Can you do both parks in one day?

[sunsetbeachgal]

We only have one day to devote to Disneyland on our upcoming California trip. Will be getting off a California coastal cruise in San Pedro, staying the night prior to our Disney day at a hotel within walking distance, and then have the entire next day and night for Disney. The bad news (assuming crowds are worse) is that the day we have there is a Sunday. We plan to be at Disneyland at opening. It is two adults, no children!

Husband suggested we might want to see California Adventure as well. Is one day enough to do both, and if so are they close together? I haven't been to Disneyland since I was a teenager, so want to see it thoroughly!

Thanks!

 

[cgh]

You won't see it thoroughly. It is very easy physically to go to both parks in one day but you will not see every attraction. If you only have one day, I would make a list about the rides you want to go on and prioritize them. If you are a WDW vet, I'd focus on the rides that aren't there or are considered 'better' at DL. Carsland in DCA is all new but can have lengthy lines.

We're going a week and I don't think we'll see everything.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thank you...yes, I do know WDW very well..what are the rides that are better? I already plan on doing the Matterhorn early.

 

[HydroGuy]

You can certainly hit many highlights of both parks. You will need to skip CarsLand rides if you go this year unless maybe you do Single Rider on RSR.

Use FP, park hop and you can do a lot.

In truth one really needs four full days to take in DLR so you will just skim the surface. Still lots of fun though.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you...yes, I do know WDW very well..what are the rides that are better? I already plan on doing the Matterhorn early.

Just so you area aware, DLR's two parks have more rides than all four WDW parks put together.

Rides I think for a WDW vet:

DL

- Indiana Jones Adventure would be top priority
- Matterhorn too because it is a classic
- Space Mtn because it is so much better at DL
- POTC - ditto
- Most Fantasyland rides except for maybe PP or Dumbo - especially Alice in Wonderland, Storybookland Canal Boats and maybe Casey Jr RR

Maybe

- Finding nemo sub voyage
- Tiki room - the original

DCA

- At least go into CarsLand to look - ride RSR thru Single Rider if you want
- California Screamin
- TSMM - if you like it and have a hard time riding it at WDW - DLR guests complain about the 40 minute lines and WDW vets used to 2+ hours lines laugh at them
- Grizzly River Run
- Soarin Over California - same ride as Epcot but it feels much better because of the aviation theming
- Monsters Inc

If you were to see any one show I would say Aladdin at DCA. WOC and Fantasmic are great but will take too much time on a day trip.

 

[8timesblessed]

Will you go from park opening to park closing and are the hours long?? My youngest and I did alot in a day but we started at 7am and left DCA at 11:30pm. Going through Carsland at night is a must and you can probably get in the single rider line at 8pm and be fine. The line for Maters ride wasn't always long but it was for Luigi's tire.

Definately see Alladdin, I think the last showing is usually around 6pm or so. So if you could do Disneyland before 5pm and then hop over to DCA you can probably get alot done. Carsland pulls more people in so some of the other rides the lines weren't as long. Catch the second showing of WOC and there is usually plenty of space even without a fast pass ticket for the show. My son and I caught Fantamic first show, sat there and watched fireworks, then headed over to DCA and caught the last showing of WOC but we had caught Aladdin earlier in the day.

So just make a list and park hop. We went back and forth they are so close.

Must have's for us....Pirates, Indiana Jones (get a fast pass for this first thing) then go ride Pirates. Or go the other way and get a fast pass for Space and ride the Nemo sub ride or the Matterhorn.

Peter Pan and Dumbo usually have the longest lines in Fantasyland and the other rides are easier to get on. Casey Jr. is fun and takes you around the storybook canal ride so you could probably get away with just doing one of them.

Study a map before you go and have a plan and I'm sure you can get a ton in. Have fun!! We get to bring all our kids back in Dec. for 10 days!!

 

[starshine514]

The parks are very close, like 50 yards from each other, so park hopping is not difficult at all. I think you would just need to look over and decide what is most important to you because you will not be able to get it all done. However, you really need to have a good plan of what to hit first, which FP to get first, etc. in order to maximize your time.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I'm a little confused. The California Coastal Cruises are Sunday to Sunday. Yet, you are spending the day after you get off the cruise at DL? Wouldn't that be Monday? HOw are you staying a night within walking distance of the hotel if you are planning to go to the parks on Sunday?

 

[mom2aidanNpiper]

Can you go to the parks the day you disembark the cruise? All cruises you have to leave early (off the boat usually by 10) so you could enjoy the parks that day as well.

In April we did just that, we did DL prior to the cruise but also spent 2 days after the cruise at DL. We walked off the boat with our luggage so we left at 8am, were at our hotel and checked in within the hour (we took a taxi so we didn't have to wait for a shuttle) and were in the parks shortly after that - by 9:30 ish.

That was Easter Sunday and DL was a little crowded but not nearly as bad as we were expecting and you could get a lot more done, esp collecting FP if you give yourself this day for the parks as well.

 

[mystic_path]

YES you can see both parks on the one day you will be there as long as you have a "park hopper" and not a "One park" ticket. Disneyland and DCA park are facing each other with an esplanade in the middle. You just leave one park, walk 500 steps and your at the gates to the next park. It's pretty great as no transportation is required. Just remember you wont get to see everything but if you make a list of things that you want to see, and make use of all the park hours, you will be able to get quite a bit on your list accomplished. Also you are going on a day where the park hours will be extended as well cause Sundays still run on weekend schedules. The main Disneyland park should be open until 11pm for you. Watch the Disneyland schedule but I dont see why you wont have longer park hours for one or both parks.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I'm a little confused. The California Coastal Cruises are Sunday to Sunday. Yet, you are spending the day after you get off the cruise at DL? Wouldn't that be Monday? HOw are you staying a night within walking distance of the hotel if you are planning to go to the parks on Sunday?

Our cruise is on Princess and disembarks in San Pedro on Oct. 13, which is a Saturday. We then are renting a car and then plan to see the USS Iowa and then make our way over to Anaheim. Think maybe based on what we have read that we will just do Disneyland and not California Adventure...Unless we feel we have done everything we want and have extra time...will definitely have a plan of attack, just as we do at WDW...

Can't wait!