5 day Southern California game plan

[colinmacleod24]

Hi

planning on coming may 22-28.
Plan is 3 days DL and DCA park hopper.
1 day universal studios express ticket.
My idea right now is

Mon -DL/DCA
Tues - DL/DCA
Wed - universal
Thurs -day off. Pool?
Fri DL/DCA

avoiding grad nites at Disney on wed

any thoughts on this layout? My wife thought Friday would be a day to avoid but stats say Friday is ok at Disney?
For day off was considering a drive to San Diego zoo or safari park. Wasn’t sure if that’s too ambitious.

thanks for any advice!

 

[smartlabelprint]

I wouldn’t take a drive to San Diego. Add another Disney day if you’re bored.
Im not sure but Friday may be your only night to see the evening entertainment.

 

[ktlm]

Be aware that to get to Universal from DL/DCA you have to drive to the other side of LA. It took us an hour and half to get there and it was not rush hour-- it took us 2 hours to get back to SNA on our departure day and it was not rush hour.

The drive to either the San Diego Safari Park or Zoo will be about an hour and a half. Even though it is farther away, the traffic typically is not nearly as bad going that way as opposed to going through LA. You could be in for the same amount of travel time either way. We typically move from DL and stay in the San Diego area (and once the Universal area) for a few days instead of just doing a day trip.

We have gone to DLR every year for the last 12 years except for 2020. For several years we would arrive the Saturday after Memorial day, then we started going in July due to DD's activity schedule, and last year we went in October. Oddly we found whenever we went, Monday seemed to always be the most crowded day in the parks. Your Friday will be the start of Memorial day weekend, but the two lower level annual passes are blocked that day, and maybe the Memorial day crowds won't hit the parks until Saturday? I would think that might be a good day for the parks.

 

[sophy1996]

Star Wars Nite at DL on Friday May 27

Also,Grad Nites both Wednesday and Thursday.

 

[calitook]

I was going to say basically what ktlm said- it takes a LONG TIME to get to and from Universal from Orange County. I would strongly consider doing your DL days back to back to back and moving locations on your "off" day to somewhere in LA. Or, if smartlabelprint is correct about Friday only entertainment, reverse order. I see what you're saying about grad nites, but if that's your 3rd day you can really just use it to fill in anything you haven't done so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[DLgal]

Hi

planning on coming may 22-28.
Plan is 3 days DL and DCA park hopper.
1 day universal studios express ticket.
My idea right now is

Mon -DL/DCA
Tues - DL/DCA
Wed - universal
Thurs -day off. Pool?
Fri DL/DCA

avoiding grad nites at Disney on wed

any thoughts on this layout? My wife thought Friday would be a day to avoid but stats say Friday is ok at Disney?
For day off was considering a drive to San Diego zoo or safari park. Wasn’t sure if that’s too ambitious.

thanks for any advice!

Mon-Universal (Mondays are TERRIBLE at DLR)
Tues-DL/DCA
Wed-DL/DCA
Thurs-Off
Fri-DL/DCA

Do NOT attempt to drive all the way to San Diego. Too far, too much time spent in the car with traffic. Go to a local beach or just enjoy your hotel pool and do some local exploring (if you are into beer, there are lots of great breweries in Anaheim).

I wouldn't be too concerned about avoiding Grad Nights. Just plan for DCA starts on those days or simply move over to DL for the evenings. The grad night kids will only be in DCA and the actual event doesn't start until park closing. The bulk of tickets sold are only for the after hours event.

Also, getting to Universal from Anaheim is NOT that bad. Just leave around 9am, after the majority of am commuter traffic is gone. You'll be there by 10am, which is probably when the park opens anyway. Universal is easy to get done in about 6 hours. It's not going to be even close to crowded on a random, non holiday Monday in May.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I completely agree with DLgal above about not driving to San Diego but a day trip to Universal being OK and not worrying too much about Grad Nights. I will add that fireworks may only be on the weekends so I would make sure to be in Disneyland on Friday evening and Universal has short operating hours compared to Disney so the day trip may actually be a shorter day than your Disney days even after including the drive.

 

[colinmacleod24]

This is some great advice.

I was playing around with buying the tickets and discovered that there will be NO entertainment that particular Friday at DL and it will close at 8pm for an event. As someone above says, star wars event?

In any case, it means no fireworks for us. We can't/won't stay into the memorial day weekend. Can't really come another time.

So unsure if Friday is best for DL now. But as noted, it's a 3rd day to mop up stuff we want to do again and I won't fear grade nites now, so I could maybe do Thursday.

And now I will consider Monday for universal?

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

With Star Wars night on Friday, May 27 the OP will be kicked out before fireworks. The only evening entertainment option would be WOC in DCA.

 

[colinmacleod24]

So for evening entertainment, I can get the main street parade at some point and world of color. And the projections.

Just missing fireworks and fantasmic which returns the day we leave....

 

[DLgal]

So for evening entertainment, I can get the main street parade at some point and world of color. And the projections.

Just missing fireworks and fantasmic which returns the day we leave....

Yeah, unfortunately your dates are not ideal for fireworks, although maybe you can be consoled by the fact that the fireworks at Disneyland are never guaranteed anyway. They are often cancelled due to mild winds up above the tree line, so best to never count on them anyway.

The WOC and MSEP will go regardless of weather.