Retirement ( Pre ) Trip Report includes DAS

Disneyland
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Thanks to everyone who has commented and/or shared anything Disneyland! We are now 2 weeks away and I’m starting to reread TRs and other things I’ve bookmarked. This trip is specifically for my retirement but also DH wanted to be there at Halloween. We went once before about 15 years ago.

This also will mark the first time since 2016 that we have flown anywhere. We are booked on Delta Comfort Plus and have requested a wheelchair for DH at the airports. If we are lucky we will have TSA pre check. We have booked Curbside Express LAX for to and from LAX to our hotel.

These are my general plans but are not strict. We’ve made lists of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 for each park.

Accommodations: Grand Californian 10/27 to 11/5 with 2 ECVs, 5 day park hoppers and DAS

Fri 10/28 arrive LAX about 4:15 pm so hopefully will be at GCH between 6 and 7pm. ECVs should be waiting. We will likely MO dinner from Craftsmen’s Grill.

Sat 10/29 DLCL 7 DCACL 6
Start at DCA likely get G+
Get DAS or ILL for RSR
LL Webslingers
Wander Carsland and Avengers
11:30-12:30 pm DAS preselect GotG
MO lunch
1 pm hop to DL
Ride RR?
1:30-2:30 pm DAS preselect Space Mtn
DAS/LL for JC, Buzz, Star Tours, Tiki Room
5 pm ADR Cafe Orleans
Continue with DL tier 1 or 2 rides
Fantasmic at 9 or 10:30 pm whichever fits best

Sun 10/30 DLCL 7 DCACL 5
Start at DL likely get G+
RD Fantasyland w DAS
Splash Mtn?
11-12 pm DAS preselect HM
12-1 pm DAS preselect Buzz
Star Tours
1 pm ADR Blue Bayou
Grizzly RR
2:30 break at hotel
DCA
6 pm or so QS dinner
Other Tier 1 and 2
End w GRR if not done earlier

Mon 10/31 OBB
Sleep in!
1:15 pm ADR Trader Sam’s
DTD
3-11 pm OBB get DAS at GS
Parade at 7:45 pm or 10 pm
Villain’s Grove at end of evening
Villain Priorities: Madam Mim, Ernesto, Agatha, Maleficent, Cruella, Mother G
Meet and greets as we find them.
Rides as will fit our schedule: carsland, IC, WBS, GotG
ETA: correct information for 2022

Tues 11/01 No Parks
Sleep in!
DTD
Lunch somewhere
2 pm Lego Mini fig appointment
Relax
Spa???
Dinner somewhere

Wed 11/02 DLCL 4 DCACL 4
Start at DL likely get G+ (last time) Star Wars Day
Possible small liner meet
Main Street/ shows/rerides
QS lunch
2:10 pm Savi’s
GE/ Bounty Hunter etc. we both have MB+
5-6 pm DAS preselect Star Tours
7:30-8:30 DAS preselect MFSR
Rise w DAS(have heard differing reports)or ILL
10:30 pm ADR Oga’s

Thur 11/03 DLCL 4 DCACL 4
Start at DCA no G+
Anything we want to do
11-12 pm DAS preselect IC
12-1 pm DAS preselect GotG
3-6 Break at hotel
6:30 pm ADR Lamplight Lounge
Hop to DL
Anything we want to do

Fri 11/04 DLCL 5 DCACL 4
Start at DL no G+
Redo anything or pick up missed activities
11:30-12:30 DAS preselect BTMRR
5-6 pm DAS preselect Indy

Sat 11/05 depart pick up at 6 am flight at 8:35 am

Note: if we can fit in WOC we will

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Exciting! Looks like it’s going to be an epic but relaxed pace trip.

I assume you already had your DAS call? Those are so stressful. I’m sure you’re used to it by now, but DL is a little more stringent than WDW in my experience.

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Thanks! That was what I was going for since we don’t know what DH’s energy level etc. will be on any given day.

Our only bummer is that IASW is getting it’s holiday overlay so we won’t be able to ride it.

Yes, we had our DAS call last week. It was very straightforward for me though I know others have had problems. The CM liked that I had a day of rest planned for after OBB. He also told me that we could use DAS at OBB but had to get it at GS.

I’m going to put DAS in the title so it can be a help. I had read in a FB group that if you want preselections you need to call 30 days before the last day you want the preselects. So instead of calling on 9/29 I called on 10/6. The calls start at 9 am DL time so at about 15 min before I got things set up on my computer. Followed the directions on the DAS chat page. Just about exactly at 9 am pacific I requested the chat. Answered a few questions and there was one moment of mild stress when they were transferring me to the live video where I thought I got dropped but not doing anything drastic paid off and I was then connected.

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I’m SO excited for your trip & can’t wait for you to celebrate your retirement & take a well-deserved vacation! I’m also super jealous of your whole itinerary but especially the awesome full Star Wars Day.

And then just a few notes on specific things I saw in your itinerary.

Villainous didn’t return to OBB this year. At least, it wasn’t at the first couple of parties (we were at the very first one & followed a few people who were at a couple parties soon after). So if it did return, I missed a more recent announcement about that.

Also, I would double check that parade time. When we did our party this year, the parade times were 7:45 or 10:30 so if they are the same for your party, then 8:10 would put you at the end of the first parade (which may work out if you find a last minute spot at the end of the parade route, but it could also potentially put you in a spot to miss it if there aren’t last minute spots).

Oh good! My first thought when I got through your awesome itinerary was “Oh wait, they’re missing WOC!”

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Thanks for the OBB details. I need to reread that thread and some of the information was supposedly updated. I was too tired and wanting to get the plan done to double check but I’ll update when I get better information. The spirit though is the same. We want to see the parade (I know that shocked me too) and specific villains. I think with 8 hours we can work it in.

Part of the problem with OBB and WOC is it being too far out yet for official times and days TP has what it thinks will happen (that’s where Villainous came from) but the understanding that things can change is real. Lol

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DL planning is so wily because so much of it can change! I’ve learned from experience to always double check the show-times with what Disney actually publishes once it’s published. And if it is different than TP’s times, then instead of putting the show as a step in my TP, I’ll do a meal at the closest popcorn/churro or other food cart for the length of the show set to be there 15-20 min. before the show start time.

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I had the correct information, but was looking at TP and confused myself. :woman_facepalming:

Of the shows, F! is the top priority because I don’t think we have ever seen it. Is WOC showing on week nights? Because I seem to remember hearing that some shows are only on weekends. Of course, that could change once OBB is done on Halloween. Wily DL!

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WOC is one that they tend to run throughout the week & looking at DL’s entertainment calendar the only nights WOC isn’t running are OBB nights, so you should have a good amount of times to see it.

With fireworks & F! (that has a few small fireworks) they have an agreement with the city to abide by not lighting them on (most) school nights while school is in session. Since Anaheim has a lot of residential neighborhoods they have that rule in place for the families that do live in them. So that’s why it seems kind of random that they can do them every single night during the summer break, Christmas Break, Thanksgiving Break, etc., but the rest of the year have to stick to weekends. WOC though, is all water, no pyrotechnics so they can (and often do) run it every night, except when it’s down for maintenance or during random nights that DCA has something else going on (like OBB, but sometimes it gets rented out for events or is doing CM parties). Makes for a very wily schedule indeed!

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Thanks for the explanation. It makes sense and is nice that they are trying to be good neighbors. It also means it’s not arbitrary which helps, even if it can be troublesome for out of towners to figure out. :grin:

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Looking forward to following along!

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Love the pace of your trip! There’s so much time to stop and enjoy the moments and for surprises that come along the way! :wink:

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2 days from now we will be at the GCH!

Still need to pack but we have pulled out the clothes and most of the other stuff so should be good to finish tomorrow.

Tomorrow we need to take our two dogs to the kennel. We are going to miss them so much and them not understanding is going to be hard. However, we have been telling them we are coming back and will give them things that have our scent on them. Dropping them off around 2-2:30 pm.

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2 days!!

Poor dog babies. Just think how happy they will be when you do return though —might make reentry back home a bit easier :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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That’s what I’m hoping.

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Just got the boarding pass notification. Our newly received TSA pre check shows up on it so I think we are all set!

Just enjoying some final cuddle time with the doxies before continuing to pack etc.

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We have dropped the dogs off. :sob::sob::sob::sob: I wish there was a way to let them know we are coming back. This never gets easier but they were finally feeling home here. I made sure there are plenty of things with our scents on them. The place looked wonderful and the people loved Zeus and Athena.

Now I need to finish packing and do a few other things.

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Safe travels!

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I’m so excited for you!!! You are almost there :heart:

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It sounds like the doggos will be in great hand while you’re gone & you’ve been so great to give them the stuff with your scent so that they’re as happy as they can be & if I know anything about dogs, they’ll be overjoyed to see you & hold no hard feelings once you return.

I’m so excited for you! Enjoy & safe travels! If you need any last minute help with any of your plans or even on the ground, don’t hesitate to ask! Or be phone-free & enjoy & report back when you’re home :slight_smile:

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Thanks. I needed to hear that about the dogs. I’m going to try a semi-live report…:woman_shrugging::crossed_fingers::grin:

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