Average Stay?

[joshsmom]

Hi everyone!! I'm not new to the DIS, but am new to the Disneyland area because we have always gone to WDW. Next May we have the opportunity to visit Disneyland (and I'm VERY excited!), but I feel like I did when I started planning my first trip to WDW--COMPLETELY LOST!!!

What's the average stay? Should we stay on-site or at a partner hotel? What are the good places to eat??? Do you need ADR's??? So, I will be hanging around here, trying to soak up as much information as I can. In the meantime, can you tell me your average stay??

 

[Carolynleanne]

Were from Vancouver Canada, about a 2.5 hour plane ride away. We always go for about 8 days, spending a full 5 in the park

 

[PinkBudgie]

We have been going for 5 1/2 days (arrive Sunday afternoon) for the past several summers like we will do this July. However, now I'm thinking we may need to make Sunday a full day next summer now that CL is open. I'm wishing we did that this summer, but we did make it to arrive late Sunday morning this time. True, we go on our favorites several times, but there are still somethings that we wanted to do that we never got to. I would now recommend a min. of 4 days. 5 or 6 would be better. (I'm talking about busy summer months )
Check out Hydroguy's DLR for WDW vets:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[sheetz]

It's already obvious your choices are too low. Average for this forum is probably 4-6 days (not including local daytrippers).

 

[joshsmom]

Sorry--guess I didn't realize that people spend more than a few days. That's why I asked the question. Having never been there, and knowing that at WDW average stay is 7 days for 4 parks, didn't realize that an "average" stay was more than what I posted. Is May a "slower" time like at WDW or just as busy? We usually get out of school early May here, if there's no snow days, so that's when we would go.

Since there's only be a few responses, I'm not sure that makes it "obvious" that my choices are too low . It just means two people stay longer. Thanks to those who responded so far.

 

[sheetz]

Since there's only be a few responses, I'm not sure that makes it "obvious" that my choices are too low .

I was going by the poll results and not just people who posted. 19 people voted and over 89% voted 4+ days.

 

[ktlm]

I'm a WDW person too. We have a 6 year old and have been going with her to DL for the last 3 years. Our first year, we went 3 nights, and did not feel like it was enough, so since then we have been going 4 nights. We spend 3 full days and 2 half days in the park- so really about 4 full days. We always feel like we could easily add in one more day. If it was just DH and I we wouldn't need quite that much time.

Allears.net has all of the places and menus listed for DL just like it does for WDW, so you can browse there for where you might like to eat. IF you do characters meals, I would highly recommend Minnie's Breakfast- it is our favorite character meal at either DL or MK-there are so many characters there and they have always spent a lot of time with DD. Goofy's Kitchen is good too, but I would give Minnie's the edge. Blue Bayou has the same atmosphere as San Angel- but obviously New Orleans instead of Mexico. You get to watch the boats from POTC go by as you eat. According to DH, the fish they have there is great. I've gotten the steak, which is mediocre compared to what I can get from our good steakhouses at home- and a high price for mediocre. I still like the atmosphere though. Reviews for Wine Country Trattoria are mixed on these boards, but my family loves the place and think the food is good (I'd recommend the WOC dinner package as the show is great and it is nice to get the passes for the reserved area). For counter service, we liked Cocina Cucomonga at the wharf at CA- DH particularly liked the beer stand in the Wharf area and I was found of the Mickey Head pretzels and the margarita stand. "ADRs" (a WDW term) can be made 60 days in advance and places don't fill up that fast, but it is a good idea to have them anyway. On our trip last week, we did see people getting turned away from Blue Bayou, Ariel's Grotto, and Wine Country Trattoria who did not have reservations. If Fantasmic is a priority for you (and let me tell you that it is SO much better than WDW's version and the Peter Pan section that WDW does not have is great) and you want to splurge, the Fantasmic dessert package is nice as people start staking out spots for Fantasmic for hours before the show.

Have fun! We have grown to love DL. I'm not sure if we love it equally as we love WDW, but it is close!

Definitely read Hydroguy's guide to DL for WDW vets that you can find on these boards. It will give you a ton of helpful information.

 

[squirrel]

I'm going for 4 days in a few months.

If I was taking a child, I would add at least another day. Last time I went with my niece we had 5 days (4 full and two 1/2 days).

 

[redbonec]

We just got back, visited DL last week.

I can't believe when we were planning, we were asking people we knew if we should do 2 or 3 days. We finally decided on 3, and so that is I voted, but...

We kept saying while we were there, we should have done at least 4!
There was much we did not get to, we could easily have done 4, and would have enjoyed 5 days.
We also have two younger ones where we napped during the afternoon, good break.
Next time we will do Day 1 at the park, then Day 2 off at a beach (like we did this time), next 2 days at the parks, then a day "off" following those, and our fourth day at the park will be after that.

When I was planning, I looked at rides we would do, and princess meetings.
What I failed to take into account was, of course there were rides our daughters wanted to do more than once, and multiple times!
I caught some daytime little shows, like the one in front of the Golden Horseshoe, and the Army Men in DCA, but would have loved to have seen more of those, so many of those little shows I did not see.
Also, our daughters loved looking at the dolls display of the princesses and other DIsney characters in the windows of the Emporium on Main Street. THings like that we would like to take more time on, to really enjoy and not try to go from thing to thing to get it in.
Several rides we did not even get to.

DId not catch if you have children, so us needing more than three days because we have children may different if you do not have young ones.

 

[nicolispicoli]

We go for 5 days, 4 nights twice a year. We have little ones who still nap, so it's nice to move at a slower pace. Now with Carsland being open, we'll definitely need that time!

 

[Lucille1963]

I voted 4+, we like to stay for 7 or 8 nights. We do not visit other area attractions, though we do have friends who come and visit us which takes up a chunk of time. Can you believe that we still felt like we missed stuff after our last trip!!?!?

 

[peloha86]

Sorry--guess I didn't realize that people spend more than a few days. That's why I asked the question. Having never been there, and knowing that at WDW average stay is 7 days for 4 parks, didn't realize that an "average" stay was more than what I posted. Is May a "slower" time like at WDW or just as busy? We usually get out of school early May here, if there's no snow days, so that's when we would go.

Since there's only be a few responses, I'm not sure that makes it "obvious" that my choices are too low . It just means two people stay longer. Thanks to those who responded so far.

Hi there

Been going to Disneyland for 40+ (ahem...) years, been there more times than "my age", so with the new "Carsland", Buena Vista Street, Matterhorn refurb, and the many new eateries, there is so much to see, take your time and soak it in. There are many details that people miss, I wouldn't rush it. 7 days in the high season or 5 days in the off season should work.

Disneyland in May

Keep in mind that Grad Nite is in full effect in May for both Disneyland and California Adventure. Hours change and are limited, so check back at the Dis, Disney.com or call a CM for specific dates in May.

Where to stay

I absolutely LOVE the Grand Californian, it has it's own direct entrance to DCA from the hotel. No bus, no boat, no monorail, just a short walk from your room straight into the park. Crazy I know, comparing how big WDW is to DL.
The Disneyland Hotel is another option, still very close to the parks, within walking distance. The hotel is completely refurbished and is very beautiful. The pools are refurbished too.
Paradise Pier is another option, but check out the hotels and compare what you like. There are other surrounding hotels within walking distance to the parks, Howard Johnson, Best Western Park Vue, Portofino Suites, just to name a few. Read the reviews and check out the blogs, I hope you find something you like.

Btw, if you want relief from the crowds, Huntington Beach is not far away and a nice place to check out the Pacific Ocean.

Where to eat

Don't forget Disney Dining,
Book reservations by contacting Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463 up to 60 days before your visit.

You can also get information about menu items, special events and special dietary needs.

There's so much info out there, have fun doing the research

 

[dismom73]

If you want that feeling of "I did it all" and your going during a not so busy time, which I think May would fall under, I would say 5 days is good. We usually do 5 during off season and I can leave feeling like I did everything, or at least everything that my family wanted to do. We did an 8 day trip to WDW during off season and left feeling like we didn't get to do everything we wanted.
If money is not too much of an issue, than yes, stay onsite. We prefer the DLH just because it's nicer than PPH and it's more geared towards kids, and has a more "Disney" feel to it than GCH. If money is an issue there are decent hotels right across the street from DL that are just as short a walk as the Disney hotels. We don't usually do ADR for DLR like we do for WDW, there just aren't as many themed places to eat like WDW, and we like to keep our schedule open so we don't have to be in any one place at a given time. We do a lot of CS eating and maybe one or two sit down meals. There are a lot of people here that will say different and plan a sit down meal for each day of their trip, it's just personal preference.
BTW, I don't think your numbers are too low, per se. It's just that those of us on the boards tend to be a little more "Disney crazy" and want as much time as we can get there. I know a lot of people that never go more than 3 days and they say it's plenty. There are also people that do 1-2 day trips, but that's more common for AP that know they will be back several times within the year.

 

[SomeDude78]

Voted 1-2 days but I'm in Nor Cal so semi-local. Usually drive down Friday after work, hit the park on Saturday, drive back on Sunday. 2-3 days if it's a long weekend of course. I'd imagine that's not too unusual for folks coming from Nor Cal.

EDIT:

If you're coming from far away then I'd personally say 4-5 days is good, preferably with a 1-day break in there somewhere. I love Disney but 4-5 days in a row would be too much of one thing personally, particularly if they're full days. If they're partial days then consecutive days would probably be fine. Just IMO of course.

 

[karrit2000]

Personally since I travel all the way across the country to get to DL I usually stay about 1 week. My next trip however for an event in August will only be for 4 nights due being shorthanded at work. Two of those days I will not be able to visit the parks at all so I'm hoping that the day I get there I can spend some time & on Monday I plan to spend the entire day in DCA soaking up all the newness. For someone who's never been to DL there there is so much to see & do. Some familiar rides & some totally different from what is at WDW. if you are perfectly happy doing each ride just once then a day in each park might be sufficient. But if you like to repeat some rides & take your time the longer you can stay the better. This is why I voted 4+ days.

Some of the Good Neighbor Hotels are actually closer to the main entrance to the parks then the actual Disney Hotels. Check out a map carefully when choosing to make sure you are getting one close by which would save you from having to drive or take a shuttle bus.

My favorite place to eat is the Pacific Wharf Cafe at Pacific Wharf in DCA. There are several other types of food available in the same area. One is Mexican and the other is Asian.

 

[Huff]

I voted 2-3 but its misleading. Our average trip is 2-3 days. However, we are AP holders and visit several times per year. For someone new to DLR or visits infrequently 4-6 days would be needed to see everything and enjoy without rushing.

 

[specialks]

Hi everyone!! I'm not new to the DIS, but am new to the Disneyland area because we have always gone to WDW. Next May we have the opportunity to visit Disneyland (and I'm VERY excited!), but I feel like I did when I started planning my first trip to WDW--COMPLETELY LOST!!!

What's the average stay?

I'd recommend 5-6 days if you're not planning a return trip too soon. CarsLand will be open and I think with all the nighttime entertainment and parades, 5 days is a must. Our first trip was 3.5 and we felt like it wasn't long enough.

Should we stay on-site or at a partner hotel?

I loved our stay at the Grand Californian. If you want to stay onsite, plan the minimum price around $250-$275/night for the base Paradise Pier and upwards of $350-$400 for the Grand. You can hope for a sale to bring those down around 25-30%. You can stay in easy walking distance at some Harbor Blvd motels and expect to pay around the $90-$150 mark for a clean motel. HoJos is a favorite here (hotel not motel) and they have a great sale sometimes with and Entertainment card. The rooms that are offered on that sale go fast.
HoJo Entertainment Rate

Definitely read the link the PP listed by HydroGuy with tips for a WDWer visiting DLR.

 

[redrocks]

We'll be there next month and are planning to spend 3 days at DLR. Because we plan to visit many other area attractions (KBF, SFMM) as well as some San Diego attractions, we bought the SoCal city pass. This will allow us to add an extra day to DLR if needed. Now with CL bring open, I think we might need that extra day!

 

[ktlm]

Here is the link to Hydroguy's guide:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

We like 6 days...in fact when we had APs we did 3 6-day trips in one year (plus a 3 day trip).

We always stay offsite...with the exception of one time when we added days onto our Xmas trip and got a good AP rate for 2 nights.