California Adventure Itinerary

[zeferjen]

Hi All - I have three days planned at DL/CA at the end of August. Trying to make the most out of our days there, so trying to put together an itinerary for each day. Day one is California Adventure, day two is Disneyland, and day three will be a park hopping day to pick up anything we want to ride again. We can possibly add a forth day if it looks like we will want it while we are there.

We are WDW vets and DL newbies with a 4yo and 5o.

Here is day one, what do you think?


Arrive at Grand Californian. Park car and leave luggage with bell services. Reiterate room requests.
Early Entry Day for California Adventure

• Radiator Springs Racers
• Luigi's Flying Tires
• Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
• Explore Carsland
• Soarin' Over California FASTPASS Booth
• Goofy's Sky School
• Silly Symphony Swings - Tandem
• Golden Zephyr
• Jumpin' Jellyfish
• Little Mermaid Ariel's Undersea Adventure
• Grizzly River Run FASTPASS Booth
• Lunch at Flo's

• Disney Animation Studio
• Aladdin
• Soarin
• Redwood Creek Challenge
• Grizzly River Run
• Check into hotel, rest

• Dinner at Carthay Restaurant
• Mad T Party
• World of Color

 

[DLR29]

If you want any kind of "short" waits for those Carsland rides, you're gonna have to be at GCH at like 6AM at the latest.

No Toy Story? If you want to ride TSMM, go there as soon as possible after Carsland.

If you actually do get those 3 Carsland rides done in that Extra Magic Hour, the other Paradise Pier rides shouldn't take that long. If you follow that order, you're looking at "lunch" around 10:30. If it takes you longer to do the CL rides, then your lunch will be pushed back.

Another option is to go straight to Luigi's (has a really long line too and SLOW loading) and Maters during the EMH and then try and get in the long line for RSR FPs, which don't start distribution until official park opening.

If you do plan on getting to GCH super super early, then I'd recommend that you put your afternoon break earlier. You can do Soarin and Animation Studio after you come back from your break.

Just be advised that Aladdin takes about an hour out of your day once you actually get into the theater. With about a 30 min wait for the show to start, that's a big chuck. Just letting you know. The kids may end up taking their nap in there, if they're tired...I have been known to nap in Aladdin as well (it's a fantastic show, but I always end up going when I'm the most tired! )

 

[6Smiles]

I really don't know much about scheduling with the new rides... but I noticed Monster's Inc is not on your list to do. My kids love this ride

 

[zeferjen]

If you want any kind of "short" waits for those Carsland rides, you're gonna have to be at GCH at like 6AM at the latest.

Ok, we will be spending the night before at my cousin's in Longbeach. It looks like a 30 minute drive on Google maps. Does that seem reasonable to everyone?

No Toy Story? If you want to ride TSMM, go there as soon as possible after Carsland.

I hear this is the same as at WDW, so I was going to skip, just for the sake of time.

If you actually do get those 3 Carsland rides done in that Extra Magic Hour, the other Paradise Pier rides shouldn't take that long. If you follow that order, you're looking at "lunch" around 10:30. If it takes you longer to do the CL rides, then your lunch will be pushed back.

Ok, this is another good point. We'll just have to see what time everyone gets hungry. I think our systems will still be partially on East coast time. I wonder what time Flo's starts serving lunch?

Another option is to go straight to Luigi's (has a really long line too and SLOW loading) and Maters during the EMH and then try and get in the long line for RSR FPs, which don't start distribution until official park opening.

I am hoping we are right at the front of the gate for EE so that the line at Luigi's isn't too bad by the time we get of RSR. Of course, with all of these reports of break downs, I may be very very wrong.

If you do plan on getting to GCH super super early, then I'd recommend that you put your afternoon break earlier. You can do Soarin and Animation Studio after you come back from your break.

Yes, I will hope to get into the hotel early, but we are staying DVC so I hear that it s very rare that the room opens up before 4pm. By that time my kids are going to be exhausted.

Just be advised that Aladdin takes about an hour out of your day once you actually get into the theater. With about a 30 min wait for the show to start, that's a big chuck. Just letting you know. The kids may end up taking their nap in there, if they're tired...I have been known to nap in Aladdin as well (it's a fantastic show, but I always end up going when I'm the most tired! )

Lol, I guess if they have to sleep, a dark air conditioned place is as good as any Thanks for your advice!

I really don't know much about scheduling with the new rides... but I noticed Monster's Inc is not on your list to do. My kids love this ride

Oh, how did I miss this??? Thanks!

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

30 minutes from Long Beach is a good estimate, if you arrive at Disneyland at 6AM you should not run into traffic, but if you leave anytime after 6:30 a.m - 7 a.m. I have found it to be rather busy, and make sure there isn't any construction going on because if there is then it my take longer. But I would give yourself 45 minutes or so to get from LB to Disneyland in case anything goes wrong.

 

[DLR29]

If you want to be one of the first ones in for EMH at DCA, I'd leave Long Beach at 5:00-5:15AM. Hopefully by late August, they'll have more bugs fixed and RSR will be more reliable first thing in the morning.

 

[sbakersub]

The 4 year old and 5 year old would probably like the stuff in Fliks' Fun Fair: Flik's Flyers; Francis' Ladybug Boogie; Heimlich's Chew Chew Train; Princess Dot Puddle Park; Tuck 'n' Roll's Drive 'em Buggies.

They're mostly standard fair kiddie-type rides, but cute and non-threatening, almost relaxing in a full day's schedule. When we were there earlier this month the worst line was only about 15 minute long, and the 3-year old we had with us loved all of them! Just be prepared for wet clothes if they do the puddle park.

And don't miss the Crush show at the Disney Animation Studio!

 

[zeferjen]

Thanks, everyone for your help so far! Ok, if you are still with me, here is day two itinerary. We will have stayed at Villas at the Grand Californian the night before.


Early Entry morning at DL
Magic Morning Hours @ Disneyland
Arrive 40 minutes before official opening time and line up in front of Gate 13

• Peter Pan's Flight
• Alice in Wonderland
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
• Snow White's Scary Adventures
• Pinocchio's Daring Journey
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Space Mountain
• Pick up Buzz Fastpass???
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain FASTPASS Booth

Rest and checkout of hotel

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Haunted Mansion
• Splash Mountain
• it's a small world
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Fantasmic dessert party
• Fireworks

And day three. This day we will be staying back in Longbeach. I hope to be able to use my magic morning ticket from my three day parkhopper on this day. I think that should work based on other threads. This day isn't as well thought-out as the rest...

Leave Longbeach by 6AM.

Disneyland

• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Experience Mickey's Toontown
• Roger Rabbit CarToon Spin
• Lunch at Cafe Orleans
• Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
• Splash Mountain
• Canoes
• Enchanted Tiki Room
• Jungle Cruise
• Ride Disneyland Railroad
• The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

California Adventure

• Disney Animation Studio
• Bugsland
• California Screamin
• Pixar Play Parade

 

[DLR29]

Looks good. A few things...

Day 2:
I'd switch Matterhorn and Alice. While both lines can get to be 30-40 min long during the day, Matterhorn's builds quicker.

Your morning plan looks like you'll be done around 9:30AM...not sure if that's what you intended.

Buzz doesn't have FP anymore. You could get a FP for Star Tours, which I don't see on your list...

The afternoon of day 2 looks fine, but IASW is kinda randomly thrown in there and it's kinda far away from all of your other afternoon rides. Ride IASW when you go to Toontown. It seldom has a line longer than 20 min.

Day 3:
For day 3, Storybookland Canal Boats aren't open for MM, if you end up being able to use it then. So after you get off FNSV, you'll probably have time for at least 1 more ride before the boats open, depending on when you get to DLR from LB.

You have Pooh twice? I mean, unless you really love it. Definitely ride Pooh right when you ride Splash. There's never more than a 15 min line (max.) so no need to run over there in the early morning.

Definitely hit up Indy after Nemo and Storybookland. You could even get a FP for it, ride it stand-by early with a short wait, and then come back and ride it again later with a FP. I don't see you using FP at all on your last day. You should use FP for Indy, Splash and Roger Rabbit (tip: Roger Rabbit's FP is disconnected from other other rides at DL, so that means you can get a RR FP even if you're already holding onto another valid FP).

Depending on what you want to do in Toontown, there can be some long lines. If you are going just to walk around and look, then see it whenever, but if you're going for characters, go earlier rather than later!

Also definitely use FP for Screamin, especially if you're getting to DCA in the afternoon when there's already a line. Or you can do Single Rider, if the kids aren't keen on riding (or if they're not tall enough).

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[SLK1]

Just returned from four days at the parks, staying at GC Villas. We used our EMH to get in one morning. DH and kids stood in line for RSR (CM told us it was about 30 minute wait but he was quite wrong...they waited a little more than an hour). I decided to use my time waiting for FastPasses, which aren't handed out until 8, when the park opens. We actually argued a bit about who was smarter...me waiting for FP or them waiting in line. They started handing out FP about ten minutes before 8 and I got six for my family - for 9:55 AM...and I was in line very early. They run out QUICKLY. Anyway, I headed over there to try and meet them at the exit, ended up in the single rider line, and low and behold, met up with them in line and joined them. We all rode twice, before 10 AM.

We all loved TowMater's ride but never rode Luigi's. We watched it and it truly looked pathetic. Some "tires" never move, and they have these beach balls for added fun I guess, but it all looked very slow and boring and pointless. I will be surprised if they don't do a major overhaul of that or scrap it in a few years.

On another day, we went out at 8 to CA. We started at Paradise Pier and it was EMPTY! We walked on everything. And, the good thing about Cars Land being so popular is that other rides (Soarin' to be exact) don't have the wait they used to. T of T is still a huge line, and Screamin' is popular, as is Toy Story, but Cars does take lots of people away from there. And then if you figure in World of Color shows, you can maneuver quite well.

Hope you have fun!