Looking for input on possible DLR trip

[Lasolimu]

Right now I kind of wish the online schedule for DLR stretched that far in advance.

[mechurchlady]

Right now I kind of wish the online schedule for DLR stretched that far in advance.

It will be the same as right now except for the addition of the parade. There might be more added as the season gets busy. http://www.wdwinfo.com and other sites have park info like what is planned for DCA and up and coming big events.

[Lasolimu]

Alright, this trip is moving on in the planning stages. We are going to DLR and we are driving down. We are stopping in Vegas for one night in each direction because my parents are getting older and are to the point where the full drive in one day is too much even with other drivers. We are leaving on May 31st and seeing Penn & Teller that night in Vegas. The next day we are going to finish the drive, however, this is probably when we will go to Six Flags: Magic Mountain before completing the drive to Anaheim. We are currently planning on doing the DCA Segway tour one of the days we are there, but that still has not been determined. Also my Mom remembers something about a Fantasmic! dessert thing where you got special seating for the show and were served dessert, but I can't find any information on that so any help would be appreciated. We are either going to leave June 5th or 6th and drive to Vegas, the exact date is still unknown, however, it really depends on how many days we want in the parks. In Vegas we are going to see Blue Man Group before heading home the next day. We were planning to split into two groups in Vegas on the way home with one seeing Blue Man Group and the other seeing Phantom of the Opera, but it was decided that because it was mainly my Mom that was most interested in Phantom that we would all go to Blue Man Group and that she and I would return to see Phantom for her birthday.

So I have a few questions:
With all of the changes coming to DCA, will it be worth while to take the Segway tour, or should we save that one for a later trip? I am thinking that the guide will probably talk about some of the coming changes which may not be mentioned in the Blue Sky Cellar at that time so it could be interesting.
I also vaguely remember the Fantasmic! dessert seating, but I can't find anything about it online, is this still being done and can we register for it through Disney Dinning?
Who would be interested in a meet? This could end up being a big factor in how many days we stay in Anaheim, and I am quite old enough to leave my family and wonder through the parks on my own at this time.
One of the things that has been decided because we are all paying for our own trip is that each person will pick a place to eat dinner and they will pay for the whole family and we won't worry about paying it back, so if you choose somewhere expensive you will likely eat the extra money spent. So, do any of you know of any relatively inexpensive table service places in the area? I know outside the parks gets pretty expensive, and it will probably be cheaper to eat inside of the parks because of the discount from my AP, but I still have to pay for tuition while saving for this trip so I don't want to spend too much.

[lady ulrike]

So I have a few questions:
I also vaguely remember the Fantasmic! dessert seating, but I can't find anything about it online, is this still being done and can we register for it through Disney Dinning?
Who would be interested in a meet? This could end up being a big factor in how many days we stay in Anaheim, and I am quite old enough to leave my family and wonder through the parks on my own at this time.
One of the things that has been decided because we are all paying for our own trip is that each person will pick a place to eat dinner and they will pay for the whole family and we won't worry about paying it back, so if you choose somewhere expensive you will likely eat the extra money spent. So, do any of you know of any relatively inexpensive table service places in the area? I know outside the parks gets pretty expensive, and it will probably be cheaper to eat inside of the parks because of the discount from my AP, but I still have to pay for tuition while saving for this trip so I don't want to spend too much.

Call Disney Dining for the Fantasmic dessert viewing.....I'm not sure how much it is, but the seating is really good, especially if you're one of the first ones to check in and get your pick of seating in the area. IIRC, you check in quite a bit before the show (like 7 or 8), then can leave and come back to your seats at show time. The desserts are really good as well.

I could be interested in a meet, depends on when/where (I'm not exactly rich either, so if it's food, it'd have to be cheap) and I'd probably have to have my almost 2 year old daughter with me.

As for relatively inexpensive table service...ummm..I'm not sure that exists, although I suppose it depends on your definition of relatively inexpensive and table service. Plaza inn is relatively inexpensive, but I wouldn't really call that table service. Goofy's Kitchen and Storyteller's are two places I really like, not sure you'd call it inexpensive, but Goofy's Kitchen is buffet and really good food and storyteller's is good food and has a buffet option, so you get your money's worth, I think. And if you're interested in meeting characters, then I highly recommend any of the character meals (like Goofy's) although depending on which characters you want to meet you may want to choose a different character meal.

[mechurchlady]

I would gladly meet and greet you at DLR, skip the segway tour for now.
I got great Fantasmic seats because I use an ECV and would gladly help you in parks if you need anything. I am planning to start going back solo as my handler is such a well kid and he needs 5 handlers.

I agree that Plaza is nice and Taste Pilot also but depends on the budget as there are few sit down and get waited on restaurants that are cheap.

[Whazzup]

Here's an excerpt from Allearsnet about the Fantasmic Dessert Package:

"Fantasmic! is free with park admission, but Disney does offer a Fantasmic! Dessert experience, which includes a reserved seat and a selection of desserts, for $59.00 (plus tax) per person. The reserved seating area is located on one of the terraced areas in front of the French Market. This area seats about 100 people in 4 rows of chairs. Guests receive a box containing a selection of dessert items, such as cookies, brownies, and chocolate dipped strawberries, as well as their choice of beverage - sodas, coffee, or hot chocolate. Unfortunately the seats are located between two of the water screens, and the view is somewhat obstructed by light poles and the railing in front of the seating area. Those in the back row may have trouble seeing over the people in front of them. Seating can be reserved 30 days in advance by calling 714-781-4400 beginning at 8 a.m. PST. A credit card is required and will be charged at time of booking. The tickets are non-refundable nor may they be exchanged for a different date or time."

Sounds pretty expensive to me, for what you get.

I just did some recent research on Character Meals at Disneyland and here are some current prices. One CM told me it included tax & gratuity, another CM told me it just included tax, no gratuity. Prices are for adults/children:

Goofy's Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel (Buffet)
Breakfast $32.21/$17.34
Dinner $39.64/$17.34

Storyteller's Character Breakfast in Grand Californian Hotel
Breakfast $24.77/$12.92 for buffet, or order from the menu and save a little money.

Minnie & Friends Character Breakfast at Plaza Inn, Disneyland
$25.85/$12.92

Ariel's Princess Celebration in California Adventure
Breakfast $34.69/$19.82
Lunch $39.64/$22.29
Dinner $39.64/$22.29 (I think it's the same price for lunch/dinner)

You may not be interested in a character meal, but they really are a lot of fun even for adults.

From everything I've read, it's really cheaper to eat outside the parks at a nearby restaurant. Your AP discount is only 10% at the park restaurants. There are some places in Downtown Disney that might be less expensive than character meals.

Here's a good website for dining information, including menus & prices, at DLR:

http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl/dl_rest.htm

Good luck!

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I won't give you info on dining, as there are scores of posters that have all the favorites covered, and have opinions pro and con, on the various places. (Rainforest cafe, coconut shrimp!!!)

Having taken several of the Segway tours, at WDW and DLR, let me say that you will really enjoy it. Its NOT like a walking tour, so don't expect a running commentary. Mostly you have some time to learn the Segway, some basic moves and turns. then you "tour" DCA" (or at WDW Epcot, world showcase) before they are open. You do go from point to point, and when stopped, they talk about the stuff in general, but not like an in-depth tour. Make sure you are wearing lace up type of shoes, as you shift your weight on your feet to help you steer.

It is well worth the experience!!!

[Lasolimu]

I will not be paying for the Fantasmic! dessert because that is something my Mom wants to do, the rest of us would be happy with the regular seating or simply not seeing it because we have seen it so many times before(Plus I prefer the one in Florida). And chances are we will do a character breakfast at the Plaza Inn one day, but again, I will not be paying for it because that is something the Mom likes to do so we figure she can pay for it. They are fun, but I don't have that kind of money, especially because I am the youngest and will be 22 on the trip so no kids prices. I may end up just doing some counter service place for my dinner because I know from my trip last week that they will probably be less expensive than outside the park, but I will look into places in Downtown Disney that are somewhat inexpensive. I have been on a Segway before, we had a couple at my high school all night graduation party so I am familiar with how they work and I also know that wearing laced shoes should not be a problem because the comfortable shoes we wear around the parks are laced. One of the big reasons I want to do the Segway tour is because we have all done the "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour on several occasions and no one has done the Segway tour yet. I think it would be amusing to take the "Welcome to Disneyland" tour, but only because we are hardly first timers and visit often(about every 6 months). I was looking at the "Discover the Magic" tour, and thought it could be fun for my family even without the young kids, but we were not originally planning on being there on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday; this could be a reason to stay an extra day though. Then there's the VIP tour thing which is just way to expensive. Basically I want to do the Segway tour because it is different from a walking tour, of course that means that certain members of my family will need to lose weight, but that is hardly a bad thing; I am already well on my way down, so I should be fine. The only problem I see with the Segway tour is that some people may not want to do it.

[mechurchlady]

The main problem with the segway tour is that the park is a mess and will continue to be full of construction so check with micechat and others for info and see what is being blocked off next. Fun tour but what will it be like if everything is blocked off.

I offer to friends here and disboards assistance if they need it. How many are in your group? Taste Pilot is a nice place to eat and about $24 for a bottle of water, large coke, large ribs with onion rings, and cheddar burger on a gluten free bun. Two turkey legs, one corn on the cob, one bag of chips, bottle of coke and bottle of water cost that much, yikes.

[Lasolimu]

It is true that things will be blocked off, but that also gives the tour guide more to talk about when we stop. Plus it also gives me a reason to do it again later.

As to the size of the group, there are 6 of us in total. I know that places outside of the parks are about $10-$15 per person and I looked and saw that there are a couple of places in the parks that are full service for a similar price, but when you take the AP discount into consideration it is a better deal. Generally speaking, money isn't a big problem but I still need to worry about the approximately $1000 left on tuition. With my current job I should have about plenty of money for this trip when tuition is considered, but I still need to think about hotels and the shows in Vegas and gas for the car. Anyway, I still have plenty of time to decide as this isn't until June. Apparently, one of my brothers can afford to take us all to Medieval Times for his dinner I won't be doing anything like that. I will probably just go up to the $$$ level on allears.net which still leaves me a lot of options, and after doing the quick calculations in my head I should really have plenty of money for. Of course the Character Dinners are still out because they are still really expensive, I will just stick with regular table service when I pay.