The TCD Gang Goes to Disneyland!

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

Better late than never!  On with the updates!

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

I have started planting seeds that 19yo dd needs to go to DL and who better to go with her than her dear old mom?  

 

Well, a girl can hope.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Loving this so far! Seeing the comparisons is really interesting. I wish DW had more good shows.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

 

 

This is a big change from WDW, where very few quick serve places give a CM discount.  Over the course of our visit, we learned that all of the quick serve places in Disneyland give a CM discount and they also give Passholder discounts, which is not the case in WDW.

 

 

 

TCD

That's good to know! Because we invested in two coast APs for our trip next April.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Makes me thankful Disney World was built 2nd and they were able to correct some of the mistakes they made at Disneyland.

Still Disneyland was a heck of a first try.

I think that Disneyland has several attractions that are better than the ones at Disneyworld. For example. IASW the one at Disneyland IMHO is way better than the one at the World. Also New Orleans Square is laid out better and is far more interesting than Liberty square. You feel like your actually walking around New Orleans. Also POTC IMHO is better at Disneyland. The ride and the queuing. And the Matterhorn is an awesome ride. I wish the World had one. The Nemo ride (the old 10,000 Leagues under the sea, is a thousand times better than the Nemo ride at the World.

Yes they've made some improvements but I think they missed out on some biggies. If someone was to ask me which was better, MK or Disneyland, would tell them that both are great and I enjoy going to both. They are enough different and have enough similarities that they would enjoy both of them equally.

And personally I enjoy Disneyworld better. Mainly because it has 4 parks and all the resorts. Also DTD at the World is bigger and better.

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

Your comment about the outside eateries is correct. There is a lot less rain and they also don't normally have the heat and humidity in the summer. I think that is also why there are more "street" entertainers compared to WDW. Too bad you missed the diorama from the train. I always forget where we are and look for it when we ride the train at WDW. We especially like the HM building more at DL, it just seems to make a better fit for the attraction.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Wow... your pictures are taking me back.  I agree with you on the castle, it does seem so small!  Funny how it was so large when I was a little girl.  The Matterhorn/Bobsleds was what my brothers and I would look for as we drove into Anaheim; the first person to see it was the winner.  I always won.

 

Funny the memories you have from when you are a child.  I use to love the look of the twinkle lights on the trees and the CMs selling the balloons (I always wanted the one with the Mickey silhouette inside but my parents couldn't bring themselves to cough up the big bucks to buy one...now that I am a parent, I get that!).

 

Do they still have the restaurant inside Pirates?  I always wanted to eat there.  Oh...what about the Alice and Wonderland ride, is that still there?  Maybe I getting ahead of the TR.  I guess I'll just keep reading to find out :)

 

Camping?  Yes, it was great.  We use to go back for a nap and swim in the afternoon. I cannot remember if it was a Disney campground, but I don't remember it being as nice as the Fort.  Sometimes we would walk through the Disney Hotel, which is no longer there.  Both of these places (the campground and hotel) went away when Disneyland expanded.

[LONE-STAR 370]

Looking like fun so far. We were going to go a couple years ago but changed our minds because we wanted Miley to be older.

[The Troll 67]

Your pictures make me appreciate Disney World oh, so much more. That place sucks.

 

Disney World rules.

 

What the hell is with seeing that Matterhorn ride from Main Street? Whuuuut?

 

Looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff.

 

More, please.

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

I just read an article about why Disneyland has a different feel to it besides it's quaint size. The theory is that Disneyland is visited by mainly locals and that they received very little tourists. The locals are actually second and third generations who have grown up there. This, I think, explains why you are not seeing the character craziness and people are calmer and nicer. The article goes on to say that WDW is set up for the masses and yet Disneyland seems to "huge you" as you enter in. I think a trip to DL is going on the bucket list. Really enjoying the pictures!! 

[Duane 150]

Dang! You snooze you lose.... I have been creeping in the TR section for days looking for this to begin, and the one day I don't log on BAM! I miss the train....

Guess I get page 5, 9:27 PM EST bragging rights.... Let me hit post so can seal the deal.... be back in a few

[Duane 150]

Ok, I'm back... Glad you guys got to see and experience DL... We were out a few years ago when they were building the World of Color light/water show, so I'm anxious to hear/see what that's all about. Also interested in what you thought of the Grand Californian. We stayed there using our hoidy toidy DVC points... We liked staying there, especially when you walk out one door and you're standing the entrance to MK and walk out another and walk literally into California Adventure...

Carry on... Looking forward to reading more!

[michele j 9]

Thank you for the Disneyland TR.  I've  been there a couple times and enjoyed it very much. 

 

Looking forward to the next update..

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Your pictures make me appreciate Disney World oh, so much more. That place sucks.

Disney World rules.

What the hell is with seeing that Matterhorn ride from Main Street? Whuuuut?

Looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff.

More, please.

Do you really mean what you're saying or are you just trying to be funny?

[Travisma 1,317]

congratulations on your trip, and your trip report.

 

Did you ever make it out to the Rose Bowl Parade last year?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

The map show is really good. I also love the bread bowls.

 

We ended up going back to see Mickey and the Magical Map a second time, and we had another show we really liked as well.

 

Same thing with the bread bowls.  There is a place at CA that serves them, and we tried them over there too.

 

A little known fact that I think is still true. the Fastpass for roger Rabbit isnt tied to the rest. You can get one for there while still holding one even if your time isnt ready. Not sure if that has changed but it was that way when we went.

 

I am not sure whether or not that is still the case.  We had also heard that Radiator Springs Racers FP's were not "connected" to the system, but I don't think that is the case either.

 

I can confirm that World of Color FP's are not "connected," so you can pull FP's right away after obtaining one of those.

 

You've already convinced me that I need to make this trip happen.

 

Great.  I hope you finagle your way into going soon.

 

I see what you mean by saying things looked familiar but unfamiliar.  DL seems to have maintained the charm that brings people back time and again.  Unfortunately WDW seems to be losing it's original charm to the never ending quest for more money.  I still love to visit, but I do long for the details that seem to have dissappeared.

 

One of the things I took away from this trip is that it seems that Disneyland management has a higher commitment to quality, while WDW management is willing to cut corners whenever possible.

 

I didn't see any vacant or unused space in Disneyland.  And, each park has a full day's worth of attractions and shows to enjoy.

 

Better late than never!  On with the updates!

 

That's right.  Onward!

 

I have started planting seeds that 19yo dd needs to go to DL and who better to go with her than her dear old mom? 

 

Well, a girl can hope.

 

Your 19 year old needs to get in to the Disney College Program.  They have it at Disneyland too.  Just sayin'.

 

Loving this so far! Seeing the comparisons is really interesting. I wish DW had more good shows.

 

Hold that thought about the shows.  There is more to come on that topic.

 

That's good to know! Because we invested in two coast APs for our trip next April.

 

As far as I could tell, all of the quick serve places offer a passholder discount.  Check out this link: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/discounts/restaurants/

 

It's pretty outrageous that Disneyland does that for its passholders, and WDW hardly gives any quick serve food discounts.

 

I think that Disneyland has several attractions that are better than the ones at Disneyworld. For example. IASW the one at Disneyland IMHO is way better than the one at the World. Also New Orleans Square is laid out better and is far more interesting than Liberty square. You feel like your actually walking around New Orleans. Also POTC IMHO is better at Disneyland. The ride and the queuing. And the Matterhorn is an awesome ride. I wish the World had one. The Nemo ride (the old 10,000 Leagues under the sea, is a thousand times better than the Nemo ride at the World.

Yes they've made some improvements but I think they missed out on some biggies. If someone was to ask me which was better, MK or Disneyland, would tell them that both are great and I enjoy going to both. They are enough different and have enough similarities that they would enjoy both of them equally.

And personally I enjoy Disneyworld better. Mainly because it has 4 parks and all the resorts. Also DTD at the World is bigger and better.

 

Interesting thoughts, Ray.  I'll share my opinions as we go along.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Your comment about the outside eateries is correct. There is a lot less rain and they also don't normally have the heat and humidity in the summer. I think that is also why there are more "street" entertainers compared to WDW. Too bad you missed the diorama from the train. I always forget where we are and look for it when we ride the train at WDW. We especially like the HM building more at DL, it just seems to make a better fit for the attraction.

 

Don't worry, I didn't miss the dioramas on the train- we are still in the first few hours of our trip.  We will be back to spend a whole day in Disneyland, then a whole day in California Adventure, and then two more days after that.  We came pretty close to doing every single attraction there- and that was by choice.  There were a couple of minor attractions with super long waits and no FP's, so those we didn't do  We definitely got all of the major stuff done, and had repeat rides on all the "E ticket" rides.

 

Wow... your pictures are taking me back.  I agree with you on the castle, it does seem so small!  Funny how it was so large when I was a little girl.  The Matterhorn/Bobsleds was what my brothers and I would look for as we drove into Anaheim; the first person to see it was the winner.  I always won.

 

Funny the memories you have from when you are a child.  I use to love the look of the twinkle lights on the trees and the CMs selling the balloons (I always wanted the one with the Mickey silhouette inside but my parents couldn't bring themselves to cough up the big bucks to buy one...now that I am a parent, I get that!).

 

Do they still have the restaurant inside Pirates?  I always wanted to eat there.  Oh...what about the Alice and Wonderland ride, is that still there?  Maybe I getting ahead of the TR.  I guess I'll just keep reading to find out :)

 

Camping?  Yes, it was great.  We use to go back for a nap and swim in the afternoon. I cannot remember if it was a Disney campground, but I don't remember it being as nice as the Fort.  Sometimes we would walk through the Disney Hotel, which is no longer there.  Both of these places (the campground and hotel) went away when Disneyland expanded.

 

Yes, they still have the Blue Bayou restaurant, which has seating inside the Pirates attraction.  I never knew such a place existed before we got there.

 

Yes, they still have the Alice ride, and from what I understand, it was updated recently with some more modern technology.  It is a nice little dark ride.

 

That campground sounds awesome.  That would be so much fun.  But, the hotels and motels across the street are a good alternative for relatively inexpensive lodging.

 

Looking like fun so far. We were going to go a couple years ago but changed our minds because we wanted Miley to be older.

 

You need to take your daughter out there at some point.  How much further of a drive would it be for you compared to hauling your trailer to Florida?

 

Also- there's a DVC there.  Y'all might be able to take advantage of that.

 

Your pictures make me appreciate Disney World oh, so much more. That place sucks.

 

Disney World rules.

 

What the hell is with seeing that Matterhorn ride from Main Street? Whuuuut?

 

Looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff.

 

More, please.

 

LOL.

 

I have to say that the Matterhorn standing there towering over the rest of the park kept catching my eye.  It is strange that they put that massive thing where they did.  But, somehow, it works.

 

I'll save my opinions about whether I like WDW better for later in the report.

 

But I will say right off the bat that Disneyland does not suck.  There are a lot of things they do there that are way better than how they're done at WDW.  A lot.

 

I just read an article about why Disneyland has a different feel to it besides it's quaint size. The theory is that Disneyland is visited by mainly locals and that they received very little tourists. The locals are actually second and third generations who have grown up there. This, I think, explains why you are not seeing the character craziness and people are calmer and nicer. The article goes on to say that WDW is set up for the masses and yet Disneyland seems to "huge you" as you enter in. I think a trip to DL is going on the bucket list. Really enjoying the pictures!! 

 

We eventually began to spot the locals, and saw some interesting things, some of which I have photos of.  Stay tuned.

 

Dang! You snooze you lose.... I have been creeping in the TR section for days looking for this to begin, and the one day I don't log on BAM! I miss the train....

Guess I get page 5, 9:27 PM EST bragging rights.... Let me hit post so can seal the deal.... be back in a few

 

Congrats on the page 5 bragging rights.

 

Ok, I'm back... Glad you guys got to see and experience DL... We were out a few years ago when they were building the World of Color light/water show, so I'm anxious to hear/see what that's all about. Also interested in what you thought of the Grand Californian. We stayed there using our hoidy toidy DVC points... We liked staying there, especially when you walk out one door and you're standing the entrance to MK and walk out another and walk literally into California Adventure...

Carry on... Looking forward to reading more!

 

We got to see World of Color twice, from two different viewing points, so I'll definitely be covering my thoughts on that show in this report.

 

I'll go in to further detail later, but we loved the Grand Californian hotel.  That entrance to the park was sweet, and we used it often.  I don't think there's anything that can beat an EMH entering the park via that special entrance.

 

I didn't know until shortly before this trip that there were DVC rooms at the Grand Californian.  If I don't have a CM in the family the next time we go, I'm going to look at renting points.  I think there could be some deals to be had using that method.

 

Thank you for the Disneyland TR.  I've  been there a couple times and enjoyed it very much. 

 

Looking forward to the next update..

 

Glad you like it so far.  Please feel free to add your thoughts on anything as we go along.

 

Do you really mean what you're saying or are you just trying to be funny?

 

Ray, you need to meet Norm.  He means what he says, but he has a unique way of saying it.

 

congratulations on your trip, and your trip report.

 

Did you ever make it out to the Rose Bowl Parade last year?

 

Nope, we never went.  I was planning that trip too late, and the prices on everything were so jacked up that I just had to say no.  We were able to plan this trip properly, and I think we got very good deals on our airfare and accommodations.  Plus, the free park admission for the girls and for me (on some of the days) and the food discounts helped tremendously with the budget.

 

TCD

[Beckers 1,136]

Looking like fun so far. We were going to go a couple years ago but changed our minds because we wanted Miley to be older.

We are waiting for that too. At first I said I wanted to wait for the kids to be tall enough to ride everything but then I realized that's a long, long time away

[The Troll 67]

Do you really mean what you're saying or are you just trying to be funny?

 

Both.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We are waiting for that too. At first I said I wanted to wait for the kids to be tall enough to ride everything but then I realized that's a long, long time away

 

I would wait.  I think there's more for young kids to do at WDW.  And, to me it's easier to visit there.  It was fun going the first time with my kids as young adults.  We could all appreciate the differences between WDW and Disneyland.  They wouldn't have cared about that when they were younger.

 

Both.

 

I knew it.

 

And what you said was funny.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Here we go.

 

We left off with us leaving the theater after enjoying the Mickey and the Magical Map show.

 

Next, we headed to Toontown, which was right under the train tracks.

 

It was very crowded in this area:

 

 

MK once had an area called Toontown Square, but this area in Disneyland is much larger than what was at the MK.  It's an actual town:

 

 

There's a ride back here called Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin- we really didn't know much about it, but it offered FP's, so we were going to hang around here just long enough to snag some before heading off to ride Indiana Jones.  The Roger Rabbit ride is over there on the right in this photo:

 

 

A bunch of the major classic Disney characters have houses back here in Toontown.  Here's Goofy's house, complete with Christmas decorations:

 

 

Mickey's house is right across the street.  Here's his mailbox:

 

 

And this is Mickey's yard with his Christmas tree:

 

 

If I remember right, Pluto had a dog house outside of Mickey's house in WDW.  Here, in Disneyland, Pluto has a bed inside:

 

 

Mickey's house had a lot of rooms, even a laundry room, where we got to see Mickey's cleaning products:

 

 

Mickey even had a chicken coop inside his house.  I'm not sure who thought that was a good idea:

 

 

After walking through Mickey's house, there's a place where you can meet him, but the line was long there, so we left through Mickey's garage.

 

Next, we spotted Chip and Dale's Treehouse:

 

 

This is their mailbox:

 

 

And this is a sign they have posted above the winding staircase you take to the top:

 

 

An acorn light fixture, what else would you have expected?:

 

 

A window:

 

 

Next we stopped by Minnie's house:

 

 

This is her mailbox:

 

 

You had to stand in line to go in to Minnie's house, and we didn't feel like doing that.  So, we didn't get to see the inside of it. 

 

But, here's another photo of Goofy's house:

 

 

Donald has a boat here, but it looked kind of wet back there, so we passed:

 

 

You can see that Mickey has a nice fountain there where the old folks can sit while the kids play.  That's nice. 

 

It was at this point that I had a major realization.  For years, I've heard that California is where the beautiful people are.  Well, where are they?  Because they're not at Disneyland. The people here look just like the people in Florida if you ask me.

 

We had spent enough time in Toontown that we could now pull FP's for the Roger Rabbit ride, which I did.  The return time was less than an hour away.  Which is weird to me.  But,  that was good, because it meant we could try again for Haunted Mansion FP's after we rode Indiana Jones before heading back this way for Roger Rabbit.

 

It was time for us to head to Indiana Jones.  So we headed that way.

 

We walked past the Small World ride:

 

 

They have some kind of holiday overlay that they do on their Small World ride.  That's why that clock has a Santa hat on in the last photo.

 

And the sign out front says Happy Holidays:

 

 

If you look at that last photo, you'll see a long line of guests waiting to ride IASW.  These Californians like that ride.  Strange.

 

Here's two more photos of the Matterhorn.  I kept taking photos of it because it intrigued me.  And I really wanted to ride it.  But, it does not offer FP's, so that would have to wait for a more opportune time:

 

 

 

Here's Disneyland's Tea Cup ride.  No roof.  Like the song says-it never rains in southern California:

 

 

This is a shot of the Matterhorn's big waterfall:

 

 

We zigged and zagged our way over to Adventureland, and reported to Indiana Jones right on time- the Jingle Cruise line was still long:

 

 

The Indiana Jones queue is really long and detailed.  I'm guessing that's because they had to put the ride building out away from the park a bit.  But they did a great job on the queue.  Lots of skulls and spears:

 

 

And some nods to the movie:

 

 

 

Spoiler alert- nothing happens if you step on the diamond shaped stones.

 

At least not that we noticed.

 

One more shot from the queue:

 

 

When we got to the loading area, we saw that the ride vehicles do appear to be identical to the ride vehicles used in Dinosaur at the AK in WDW, but with one big difference- these cars each have a steering wheel.  And guess who got to drive?:

 

 

The ride was, indeed, way better than Dinosaur.  They really utilized the capability of the ride vehicles here.  And the ride is much longer and much more detailed.  It ended up being my favorite ride in Disneyland.  I have no photos from the ride itself.  There's no way I could have taken any and still been able to keep our jeep on track.  I had to drive, remember?

 

After Indiana Jones, we would soon be eligible for more FP's, so we are going to be heading over to the Haunted Mansion again before going back to Toontown for the Roger Rabbit ride.

 

TCD

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Okay, with this last post you got me. I'd love to see Disneyland now!

[CampMImi 22]

My daughter loved ToonTown. She ran off once to go play inside Minnie's house while we we standing at Goofy's. Scariest moment of my life.

It was kind of crazy to me that IASW was so underrated at WDW. It seemed to be THE thing to do along with Pirates at DL.

I hate that I am getting updates from my phone. I can't enjoy the people watching so much :)

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

My 19yo isn't in college, so at this point is ineligible for DCP.  But she definitely could be a CM, if only she could afford to live in the Orlando area. Oh, and if her mom would let her move that far away.  LOL

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Okay, with this last post you got me. I'd love to see Disneyland now!

 

Well, that didn't take long.  We're just getting started, and I haven't even gotten to the good stuff.

 

My daughter loved ToonTown. She ran off once to go play inside Minnie's house while we we standing at Goofy's. Scariest moment of my life.

It was kind of crazy to me that IASW was so underrated at WDW. It seemed to be THE thing to do along with Pirates at DL.

I hate that I am getting updates from my phone. I can't enjoy the people watching so much :)

 

I could see where it would be easy to lose a kid in Toontown.  I'll bet it happens all the time.

 

We will get around to riding IASW eventually, and I'll have a couple ideas about why Disneyland's version is more popular.

 

My 19yo isn't in college, so at this point is ineligible for DCP.  But she definitely could be a CM, if only she could afford to live in the Orlando area. Oh, and if her mom would let her move that far away.  LOL

 

From what I understand, registering for one class at a local community college is all it takes.  And if your 19 year old won't do it, you can.  There is no age limit.

 

Housing is provided to DCP participants.  They take it out of your pay.  After that, there's not much money left for luxuries, like food, for example.  But, somehow they get 6,000 kids at a time to do it, and they survive.

 

TCD