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bduff
05-23-2006, 08:06 AM
This is a trip report . . . sort of. This will be a lengthy enough post without covering everything, so I’ll just comment on aspects of our DLR trip where I used information gleaned from trip reports and posts on this site to figure out how we wanted to do things. We just completed a vacation that started in San Diego for 4 nights, and finished at DLR for an additional 4 nights (Sat 5/21 being our last night). It was great and exhausting at the same time. In an odd sort of way, it is hard work having so much fun!

Making Trip Arrangements
We stayed at the GCH. We made our trip arrangements in mid-February, at a time that Alaska Airline’s KFF was still going on – sort of. Evidently May is too close to peak season for them to be serious about it. The flight times they offered were so impractical that we quickly decided we were better off elsewhere. True even though the flights we wanted were only 10% or so filled up at the time we were making arrangements. We actually got a decent deal going through the Walt Disney Travel Company (i.e., the Disney web site). Slightly better rates than Expedia was showing, with a few useful freebies besides (e.g., preferred seating to Aladdin, Mickey’s Morning Madness). We found out later that several conferences were going on, so the GCH was completely booked up while we were there, even though the parks themselves were not that crowded. That meant there were no good deals to be had on room rates.

Early Entry
This was one freebie from the Walt Disney Travel Company that was superfluous for us. Evidently every guest of the GCH (and presumably the other 2 Disney properties) gets the same EE privileges, regardless if they book through the Walt Disney Travel Company or not.

Room Type
We had previously stayed at the GCH in 9/2004, and had a room overlooking the courtyard. That was fine, and we weren’t planning on paying extra for a premium view. As it turned out, because of those conferences, the only way to get the dates we wanted were to go with a theme park view room . . . and it was great! We were looking over GRR, and felt like we were almost in the parks even when we were in the room. I don’t know if next time I would pay extra for a theme park view, but I might – it was that nice.

Rental Car
We got a rental car for getting around San Diego (which was one great recommendation I got from threads here on this site), and used the rental car to get to DL. That meant a one way rental. Alamo was the company we used – but they don’t make it easy! Several representatives from their 1-800 number told me that renting a car in San Diego and dropping it off in Anaheim was not possible! That seemed so improbable to me for the “official rental car of DL” that I kept on trying. Finally I called the Downtown Disney location for Alamo directly, and someone there was able to make the arrangements for me – but only after having to hit some type of override herself to get around their system defaults. Their system is not geared up for one-way rentals. I still don’t know if you can just drop the car off at a Disney hotel. I talked to people at Alamo and the GCH that said you can without incurring any extra fee, and I talked to several people who said you can’t. For peace of mind, I just drove to the nearby Alamo site on Katella, and they drove me back to the hotel. They even made a special trip and dropped off a notebook to the GCH that my daughter had left in the car – something they didn’t have to do. Thanks Alamo!

Fireworks Viewing
We arrived about 40 minutes ahead of time, and the really prime spots were already taken, but still staked out a spot towards the end of Main Street with a prime view of the Castle. To call this a fireworks show doesn’t do justice to it. If you are in a spot where you can literally see the fireworks, but can’t see the lighting effects on the castle itself, you are missing a good part of the show.

Character Breakfasts
We did Goofy’s Kitchen in 9/2004, and the Storyteller’s Café this time. Both are great. Better food at Storyteller’s and the atmosphere is less manic – which is either good or bad, depending on what you want. It suited us well this time.

Ariel’s Grotto
We did this last time and again this time. Both times, the service was excruciatingly slow. I appreciate that they are not trying to rush the service, in order to give the characters time to circulate. Still, it would be nice if they brought the food faster, which would give you the choice about whether to linger to see more characters or not.

F! Premium Viewing
F! wasn’t going in 9/2004, so we were anxious to see it this time after reading so much about it. It was as good as advertised. We got the Riverside Seats. I haven’t sat in the balcony, so can’t compare it from experience, but will say that being close enough to feel the mist, the heat from the fire, and just feel like you are in the thick of it was great (which is exactly what several threads I read has commented when comparing the two). I was surprised that the Riverside Seating was not sold out, although we were at the 10:30 show. Also surprised that some standing room viewing just in front of us wasn’t filled up until maybe 10 minutes before the show – I had the impression that good viewing spots filled up a long time before the show. Still, it was worth the extra money to be able to sit down and know our kids would see the show without worrying about someone tall being in front of us.

By the way, it is quite the adventure to get from the EP in DCA over to the 10:30 F! show. Everyone is heading from DCA to DL at the same time, and the lines to enter DL are huge. They move fairly quickly, but by then the fireworks show was beginning and of course Main Street is packed. They use legions of cast members to keep a corridor open that guests who are trying to get to Frontier Land can use, but it isn’t easy.

bradk
05-23-2006, 08:11 AM
just a minor clarification: early entry is not a perk of booking a package. it's a perk of purchasing a 3 day+ hopper bonus ticket.

BCmomof3
05-23-2006, 09:19 AM
Thank-you for your report.
What day of the week did you see the Fireworks? What day did you see Fantasmic? And what day did you see EP?
I will be at DL from the May 26th and would appreciate that info. Thanks!

bduff
05-23-2006, 09:31 AM
We were at the parks on Thu-Fri-Sat. Fireworks, EP, and F! were going weekends only (Fri-Sat-Sun). We did the fireworks on Fri, and the EP followed by the 10:30 F! on Sat. Made for a very long, but very fun Sat. We ended up seeing part of the fireworks show again on Sat as we were fighting our way through the crowds to get to F! There was actually plenty of time to get to F! before 10:30, our rush was to get there as close to the 9:30 check in (for the premium seating) as we could. Your actual seats for the Riverside Seating are assigned at the time you check in.

BCmomof3
05-23-2006, 12:43 PM
I am planning on doing EP and late fantasmic on May 27, a Sat., as well!
But we are not doing reserved seating.
My Eldest daughter is seriously allergic to peanuts and so I can't be sure the desert buffet would be "safe" for her and I hate eating in front of her. So we will just have to hope we can get a space when the earlier crowd leaves.
How long is the show?
The firewoeks will be on every dayafter that weekend though...

Frogberto
05-23-2006, 01:12 PM
...So we will just have to hope we can get a space when the earlier crowd leaves. How long is the show?

Fantasmic is 17 minutes long. Watch the fireworks from the hub near the Frontierland entrance. Then as soon as the fireworks end, move into Frontierland, where you'll see a cast member with a rope. Once she opens the rope, move your way with the crowd towards the Fantasmic seating, and you'll have no problems finding a seat, especially if you look more towards the Haunted Mansion side.

As an alternative, you can also ride the train to the New Orleans Station and get off at the station (which is in front of Fantasmic), but you'll miss the fireworks. Train service is sometimes suspended during the fireworks shows as well.

BCmomof3
05-23-2006, 07:52 PM
Oh Frogberto! You are a gem!:)