Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Ramsey!
In other fun news, Disney upgraded our standard room to a signature suite at check-in! We got a heaping cup of pixie dust on this trip and it won't soon be forgotten. The cast member that assisted us at check-in, Dalton, was a really great guy and super funny and helpful. He likely noticed that we had bags under our eyes from our 3am alarm to catch our flight that morning, but he treated us like VIPs the whole time. I've included a few pictures of the room for your viewing pleasure:
According to Disneyland's hotel reservation site, a standard one-bedroom suite runs about $735/night and this was the Newport Suite, which is considered a signature accommodation. Signature accommodations require booking via phone because price and availability are not provided online. We probably got at least a $3,000 upgrade all thanks to Dalton's compassion and kindness.
As for the hotel itself, Paradise Pier was pretty great. We especially loved the smell of suntan lotion every time we entered the lobby and the digital elevator system was super efficient! Each bank of elevators includes a screen where you select your destination and it directs you to a specific elevator. It took the guesswork out of finding which elevator would open for us and it usually decreased our wait time by quite a bit. The layout of the hotel is a bit confusing; we were on the third floor but couldn't find a consistent set of stairs anywhere. One set would lead us outside but left us at a pair of locked doors. I'm sure we could have searched a little more if we had some extra time but for now I'll just say that the layout was not friendly for first-timers. We only dined at the Surfside Lounge for breakfast but the cast members were extremely friendly and the food was delicious. We paid about $20 total for a hefty breakfast burrito and croissant sandwich (a steal by Disney's standards!)
Dining throughout our stay was certainly a major focus for us and we weren't disappointed. Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures from Steakhouse 55 but it was an excellent experience with the best service I've ever received! Our group of six ordered the pork belly and mushroom ravioli appetizers; wagyu beef, filet, chicken, and lamb entrees; and scalloped potatoes, truffle macaroni and cheese, and asparagus side dishes. Patrick and I ordered the wagyu beef, which was cooked perfectly to order and literally melted in my mouth. The best steak I've ever had! And the kitchen provided us with these little samplers before our appetizers arrived:
So cute and fancy!
The Steakhouse 55 experience was hard to beat, but we stopped by the limited-time-only Red Rose Taverne to check out the new menu and take pictures of the Beauty and the Beast-inspired interior.
We ordered the pulled pork flatbread and grey stuff to share - both of which totally blew us away! The pulled pork is in a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, which was slightly spicy but incredibly flavorful. They grey stuff had a slightly sweet biscuit on the bottom which wasn't exactly delicious but the grey stuff was most definitely the star of the dessert show.
We joined a couple of friends for dinner at Cafe Orleans and ate to our Cajun hearts' content. The Monte Cristo sandwich was a hit, as always, but the chicken gumbo crepe, fried green tomato sandwich, and vegetable ragout also did not disappoint. We shared our meals across the table and got a good taste of everything. I ordered the fried green tomato sandwich and it delivered a huge burst of flavor with each bite. The remoulade used on the sandwich pulled all of the ingredients together like magic. Patrick ordered the vegetable ragout and he noticed that the bell pepper notes stood out the most. The corn cake in the center of the dish was delightfully sweet and contrasted nicely with the peppers.
Our server at Cafe Orleans delivered even more Disney magic with a surprise order of Mickey and Minnie beignets for the newlywed couple to share!
The beignets are a very special treat - you can get them at New Orleans Square in Disneyland or Port Orleans French Quarter resort at Disney World. During the holiday season, Disneyland will often serve special beignet flavors like peppermint or gingerbread, too!
Our final dining experience was lunch at Carthay Circle Restaurant in Disney's California Adventure. This was our first time visiting this restaurant, and I am certain that we will return again and again. The first floor is a replica of the original Carthay Circle Theatre, which is where Snow White debuted in 1937. The ceiling of the restaurant depicts the forest from Snow White:
Service was a little shaky but our server was very friendly and helpful. The food took more than the anticipated time to arrive, however the restaurant provided more than enough detail for us to enjoy looking around while we waited. We started with the signature fried biscuits, which oozed white cheddar, bacon, and a hint of jalapeno! They were served with an apricot-honey butter that was definitely not needed. For our entrees, Patrick ordered the Grilled Angus Tri-Tip and I played it safe with the Carthay 8oz Angus Burger. Patrick insisted that the Tri-Tip meal rivaled Steakhouse 55 with its blue cheese risotto and generous mushrooms portions. My burger was pretty average (I definitely should have ordered something else!) We also enjoyed a couple signature non-alcoholic drinks, Twin Bill and Wildberry Lemonade. The Twin Bill (lemonade, iced tea, and agave nectar) was a sweet drink but very refreshing. The Wildberry Lemonade was slightly tart and defied all standards of lemonade with edible garnishes and superior presentation.
The parks were probably less crowded than usual but the ongoing construction for Star Wars Land has restricted access to several walking paths, which funneled a large number of guests to one area. We generally tried to avoid the construction zone and found that the rest of Disneyland was quite enjoyable. Disney's California Adventure, however, was a different story. We checked the refurbishment schedule about two weeks in advance and realized that a lot of attractions would be closed - namely, Grizzly River Run, Tower of Terror, and Mickey's Fun Wheel. What we did not know is that Disney updated the refurbishment schedule a day before our arrival to add that World of Color would ALSO be cancelled for refurbishment. Anyone that has heard my tales of Disneyland knows that World of Color is my absolute favorite and I would return to California just to see this fantastic presentation of water and lights. Unfortunately, that didn't happen on this trip and I was devastated. With so many attractions closed, most of the interest in California Adventure turned to Cars Land and its main ride, Radiator Springs Racers, had fastpasses sold out just an hour after park opening. The line to get a fastpass was nearly two hours long on its own! This is the first negative experience I've ever witnessed at Disneyland and hope that it's just a reflection of poor planning and not an indicator of a bigger issue with park management.
Overall, our trip was fantastic and the Disney experience was delightful. We turned our short California Adventure day into time spent at our resort, which was the perfect opportunity to enjoy our suite. We're sold on the idea of staying onsite at Disneyland and can't wait to book our next trip at Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel!
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