots of tables.

Get her a birthday sticker at City Hall when you first arrive. Characters will greet her and wish her happy birthday. Also there are the birthday buckets--never done that, but seems like a nice treat. I'm sure City Hall would know how to get one, or Disney Dining (or a helpful Mousepadder:-).

Have a great trip!

3894
04-19-2005, 08:36 AM
2) We're probably going to skip the character meals but any suggestions on other places to eat that 2 8 yr olds, 2 12 yr olds and 2 adults would like?

Redd Rockett's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland - chicken fusilli is very good and large enough to share. My kids liked the pizza okay but others may not agree.

Whitewater Snacks in the Grand Californian Hotel is very good, not expensive. It's a good choice for both kids and adults.


4) Can we reasonable cover DL and DCA Friday, Saturday and SUnday or will we need a 4 day park hopper to include part of Monday?

You can do it in three days but since your flight doesn't leave until 7:30 p.m. on Monday, why not spend the day at Disneyland/DCA?

bradk
04-19-2005, 08:37 AM
i'm going to preface this with my new standard disclaimer that i have never set foot on DLR property, but i have been studying it intensely for the past 2 months, so take that for what you may.

1) Since all of us have either never been to DL or haven't been in ages, what's the best way to decide on what rides/shows to program into Ridemax?

that's a tough question depending on how squeamish the adults and children may be. it's really a personal cal. ridemax has a decent description of each attraction to go by. in addition, i recommend spending ample amounts of time looking at http://www.visionsfantastic.com which has interactive maps and covers most of the attractions in more detail, usually even supplemented with video and/or audio. you may also want to pick up a copy of 'the unofficial guide to disneyland' by bob sehlinger which does an excellent job of rating each of the attractions for various age groups, etc.


2) We're probably going to skip the character meals but any suggestions on other places to eat that 2 8 yr olds, 2 12 yr olds and 2 adults would like?

inside the park, probably the most 'exciting' family-type restaurant would be the Blue Bayou which is connected to the Pirates of the Caribbean. most people recommend getting a waterside table (where the ride actually comes through). you should arrange for priority seating if at all possible so you aren't stuck a particularly long time waiting for a table, especially with a party your size. lunch would be the less expensive choice, although that isn't saying much.

in downtown disney, you have the rainforest cafe and the espn zone (look on the board for details on the mvp club, where you can get $20 vouchers plus game cards for each adult at no cost).


3) What about Medieval Times? How far is it? Would it be worth a side trip to for dinner?

i think it's roughly withiin 5 miles or so of the park. it's expensive (probably around $40 per adult with discounts), but should be very much worth it if you can swing it.

4) Can we reasonable cover DL and DCA Friday, Saturday and SUnday or will we need a 4 day park hopper to include part of Monday?

i wouldn't count on doing DCA *and* DL in one day, while there's significantly less to do in DCA, getting it done in a few hours is a bit extreme. because you're inviting larger crowds over the weekend, what I would do is focus on DL on Friday and Saturday and try DCA on Sunday, going back to DLR after DCA closes. as long as everyone is agreeable with the plans, or you can break up into smaller groups, you should be fine. 3 days is the magic number at DLR. you won't necessarily be able to do EVERYTHING, but if that's a concern for you, then push it over to 4 days if you can. you'll get a better idea once you play with ridemax a bit.

edit: i just noticed your flight time. if you can swing the upgrade cost, i would have to agree with 3894 that you might find another day in the park refreshing, particularly with smaller crowds. even if it's for half a day, i would leave this day off ridemax and use it to either ride favorite attractions again, or just to chill in the parks. unless you had a better alternative than spending all day in the hotel in mind.

5) Any ideas on helping make my daughter's birthday special? I saw a previous post about checking in somewhere to get a birthday badge or something.

two very informative pages that are birthday specific:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/more/mm050412lp.htm
http://www.colddeadfish.net/dlr/dlrbirthdays.html

there are always addons like tours, vip tours ($75/hr with a minimum of 4 hours for the entire group), the fantasmic dessert buffet, et al.


6) On Sat and Sun, should we drive our car to DL or DCA from the hotel or should we depend on the shuttle?

depends on which hotel, but shuttles and the ART are usually good. you're just limited to whatever times the shuttles operate. the car gives you the freedom, but also costs you $10 per day for parking at the resort.

MsYumiBr
04-19-2005, 08:44 AM
You get the badges when you check in to one of the DLR hotels. (I don't know about the Good Neighbor ones). You also can arrange for balloons with VP. We purchased very nice Tinkerbell themed basket for the girls (little case says spoiled and sassy).

My niece goes every year to Medieval Times for her birthday, as opposed to DL like me, and she is now 16. I can't go because I'm allergic to horses and went into an asthma attack the last time. It's fun, you get to eat with your hands, food isn't great but it's the whole atmosphere thing you pay for. My niece would dress up too.

Hakuna Makarla
04-19-2005, 08:47 AM
ok, this is your first time? Go Mukta all the way!! She made my vacation a breeze and well between her, coaster, darkbeer and Lisa ( deogsmom ) I would never have gotten all the rides in nor had the time of my life. Mukta is so good at getting you thru disneyland that any one going to the parks for the first time needs Mukta))))))))))))))) Disneyland is these peoples passion and if you ever want to learn all there is to know have them take you thru, you will never regret it!!

splash
04-19-2005, 04:21 PM
We will be there on the 13th too! That is my sons 11th birthday. Maybe we'll run into each other.