Any Disneyland CA experts on TUG?

[mdurette]

Anyone consider themselves a Disneyland expert?
I'm looking for someone to ask planning questions to. The FB groups are nuts. Disboards has been great so far for research.

 

[jehb2]

You should move this to the TUG Disney Vacation Club forum.

 

[Luanne]

I used to be a Disneyland expert. Grew up not far and we would go at least a couple of times each year. But alas, it's been many years since I had that familiarity with the park.

 

[Passepartout]

40 years ago, my head office was on the back lot of D'Land (Ball & Harbor) overlooking the Matterhorn. We had the Lost & Found on Main St. and could pick up a pass at the front desk to go 'to the Park' for lunch. Alas those days are long gone and I wouldn't be able to help at all.

Jim

 

[bizaro86]

Can I suggest you just ask your questions here? The magic of a forum is that you get multiple suggestions from people with a different knowledge base.

 

[rhonda]

Just ask your questions and see how it goes?

I've been visiting regularly since my early teens, have Annual Passes and now visit almost monthly ... but how I visit DL is likely very different than how others visit.

 

[heathpack]

Not an expert but also an AP holder and DVC Villas at Grand Californian owner. We go regularly.

 

[littlestar]

We went to Disneyland in mid December (first trip) and I used The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland book to plan our trip.

Originally I was going to use our Wyndham points to book Dolphins Cove or Peacock Suites but instead booked with Hyatt House because I had a bunch of Hyatt points and a reward night I needed to use up. So we stayed for free at Hyatt House with a free hot breakfast each day before we headed to the parks. Nice place to stay with helpful friendly employees.

Very fun to see Disneyland where it all started at. I also loved Cars Land at the California Adventure Park.

 

[presley]

I go often. What is it that you want to know?

 

[Blues]

I would have considered myself an expert until 4-5 years ago. Alas, our granddaughter became a teenager, too cool for Disneyland anymore. But we still own one of the paver bricks in the Esplanade with our names, including granddaugter, on it. I can probably answer most of your questions.

 

[mdurette]

Thanks All - let's start off with my easy one and then I can focus on the detailed ones.

We quickly ran through DL in 1 1/2 days a couple of years ago. This time around we are planning for a longer stay. Know that we don't go to Disney simply for "rides" DH and DD like to immerse themselves in the atmosphere and like the parades, fireworks, little shows etc.

My current plan is mid march. 4 days. non hopper tickets. (This will be spring break season, so I anticipate busy)
The plan was simple in my head: 2 days for each park. Done.
But, people are mentioning to me that I should do 3 days in DL and 1 day in CA adventure. Is one day in CA enough?

Also, I do have the option of staying one more day in the area, would 5 days in DL be too much time or for a high demand time better?

 

[Luanne]

My opinion is that one day in CA is enough. There is more to do, and see, in Disneyland. The last time I went with dd we spent 3, or 4 days total (I can't remember which). We spent more time in Disneyland, but there were days we would hop back and forth between the two parks. Since they are so close it's easy to do.

 

[bizaro86]

I would do 5 days with 3 DL and 2 CA. Or consider 4 days with park hopper - and then do 2.5 and 1.5 or something similar.

The 3+ day passes come with 1 day of early entry to DL only. It can be a good idea to use the early entry at DL and then park hop over to CA for the rest of the day, as DL will be busier on those days.

 

[heathpack]

100% definitely get the park hopper. Its so easy to swing from one park to another all day long. This is especially important if its a busy time of the year, you can just go with the flow of where the lines are shorter.

I'd also strongly recommend maxpass, which is an extra $15 per day. With maxpass and a hopper ticket, you will have ultimate flexibility. You can book fastpasses for one park while youre in the other. Its totally swell.

With Rise of the Resistance being so new when you go, crowds and touring plans will be less predictable. Making the hopper even more useful.

 

[heathpack]

The 3+ day passes come with 1 day of early entry to DL only.

Unless OP is staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel, in which case they can avail themselves of early entry on each available day of their stay, including check in day.

 

[rhonda]

100% definitely get the park hopper. Its so easy to swing from one park to another all day long. This is especially important if its a busy time of the year, you can just go with the flow of where the lines are shorter.

I'd also strongly recommend maxpass, which is an extra $15 per day. With maxpass and a hopper ticket, you will have ultimate flexibility. You can book fastpasses for one park while youre in the other. Its totally swell.

With Rise of the Resistance being so new when you go, crowds and touring plans will be less predictable. Making the hopper even more useful.

Ditto. My reply as well.

 

[presley]

My current plan is mid march. 4 days. non hopper tickets. (This will be spring break season, so I anticipate busy)
The plan was simple in my head: 2 days for each park. Done.
But, people are mentioning to me that I should do 3 days in DL and 1 day in CA adventure. Is one day in CA enough?

Mid March is usually busy and Food and Wine Festival will be going on then, making CA a lot busier than normal, especially in the evenings.

Also, I do have the option of staying one more day in the area, would 5 days in DL be too much time

It would for me, but it depends on what you want to do while you are there. If you want to see every show, take a tour, go on every ride, eat at every table service, you can keep yourselves busy that whole time.

Parkhoppers are extremely valuable and I'd get those and budget less on something else. I cannot tell you how many times I've been to one of the parks and it was too crowded for me to enjoy myself, so I escaped to the other park. Maxpass is also very helpful, but only buy it a day at a time because you won't necessarily need it every day. If you want to ride all the headliners in DCA and don't have early entrance (a perk of staying onsite every other day), MaxPass can be a necessity. Standby wait times will be 90+minutes for each ride.

Another helpful hint, if you all don't mind riding in different cars is to do single rider at Radiator Springs. I've never waited in the regular line there because it's way too long for me. Personally, most of my favorite rides are in DCA. My favorite restaurant is in DCA - Carthay Circle. I like everything else better in DL as far as theme and just hanging out or looking for turtles in the pond by the Adventureland sign.

If it were me, I'd do the 4 days with parkhoppers every day and add MaxPass on 1 or 2 days that I wanted to be ride heavy days.

 

[heathpack]

I’d agree with the approach outlined by @presley.

You don’t get any discount by buying MaxPass ahead of time, it’s $15 advance purchase or day of. You can add it whichever days you’ll need it. Which is basically anydays you want to ride big ticket rides. But if you go to DL say on day 1 and ride all the big ticket items and then go back on day 3 to soak in the atmosphere, experience “lesser” attractions, etc, you might not need MaxPass.

If you’re staying off site, I would agree that 4 days are probably enough. The crowds can get to you by that point and diminish the fun. However, if you’re staying at DLR IMO that changes the paradigm. You’ll get the early admission multiple days, be able to pop out of the parks at will and take a break at your resort, Head back into the parks in the evenings, etc. You can do all that if staying off site of course, but it’s more of a hassle. If you’re staying at DLR, I’d vote for the 5 day stay, which would give you time to enjoy the expensive resort you’re paying for, try some of the Downtown Disney restaurants and street entertainment, maybe go bowling, etc.

Food for thought.

 

[needvaca]

We just went to DL this summer. We did 1 day at each park and were rushed. 2 days at each would be perfect, DL,CA,DL,CA. Your 2 days at CA can be leisurely, and then in evening wander around Downtown Disney for dinner and rest your legs for DL the next day. Max Passes were soooo worth it, but buy them day by day. By days 3 and 4, you may not want/need them if you are doing more casual strolling

 

[mdurette]

Interesting idea about only getting Max Pass as needed. Do I have to wait in a ticket line to add it or can I do that on the app once in the park?

I have narrowed it down to:
4 days with hopper or 5 days without hopper.
The 5 days without is actually $120 cheaper

We are staying at a Marriott (using points) that is walking distance to DL, so we can head back there for down time if needed, but the reality is we probably won't because sitting around in a hotel room staring at each other is really boring. At WDW we are the type to get there sometime in the morning and be there to close.

 

[heathpack]

You can add MaxPass on the app each day as needed, no standing in lines.

I would hands down go for the 4 day pass with hopper in your circumstance. If you're going to be on the go all day long, you'll have a better experience with the hoppers and the ability to switch parks as needed.

 

[rhonda]

I have narrowed it down to:
4 days with hopper or 5 days without hopper.
The 5 days without is actually $120 cheaper

Hmm, that is really tough. You can tell we all like our hoppers (or AP used to hop between parks).

We've collectively mentioned it above ... but there is a real grace to hopping if one park is too busy at any given time. Also, with MaxPass, you can book FP for either park once you've started your day (that is, entered a park). We find ourselves using this "super power" at will and will hop between the parks a couple times in a given day if it helps us beat the lines. Know that hopping is kinda like walking from Epcot's Future World to the World Showcase. You are already inside the security zone so moving back and forth is pretty quick.

If you don't do Disney Parks on the 5th day ... what would you do? Downtown Disney won't take up a full day but does have some fun dining venues.

 

[mdurette]

If you don't do Disney Parks on the 5th day ... what would you do? Downtown Disney won't take up a full day but does have some fun dining venues.

We have a cruise that leaves San Diego on Friday.
My original plan was to leave Anaheim late Thursday morning, Amtrak to SD. Check in to hotel, go to SeaWorld (we have annual passes) Thursday night and then cruise the following day.

I can easily switch the overnight on Thursday to Anaheim and then Amtrak to SD on Friday morning and head straight to the ship. Somewhere in between the two trips laundry needs to get done.

 

[presley]

Somewhere in between the two trips laundry needs to get done.

You can do the laundry on the Wonder.

 

[SmithOp]

We have a cruise that leaves San Diego on Friday.
My original plan was to leave Anaheim late Thursday morning, Amtrak to SD. Check in to hotel, go to SeaWorld (we have annual passes) Thursday night and then cruise the following day.

I can easily switch the overnight on Thursday to Anaheim and then Amtrak to SD on Friday morning and head straight to the ship. Somewhere in between the two trips laundry needs to get done.

I always get nervous about travel the morning of a cruise, prefer to stay nearby the night before.

There is Amtrack work going on from Irvine to San Diego, but its limited to weekends. I’m not ready to trust a train ride the morning of a cruise departure.

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