Did we plan enough days???

[TheDoleWhipper]

Hello! I just joined the DIS yesterday and have a few questions. We will be going to Disneyland for the first-time (never been to any disney park) from June 15th to 19th 2015, staying at the Disneyland Hotel (we have already booked). But there is one thing I am stressing about... I do not know if we will have enough time! This is our first and only visit as a family and we plan to take advantage of EMH and fastpasses, and also mid-day breaks. The people who will be going are my mom and dad (who have no interest in extreme rides or roller coasters) my brother, and I (teens/preteens). My brother and I want to ride almost every ride, see quite a few shows (not all of them, though) and have no interest in characters (except for maybe one character breakfast).

So... here is our plan

Day 1: Monday June 15th: Get the earliest flight possible, arriving around 11 am, then spend the rest of the day at parks/pool/Downtown disney
Day 2: Tuesday June 16th: Spend all day at DL (we have have non-park-hoppers)
Day 3:Wednesday June 17th: DCA
Day 4: Thursday June 18th : DL again
Day 5: Friday June 19th: DCA again, all day until whenever we feel like leaving. That day we will leave DLR and check in to the KBF hotel, but really, we can stay all day until the park closes if we want to.

So we have 4 nights and 4 1/2 days at DLR... Does that sound good, or will we need to rush and go commando to get everything done? Thank you for all your imput!

 

[figment_jii]

It's not that much more expensive to purchase 5-day tickets compared to 4-day tickets, so I'd consider getting a 5-day ticket and going into the parks on your arrival day (Monday). The parks should already be on their summer operating schedule, which means late closings (midnight at DL and 10:00 pm at DCA).

I think you'll have enough time to get a lot of things done, but two days per park may not necessarily be enough to get everything done. Longer hours means more time to do things, but it is summer time, so I would expect higher crowds. I think you'll have a harder time finishing DL in two days than you would DCA.

I would also seriously consider getting park hoppers. The two parks are only 110 yards a part, so it's very easy to get across. I do a lot of split days (start in one park and then hop to the other park). In the summer, this can be very useful because DL is often open an hour or two longer than DCA. So after DCA closes, I "hop" over to DL for a few hours.

 

[YukonMommy]

I would consider getting 5 day park hoppers. It will be summer and that means summer crowds, but later summer hours.
I would also point out at this moment your parents may have no interest in extreme/thrill rides, but that may change once you get there! Something about being at Disney makes you feel like a kid again, so much so my Mom (who was 63 at the time) ended up riding everything (including the thrill and roller coasters!!)

Have a magical time!

 

[thewelts]

It is the perfect length of stay!
5-day Hoppers for certain

 

[TheChapman6]

I would upgrade to hoppers too. Also while walking back to the dlh you will have to walk through downtown Disney anyway so stop in a few shops each time instead of doing it on arrival day. Add the 5th day on your tickets you will be glad you did

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I would recommend spending your arrival day in the parks. As mentioned above, you will need to walk through Downtown Disney each day to get to/from the parks and your hotel, so you don't necessarily need to set aside dedicated time for it. I might also save the pool time for another day when you are ready for a mid-day break from the parks.

For a first time visit, I would recommend a minimum of 4 days. Although the parks seem small, there is a remarkable number of things to do and see. Although there are some key attractions in DCA, there are more attractions in DL, so you will likely want to spend more time there. For this reason, if possible I would suggest getting park hoppers - I usually set aside 2 days for DCA as well and then find myself hopping back to DL sometime on the 2nd day. If you have a choice between a 5th day in the parks or park hoppers...I think I might actually go for the park hoppers. This way you can maximize the time you do have in the parks.

Have fun! You seem savvy (you signed up here, didn't you ), so I'm sure you will read around and find some great tips for your trip. My personal suggestion is to ride Star Tours as many times as possible.

 

[Blue32]

I would also say go to the parks on your arrival day if possible. We don't normally do this, but we also spend a full 5 days in the parks. Even if you don't decide to get the hoppers, you can't go wrong with more time in the parks...especially DL. Have a great first trip!

 

[luulu1999]

The more the better!! You should be able to get a lot done in what you already have planned but the more the better, we did 5 days in July and got SO much accomplished and make good use of FP's and that will help a lot....you will be hooked and want to go back over and over!! It is AMAZING

 

[gottalovepluto]

Five days is great for DL. You'll be able to do everything you want. Park Hoppers are a must. With adults/teens/preteens you may find the kids wanting to head back into parks late at night & the parents taking the night off their feet. That way if you did DCA that day (which closes a couple hours before DL) the kids can head in to DL to do Indy or some of the roller coaster DL rides. You can also spend your last day hitting your favorites from both parks. We found we hopped so much more then we ever expected especially staying onsite.

Another note, you'll be hitting a couple grad nites. There is lots of info on that here on the boards and differing opinions. But basically to me this means a large influx of high schoolers into DL especially at night from around dinner until their party starts in DCA at like 11pm. Meaning you may find yourselves spending the day in DL moving to DCA at night and heading back to DL for closing.

These were examples of the main reasons my family was so happy we did park hoppers when we did a similar trip with similar age ranges to you.

The park hoppers will give a lot of flexibility and definitely worth it when there for 5 days.

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Thank you everybody! It seems like it is best to spend a day in the parks when we arrive! Still not sure about park-hoppers... we will see. Thanks again for all the quick responses!

 

[farmfresh]

Go with the park hoppers! Now that the FP system has changed they are not quite as useful, but in terms of planing dinners, parades, shows etc they are invaluable. Also remember that some of your party may enjoy some rides more than others - the hoppers give you flexibility to pursue the things you really want to see. And they do still work with rides with long FP times. You could be in DL in the am, then pop into DCA before your break to grab RSR or TOT passes for later in the day.

I also second the 5 day pass. When you are there there will be fireworks, Fantasmic and WOC at night. You may want to spread your park nights out to fit them all in.

You will really enjoy the DLH and the access it gives you to EMH. Have a great trip...and keep planning!

 

[corinne76]

Like other have said, do 5 days!! Last June we did 2.5 days at DL and 2 days at DCA. I probably could have gone more

You can get a lot done in that half day, especially if you stay til closing.

Have a great time!

 

[Kristina4109]

Five days is a luxurious amount of time to spent at the DL Resort. You will have enough time to thoroughly enjoy both parks, DTD, your hotel, and even pop into the other 2 hotels if you feel like it. Since everything is so close to each other and within walking distance, popping out of a park to spend time in DTD is no big deal.

I absolutely think you should get park hoppers if it's in your budget. Park hopping is EASY in DL. You go through security on your way to the entrance to both parks. So once you're in DL Park, you can hop to CA Park without going through security again, and vice versa. We don't hop often in WDW because of the travel time, but we do it all the time at DL!

 

[thewelts]

Now that the FP system has changed they are not quite as useful,

What, what what?????
Hoping to clarify... How has the FP system changed and when? Are both parks connected now?

Example: We would normally pull a FP exiting DL at lunch. As we walk through DCA --returning to the Grand Californian -- we would pull another FP. We would do the same in the evening -- Hit DCA for a FP and then onto DL for another.

Please tell me this hasn't changed. I love bouncing back and forth between parks!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I would 100% get park hoppers. You can just walk back and forth between the parks as much as you want. It's super easy and close.

 

[figment_jii]

What, what what?????
Hoping to clarify... How has the FP system changed and when? Are both parks connected now?

I think what farmfresh is referring to is either: 1) the fact that they are enforcing return times and/or 2) all attractions within a given park are now connected (except WoC and (I bet) Fantasmic (starting tomorrow)) to each other. DL and DCA remain disconnected from each other (at least they were in mid-November).

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Yesterday I just convinced my mom to spend an extra day at disney when we arrive! I have actually been thinking about asking that ever since, like August, but I couldn't muster up the courage! I mean, ever since my parents announced that we were going to Disneyland (and San Fran and Seattle), I researched like a maniac, and then I came in with all these «upgrades», like wanting to stay onsite, and wanting an extra days, AND wanting to go to Knott's berry farm! Luckily, I had a little money up my sleeve and basically, they agreed everytime, as long as I can pay for it with my own money (Right now, I have about $1490 saved up just for all those upgrades!) You know, when I first asked my dad how many days we will spend, he said 1, because «apparently» he got to do everything he wanted to with one day when he last went in the 1970s! LOL. Well, I guess our day number just kept going higher, because, it then rose to two, then three, then four, and finally, just yesterday, five! FIVE DAYS!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for convincing me to ask my parents for five days! So excited for our trip!

 

[mfleeting]

It will be tight with seeing shows. If you can upgrade to 5 days I would definitely do so. I on the other hand don't think you need hoppers (but they are nice to have). We went for 3 days, had hoppers, and never used them as a hopper - but if you are there for more days I could definitely see the hopper being used at the end.

I also would say that if you keep it all the same you probably won't need that last DCA day. We went to DCA from 7am - 530 or so and only didn't do like 4 things. California Screamin, Soarin, Ferris wheel, and the Hotel. The hotel never had long lines, California Screamin has a fast pass you can do easily and we just forgot about Soarin till the end and decided to go back to the hotel instead. We also had plenty of time to do the Ferris Wheel but decided to pass as the kids only wanted to do 1 and they chose to do it at the beach. We also didn't do WOC but we had time to do so. This day was really a laid back day for us and we actually did multiple breaks in the park and lunch was about 90 minutes long at Ariels.

If you two are wanting to do most of the rides but not your parents then have them fast pass everything for yall while yall are in line and have them do all the tickets. This way you both can go on each FP ride twice. Also use the single rider lines if yall are okay with being split up. My 9 year old decided after we left that next time she is doing that and leaving us behind so she can do everything more often

 

[DLfan4]

Yesterday I just convinced my mom to spend an extra day at disney when we arrive! I have actually been thinking about asking that ever since, like August, but I couldn't muster up the courage! I mean, ever since my parents announced that we were going to Disneyland (and San Fran and Seattle), I researched like a maniac, and then I came in with all these «upgrades», like wanting to stay onsite, and wanting an extra days, AND wanting to go to Knott's berry farm! Luckily, I had a little money up my sleeve and basically, they agreed everytime, as long as I can pay for it with my own money (Right now, I have about $1490 saved up just for all those upgrades!) You know, when I first asked my dad how many days we will spend, he said 1, because «apparently» he got to do everything he wanted to with one day when he last went in the 1970s! LOL. Well, I guess our day number just kept going higher, because, it then rose to two, then three, then four, and finally, just yesterday, five! FIVE DAYS!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for convincing me to ask my parents for five days! So excited for our trip!

Knotts berry farm has a lot of extream rides and roller coasters . if you like roller coasters then this is a good park to visit.

I noticed your from Canada. a couple of suggestions for saving money. Flight centre in Canada sells the 3,4 and 5 day passes as a cheaper rate.

if your family has a Costco membership, Costco.ca sells the southern California citypass for a discount. you get 3 day park-hoppers to Disney, 1 day at universal and 1 day at seaworld. ( and you can upgrade to a 4 or 5 day park hopper at Disney).

if you havnt already purchased airfare, suggest to your parents to fly out of the USA instead. the flights and packages are a lot cheaper. try Allegiant Air for example, they have great deals.


have fun planning your trip