So, I spent an hour last night drafting up some Disneyland "advice" for a friend of mine. Actually, I had TWO friends this week, and one last month, come to me for advice and information. I figured that since I don't have anything interesting to blog about tonight, I would post my "advice" about the Magic Kingdom for all to appreciate...should you be heading in that direction. Mind you, it was generalized for one person, but there is a LOT of information here that you can gleam from...no matter WHEN you are going, or whom you are going with. it's long...and just SOME of the information that I have gathered along the way. I hope you get some use out of it!!
As far as hotels go, I have stayed in MANY of the hotels around Disneyland, EXCEPT for Candy Cane, as they are privately owned, and never come up for discount searches.
The two hotels within walking distance that I have stayed at and had not only good rates, but nice rooms, were Desert Palms Hotel & Suites and The Anabella. I used to stay at the Anabella ALL the time. They were bought out several years ago by someone in England, and the service and rooms went DOWNHILL. However, that being said, they had THE nicest rooms up until my last stay a few years ago. I looked up MANY recent reviews on the property, and it seems like they got their act back together over the last few years. The best rate that I found was on hotels.com. The perks here at this hotel are that they have their own on-site restaurant that is not only good, but not very expensive. Also, next door, there is a coffee shop (has been there FOREVER) called Tiffy's. We frequent there when we stay in Anaheim. The DOWNSIDE of the hotel is even though it is across the street (on Katella) from DL/CA, it is a bit of a walk. You CAN buy a transportation pass (which used to be $4 per person), but if you leave late at night, the wait to catch a bus with empty seats can be a hassle.
The place I have had THE best luck with is the Desert Palms Hotel & Suites. They have a VERY friendly staff, nice pool for the kids, easy access to the park (you go in through the parking lot and catch the tram in), and a Quizno's located downstairs. I DO like the fact that they will match or BEAT any internet price you can scrounge up on their property. They have always been VERY generous with that. They have several types of rooms to choose from (you can google the hotel and check the rooms out). We usually get the family room which faces CA, so that we can see the fireworks at night, should we retire early. It has 2 Queen beds, with a step- down living room and a fold out couch. They also have rooms for two families to share, if anyone wants to go that route. The only drawback I have with this hotel, is you need to check in at a fairly early time in order to find a parking spot...and try to keep your car there...as it is VERY difficult to try and find a spot late at night.
I noticed that the Carousel Inn had some decent prices on their rooms, but I have not stayed there before. I also noticed that in their reviews, there were more negative comments than I would like to see. People LOVED the beds, but you needed to ask for one of the newly rennovated rooms. Several people commented on "hidden charges" (i.e. parking, internet, resort tax). MOST hotels in the area have not charged for parking (unless you are staying at Hyatt, Marriott, [HOTEL] etc). Internet is ALWAYS an extra charge, unless you stay at a Marriott Courtyard, Fairfield or Residence Inn. As far as Resort Tax goes...you will get that no matter WHERE you stay in the Anaheim area. I believe it's between $5-$15, depending on the cost of the room. When we last stayed at the Grand Californian, the room was a little over $400 a night, and taxes were almost $20.
I did see that the Doubletree Hotel across from the park had OUTSTANDING reviews, and was only $87.20 per night per room. I have NOT stayed there, but have heard great things about it, and I BELIEVE that they recently remodeled the entire hotel. I don't know what restaurants they have inside the hotel itself, but, I do know that there is a Mimi's Cafe in front of it.
As far as eating goes: I would not recommend the "Dining Package" that you can purchase through Disney. It is rather confusing to use. You CAN save SOME money by using it, but more often than not, you find yourself eating somewhere, and you don't have the correct "coupon" for that type of eatery. I also don't know if you can purchase the package without going through Disney Travel Co....which NEVER gives you a break on ANY pricing. I WOULD recommend that you make reservations for eating anywhere in the park, besides fast food stops. They do have a Disney Dining number, which you can locate online, and I recommend keeping it in on your phone. You can make reservations up to 90 days in advance.
Places I would recommend: Carnation Cafe (on Main Street) for lunch. They have a GREAT "comfort food" menu, and fun stuff for the kids to eat too. This is a MUST whenever we go. I would DEFINATELY say to make a reservation if your entire party will be eating together. Anything over a party of 6 will require a substantial wait at any of the eateries. The Blue Bayou is always a favorite with our family. Located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the ambiance is fabulous. Don't plan on it being a RUSHED meal...but, their serving time has improved tremendously recently. They are pricey, and the food is moderate...but, the experience is unlike any other you will get in the park.
MUST have reservations, no matter WHAT size party you have. The Carnation Plaza is a great place to eat, located at the end of Main Street. No reservations needed. Their specialty is fried chicken. If you get there somewhat late for dinner/early for fireworks, and place yourself outside under the heaters, far enough where you have a clear view of the castle, you will be right smack dab in the middle of the night-time fireworks show. The kids might complain about sitting there for a bit..but you CAN'T beat the view!! The River Belle across from Tom Sawyers Island is also a great place to eat for lunch or dinner. No reservations. If you go there for dinner, go early, and stay for the Fantasmic show. You'll get an up-close and personal, unobstructed view of the show. Pizza Port is located in Tomorrowland. It specializes in pasta and pizza, of course! It is reasonably priced (for Disneyland), requires no reservations, and has ample seating. One chicken pasta plate is enough for two adults...and the kids always love the food. No reservations. In California Adventure, there really aren't many choices for a sit-down meal. The hot dog stand in The Backlot is very good, but it can sometimes be difficult to find seating, once you get your food. The corn dog stand next to the purple dinosaur on the boardwalk has great corndogs...no seating. We usually hit the restaurant where the winery is. No reservations needed, although if there are more than 6 of you, I would recommend making one. Be sure to have a glass of wine and order their orange panecotta for dessert. It's to DIE for!!
As far as tickets go: I would either buy them on eBay, or get a season pass. We have had Premium Annual Passports now for 8 years. If you purchase the Premium Pass, you can go any day of the year. All other passes have "black out" days, which cost over $40 if you want to get in on these days. The Passports are especially good if you are planning at LEAST one other multi-day trip to the parks. The Premium also includes free parking, which is currently $12 a day. (You can pay extra to add parking on to the other passes.) You will get discounts at almost ALL eateries, and 10-15% off of your purchases within the park and Downtown Disney. You also qualify for discounted rates at the Disney prooperties, should you decide to stay there. They are pricey, but save you money in the long run, should you be planning on returning within a year. Otherwise, your best bet is on eBay. (Be sure to look at the shipping charges and the positive feedback of the seller!!)
Many of the rides have "Single Rider" entrances. If everyone does not want to go on a particualr ride, this is a GREAT way to get on a ride quickly (if there is a long line). There is no guarantee that you will be seated together (most times you are not), but it IS a great way to get through the rides quickly...or ride the favorites over and over. Keep in mind that not ALL rides have this option. When in doubt, ask an attendent. Also, you can only pull one Fast Pass per person, per time limit. Let's say you pull a Fast Pass for Splash Mountain (which has single rider), but your "window" is in 4 hours. You cannot pull a Fast Pass for another ride (within that park), until the window time has come up. Keep that in mind when you are pulling passes.
If you are looking for "character dining" for the kids, or just fabulous food, NOTHING beats the Storyteller Restaurant in the Grand Californian hotel. They have the BEST breakfast, hands down! They start turning over for lunch at 11. Reservations for your party are a good idea.
If you arelooking for a diversion from the rides, try a tour. The best tour (in my opinion) that Disneyland offers, is the "Walk in Walt's Fottsteps" tour. it's about 4 hours in length, an what you get out of it varies with each cast member. Regardless, if you are a big Disney fan like myself, you will learn so many little bits and pieces of park information that are not normally known to an average guest.
I don't know if any of this has helped. I know it's a lot of info...and it's just the tip of the iceberg for me...lol
If I can answer any other questions or help you in any other way, please don't hesitate in asking! I have no idea how long it's been since you have been down there, so you may already know much of what I have shared.
I hope you have a FABULOUS trip down there!
OH!! Be sure to take advantage of their new "PhotoPass"! They have photographers all over both parks. At your first photo, they will give you a card. Each time you take a picture, you hand them your card, and it stores all of your photo information with a bar code, for the entire trip. If you don't wish to view the photos in the park, you can go home and order them...and even DESIGN some special backgrounds and add characters! You can look at/order your pictures online for up to 30 days. I always make sure we take LOTS of pics around the park, since there is no charge involved, and we don't have to remember to purchase them at the end of the night when everyone is tired.
Once again, let me know if I can help you any further! I would say that hotels.com had the best prices by FAR on the internet for hotels, if you are looking for a great deal on hotels that are off of Disney property.
~M~
