Posted by on Apr 27, 2013 in Planning | 20 comments

Monstrous Summer All-Nighter Planning Tips

Sunrise over the Disneyland Main Street, USA Train Station at the end of


During the Monstrous Summer All-Nighter, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disneyland & Disney California Adventure will be open for 24 consecutive hours beginning on May 24, 2013 at 6 am until 6 am on May 25, 2013. This is an extension of the “Limited Time Magic” promotional efforts and the kick-off of the Monstrous Summer to promote Disney*Pixar’s Monsters University. It also falls on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, making it the perfect time to take a long weekend trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland! We participated in the events of “One More Disney Day” (the 24-hour Leap Day event in 2012) and it was a ton of fun. It was also a great, unique opportunity for photography–so great that I made an eBook about the experience!

Based upon our experiences last year, here are some tips for enjoying these special events if you’re going to be Walt Disney World or Disneyland, and also some tips for those of you watching the fun from home! While this planning guide is a great primer, if you want a better idea of what to expect during the 24 hour event, I strongly encourage you to read our trip report from 2012′s “One More Disney Day” 24 hour event. Even if you’re not going, there are some pretty photos from the event!

Also, check out our general Disneyland Trip Planning Guide and Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide if you’re not a “regular” at either park for more general planning tips. With that said, here are our Monstrous Summer All-Nighter tips! (more…)

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Posted by on Apr 8, 2013 in Disney Tips & Tricks | 40 comments

101 Great Disneyland Tips

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are generally considered “locals parks,” and there are a lot of things they do that you, too, can do to save time and money, or just improve the quality of your vacation. Here are 101 random tips based upon our visits to Disneyland as Annual Passholders, and based upon lessons we’ve learned while in the parks from locals we hang out with who have been visiting for years.

Our 101 Great Walt Disney World Tips list was so popular that we’ve decided to do this one for Disneyland! Not all of these tips will be applicable to everyone (not everyone is going to need to know about a Baby Care Center!), but there should be something for everyone here. Whether you’re a first time planner or a weathered veteran who still has nightmare-flashbacks to Light Magic, there are tips for you here!

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Let’s get started…

101 Disneyland Tips

  1. The Disneyland Dining Plan is nothing like the Walt Disney World Dining Plan. Very few Disneyland guests use it because, for most people, the Disneyland Dining Plan is not worth the hassle.
  2. Disneyland now enforces FastPass return times as of 2013, but there is a 15 minute grace period, so don’t discard your FastPasses if you’re only a bit late!
  3. Walt Disney World regulars fond of “Drinking Around the World” in Epcot can have a similar bar crawl experience at Disneyland Resort in Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the Disney-owned hotels!
  4. If you are celebrating a special occasion, make sure to pin up a button reflecting the celebration at one of the Disney-owned hotels or in the parks from Guest Services (or at a restaurant if the line at Guest Services is long). You may receive special treatment if wearing the buttons. If you are not celebrating a special occasion but just want a free button, ask a Cast Member for one in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.
  5. If planning your trip, you may encounter outdated resources suggesting that there’s little benefit to staying in on-site, Disney-owned hotels at Disneyland Resort. This changed in June 2012 with the opening of Cars Land, as early access to Radiator Springs Racers can be very valuable. Our on-site v. off-site hotel post reflects the current pros and cons of staying off-site and on-site.
  6. Guests may be able to ride in the Lilly Belle car on the Disneyland Railroad and the Mark Twain Riverboat Wheel House on a first-come, first-served basis. Just ask a Cast Member working either attraction or visit City Hall. If you strike out with one Cast Member or on one day, don’t be afraid to try again later.
  7. FastPass should be used to avoid long lines, but if you must wait in one long line, make it Indiana Jones Adventure. The queue is an experience in itself, and you can use this decoder to translate some Mara-glyphics in the queue.
  8. If you’re visiting on a night when Disney California Adventure has 2 or 3 World of Color performances, always go to the latest one for the lowest crowds. This means strategically pulling your World of Color FastPass later in the day so you don’t get “stuck” with an earlier show. If you do get a FastPass for an earlier show, see a Cast Member near the distribution and request to exchange it for a later show. If there are multiple showings of Fantasmic, the last one is also the least crowded.
  9. Mad Hatter plays “musical chairs” with kids at Coke Corner on Main Street in Disneyland once daily. This usually occurs at 2:30 p.m., but the time is subject to change and is not listed in the Times Guide. Ask a Cast Member at Coke Corner for the exact time it will be occurring during your visit.
  10. Due to the large population of Annual Passholders and how blockout dates redistribute them, the best time to visit Disneyland isn’t as simple as when school is in session. Some of the best times to go include late January and early February, April, and after Labor Day through early November (except weekends). (more…)
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Posted by on Mar 2, 2013 in Disney Dining, Disney Tips & Tricks | 10 comments

Disney Dining Reviews Index

Disney Parks Dining Reviews

Walt Disney World and Disneyland have hundreds of restaurant and dining options, which can be overwhelming for some people. To assist, we’re highlighting reviews of some fan-favorite Disney restaurants here. At the top of the page are our Walt Disney World restaurant reviews organized by location, followed by other helpful Walt Disney World dining resources. The lower portion of the page contains links to Disneyland Resort restaurant reviews and resources.

Click each restaurant name to read our full review of the restaurant, and see some photos of different items that each restaurant serves!

Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews:

Resorts

Epcot

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney World Dining Resources:

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Posted by on Feb 18, 2013 in Disney Tips & Tricks, Top Posts | 78 comments

Disney Packing List

DSC_4399 as Smart Object-1 copy

When we pack for Walt Disney World or Disneyland, we make a check-list of what we need to bring for the trip. We’re sure most of you also have similar lists, and probably don’t need a reminder to bring toothpaste and deodorant. Instead, here’s our list of less obvious items that we bring with us to Disney, which you may want to consider adding to your own checklists!

We change our packing list regularly based upon feedback and suggestions we receive in the comments on this list (thanks!), as we like to try new and useful travel products that will improve our trips. Our 2013 updates include a few products we’ve yet to try and one we wouldn’t be caught dead using–but we note the few things that we have not actually tested ourselves.

For the food and consumables, to avoid adding weight to our luggage that might cause us to have to pay baggage fees, we often place an order with Amazon.com prior to our trip, and have the items shipped to our Disney resort. (In Address Line 2, specify your arrival date.) Shipping on orders over $25 is free with Amazon.com. One tip for this is that you need to specify when ordering that you want your order in “as few shipments as possible.” A few Disney resort-hotels charge a small “package fee” when you pick up the package. This $2 or so fee isn’t much for one package, but could really add up if Amazon ships each little toiletry separately!

With all of that said, let’s get to the lists, grouped by category. (more…)

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Posted by on Feb 1, 2013 in Disney Dining | 5 comments

Carnation Cafe Review

Carnation Café is a table service restaurant located on Main Street in Disneyland. Disneyland’s Carnation Café serves American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an open-air seating area on Main Street. As part of a 2012 expansion of the Carnation Café, there is now indoor seating and a revised menu. Like many locations in Disneyland, Carnation Café has rich history. It is located in the same location where the Carnation Ice Cream Shoppe and the Flower Mart once stood. Advance reservations can be arranged for this restaurant by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE; reservations are recommended here due to the restaurant’s size, it’s popularity among Disneyland fans, and its prices. Reservations are more likely to be useful for breakfast than for lunch or dinner here, but you should make reservations for any meal here, if you know in advance that you want to eat here. We did not make reservations, and we were seated immediately, but your luck may not be as good as ours!

This review details the lunch menu at Carnation Café both prior to 2012 and after the 2012 refurbishment. You can view the current menu here. Carnation Café also serves breakfast, and we had heard a number of great things about the breakfast menu. Likewise, the lunch menu is very solid and the prices are very reasonable. Overall, Carnation Café is probably one of the best dining options at Disneyland Resort. For its price point, you absolutely cannot go wrong or do better. (more…)

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