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Cropper127
02-18-2002, 08:07 AM
Help from the experts;

I have just planned our first MAJOR family vacation for myself, my husband and 2 daughters (4 & 7). I have only been to Calif. once when I was 8ish.. so I don't remember much. (over 20yrs ago).
I have purchased a package through my agent. We will be there toward the end of June.
I would love any adivce or infor that anyone can give me. Will we be able to go on many rides? Since we will have to have the girls will us all the time. We are staying at the Disney Hotel...
PLEASE let me know any secrets you have or advice.
I would really appreciate it..
Thanks for you infor in advance..

Cropper127 in Colorado

MammaSilva
02-18-2002, 08:13 AM
Hi Cropper127, you need to give us a few more details before we can give any useful advice, first off, how long is your stay at the resort, how tall are your children, what is the main 'goal' of your trip? Are you ride orientated or are Character meet/greets a higher priority? are you the type family that wants/needs to sit down for meals all the time or are on the go fast food type meals the norm? all these things make the difference when talking about a "plan" for visiting the resort.....

Cropper127
02-18-2002, 08:22 AM
We will be there from Tuesday morning to Sunday Afternoon.. My 7yr old is about 47 inches. My 4 yr old is maybe 40ish.. I guess I should measure them.. We do both fast food and sit down. My biggest problems is I am the penny pincher.. My goal is to save up enough money that I won't even need to think about it.
I am sure the girls will love meeting all the characters. But I know my husband and I would love to go on some rides.. Isn't that what Disneyland is all about.:p
My girls like some rides but my oldest one is pretty timid. My littler one will try most anything.
I never thought of a goal for the trip.. the girls are very excited to ride on the plane and I want to take them to the beach for there first time.
I guess I just want to enjoy ourselves, take it easy, and stay relaxed..
I hope I have given enough information. You have made me think that there is more involved than buying the tickets. hehehehee.
Cropper127

MammaSilva
02-18-2002, 08:34 AM
Which airport are you flying into, and what transportation are you using to get from the airport to the hotel?

You have a nice time frame for your visit, tuesdays/wed are the lightest crowd days of the week, but the end of June the park is crowded all the time since it is summer vacation. There is some GREAT advice and information here..

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dlguide/

Cropper127
02-18-2002, 11:41 AM
We are flying in to LAX... and renting a car.. We figured it would be nec...
We also purchased tickets to Sea World and the Wild Animal Park.. Are there other MUST see attractions??
Your web link is VERY helpfull. IT will take me forever to read it all. But it very informative..
Thank you.
cropper127:D

tjrj
02-18-2002, 11:53 AM
Hi Cropper127. We're from Colorado too. For the flights out and back: I found those books on tape-Disney ones- with the book and the tape-invaluable for my youngest(the oldest-in high school got to take homework:D -poor guy. Also, both my husband and my youngest have a problem with motion sickness so draimine(??) was essential. Are you flying out of DIA? If so, you already know the problems with waits etc. It may be better by June-but I would arrive extra early for your flight.

Good vacation advice: plan what you want to do each day. Not down to the smallest detail but morning, afternoon and evening plans(think about where you might want to eat too. Priority reservations can be a lifesavers, especially during summer crowds).

Best vacation advice: water, water, water; sunscreen; and especially an afternoon break to nap or swim back at the hotel so you can relax and re-charge(so easy when you staying at the DL hotels).

I'm a reader-throughly enjoyed these two planning books: Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and Birnbaum's Disneyland.

disneynut
02-18-2002, 12:06 PM
Cropper127...I don't know how much advice you are going to get since we are all so quiet and don't voice our opinions much :rolleyes: :D . But here is my .02 and I will probably add to it as I think of more.

1. Measure your kids. The littlest one has to be 40'' to go on any of the coaster type rides at dl and 42'' or higher to go on some of the stuff at dca. This way you know if you will need to do the baby switch. (A ? for others out there...can you use the baby switch if your child just doesn't want to go on the ride but meets the height requirement?) They've started a new program at dl this fall where you can have your kids measured at the info desk (by the entrance to Adventureland) and they where a color coded wrist band that shows their height so they don't have to get measured at each individual ride. (hint...when your kids get measured make sure they stand with their heels touching the wall and they are standing straight to get the correct measurement.) By doing this one time measurement you will know right off which rides she can or can't go on.

2. Take advantage of fastpass. For rides like splash get your fastpass early. The autotopia line is a horrid line to have to stand in for stand by so I would definetly recommend the fastpass for this one too.

3. Try to see Believe and Fantasmic. Both are fabulous and will keep even your 4 year old's attention. ( This I know from experience).

4. There are fast food places located outside of the resort (McDonalds comes to mind) if you want a cheaper lunch. Also you can take snacky food into the park, just not a whole bunch. There is a lot of discussion as to what exactly is a whole bunch but from my experience in one day outing I had some bottled water packed as well as a baggie of cherrios and some fruit roll ups and they didn't say anthing when they checked my bags. (Having said that pack lightly because I'm sure the bag checkpoints are going to be horrendous this summer.) Another tip I have is when I was younger and we'd go on trips to dl my mother would always make loaves (and loaves :) ) of banana nut bread to have in the morning at our hotel for breakfast. Tasted good and saved a few dollars.

5. Knott's Berry Farm is also a fun amusement park located about 15 minutes from dl. They have a really nice water park called soak city (two separate admissions). We went last summer on a weekday and it wasn't nearly as crowded as I'd thought it was going to be. But you will also have fun at Sea World and The Wild Animal Park. I haven't been in years but it was great the last time we were there.

See I told you that you wouldn't get any advice. :D I'm sure you are going to have a wonderful vacation. How could you not...You're going to DL! :)

tabacco
02-18-2002, 12:36 PM
The best advice I can give about Disneyland is this: Don't rush.

If you're going to be there for multiple days then you have plenty of time to see and do whatever you want, even in the summer. Take it easy... don't run from attraction to attraction to show or you'll get tired and burn out very quickly on the whole thing. I know it's hard to do when you're at Disneyland with kids who are completely excited and want to do everything at once, but sometimes it's nice to just sit in the shade somewhere away from the crowds (I recommend the Disney Gallery balcony), relax, and maybe listen to one of the area bands. You'll certainly feel a whole lot better at the end.

As for cheap eating, I would suggest going off-property to eat. Although your daughters would probably enjoy the rainforest cafe once, I suggest heading across Harbor to Denny's or McDonald's where the food is a lot cheaper. If you're really ambitious, hope in the car and head somewhere even more off-property. There's a Spaghetti Factory on Ball, I believe, right near the Mickey and Friends entrance. There's also the Block, which has a ton of restaurants that might work for you. http://www.ocnow.com/restaurants/food/bestblockatorange.html has a list of many of them.

Cropper127
02-18-2002, 04:15 PM
You guys are terrific.. and a huge help..
Thank you for all of your advise and info..
You have given me alot to think about. I am assuming that it is ok to take a small back pack into the park? to carry the water? How does that work with the rides?
I am definitly buying a guide book. SOON... How else would I try to plan our days?
If you have anymore information, advise, Ideas or think there is something else I should know.. Please keep them coming...
How about Photo opportunities? I am in to Scrapbooking and I am hoping to have one whole book just for this vacation... What about autograph books.. are they a good idea or too hard to get? I don't want to meantion it to the girls and have them disappointed.
thanks again for all you help... You are terrific..
Cropper127

Matterhorn Fan
02-18-2002, 04:47 PM
And another one decides to chime in . . .

Originally posted by Cropper127
You guys are terrific.. and a huge help..
Thank you for all of your advise and info..
You have given me alot to think about. I am assuming that it is ok to take a small back pack into the park? to carry the water? How does that work with the rides?
I am definitly buying a guide book. SOON... How else would I try to plan our days?
If you have anymore information, advise, Ideas or think there is something else I should know.. Please keep them coming...
How about Photo opportunities? I am in to Scrapbooking and I am hoping to have one whole book just for this vacation... What about autograph books.. are they a good idea or too hard to get? I don't want to meantion it to the girls and have them disappointed.
thanks again for all you help... You are terrific..
Cropper127 Yes, you can take a backpack into the park. Personally, I don't like to carry a lot, though--they're checking all the bags at the entrances (which slows down park-hopping, so be sure to keep that in mind if you decide to go from park to park), so the less you have, the faster it goes. They sell straps for water bottles, but that's something you might be able to get somewhere else before you go for cheaper (if that's something you want). As for bags on the rides, usually it's no problem. Most of the rides are pretty tame, so you can just put it by your feet. For Grizzly River Run there are lockers, and if you go on coasters, make sure you stick your foot through the strap so the bag doesn't fly out. I've never lost anything (OK, I've almost lost baseball caps on Space Mountain--either hang on to them or put them in your bag).

You can always leave food, water, and stuff in the lockers outside the parks, but if you're staying on property, your hotel room should work just as well. ;)

If you haven't already go to Disneyland.com (http://www.disneyland.com). It's not really the best resource, but they list all the attractions, you can get show/parade/fireworks times, park hours, etc. Keep checking back, since things change. They also have a feature where you can print a list of all the things you want to do--or more practically, the things you'll be disappointed to have missed when you get home and realize you forgot about them.

Photo opportunities are all over the park. It might be fun to give each of your kids a disposable camera to record the park "as they see it" in addition to the pictures you take. As for meeting the characters (great photo ops), around opening just inside the gates, at various times over by Lincoln on Main St., and in ToonTown are the places I see the characters most often. The best times are in the morning, but the characters will be out other times--maybe someone else here knows where to ask to get more specific information about this? It must be available (try City Hall?).

For your scrapbooks you can also save things like receipts, unused FastPasses (if you have any), and other little "freebie" type things.

Autograph books are available almost everywhere. They're at the souvenier stands right by the DL entrance, in the Emporium, and probably in any shop. Non-character cast members are most always glad to give autographs as well (probably more glad for kids than for me, but I've gotten them before). Have a pen that Mickey will be able to hold with those big gloves.

They also sell books to put pressed pennies in, and there are a lot of coin-squishing machines in both parks.

If anyone has a birthday while you're there, be sure to get a birthday sticker at City Hall.

disneynut
02-18-2002, 08:24 PM
Originally posted by Matterhorn Fan
Photo opportunities are all over the park. It might be fun to give each of your kids a disposable camera to record the park "as they see it" in addition to the pictures you take.

What a great idea Matterhorn Fan. I've never thought to do that but I'm sure my oldest would get a big kick out of that. Thanks!!

Cropper127...Mickey and Minnie both have their own houses in ToonTown and it's a great place to get family photos and a couple of minutes of one on one time with the characters. It's nice because you can assure that your children get to see the characters without somebody else's child running up. Pooh and his friends also have a special area and so does Ariel. The autograph books are fun and if you fill out the front with your child's name a lot of characters will personalize their notes. The autograph books are also nice if your children have fear of the characters. My daughter wasn't a big fan of the characters until we figured out to put a book in her hands and now there is no stopping her.

As for your backpack...word of advice. If you rent a stroller ( I don't know if your youngest wears out or not--my 4 year old likes to ride in it at night) do not leave the backpack or anything else you value in this stroller when you go on the rides. You'll be tempted because you see everyone else doing it but they do have a problem with things being taken out of the strollers.

Also the CM's are really nice about taking family photos with your camera if you want a picture. That way you can be in the pictures too! So if you see one around and want a picture don't be afraid to ask.

MouseWife
02-20-2002, 09:19 AM
The pressed pennies are a fun collection to get started. Can become annoying, when you just don't want to hassle with it but they do, but that goes with just about every other thing they are into, no?

We have been collection pressed pennies for years. I have a book from Disneyland, Universal and Knott's. People give us funny looks sometimes, asking Why? Some kids will say, Ha, they are paying for a squished penny! Grrr.

Anywho, they have those machines all over! I've gotten them from Yosemite, Winchester House, Monterey and everywhere in between! Sea World has them as well as the Wild Animal Park.

Oh, did you choose Wild Animal Park? The San Diego Zoo is huge and you could take advantage of being down here to see, ah, oh Old Town, Balboa Park, and Coronado beach. It is a little farther down, about 1/2 an hour {not sure} but might get you to see more. Just a thought.

Have Fun!!!

KarenW2
02-20-2002, 09:45 AM
Something else that hasn't been mentioned yet. Did you know they have a picnic area, outside the Disneyland entrance, with tables (and umbrellas I believe), where you can have a nice picnic?

It's been there ever since the park opened in 1955 I think, especially since that's where my parents always took us to eat when we went to the park back then! You could get food from "outside" (either from fast food places or assembled from local grocery store purchases, if you really want to save $), bring it into the picnic area and enjoy a nice, relaxing lunch, away from the hustle & bustle of the crowd inside the park.

If I remember correctly, there are lockers there, so you could drop your stuff off before going into the park & retrieve it when it's lunch time.

Also, if there was a chance to get a shuttle flight added into your schedule, John Wayne Airport (Orange County) is MUCH closer to Disneyland & a lot less hasssle than LAX. The 15 mins or so that it takes to fly from LAX to OC is well worth it!

Don't forget about Legoland, if your kids would like that! It's in Carlsbad, about an hour or so away from Disneyland. LOTS to see and do in San Diego area too.

Feel free to ask more questions & I'll do my best to answer. I've lived in Southern California all my life and tho I've done a lot of travelling, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

socabch
02-20-2002, 07:30 PM
You mentioned taking the girls to the beach. Since you purchased Sea World tickets, take a look at the beaches in San Diego. Mission Bay Park is pretty close to Sea World and is a great place for small children afraid of waves. But if you want to be near waves try Pacific Beach near the pier. Alot of little shops and places to eat. I live in this area of San Diego and will never leave because of the atmosphere. Southern Ca has the most beautiful beaches so no matter where you decide to go it will be a nice experience.

I agree with the MP'ers who suggested autograph books. My oldest is 14 and she still looks thru it a remembers when she got them. Some of the characters she has aren't around anymore so it is definately a keepsake.

Keep reading the MP site and you'll get all kinds of hints on how to make your visit worthwhile.:)

Cropper127
02-21-2002, 06:17 AM
I appreciate all the information!! I want to make this a very special trip for my family. I keep printing all the information and making a folder so I will have it to look at the closer we get. I am a very impatient person, so it is hard for me to wait till JUNE!! So, to keep me busy now, I am trying to get prepared. I am thinking of making my daughters their autograph books. How many pages do you think I should put in it. I thought about having the charactors sign the right side of the page and leave the left side open for pictures of them with the charactors.
Our package is already purchased:crying: I wish I would have found this site sooner. I didn't know about the different airports, or that I really should go to the zoo.. I just figure "a zoo is a zoo"..
Keep the advise coming. You have all been a great help.
Cropper127

MouseWife
02-21-2002, 06:27 AM
Well, what ever you do, you won't miss the zoo. Your days will be filled.

I just think it is awesome that you guys are coming from out of state.

I know that sounds silly, as thousands of people travel from out of state {country} to Disneyland.

I have been spoiled living so close by. I wonder if we would go if we lived out of state.

hbquikcomjamesl
02-21-2002, 07:48 AM
Remember, both facilities (the original Zoo in Balboa Park, and the Wild Animal Park in the San Pasqual Valley) are owned and operated by the San Diego Zoological Society. (I'm a card-carrying member; it gets me into both facilities free; the only catch is that I have to go on exhibit once a year; they usually put me into a cage on Primate Mesa, right next to a howler monkey.)

Seriously, though, while the San Diego Zoo is easily one of the largest in North America, the Wild Animal Park is so large that the largest enclosure could completely swallow the entire Balboa Park facility.

It's possible to visit both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park both in the same day, but only if you get an early start.

If you decide to go to the Zoo as well as Sea World and the Wild Animal Park, and you're in the Balboa Park area on Sunday afternoon, there is a free concert every Sunday afternoon at 2:00 P.M. at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, about a 5-10 minute walk due south from the Zoo entrance.

Personally, I haven't been to Knotts in many years, and I haven't been to Sea World in even longer.

Matterhorn Fan
02-21-2002, 11:48 AM
The SD Zoo isn't "just a zoo." I haven't been there in years, but I remember it being huge and I was really tired (I was also probably about 8).

Now, granted, I'm NOT a zoo fan (i prefer aquariums), but the kid inside of me is saying right now: "What? Leave Disneyland to do ANYTHING else in So Cal?"

As an annual passholder, I don't really feel this way anymore (after all, I'll be back soon enough--ok, it's never soon enough, but sooner than many people). As a kid, I hated driving by Disneyland on the way to Knott's or Universal. It just doesn't feel right, especially when I stop and think to myself "I'd be having more fun at Disneyland" (I know, I shouldn't compare). If this is a "let's see CA" trip, it makes sense to do all this stuff. If this is a "let's go to Disneyland and see the rest of CA, too" trip, I feel a little differently (but that's just me, and I'm a total DL junkie).

That said, Medieval Times is super-cheesy, but a really fun place to go for dinner, and only a few minutes away from DL (no highway driving necessary). You can safely skip the museum of torture there, by the way.

MammaSilva
02-21-2002, 02:43 PM
You have gotten some great advice on things to do and stuff to see, but I keep going back to the fact that you arrive on tuesday and leave on sunday...and your kids are pretty young so probably won't handle 12-14 hour days well and let's face it if they are tired and cranky why bother going to do anything .. it won't be fun for them or you....you need to sift thru all the ideas and decide which are most important to you...the beach...you've already spent money on the Wildlife Park and Seaworld and those take up a full day not including the drive time from Anaheim down to San Diego...I haven't driven it lately but I feel safe in guessing you are looking at a 90 minute drive each direction at a minimum. Medieveal times was mentioned and we've gone twice, it is fun it is cheesy it is NOT worth the price for a 4 or 7 year old IMHO unless they are into the Medieval stuff.... take it from someone who has been there done that and have the mental scars to prove it.. if you want to get home with WONDERFUL memories of this trip step back and pick just a few things that will be the most important, you don't want to be spending your entire trip on a schedule watching the time and dragging the kids from here to there at a non stop pace. Knotts Berry Farm is a classic and while my daughter hates the place when you get back to Colorado people will ask if you saw it...it's about six miles from disneyland and I'd recommend it over Medieval times if you are considering going over to Buena Park...and it's actually less expensive ....the bottom line is there is NO way you can go and do and see everything in the area that is available in your time frame so discuss it with the kids and hubby and say ok, here is what we can do what is important to you... is it spending extra time someplace or seeing each place for a brief amount of time and move on to the next.. None of us can make that call for you and your family

RideMax Mark
02-21-2002, 06:55 PM
You're probably suffering from severe "overload" with all of the suggestions that have been given so far, but I've got a couple more!

The first one is to arrive early at the park. Especially if the park opens at 8:00am, you'll find you can basically walk-on anything until about 9:15am or so. This gives you a solid hour of crowd-free touring. The afternoon break back at the hotel will probably be necessary if you follow this advice, but I find it much better to arrive early and take a break in the afternoon, rather than sleep in and arrive after the crowds have already built up. It's your vacation, though, so you'll have to decide upon your own pace.

The other suggestion is to take maximum advantage of FASTPASS, as others have said. One subtle trick with FP is that the CMs will almost always let you use it even if it expired several hours earlier, so be sure to ask (as long as it's the same day). This also lets you grab a FP on your way out of the park before your afternoon break, and use it later in the evening. Sometimes it saves a LOT of stress if you know you don't have to hit the 1-hour FP return window.

Have a great trip!

Mark
---
Spend less time in line with RideMax for Disneyland! (http://www.ridemax.com)

jslivinski
03-21-2002, 12:48 PM
1. I would suggest using a stroller for your 4 year old, you can get around much faster and you don't need to worry about her/him getting lost. You can rent them in the park, but I would suggest getting your own as you cannot leave the park with their strollers. So even though you are staying on-site there is still the walk to the hotel. Having a stroller allows you to manuver quickly and you have the insurance that the kids won't get separated.

Disneyland has jogger style strollers which they rent for $7.00 a day (no double strollers) or you can go to Toys R' Us or Target and buy an umbrella stroller (about $20.00). Both are located about a 5 minute drive from Disneyland on Harbor Blvd.

2. Be wary of the "dark rides" in Fantasyland, they can be scary. I would suggest starting with Peter Pan as it is the least scary. Snow White & Pinoccio are probably the scariest.

3. Over at the Disneyland Hotel is the Magic Waters show. The stage is at the left/rear of the complex and there are 2-3 shows nightly. It's a good little show, especially if you/the kids don't want to go to Fanstasmic. They have benches around the area and a gazebo (we sat in the gazebo). Usually people don't arrive until 5-10 minutes before the show.

4. The last couple of times we have watched the parade from the grotto by the Teacups. My son sat on the wall and the view is good, without the battle for the sidewalk. The 1st time we just happened to stumble upon the spot and it wasn't to crowded. This past time it filled up 30-45 minutes before the parade. One nice thing about this spot is that people are not allowed to stand in front of the wall.

5. We usually watch the fireworks from the end of the pier by the Matterhorn (can't think of the area name). It quite (only a handful of people are there), you can pull up chairs or benches and the view is excellent, although you don't get to see tinkerbell or any of the castle fire works.

6. When saving a spot, my husband will normally hold the spot while I take the kids on a few rides to keep them occupied.

7. You might check with the hotel about baby sitting. I know that the Grand Californian has a baby sitting center.

8. Definately use the child switch program. They have this on most of the more popular rides (rollercoasters) you can get a pass to go on (usually thru the exit or the fast pass line) when your hubby gets off. It's purpose is for adults with children to be able to go on rides the children are unable to or do not want to go on. We use it to get extra rides for our son. (ie. he loves Thunder Mountain, so my hubby will wait in line with him while I wait with our daughter and then when they get off I go on with him).

9. There is a Disney Character Warehouse (discount store) close by (20 minute drive). North of Disneyland off Harbor. It's a great way to get souviners cheap the kids don't care that their t-shirt is last years model as long as it has Mickey and Co. on it.

Disney Character Warehouse Thread (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3104&)

Map (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&address=233+Orangefair+Mall&city=Fullerton&state=CA&zipcode=&homesubmit.x=49&homesubmit.y=9)

I hope this information is helpful to you. I've pieced it together from emails to friends who were planning trips in the past.

ENJOY YOUR TRIP

jslivinski
03-21-2002, 01:09 PM
San Diego:

It's been years since we've been to San Diego, but I think you'll enjoy the Wild Animal Park (WAP). The zoo is nice, but my feeling is if you've seen one, you've seen them all, although San Diego does have a great one. WAP on the other hand was unique and different and we really enjoyed it.

You might want to consider getting a room down in San Diego for when you go to WAP and Sea World. I may be stretching it, but you should expect a 2 hour trip each way.

Back to Disneyland:

Someone already mentioned it, but this is a strong second for getting to the park at opening. It will be hours before the park starts getting busy and then you'll be ready to head in for a nap. Also, although they no longer have early entry I understand that they actually open an hour before the published time. You'll want to verify that information.

MonorailMan
03-21-2002, 02:22 PM
Other Tips:

DCA Tips:
If your only coming out here for a few days, make one day a California Adventure day, DCA is very easy to knock out in a day, also while in DCA, make sure you at least hit Soarin', GRR, and Screamin'. Also arrive for Screamin' early, when I was there on Tues. they ran out of FastPasses by 1pm. GRR only had a 7 min. wait, and Soarin' had a 20 min wait. Also, with the 4 year old, you might want to skip It's Tough To Be A Bug, and other 3D shows, they are Very loud. Also, drop by the Mission Tortilla booth very late, because you may get a whole tortilla instad of just a 1/2. Also DCA shuts down earler than DL, BUT many shows run right near closing. :)

Now 1 Last DL Tip:
Ride the Monorail at least once. ;)

socabch
03-21-2002, 08:39 PM
You might want to consider getting a room down in San Diego for when you go to WAP and Sea World. I may be stretching it, but you should expect a 2 hour trip each way.

Good point on knowing the travel time between SD and DLR. It's about 1 hr 10 min in the carpool lane one way to Sea World from DLR. I live one exit from Sea World so this I know pretty well. WAP is another story. Since it is on the outskirts of Escondido/San Marcos area, that's north of San Diego. You might want to check mapquest for that one. If I remember right it takes about 45 min from SD to WAP. Also, as mentioned already, getting a room for the night might be a good idea. Hotel Circle off of Hwy 8 has alot of places with decent rates. It's very close to Sea World.

Iceman
03-21-2002, 09:15 PM
I would recommend getting a babysitter for one evening (the Disneyland Hotel can set this up for you) so that you and your husband can have a "date" with just the two of you. I would recommend just walking over to Downtown Disney, having a nice romantic meal at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, doing some shopping, and maybe catching a movie at the AMC theaters. It would be a great way for you to unwind and would give the kids something different, too!