DLPDreams
I am like a child in a sweet shop, hyper on sugar!
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2012
Finally sorted out some of our photos so thought I'd start a TR. I didn't do a PTR because I had secretly upgraded us to the Disneyland Hotel (from the Hotel New York) and I didn't want DH to read about it before we got there! Surprise No 1
Cast:
Me - 30 something. Always loved Disney related stuff (first ever film at Cinema was Snow White), but became more interested once we had our first daughter who was born a Princess obsessive! Favourite film & charactes - Alice in Wonderland by far.
DH - 30 something (near the big 40 mark though - shhh!). Not a Disney fan through and through but appreciates the beautiful detail at DLRP. Desperate to do WDW but realises it is prudent to wait until DD2 is a little older. Likes - Buzz Lightyear - obviously .
DD1 - just turned 7. Disney mad! Favourite characters - Peter Pan & friends, Cinderella, Aurora, Rapunzel (big fave at the moment), Mulan and Mary Poppins.
DD2 - just turned 4. Isn't as Princess mad as DD1 was but is learning fast! Favourites are Jasmine & Belle. She also loves Stitch .
We hadn't been to DLRP since 2009 as we bought a new house in 2010 that has needed total refurbishment. This year, I decided that due to the 20th anniversary and the fact DH had been away for a long while, working away, we need a Disney fix!
Timing:
Sun 3rd June - Friday 8th June 2012 (5 nights)
Place:
Originally booked the HNY using our Dream AP room rate but then I got cold feet nearer the time and decided to upgrade to the DLH (we have always stayed here on previous trips), however there was no AP rate so I had to book a 1 adult package and go the room tax route. Issue was that the DLH was showing full for our last night (Thurs 7th June) so we had to have two reservations in the end - one for 4 nights at the DLH, one for the HNY for one night (which was for 4 adults Dream AP rate)! However, 4 days before our trip, after emailing several times for an availability update, I got an email to say they could change our hotel for our last night. However, we had to keep the two bookings and just amend the HNY one - confusing I know, and little did I know that it would cause major issues once we arrived at the hotel and for the rest of our stay. I had been ensured that both bookings would be linked together and that the hotel would be aware of 4 people on the booking etc. Sadly, it all went wrong!
Day One:
So, the morning of our trip. The DDs thought we were off to a friend's local caravan and were excited. However, about 1.5 hours before we were due to leave for the airport we surprised them with a treasure hunt from a 'special friend'! They followed the clues with great excitement and finally put them together - DD1 worked out it spelled 'Disney' and then they found their Disney bags filled with little mementos and 20th anniversary autograph books which I'd customised with their names & dates on in pink glitter! Needless to say their excitement was amazing . Surprise No 2 - hence TR title.
Here they are just after they've found their bags:
We headed for the airport and everything went smoothly. We were shortly on our flight to the Magic! After collecting our hold luggage we met John from Ezyshuttle in arrivals and packed up ready to go to the HNY - or the DLH as I announced! DD1 was jumping up and down like a loon as she remembers the hotel well. DH just looked at me gobsmacked!
We arrived at around 5.15 pm and there was a huge queue at Reception. I patiently waited our turn while the girls flew around the lobby area and DH looked on! When I went to check in they only had me on the booking (the one adult package) and no record of our second booking for the last night, or the fact we had 4 of us. Wouldn't normally be an issue but they only had fastpasses for me and said they didn't have time (due to being busy) to print out all the others. In addition, they wouldn't let me have FPs for Thurs 7th or Fri 8th June as they said they were part of the second reservation. My Hotel pass also only went up to 11 am on Thurs 7th - not an issue only we had agreed to put everything on the room and pay at check out. They told me I couldn't collect that until Wednesday evening!
I expressed my disappointment at being told one thing my the CM who booked our trip, and having something completely different happen on check in. I was assured that our FPs would be in our room within 15 mins so that we could then head to the Park and use them. We headed to our room - not the largest room I've ever been in (smallest I've had in the DLH) but it was still in OK condition - apart from the curtains falling off in one area! 15 mins came and went, our bags arrived - hurrah! I was getting concerned that we needed to upgrade our APs into permanent ones and wanted to catch the AP office so decided to go to the Park with only one FP believing they would be in the room that night on our return .
Arrival in the Park was lovely, we took the obligatory photo:
We headed straight to the AP office and there was about a 20 minute wait. DH stood around with the girls and then took them outside for a little while - he had to stay in the vicinity as they all needed their photos take for their APs. By this time it was 7 pm - the parade started and the girls managed to get their first glimpse by the old Castle stage which was nice. They couldn't see very well but I told them we had a few days in which to catch it properly . APs sorted and we headed off for some food as were hungry by this point.
We crossed over to Frontierland and headed straight to Fuente del Oro for a snack - somewhere I've never been but wanted to try due to recs on here. We weren't disappointed - the food ordering was quick and it was hot, and reasonably good value too .
The girls had the children's chicken strips meal with ice cream for pudding.
I had the chicken fajita meal with rice & churros for pudding - yum yum!
DH had the chilli & rice meal - he didn't get a pudding with his but shared ours.
All meals came with drinks (soft for us and OJ for girls) and cost 33 euros with AP discount which was really good value. I'll put photos here but copy this into the Fuente food thread for completeness .
Tbc.....
Cast:
Me - 30 something. Always loved Disney related stuff (first ever film at Cinema was Snow White), but became more interested once we had our first daughter who was born a Princess obsessive! Favourite film & charactes - Alice in Wonderland by far.
DH - 30 something (near the big 40 mark though - shhh!). Not a Disney fan through and through but appreciates the beautiful detail at DLRP. Desperate to do WDW but realises it is prudent to wait until DD2 is a little older. Likes - Buzz Lightyear - obviously .
DD1 - just turned 7. Disney mad! Favourite characters - Peter Pan & friends, Cinderella, Aurora, Rapunzel (big fave at the moment), Mulan and Mary Poppins.
DD2 - just turned 4. Isn't as Princess mad as DD1 was but is learning fast! Favourites are Jasmine & Belle. She also loves Stitch .
We hadn't been to DLRP since 2009 as we bought a new house in 2010 that has needed total refurbishment. This year, I decided that due to the 20th anniversary and the fact DH had been away for a long while, working away, we need a Disney fix!
Timing:
Sun 3rd June - Friday 8th June 2012 (5 nights)
Place:
Originally booked the HNY using our Dream AP room rate but then I got cold feet nearer the time and decided to upgrade to the DLH (we have always stayed here on previous trips), however there was no AP rate so I had to book a 1 adult package and go the room tax route. Issue was that the DLH was showing full for our last night (Thurs 7th June) so we had to have two reservations in the end - one for 4 nights at the DLH, one for the HNY for one night (which was for 4 adults Dream AP rate)! However, 4 days before our trip, after emailing several times for an availability update, I got an email to say they could change our hotel for our last night. However, we had to keep the two bookings and just amend the HNY one - confusing I know, and little did I know that it would cause major issues once we arrived at the hotel and for the rest of our stay. I had been ensured that both bookings would be linked together and that the hotel would be aware of 4 people on the booking etc. Sadly, it all went wrong!
Day One:
So, the morning of our trip. The DDs thought we were off to a friend's local caravan and were excited. However, about 1.5 hours before we were due to leave for the airport we surprised them with a treasure hunt from a 'special friend'! They followed the clues with great excitement and finally put them together - DD1 worked out it spelled 'Disney' and then they found their Disney bags filled with little mementos and 20th anniversary autograph books which I'd customised with their names & dates on in pink glitter! Needless to say their excitement was amazing . Surprise No 2 - hence TR title.
Here they are just after they've found their bags:
We headed for the airport and everything went smoothly. We were shortly on our flight to the Magic! After collecting our hold luggage we met John from Ezyshuttle in arrivals and packed up ready to go to the HNY - or the DLH as I announced! DD1 was jumping up and down like a loon as she remembers the hotel well. DH just looked at me gobsmacked!
We arrived at around 5.15 pm and there was a huge queue at Reception. I patiently waited our turn while the girls flew around the lobby area and DH looked on! When I went to check in they only had me on the booking (the one adult package) and no record of our second booking for the last night, or the fact we had 4 of us. Wouldn't normally be an issue but they only had fastpasses for me and said they didn't have time (due to being busy) to print out all the others. In addition, they wouldn't let me have FPs for Thurs 7th or Fri 8th June as they said they were part of the second reservation. My Hotel pass also only went up to 11 am on Thurs 7th - not an issue only we had agreed to put everything on the room and pay at check out. They told me I couldn't collect that until Wednesday evening!
I expressed my disappointment at being told one thing my the CM who booked our trip, and having something completely different happen on check in. I was assured that our FPs would be in our room within 15 mins so that we could then head to the Park and use them. We headed to our room - not the largest room I've ever been in (smallest I've had in the DLH) but it was still in OK condition - apart from the curtains falling off in one area! 15 mins came and went, our bags arrived - hurrah! I was getting concerned that we needed to upgrade our APs into permanent ones and wanted to catch the AP office so decided to go to the Park with only one FP believing they would be in the room that night on our return .
Arrival in the Park was lovely, we took the obligatory photo:
We headed straight to the AP office and there was about a 20 minute wait. DH stood around with the girls and then took them outside for a little while - he had to stay in the vicinity as they all needed their photos take for their APs. By this time it was 7 pm - the parade started and the girls managed to get their first glimpse by the old Castle stage which was nice. They couldn't see very well but I told them we had a few days in which to catch it properly . APs sorted and we headed off for some food as were hungry by this point.
We crossed over to Frontierland and headed straight to Fuente del Oro for a snack - somewhere I've never been but wanted to try due to recs on here. We weren't disappointed - the food ordering was quick and it was hot, and reasonably good value too .
The girls had the children's chicken strips meal with ice cream for pudding.
I had the chicken fajita meal with rice & churros for pudding - yum yum!
DH had the chilli & rice meal - he didn't get a pudding with his but shared ours.
All meals came with drinks (soft for us and OJ for girls) and cost 33 euros with AP discount which was really good value. I'll put photos here but copy this into the Fuente food thread for completeness .
Tbc.....