The Fantasmic! Dining Package can save you some time by allowing you to explore the park rather than stake out a spot to view Fantasmic!. As we planned our first Disneyland trip, we knew we wanted to see this nighttime show. Though we’d seen the Walt Disney World version several times, Disneyland’s Fantasmic happens right in the middle of the park on Rivers of America rather than in a separate outdoor theatre. We knew we didn’t want to miss this, and we knew we didn’t want to spend time staking out a viewing spot early if we didn’t have to. The solution? Booking a Fantasmic! Dining Package. Disney Dining Packages and Dessert Parties When we go to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, we like to find ways to minimize waits for some of the special experiences Disney offers. Sometimes we book a dessert party in order to get special viewing…
Disney Dreamin’: The Background We’d never been to a Disney park in any other season but summer. June and July, to be exact. When you’re a teacher with a school-aged kid, it’s difficult to get away during the school year. This past summer, we planned a trip that included Yellowstone and Seattle, and, originally, the plan was to fly from Kansas City to Denver and rent a car. When reports of rental car shortages emerged, we canceled the flight and drove the entire trip from Missouri. In the end, we were glad it worked out that way; we ended up adding an extra week to the trip. But, we had a flight to reschedule or we’d lose the funds. What to do? Plan a long weekend to Disney? Yes, please! In the end, we chose Disneyland over Walt Disney World. Since we’d only have a couple of park days, a…
If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, be sure to put Storytellers Cafe on your to-do list! Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Buffet was a wonderful memory for us. One of my favorite things to do on a Disney trip is to try fun restaurants and meet our favorite characters. Luckily, Disney allows you to combine both of these into one experience. Character dining is something we always make time for on our trips. When I saw the adorable outfits the characters wore at Storytellers Cafe, I knew we had to give it a try! Visiting the Grand Californian Hotel Storytellers Cafe is located in the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. What’s cool about this hotel, besides the architecture and theming, is that it has a private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. You can walk out of the resort and into Grizzly Peak, the park of the…
We had a wonderful time at the Plaza Inn for Minnie and Friends, Breakfast in the Park. When we were planning our trip to Disneyland, I was excited to find out that the park had a character breakfast that allowed you to meet approximately eight characters in one dining experience. Yay! As Walt Disney World vets, we were used to meeting a number closer to five at once. When I read that the characters are not guaranteed, that you had no idea who may show up, well, I knew this was a character meal we needed to try. So at exactly 60 days out, the reservation window at Disneyland (WDW’s is 180 days), I easily booked us an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) for a pre-opening character breakfast at Plaza Inn. Some Things We Learned First, I don’t know if it was a weird fluke because of the timing of Star…
When we started planning a trip to Disneyland, I knew we had to give the Blue Bayou Restaurant at Disneyland a try. Since we live in Missouri, we didn’t know when we would ever return to the area, so we made sure to include special experiences. When I learned that the boats from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride float right by in the restaurant, it was a no-brainer for me. The next thing I checked out was the menu. I knew it would be a challenge for my picky eaters, but for a once in a lifetime visit, we decided to give it a shot. We spent four days in Disney parks on this trip. Since we are Walt Disney World vets, I made an Advance Dining Reservation, or ADR, for our lunch here. At Disneyland, you can make an ADR at 60 days out from your visit. You…
When we began planning our first trip to Disneyland, we were excited to learn about World of Color, the night show at Disney California Adventure. The pictures we saw were stunning, and it looked like there were often crowds there to see the show. When I found out that Disney offered a dessert party for this show, I was excited. When I found out the party provided the only seating for the show, I was like, “Disney, take my money!” And they did. So, that’s how our party of three got a reservation for the World of Color Dessert Party. Making a Reservation for the World of Color Dessert Party We are not strangers to Disney dessert parties and how they can enhance your experience. We’ve done the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. We loved being able to cool off with treats…
Spoiler Alert! This post contains pictures and details about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland. Stop reading now to avoid spoilers! Here is a picture of the newly restored Sleeping Beauty Castle to keep you from seeing the Star Wars stuff. Turn back now! Now that the spoiler alert is out of the way, we can proceed. And, I must say, we can enjoy this pre-park opening picture of the castle. But more on that later. First, I’ll tell you the story about how three people in Missouri, who had no intention of being part of the new land madness, fell into the perfect opportunity to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at about half of the land’s capacity the first week of June. A long time ago… Our story really begins in January as my husband and I worked on the set for my high school’s production of Beauty and…