1st time trip-week before christmas

[ministrychick77]

ok. me & hubby are trying to go to dland the week before christmas for his 26th birthday. never been there during this time period, so i have no idea how crazy it can be. any suggestions on how to work things out? we're probally gonna be there the 19th & 20th. (i think).

any ideas? what can't be missed? anything else?

 

[goofy steve]

well it is going to be very busy that time of year
so your best bet is go right when the park opens

or you can do the mickey very merry christmas party
that is a lot of fun to do also not as crowed cause they only sell a certian about of tickets for that party on certain nights

any way you go you will have a blast

steve

 

[disneyfaninaz]

They don't have a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Disneyland. Your best bet is to arrive early and use the Fastpass system. There is a sticky at the top of the Disneyland board that is very useful.

 

[nurse.darcy]

Annual Passholder here. . .my son and I will be there for his birthday at EXACTLY the same time. Our tips are to be at the park when it opens, optimize your usage of fastpasses (i.e., always be holding the next fastpass when you go to use the current one) and DO NOT get frustrated when you don't get to do everything. Spend time enjoying Disneyland for what it is. The sights, smells and sounds are absolutely all about the magic. Take a look at the list of attractions at the two parks and decide on your top ten. Make a strategy for seeing those 10 attractions. Everything else will be a bonus. Crowds are manageable but you have to have patience and enjoy the parks just for the sheer magic of being there. Oh, and don't forget the rides that have single rider lines. . .this can really speed things up for you. . .Soarin over California, California Screamin, and I know there are others, I just can't remember at the moment.

Have a great trip.

Oh, one other thing, seek out the Photographers and get your pictures taken. My son and I make a game of it and we always have a BLAST putting together our photo CD at the end of each trip.

 

[javaj]

We'll be there the exact same dates too, for my birthday! We're arriving 12/18 afternoon, heading up to the Valley 12/20. We were there Christmas week last year, and I agree with the above poster -- get there early, use fastpass, and have fun!

 

[ministrychick77]

thanks for the advice! now it looks like we're only gonna be there 1 day, maybe a day and a half. but we're now bringing 2 friends (a couple) who haven't been to DL since 1997 (meaning never been to DCA).

now i just don't know what to do. i don't wanna miss out on anything as far as them seeing all the good stuff... but i know at that point it's gonna be crowded!

 

[DLR29]

We were there THE exact dates last year. It wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be. In two days of touring, we got at least 60 rides done + Fireworks and Fantasmic. However we got to the park before opening and stayed until 10 or 11 both nights. My TR is in my sig. It's a great time to go, especially this year because my guess is that a lot of schools have the week of Christmas and the week after off, instead of the week before.

Definitely use FP a lot! It helps a ton especially with one or two days of touring. Getting there early is also another key in getting more done. Lines for major attractions don't get long until maybe 10 with an 8AM opening.

Just a note. When we went, the Wednesday was pretty empty, but by evening of Thursday the crowds began to increase. I recommend going to DL on W, and DCA with possibly a little DL on Th.

Also keep in mind that unless you are staying onsite, you won't be early entry eligible. That means if you decide to enter DL at opening on Thursday, there will already be people in line for Fantasyland rides, Nemo, Space, and Buzz. If you choose to do this, I recommend heading to the other side of the park first and doing Fantasyland, Nemo, Space, and Buzz on your previous day.