Heading stateside next January with the kids (4yo girl and 6yo boy). We've airbnb'd a small house next to the the DLR carpark for 10days and plan to get 5day park hopper tickets so we can do DLR at a relaxed pace to avoid trashing our kids (and the inevitable repercussions).
My daughter loves princesses, so we planned to do the bibbity bobbity boutique with her. My son isn't into anything specifically Disney (he loves Minecraft and Lego, and is fond of Star Wars). We plan to do a character breakfast and we're wondering which may be best.
Also wondering about any other upsells or little kid activities/attractions to make our trip to SoCal memorable. (We've done the trip many times pre-kids, but the focus has now changed.)
Thanks in advance.
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Thanks for your reply. Legoland is definitely on the books. I'll look into the zoo, it sounds good. I think the Ariel breakfast may be the go.
Allow me to second the suggestion of Legoland. For a 6-year-old boy, Legoland might be the perfect theme park experience. Especially with the new Ninjago ride opening next month.
Character meals aren't as big a deal at DLR as they are at WDW, in part due to the fact that it is soooooo much easier to meet characters at Disneyland than at Disney World. You'll find characters on the street meeting people all over the parks throughout the day.
Thanks Robert.
Is there still a pirate's version of the boutique for boys?
I did the one at the PCH Grill all those years ago and it was pretty nice. It wasn't overly kiddy, but you still got to meet the characters and have a pretty good meal!
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While I haven't done a character meal before, if you're not staying at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels your best option is likely one of the in-park dining opportunities. They are very different, so I would pick based on what characters you want to see. If you want princesses, do breakfast or lunch at Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure. This is a slightly higher end option and generally has around 5 princesses present (I believe Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, and Aurora is the current lineup, though it is subject to change). If you want more general Disney characters, breakfast at Plaza Inn in Disneyland is a better choice. This option is a little cheaper and is conveniently located in the park, plus it has a ton of characters (not entirely sure who all typically attends, but I typically see Minnie, Chip n Dale, and several Pooh characters here and have heard there can be more). The only reason I'd pick something other than these two options is if you absolutely want Mickey at your breakfast, in which case you'll need to do the one at the Paradise Pier hotel. Goofy's Kitchen would be a good alternative if you decide to do dinner instead, but don't bother with breakfast there.
As for other kid stuff, I can't think of anything specific at the Disneyland Resort that wouldn't be obvious to a regular visitor. At Disneyland, definitely see both Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever. Over at DCA, your kids will probably enjoy running around in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, though you may have a little harder time finding rides the entire family can do together (if your 4 year old is under 40 inches she'll be excluded from almost all of DCA's headliner attractions, and most have more of a thrill element than those at Disneyland). However, if your son likes Legos and you have a car, I highly, highly recommend spending a day at Legoland California. It is a little over an hour south of Disneyland and is an entire theme park designed for children ages 4-12. If money is a concern, I would even recommend doing only 4 days at the Disneyland Resort in order to do one at Legoland. I'd also suggest spending a few hours at the Santa Ana Zoo, located about 15 minutes from the Disneyland Resort. It's not a huge zoo, but it is a fun place for kids.