Advice needed

[Aimee810]

We are coming on 12/2. Plane lands in San Diego around 3pm. Then we get rental car and head to DL. We have 3 day military salute tix. Do we go ahead and use one Sunday late evening (DL park open til midnight) or save it for Wed, doing things we didnt have time for? We need to be back at naval base by 4pm wednesday in SD to pick up hotel and other discount vouchers for SD. Also want to stop and see seal beach in LaJolla.

 

[Girimama33]

I would make the decision based on these two things:
If I wanted to see Fantasmic, I would go to the parks on Sunday.
If I wanted an extra morning to tackle CarsLand, I would choose using the ticket on Wednesday for DCA opening.

 

[Aimee810]

Fantasmic is not a must-do. Carsland is 1st on our list of things to do when we get there -we have made matching Cars outfits. I am sure we will be spending a lot of time there!

My in-laws are WDW vets and we have been several times so we are trying to hit all the non-WDW stuff -i.e. Toontown was already closed when we went in 2011, so that is a must-do. Soarin' is an "eh, if we have the time" since we've been on the WDW one several times. I've made a list already.

The group is disagreeing on when we should use the 3rd day -either Sunday evening or Wed a.m. I really dont want to be rushed Wed getting back to SD since we dont know what traffic will be like. I am thinking we could hit several rides @ DL while the CP is going on. What do you think?

 

[focusondisney]

I have no idea about travel times so I can't help with that. But I see your kids are small. If your plane lands at 3, I would think by the time you get luggage, rental car & get to DL, it could be 4:30, 5 PM. Get settled in hotel & actually into the park could be 6 PM. Will they already be getting tired? Are they used to early bedtimes? Are you coming from the east coast so body clocks 3 hours ahead? I wouldn't want to get into the park & have them conk out or not really enjoy the time. If it was me, I'd relax the first night, explore DTD, maybe go for a swim. Wed morning you could get to the park for rope drop & get at least 4-5 good hours in before you have to head out. I think the kids would enjoy it more if they aren't tired. But then I don't know your kids. MAybe they'd be fine staying up that late Sunday.

Have a great time!

 

[Butterfly123]

I agree with focusondisney. Starting off with tired kids may make an early morning to hit carsland difficult on Monday, especially throwing in that they had travel on Sunday as well. I would go for Wednesday morning. You can get a lot done in the morning at both parks if you start early.

 

[ShaunaM]

That is a late start with a four year old. Hit the pool and early to bed so you are fresh in the morning.

The seal beach is amazing so do leave yourself enough time. Our kids loved it, parking was tricky to find there though. When we drove from disney to San Diego it was really heavy traffic, and took way longer than we had hoped .

 

[Butterfly123]

How much time are you planning for the beach? Could you stop on your arrival day, on the way to DL? That would save some time for a DL day on Wednesday.

 

[ShaunaM]

How much time are you planning for the beach? Could you stop on your arrival day, on the way to DL? That would save some time for a DL day on Wednesday.

Is smart!!

 

[Aimee810]

Thank you all! We will have quite a flight from Chicago to SD where DD will hopefully sleep. (we only have 1 DD; DD 2 we lost @ 18 weeks gestation so I gave her an angel icon)

We will go back to plan A then and stop in LaJolla on the way to see the seals. We ARE hitting Rainforest Cafe for FIL's birthday in DTD so we will do DTD Disney the 1st evening -and maybe Gardenwalk.

I just thought since the park was open until midnight, we could get some stuff crossed off the list!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

How much time are you planning for the beach? Could you stop on your arrival day, on the way to DL? That would save some time for a DL day on Wednesday.

I would like this idea, too, if this happened during summer. However, on December 2nd, it looks like sunset is at 4:43pm, which doesn't give much time to drive there and see any seals. It looks like they would have to do this on Wednesday, if it's a must-do for them.

I'm trying to think what I would do in the OP's situation, and if I had a four-year old I would do DL on Wednesday morning. If we had just adults/older kids, I would do DL on Sunday night.


---------
Aimee ~ my condolences

 

[Aimee810]

hopefully we can get there in time to see the seals.

i guess we will play it by ear. DD is pretty resiliant. She can take a 10-min power nap and get her 2nd wind and be ready to go. She lasted until 11pm last Saturday night at my brothers wedding reception -after 4hrs of dancing, running around, etc.

We dont plan on being there for rope drop or anything (we dont get into that) so...we'll play it her mood.

 

[Girimama33]

We dont plan on being there for rope drop or anything (we dont get into that) so...we'll play it her mood.

You may want to re-think this. You can get a lot done in the first few hours with a lot less people. Also, if you are interested in getting RSR FP's you should get there within an hour of opening.

 

[scrapshappen]

My 2 cents, never miss a rope drop. It is worth it to be there whatever time it is to beat the crowds to everything in the park.

Also, it might take you longer than you think to get from SD to Anaheim, even on a Sunday afternoon/evening, and back on Wednesday. One time in the middle of the day it took us over 4 hours and we never did figure out what the traffic was all about. Our favorite thing to say when we are on the Southern Cal freeways is "Don't all these people have homes?"

 

[starshine514]

Myself, i'd plan on going into the parks on Sunday and hitting the beach on my way back to SD on Wednesday.

 

[Aimee810]

Well...I guess we will jst have to play it by ear depending on DDs nap and traffic. LOL We have a 4-5hr flight to discuss it.

Since the parks dont open until 9am, we could hit a rope drop one day -just for the experience and RSR FPs. I am just THRILLED to be going, everything else is a bonus!!

 

[pfeifferdcat]

I would plan a good 2 hours for the drive from SD to DL.
I'm not a big fan of rope drop, except to get on RSR or get your FP for RSR or both.

 

[smarie82181]

Either way you do it, the timing is going to be pretty tight. The traffic by the Airport in SD is always a mess, and if your flying in at 3pm that puts you right in that end of the workday traffic going North. On average from Airport to Disney is about 2-2.5 hours, or more depending on how busy the roads are. Southern CA traffic is never fun!

Also with it getting dark so early now, you won't have a lot of beach time either if you do it on your way up. By the time you get over to the beach and manage to find a parking spot it will probably be starting to get dark.

If it were me I would suggest to just drive up Sunday night, check in, relax, and maybe wander over to Downtown Disney. If you go early enough on Wednesday morning you can knock out quite a few rides. Then on the way back to SD I would hit the beach that way you would have time to actually enjoy it.

Good luck and have fun!