1st Timer Hello

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Is there a reason you are only doing one day in the parks? There’s so much to see and do at both parks! I usually suggest three days, but even two days would be better than one.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Even if you are not Cars fans, Carsland is very impressive and well done and, IMO, worth a visit. And RSR is a fun combination of a classic dark ride and a low key thrill ride so both of you might enjoy it. The other two Carsland rides are short but pretty fun too. They're definitely a love 'em or hate 'em thing but I think the swinging cars on the Pixar Pal-A-Round are great fun plus nice views of the park from up there. As WDW vets you can probably skip TSMM since its basically the same but Incredicoaster is pretty awesome. GOTG is possibly my favorite ride (though I was not a huge fan of ToT). If you can swing a 2 day ticket (maybe 2 day 1 park per day?) you could probably hit the highlights of DCA easily the morning of your departure day.

Thanks for the hotel suggestions! I'm on the fence about DCA... we're not Cars fans, don't have kids, don't do water rides, think Soarin's just okay, and really dislike the Little Mermaid ride. (I am capable of feeling joy, I swear.) So really that leaves Incredicoaster and Mission Breakout?

I love DCA. Incredicoaster is my favorite coaster and Monsters Inc is one of my favorite dark rides. Guardians is a big hit and even if you don’t like the movies Cars, CARSLAND is amazing and Radiator Spring Racers is one of the best rides I’ve ever been on. For reference, I never saw one Cars movie until long after I fell in love with Carsland. In fact, I’ve never seen one Cars movies all the way through.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I second the suggestion for Rancho del Zocalo. We eat there at least once every trip. We try to do dinner because the outdoor seating area is lit up beautifully at night.

If you have just one day, I would skip DCA. There are fun things to do there as well, but in my opinion all of the MUSTS are in DLR. If you have two or more days, I would get a park-hopper and spend some time in DCA. I don't think you need a full day there though, just a morning perhaps. So if you had two days total in the parks, I would do all of day one in DLR, start day two in DCA, then move over to DLR in the afternoon.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

Bless you. I didn't know about Zocalo yet and now it's the top of the list.

I forgot we'll likely have a rental car, so Candy Cane Inn with free parking sounds nice.... Thanks!

Are you renting the car for your conference in San Diego and then using it to get to Disneyland? Depending on the location of the conference, your hotel, and sightseeing plans outside of the conference, it’s pretty easy to get around San Diego without a car. Or are you renting the car specifically to get to Disneyland? If it’s the latter, I highly recommend taking the Pacific Surfliner instead. It’s a gorgeous ride up the coast and then you get off at the ARTIC station. From there, you can transfer for free to a bus or take a Lyft/Uber. We always take a Lyft. It costs around $10 and is more convenient than transferring to a bus. We live in San Diego and you can’t pay us to drive through south Orange County.

 

[Mr Snappy]

1. If we only do one day at Disneyland, and we're there before rope drop and intend to stay until closing, can we afford to leave the park for lunch? (As long as we can get on Rise of the Resistance, meander through SWGE a bit, and squeeze in a few class attractions, the rest is gravy.)

I would say no unless you are at a super-close hotel with shuttle service...but it will still probably be about 2 hours and that is valuable park time.

2. What're the best quick service restaurants in the park? (We eat everything, but usually go for the most unusual option - unless there's bbq. Then we'll always get bbq. Unless it's bad bbq. Then forget that bbq. But sometimes... even that bbq.)

Quick Service is all going to be about the same. I would say they are all about average for a theme park and better than WDW. We like Hungry Bear or Pizza Planet, but don't get excited about it.

3. Finding Nemo Subs and Matterhorn - worth the time in a 1-day touring plan? (I love classic dark rides and my husband is all about big, big thrills.)

YES!, these rides are not at WDW and are worth the effort.

4. Can you watch the fireworks from anywhere in the park? I know there are projections best seen from Main Street but, in WDW, we usually try to be riding Dumbo during fireworks, or position ourselves where we can most easily get on a popular attraction the second the fireworks end.

Yes and No. You can definitely see the fireworks from several locations but Main Street is best.

 

[Lauren in NC]

Another tip - download the Disneyland app and if you decide to eat in the park, use mobile ordering! Pretty much every menu item is available and you get to bypass the order line with all the people who don't decide what they want until they get to the register.

 

[Hatbox]

I think you could afford to leave the parks for lunch, as long as you're just having lunch in Downtown Disney. I would avoid having to walk further or drive away for lunch, with you having only one day. I also just don't think it's necessary, as DLR has many great food options, especially quick service.

Got it. We're in the habit of leaving for lunch to avoid the hottest and most crowded part of the day in Orlando. But sounds like that won't be a problem for January in Anaheim.

I definitely think it's worth doing Matterhorn. It can be a bit of a bumpy ride, but it's still worth it. Try to ride at night if you can - the surrounding lights during the portions where you come out of the mountain are quite lovely. I would personally skip Nemo. It's usually a long wait, and a long ride. I've only bothered to do it once in my last four visits, even though I had time to ride if I had wanted to.

The rides I consider must-dos for every trip: Space Mountain (the DLR version is smooth as butter and better than WDW's version, I love it), Indiana Jones, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean (again, superior to WDW version), Haunted Mansion, Disneyland Railroad, Story Book Land Canal Boats (so cute and unique, and one of Walt's favorites).

Roger that - Matterhorn at night! We try to put off Tomorrowland until after sunset for the better lighting, so that should work nicely.
I never would've thought to put Canal Boats on my list. Re-examing that.

...Incredicoaster is pretty awesome. GOTG is possibly my favorite ride (though I was not a huge fan of ToT). If you can swing a 2 day ticket (maybe 2 day 1 park per day?) you could probably hit the highlights of DCA easily the morning of your departure day.

Is there a reason you are only doing one day in the parks? There’s so much to see and do at both parks! I usually suggest three days, but even two days would be better than one.

My husband's tolerant of my Disney habit, but not a huge fan. He'd actually rather go to Six Flags or anywhere he can just do a bunch of mega steel coasters. I don't get it.... So I was only planning on one day at Disneyland to minimize his grumpiness. But he'd like GOTG and Incredicoaster, so maybe we'll do a half day at DCA. TBD!

Another tip - download the Disneyland app and if you decide to eat in the park, use mobile ordering! Pretty much every menu item is available and you get to bypass the order line with all the people who don't decide what they want until they get to the register.

Oh definitely. We learned this on our last trip to WDW. It's crazy that so few people use it but I'm not complaining!

 

[Hatbox]

I highly recommend taking the Pacific Surfliner instead. It’s a gorgeous ride up the coast and then you get off at the ARTIC station. From there, you can transfer for free to a bus or take a Lyft/Uber. We always take a Lyft. It costs around $10 and is more convenient than transferring to a bus. We live in San Diego and you can’t pay us to drive through south Orange County.

OH MY GOD. I never even thought of the Surfliner. We're definitely doing that.

 

[ktlm]

I'm on the fence about DCA... we're not Cars fans, don't have kids, don't do water rides, think Soarin's just okay,So really t and really dislike the Little Mermaid ride. (I am capable of feeling joy, I swear.) hat leaves Incredicoaster and Mission Breakout?

We are not Cars fans, and we think Carsland is amazing. If you liked Test Track at WDW at all, you will love Radiator Springs Racers. It puts test track absolutely to shame- especially if you like dark rides.
Mission Breakout is pretty amazing- especially if you are a Guardians of the Galaxy fan. . Incredicoaster is pretty much the Rock N Roller Coaster, but outside with the Indcredibles added. Definitely a great one for a coaster fan.

Being 2 adults you should be able to move pretty fast. I would highly recommend getting hoppers and doing both parks. Unlike WDW, you can be from the back of DL to the back of CA in 10 minutes. You don't have to go through security to park hop and the parks are only separated by a plaza the size of a football field. It is shorter than going from where the resort bus drops you off to the park gate at WDW. We often go back and forth between parks multiple times a day. If they have different hours it is definitely a plus-- we often leave CA just before it closes and go to DLR for 2 more hours. If they open at different time, we hit the one the opens first and then move to the other. Plus if your DH is a beer drinker there is a craft beer truck on the pier at CA-- DH is known to disappear from DL and go over there. My first trip back to DLR since I was a kid- DH and I spent one day there while I was on a business trip. We went from open to close at a quick speed and got an absolute ton done in both parks. It was not even a low crowd day. If you have a low crowd day, you will be able to do a ton. The fact everything is close together makes it easier than WDW.

Quick service is much better at DLR than WDW. No reason to leave the parks. Allears has all the menus just like they do for WDW.


DLR is so much easier than WDW. It is very flexible. You don't need much of a plan. You just need to know the absolute most popular things (i.e. Galaxy's Edge Cantina) and have a plan for those and you can wing it on everything else. That is why we have gotten to where we kind of prefer DLR to WDW. We still go to both though. I think a lot of kids probably go back to school Monday the 6th, so you are probably after the rush. May be low crowds. Max Pass is worth it- you can book FP from your phone (DLR is one at a time) and it also includes photopass pics for the day. We can go from ride to ride walking on with Max Pass.

I'm going to be the dissenter and say Matterhorn isn't worth it. It is just a very rough bumpy not very exciting roller coaster. We all, even my 13 year old DD, think it is painful. We skipped it a few years- then last year DD and I tried it again since we were near it and Max pass showed a FP available immediately and we remembered why we had been skipping it. We went right back to skipping it this year.

I would say Nemo is worth it. The idea is similar to the EPCOT Nemo ride, but you are on the 20,000 Leagues under the Sea classic subs. WDW tore those out years ago, so it is nice to still see them at DLR. It is mix of classic Disney and modern Disney.

As far as staying on property--- the advantage for us is that you remain inside the Disney bubble. We go to the Disneyland Hotel and never leave Disney property. Being WDW people- we really like that bubble. DLH also has the benefit of Trader Sams being right there. We have stayed on the Harbor side--- seems like I have heard that security had improved recently and someone else can fill you in that-- but for us security was a nightmare- we were in the security line for probably close to 45 minutes in 2016 (and that was not at opening)- we have not stayed off property since then. Also, you definitely feel outside of the bubble in the non-property hotels. Really though, we would not hesitate to stay on the Harbor side again if we were looking to save money-- it is fine. We just really enjoy being on property. There aren't too many special perks for being on property-- early entry is not that big a deal to us. Disneyland is almost always great the first couple of hours it is open, even on crowded days. Definitely significantly less crowded than WDW in the mornings. Plus, when we go in the summer the park opens at 8:00 so early entry is at 7:00 a.m. Sometimes there are special perks-- like this year we got an automatic Galaxy's Edge reservation and a few years ago when they re-opened Star Tours and opened the Little Mermaid (your favorite LOL), we got FPs to those with our resort stay. I think we were there the day Star Tours re-opened, and I think the line was 6 hours at one point- it was at least 3 hours most of that trip. So there is occasionally a perk that is definitely worth it-- but for January 2020, I wouldn't expect anything like that (well unless Rise of the Resistance were to open about the time of your trip and they decided to do something for resort hotel guests for it). The on property prices at DLR are really high. It often costs us less for 8 nights in a Deluxe at WDW, then it does for 4 nights at DLR.

FYI-- you can watch the fireworks projections on Small World. It won't be as crowded as Main Street. However, be aware that outside of summer and the holidays, Fireworks are not every night at DL, unlike WDW. Fantasmic and Fireworks often only run on weekends. Looks like you are coming in right after the holiday crowd-- we have not been that time of year, so I don't know how long they will be on weekdays, or if they will go back to the weekend schedule right about the time you are there. Someone else can probably fill you in.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have. We are longtime WDW vets that fell in love with DLR and now alternate between DLR and WDW, and were just at DLR a couple of weeks ago.

 

[ktlm]

My husband's a bigger Universal than Disney fan. But CA doesn't have a Diagon Alley, right? He wouldn't want to go without that. (More time for Disney!)

We did Universal a couple of weeks ago too. For us, the studio tour is what made universal worth it. The studio tour runs between 45-60 minutes. Outside of the studio tour, which is really fun if you are a movie buff (and the shows which we thought were really good), it is really really small compared to Orlando. We did miss Diagon Alley a lot. It is fun, but if you have never been to Disneyland, with your limited time, I would just go with more time at Disney! Universal is not close to Disney either (40 miles- and on the OTHER side of downtown LA, so traffic can be a bear).

 

[kristensideaoffun]

OH MY GOD. I never even thought of the Surfliner. We're definitely doing that.

It’s seriously the best mode of transportation from San Diego to Orange County. Since trying it for the first time three years ago, we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to drive since then.

 

[Erin M]

It’s seriously the best mode of transportation from San Diego to Orange County. Since trying it for the first time three years ago, we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to drive since then.

I didn't even know this was a thing. I'll be in SD by myself for a conference in March. I'd considered just hanging out in town because I went to college there, but if there was an easy way to get to Anaheim...well, why not? Now I have to get a Flex Pass.

 

[Wahlee]

Having eaten at several QS places about a month ago, I have to say that the best QS in both parks is undoubtedly the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland. The quality is way up there, and the menu is actually unique and interesting, especially if you're a foodie. I had the chicken sandwich, which was absolutely delicious, and tried my sister's Beast Burger, which was amazing, and my other sister's flatbread, which was to die for. Not to mention the pommes frites, and the Grey Stuff, which is definitely delicious. We also loved listening to instrumental versions of songs from Beauty and the Beast, including the Broadway version (they even played Gaston's song "Me," which I adore). My sister-in-law has had breakfast there, too, and reports that it's great. This place is definitely #1 on my list for future trips.

Plaza Inn, Jolly Holliday, and Bengal Barbeque are also great, as are the hand-dipped corndogs from the red cart on Main Street. For TS, we really like the Carnation Cafe (their burger is also super good, as is the chicken fried chicken and the loaded baked potato soup) and Cafe Orleans. We don't tend to eat as much in DCA, but if the Paradise Garden Grill is doing their Mediterranean menu instead of a seasonal one, it's definitely worth a visit.

 

[Hatbox]

I really didn't mean to make y'all spoon-feed me all this, but I'll take it! This is way more than I expected and I feel really confident moving forward with my planning. Thank you!

Being 2 adults you should be able to move pretty fast. I would highly recommend getting hoppers and doing both parks. Unlike WDW, you can be from the back of DL to the back of CA in 10 minutes....We often go back and forth between parks multiple times a day. If they have different hours it is definitely a plus-- we often leave CA just before it closes and go to DLR for 2 more hours....Plus if your DH is a beer drinker there is a craft beer truck on the pier at CA...DH and I spent one day there while I was on a business trip. We went from open to close at a quick speed and got an absolute ton done in both parks. It was not even a low crowd day. If you have a low crowd day, you will be able to do a ton.
DLR is so much easier than WDW. It is very flexible. You don't need much of a plan. You just need to know the absolute most popular things (i.e. Galaxy's Edge Cantina) and have a plan for those and you can wing it on everything else.

Well THIS made me feel a lot better! I think a two-day ticket with park hopper may be in our future now. A craft beer truck is enough to lure us anywhere. But even if we stick with one day at DLR (see, I'm learning the lingo), I'll be less stressed about how much we can fit in.

FYI-- you can watch the fireworks projections on Small World. It won't be as crowded as Main Street. However, be aware that outside of summer and the holidays, Fireworks are not every night at DL, unlike WDW. Fantasmic and Fireworks often only run on weekends.
I'm happy to answer any questions you have. We are longtime WDW vets that fell in love with DLR and now alternate between DLR and WDW, and were just at DLR a couple of weeks ago.

I had no idea there weren't fireworks every night! Bummer. But not the end of the world, I guess. (And thanks for the offer to help!)

Having eaten at several QS places about a month ago, I have to say that the best QS in both parks is undoubtedly the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland. The quality is way up there, and the menu is actually unique and interesting, especially if you're a foodie.

WOW, I just looked up Red Rose. You don't find this in Magic Kingdom... This will be a must for us!

 

[pharmama]

I had no idea there weren't fireworks every night! Bummer. But not the end of the world, I guess. (And thanks for the offer to help!)

Well if you're doing hoppers there usually IS World of Color every night in DCA. WoC is amazing and well worth seeing, IMO. There's nothing like it at WDW.

 

[goooof1]

Check out @HydroGuy threads in the "stickies" above.....http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599
very helpful... also one about the right hotel for you.. (another HydroGuy thread)…
Plan for at least 2 days with hoppers in your case. not too much and you should be able to get the highlights.

 

[azdisneylover]

Bless you. I didn't know about Zocalo yet and now it's the top of the list.

I forgot we'll likely have a rental car, so Candy Cane Inn with free parking sounds nice.... Thanks!

Zocalo portions are very generous too! In DTD, Tortilla Joe's is a good sit down restaurant to have table side guacamole. Whitewater Snacks in the GCH has good nachos, among other foods. You can pop in from the DCA entrance into the hotel, grab a bite to eat, then head right back into the parks. You might want to check the threads often about what limited treats, food items being served in the parks and DTD. It seems there is always something yummy being added for a limited time.
Pear o dice drink with an order of dill popcorn from the Cozy Cones is a treat I get every time we visit the parks. It is a perfect snack to eat while people watching, or parade watching.

 

[azdisneylover]

Have you thought about spending a day at Knotts for thrill roller coasters instead of Magic Mountain? Knotts is very close.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I hate riding Matterhorn cause it’s bumpy. Nemo is a hard no. Slow, hot and stinky.
If I had to pick 1 qs it would be French Market.
Stay offsite. I’d try Hyatt house, Spring Hill suites, courtyard by Marriott theme park entrance. We usually stay at homewood suites if you don’t mind quite a walk.
Fantasyland is closed during fireworks.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I may even just do a one day ticket to check out Batuu and squeeze in a few classic attractions.

Is there any great reason to stay on property?

I'd stay in a less expensive hotel and pay for an extra day at the parks and/or get parkhoppers. Parkhoppers is really the way to go. It only takes a couple minutes to walk from one park to the next and it sounds like your husband would enjoy a couple of the rides at DCA. Get MaxPass and you can schedule your fast passes easily.

Look at Candy Cane Inn. It's walking distance and also has a shuttle.

1. If we only do one day at Disneyland, and we're there before rope drop and intend to stay until closing, can we afford to leave the park for lunch? (As long as we can get on Rise of the Resistance, meander through SWGE a bit, and squeeze in a few class attractions, the rest is gravy.)

You could leave for lunch, but I don't recommend it. You'll be visiting at a cold time of year. No reason to escape the heat. Plus, the close by restaurants aren't any better than what you can get in the parks.

2. What're the best quick service restaurants in the park? (We eat everything, but usually go for the most unusual option - unless there's bbq. Then we'll always get bbq. Unless it's bad bbq. Then forget that bbq. But sometimes... even that bbq.)

Bengal BBQ (quick service), Riverbelle Terrace (table service) are the two that come to mind for BBQ. If you like fried chicken, people seem to like Plaza Inn. I like Red Rose Tavern. If I want a burger, I'll go to Hungry Bear.

3. Finding Nemo Subs and Matterhorn - worth the time in a 1-day touring plan? (I love classic dark rides and my husband is all about big, big thrills.)

I can't stand Finding Nemo. When I was a kid, I loved the ride that it was. It was nothing for a long time and when they were making Nemo, I was so excited to get the ride back. I've ridden it twice and regretted both times. It's boring, I start to fall asleep and it's totally claustrophobic. To me, it's not worth it, even if it is a walk on ride.

Matterhorn is worth doing, but keep in mind it's an old style ride and very jerky and bumpy. I quit riding it a couple years ago (I'm over 50 now), but it used to be my favorite ride.