1st Trip to DL & ALOT is closed!!

[CLynnJones]

I was just on the DL website & it says the following are closed:

Walkway to Cinderella Castle
Haunted Mansion (awwww)
Splash Mountain(another Owwwww)
Space Mountain(which I was prepared for)
and quite a few other attractions.

Does anyone know how accurate this info usually is?
I look soooo foreard to seeing it for the 1st time regardless!! We will be there Wed. 9/24 & Thurs. 9/25.

Where is the best place to get the tickets for the parks? I read there were coupons on McDonald's soda cuus, is this true?

Thanks so much!!

 

[roymccoy]

Don't forget about Big Thunder Railroad, Big Thunder Ranch, The Submarine Lagoon, The Skyway, Circlevision, People Mover, Rocket Rods, Motor Boat Cruise, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Mission to Mars, Fort Wilderness, Sleeping Beauty's Castle, etc.

Roy

 

[CLynnJones]

Wow, Roy!!! That's even more than I thought...

 

[year2late]

You will have a great time. Historically September is rough on scheduled rehabs let alone the unscheduled ones. Believe me, you will have plenty to do.

Info on DL tix


Be sure to visit "Soarin over CA" at DCA.

 

[CLynnJones]

Thank you very much, year2late. That link really helped me a lot! I appreciate the encouragemnet as well. You are right, I'm sure there will still be plenty to see and do. I'll be thrilled just to take it all in for the very 1st time!! Thanks again!!

 

[hookedup]

Please note that many of the attractions that Roy mentioned have been closed for a very long time (never to return) and have not been replaced with anything really so we DL AP'ers get a bit bitter at times.
You will have a great time. There is a ton to do and see. Have fun!!!

 

[roymccoy]

Oh yeah...I forgot the !

Roy

 

[ivanova]

After Labor Day it's typical to see a lot of maintenance closures ... Big Thunder Mountain RR was the only unexpected closure at this point

 

[year2late]

We go 4 plus times a year and still find new things to do and see. The Disney team did a great job combining DL , DCA and downtown Disney. One thing you will notice is that your trip is less of a core than WDW. If DL is way overcrowded....you just walk across the way to DCA and take in that area, DCA gets alot of bad press, but my sone actually prefers it to DL!!!!


My best hint to you is to use your fastpasses wisely. Soarin is a great ride and youmay want to ride it right at park opening and nab another fastpass. But I would like to share this with you becasue your trip is short and fastpasses may be your best friend if off season rides are busy due to extra ride closures...

Kevin Yee's article on fastpass use at DLR
This article is wordy and definitly is biased against FP use, but it gives you the best hints to optimize this feature.

 

[CLynnJones]

Year2late,
You are a gem! Thanks so much for all the pointers. We are leaving in 1 day and I think I get sooooo excited that I don't think straight. I have been to MouseSavers before for WDW trips and I didn't even think of it this time. We will be saving a lot of money, thanks to your help. Cross your fingers for me that I get some sleep tonight, I know I didn't last night....I'm all jazzed up and ready to go!! I was looking at dining reviews tonight and I was thinking of Blue Bayou in DL for lunch and Avalon Cove in DCA. Can I trouble you once more for your opinion on that?

 

[year2late]

This was the most important part of Yee's hints...

1. The Disneyland networked system: Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, etc. Basically everything you used to think was just one system at Disneyland.

2. The California Adventure (DCA) networked system: Soarin’ over California, California Screamin’, MuppetVision, etc. This system does not "talk" to the Disneyland system.

3. Grizzly River Run: it’s disconnected from the DCA network, so it’s simplest to just think of GRR as a network unto itself.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: it is disconnected from the Disneyland system, and thus functions like its own little network.

5. Star Tours: also not part of the Disneyland network.

6. Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin: also not part of the Disneyland network.


So DL fastpasses are separate from DCA passes. If you want to run into DCA quick and geab a FP before you go into DL to grab your INDY fastpass you can do that.

Star Tours, Pirates, RogerRabbit are on their own little network and only care when you rode THAT particular ride last. Therefor, you can get a pass for INDY and immediatly get a pass for POTC.

Also, if possible Grand Californian Hotel deserves a quick walkthrough (you can leave through the side exit at DCA walk directly into the hotel and cut through to Downtown Disney for a quick meal....

 

[year2late]

One more thing...Matterhorn (if running?) is very popular and not fastpassed....go here first.... (can you tell, I don't do lines!!!!)


Even one more thing. We have a nice castle at DL.....no snide remarks about it...bigger is not better.....so neener neener neener.

 

[year2late]

Originally posted by CLynnJones
I was looking at dining reviews tonight and I was thinking of Blue Bayou in DL for lunch and Avalon Cove in DCA. Can I trouble you once more for your opinion on that?

Have you given thought to having dinner at Downtown Disney or perhaps Grand Californian Hotel?

DCA closes at 6PM and DL close at 8pm...both opening at 10am.

While BB is well worth taking time out of your touring schedule...Avalon Cove(Ariels Grotto) may really cut into your park time given the shorter hours.

 

[CLynnJones]

Could you please give me a reccomendation for The Grand Californian or Downtown Disney? With the park hours being what they are, I think I will take your advice on Ariel's.

 

[CLynnJones]

year2late & all, I was looking at your the FastPass tips and have yet another question for you & anyone who can offer me some advise. I was going to wait and get our pass to DCA at one of the Food4Less stores. We have 4 people goinjg and can get admission for up to 5 people for $141. I was then going to get our pass for DL at the gate. If I do it this way, I won't be able to park hop. Is it worth it in your opinion to do it this way or should I just go to the Disney Store and get a 2 day hopper for $99? I could also go to AAA and get a 3-day for $114 or so but we won't have a chance to go 3 days so that's kind of a waste, I think??

 

[mousemom11]

Regarding dinner - try Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian or Rainforest Cafe in DTD.

Tough call on the tickets. I don't know the composition of your party (young kids, older folks, combination?), but I expect that you will find sparse crowds at DCA this time of year. If you don't need to take a mid-afternoon break, I suspect that you will be able to do most of everything in DCA in less than a day. Since DCA closes at 6, you might want to go back into DL to see the Parade of Stars or just do more rides. Therefore, even though it's more expensive, the parkhopper tickets may work better for you.

My general recommendation is to get there when the parks open and do the most popular rides first. The crowds are pretty light between 10 and noon. Since Matterhorn is the only "mountain" open right now and doesn't have FP, I would definitely do that first.

Have a terrific trip!

PS. About Blue Bayou - DEFINITELY have lunch here. Great food, wonderful atmosphere. Do you have reservations? If not, I would call the dining line and see if you can get some - try for a waterside table. The Monte Cristo is scrumptious!

 

[CLynnJones]

Thanks so much mousemom11. I am going to get a 2 day pass at DL instead of going to Food4less. The hopper option will be great for when the one park closes. I really appreciate the help. I am not staying on site, can I still call and make a reservation or do I have to make it when I get there? 11 hours to go!!! I hope I get some sleep tonight!!

 

[disneypremium]

The skyway is closed due to legal financial terms. The Submarine voyage cost too much to maintain. What was Mission To Mars???