Backstage Magic Welcome Dinner

[kemmerlinj2]

Hello! I am going with my parents this December on the California Backstage Magic Tour. My mom and I have never been and my stepdad has never been to a Disney park at all. I have a pre and post night set up for the trip and wanted to go to Disneyland that first day before the trip actually begins just to experience the park without the ABD magic. Can anyone tell me when the Welcome dinner usually is just so I can plan on when to head back to the hotel so we don't miss it? Thanks in advance!

 

[Rapunzellover]

I would really rethink these plans. Hollywood is not that close to Disneyland. You would be about an hour away. And LA traffic is horrendous so it might take you twice that amount of time if not three times

 

[hilarys]

As hard as it is to resist the park, I have to agree that visiting the parks on the first day is not the best idea. I just went back to my trip report and we met at 5pm for dinner. We had checked in earlier in the afternoon. It really wouldn't be worth the money you would spend on a park ticket factoring in all of your drive time. Since you booked a post night stay you will have that last day to enjoy the park on your own. The group doesn't do anything together on the final day. Breakfast is offered but you are on your own to enjoy the park. The first day of our trip was a Sunday if your first day is on a weekend, then if you do visit Anaheim on the first day, I would plan to be back on the road by 3pm at latest. The drive shouldn't take two hours, but it could. If your first day is a weekday, don't even think about this plan

 

[kemmerlinj2]

Thanks for the input! Guessing I was just thinking the drive wouldn’t have been that bad and didn’t realize how far Disneyland wasn’t from Hollywood. How far away from Universal Hollywood?

 

[hilarys]

Thanks for the input! Guessing I was just thinking the drive wouldn’t have been that bad and didn’t realize how far Disneyland wasn’t from Hollywood. How far away from Universal Hollywood?

Universal studios would be do-able. Much shorter drive. Again, it will totally depend on what day of the week we are talking about. If you drove over to USH right at opening you would be able to see quite a bit of it, maybe all of it if you buy the front of the line pass before you would need to head back over to the Loew's. We stayed two pre-nights at the Universal Hilton and visited the park on the day prior to our ABD start day.

 

[kemmerlinj2]

We are flying in on a Saturday and the welcome dinner is on Sunday. If we do Universal Hollywood we would get Express Passes with the tickets.

 

[AquaDame]

We just finished up our bsm this morning - our welcome dinner was at the hotel at 5:30 pm.

 

[kemmerlinj2]

We just finished up our bsm this morning - our welcome dinner was at the hotel at 5:30 pm.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[OKW Lover]

We just finished up our bsm this morning - our welcome dinner was at the hotel at 5:30 pm.

That's pretty much the same time ours was on our 4 previous BSM trips so the OP can count on that.

Also wanted to suggest that anybody on BSM, but especially those from the east coast, be aware that there will be some late nights and early mornings once the trip starts. You should include some time to rest up before that welcome dinner.

 

[RedM94]

We just finished up our bsm this morning - our welcome dinner was at the hotel at 5:30 pm.

@AquaDame I sent you a question via IM. I hope that is ok, I didn't want to spoil any surprises on a public forum.

 

[SingingMom]

We flew in a day early from the east coast and had dinner at SUR in West Hollywood. (Vanderpump Rules fans!) We walked to church Sunday morning, then took an uber to The Grove for Brunch and shopping. We came back to the hotel and cleaned up in time for the Welcome Dinner. It was a great relaxing way to start the trip!

 

[OKW Lover]

took an uber to The Grove for Brunch and shopping

Love all the food stands in the Farmers Market. So hard to decide which to stop at. Bob's Donuts are awesome

 

[SingingMom]

Love all the food stands in the Farmers Market. So hard to decide which to stop at. Bob's Donuts are awesome

We had brunch at Laudere It was fantastic - and sentimental since we had our farewell dinner at the original on our first ABD to London/Paris!