The Disneyland Hotel & Downtown Disney

We arrived at the hotel in the early afternoon. I wasn’t expecting it to feel so secluded. It was weirdly quiet, and peaceful, and I kind of loved that about it. It gave me the sense that the park would be empty (IT WAS NOT) We got our luggage out of the car and rolled it over to check in.

Minnie and Mickey Mouse greeted us as we arrived and the kids were so stoked.

The hotel was much more…love key Disney than I thought it would be. Its like you had to really look at stuff to realize how Disney it was. There was a kids waiting area that was playing Mickey cartoons, and there was a tea cup love seat too. There were hidden Mickeys everywhere-but it wasn’t overt. There were no people in costumes greeting you in the lobby and Mickey didn’t escort you to your room. Which was all kind of a bummer. 😉

The rooms were the same story. Our beds:

When you turn the light on the headboard on, a little music box turned on that play the turn to the Cinderella song, “A Dream is a Wish your heart makes.”

We unpacked and settled in, and then since we had no plans to go to the park, we headed to the pool!

It was 60 degrees and sunny and the pool was heated and amazing.

The whole pool was 4 feet deep which was great with two kids who were not strong swimmers.

Once it was time to get out, there was a slight breeze and the kids just couldn’t.

Back to the room…

We showered, and got ready and headed to downtown Disney. We got our pin lanyards and sorted our pins out-ready for trading ASAP.

We had reservations at Catal, a Mediterranean place at Downtown Disney, with plans to meet Jim and Lynnelle for dinner.

We did meet them, were seated, and ordered.

The service was HORRID and the boy, well he was dead asleep before we even got drinks. He was complaining of hunger, so when his food DID arrive, we attempted to give him a bit of mashed potato, to no avail. Poor kid.

I had never had paella. There were several offerings on the menu. This is what I got:

A thin layer of under cooked Spanish rice, that if it were good, could have been fine, except for the mushy peas and mustard, YES yellow mustard ailoi. Topped with a TINY overcook, like SINFULLY overcooked LOBSTER, yes, that is a lobster. Not a shrimp. This dish was $45. I sent it back, super bummed, and STARVING since we had not had lunch and the dinner didn’t come with any sides or bread.

Jim and Lynnelle were calling this trip their birthday gift, so for the first time of MANY of the trip they got their birthday dessert and she sang a little happy birthday song to them.

It was only 7:00, (local time) and we had a boy who just needed to be asleep. So I took him back to the hotel, and put him to bed.

I was alone for a while. Karl had to go to target to get snacks and a stroller (we found out the wagon that we brought was not allowed in the park). Mirah, Jim, and Lynnelle went to the Theater in the hotel and watched Frog Princess. I found some secret Mickeys on my hotel duvet. Karl brought me a treat, a cupcake from Sprinkles and a Wetzels Pretzel.