The Buzz Lightyear Attraction at Disneyland
©2008 Disney Enterpises, Inc./ Paul Hiffmeyer
Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries
©2008 Disney Enterpises, Inc./ Paul Hiffmeyer
The Pixar Parade at Disney's California Adventure
©2008 Disney Enterpises, Inc./ Paul Hiffmeyer
New in 2008: Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries
You never know when, or where, Indiana Jones will show up in the crowded streets of Adventureland, being pursued by sinister villains! Additional activities include storytelling to the little ones at The Oasis, a "scavenger" hunt revealing special codes and digital "prizes," and unexpected Indy-themed surprises on the mysterious rivers of the Jungle Cruise.
Allowing everyone to rest in the morning, we took time to relax in the hotel’s pool after enjoying the free hot cooked breakfast.
We arrived in Anaheim, checked into our hotel, and drove to the park. (It was less expensive to drive and park at Disneyland with in & out privileges than it was to take the shuttle.) The park was quite crowded on Sunday afternoon, with wait times for rides about 25 minutes long.
After several hours in the park, we decided to take the advice of a friend and return to the hotel for a couple of hours to rejuvenate—as much for the adults as for the kids.
Returning to the hotel, we ordered dinner from a local restaurant to be delivered to our room. Because we were staying at a Residence Inn, we had all the utensils necessary: plates, flatware, drinking glasses, and napkins. The youngest kids napped, the rest of us recharged, and we returned to the park with renewed energy to find most of the guests had gone home! This was a great opportunity to take advantage of the rides, as the lines had disappeared with the park guests.
Attraction Most Loved: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Mixed Review, Pirates of the Caribbean: While the 3-year-old boy loved it, the 5- and 8-year-old girls cried through it.
Where to Stay: Residence Inn, Garden Grove
The conveniences available to families lured us: separate bedroom and living rooms, full kitchen, full breakfast with hot and cold items, swimming pool.
In all honesty, if you can stretch your budget, the convenience of staying inside the park is something to consider. Much time was spent walking and driving, and the youngest ones had a difficult time keeping up the pace—even while sleeping in the stroller. The option to take them back to the hotel right in the park may well have been worth the extra cost. And after 10:00 that evening, we were wishing we had a second double stroller, as the 5- and 8-year-olds needed to be carried out of the park.
Day Three:
Disney’s California Adventure
Once again, we spent the morning swimming, then headed back to Disney for the second park. As it was a bit chilly, we avoided the water rides. We didn’t find the rides for the youngest set in Bugs Life until after dark. Since the park was almost vacant by that time, there was no waiting time.
Highlights this year: Toy Story Mania! 4-D, where guests put on 3-D glasses and "shrink" to the size of a toy and board the Toy Story Mania! carnival tram ride vehicles, whose fast travel and spinning add a huge amount of fun to the interactive experience.
Attractions Most loved: It’s Tough to be a Bug, Bugs Life Rides, Pixar Play Parade
Just like with SeaWorld, prior to entering the Disney parks, our bags were subject to search, but we didn’t have any problem bringing in bottled water and snacks.
Tickets: We purchased the Southern California 2Fer Ticket, a great bargain, but it did not allow for park hopping. We felt this didn’t allow us enough time in the parks, and would have preferred the option to hop back and forth between the parks.
We all felt that two eight-hour days were not enough time to experience everything we wanted to do at the parks, and would recommend five-day hopper passes (used in short spurts) to optimize our future visit.
Overall Tips for Your Trip
- Put plans in place immediately for the times when your group gets separated. We wasted quite a bit of time trying to find one another.
- It's typically an hour drive from Santa Clarita Valley to Disneyland, if you can plan around traffic delays.
- Some of you will be bringing house guests, so don't forget that for most kids, this is their dream vacation and they'll be excited--especially if they don't live in SoCal.
- The children's sleeping and eating patterns will be off, so don't expect to live out the Disneyland commercials.
- Slow down! Their little legs cannot keep up with yours.
- Take plenty of water.
- Even at McDonald's in California Adventure, cheeseburgers cost more than outside of the park.
- Don't try to see everything; plan ahead and select the "can't miss" attractions and shows.
