1st Timer Hello

[Hatbox]

I couldn't have planned my recent WDW trips without this forum, and I already knew those parks so well. Now I'm going to Disneyland for the first time and, oh boy, it's a lot to take in! I've never ventured into the Disneyland threads before so, obviously, I have a lot of reading to do. But if any of you experts are open to some rapid-fire questioning, send me a message! It'd help me find my sea legs...

 

[cruisehopeful]

As you read, please add specific questions here. You'll get plenty of help. Some of the mega threads are long and have outdated information. So, make sure you post questions here as they come up. When are you going to Disneyland and for how long?

 

[Mr Snappy]

Keep in mind they are two VERY different experiences. I always kinda cringe when I hear someone stating one is better than the other. Having been to both many times I can tell you that they are both fantastic but in different ways.

Some key areas that are different to me include: (I am sure there are many more)
Duration of Stay
Food
Experience for older vs younger children
Adult options
Attraction experiences
Merchandise
Crowd composition
Surrounding area
Climate
Costs
Seasonality
Staying on property vs off
Travel experience
Non-Disney options while in the area (Harry Potter CA vs FL for example)

 

[Hatbox]

As you read, please add specific questions here. You'll get plenty of help. Some of the mega threads are long and have outdated information. So, make sure you post questions here as they come up. When are you going to Disneyland and for how long?

Gosh, I have so many questions, I'd be embarrassed to post them all here. (That also just seems lazy of me.) My husband and I are just tacking on a few days after a conference in San Diego, so I expect to check in the evening of 1/5/20 and check out the afternoon 1/7/20. I may even just do a one day ticket to check out Batuu and squeeze in a few classic attractions. What would be helpful to me in getting started, if you don't mind....

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)
Any reason to book a Good Neighbor hotel through Disney instead of Priceline/Expedia?

 

[Mr Snappy]

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)

You are going to get some very passionate answers on this one. The answer from me is NO. Disney property hotels in California are beyond insane and in my opinion, other than how close they are, they offer no advantage to any other hotel. Are they nice? Absolutely. Can you find just as good if not better for less money? Absolutely.

 

[Mike_M]

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)
Any reason to book a Good Neighbor hotel through Disney instead of Priceline/Expedia?

It’s been my experience that the hotels on Harbor between I-5 and Katella have been more than satisfying to me and my family. Short walk, good value and easy to book. Unless you have specific amenities in mind, any will do just fine and you are free to search for the lowest price without worry of poor quality.

 

[Hatbox]

Keep in mind they are two VERY different experiences. I always kinda cringe when I hear someone stating one is better than the other. Having been to both many times I can tell you that they are both fantastic but in different ways.

I'm prepared for it to be a different experience, so I'll need some help avoiding rookie mistakes. There's so much unknown still with SWGE, which is our primary reason for visiting. So, kicking that down the road for a bit, there are some hyper-specific questions I have for scaffolding my plans:

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.)

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.)

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.)

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.

 

[Tasmen]

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)
Any reason to book a Good Neighbor hotel through Disney instead of Priceline/Expedia?

80% of the time when we go to DL we do not stay onsite. For perspective, we always stay in a Deluxe when we go to WDW. Many of the good neighbor hotels are within walking distance of the parks, definitely a change from WDW.

 

[Hatbox]

Some key areas that are different to me include: (I am sure there are many more)
Non-Disney options while in the area (Harry Potter CA vs FL for example)

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!)

You are going to get some very passionate answers on this one. The answer from me is NO. Disney property hotels in California are beyond insane and in my opinion, other than how close they are, they offer no advantage to any other hotel. Are they nice? Absolutely. Can you find just as good if not better for less money? Absolutely.

Thanks! It seems like the biggest advantage might be the EMM, which we avoid at WDW. Is the same true at Disneyland? Is it usually best to go to the park that doesn't offer EMM that day?

It’s been my experience that the hotels on Harbor between I-5 and Katella have been more than satisfying to me and my family. Short walk, good value and easy to book. Unless you have specific amenities in mind, any will do just fine and you are free to search for the lowest price without worry of poor quality.

Awesome, thanks!

 

[tarheelalum]

Most people do not stay on Disneyland property when visiting the parks. If they do stay in a hotel they usually stay in one along Harbor blvd or Katella Ave in Anaheim. If you stay at one of these hotels please try to stay at one within walking distance. We like to stay at the Hotel Indigo on Katella. Its a 10 minute walk in the morning for us. The area around Disneyland is very safe for walking. Many people walk back and forth so you don't have to worry about it. When we do stay on property we stay at the Disneyland hotel. Its pretty incredible. Lots of Disneyland history there with big rooms. But you don't have to stay on property to have a great time. The Disney hotels tend to be very expensive. The good Neighbor hotel designation means nothing here. Also do not book a package deal. They are NOT a deal at Disneyland. Book everything separately for the best prices.

 

[Erin M]

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)
Any reason to book a Good Neighbor hotel through Disney instead of Priceline/Expedia?

I go twice a year usually, and one I stay on property, and the other time I do not. I stay on property when I travel with my kiddo because having that extra magic hour is valuable if we have to leave and take a rest. When I travel with friends and we don't need naps we stay across the street and it's perfect! Honestly across the street is an easier walk in my opinion.

The Matterhorn is absolutely worth it. You can't ride it anywhere else so yes, take the time! The subs are fun, but I don't think they are worth it if there is any sort of wait. Unless you are a huge Nemo fan. The story is pretty cute.

My favorite quick service places are The French Market (corn chowder is the BEST! and so great on a winter trip!), Hungry Bear (the seating up top is so fun, watching the river) and The Tropical Hideaway (the new bao buns are soooo delicious).

Ask more questions! Everyone loves to answer them

 

[MWGum]

Is there any great reason to stay on property?

We found that the Extra Magic Hour in DCA was better than the one in DLR because the DLR days include the Magic Morning (3+ day ticket) crowd.
Our family loves Cars Land and with EMH we were able to ride RSR over and over again with a 5-10 minute wait and the other rides in the area with almost no wait.
It all comes down to cost and what the low crowds in the first hour are worth to you.

 

[pharmama]

EMH is much more valuable at DLR than WDW, especially at DCA (to tag onto PP's experience, last week we were able to ride RSR twice without even getting off during EMH. We could have gone a third time but we wanted to go do other rides). That said, I don't think it alone is worth staying on site, especially since I'm not sure if you're even planning to visit DCA (though I'd highly recommend you do). Looking at your dates it sounds like your park day is 1/6 which is a Monday so EMH will be at DCA that day (assuming they continue with the EMH structure they've had the last few years). I do love the on site hotels (GCH is my favorite, followed by DLH. PPH is ok) but try to only stay there when I can get a special rate (convention etc.).

As others mentioned, there is ZERO advantage to booking a non-disney hotel or package through Disney (unless you want to make payments) and its often cheaper to book directly or using discounts on sites like Orbitz or CheapTickets (FYI- those discounts do work on the on property hotels as well). Also know that the "Good Neighbor" designation doesn't really mean much other than they paid a fee to Disney so don't get too hung up on that. My personal favorite off site hotels are Tropicana and Hojo or the Homewood if you're ok staying a little farther and taking the Toy Story shuttle (you can also walk from there, its just a bit longer). But most of the Harbor hotels are just fine so find the one that fits your needs and budget.

And you are correct, no Diagon Alley at USH, just Hogsmeade.

 

[Hatbox]

We like to stay at the Hotel Indigo on Katella....When we do stay on property we stay at the Disneyland hotel. Its pretty incredible. Lots of Disneyland history there....The good Neighbor hotel designation means nothing here. Also do not book a package deal. They are NOT a deal at Disneyland. Book everything separately for the best prices.

Whew! This calmed me down a ton. I'll check out Indigo. We're planning to go to Trader Sam's on our first night, so we'll get to poke around the Disneyland Hotel then - looking forward to it!

The Matterhorn is absolutely worth it. You can't ride it anywhere else so yes, take the time! The subs are fun, but I don't think they are worth it if there is any sort of wait. Unless you are a huge Nemo fan. The story is pretty cute.

My favorite quick service places are The French Market (corn chowder is the BEST! and so great on a winter trip!), Hungry Bear (the seating up top is so fun, watching the river) and The Tropical Hideaway (the new bao buns are soooo delicious).

Ask more questions! Everyone loves to answer them

Great. I'll keep the Matterhorn and list Nemo as a "if there's time...".
We'll definitely stop at the Tropical Hideaway (for a Dole Whip after the Tiki Room!). I just looked up French Market - looks pretty great!

Thanks, everyone! This is already so much more helpful than the reading I've been doing on my own the past week.

 

[MWGum]

We'll definitely stop at the Tropical Hideaway (for a Dole Whip after the Tiki Room!).

If there is any kind of a line, order from the app. The line was over 40 minutes when we were there but ordered in the app and picked it up in about 3 minutes. Had a similar experience at Corn Dog Castle in DCA. Same goes for most food stands that have app ordering.

 

[Lauren in NC]

You could leave the park for lunch, but the QS options at DL are pretty darn good, so honestly I wouldn't bother. Plaza Inn has great fried chicken, Jolly Holiday is more of a sandwich and soup place, Hungry Bear is great for people watching (and the funnel cake). My family's personally big fans of the taco salads at Rancho del Zocalo, so we eat there at least once every trip.

Matterhorn's a DL classic, but I've found the subs to be more meh. It's a very slow loader, so, personally, if there's any sort of wait, I wouldn't bother with it. Unrelated note - I think this is true for WDW as well, but most FL rides are also slow loaders, so it's best to knock those out first thing in the morning.

Because of the projections, the FW (or at least the Disneyland Forever version) are best experienced on Main St (if you want to see Tinkerbell and Nemo). They also do the projections on IASW and I think also the Fantasmic area.

As for hotels - while I adore the Grand Californian, the only reason we stay there is because we're DVC owners. Any trip not planned out 11 months in advance, we stay off-property. Some of the off-property hotels are actually closer to the main gates! The only real perk you get is the Disney bubble (walking through Downtown Disney instead of along Harbour, which is a dubiously valuable perk at best) and early access to DCA. We personally like the Candy Cane Inn (friendly staff, clean rooms, free breakfast, free parking).

 

[Hatbox]

EMH is much more valuable at DLR than WDW.....That said, I don't think it alone is worth staying on site, especially since I'm not sure if you're even planning to visit DCA (though I'd highly recommend you do).

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?

 

[Hatbox]

You could leave the park for lunch, but the QS options at DL are pretty darn good, so honestly I wouldn't bother....My family's personally big fans of the taco salads at Rancho del Zocalo, so we eat there at least once every trip.

....We personally like the Candy Cane Inn (friendly staff, clean rooms, free breakfast, free parking).

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!

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Is there any great reason to stay on property? (I was shocked to see the price tag for PPH was more than I'm used to paying at WDW.)
Any reason to book a Good Neighbor hotel through Disney instead of Priceline/Expedia?

There is less benefit to staying on-site at DLR as compared to WDW. Yes, the DLR hotels are within walking distance of the parks, but so are several off-site hotels just across the street on Harbor Blvd. (in fact, some of them are faster walks to the front gates than the Disneyland Hotel). The one major benefit is EMH, which is better at DLR than at WDW. You can get a lot done in that first hour. But, is it worth the hundreds more that you will spend on the on-site hotel? I personally don't think so.

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 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.

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.)

I'm sure you'll find many useful threads on this topic. Most people who've been to both DLR and WDW tend to say that WDW has better table service options, but DLR has better quick service. This has been my experience as well. I rarely make dining reservations at DLR, because there's so many quick service options that I love going back to. I am fond of the gumbo bread bowls at the Royal Street Veranda. Fried chicken at the Plaza Inn is excellent. Bengal BBQ has some good skewers (I do think they're a bit overpriced for the small amount of food you get, but I still splurge every now and then as a snack). The new Tropical Hideaway has some yummy options too.

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 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).

 

[pharmama]

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?

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.

As far as QS, our favorites are: Rancho del Zocalo, Bengal BBQ, Pizza Planet (there's lots of hate for this one but we like it) and Hungry Bear. Red Rose Tavern is also decent as are many others. Don't forget the Little Red Wagon for awesome corndogs (also available at Stage Door Cafe in DL and Corn Dog Castle in DCA). Also liked Ronto Roasters in SWGE. Love the Cozy Cones for snack (or meal in the Chili Cone Carne) in DCA.