Anyone NOT park hop?

[daniele_ut]

On all of our trips to WDW we've had park hoppers. For our upcoming DLR trip in October, however, we have 4 one day, one park tickets (that can't be upgraded) which were given to us. The tentative plan is to use our tix to MHP for Friday, since we won't arrive in Anaheim until afternoon anyway. Dh and I would each use 1 of the free tix on Saturday at DL and Monday at DCA. On Sunday we are planning a free day, probably at Newport or Huntington Beach. We would buy a park hopper for DS, but we wouldn't be able to park hop, obviously. I'm not hugely crazy about the idea of not being able to park hop, but part of what convinced dh to take this trip was the free tickets.

Is there enough for us to do with a 2.5 yo and a 6 yo at DCA for an entire day? We've only been once right after it opened and that was pre-kids. I'm not worried about DL, because I think we'll find plenty to do there without wanting to park hop.

I suppose that I could try to sell the 1 day tix and buy park hoppers for us, but it would still cost quite a bit more if we did that. I'm not sure what I could even sell them for.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

On all of our trips to WDW we've had park hoppers. For our upcoming DLR trip in October, however, we have 4 one day, one park tickets (that can't be upgraded) which were given to us. The tentative plan is to use our tix to MHP for Friday, since we won't arrive in Anaheim until afternoon anyway. Dh and I would each use 1 of the free tix on Saturday at DL and Monday at DCA. On Sunday we are planning a free day, probably at Newport or Huntington Beach. We would buy a park hopper for DS, but we wouldn't be able to park hop, obviously. I'm not hugely crazy about the idea of not being able to park hop, but part of what convinced dh to take this trip was the free tickets.

Is there enough for us to do with a 2.5 yo and a 6 yo at DCA for an entire day? We've only been once right after it opened and that was pre-kids. I'm not worried about DL, because I think we'll find plenty to do there without wanting to park hop.

I suppose that I could try to sell the 1 day tix and buy park hoppers for us, but it would still cost quite a bit more if we did that. I'm not sure what I could even sell them for.

I think you are wise to do DCA on a Monday since your park hours are shorter (10-8). Our oldest is 8, but the rest are under 6 and we can DEFINITELY spend an entire day in DCA. Besides seeing Aladdin (a MUST!):

For the 2.5 yr old:
*Animation Academy
*Monsters Inc
*Muppets 3D
*All of the Bugs Life rides
*Water play area in Bugs Life (it'll most likely be warm enough)
*TSMM
*Mickey's Fun Wheel (non-swinging if they are timid)
*Redwood creek trail challenge
*Playhouse Disney Live! Show
*World of Color
*Pixar Parade

6 year old:
*Above plus...
*Drawn to the Magic (near Monsters Inc)
*Soarin' (40")
*Grizzly River Rapids (42")
*Mullholland Madness (42")
*Silly Symphony Swings (40")
*Tower of Terror (40" plus brave)
*Tough to be a bug (may be scary for younger kids)

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

OH....And there are many days we do NOT park hop at DLR.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I think you are wise to do DCA on a Monday since your park hours are shorter (10-8). Our oldest is 8, but the rest are under 6 and we can DEFINITELY spend an entire day in DCA. Besides seeing Aladdin (a MUST!):

For the 2.5 yr old:
*Monsters Inc
*Muppets 3D
*All of the Bugs Life rides
*Water play area in Bugs Life (it'll most likely be warm enough)
*TSMM
*Mickey's Fun Wheel (non-swinging if they are timid)
*Redwood creek trail challenge
*Playhouse Disney Live! Show
*World of Color
*Pixar Parade

6 year old:
*Above plus...
*Soarin' (40")
*Grizzly River Rapids (42")
*Mullholland Madness (42")
*Silly Symphony Swings (40")
*Tower of Terror (40" plus brave)
*Tough to be a bug (may be scary for younger kids)

Awesome list!

Sometimes circumstances are such that parkhopping just isn't in a family's best interest. We'll be using our GAD tickets (they are only good for one park) for one day of our trip and while we will use them at Disneyland this time, we could happily spend a day at DCA as well.

One other area I would add to 3Minnies1Mickey's excellent list is the Animation Studio. If it's hot (which, as stated above, it very well might be), it's a nice place to sit and cool down with Disney cartoons playing in the large interior. Turtle Talk with Crush is quite fun as is walking through the Beast's library. I'd even try to do the Animation Academy with both kids. When we were there last December, our three year old drew a surprisingly credible Mickey Mouse. But, even if it had been a scribble, I love having the drawings of Mickey that the four members of our family completed. If we had had more time (because there's never enough, is there?) we would have done the Animation Academy once or twice more.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

DD & I spent a lot of time at the Animation Academy during our trip early last month ~ we drew Grumpy, Piglet & Jack Skellington! Turtle Talk w/Crush is always fun ~ DD was chosen to speak with him last month!

 

[MomToOne]

At WDW, I don't bother buying park hoppers anymore. It just took too much time and effort to change parks, and we rarely used them.

At DLR, however, it is soooo much easier to change parks - just walk across the plaza and there you are. For that reason, we tend to change parks much more often when crowds at one park pick up, etc. so I get park hoppers. Is there any chance you can trade in your current tickets at the ticket window and use the cost as a credit towards park hoppers?

ETA: Never mind. Just caught the part of your post that says your tickets can't be upgraded!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

DD & I spent a lot of time at the Animation Academy during our trip early last month ~ we drew Grumpy, Piglet & Jack Skellington! Turtle Talk w/Crush is always fun ~ DD was chosen to speak with him last month!

Totally forgot Animation Academy!!! Ugh! I knew I was forgetting something....

Okay I updated my list! And added Drawn to the Magic as well. Very cute show for all ages, but may interest 6 year old more than the 2 yr old.

 

[bumbershoot]

We love DCA, and think it's great to spend a whole day in. It's not an action-packed day, but you can ride things like Monsters Inc over and over, and it can be very fun.

The whole building that the Animation stuff is in is great (though a little loud). If oyu're going to try the Animation Academy, when you enter, go all the way over to the end of the row. YOu exit opposite from where you enter. And with a littler one, you want to be able to make a quick and easy exit, if s/he decides that they are unhappy in there. The animator will let you know if someone is disrupting the class, so it's best to make it easy on yourself, if you need to jet.

But other than that, let the little one know that they can draw anything they please on that piece of paper, and hopefully they will be content doing just that!


Be aware that the two structured things to do in the Redwood area are for 42" and above. Little ones can't do the "smoke jumpers" thing, nor can they "climb" the wall. (there's also a height max on the smoke jumpers) But they can roam and run and play, and go on the rope bridge things!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Be aware that the two structured things to do in the Redwood area are for 42" and above. Little ones can't do the "smoke jumpers" thing, nor can they "climb" the wall. (there's also a height max on the smoke jumpers) But they can roam and run and play, and go on the rope bridge things!

Good point. There are a few things the little one can't do, but there are plenty of slides and rope bridges they can enjoy.

 

[Sherry E]

I've never heard of one-day/one-park tickets that can't be upgraded - are these special promo tickets, contest win tickets or tickets from some other unusual source?

 

[daniele_ut]

I've never heard of one-day/one-park tickets that can't be upgraded - are these special promo tickets, contest win tickets or tickets from some other unusual source?

They are chaperone tickets. DH accidentally used all of the tickets that he paid for BEFORE using the free chaperone tickets for the adults who were chaperoning when he took his orchestra last spring. The tickets themselves don't say they can't be upgraded, but the youth group information section of the DL website says they can't.

Thank you so much for all of the amazing advice. Shannon, that is a wonderful list and I will refer to it often in my planning!

DS is over 43" tall now, so he should be able to ride nearly everything. DD will obviously sit out on a lot, but we are going for DS's birthday.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

T
Thank you so much for all of the amazing advice. Shannon, that is a wonderful list and I will refer to it often in my planning!

DS is over 43" tall now, so he should be able to ride nearly everything. DD will obviously sit out on a lot, but we are going for DS's birthday.

No problem!! Make sure you get DS a birthday button (and hit Mission Tortilla factory in DCA for a bag of free tortillas)

 

[Dobie]

I have not park-hopped in October, on a weekday, when the parks have short hours--10-8. In those cases it is very easy to not park hop, because the park isn't open very long.

I think you will have a blast!!!!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I have not park-hopped in October, on a weekday, when the parks have short hours--10-8. In those cases it is very easy to not park hop, because the park isn't open very long.

I think you will have a blast!!!!

Agreed! I think we normally PH one out of 6 days per trip. Mostly because with our double jogger, we have to be let into the large side gate at DCA.

 

[Sherry E]

They are chaperone tickets. DH accidentally used all of the tickets that he paid for BEFORE using the free chaperone tickets for the adults who were chaperoning when he took his orchestra last spring. The tickets themselves don't say they can't be upgraded, but the youth group information section of the DL website says they can't.

Thank you so much for all of the amazing advice. Shannon, that is a wonderful list and I will refer to it often in my planning!

DS is over 43" tall now, so he should be able to ride nearly everything. DD will obviously sit out on a lot, but we are going for DS's birthday.

Ahh...okay! I see. That makes sense. I figured there had to be some special 'catch' to those tickets that would make them unable to be upgraded.

Yep, you'll be fine not park hopping.

Are you going after October 10th (I don't know if I missed that somewhere along the line)? Toy Story Midway Mania is suposed to be closed from 8/30/10 to 10/10/10, although I have a feeling they might get it up and running a little sooner than 10/10 (it's such a long time for such a popular ride - that is fairly new - to be down).

 

[daniele_ut]

I have not park-hopped in October, on a weekday, when the parks have short hours--10-8. In those cases it is very easy to not park hop, because the park isn't open very long.

I think you will have a blast!!!!

Good point about the shorter hours!

Agreed! I think we normally PH one out of 6 days per trip. Mostly because with our double jogger, we have to be let into the large side gate at DCA.

LOL, I've just been sitting here debating whether to take our Mountain Buggy double which is a side-by-side or our Phil and Ted's stroller, which is an inline double. After reading several pages of stroller threads, I think it's going to be the P&T. The narrow walkways and gates will be much easier to navigate and I think that DS will only ride on the way back to the hotel, honestly. It's harder to fold, but I think we'll not fold it at all until we put it back in the car to drive home.

No problem!! Make sure you get DS a birthday button (and hit Mission Tortilla factory in DCA for a bag of free tortillas)

Will do! He's going to be so excited to be in DL on his birthday! We haven't told him where we're going yet!

Are you going after October 10th (I don't know if I missed that somewhere along the line)? Toy Story Midway Mania is suposed to be closed from 8/30/10 to 10/10/10, although I have a feeling they might get it up and running a little sooner than 10/10 (it's such a long time for such a popular ride - that is fairly new - to be down).

We arrive on 10/15, so I think we'll be good to go!

 

[Gisele]

I don't normally, because Disneyland Park is my most favorite land. D C A came along long after. And being a purist, I pretty much cannot tear my self away from DL so as to visit DCA. I have been though. I like it. Just not as much as Disneyland, and to say the least.

 

[BlueBayou]

My DDs now 7 and 9 have been going to DL almost annually since my oldest DD was 6 months old.

They have always liked DCA much more than I ever would have thought. The Drawn to Animation has been a pull for my youngest since she was about 4. The Sorcerers Workshop is also a place we can spend a lot of time.

They are sitting in the room with me and I just asked which park they like best. My oldest said both, that she can't choose. My youngest said DCA.

We always park hop when visiting more than one day - but sometimes it is just because DCA closed and we still had energy. There is plenty to do all day at DCA.

I think a huge difference between the two parks is at DL you have huge mountains, a castle, it's a small world, and a cartoon like ToonTown drawing you in. Most of the gems of DCA are more hidden. The whole animation building, bugs land, Soarin' and the Redwood creek challenge area are not eye catching from afar.

3minnies1mickey gave a great list of age appropriate fun at DCA.

Have a great trip!