Can we do both DLR parks in one day?

[SandraC]

Can we do both DLR parks in one day?

Thanks! Sandra

 

[Disney Dreams]

Can we do both DLR parks in one day?

Thanks! Sandra

Well... depends on what you mean by "do."

Can you see all shows, go on all rides, have time for shopping, enjoying the Parks, and take it all in?
No.

You can't do that for just DL in one day.

Can you easily go between both Parks, do some select things in each, and have fun with a taste for each Park in 1 day?
Yes.

Of course, you can do MORE if you are there when the Park is open until midnight (although some wil argue you will get more done when the Park is open until 8pm if you pick a non-peak day due to smaller crowds).

- Dreams

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with Disney Dreams. You would not be able to see/do/experience every single thing each park has to offer, but you can get a LOT done in one day. I would recommend it if both parks are of interest to you, if you only have one day to spend in them and if you are not certain when or if you may be back to DLR again. My friend from Atlanta had this very dilemma (a happy dilemma it is) back in July. She only had one day to devote to DLR while she was in town, and she was going to take her little son and her mom to DL only, not being sure when they would get back. I encouraged her to not miss DCA because I KNEW they would love certain rides and things that were there. So she took my advice and they did both parks in just one day, stayed overnight at one of the off-property hotels to save $$ and hit Goofy's Kitchen in the DLH the following morning, then went home. In any case, with some proper planning and guidelines, they got a LOT done in that one day in the parks. It was a very full, well-rounded trip, and they did almost everything they wanted to do with the exception of ToonTown (because on the way to TT, her son spotted Fantasyland and didn't want to let those rides go by!). They left for the hotel when DCA closed. In fact, if they had stayed until DL closed, they would have had even more time to do other things, but they LOVED Toy Story Mania so much that they had to ride it again before DCA closed up shop for the night.

So, yes! You can definitely do a 2-parks-in-one-day trip, and it will be very worth it. Getting to DL as early in the morning as possible and leaving as close to when they close at night would help, too, but even if you can't quite do that you can still get a lot accomplished!! Fast Passes for rides would help. If you decide to eat at a table service restaurant in one of the parks, then maybe make a Priority Seating plan beforehand to save waiting time in line. Those sorts of little tactics will get you a lot more time in the parks overall. Just make lists of the highlights you want to hit while at DLR!

 

[kiwitravel]

If you have never been before then the short answer is no, going hard out for both parks you might be able to achieve 1/3 of the things to do if you are lucky, that's why so many people do the 3 and 4 day hoppers.

 

[Sherry E]

I can't even begin to remember all the rides my friend and her son and mom did on their one-day July trip to BOTH parks - during the peak of summer. They told me all of the rides and I can't even remember them all. They didn't miss out on anything that they really wanted to see (ToonTown was not a top priority). I still say it is VERY possible to do both parks in one day and get on many, many rides as long as you kind of plan wisely - espeically if you don't think you will have a chance to get to DCA again in the near future!

 

[kiwitravel]

For us the "Must do's" for a first timer would be (in order of our preference)

Splash
Space
BTMRR
Cal Scream (DCA)
Matahorn
Toy story Mania (DCA)
Soaring Cal (DCA)
POTC
GRR (DCA)
Peter Pan
Buzz
Indy
IASMW
ToT (DCA)
HM

Then you have to allow time for shows/ Parades:
Fireworks
ELP (DCA) Hard to do both this and Fireworks in one night
Fantasmic
Parade of Dreams

Just hard to imagine doing all this in one day.... This is less than half the number of total shows and rides available and as they are the more popular ones they tend to have the longer wait times.

 

[SandraC]

Thank you everyone for all your advice. I truly appreciate it.

We do WDW a lot. This DLR trip is a part of dd15's Wish Trip [she is ill].

She only wants to do one day at DLR, so I'm trying to figure out if we can see everything....more like touring around. I'm into DL for the historic value since we do lots of WDW rides. We'll be riding things at DL that we can't at WDW.

I hope we can walk all over both parks, see DTD and go on a few DL and DCA rides.

Thanks all! Sandra

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you everyone for all your advice. I truly appreciate it.

We do WDW a lot. This DLR trip is a part of dd15's Wish Trip [she is ill].

She only wants to do one day at DLR, so I'm trying to figure out if we can see everything....more like touring around. I'm into DL for the historic value since we do lots of WDW rides. We'll be riding things at DL that we can't at WDW.

I hope we can walk all over both parks, see DTD and go on a few DL and DCA rides.

Thanks all! Sandra

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about your DD being ill. I know a good trip to DLR will bring her lots of joy. Perhaps a yummy character meal would enhance her trip, do you think? There are several of them to choose from. Anyway, the great thing about DLR as opposed to WDW, from what I hear (I have never been to WDW) is that you CAN walk to everything. No buses or other transportation is needed. You get tired of DL, or DL gets too crowded, you simply walk out the front gates and DCA is right across the esplanade area. You just walk right over to it, and then when you want to get back to DL, you just walk right on back! It is really easy! Everything is more compact and intimate. DCA is usually a little less crowded than DL is, and it does close earlier and open later than DL does. But they have a lot of great California-specific things to see that are unique to DCA and can't be found in WDW.

If you are not planning on riding too many things, then you can see a lot. But even if you do want to ride things, you will be able to do a lot of that too in one day! I hope you guys have a wonderful time!

 

[blackjackdelta]

Sorry to hear about your DD. I work with the local MAW when I am not out of the country. I would read everyone of Hydoguys tips in the sticky and go with a list of the different rides listed above.

Have fun and Gods speed.

Jack

 

[Mom of three]

I too, am sorry to hear about your little angel.

At the risk of sounding like "Debbie Downer", our very first trip to DL, we pushed to do both parks in one day (still not sure why, we were there for over a week, just excited I guess) we made it so close, until dd who was 9 at the time, just couldnt take it anymore. She passed out on my lap during the Electrical Parade while dh and our other dd went on and played.

Afterward while walking through DCA....she barfed all over the bushes.

Too much, too quick.

 

[ballarinamom]

I hope you all have a magical day. Make sure to do some of the WDW rides that are a little better at DL- pirates, Space mountain, IASW. Toontown blows WDW away

 

[La2kw]

Since you have only one day, you may want to just focus on Disneyland. DCA will be under heavy construction for the next few years and will have closures, etc. Disneyland is different than the MK. Even the similar rides are not identical.

 

[iKristin]

Usually with a park hopper pass I spend the first part of my day at DL then have lunch and go across to DCA then after doing the main rides over there go back over to DL for more rides then fireworks then even more rides then go home