Posted by on Apr 11, 2013 in Disney Dining | 17 comments

Carthay Circle Restaurant Review


Carthay Circle Restaurant in Disney California Adventure is Disneyland Resort’s top in-park dining experience. This review covers our experiences at both the bar & lounge and the table service restaurant located in Carthay Circle Theatre. Carthay Circle Restaurant’s menu consists of trendy modern cuisine with a diverse range of flavors and locally sourced ingredients. Many items on the menu are flavors of Southern California, but it’s not an overly “California” menu. Inside, it feels like an upscale old Hollywood place. Sort of like the Hollywood Tower Hotel, except without the lightning and stuff (although I did half expect to find Rod Serling inside).

Being an upscale restaurant inside a theme park is a tough balancing act–upscale dining requires a certain menu, level of service, and ambiance, whereas theme parks are bustling places often filled with sweaty tourists. Nailing the ambiance thus becomes a bit of a challenge, as the restaurant’s clientele is not typical of what you’d find in a comparable SoCal restaurant. In this sense, Carthay Circle Restaurant was a bit of a gamble for Disney. Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel has proven quite popular, but it benefits from locals being able to visit without paying park admission.

By contrast, Carthay Circle Restaurant caters only to the theme park crowd, and has to compete with attractions for the attention of this crowd. Unlike other restaurants that have gone “extinct” at Disney California Adventure in the past, Carthay Circle Restaurant is located prominently in Disney California Adventure’s wienie, making it more difficult for Disney to just shutter. On top of that, much of the dedicated Annual Passholder base at Disneyland was a bit perturbed when Carthay Circle Theatre was announced as the home of a restaurant and two lounges rather than an actual attraction. In other words, Carthay Circle Restaurant has had a lot of pressure on it since even before it opened to really offer an incredible experience. (more…)

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Posted by on Apr 10, 2013 in Disney Tips & Tricks | 4 comments

Top 5 Ways to Avoid Crowds at Disney California Adventure

Cars Land will make Disney California Adventure crowds unbearable at times this summer. Not only will wait times be long for Radiator Springs Racers and Luigi’s Flying Tires, but waits will be higher all across the park as masses of guests make trips to the park and visit those attractions in Cars Land, which remains a big draw. While nothing will be quite as hectic as Cars Land this summer, lines at other rides and crowds in general will be at levels previously unknown to the one-time “ugly duckling” of the Disney theme parks. (more…)

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Posted by on Apr 8, 2013 in Disney Tips & Tricks | 43 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 4, 2013 in Disney Tips & Tricks | 39 comments

Disney Theme Park CDs and Music

Walt Disney World and Disneyland park music is available on official album CDs and via MP3 download, leaked original source recordings, and on-site live recordings. Park music has become incredibly popular as it is one way people can relive their vacations and instantly transport themselves back to their “happy places” in Walt Disney World or Disneyland.

A lot of effort goes into creating the music heard in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Most people are familiar with the big-name attraction themes, like those from ‘it’s a small world’ and Haunted Mansion. Many of these songs were penned by the Sherman Brothers, two of the most significant people in the history of Disney. Other music heard in the parks is far less famous, but resonates with us just as strongly. Off the top of your head, you may not have any idea what music plays in the ‘background’ of Tomorrowland or the Innoventions breezeways. However, I’ll bet if you download and play those tracks, you would instantly recognize them. That’s what I found when I first started “collecting” Disney theme park music, and I have so much now that despite having it play for several hours each day, I can go an entire week without playing the same track twice!

Fortunately for fans, unlike Disney parks book collecting, music collecting is a relatively inexpensive hobby. In fact, it can even be free! I keep all of my music in digital form, so unlike books, it also doesn’t take up any physical space. This primer will get you started on the road to having an excellent collection of music from the Disney theme parks. (more…)

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Posted by on Mar 2, 2013 in Disney Dining, Disney Tips & Tricks | 11 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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