How many days do you spend at both parks?

[plutojudy]

Is one day at each park enough time to see everything? We have been to Disneyland several times (the last time was 10 years ago) and have never been to California Adventure. Can we do it in 2 days or do we need 1 1/2 days at each park?

 

[DLR29]

I would say at a minimum 2-2 1/2 days for DL and 1/2-1 day for DCA. So a minimum stay of 3-4 days.

But, everything depends on:
-When you go (time of year, but also days of the week)
-How long you stay in the parks
-How many people in your party
-Ages of the people in your party
-What types of rides interest you
-If entertainment (fireworks, night shows, parades) are a priority

I see in your sig that you will be there in late August. Great time to go. Crowds are low-moderate during this time. However, that also means shorter park hours and less entertainment. You say you have been to DL several times, but soooo much has changed since 10 years ago. They have added:
-Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters
-Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
-Pirate's Lair
-Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh
-improved Autopia
-FastPass system (though same as WDW)

And they have put major updates into Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion, and Space Mountain.

 

[Oscar T. Grouch]

We just got back from 5 days, and still feel we did not see everything, and I know we did not "do" everything.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We always feel rushed if we do it in less than 3 days. We were actually just talking last night about how even then there are things we miss, and how were gonna use our AP's for the day of arrive and departure to get in some more!

But I'd say 3 days is good. We always park hop though. We never spend one whole day at either park really, and as much as we enjoy DCA, not sure if could make a whole day out of it. We like go to back and forth during the day.

 

[Goldies 4]

We go 2 time's a year. The first trip we go for 5 days(early holiday) and the second a brief 3 so husband and daughter can run a marathon and it does not feel like I have nearly enough time.

 

[SnowWhite12]

We are going first time to DLR in April (have done WDW a million times), but I cannot figure out how CA wouldn't take a whole day. Esp. when it is only open 10:00-8:00. I am trying to plan our trip, and I can't see a way to do all the shows and parades and ride all the rides in just one whole day.

 

[boiseflyfisher]

I'm not sure there is an easy answer. It really depends on what time of year you are going and how old the people are in your party. During peak times with young children, expect to need more time.

IMO, with my 5 and 7 y.o., we could have done and seen everything in three days during the slow time in January. We probably could have done it in two days, but we like to ride some of the rides multiple times. We are going next month and expect it to be fairly busy, so I'm planning on us needing 5 days to cover everything. My kids are lucky enough to go multiple times a year, so they know that if we don't do something in one trip, they can do it next time.

 

[onederland]

we are going for 5 days and I still feel that's not long enough last year we went for 4 and did not do it all. My kids were 5 and 6 and totally into it, wanting to go go go...this year we are going the first week of March I have never been in March so we will see how much we can get done with the shorter hours but I wanted to beat the Spring Break crowds.

 

[vflipo]

I'm going for 5 days (which may be over kill) but usually only go for 3. I think my new outlook on it is that i should go for as many days as i can get off work... i haven't had a day off since the 3rd and i'm starting to go nuts... i could use about 2 weeks at the park but will take the 5 for what it's worth

 

[kiwitravel]

Is one day at each park enough time to see everything? We have been to Disneyland several times (the last time was 10 years ago) and have never been to California Adventure. Can we do it in 2 days or do we need 1 1/2 days at each park?

When we went in the late 1980s you could do DL in a day, now you need at least four days to do both DL and CA. 2.5 days for DL and 1.5 days for CA. There are about 90 rides or shows to do, even at 4 days thats over 20 things per day, nevermind the ones you want to do twice or more.

 

[MATTERHORN]

3 days is just about perfect, especially since you are going after school is back in for lots of kids!!! I feel shorted when I only spend 2, and I go many times a year!

Andrea

 

[plutojudy]

Thanks everyone. I should have mentioned we are traveling without children.

 

[NWPrincess]

Hi, this is my first post (but long-time lurker). I have a similar question: BF and I are planning a trip for the second or third week in September. I've been the DLR a lot in the past (used to live in SoCal and practically grew up at DL, recently went with parents in 2006).

My question is that my BF has never been and I'm hoping to share in his first time. He's a little skeptical of DL (doesn't understand that its not just for kids), but he likes action/adventure rides.

Here is the list of rides I think he'd like:
-Indiana Jones
-Space Mountain
-Matterhorn
-Big Thunder
-Splash Mountain
-Buzz Lightyear
-POTC
-TOT
-California Screamin'
-Grizzy River Rapids

The only other thing I wanted to do was catch the Aladdin Show because I missed it last time.

Is this doable in two days? We'd be going either on T, W, or Th and staying at HoJo for special rate.

 

[Husker Mickey]

Doable in 2 days but don't forget to ride Soarin' in DCA. It's spectacular. We travel with kids but still feel that 4 days in the right amount of time at the parks. We go hard for 3 full days and the last day we slow down and people watch, shop and ride a few of the rides that we really liked during our stay.

 

[NWPrincess]

I went to Epcot with him in 2006 and he went on Soarin' five times. We were in the first row and I pointed down and he saw how high off the ground we were. I asked him if he wanted to go on it at DCA and he gave me some lame excuse that he didn't like fake orange smell during the ride. I think it's because I scared him.

 

[4_Churros_Please]

Durring August the crowds will still be pouring in, lines WILL be long and navigating the park will be slowed by the crowds.

Do at least 2 days a Disneyland and 1 day at Cali Adventure. If you REALLY want to see everything, do 3 days at Disneyland and 2 at C.A.

This also depends on your definition of "everything", these numbers are based on rides and entertainment. If you really want to dig in and look behind the scenes, plan a mega trip!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

We usually do 4 days. We do that many days so that we aren't rushing around and trying to get everything done. We are big time park hoppers also. We really enjoy our days and don't let ourselves get stressed over anything.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Be at opening every day for DL, plan to hop to CA from lunch time to late afternoon, take a resort break and have dinner out of the parks, then close down DL.

My perfect recipie......and yeas you need 4 days!

 

[Chandor]

I think that 3 days is good. Our primary objectives usually run as follows:

1) Get to rope-drop every morning, early entry if you have that option.
2) Use fast passes, use fast passes, use fast passes! (Oh, and use fast passes!)
3) Rides in the mornings, shows in the evenings. (We usually walk on potc from rope drop through 11am, even over Christmas, but afternoon it can be a half-hour+ wait easy... same with HM)
4) Avoid spending too much time walking across the park. Hit frontier land and do most everything you want to do there all at once, then move on to NOS, do everything, move. Without a plan like this you end up spending a ton of time walking and fighting through crowds. (Not to mention that it is like a 1/2 mile from the enterance of DL to Toon Town or across from Splash Mountain to Space Mountaion, and that all adds up quick!)
5) Use provided transportation. It is much quicker (and easier on the feet) to grab the train or trolly or whatever than it is to just hoof it.. and it gives you a chance to sit back and enjoy what's going on without having to try and dodge everyone in the process.

 

[HydroGuy]

We never spend one whole day at either park really, and as much as we enjoy DCA, not sure if could make a whole day out of it. We like go to back and forth during the day.

Yah, we have never spent a whole day at DCA either. But I do think DCA requires at least the equivalent of a whole day to experience - if you want to see the shows. Aladdin, DEP, HSM and previously BPB (with a new parade starting in March). That right there takes up a good chunk of time and is hard to fit into a single physical day. Add in some of the rides and IMO DCA takes a day to experience with some level of thoroughness.