bananna
06-14-2005, 06:35 AM
*AAA - We booked through AAA. Checked for varied prices online (days, hotels, hoppers, etc.) and then spoke to our travel agent at local AAA who was full of tips/suggestions. No deals to offer, really, (because of 50th) but awesome benefits. :) We might have saved a couple of dollars, but the fast pass made it all worth it.. 3-day hopper, 4 nights. (for $80 more, we should have gotten a 4-day hopper.. first time with girls and we ran out of time). FUN BOOK given with discounts, but we'd forget to use sometimes. Plus, some restaurants will give you discount with AAA card. There is a 10% off at Disney Store. So, we saved $14 on our purchase of two Princess Outfits (with accessories). Didn't realize our Meal Dining Plan we purchased was for hotel dining as well. Thought it was for the park only.. ARGH.. gotta read everything. :crying: No change given, if meal voucher was more than food purchase. A snack voucher = 5.38, but the park valued it at 5.25, because they didn't want to deal with the extra cents (and so on). When so much is going on, you don't fret about the little stuff. Just break out the cash and save the voucher, if it was a big difference. Supposively, the Meal Dining Plan through AAA saves you a couple of dollars, just make sure, you don't forget to use your vouchers and bring them home!!!! Then it'll be worth it.
*Although the AAA office is in D.L. Park, it is only opened from 11-6. This should be in Downtown Disney or something.. We did not get our lanyard till the 2nd day.
*Parking We paid $12 a day for Valet parking for the first two days. The hotel parking lot is so close, we parked there for the remainder three days..
*Early Entry to FantasyLand and TooneTowne was worth it. M,T, T, S. We went on Tuesday. Arrived at the front gate by 7:20 (2nd in line).. We happened to be right near ToonTowne at 9am not realizing they opened at 10am. So, we took advantage of that early entry as well.
*Multiple FastPass really worked. Hubby would get 4 fastpass for each ride (even though, 4yr. & I didn't ride). hubby & 6yr. old would go on the ride twice, back to back. I think the most fastpass tickets we got at one time was 4 different rides.
*Stayed at Disneyland Hotel. Nothing to compare to, but glad we stayed on the resort. The monorail was so close (wasn't sure how far it would be, from the hotel). We stayed at the Marina Tower. We paid for standard, but asked for pool view, when we arrived (add'l charge, if requesting with reservations). Arrived at 9:45 am. Checked in - room with 2 dble beds only available.. decided to wait till later, for 2 queens-pool view. Went to D.L. Park. Wanted to enter at the main gate for the full effect (instead of the monorail, which takes you inside the park). The hotel held our luggage until we returned at 3pm or so for a break from the park..
Spent M @ D.L. Park, T @ both parks, W & TH were our off days, and Friday was Check out day by@11am and last of our 3-day hopper park day. But, we checked out by 8:30am. Hubby waited for bellman to pick up our luggage (hotel held, until we left the resort @ 9;30pm), while our girls (4 & 6) and I went and stood in line at the monorail. If you ask, they will give you a pool extention key, so you can still swim after you check out.
*Asked for a fridge.. not sure if all the rooms come with one. Small, but hey, it worked FINE! Brought lots of dry pre-packaged snacks from home. And, some fruit (bigger ice box for car ride). Brought ZipLock Bags :geek: , too (for anything. film.. leaky toiletries.. ) Brought a case of water, and left in car. (could have brought in with bellman). Stored a few at a time in the fridge. Brought Soda in Cans to drink in room. Brought Soda in bottles to bring into park. (Some stores now carry the 12 paks of smaller bottles.. but couldn't find Diet Pepsi). Brought in small Soft Lunch Bag which fit into my backpack.
*Details. It's true, their are lots of little details throughout the room and hotel. The room was standard. We got what we paid for. No complaints, but hubby could care less about the disney details. ON the other hand, 4 & 6 yr. old girls and myself, noticed and appreciated the little details. The small character topiary designs in the wall paper. The Bedspread: my 6yr. said, "we went on that ride and that ride"... My 4yr. old noticed the stars in the ceiling light fixture; the Mickey Hand Light fixtures, etc., etc. We would notice new things each day, it seemed like. We turned off the lights JUST to see the Pixie Dust Border on the wall below the ceiling. If I didn't read about it, I would have never noticed. We could barely see the glow. Maybe we didn't have enough bright light.
*Taking a shower was sometimes uncomfortable. Hot & Cold bouts of water.. Like the old plumbing, when someone flushes the toilet. This did not make hubby happy. Asked the maintenance man in the halls, and said it was like this throughout the hotel. Hubby got use to it.
*Noisy in hallways.. We could hear people in the hall (not continuously), or banging of some sort (CM room nearby), but we couldn't hear noise from the rooms around us.
*Goofy would appear in lobby area. So, we took photos and got his autograph without a big line. We also did Goofy's Kitchen character Breakfast, so he was there again, but in his chef outfit.
*Pool area was fun. 6yr. old LOVED the water slide. I tried it. It was pretty fun.. fast, too. And it is well watched by lifeguards at both ends. Spa was large. RC boats, but we didn't play ($2 I think).
*Ate at Crocs (like a fastfood kiosk).. Bought Burgers/Fries and Nachos. Took to our room and had our own Pepsis.
*Ate at Hooks Pointe .. Cool restuarant.. very modern design. Good steak and prawns/fettucini. Kids liked their burger and Mickeroni Pasta.
*Had reservations at Granville, but ran out of time. BEAUTIFUL, upscale restaurant. They said you could wear shorts, but I wish we had something nicer to wear.
*No coffee pot, but I think you could request one. NOt sure of the charge. We walked down to the coffee shop (inbetween Goofy's Kitchen and our tower).
But overall, I was happy with hotel. Stepped into the California Grand Hotel. BEAUTIFUL lobby area!! My girls even said, they wished they could "live here". (Sister & family stayed here and said it was great). Saw Corbin Bernstein (sp?). Remember him from L.A. Law? We went into the pool area, and the girls even thought that looked like more fun. BUT you know... they would have said the oppositive, had we stayed at CG and visited Disney Hotel.. huh! But, we just might have to stay here next time. So much for saving a buck and staying at a Good Neighbor hotel (our original plan). Being on the resort is so much easier. And it was really nice.
Since my report is long, I will break into sections. :geek:
*Although the AAA office is in D.L. Park, it is only opened from 11-6. This should be in Downtown Disney or something.. We did not get our lanyard till the 2nd day.
*Parking We paid $12 a day for Valet parking for the first two days. The hotel parking lot is so close, we parked there for the remainder three days..
*Early Entry to FantasyLand and TooneTowne was worth it. M,T, T, S. We went on Tuesday. Arrived at the front gate by 7:20 (2nd in line).. We happened to be right near ToonTowne at 9am not realizing they opened at 10am. So, we took advantage of that early entry as well.
*Multiple FastPass really worked. Hubby would get 4 fastpass for each ride (even though, 4yr. & I didn't ride). hubby & 6yr. old would go on the ride twice, back to back. I think the most fastpass tickets we got at one time was 4 different rides.
*Stayed at Disneyland Hotel. Nothing to compare to, but glad we stayed on the resort. The monorail was so close (wasn't sure how far it would be, from the hotel). We stayed at the Marina Tower. We paid for standard, but asked for pool view, when we arrived (add'l charge, if requesting with reservations). Arrived at 9:45 am. Checked in - room with 2 dble beds only available.. decided to wait till later, for 2 queens-pool view. Went to D.L. Park. Wanted to enter at the main gate for the full effect (instead of the monorail, which takes you inside the park). The hotel held our luggage until we returned at 3pm or so for a break from the park..
Spent M @ D.L. Park, T @ both parks, W & TH were our off days, and Friday was Check out day by@11am and last of our 3-day hopper park day. But, we checked out by 8:30am. Hubby waited for bellman to pick up our luggage (hotel held, until we left the resort @ 9;30pm), while our girls (4 & 6) and I went and stood in line at the monorail. If you ask, they will give you a pool extention key, so you can still swim after you check out.
*Asked for a fridge.. not sure if all the rooms come with one. Small, but hey, it worked FINE! Brought lots of dry pre-packaged snacks from home. And, some fruit (bigger ice box for car ride). Brought ZipLock Bags :geek: , too (for anything. film.. leaky toiletries.. ) Brought a case of water, and left in car. (could have brought in with bellman). Stored a few at a time in the fridge. Brought Soda in Cans to drink in room. Brought Soda in bottles to bring into park. (Some stores now carry the 12 paks of smaller bottles.. but couldn't find Diet Pepsi). Brought in small Soft Lunch Bag which fit into my backpack.
*Details. It's true, their are lots of little details throughout the room and hotel. The room was standard. We got what we paid for. No complaints, but hubby could care less about the disney details. ON the other hand, 4 & 6 yr. old girls and myself, noticed and appreciated the little details. The small character topiary designs in the wall paper. The Bedspread: my 6yr. said, "we went on that ride and that ride"... My 4yr. old noticed the stars in the ceiling light fixture; the Mickey Hand Light fixtures, etc., etc. We would notice new things each day, it seemed like. We turned off the lights JUST to see the Pixie Dust Border on the wall below the ceiling. If I didn't read about it, I would have never noticed. We could barely see the glow. Maybe we didn't have enough bright light.
*Taking a shower was sometimes uncomfortable. Hot & Cold bouts of water.. Like the old plumbing, when someone flushes the toilet. This did not make hubby happy. Asked the maintenance man in the halls, and said it was like this throughout the hotel. Hubby got use to it.
*Noisy in hallways.. We could hear people in the hall (not continuously), or banging of some sort (CM room nearby), but we couldn't hear noise from the rooms around us.
*Goofy would appear in lobby area. So, we took photos and got his autograph without a big line. We also did Goofy's Kitchen character Breakfast, so he was there again, but in his chef outfit.
*Pool area was fun. 6yr. old LOVED the water slide. I tried it. It was pretty fun.. fast, too. And it is well watched by lifeguards at both ends. Spa was large. RC boats, but we didn't play ($2 I think).
*Ate at Crocs (like a fastfood kiosk).. Bought Burgers/Fries and Nachos. Took to our room and had our own Pepsis.
*Ate at Hooks Pointe .. Cool restuarant.. very modern design. Good steak and prawns/fettucini. Kids liked their burger and Mickeroni Pasta.
*Had reservations at Granville, but ran out of time. BEAUTIFUL, upscale restaurant. They said you could wear shorts, but I wish we had something nicer to wear.
*No coffee pot, but I think you could request one. NOt sure of the charge. We walked down to the coffee shop (inbetween Goofy's Kitchen and our tower).
But overall, I was happy with hotel. Stepped into the California Grand Hotel. BEAUTIFUL lobby area!! My girls even said, they wished they could "live here". (Sister & family stayed here and said it was great). Saw Corbin Bernstein (sp?). Remember him from L.A. Law? We went into the pool area, and the girls even thought that looked like more fun. BUT you know... they would have said the oppositive, had we stayed at CG and visited Disney Hotel.. huh! But, we just might have to stay here next time. So much for saving a buck and staying at a Good Neighbor hotel (our original plan). Being on the resort is so much easier. And it was really nice.
Since my report is long, I will break into sections. :geek: