After lots of planning, then scrapping them all for a cruise, then changing back (I had changed it to a Marvel Day At Sea because I’m so missing cruising…but I got cold feet about getting to the port and testing positive and being stuck, so I changed it back to DL (and three days later actually tested positive, which would have allowed me to get a letter that I’d had it and recovered in the past 90 days and not to even have to test at the port!!! but I left it as DL), I’m finally only three weeks from what I’m calling my “Pseudo-First Trip To Disneyland”!!!
Why Pseudo-First? Because I’ve only been once - for the Half Marathon Weekend in 2011. Carsland was just being built, it was still the Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion was down for the holiday overlay, and there were walls EVERYWHERE in DCA and DL - plus I was with my sister and some friends and we ended up doing a lot of stuff not even in the parks (some diner out on a pier somewhere that they all HAD to go and eat at because it figured in some show they all watched, some place with frozen bananas, etc.) so while we did some things, I don’t fully feel like it was a true FIRST trip. So this is my pseudo-first trip!!
I fly out of Newark on the first flight out to SNA on the 20th - leaving at 7am and scheduled to land at 10:20. (I’ve been stalking the flight over the past week and other than yesterday and today thanks to the bomb cyclone/nor’easter/blizzard it has left a smidge early and gotten in a bigger smidge earlier). I’ll get a taxi to Anaheim - there is supposed to be a fixed rate, plus I don’t have to worry about finding the Lyft/Uber pick-up area which I think is on top of a parking garage or something.
I’m staying at the Hotel Lulu, which looks fun. I’ll go in and see if a room is ready, if not I’ll store my bags and head over to Disneyland!
Arrival day I had been really debating what to do - and that played into my hotel decision also. I have 5 day park hoppers starting on Monday - and Disneyland doesn’t go higher than 5 days tickets. BUT they also only do fireworks on the weekends at this time of year, so Sunday would be my only chance to see them!! (And with a red-eye flight home on the 25th, I didn’t want to shift the tickets and have nothing to do on Friday.) When I rebooked Disneyland, I initially was going to be at the JW Marriott which looked great and which a guy I follow on Insta has stayed at and raved about. They have a rooftop bar that advertises fireworks viewing…BUT the bar is closed on Sundays!!! I messaged them on FB and tweeted at them to ask about that - advertising fireworks viewing but being closed and finally got a response that “Yes, the bar is closed. But you can check with a desk agent and they can give you access to the roof.” Which seemed really sketchy to me. I changed to the Westin which has a rooftop bar that IS open on Sundays, and was going to go there. BUT the more I looked at things, the more I felt not fancy enough to be at the Westin. I’d looked at the Hotel Lulu before and it looks cute and much more casual/beachy which is much more my vibe. So I changed to that and used some of the refund in the difference to splurge on a 1-day ticket for Disneyland.
So once I go to the hotel and either check in or store my bags, I’ll head out to walk to the parks and head into Disneyland!! I’ll QS or snack anything to eat and just take the day as it comes. I did get Genie+ with the ticket for the photopass aspect, but I’ll use it for rides as well. Not doing an ILL in Disneyland Park as I have less than zero interest in the one ride available with it. Fireworks that night and then back to the hotel.
For the rest of the trip I have hoppers with Genie+ - given that it’s Presidents’ Week I felt like it was worth it. Plus photopass.
Feb 21 I have breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen and the plan is Disneyland in the morning and early afternoon and then hopping over to DCA, planning for all Avengers Campus (and Mission: BREAKOUT) that evening. (I’ve been advised by a few friends to experience it at night first - and I know there’s no way I could deal with being in the park and not hitting it earlier.)
Feb 22 is ALL DCA - day at Avengers Campus and maybe some other things, then over to Carsland in the evening (again - advice has been to experience it at night first).
Feb 23 is DCA with Tortilla Jo’s lunch at Downtown Disney. Then I’ll either go back into DCA or hop to Disneyland after.
Feb 24 is breakfast at Storyteller’s Cafe and then into Disneyland. Planning to hit Trader Sam’s at 6 and will either go back into Disneyland or hop to DCA after.
Feb 25 is DCA (with brunch at Lamplighter’s Lounge!!!) until I have to go back to the hotel and collect bags to get a taxi or Lyft/Uber back to SNA for my 9:05pm flight back to EWR.
I’m so super excited about this trip!!! I’ve got lots of Marvel/Avengers shirts and some fun Disney (work for Land or World) shirts from tee-public - just need to get the hoodies washed so I’m good to go for packing!!
