Kelli Wayne -- June 2000 -- Disneyland
6/18-6/22/2000
Our trip to Disneyland this June was memorable in more ways than I care
to say. We checked in to the DH (we had rented a car, so make sure you
ASK for a parking permit, otherwise you WILL pay to park). Our room was
nothing out of the ordinary, we could see the fireworks at night, it was
very clean but very disappointing there were no coffeepots in the rooms
for those like myself who need an immediate caffeine jolt in the morning.
We did receive a refrigerator in our room at no extra charge which was
nice. Maid service was always prompt and efficient. We did have to visit
several other floors for ice, it seemed their ice machines were never
quite up to par.
Since monorail service is under re-routing, there is a considerable wait
at the stations to and from the park. We found the tram to be more efficient.
HOWEVER, on 6/21 we decided to stay until the park closed. We successfully
boarded the tram and it no sooner turned the 1st corner and it stopped.
Apparently another tram had broken down up ahead, therefore they basically
told us to walk because they couldn't go around. Now the Disney people
are usually pretty good about overseeing passenger safety, but I couldn't
believe they made us walk the rest of the way. It was over a mile, with
already tired feet and irritable kids. It seemed kind of dangerous walking
through a parking lot (large crowds of people) without anyone escorting
us.
Disneyland Park was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend using
FASTPASS when you can, it made my kids feel special when they didn't have
to wait in the long lines. The drawback is that you can only have 1 fastpass
at a time, you cannot get 1 for one ride and 1 for another. Another drawback
is that we tried to get a fastpass for Space Mountain. We all received
one except my youngest daughter, it said she currently had an outstanding
Fastpass but this was not the case. We used our passes earlier in the
day. Therefore we only got 3 fastpasses for Space Mountain so guess who
didn't ride....Me (mom). Oh well my tummy wasn't feeling too good after
that hotdog anyway. When staying at DH you receive early entry passes
for M, T, Th, Fri or Sat. I highly recommend taking advantage of this
when you can. The lines get long during the summer even for the simple
rides like Peter Pan, Dumbo, etc. and you can usually get on these rides
with early entry and no wait. The kids were very reluctant to go into
Innoventions but ended up finding that this was a very enjoyable experience.
Inside you find various companies that sponsor all kinds of activities,
such as virtual tours, game shows and video games. Your kids will definitely
enjoy this one! Even though I have seen some web postings as to the condition
of the park (ie., maintenance...and it is true) the park is still kept
very clean and the employees must come from another planet because every
one of them has a smile and says "Have a great day" . Why can't
McDonalds hire some of these people???
In summary, Disneyland Park is still a terrific place for a family vacation,
however don't waste your precious dollars on the DH. I was very disappointed
and will choose less expensive accommodations next time. I really don't
even think its worth it 1 time.
Happy Trails! - Kelli Wayne
N2youreye@aol.com
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