Southern California (& Disneyland): Backstage Magic Meets Thread

[ParadiseFoundVaca]

Anyone doing the August 26th - 31st 2018 adventure?

 

[ParadiseFoundVaca]

Would anyone recommend purchasing the PhotoPass+ for the ABD trip? I want to be sure and get copies of all of the character meet-n-greets, ride photos, etc while we're in the parks.

 

[BRC6C]

Would anyone recommend purchasing the PhotoPass+ for the ABD trip? I want to be sure and get copies of all of the character meet-n-greets, ride photos, etc while we're in the parks.

I wondered about this, but found we really didn't need it. The guides take photos all the time! After the trip you get a link to all the photos the guides took for your own use. The guides we had were happy to take photos with personal cameras as well and/or take anything we wanted. There were times when we were on our own and my DS is character obsessed, but I just took photos then.

 

[ParadiseFoundVaca]

I wondered about this, but found we really didn't need it. The guides take photos all the time! After the trip you get a link to all the photos the guides took for your own use. The guides we had were happy to take photos with personal cameras as well and/or take anything we wanted. There were times when we were on our own and my DS is character obsessed, but I just took photos then.

Yeah, it's mostly the times that we're on our own in the parks that I want to capture. For $78 it's a heck of a lot less than Memory Maker at WDW.

 

[BRC6C]

Yeah, it's mostly the times that we're on our own in the parks that I want to capture. For $78 it's a heck of a lot less than Memory Maker at WDW.

There's also Express Pass, at $10 a day you get all the photos I think so even though you don't need the faspasses (they give you plenty we found) that might make more sense!

 

[ParadiseFoundVaca]

There's also Express Pass, at $10 a day you get all the photos I think so even though you don't need the faspasses (they give you plenty we found) that might make more sense!

Oh yeah, good suggestion! We're staying an extra day, so I was going to buy MaxPass for that day anyway.

 

[ScottishFansie]

h

Signed up for the August 18, 2019, trip. It's not an Adult Exclusive even though we are two middle-aged adults. We didn't want to run the risk of extending our trip into Labor Day weekend and trying to navigate the parks with the locals.

Our plan is to arrive a couple of days early. My husband has never been to the Hollywood area of CA and wants to look for Adam West's star on Hollywood Blvd. We're also waiting for the LA Dodgers' 2019 schedule because he would like to catch a game there if they are home. If not, our pre-trip plans could change.

Hey there

I am also on this tour. It's my first ABD. And first solo trip to DLC. Probably arriving a day or so before as coming from the UK. Staying in Anaheim for the D23 Expo afterwards

 

[Chirple]

h



Hey there

I am also on this tour. It's my first ABD. And first solo trip to DLC. Probably arriving a day or so before as coming from the UK. Staying in Anaheim for the D23 Expo afterwards

Hi! We look forward to meeting you. It will be our second ABD. I have a trip report from our AZ/UT trip with pictures of us. It will be my third time at DL and my husband’s second but 18 years between our last trip there and this one next year. The D23 Expo should be a lot of fun for you as well.

 

[Chirple]

Has anyone booked a pre-night at Loews through ABD? I'm looking at the rates directly on the Loews website and not sure if it's comparable ($379 per night for a standard room). If you haven't booked Loews but are staying in the LA area pre-ABD, which hotel did you choose? I haven't been there since 2001.

Our pre-trip plans are still up in the air and don't know if we'll be starting in San Diego or in Los Angeles.

 

[GSLand]

We booked the prenight at Lowe’s for these reasons:
When I booked the room thru ABD pickup at the airport was included.
We traveled cross country for the trip and wanted to arrive a day early, and NOT have to change hotels.
We met the tour guides early.
Breakfast buffet at the hotel was included.
Since the extra night was booked thru ABD I got the double Disney Dollars on my Disney VISA (I think this is true ... I admit I did not count the points exactly)

So for us, it was a matter of convenience, worth the extra $’s

You will certainly consider your own benefits vs. the cost

 

[scrapbookjulie]

Has anyone booked a pre-night at Loews through ABD? I'm looking at the rates directly on the Loews website and not sure if it's comparable ($379 per night for a standard room). If you haven't booked Loews but are staying in the LA area pre-ABD, which hotel did you choose? I haven't been there since 2001.

Our pre-trip plans are still up in the air and don't know if we'll be starting in San Diego or in Los Angeles.

I don't remember the rate difference, but I booked through ABD for the convenience! It was nice and easy booking, getting picked up at the airport, checking in, not switching rooms, etc.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

This will be our very first ABD so I have a question for some veterans out there: Is the transfer to/from the ABD lodgings (Leows and the Grand, in this case) only for the airport? Or would they be able to shuttle us from a different location?

We'll be arriving two nights before our ABD welcome and don't want to pay for Leow's for those nights. Would ABD be able to pick us up from a different hotel or a rental car office? I won't be heartbroken if we have to do our own transport- I just don't want to miss out on something that could be included!

 

[sayhello]

This will be our very first ABD so I have a question for some veterans out there: Is the transfer to/from the ABD lodgings (Leows and the Grand, in this case) only for the airport? Or would they be able to shuttle us from a different location?

We'll be arriving two nights before our ABD welcome and don't want to pay for Leow's for those nights. Would ABD be able to pick us up from a different hotel or a rental car office? I won't be heartbroken if we have to do our own transport- I just don't want to miss out on something that could be included!

No, they won't pick you up from other locations. Especially other hotels. Just the airport. The only exception to this, I believe, is for this ABD, you can start in Anaheim and leave your car at the Grand Californian and be transported from there to the Loews at the start of the ABD. That way, your car would be at Disneyland when the ABD ends.

Sayhello

 

[dolewhipdreams]

No, they won't pick you up from other locations. Especially other hotels. Just the airport. The only exception to this, I believe, is for this ABD, you can start in Anaheim and leave your car at the Grand Californian and be transported from there to the Loews at the start of the ABD. That way, your car would be at Disneyland when the ABD ends.

Sayhello

Thanks for clarifying! This is what I figured. Oh well, transportation isn't the reason I picked ABD

 

[SingingMom]

I don't remember the rate difference, but I booked through ABD for the convenience! It was nice and easy booking, getting picked up at the airport, checking in, not switching rooms, etc.

us too!

 

[hilarys]

No, they won't pick you up from other locations. Especially other hotels. Just the airport. The only exception to this, I believe, is for this ABD, you can start in Anaheim and leave your car at the Grand Californian and be transported from there to the Loews at the start of the ABD. That way, your car would be at Disneyland when the ABD ends.

Sayhello

Yes for this ABD you can leave your car at the Grand which is what we did. We drove from Northern California in our own car and stayed two nights at the Universal Hilton and did a full day on Saturday at Universal Studios Hollywood. On Sunday morning we went out to brunch in Hollywood and then drove down to the Grand. We left our car there and had the ABD car service transfer back up to the Loew's. The Loew's hotel is very nice but I hate the location right on Hollywood Blvd.

 

[Disneygeek Amanda]

We met the tour guides early.
Breakfast buffet at the hotel was included.

What time did you meet your tour guides? I'm going on the Oct. 21st BSM with a prenight and have an LA bus tour booked for Sunday morning and early afternoon. I've been wondering if I need to cancel that tour to meet my guides. Also, are you referring to monday's breakfast that's in the itinerary as at the hotel or did they include sunday's breakfast as part of the prenight?

 

[sayhello]

What time did you meet your tour guides? I'm going on the Oct. 21st BSM with a prenight and have an LA bus tour booked for Sunday morning and early afternoon. I've been wondering if I need to cancel that tour to meet my guides. Also, are you referring to monday's breakfast that's in the itinerary as at the hotel or did they include sunday's breakfast as part of the prenight?

If you booked a pre-day at the Loews through ABD for the night of the 20th, then the breakfast on Sunday morning is included.

Sayhello

 

[FoodieFriend]

What time did you meet your tour guides? I'm going on the Oct. 21st BSM with a prenight and have an LA bus tour booked for Sunday morning and early afternoon. I've been wondering if I need to cancel that tour to meet my guides. Also, are you referring to monday's breakfast that's in the itinerary as at the hotel or did they include sunday's breakfast as part of the prenight?

I'll be on the same BSM with my mom & sister. My understanding is that the only scheduled thing on arrival day is dinner around 530pm. We were planning on doing the Warner Brothers Studio tour that morning after we check in to the Loews Hollywood Hotel. I don't think you have to cancel your bus tour plans if you're back before the dinner.