Our Notes for our First Trip to Disneyland

[JanetRose]

My daughter, now 19 years old, and I have visited WDW about a dozen times. I decided that we probably should travel to Disneyland at least once. We will be arriving on Sunday, 12 March for six nights at the Doubletree. We are landing at the John Wayne Airport. We plan on taking the Disneyland Resort Express shuttle and spending that afternoon and evening visiting Downtown Disney; having dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen and visiting the three Disney resorts. We have 5- day passes so will not visiting the parks until the next day, Monday.

I have a list of all 50 Golden Hidden Mickeys that I’m going to help my daughter try and find.

We’re taking both the Welcome to Disneyland Tour and A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour. The Welcome to Disneyland Tour is scheduled for our first full day at the park.

I hope we get to ride everything at least once (I have no desire to ride the Mad Tea Cups) and see all or most of the entertainment offered.

Our choices for Breakfast: Mimi’s Café, Carnation Café, and Eat at our hotel, Doubletree

Choices for Lunch/Dinner (in order): Mimi’s Café, Carnation Café, French Market, Pacific Wharf Café, Strips Dips 'n Chips, River Belle Terrace, Bengal Barbecue, Rancho del Zocalo, Plaza Inn, Golden Horseshoe, Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port, Hungry Bear Restaurant and Taste Pilots’ Grill

We also have reservations for the Rainforest Cafe

Snacks to try: Corn Dog, Churros, Chocolate cake at Golden Horseshoe, Turkey Leg, Dole whip, Frozen banana, Tigger Tails, Frozen lemonade, Beignets, Strawberries dipped in Chocolate

Dining notes on what to order:
Carnation Café-Pot roast
Plaza Inn-Fried chicken
French Market Restaurant-Fried chicken, beef stew, Clam chowder
Hungry Bear Restaurant-Good burgers
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante’-Barbecued chicken and ribs, prime rib
Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port-Chicken fusili
Pizza Oom Mow Mow-Good pasta
Pacific Wharf Café-Best ‘fast food’ and bread
Taste Pilots’ Grill-Good hamburgers
Rainforest Café-Coconut shrimp

 

[GailT]

Hope you have a FUNtastic time. Like you I am doing the same thing, been to WDW everyother years since my son was 2 now he is 23 and I am going to DL. I hate change but I think it will be fun and exciting for me and also for you.

 

[crs7568]

We are also trying something different and going to Disneyland instead of WDW this year. My daughter loves looking for hidden Mickey's. Could you tell me where you found the list?

Hope you have a great vacation! I am amazed at how well planned you are!

 

[being-dragged-to-DL]

Yes... the tea cups ride. I GOT SICK!!! My little family decided to super spin the cup, and I paid the price the rest of the day! It was almost funny... yet, not quite! My head finally mellowed out after a little nap and some food. I thought that would be a tame ride! Ha ha on me!

 

[jlmarr]

My daughter loves looking for hidden Mickey's. Could you tell me where you found the list?

You can view a map at City Hall, and I think there's one in the sticky notes at the top of this forum. Note that these are not hidden Mickey's in the classic sense. They are representations of the Disneyland 50 logo, and they're "woven" into various locations in the park. They're all in plain sight and visible from walkways (you don't need to ride any ride). The first 45 or so are fairly easy, but there are always a few that you might overlook. Each one on the Main Street lampposts counts. I'll give you this much of a hint - there are 3 in Toontown, and 2 in Critter Country. Most are cleverly themed into their locations, and the sizes range from very small to very large. For most fun I'd say don't look at the map until you're absolutely stumped. I got 45 without help, you might do better. Enjoy!

 

[AspiringCindy]

My daughter, now 19 years old, and I have visited WDW about a dozen times. I decided that we probably should travel to Disneyland at least once. We will be arriving on Sunday, 12 March for six nights at the Doubletree. We are landing at the John Wayne Airport. We plan on taking the Disneyland Resort Express shuttle and spending that afternoon and evening visiting Downtown Disney; having dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen and visiting the three Disney resorts. We have 5- day passes so will not visiting the parks until the next day, Monday.

I have a list of all 50 Golden Hidden Mickeys that I’m going to help my daughter try and find.

We’re taking both the Welcome to Disneyland Tour and A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour. The Welcome to Disneyland Tour is scheduled for our first full day at the park.

I hope we get to ride everything at least once (I have no desire to ride the Mad Tea Cups) and see all or most of the entertainment offered.

Our choices for Breakfast: Mimi’s Café, Carnation Café, and Eat at our hotel, Doubletree

Choices for Lunch/Dinner (in order): Mimi’s Café, Carnation Café, French Market, Pacific Wharf Café, Strips Dips 'n Chips, River Belle Terrace, Bengal Barbecue, Rancho del Zocalo, Plaza Inn, Golden Horseshoe, Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port, Hungry Bear Restaurant and Taste Pilots’ Grill

We also have reservations for the Rainforest Cafe

Snacks to try: Corn Dog, Churros, Chocolate cake at Golden Horseshoe, Turkey Leg, Dole whip, Frozen banana, Tigger Tails, Frozen lemonade, Beignets, Strawberries dipped in Chocolate

Dining notes on what to order:
Carnation Café-Pot roast
Plaza Inn-Fried chicken
French Market Restaurant-Fried chicken, beef stew, Clam chowder
Hungry Bear Restaurant-Good burgers
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante’-Barbecued chicken and ribs, prime rib
Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port-Chicken fusili
Pizza Oom Mow Mow-Good pasta
Pacific Wharf Café-Best ‘fast food’ and bread
Taste Pilots’ Grill-Good hamburgers
Rainforest Café-Coconut shrimp

WOW!...you are super organized! Please post a food review when you return!

 

[5-4-fun]

Yes... the tea cups ride. I GOT SICK!!! My little family decided to super spin the cup, and I paid the price the rest of the day! It was almost funny... yet, not quite! My head finally mellowed out after a little nap and some food. I thought that would be a tame ride! Ha ha on me!

I am with you! Our last trip I didn't have any problem on the roller coasters or any other ride, but the teacups were awful. The more I begged the kids to stop spinning, the faster they went. Ugh! What a nightmare! I won't be joining them on the teacups this trip!

 

[ReneeB]

Wow! You really are organized. This is a great list and you certainly have thought of alot of things. Sounds like you're going to have a great trip.

Here's a few more suggestions that maybe you haven't thought of, that you might want to consider.

Print out a list of the 50 year penny machines. They are spread all over the resort, a penny for each year and 3 pennies in a machine. It's really been entertaining trying to get them all and it's a fun thing to incorparte into your trip. Also when you're done you have a lovely souvenir penny book full of 50th anniversary pennies.

You may also want to look up some hidden mickeys or secrets of disneyland before you go. There are some fun ones to look for, like the one on the dining table of the Haunted Mansion ball scene, and the spiderweb in the same scene, that disguises a bullet hole.

Riding everything is a great goal. There are afew things that should definately be ridden twice if possible. Pirates and Haunted Mansion are always two-fors on my trips (If Pirates is open). Thunder Mountain should be ridden once in the daytime and once at night (try and sit towards the back of the train for a better ride). The rides in Toontown are generally not worth the wait, including Roger Rabbit, however, if you're feeling frisky you may want to try Gadget's Go Coaster. It's a very short, but plucky little roller coaster tucked into the back corner of Toontown. It is not required to go in Innoventions, it's not that interesting. But I find Autopia strangely enjoyable, even for an adult of 30 years of age. I simply love it. Especially at night when Disneyland is all lit up and there's hardly anyone else out on the ride. I also highly recommend One Man's Dream, the 50th replacement for Mr. Lincoln. It's a lovely show.

DCA has several attractions that can be left out if you need to. Muppets for instance...you've seen the same thing at WDW. Soarin' is not to be missed and even if you've ridden it at WDW, you must ride it here in it's place of birth. It's a wonderful ride, one of the best in the park I would say. I also thoroughly enjoy Golden Dreams, though it's just a film. It always makes me cry. But if you don't enjoy sitting through films and would rather be out riding the rides, you should probably skip it. The sourdough bread factory is great if your a bit hungry and need a snack before lunch as they give you free bread at the entrance, you don't have to stay for the whole tour after that, you can just walk on through. The same goes for the tortilla factory. Bugs Land has lots of kiddie rides but it's not to be missed. Just walk through it to see the theming. My favorite is the tissue box bathroom. I have actually ridden some of the rides there and they are kinda cute, but definately can be skipped.

Now on to the food...

My favorite restaurant is Rancho del Zocallo or Casa Mexicana as I still insist on calling it. I was disappointed last week to see that they had changed their menu slightly and I don't think that they have the barbeque anymore. But the enchiladas are great. French Market is also one of my favorites and I usually get the French Dip, which is wonderful. Also they have the best cheescake here. Plaza Inn is usually our staple dinner place, great during parades or to just watch the goings on on Main Street from the tables on the porch. Their Fried Chicken is wonderful and a really good value. Pizza Port and their Chicken Fuselli is the best, bad atmosphere though, I recommend eating on their outside deck, the one that you access through the inner door, back toward Space Mountain. Less screamin kids. Tast Pilots Grill has the best burgers at Disneyland as is one of the only good places that DCA has to offer. Though I have heard good things about the Corn Dogs back in Paradise Pier. Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian and Hooke's Point at DH are also good. Rainforest is a good alternative in DTD, try the Rasta Pasta. I personally don't like to eat offsite at places like Mimi's. Too may good places inside to spend my money and time.

Don't forget to try the candy shop on Main Street for snacks, their toffee is the best. Also the candy shop back by the Pooh ride in Critter Country has cookies that are to die for. My personal favorite are the Snickerdoodles.

Whooh...That was probably way more info than you wanted, but this is my favorite topic and I could probably talk forever. Hope you have a wonderful trip. Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[mickeysgal]

Wow...this thread is great. I'm going to print a few of these posts to take with me. Thank you! We're simply not going to have enough time to see, do and eat everywhere.

 

[iceskatejen]

One thing I want to note--if you want to see the Billy Hill & the Hillbillies show in the Golden Horseshoe but don't want what's on their menu, feel free to bring food in from other areas of the park. They don't mind as it's all about the show in there. The food is more of a convenience. Also, you don't have to eat in there to see the show.

 

[SunshineOR]

Your list looks great--my two cents...

Five days is plenty of time to do everything and enjoy your meals. Keep in mind that Tues/Wed. will probably be the emptiest days, so those will be great days to do the things that will have longer lines other days. Also, DCA is never as crowded as DL, and DL always fills as the day progresses. We usually find it works well to open the day at DL, then go over to DCA later in the day when DL is getting crowded.

And teacups have never done anything except bore me to tears. I'm usually in them with two young kids who really want to spin, but we find the wheel hard to turn and I've never even gotten dizzy. I'd say if your dd wants to spin and you refuse to turn the wheel, you won't be spinning too much and can coast around and relax!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I get motion sickness. However, I don't want to miss out on my first trip to Disneyland, especially with a frisky DS5! So I'll be bringing plenty of Dramamine/Bonine pills. I've taken them before (snorkeling in Hawaii in choppy water, on a Puget Sound fishing trip in VERY choppy water) and they work great!

One pharmacist's tip was to take half a pill the night before the event. I think that was to cut down on any drowsiness the pill may induce. I have never had a problem with drowsiness or queasiness with the non-drowsy version of the pills (which I think all brands say now.) Obviously, don't take these if you are pregnant or nursing...

 

[joanne1968]

iceskatejen thanks for the tip about taking food into the horseshoe saloon, I may give that a go, as the food wouldn't tempt me but dd will happily have chicken strips