DCA vs Downtown Disney arrival afternoon/night

[cindyland]

Since my husband doesn't want to discuss this to death, I'll pose this question to all of you.

We have a trip planned for late June. Planned a 3-day trip with hubby and two teenage daughters. We're all very excited. Staying at DLH (extra special trip planned for the big 5-0).

Original plan is leave very early (this is the part where my husband laughs, but I have a plan). It's about a seven-hour drive with Starbucks and quick lunch. Current plan is Downtown Disney after checking in, but now we're watching "Cars," and I'm thinking it would so wonderful to start our trip with some Radiator Springs and Tower of Terror. But I really hate that DCA is closing at 9:00, ridiculous. Unfortunately, we need to decide on number of days sooner rather than later because we're purchasing them through the hotel as part of a convention package. We already have reservations for Carthay Circle and DCA for one night, and Carnation Cafe/fireworks another night. I love DCA and neon at night!

So what are your thoughts? Just chill at hotel and Downtown Disney when we arrive, or head over to DCA?

 

[Abbey1]

We normally just stroll around DTD the day we arrive, have a nice dinner there, and maybe go swimming at our hotel. Most likely, fast passes won't be available for those rides by the time you got into the park, so you would be looking at a fairly long wait time (at least for RSR).

Since you are staying at the DLH, you could also grab a drink at Trader Sam's that first night. Their pool is really fun too!

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll have an awesome first night!

 

[Geemo]

For me it would depend on the day of the week and what the arrival time will be.
Convention ticket rates are usually a little kinder on the budget.
If arriving on a Saturday or Sunday and will have at least 6 hours in the park, I'd get a ticket.
If that isn't how it will be then I'd roam around DTD and spend time at the pool/hot tub for the evening.


Geemo

 

[ParkHopper1]

What is leave "early" and what time would you realistically arrive at the hotel?

 

[WestMom2two]

Whenever we go we arrive noon-3ish and check in and head straight for DTD. I love all the excitement in the air and the kids get excited for park days ahead. We shop at the Disney store and get dinner. Its our thing. I love that little bit of down time before we go all park crazy for the next 3-4 days.
I guess it depends on your trip length. I LOVE waking up early (4am) and driving from Sacramento to Disneyland! Been doing it since I was a kid. We have since moved to Texas so it will be our first time flying over and I will miss that drive!

 

[DollBabyKG]

We drive from Utah. It's about a 10-10.5 hour drive. When our oldest two were smaller, we used to stop in Vegas half way for the night. Now, we usually leave at 3:00 am, and arrive in Anaheim by 1:00-1:30 pm with stops and breaks.

We used to just leisurely check into our hotels and then stroll around DTD and explore the on site hotels the first day. But, once we discovered how affordable it was to add a day to our park hoppers, we started doing 4 day hoppers and having that extra half day in the park. We don't usually close the place down that day since we are too tired, but having the extra time makes such a difference, and makes the first day feel so much more fun! I definitely vote for the extra day!

 

[Butterfly123]

We have done it both ways. When we had a shorter three day trip we added a fourth partial day because the evening entertainment shows we wanted to be able to see. What we really prefer is to arrive in the early afternoon from the Bay Area, stop at Von's, check in to our hotel, and then wander DTD, enjoy dinner, and do some shopping. It's the calm before the storm, and gets us excited for the next day. Somehow starting into an already crowded park just isn't as much fun for us. Waiting even makes the drive down more relaxing, as we aren't rushing to get an extra hour in the park.

All that said, if it was a three day trip in the summer and you were able to leave early and get there at a good time I would consider it. We have done both four days and five days in the summer, and it never feels like enough to time. Three and a half days are better than three during crowded summer months.

 

[cindyland]

Earliest we would probably get to the hotel is 3 pm. After further discussions, I told my husband to remind me that we can probably only go to Trader Sam's on our arrival day, and send our daughters off to Downtown Disney to shop before we meet them later. Evening entertainment is a challenge with only three nights, so we'll just have to make it all work.

Leaving at 4 am sounds brutal, I was shooting for 6:30 am, and my husband was laughing at that idea. I think I'll start mentioning 4 am so we can actually be in the car by 6:30 am!

 

[Indiana Scott]

Personally, if we weren't going to be able to get into the park until 3 PM I would wait until the next day. That way you will have three full days and you will have a chance to kind of recharge yourself before heading into the parks.

 

[CalgaryTroy]

Last time we were there we checked into the hotel just after 3, and everyone insisted we had to burn one of the 3 days of the parkhopper to go that afternoon/evening. Obviously I wasn't happy, but I got the " DL is RIGHT there! how do we NOT go??".
And guess what's happening when we return this November.....we're doing the same thing.....oh well, I sort of get it. Hopefully the park will be open late ( it'll be a Friday )

 

[thewelts]

The ticket price difference in minimal to add an extra night.
Well worth it in my opinion.
The nighttime shows can't be missed (fireworks, parades, WOC, etc.).
We usually go for 3 nights and always get a 4-day hopper - no regrets!

 

[ParkHopper1]

The ticket price difference in minimal to add an extra night.
Well worth it in my opinion.

Seriously. Why does going into the park have to be an all out get a gazillion rides in or nothing not coming out till we use every available second oh Lord we can pull another fastpass get to the other side of the park stat thing?

3pm arrival?...and you are gonna just look at it from the outside?

Get down there at a leisurely pace that is not gonna put anyone in your family in a grumpy resentful mood, check in, add a day to your tickets and make a plan to JUST go see one of the night time spectaculars and get a nice dinner inside the park...no rides...no stress...no rushing...no master planning...just enjoy the first night in the park with some Disney Magic to set the tone for the trip...if you get a ride in after a show....GREAT, consider it a bonus! It is a much more leisurely way to do the parks!

Then on your fist full day you can be a militant planning machine of attraction efficiency.
.

 

[realrellim]

I'd argue for Downtown Disney, especially if there's any chance you might get caught in traffic or otherwise delayed. Or maybe you could get Twilight tickets for that day (if those still exist? I heard they do for conference attendees but not sure about anyone else).

We were supposed to get to DLH by 3 pm, but accidents and a major traffic jam meant our trip from LAX took 1-1/2 hours (and then there was getting to LAX early but they wouldn't let us land and when they did they made us sit on the tarmac for 20 minutes waiting for a gate, so we missed the first shuttle...). And the way our family rolls, we all would have been super-frustrated to spend that much money on tickets and lose 2-3 hours that we had planned on spending inside the parks.

 

[ParkHopper1]

maybe you could get Twilight tickets for that day (if those still exist? I heard they do for conference attendees but not sure about anyone else).

Twilight tickets do not exist for general public purchase unless you are a registered attendee of a convention that has made pre arrangements to have those available for their attendees.

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

I'm in the "DL is right there; how can I NOT go in!?" Camp. But we do what PP have mentioned. Wander in; get our pressed penny map from city hall, take in the scenery, refamiliarize the location of everything and grab a couple rides that are low wait. I promised my son I wouldn't over schedule us and that there would be pool time this year. Have fun planning!

 

[Travis B]

We just did our first trip to DLR and were going to do the Downtown Disney thing on our first day, but the lure of the parks was just too much. As PPs have said, why not just add an extra day to the tickets and go to the parks your first night? We walked around, got our bearings, did a few rides. I'd take hanging out on Main St. over Downtown Disney any day. I would personally add the extra day to the tickets, make no plans for the day, then after check-in go to whichever park you want (or both!) and do whatever you feel like at the moment.

 

[pinkprincess30]

As excited as my hubby is about our trip he doesn't want to talk our details to death either. What is wrong with them? I plan to talk of nothing else for the next 6 weeks!
I would do DTD on your first night and then start fresh for your first day in the parks. That way there's less stress & pressure to hurry up and get there too. Also, traveling is so tiring, even if you're not the one driving. I like to start out strong on the first day in the parks. Good luck, whatever you (and hubby) decide!

 

[Keels]

I would add a day to your tickets and get Park-Hopper, if you don't already have them. You can likely get on RSR if you don't mind riding Single Rider, knowing that you'll all be back to ride together AT LEAST one more time during the trip. For me, I'll take as many times on RSR as I can get!

Then, I would grab dinner at Cove Bar or Wine Country Trattoria and then head over to watch WoC.

If you can be in the parks by 3, there's still a VERY good chance that you can snag a ToT FP (RSR will be out of the question), or at least hit up a couple other rides in DCA with either short waits or utilizing single rider.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I would get the extra day. I can't not go to the park when it is sitting RIGHT THERE!!!. You should be able to knock off a couple of rides and perhaps everything except Toy Story and RSR. (Go in through the GCH entrance at that time of day). I suspect you can get a fastpass for soarin still. THen if your teens still have energy they can head to DL while you go back to the hotel room with hubby.

 

[ktlm]

I would add a day to your tickets and get park hopper. Assuming you didn't leave until 9:00 a.m., you would still be at DLR at 4:00. Being at the DLH, you could be in the park by 4:30 or 4:45, so you would still get 4 hours of CA in before close. If you do get out of the house by 7:00 a.m.- then you are talking 6 hours of CA. There are people who take afternoon breaks (not us) that do not get that much CA park time in their full day! Since you are going in the summer, DL is probably open until midnight- if so, then you get another 3 hours in over there. For us, Carsland at night would be worth the extra- and then we might focus on PTN, fireworks, WOC the other nights. As far as lines at RSR, you are all old enough to do single rider. We did the RSR single rider line several times at night last July, it ranged from walk on to a maximum of 20 minutes. There was one night we rode it 3 or 4 times in a row. It would definitely be worth it for us.