Best Things You Did on Your Trip?

[SA53]

Best Things You Did on your Trip?

I read with great interest all the regrets to be had at the end of your trips and with my coming in March, I took copious notes. What I now wonder is what was the best thing you did while at DL/CA? Trust me, I use everything you all say!!!!

K in SA

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Best Things You Did on your Trip?

I read with great interest all the regrets to be had at the end of your trips and with my coming in March, I took copious notes. What I now wonder is what was the best thing you did while at DL/CA? Trust me, I use everything you all say!!!!

K in SA

yay Im the first to post I think the best thing I did on my last trip was going on TOT a bajillion times...I had never been to CA because I didnt think I would really be interested...boy was I wrong...I love it and rode TOT 6 times back to back...I love that feeling when your screaming and laughing at the same time

 

[lulubelle]

Watching the fireworks with my family.
Sharing a Dolewhip with DD.
Indy, Pirates, Jungle Cruise and riding the train all the way around the park.
Shopping.
Wearing hats and shirts with Disney characters on them.
Buying a mylar balloon for the room.
Hearing the music que up in Soarin' as we lift off the ground.
Looking out at DTD from our balcony with a glass of wine.

I just love being there, period.

 

[disney50fam]

Getting a big pickle for my DD's to share
Watching the fireworks with my family.
Buying sourdough mickey shaped bread.
Riding the train around the park at least once
Wearing hats and shirts with Disney characters on them.
trying every ride at least once!!!!
Singing in the Tiki room.
I could go on and on!!!!

 

[AFMom]

Racing to the captains door of the Mark Twain to get my 2 DS's and 2 nieces and nephews the chance to "pilot" the boat! They had so much fun steering using the huge wheel, they blew the whistle, blasted the horn. It was one of the most memorable times for all of us!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

One of the best things we did on our trip was get DD4's silhouette done on Main Street. It was very inexpensive ($7 w/frame $16) and AMAZING to watch them do it. The lady that did ours had it done in about 3 minutes and it looks just like my daughter!!

Also, we loved the Princess Storytelling at Once Upon A Toy in Fantasyland.

 

[victorandbellasmom]

The Best things we did? wow, that's a loaded question. Best thing we did was just sharing little moments as a whole family (watching fireworks and parades, as an example) and knowing that everyone may want to do soemthing different. Just watching the looks on our kid's faces when a character smiles or waves in their direction or the amazement in their eyes while we watch the fireworks and fantasmic. Knowing that it's okay to split up if someone wants to go ride rides and another person wants to go to storytelling time. We also really enjoyed pool time in the afternoon so that the kids can swim at the pool and adults can take a break. Little splurges are great too, character meals and reserved seating for fantasmic. We're going to try the discover the magic tour on our next trip. Coming back to hotel each evening to see what Mickey left for the kids that day in the hotel room. Little disney touches just add up to a wonderful and magical vacation.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Coming back to hotel each evening to see what Mickey left for the kids that day in the hotel room.

Can you tell me what you mean by this?

 

[victorandbellasmom]

We did this at the GCH, but it can be done with any DLR property. We called vacation planning and gave them a budget ($100 for 4 nights , in our case, though they really only spent $65), and asked them to send up things to our room in the late afternoon early evening so that when we came back from the parks little treats would be waiting for them. We got milk & cookies one night, chocolate covered rice crispies another night, chocolate covered strawberries for another and balloons and autograph pictures as well. Ther's a list that vacation planning will send you if you ask of prearranged gift baskets ( the pirces were a little too high for us, so we opted for snacks). We're staying offsite on our next trip, but might have hubby leave last from our hotel room in the morning when we go out to the parks so that he can set up something similar to the snacks but with little disney toys and stuff. On another board, one mom called it treats from TInkerbell or something like that. She'd even glitter spray disney dollars for their first nights treat so the kids had spending money. These boards have such wonderful ideas to keep the magic going.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

That sounds really cool! I wonder if my boys are too old for this (they're 11 & 13)?

 

[bjakmom]

Just signing onto this thread - love to hear these 'bests'!!

Taking DNeph (8) for his first trip to CA and DL (and my 1st trip to DL in 17 years) at the end of the summer. Two questions: can anyone tell me more about getting to 'pilot' the Mark Twain? - and is there a # where I can contact vacation services or do I just contact DLH? thanks - keep 'em coming !!

 

[Lynzer Torte]

victoriaandbellasmom: I just noticed you're from Kirkland! We lived there for 4 years. We lived near the Safeway on 137th I think. We hope to move back soon- love Kirkland and the entire East side!

 

[jemilah]

Wow the gifts from Mickey sound great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My best things were having the family get along and the joy on my sons faces all day long!
Dancing at Goffy's kitchen
Having my son show off his birthday sticker with pride
riding all the rides we wanted too
the bad part my oldest crying the last night that he did not want to leave so we are going back in May!

 

[dopeyfanatic]

Besides things that are out of your control, what is really bad? EVERYTHING is awesome about our trips. Seeing the kids faces, watching their excitement, the fw, EVERYTHING. Snacks that you assoicate with Disney like Dolewhips and turkey legs. A smart thing we do is buy gifts for them before we go and give them something each day, this way we're not spending fortunes on stuff there. I get them at the Disney store mostly, or other stores like Target, but it's always Disney stuff. Maybe one day a shirt, one day a color book....this time one of the things I got was Stitch and Princess backpacks with coloring stuff in them. I got them at the Disney store for $4!!!!!

 

[victorandbellasmom]

Lynzer Torte - how cool. We love Kirkland. I noticed that you're from Utah, my husband's from there, though he moved up to the Seattle area when he was about 12. He still has a lot of family there though. Have a great trip.

 

[FWDisFan]

We LOVED Aladdin (at CA) -- DS (6) talks about Genie EVERYDAY! AND we loved the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe at DL (it was laugh out loud funny!)

We LOVED Space Mountain and rode it more than 5-6 times. We also loved Screamin'. I was surprised that we park hopped as much as we did after reading such negative reviews of CA -- but we really enjoyed it.

Had our first (and second and third) Dole Whips and loved those! (didn't care for the Dole Float as much as the whip).

Of course, just being at Disney is always the best too! This was harder than I thought because we loved EVERYTHING!! The ability to walk everywhere....everything!

 

[ltleelim]

In Disneyland, my favorite thing by far is Buzz Lightyear. My wife and I broke the million point barrier a couple trips ago. Now we're working on getting two million.

In California Adventure, our favorite is the Aladdin show. We like the mezzanine level. My wife also likes the Tower of Terror a lot so she always drags me on there.

We also like the Parade of Dreams and the fireworks.

Sometimes when we're not doing anything else, we will follow Block Party Bash around and grab those foam balls that shoot out of the floats.

Lloyd Lee-Lim

 

[Albertan mom]

Even though I am a chicken with a fairly weak stomach, I went on almost all the rides! Even Screamin'. I hated it, and it terrified me, but at least I can say I went on it!!

Love the fireworks. Watched them 3 times, from different spots, and loved how they were different from each spot.

Bought lots of souveneirs, including the harcover Now, Then and Forever book. I love it and read it in bed every night! Best $24.95 I spent!!

Goofys Kitchen was a blast. Loved the desserts there.

Love the Steamin' Chocolate at Brrrbank Ice Cream too!!

DD loved Libby Lu, lots of fun.

Made 3 bears at Build a Bear, kids love them.

The Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain at night when it is dark are very cool

Bought a Mickey Mouse head shaped ring. I wear it every day and love it!

Watched Aladdin, great show.

Did Turtle Talk with Crush 2 times, which is cool, because each show is different.

Kids piloted Mark Twain, which was fun, cool experience.

Walked around the Disneyland Hotel looking at the pics on the wall, and the memorabilia, which was really cool. Saw Walts nametag there!!!

So many more, but too late to think!!

 

[AFMom]

bjakmom - For getting onto the Mark Twain to pilot - you can try just asking the guys that help everyone board at the bottom - be sure you're right there at the front near where they open the gates.
The CM there told me I'd have to go to the Captain's door on the 2nd floor and knock to ask if we could pilot. I had to make a mad dash as there were a3 teenagers trying to beat me there and I really wanted my nephew, neice and 2 DS's to get to do it! Newphew and neice had never been to a Disney park before - and they were perfect ages - from 6 to 8....
Anyway - knocked on the door and no one was in there - so i stayed by the door until the captain came back and just asked very poiltely.
There is a limit of 5 people - and I think they only let us have 5 because 4 were kids - it can be a little crowded up there otherwise!
Have fun!

 

[Michelle2]

Alot of magic on our last trip....
The best thing that we did was go with extended family. It was my family of 6, my mom, my sister, my cousin, and her family of 6. So in total there were 14 of us. At first I was really nervous because I like doing Disney my way, but it ended up being more fun than any trip I have taken there before! And I know that they all thought the same thing too. Plus the kids had other kids their ages, and kept them all happier than if we were by ourselves. It made all of the things that we have done many times by ourselves so much more fun! (Like Goofy's kitchen, Blue Bayou, parades, fireworks and shows.)

We were also glad we took the time and money to have the balloon guy at Tortilla Joe's make the kids the balloon hats or creatures. They loved them! So many requests came in for him when people started seeing all of the neat things he did! I do not think I would have done it if my cousin didn't do it for her kids first.

And I know that everyone is different, but getting there early to have prime spots to see the fireworks in front of the castle was a personal highlight for me....one of the best things that we did too.

We also enjoyed doing the Fantasmic Balcony seating, but it was a special occasion, and since it was so expensive, I do not think we will do it again. It was a great time doing it once though!

And the #1 best thing that we did?? Getting there EARLY!! Had a jumpstart on the day and everyone else by getting there a little earlier than most. We even got to open the park one day!