Geekin' On WDW | Trip Reports From A Community of Disney World Fans

Cousin Heather’s Disneyland Adventure – Grand Californian, Oogie Boogie Bash & Family Magic – Ep. 635

Listen Later

This week, we’re joined by Cousin Heather for a California combo trip—starting on the Santa Monica Pier, visiting friends at USC, and wrapping with a magical stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. Heather and family park-hopped between Disneyland and California Adventure, and celebrated early Halloween at the Oogie Boogie Bash (their Huey, Dewey, Louie + Uncle Scrooge tee-and-cap “costumes” were a hit!).

Featuring in This Episode

Resort & Logistics

  • Grand Californian two-bedroom villa (freshly refurbished, 3 bathrooms, special park entrance, easy Downtown Disney access)
  • Mid-trip serenity: no buses needed, midday breaks, and… room service wins
  • Pro tip: Good Neighbor Hotels can be a great, walkable value when you’re not at a Disney hotel

    • Dining & Treats

    • Craftsman Grill (massive individual pizzas; salmon salad = standout; nachos = skip)
    • Storytellers Café character breakfast (Mickey’s autumn-themed feast, gluten-free Mickey waffles)
    • Aunt Cass Café in San Fransokyo (mac & cheese bread bowl, Baymax sourdough)
    • Popcorn parade fuel… plus a $40 Stitch popcorn bucket trophy

      • Disneyland Day Highlights

      • Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay (Nightmare Before Christmas)—a must-see; they rode three times
      • New-to-them favorites: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Indiana Jones Adventure
      • Classic fun & strategy: rope drop Peter Pan (family tradition), Multi-Pass outage turned pixie dust (Guest Services issued extra LLs)

        • California Adventure & Oogie Boogie Bash

        • Incredicoaster thrill (one and done for Mom!), Soarin’, Toy Story Midway Mania, Monsters, Inc.
        • Villain-forward entertainment: Frightfully Fun Parade, interactive treat trails (Oogie Boogie, Maleficent), immersive Villains Grove
        • Notes from the crew: Guardians: Mission BREAKOUT! felt more “up-down jostle” than Tower of Terror

          • Mom Moments & Tips

          • Teen strategy: start together, split by interests, regroup later
          • Emotional favorite: holding hands with her now-16-year-old on Peter Pan, keeping a family tradition alive
          • Weather & comfort: warm, dry days; light layers at night

            • It’s a heartfelt, practical guide to doing Disneyland the easy way—walkable, well-timed, and packed with seasonal magic.

            Share the Magic
            If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your Disney-loving friends!

            Hashtags: #GeekinOnWDW #DisneyPodcast #Disneyland #DisneyCaliforniaAdventure #OogieBoogieBash #DisneyTripReport

            Support the Show:
            Contribute at Patreon.com/GeekinOnWDW
            Your support keeps the magic flowing—thank you, Super Geeks!

            Plan Your Next Disney Trip:
            Dreaming about your next Disney adventure?
            Let Momma and Judy from Travelin’ Tiaras make your trip easy, fun, and stress-free!
            Start planning today: [email protected]

            ...more
            View all episodesView all episodes
            Download on the App Store
            Geekin' On WDW | Trip Reports From A Community of Disney World FansBy Curtis Stone
            • 4.7
            • 4.7
            • 4.7
            • 4.7
            • 4.7

            4.7

            393 ratings

            More shows like Geekin' On WDW | Trip Reports From A Community of Disney World Fans

            View all
            DIS Unlimited by The DIS

            DIS Unlimited

            2,559 Listeners

            Be Our Guest WDW Podcast by beourguestpodcast.com

            Be Our Guest WDW Podcast

            1,758 Listeners

            WDW Prep To Go - a Disney World planning podcast by Shannon Albert

            WDW Prep To Go - a Disney World planning podcast

            1,894 Listeners

            Unlocking The Magic: Talking all things Disney Parks, Universal and Cruising by Konstantina Irving

            Unlocking The Magic: Talking all things Disney Parks, Universal and Cruising

            2,169 Listeners

            Rope Drop Radio: A Disney Travel Podcast by Rope Drop Entertainment

            Rope Drop Radio: A Disney Travel Podcast

            762 Listeners

            Disney Travel Secrets - How to do Disney by Rob and Kerri Stuart

            Disney Travel Secrets - How to do Disney

            955 Listeners

            Addicted to the Mouse: Disney Podcast | Disney World, Universal, & Cruise Vacation Planning by Dan and Leslie Lowry

            Addicted to the Mouse: Disney Podcast | Disney World, Universal, & Cruise Vacation Planning

            915 Listeners

            Capture The Magic Podcast - Disney World | Universal Studios Florida | News, Rumors & More by Capture The Magic Network, Capture The Magic Network

            Capture The Magic Podcast - Disney World | Universal Studios Florida | News, Rumors & More

            459 Listeners

            Main Street Magic - A Walt Disney World Podcast by Main Street Magic Podcast

            Main Street Magic - A Walt Disney World Podcast

            674 Listeners

            Disney Deciphered: a Disney World planning podcast by Leslie Harvey and Joe Cheung

            Disney Deciphered: a Disney World planning podcast

            357 Listeners

            The Disney Dish with Jim Hill by Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

            The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

            1,033 Listeners

            That Park Life: a Theme Park Podcast by Greg & Beth - Theme Parks Fans

            That Park Life: a Theme Park Podcast

            269 Listeners

            The DVC Show by The DVC Show

            The DVC Show

            455 Listeners

            Disney World is Awesome by The Dapper Dads: TJ, Matt, Landon...and sometimes Ben

            Disney World is Awesome

            581 Listeners

            The Main St Dish by The Main Street Dish

            The Main St Dish

            230 Listeners