[Franco54]

I want you to convince me to take our last Disney trip out there at Disneyland! Tell me of the hotels,parks, dining tell me of the tips you have. Let me know what, where,how of that whole leftcoast thing. Gimme your best shot!! Thank you kindly!

[Dopey]

OMG Franco, Disneyland is really a whole lot prettier than MK, if that's possible. I don't know about Californina Adventure, have never seen it, but Disneyland is awsome. I am going to look up a website that has hundreds of photos from there so you can take a good look.

http://www.mousetimes.com/dlrpictori...06/index2.html
http://www.mousetimes.com/dlrpictorials/05_24_06/

[disneylandrocks]

There's 3 hotels on Disney Property, all within walking distance of both parks. First there's the Disneyland Hotel, then there is the Grand Californian (an AMAZINGLY awesome hotel) and finaly the paradise pier hotel overlooking paradise pier at California adventure. All three are very nice hotels, but the Grand Californian is by far the best in my opinion.

www.disneyland.com is full of great information on both parks and all 3 hotels.

[rosebud]

You MUST get a reservation at the Blue Bayou for lunch and I highly reccomend the Monte Cristos, mmmmm. You will also get to check out the Matterhorn, Indiana Jones ride and the Matterhorn!

And yes the Grand Californian is really amazing and beautiful, plus they have really comfy bathrobes!

[Experiment6-2-6]

Originally Posted by Franco54

I want you to convince me to take our last Disney trip out there at Disneyland! Tell me of the hotels,parks, dining tell me of the tips you have. Let me know what, where,how of that whole leftcoast thing. Gimme your best shot!! Thank you kindly!

Last Disney Trip?

Is there something I don't know?

But you SHOULD go to Disneyland, just because it is the Happiest Place on Earth. You can see where the magic started, and it still has Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!

The Grand Californian is the hotel to stay at, with it's own entrance to California Adventure. CA has every part of California at your fingertips. Except for San Francisco's Chinatown. I have no idea why?

NAPA ROSE IS THE BEST EATING ESTABLISHMENT IN THE RESORT. You should follow with Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, and also The Blue Bayou.

And, of course, it's Southern California.

No humidity.

If THAT doesn't convince you, all hope is lost..

[anaheimboy]

Well for one you'll get to come home to where the magic all began, Walt's original park. His presence in the park is present all over the place. The 50th is currently going on so theres a whole section of reasons to come. Disneyland park is absolutley Beautiful and offers many rides. California Adventure has a very lovely atmosphere as well and also offers some pretty awesome rides. Youve got the whole Downtown Disney District, nothing like the one at WDW, just as good but different. The hotels are absolutley wonderful...be SURE to check out Disney's Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel, their amazing! Theres just so much to see and do and everything is right within walking distance and the beach/hollywood/and more is not to far away either! You'll love it!

[WishUponAStar]

Franco! I am an east coast girl tride and true who had a VERY apprehensive attitude when it came to my first visit to Disneyland. In the spring of 2001, shortly after DCA's grand opening, my best friend had been living in Hollywood and invited me out so we felt we HAD TO take the plunge into Disneyland.

Even though I had my own premonition of what Disneyland would be like because growing up in WDW you hear things like: "Disneyland park can fit in the parking lot of the Magic Kingdom," "When you go on the monorail in DL you are right next to the highway," "Disneyland is ALWAYS more crowded than WDW," etc... but NOTHING could have prepared me for what was in store that first first visit in 2001.

I would never pit the two against each other and say one is better, prettier, etc... BUT Disneyland is TRUELY unique and special. Probably the most magical thing to me was Fantasyland. Some of the rides are SOOO close to the originals that you could probably convince yourself you are visiting in an era far before the current. Rides like Pinocchio's Daring Journey, the Storybook Canal boats, Alice in Wonderland, the Matterhorn, etc... are all so full of original disney magic!

You just MUST go at least once, honestly. I don't think I could ever look at WDW the same way again had it not been for my '01 and '03 trips out to DL. California Adventure was nice but it's a park in growth and I think it's starting to come along nicely. My only WARNING to east coasters going to DL for the first time... the castle is TEENY!! Upon my first entrance onto Main Street I LITERALLY said to my friend, "where's the castle?" I referred to it as the "lego castle" from then on. It is undeniably beautiful though... just tiny.

As far as the resorts, next month will be my first time staying at a DL resort, so you'll have to wait for my TR. We are staying at the Disneyland Hotel.

[Andrea]

I have never noticed the DL castle as being small! When I saw the castle at WDW for the first time, I didn't think it looked any bigger than what I was used to. I think it's just that DL has the castle of my dreams and it will always be perfect in my mind.

And Disneyland? Has the Indiana Jones Adventure. Best. Ride. Ever!

[_Ariel_]

Well. Disneyland is a lot more magical (IMO) than WDW, because it was the first. Walt's touch is all over DL... there are many hidden secrets and exciting things to find all over the place. Also IMO, I think it's much prettier at DL that WDW. Agreeing with Andrea, Disneyland is home to the famous INDIANA JONES-- the unforgettable. :D
Not to mention Space Mountain here is much better than WDW's, and everything is within walking distance. Like California Adventures is right next to (not across the street from) Disneyland, and it takes five seconds to walk there. Downtown Disney, likewise, is only a minute away- maybe not even that. Disneyland is surrounded- literally- by hotels. There are at least seven within walking distance, three directly across the street. And even if you don't stay at the Disneyland Hotel, you can still eat at one of the greatest character breakfasts known- Goofy's Kitchen. When I went there, I had SO many characters visit my table. There's great food and company! ;D The Blue Bayou in POTC is great too, and Disneyland's churros...*sigh*
If you need anymore info, ask! I'm obsessed!

[mickeymommy]

Ok, we just got back from DL and I'm so glad we went. I do agree with Wish...the castle is TEENY! That shocked me. You can see a lot of things that were improved upon for WDW, but DL is the original, so it was really neat to see. We stayed off-property at the Red Roof and I recommend it. It's about a 10 minute walk, but a very pleasant one. The fact that everything is in walking distance is nice too. We decided 15 minutes before showtime to see Aladdin in CA, we were in Tomorrowland, and we made it in time, including having to go through the turnstiles. I can't tell you anything about the food, we only ate burgers and hot dogs in the parks, but I wouldn't have missed the experience at being in DL for anything!

[mmouse67l]

Originally Posted by rosebud

You MUST get a reservation at the Blue Bayou for lunch and I highly reccomend the Monte Cristos, mmmmm. You will also get to check out the Matterhorn, Indiana Jones ride and the Matterhorn!

I agree, the Monte Cristo is to kill for. And lets not forget the Matterhorn and the Matterhorn!

I think that every Disney fan should make at least one visit to Disneyland in their lives. It is the original, plus it feels extra magical to walk on the same ground and ride the same rides that Walt did. You can't say that about WDW.

[disneylandrocks]

Yeah, the castle is teeny, but in replace of a huge castle is a huge mountain. The matterhorn. It's a very unique thing to have a mountain as the skyline in a Disney park instead of a castle. The castle is beautiful though, especially since it has been decorated/re-painted for the 50th.

[MissDisney]

Franco, I once had to be in Anaheim on business... a really important trip! This was way before I had ever been to WDW. I played hooky one day and went by myself to DL. The temperature was perfect, the park was practically deserted, and it was wonderful...

I remember wandering around in this beautiful place, and I saw an open door that said Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. So I went in it. And the doorway led to that famous ride, and it wa my first Disney attraction ever!

And so then I got a map. I felt like Alice in Wonderland at that point. I had never seen such beautiful plantings, and laughing people with balloons and all that great Disney stuff! I wanted to ride the Space Mountain ride, and it was so fun! It was my first coaster ever!

I also had an ice cream in front of the castle before I had to get back to work without being missed!

It was one of the most special, wonderful days ever, and so that day at DL is the very reason why I became addicted to the Mouse!

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by MissDisney

Franco, I once had to be in Anaheim on business... a really important trip! This was way before I had ever been to WDW. I played hooky one day and went by myself to DL. The temperature was perfect, the park was practically deserted, and it was wonderful...

I remember wandering around in this beautiful place, and I saw an open door that said Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. So I went in it. And the doorway led to that famous ride, and it wa my first Disney attraction ever!

And so then I got a map. I felt like Alice in Wonderland at that point. I had never seen such beautiful plantings, and laughing people with balloons and all that great Disney stuff! I wanted to ride the Space Mountain ride, and it was so fun! It was my first coaster ever!

I also had an ice cream in front of the castle before I had to get back to work without being missed!

It was one of the most special, wonderful days ever, and so that day at DL is the very reason why I became addicted to the Mouse!

Yay! Thanks for sharing that story!

[jk8]

Wow, I've had no plans to go but this makes me want to !