Best day for 1 day visit - Dec. 27, 28, or 29?

[HappyOtter]

Hello everyone,

My family (all adults) is coming to spend Christmas with us from out of state (we are about 30 minutes from Disneyland). My brother wants to spend a day at Disney; dad and stepmom aren't really Disney people, but they are good sports The days we can choose from are Dec. 27, 28, or 29. I have already warned them that we need to arrive at park opening and that it will be CROWDED, but they still want to go. I don't think anyone really cares if we see Carsland, which should help!

So - which day would you choose? Also, if anyone has any touring advice, I would really appreciate any tips! We have APs and generally don't spend an entire day at the parks, so I'm not sure how to maximize our time without resorting to commando style

 

[ArchOwl]

Hello everyone,

My family (all adults) is coming to spend Christmas with us from out of state (we are about 30 minutes from Disneyland). My brother wants to spend a day at Disney; dad and stepmom aren't really Disney people, but they are good sports The days we can choose from are Dec. 27, 28, or 29. I have already warned them that we need to arrive at park opening and that it will be CROWDED, but they still want to go. I don't think anyone really cares if we see Carsland, which should help!

So - which day would you choose? Also, if anyone has any touring advice, I would really appreciate any tips! We have APs and generally don't spend an entire day at the parks, so I'm not sure how to maximize our time without resorting to commando style

Honestly, I doubt you will see much difference in those days. Everyday is going to be very, very crowded. I would make sure to arrive EARLY. It is possible the parks could reach capacity, so arriving late could mean no entry for awhile. When I say early, I mean be at the gates, tickets in hand at least a half hour prior to regular park opening.

I would try to get a sense for what the group wants to do. E-tickets? Slower rides? Shows? I would definitely make use of FP and perhaps use a runner. If Carsland is not a priority, I would start in DL, send a runner to get FPs for Space Mountain or Star Tours and everyone else meet in Fantasyland. Enjoy Fantasyland and as soon as possible, get another FP. Then make your way to your other priorities, gathering FPs as you go. Schedule a nice break in the middle of the day at a sit down restaurant (make that reservation soon). In the late afternoon and evening, use the FPs you have collected and make time for what the others like to do (shopping? photography?).

Normally, it can be a good idea to parkhop, but I don't know if I had one day during such a crowded time if I would do it. The lines to get in the parks are going to be very long and if the parks close due to capacity, you could be stuck in a park you don't want to be. Maybe focus on DL and break often for snacks, a nice lunch or dinner, and take advantage of the shows and entertainment to break up the day. Have fun!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

ArchOwl is probably right that there won't be a big difference between those days although the 29th might be the worst since some people who have to work the days after Christmas but get weekends off will wait until Saturday to show up. Here are a few other thoughts. I might try to be at the gates closer to 7:00 or 7:15 than 7:30 since DCA, for instance, was opening to let people onto Buena Vista Street as early as 7:30 last week. DL also opens the gates before 8 AM sometimes on the really busy days. Also, unless the powers that be throw a wrench in your planning by expanding early entry to every day of the end of the holiday season like they did last year, then you might want to consider the impact of early entry on your day selection. If you are planning to start your day with DL, then I would suggest visiting on Friday the 28th. If you were planning to start your day with DCA, then Thursday the 27th or Saturday the 29th.