2 days and a budget

[RazorPoke]

We will be visiting DLR and DCA on Friday and Saturday July 25-26. I'm an efficiency nut so I need some help as we have scheduled this trip without a lot of advanced notice. I've been to WDW twice in the past 19 years, and did tons of planning. But, we also stayed on property and had a week or more both times.

I will be staying in Riverside and will be with my DW and my 15 year old DD.

1. Obviously,the one park per day ticket is cheaper but everything I read about 2 day trips seems to suggest the hopper. But the tightwad in me says to go with the one park option. Please talk me into the hopper and / or suggest which park for Friday and which for Saturday if we go with the cheaper option.

2. How much time should we allow for getting to the park from Riverside. I've spent very little time in the LA area and I did not drive during those visits.

3. What time should we get to the parks?

4. Can we manage ourselves with an App like MouseWait or is it worth it to plan using RideMax?

Thanks for your help

 

[Keels]

Can't help with anything other than No. 1 - check out Way.com. I bought my two-day PH pass for $202, which is $15 cheaper than through Disney. They also have the two-day, one park tickets discounted by roughly the same amount. But at least you're saving $45 for the PHs!

Personally - I was struggling to make the same decision but ended up going with the PHs with the reasoning that I'm only there for two days, I'm having to drive from Santa Monica both days, so I'll be at the parks for as long as possible and if I want the chance to do something again at a park I previously visited, I'd like to have the opportunity to do it instead of saving $20 and then getting home and wishing I'd had one last chance to ride - say, Radiator Springs.

 

[DDhunter]

We will be visiting DLR and DCA on Friday and Saturday July 25-26. I'm an efficiency nut so I need some help as we have scheduled this trip without a lot of advanced notice. I've been to WDW twice in the past 19 years, and did tons of planning. But, we also stayed on property and had a week or more both times.

I will be staying in Riverside and will be with my DW and my 15 year old DD.

1. Obviously,the one park per day ticket is cheaper but everything I read about 2 day trips seems to suggest the hopper. But the tightwad in me says to go with the one park option. Please talk me into the hopper and / or suggest which park for Friday and which for Saturday if we go with the cheaper option.

2. How much time should we allow for getting to the park from Riverside. I've spent very little time in the LA area and I did not drive during those visits.

3. What time should we get to the parks?

4. Can we manage ourselves with an App like MouseWait or is it worth it to plan using RideMax?

Thanks for your help

From Riverside, in perfect traffic, about an hour, and I would guess you should add at least an extra 1/2 hour to that. I would suggest you take the 60 instead of the 91, as the 91 can be a seriously gigantic nightmare for traffic. Friday morning could get hairy with commuter traffic.

I also agree with getting PH, it makes it easier to get everything you want with much more flexibility. If one park starts getting crowded with high line waits, move across the way. We hopped back and forth about 5 times last Saturday.

Also, we used Mousewait and thought it worked out pretty well.

 

[bzh]

I went through the same dilemma in planning our August trip. I ended up deciding to do parkhoppers -- it is worth the extra cost to have more flexibility. Having said that, I wouldn't try to do too much parkhopping -- I generally stay with one park from rope drop through lunch, then do some shows and/or relax in the afternoon, and then perhaps hop over to the other park for the evening, depending on your plans. Since you won't have early entry, I recommend going to the opposite park or the one that does NOT have early entry to start the day. Be sure to get there before opening so you can start off the day right. Have fun!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I would suggest reconsidering driving from riverside both days. You will be tired from a long day and it makes for a long drive. There are a lot of reasonably priced hotels in the area.

If you get one in walking distance, you will save on parking.

 

[kitayama]

I would suggest reconsidering driving from riverside both days. You will be tired from a long day and it makes for a long drive. There are a lot of reasonably priced hotels in the area. If you get one in walking distance, you will save on parking.

I have to agree... I live in Riverside County, and I drive to Disneyland often because it is close. Those of us who live here are used to the drive however (we are about an hour away from everything), but you probably aren't. You can get a cheap room for a night near Disneyland so you can relax a little. Just like this person said, you will save over $30 on parking, and save on gas too.
By the way, to take the 91 or not depends on many factors... Riverside county is huge, so if you are nowhere near the 60, live with the traffic and take the 91. Definitely take the 91 on your way back if you are going back late at night.
A little off topic, but if you take the 60 to the 57 in the afternoon, stop at The Hat for chili fries. They are amazing! If not, stop by Farmerboys. Their food is pretty good.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

The park hopper question gets asked a lot. The consensus here is get the hopper. Most people who don't regret it later. Hopping is far more common (and far easier!) at DLR than at WDW.

 

[RazorPoke]

Thanks everyone. We didn't exactly get across the street, but we did move to a hotel in Anaheim Hills, which is supposedly about 20-25 minutes away.

Also, spent the extra $$$ for a 2 day hopper.

The agency we used has told me we can pick up our tickets using a photo ID only (no printed voucher needed). Is it ok for us to pick up the tickets the night before to save a little time Friday morning? If so, the tix are in my name, so where would DW drop me off and then would she have to "circle the block" a few times while I get the tickets?

As for the days we are there, any suggestions which parking lot to use? I've heard ToyStory lot is less congested and the buses are air conditioned -- any truth to that?