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Candy Cane Inn Anaheim Review

December 11, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

On my most recent visit to Disneyland, I elected to stay at the Candy Cane Inn! So, today I’m doing a review of that experience!

Candy Cane Inn

Given that this was a solo trip, I didn’t want to spend all of the money to stay at Disneyland Hotel again. However, I wanted something a little closer than the Sheraton Park Hotel I stayed at last May. So, I went with the much hyped online Candy Cane Inn!

Admittedly, I was a tad disappointed to discover that it’s not a Christmas themed hotel. However, it is located directly behind Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure! Plus, it has some great perks!

Standard Room

I booked a standard double queen room. All of the rooms here have been recently refurbished! Everything in the rooms look nice and new! I love the addition of the Mickey rug placed in between the beds. The bed was very comfortable! My room was very close to the lobby building, which was very convenient for grabbing breakfast. However, the first night of my stay included listening to children playing in the outdoor pool loudly. Thankfully, the other two nights were pretty quiet.

Pros

Location – You can literally see the backside of Cars Land from the motel’s parking lot! It’s a quick 5 minute walk to the park gates from this motel.
Trolley – There’s a trolley that runs every so often to and back from the parks. So, it’s a quick walk but you don’t have to walk if you don’t want to.
Free breakfast – This hotel has one of the best free breakfasts I’ve ever had! They had an assortment of fresh donuts that tasted amazing! There were also some croissant sandwiches that were great for powering me until lunch. There was also a waffle maker by the pool as well as some fresh fruit. I was really impressed with the spread available here.
Recently refurbished – The rooms look great, so you don’t have to worry about anything falling apart.
Security guards – I mentioned in my Sheraton review that there are several unhoused folks on the streets here. Thankfully, this hotel has its own security guards that patrol the hotel and it felt really safe staying here.
Friendly – Everyone I encountered here was really friendly. In fact, the nice lady at the front desk switched me from an upstairs room to a room downstairs due to my luggage situation and there not being an elevator here.

Cons

No regular tv channels – I know you don’t travel to watch tv, however I enjoy watching tv when I get ready to go out or to bed. Unfortunately, they had only digital channels here.
Pool can be loud – The pool is open until 11 PM and sometimes people in it are noisy. They can interrupt light sleepers or be bad for napping.
No elevator – Make sure you request a lower room if you can’t handle stairs.
Limited trolley schedule – It’s wonderful they provide the free trolley, but it is run on a schedule. So, if you aren’t ready to leave at the right time, it’s a bit of a waste.
Limited theme – There’s not really a cohesive theme here. So, if you like staying somewhere with an immersive theme, maybe look elsewhere. If you want a relaxing place with clean touches, then this is the place for you.
A little pricey – This place used to be a good bit cheaper, prior to the refurbishment. It is also a little more expensive than some nearby hotels. It’s still much cheaper than staying on property though.

Is the Candy Cane Inn worth it?

I thought the rate of $279/night was acceptable given the location and various included amenities. I loved being so close to the parks and the free breakfast was awesome. I would definitely stay here again, but I will probably look somewhere else too.

Have you ever stayed at the Candy Cane Inn?

Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood Review

November 20, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

On my most recent trip to California, I was able to take the Warner Bros Studio Tour! Today I’m doing a little review of that experience.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

As I mentioned in my Walt Disney Studios Tour review, there are three big studios in Burbank: Disney, Universal Studios Hollywood, and WB. On this trip I was lucky enough to fit in all three! Having already posted my review of the other two, it’s finally time for the Warner Bros. one.

While there are several tour options here, I did the standard tour due to time constraints. I would love to return for a longer tour some day though. It’s $73/adult and has several time slots available most days. It’s advertised as 1 hour guided tour and 2 hours self guided. I spent around 2.5 hours in total here. So, that’s not far off.

Guided Backlot Tour

Following a brief introductory video, the groups are split up and paired with their tour guide for a 1 hour backlot tour. This was hands-down my favorite part of the experience. It was so neat to see where lots of popular movies and shows have been made over the years. Abbott Elementary was filming while I was there and we got to drive past their elementary school facade. The new show Pitt was also filming. In fact, we had to be quiet near its building because the red light was on, indicating it was actively filming. So, that was super neat!

The tour guide drives you around the lot on a golf cart. However, you get off at various points to explore a little. We got to see houses used for Pretty Little Liars (including the garage and the church). We also got to see the houses used for Gilmore Girls, as well as the famous gazebo and place used for Luke’s Diner. It was neat to spot the bank from Gremlins as well.

We drove by the studios used for Friends and The Big Bang Theory! We even drove through the shop where they make walls and other wood items! It smelled great!

Friends

This experience is ideal for any fans of the show Friends. Phoebe’s guitar is on display in the lobby! There’s a set photo opportunity after the guided tour. There’s also a Central Perk Cafe where you can actually get a coffee and something to eat! I got a pizza cone thing, a Phoebe drink (cookies and cream), and Rachel’s trifle without meat (chocolate version). I enjoyed eating those items in a replica of the sitting area of the cafe. There was also some costumes worn on the show to look at. After eating, another golf cart took me to get a picture of the fountain used in the show!

The Big Bang Theory

This tour is also great for fans of the show The Big Bang Theory. They had another set photo opportunity for the show as well as costumes on display. It was cool to see the apartment come to life!

Harry Potter

There’s a whole section dedicated to the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts films. It was cool to see the spot under the stairs that was Harry’s room. It was also great to experience that after visiting Universal the day before. Plus, we could see Hogwarts from the WB lot!

Game of Thrones

There’s currently a small section showcasing some costumes and props used on the series Game of Thrones. I took pictures of all of that to show my husband since we watched that show together and he’s read the books.

Exclusive Merch

There’s a gift shop in the lobby of the main building that you see when you arrive and leave. So, I recommend shopping there at the end of the tour so you don’t have to carry stuff around. I purchased a Warner Bros Studio Tour shirt to mark the occasion. There’s additional exclusive Friends merch at the Central Perk Cafe. If you spot something there you like, you should get it as I didn’t see much of an overlap.

Is the Warner Bros Studio Tour worth it?

I really enjoyed this tour. It was definitely worth the $73. In fact, I wish I’d had more time to do the longer tour. If I ever return, I will be booking one of the longer tours. The guided backlot tour felt a little rushed and too short. So, I’d love a longer period of time on the lot. I think the tour is most enjoyable for people who like or are at least familiar with the shows featured. I actually started watching Friends for the first time to prep for this tour and I am glad I did so.

So, have you ever taken this tour? What did you think?

Walt Disney Studios Tour Review with D23

November 13, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

During my trip to California in September, I was able to take the official Walt Disney Studios Tour presented by D23! Just in case anyone was considering taking this tour, I thought I would do a review.

Walt Disney Studios Tour

Have you ever wanted to see where the magic is made at Walt Disney Studios? Thanks to the D23 fan club, you can! They are currently offering walking tours of the campus to members! I was very excited to do this tour and to walk around the campus where lots of things have been dreamed up and created!

Animation Building

The tour begins in front of the Hyperion Bungalow. Then, the guide goes over some general history of the Disney Company and the property. Gradually, you work your way over to the Animation Building. Once in the building, the tour guide walks you through the building and goes over several popular Disney films. There’s lots of artwork on the walls to correspond with this walk and talk about the company’s history. While it was interesting and nice to remember some childhood favorites, I think something interactive would have been nice here. In fact, a video showing how the films were created may have been nice. Nonetheless, it was neat to walk those storied halls.

Suite 3H: The Offices of Walt Disney

I think the real highlight of this tour is getting to see Walt Disney’s office. The have painstakingly restored the office to reflect how it looked when Walt was alive. It was surreal to be in his office and imagine him dreaming up the theme parks that I love so much. It was also very odd to see so many ashtrays around the office. However, he (and many others at the time) were heavy smokers.

Legends Plaza

After touring Walt Disney’s office, we headed off to Disney Legends Plaza! It was so neat to look around and spot the handprints of many well-known folks.

The Archives

Next up, we visited the Walt Disney Archives in the Frank G Wells building. It was so cool to see historic pieces of the company. For instance, we got to see the desk where Walt worked on Snow White! The real cherry on top was getting to hold an Oscar! It was the real Oscar the company won for “White Wilderness”! Everyone got to hold and take a picture with the Oscar. So, that was awesome!

It Ends in the Gift Shop

Our tour wrapped up by walking around the lot a little more. We got to see the famous water tower and then came around the front of the lot again. Like a good theme park ride, we ended at the gift shop, aka Walt Disney Company Store. I will admit, it was neat to be able to purchase exclusive merchandise not available elsewhere. I may have bought a shirt to prove I was there.

A Word on Scheduling

There are three big filming studios in Burbank: Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney! So, it’s easy to visit the area and hit up all three in one trip. The tricky part though, is getting a ticket to Walt Disney’s tour. This tour is offered for D23 members on the events page. They add tours a few months at a time and only a few months in advance. I booked my September tour on July 19th. Also, the schedule for the tours appears almost random. I noticed previous months offered Wednesday tours on the third week of the month. So, I planned my whole trip around that and got lucky when the schedule came out with the third Wednesday being an option!

Also, my afternoon time slot had me sitting in rush hour LA traffic trying to get to Anaheim. So, if it’s an option, I’d recommend staying in Burbank (I liked the Hilton LA/Universal City Hotel) or pick a morning tour.

Is the Walt Disney Studios Tour worth it?

Currently, the site mentions that Walt Disney’s office is closed for refurbishment and the tour has a discounted price to reflect that. I paid $156 ($149 + $7 servicing fee) for this tour and thought it was expensive. However, as a once in a lifetime experience, it was worth it to me. It allowed me to geek out and fully embrace being a Disney adult. However, if you are having trouble getting a ticket or it’s out of your price range, I understand that too. It’s great for any Disney parks/animation fan, but the average person might not enjoy it enough to warrant the high price tag. I thought it was a lovely afternoon that I won’t soon forget.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour Review

October 30, 2024 By Lindsay 2 Comments

Last month, I was fortunate enough to do the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour when I visited the park for the first time. Given that it’s an expensive day, I thought I would write an overview of the day and a list of pros/cons to help anyone deciding if this tour is worth the high price tag.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP

Given that I had only one day to experience this park, I decided to splurge and try the VIP tour experience. On the day I took it, a random Tuesday in September, this tour cost $379! Unfortunately, that is one of the cheaper days! Although, that price includes your park ticket, a light breakfast, lunch, and more!

Check-in and Breakfast

When you book this experience online, you don’t receive an email with park tickets. Instead, you check in to the right of the regular park entrance at the VIP entrance. At check-in they give you a special lanyard to wear for the day. Then, you are allowed to head upstairs to the VIP lounge to relax and enjoy a light breakfast. I was impressed with the food spread for the breakfast. I enjoyed a croissant sandwich and a guava cheese pastry with some water. You are free to relax in the lounge until your tour time, however I headed out into the park for the Super Nintendo World Early Access. Then, I returned to the lounge afterwards for my tour.

Park Tour

For my tour, we started with the park portion of the day. Over the course of about 3 hours, we hit all of the major attractions found at the park! The lanyards allow you to skip the ride lines all day long, since it acts as a Universal Express pass. However, the tour guide is able to take you in the back way to some rides and skip even some of those lines! Plus, the tour guide holds all of your bags so you don’t have to deal with lockers! Our tour guide was even able to fit in the Waterworld show for us! I was pleased with how much we were able to accomplish in three hours!

Lunch

About 3 hours after the scheduled tour time is lunch. My tour time was 10:45 AM and my lunch time was 1:40 PM. USH calls it a “gourmet meal” but it’s really an elevated buffet lunch, similar to a nice wedding meal. There were some characters roaming around the dining room. Unfortunately, they all skipped my solo adult table and I didn’t get to see any of them. They mostly focused on the tables with children. I suppose that’s why it’s not advertised as a character meal. The food was pretty good, but nothing stood out as particularly amazing to me personally. Also, there’s only two bathrooms for the whole restaurant. So, don’t wait to use the restroom here.

Studio Tour

After lunch, we had the studio portion of the tour. This was the main reason I booked the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see the lot where Back to the Future was filmed as it was closed for filming. Some additional areas were closed for Halloween Horror Nights and some of the other areas were closed off for filming and/or refurbishment. I understand that’s the nature of these things, but it was disappointing nonetheless. I enjoyed the brisk walk around the props department.

Pros

Skip lines – The longest lines I waited in were for check-in, Early Access entry, and lunch.
No lockers – It was so useful to have our tour guide take our stuff before we got on rides and to be waiting outside the ride with our stuff. It was great to not have to deal with lockers.
Backstage lot – We got to see where they filmed “The Good Place” and some other places that the regular tram tour doesn’t take you.
Tour guide – Navigating a new park can be confusing, so having a knowledgeable tour guide is useful.
Includes park admission and Express Pass – On the cheapest days, it’s a little over $100 more than a regular park ticket with Express. So, that probably makes it worth it on those days.

Cons

Expensive – $369 is the cheapest this tour gets. Around the holidays, it’s $499!
No guarantees – Since Universal can’t predict when something will be filming on the lot, they can’t guarantee which lots you will get to see.
Fast paced – I don’t recommend this tour for those who tire quickly. It’s a fast paced day.
Not exactly personalized – They try to please a group, so there’s no guarantee will you have time to hit up a certain ride.

Tips

Consult park hours – If you want to do both the Early Access Hour and the VIP tour, I recommend booking a tour 30-40 minutes after the park opens. I had a 10:45 tour with a park opening of 10:00 AM. I did the Early Access Hour from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM and then casually walked back up to the upper lot with time to spare for my tour. They ask you to return to the lounge 15 minutes before your tour time.
Not ideal for sightseeing or pictures – This was a fast-paced tour. Some people grabbed some Butterbeer and then basically had to chug it. I would suggest taking pictures and being leisurely outside the tour as you should have extra time before/after the tour to explore.
Wear comfortable shoes – It’s a lot of walking.

Is the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour worth it?

I think the value of this experience depends heavily on the day you visit and what you value. I think most people will do fine with a regular park ticket and Express Pass. However, it was nice to splurge and enjoy this experience. I don’t know that I would do it again, but it was neat to do once.

Have you ever done it?

Walt’s Main Street Story Tour at Disneyland Review

October 23, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

While at Disneyland last month, I finally did Walt’s Main Street Story Tour! So, I thought I would do a review on the experience to help others decide if it’s worth the expensive price tag!

Walt’s Main Street Story Tour

This is an add-on walking tour that I have been wanting to take for years! However, the price and tour length kept me away until this trip. I decided that there was room in my schedule and it was the perfect way to end this trip.

You can book this tour online ahead of time, but I didn’t do that. Instead, I waited until the day of to see how I felt. Thankfully, they still had slots available for me to do the tour. I don’t think I’d recommend that approach to larger groups or if this is something you really want to do. Thankfully, it worked out for me though. This tour costs $160/person and lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Upon checking in, they ask for your drink preference since a bottled water or soda is included in the tour. They also give you a special pin with your name on it (seen in the image above) for the tour. You are also given an ear piece to better hear your guide on Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street Facts

The tour begins with a walking tour of Main Street, U.S.A. Our tour guide pointed out neat little things about how the street was built. Unfortunately, I feel like social media had spoiled most of what he had to tell us. I did enjoy learning about the street lamps and what our tour guide believes is the smallest hidden Mickey on property. No, I won’t spoil the tour by sharing the facts here. Sorry.

Walt’s Apartment

Following the discussion of the park’s beginnings, the group is led up to Walt Disney’s apartment over the firehouse. This is the real reason for the tour and why I had been wanting to take the tour ever since I learned it was a thing. I know I took a picture of the lamp in the window on my first trip to Disneyland 10 years ago. So, it was surreal to finally be in the apartment.

Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take photos in the apartment. Disney did coordinate for one of their photographers to take some pictures of us in front of Walt’s couch/bed as well as in front of the lamp and window. The photos were uploaded to our accounts with free downloads.

Relaxing on the Patio

After taking in the apartment, the tour heads out to the private patio. Again, no photos were allowed here. Disney gave each guest a cookie (lemon shortbread, I think) decorated specially for the tour. My cookie is shown in the Instagram post above. There were even a few gluten free ones for the guests who needed them. They also gave us the beverages we previously chose. I got a bottle of water. Then, we proceeded to sit and enjoy the refreshments on the patio. It was a nice, relaxing moment.

Is Walt’s Main Street Story Tour worth it?

As I said above, it’s $160/person and it takes approximately 90 minutes to do this tour. I think it’s probably too expensive or time consuming for the average theme park goer. However, it’s the ultimate treat for any Disney parks fan to see Walt’s apartment. It was probably a one and done experience for me, given the high price. I’m glad I did it though. I’m also glad that I did this on a solo trip, so I could geek out by myself.

So, have you taken this tour?