Matrixleos
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 3, 2021
My family first visited Disneyland a decade ago but that was a last minute rushed day trip from Los Angeles and we only spent 8 hours in the park. We're WDW veterans and I always wanted to have a "re-do" and considered our late July visit as our first. Since I wanted to be more prepared this time around and didn't know anything about the Disneyland Resorts. I've read every single posts here from mid-April about DLR to prepare for my family's late July visit. Also have watched countless hours of YouTube videos to understand as much as I could about the current state of the parks and how they operate.
I also created a Disneyland Resorts Planning and Information Thread at this link here. In case anyone else might be interested in some of the information I learned the past 3 months of planning I did....
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...d-information-thread-updated-7-12-21.3843617/
My wife and I especially were excited as it's been several years since we have visited a Disney park. Plus this was our first Disney vacation without needing any strollers for any our kids!!! Here's some info on my family...
DH 45 - I'm the Disney\Marvel\Star Wars super fan. I might have drove my family a bit crazy with all the Disneyland YouTube videos I watched!
DW 44 - My wife is also a big Disney fan and her only requirement for this trip was to ride her favorite ride, It's a Small World!
DD 17 - My daughter was my partner in crime, watching a lot of YouTube videos with me and was especially excited to taste all the different foods in the parks!
DS 14 - My older son is more of a huge Marvel fan but we did binge watched all the Star Wars movies two weeks before we left and he became a SW fan too!
DS 12 - My youngest son is a big Marvel and Disney fan too. He's full of energy but a bit worried about heights, so we'll see how he handles some of the rides!
Day 1 - July 28th - Arrival Day/Grand Californian/Downtown Disney!
Flight\Car Rental
We started the day pretty early and woke up at 5am est to eat a quick breakfast and drive to the airport. Our flight was leaving IAD at 8:45am est and arriving at LAX 11:00am pst. Luckily, we avoided some of the Washington DC\Maryland\Virginia traffic that early in the morning and I didn't see traffic forming till a bit after 6am. Once we arrived at IAD, it was pretty smooth sailing through security check point and we got to our gate about an hour early. I can't sleep on planes, so I usually watch a couple of movies and by the time I'm done, we have arrived. Movies I picked on the flight to LA was Ford vs Ferrari and Good Will Hunting (Love this film, must have seen it a dozen times)
The flight landed at LAX a little before 11:00am and we quickly went to Baggage Claim. We mostly all had carry-on luggage's and backpacks but we did check-in one large bag. Fortunately, our checked luggage was the 3rd one out and quickly grabbed it and we headed outside to catch the Rental Car buses. From past experience, I know some of these buses can take 20-30 minutes if you just miss boarding it. Luckily, the bus for our rental car company just pulled up just as we arrived. I had reserved a 7 passenger mini-van for a one way trip to Anaheim. Glad we went with a 7 passenger rental, between all the kids having their own space and all our luggage, it was a comfortable ride.
By the time we picked up the rental car and left, we were making great time as it just turned 12 noon.
1st stop - Raffi's Place, Glendale, CA
We drove 30 minutes from LAX to Glendale to eat lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the LA metro area, Raffi's Place. If you're a fan of middle eastern food, grilled meats and kebobs, then you won't find a better location. The food never disappoints and this has always been a MUST DO location for my family every time we visit the area.
2nd stop - Ralph's Grocery Store, Glendale, CA
Several great local grocery stores to select from. We've visited Jons and Ralph's several times each but slightly prefer Ralph's a bit better for overall selection of items. We stocked up on water to take to the hotel, snacks, drinks and other incidentals we might need during our week long trip.
3rd stop - Porto's Bakery and Café, Buena Park, CA
Amazing bakery that I highly recommend a visit too if you have some break time between Park Days. They have several locations in Southern California but the one we went to was in Buena Park, CA. This location is just a 10 minute drive to Disneyland and is very near Knott's Berry Farm. They have tons of great pastries, desserts and Cuban based sandwiches.
4th stop - Tropicana Inn & Suites, Anaheim, CA
Finally arrived at the Tropicana a little after 4pm. We did our Check-In for our 4 day/3 nights stay. Dropped off my wife and two kids at the hotel room, along with all of our luggage. DS14 and I then went to return our car rental, as we wouldn't need it while at the parks.
Final stop - Enterprise on Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA
At first glance, DS14 and I were planning to walk 2 miles from Enterprise back to the Tropicana. The drive on Harbor was great and very scenic. Although the further and further we went, we decided to skip the walk. Great thing about Enterprise, is they offer free pick up and drop off. So after we dropped off the rental, we scheduled a drop off and within a few minutes, we had someone drive us back to the Tropicana.
Disney's Grand Californian\Craftsman Bar and Grill
By the time we were dropped off back at the Tropicana, it was 5pm and we had a reservation at the Craftsman Bar at 7pm. So we decided to walk over early and explore the hotel. We perfectly caught the traffic light as it just turned green and it literally took us less than 5 minutes to leave the Tropicana, walk through security check point and to the Esplanade. I just love the Disneyland Esplanade, hearing all those classic Disney Theme songs, turning right to look at Disneyland and then turning to the left to see the Disney California Adventure Park entrance, it's just perfect!
Downtown Disney is just so much fun. It's not as massive as Disney Springs in Florida but they've beautifully did an great job at theming and everything felt so compact and close by. By watching YouTube videos, I exactly knew where the entrance to the Grand Californian was. Although I can understand how people who are new to the area can totally miss the entrance, if they're not looking at the right area. Saw a few people asking for directions and I helped a few people out with the location, without even visiting the hotel yet. LOL
The Grand it self was absolutely stunning! Loved the whole design and feel to it. First thing I did was stop by Guest Services and asked it they had any Disney buttons, as I didn't want to waste any time in the Park the next day searching for buttons near Disneyland's City Hall. The Cast Member at Guest Services said they do and if we're celebrating any special occasions. It was going to be my 45th birthday on July 29th and my wife and mine 20th wedding anniversary, so he got those out. I do have to give this CM much props, he was amazing and personally customized our button's with a sharpie. Just as we were going to walk away, he said to hold on, as he didn't want our kids to leave without a button. He didn't have anymore at Guest Services but he returned about a minute later and had one for each of our kids.
My favorite part of the lobby was the massive fireplace and no one was there, so we sat there for a few minutes. It was so much fun enjoying the rocking chairs near the fireplace and hearing the piano player performing Disney classics (my favorite was the Star Wars theme). Another great touch, as we were walking around the lobby, the piano player saw my birthday button and started playing the Happy Birthday song, which was a nice surprise. Overall the CMs at the Grand were all amazing and took time out to wish us a Happy Anniversary and Birthday to me.
Next we walked into the lobby Disney Store and started looking for souvenirs. I saw a lady looking at a throw pillow with a Disney Castle and the word HOME on it and knew my wife would love it but there was only one left on the shelf and it was in her hands. I started looking at other items but then out of the corner of my eye, I saw her put it back on the self. I then went and picked it up and showed it to my wife who loved it and I went to pay for it. This lady then commented "I was going to get that" which I then responded "It was on the self". This lady then asked the CM at the register if they had any more in stock, which the CM then said it was a very popular item and they don't have it in stock anymore. I could see this lady turning beet red and staring at me, which I then smiled and wished her a "Have a Great Day!" God help me, I don't know why I took so much pleasure out of that!
By this time it was 6:30pm and we decided to check out the Craftsman Grill and pool area. We asked the receptionist Craftsman Bar if we could check-in a bit early for our 7pm reservation and she said they will have a table ready for us right in front of the pool and shaded umbrella in about 5 minutes as another family of 5 was leaving. BTW, if interested in eating here, make a reservation. Saw about three families ask for stand-by wait to eat there, only to be told by the CM that they are fully booked with reservations only.
The menu at the Craftsman Bar had a ton of great options. We decided to go with the Cali Sliders and Margherita Pizza. Personally, the pizza was average at best. Maybe that's my growing up in NY\NJ pizza bias but wasn't a fan of the flavor of the sauce or cheese. The basil and fire roasted tomatoes were good, with the only other saving grace was the crispness and flavor of the crust. Overall I'd give the Margherita Pizza a 4/10. On the flipside, those Cali Sliders were on FIRE! Loved Them! The burger was seasoned perfectly, loved the overall flavor from the spiced hollandaise sauce and the pickled veggies were a great compliment. I would have easily have ordered another if anyone in my family would have shared them with me but they all were stuffed. Overall I'd give the Cali Sliders an easy 10 out of 10! Also the CM who was serving our table was amazing and surprised me with a birthday cupcake which I cut up into pieces and shared with the family. We all enjoyed it, very good flavor.
To wrap up the Grand Californian, we absolutely loved it. The look and vibe of the hotel is perfect and the Cast Members who work there, show a lot of attention to detail to all the guests who visit there. For this vacation, we just wanted a close by hotel to just sleep in, since most of our time would be in the parks. Although I can fully understand people who would pay more to stay here and be pampered. I love visiting and hotel hopping at WDW and the Grand Californian is right up there with any of the ones I visited\stayed at the WDW hotels.
Downtown Disney\Disneyland Hotel
Our next stop was to keep exploring DTD and also check out the Disneyland Hotel. I know how busy and packed DTD and the Esplanade would get after the Disneyland 9pm fireworks, so the goal was the finish up and be back at the Tropicana before 9pm. Visited several shops and really enjoyed DTD but the kids favorite was the Lego Store. The Beauty and the Beast, along with the Aladdin Lego displays were stunning. I was a fan of the Darth Vader Lego display on the 2nd floor. Great attention to detail and we had fun guessing how long I'd take us to complete one of those sets. BTW, so glad my kids have outgrown the Lego stage, no fun when they were kids to walk in my living room late at night and step on the sharp corner of one of the Lego pieces they'd leave behind!!!
Right around 8pm, we got to the Disneyland Hotel. Very fun and family friendly hotel. Wife and I loved the rose garden and all the different plant and tree arrangements around the hotel grounds. Fun to grab a drink at Trader Sam's and have to stay the theming is perfect, especially those lit tiki torches late at night. DS12 enjoyed jumping into and playing around a classic Autopia car in one of the Tower's lobby. Also saw the Steakhouse 55 location, too bad they closed it, would have loved to give it a try.
Overall, really enjoyed visiting the Disneyland Hotel, especially from the Disney historical aspect. Great family style hotel, especially with very cool pool area's. Who doesn't love monorail themed pool slides!
We were able to get back to DTD around 8:45pm and it was starting to get packed. We quickly made a bee line out and got back to the Tropicana around 8:57pm. Before we wrapped up the night, we decided to go to the 3rd floor (The Cove side, opposite the lobby) of the Tropicana and see if we would be able to see the 9pm Disneyland Fireworks. To my surprise, we had perfect views of the fireworks, which were a perfect ending to the night.
I also created a Disneyland Resorts Planning and Information Thread at this link here. In case anyone else might be interested in some of the information I learned the past 3 months of planning I did....
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...d-information-thread-updated-7-12-21.3843617/
My wife and I especially were excited as it's been several years since we have visited a Disney park. Plus this was our first Disney vacation without needing any strollers for any our kids!!! Here's some info on my family...
DH 45 - I'm the Disney\Marvel\Star Wars super fan. I might have drove my family a bit crazy with all the Disneyland YouTube videos I watched!
DW 44 - My wife is also a big Disney fan and her only requirement for this trip was to ride her favorite ride, It's a Small World!
DD 17 - My daughter was my partner in crime, watching a lot of YouTube videos with me and was especially excited to taste all the different foods in the parks!
DS 14 - My older son is more of a huge Marvel fan but we did binge watched all the Star Wars movies two weeks before we left and he became a SW fan too!
DS 12 - My youngest son is a big Marvel and Disney fan too. He's full of energy but a bit worried about heights, so we'll see how he handles some of the rides!
Day 1 - July 28th - Arrival Day/Grand Californian/Downtown Disney!
Flight\Car Rental
We started the day pretty early and woke up at 5am est to eat a quick breakfast and drive to the airport. Our flight was leaving IAD at 8:45am est and arriving at LAX 11:00am pst. Luckily, we avoided some of the Washington DC\Maryland\Virginia traffic that early in the morning and I didn't see traffic forming till a bit after 6am. Once we arrived at IAD, it was pretty smooth sailing through security check point and we got to our gate about an hour early. I can't sleep on planes, so I usually watch a couple of movies and by the time I'm done, we have arrived. Movies I picked on the flight to LA was Ford vs Ferrari and Good Will Hunting (Love this film, must have seen it a dozen times)
The flight landed at LAX a little before 11:00am and we quickly went to Baggage Claim. We mostly all had carry-on luggage's and backpacks but we did check-in one large bag. Fortunately, our checked luggage was the 3rd one out and quickly grabbed it and we headed outside to catch the Rental Car buses. From past experience, I know some of these buses can take 20-30 minutes if you just miss boarding it. Luckily, the bus for our rental car company just pulled up just as we arrived. I had reserved a 7 passenger mini-van for a one way trip to Anaheim. Glad we went with a 7 passenger rental, between all the kids having their own space and all our luggage, it was a comfortable ride.
By the time we picked up the rental car and left, we were making great time as it just turned 12 noon.
1st stop - Raffi's Place, Glendale, CA
We drove 30 minutes from LAX to Glendale to eat lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the LA metro area, Raffi's Place. If you're a fan of middle eastern food, grilled meats and kebobs, then you won't find a better location. The food never disappoints and this has always been a MUST DO location for my family every time we visit the area.
2nd stop - Ralph's Grocery Store, Glendale, CA
Several great local grocery stores to select from. We've visited Jons and Ralph's several times each but slightly prefer Ralph's a bit better for overall selection of items. We stocked up on water to take to the hotel, snacks, drinks and other incidentals we might need during our week long trip.
3rd stop - Porto's Bakery and Café, Buena Park, CA
Amazing bakery that I highly recommend a visit too if you have some break time between Park Days. They have several locations in Southern California but the one we went to was in Buena Park, CA. This location is just a 10 minute drive to Disneyland and is very near Knott's Berry Farm. They have tons of great pastries, desserts and Cuban based sandwiches.
4th stop - Tropicana Inn & Suites, Anaheim, CA
Finally arrived at the Tropicana a little after 4pm. We did our Check-In for our 4 day/3 nights stay. Dropped off my wife and two kids at the hotel room, along with all of our luggage. DS14 and I then went to return our car rental, as we wouldn't need it while at the parks.
Final stop - Enterprise on Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA
At first glance, DS14 and I were planning to walk 2 miles from Enterprise back to the Tropicana. The drive on Harbor was great and very scenic. Although the further and further we went, we decided to skip the walk. Great thing about Enterprise, is they offer free pick up and drop off. So after we dropped off the rental, we scheduled a drop off and within a few minutes, we had someone drive us back to the Tropicana.
Disney's Grand Californian\Craftsman Bar and Grill
By the time we were dropped off back at the Tropicana, it was 5pm and we had a reservation at the Craftsman Bar at 7pm. So we decided to walk over early and explore the hotel. We perfectly caught the traffic light as it just turned green and it literally took us less than 5 minutes to leave the Tropicana, walk through security check point and to the Esplanade. I just love the Disneyland Esplanade, hearing all those classic Disney Theme songs, turning right to look at Disneyland and then turning to the left to see the Disney California Adventure Park entrance, it's just perfect!
Downtown Disney is just so much fun. It's not as massive as Disney Springs in Florida but they've beautifully did an great job at theming and everything felt so compact and close by. By watching YouTube videos, I exactly knew where the entrance to the Grand Californian was. Although I can understand how people who are new to the area can totally miss the entrance, if they're not looking at the right area. Saw a few people asking for directions and I helped a few people out with the location, without even visiting the hotel yet. LOL
The Grand it self was absolutely stunning! Loved the whole design and feel to it. First thing I did was stop by Guest Services and asked it they had any Disney buttons, as I didn't want to waste any time in the Park the next day searching for buttons near Disneyland's City Hall. The Cast Member at Guest Services said they do and if we're celebrating any special occasions. It was going to be my 45th birthday on July 29th and my wife and mine 20th wedding anniversary, so he got those out. I do have to give this CM much props, he was amazing and personally customized our button's with a sharpie. Just as we were going to walk away, he said to hold on, as he didn't want our kids to leave without a button. He didn't have anymore at Guest Services but he returned about a minute later and had one for each of our kids.
My favorite part of the lobby was the massive fireplace and no one was there, so we sat there for a few minutes. It was so much fun enjoying the rocking chairs near the fireplace and hearing the piano player performing Disney classics (my favorite was the Star Wars theme). Another great touch, as we were walking around the lobby, the piano player saw my birthday button and started playing the Happy Birthday song, which was a nice surprise. Overall the CMs at the Grand were all amazing and took time out to wish us a Happy Anniversary and Birthday to me.
Next we walked into the lobby Disney Store and started looking for souvenirs. I saw a lady looking at a throw pillow with a Disney Castle and the word HOME on it and knew my wife would love it but there was only one left on the shelf and it was in her hands. I started looking at other items but then out of the corner of my eye, I saw her put it back on the self. I then went and picked it up and showed it to my wife who loved it and I went to pay for it. This lady then commented "I was going to get that" which I then responded "It was on the self". This lady then asked the CM at the register if they had any more in stock, which the CM then said it was a very popular item and they don't have it in stock anymore. I could see this lady turning beet red and staring at me, which I then smiled and wished her a "Have a Great Day!" God help me, I don't know why I took so much pleasure out of that!
By this time it was 6:30pm and we decided to check out the Craftsman Grill and pool area. We asked the receptionist Craftsman Bar if we could check-in a bit early for our 7pm reservation and she said they will have a table ready for us right in front of the pool and shaded umbrella in about 5 minutes as another family of 5 was leaving. BTW, if interested in eating here, make a reservation. Saw about three families ask for stand-by wait to eat there, only to be told by the CM that they are fully booked with reservations only.
The menu at the Craftsman Bar had a ton of great options. We decided to go with the Cali Sliders and Margherita Pizza. Personally, the pizza was average at best. Maybe that's my growing up in NY\NJ pizza bias but wasn't a fan of the flavor of the sauce or cheese. The basil and fire roasted tomatoes were good, with the only other saving grace was the crispness and flavor of the crust. Overall I'd give the Margherita Pizza a 4/10. On the flipside, those Cali Sliders were on FIRE! Loved Them! The burger was seasoned perfectly, loved the overall flavor from the spiced hollandaise sauce and the pickled veggies were a great compliment. I would have easily have ordered another if anyone in my family would have shared them with me but they all were stuffed. Overall I'd give the Cali Sliders an easy 10 out of 10! Also the CM who was serving our table was amazing and surprised me with a birthday cupcake which I cut up into pieces and shared with the family. We all enjoyed it, very good flavor.
To wrap up the Grand Californian, we absolutely loved it. The look and vibe of the hotel is perfect and the Cast Members who work there, show a lot of attention to detail to all the guests who visit there. For this vacation, we just wanted a close by hotel to just sleep in, since most of our time would be in the parks. Although I can fully understand people who would pay more to stay here and be pampered. I love visiting and hotel hopping at WDW and the Grand Californian is right up there with any of the ones I visited\stayed at the WDW hotels.
Downtown Disney\Disneyland Hotel
Our next stop was to keep exploring DTD and also check out the Disneyland Hotel. I know how busy and packed DTD and the Esplanade would get after the Disneyland 9pm fireworks, so the goal was the finish up and be back at the Tropicana before 9pm. Visited several shops and really enjoyed DTD but the kids favorite was the Lego Store. The Beauty and the Beast, along with the Aladdin Lego displays were stunning. I was a fan of the Darth Vader Lego display on the 2nd floor. Great attention to detail and we had fun guessing how long I'd take us to complete one of those sets. BTW, so glad my kids have outgrown the Lego stage, no fun when they were kids to walk in my living room late at night and step on the sharp corner of one of the Lego pieces they'd leave behind!!!
Right around 8pm, we got to the Disneyland Hotel. Very fun and family friendly hotel. Wife and I loved the rose garden and all the different plant and tree arrangements around the hotel grounds. Fun to grab a drink at Trader Sam's and have to stay the theming is perfect, especially those lit tiki torches late at night. DS12 enjoyed jumping into and playing around a classic Autopia car in one of the Tower's lobby. Also saw the Steakhouse 55 location, too bad they closed it, would have loved to give it a try.
Overall, really enjoyed visiting the Disneyland Hotel, especially from the Disney historical aspect. Great family style hotel, especially with very cool pool area's. Who doesn't love monorail themed pool slides!
We were able to get back to DTD around 8:45pm and it was starting to get packed. We quickly made a bee line out and got back to the Tropicana around 8:57pm. Before we wrapped up the night, we decided to go to the 3rd floor (The Cove side, opposite the lobby) of the Tropicana and see if we would be able to see the 9pm Disneyland Fireworks. To my surprise, we had perfect views of the fireworks, which were a perfect ending to the night.
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