Disney Land Advice for first trip, please and thanks!

[wasabi girl]

Hi guys!

So I've been to WDW several times, and have decided that next year I'd like to plan a four day trip to Disney Land. I've never stayed on site, and have only had a rushed afternoon at DL on a visit to LA (for work).

I think I may start saving now to splurge on the Grand Californian Hotel (it looks so gorgeous) but I'm open to any suggestions.

Is there a best time to visit? Less crowded? Which airport is easiest? Do we need to rent a car? (NOT really wanting to drive in So California though)...any advice at all?

I'll be traveling with my college age daughter and perhaps hubby...

Thanks everyone! I will appreciate any advice at all.

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi guys!

So I've been to WDW several times, and have decided that next year I'd like to plan a four day trip to Disney Land. I've never stayed on site, and have only had a rushed afternoon at DL on a visit to LA (for work).

I think I may start saving now to splurge on the Grand Californian Hotel (it looks so gorgeous) but I'm open to any suggestions.

Is there a best time to visit? Less crowded? Which airport is easiest? Do we need to rent a car? (NOT really wanting to drive in So California though)...any advice at all?

I'll be traveling with my college age daughter and perhaps hubby...

Thanks everyone! I will appreciate any advice at all.

No need for a car at DLR. Take a shuttle or taxi from a nearby airport. SNA (John Wayne) is by far the easiest and, IMO, the nicest. See "Airport Proximity to DLR and Ground Transportation Information" by 3TinksAndAnEeyore www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2318297

As for best time to visit, there are numerous best times depending on whether you want warmer weather, cooler weather, less rain, less crowds, or more shows and rides in operation.

This link will get you started: "Choosing When To Visit DLR: Summary of High and Low Season and When Each Happens " http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=36509602

Here are a few more:

"What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

"Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

 

[wasabi girl]

Thank you so much! I'm looking through all of the information, it is just what I need to begin trip planning!

 

[AmyPond]

Hi guys!

So I've been to WDW several times, and have decided that next year I'd like to plan a four day trip to Disney Land. I've never stayed on site, and have only had a rushed afternoon at DL on a visit to LA (for work).

I think I may start saving now to splurge on the Grand Californian Hotel (it looks so gorgeous) but I'm open to any suggestions.

Is there a best time to visit? Less crowded? Which airport is easiest? Do we need to rent a car? (NOT really wanting to drive in So California though)...any advice at all?


I'll be traveling with my college age daughter and perhaps hubby...

Thanks everyone! I will appreciate any advice at all.

I've never stayed onsite, but if I were going to splurge for onsite, that's the one I'd choose too!

The best time depends on what you're looking for. Each time of year has it's own pros and cons.

There really isn't a big "slow" season like there used to be. But the times that are slower, more rides will probably be closed for maintainence. Plus, some times of the year are a bit cooler and/or have some rain. And the summer season can be a bit warm and definitely more crowded.

Weekdays will almost always be less crowded than weekends since so many locals frequent the parks. Evenings can be a bit more crowded to as locals get off work and come to the parks for a few hours.

John Wayne airport (code SNA) which is also called Santa Ana or Orange County is the best airport, in my opinion. It's small and easy to get in and out of. We always rent a car but I know many here don't.

 

[Malela9]

I have stayed onsite once, my house was being bombed for termites, and we stayed at the Grand Californian. It feels a lot like a WDW hotel, especially the Wilderness Lodge.
As for when to go, in a week all the kids will be back to school. Disney will be much less crowded. We still have not gotten our heat wave here yet, it has been in the 70's. We have no humidity so the shade will keep you cool.
After Sept. all the Halloween madness will start and the crowd will be crowded again. It won't calm down until after the new year. (Sept. and Jan. being traditional slow months.)
I hope you enjoy your trip out here! Hope you won't will miss all the exclusive holiday offerings! (Haunted Mansion and Small World.)

 

[ssxa]

Our first trip to Disneyland was last year. We stayed at the Disneyland hotel, and if I had known otherwise, I would have stayed at the GC. We did a tour of the GC and it was much nicer, plus the monorail was broken for a couple days and the walk from the Disneyland hotel to the parks with two young boys was not fun...GC is right there! We liked it so much, we bought a DVC membership at the GCV.

 

[Hound 109]

Definitely read all of Hydroguy's tip threads (starting with his WDW vet thread):

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599


If you're only visiting DLR for 4/5 days (in & out) then a car is definitely not needed. But if you're going to visit other parts of SoCal (San Diego, Hollywood, Malibu etc.) then a car comes in handy (& if you can get one for a week for $100-$150) then it might be the way to go.

Or not. (you might only want to visit DLR....which is cool too. )

Have a great time planning a visit to Walt's Park.

 

[Funball]

If you get to stay at GCH that would be cool .. I am in love with the hojo, but if I got to stay at GCH ever I think I’d poop for joy for a week!!

But my first love the hojo is awesome, free parking, nice rooms, balconys, mini fridge for the tiny bottles of wine that you might enjoy on the balcony(hey one can wish)!!

 

[wasabi girl]

Thanks and thanks everyone! It looks like many of the good neighbor hotels are closer than the Disney hotels, not to mention cheaper! Looks like I could stay at one of the good neighbor hotels and splurge on dinners at the Napa Rose!

 

[skiingfast]

Thanks and thanks everyone! It looks like many of the good neighbor hotels are closer than the Disney hotels, not to mention cheaper! Looks like I could stay at one of the good neighbor hotels and splurge on dinners at the Napa Rose!

That is a good way to look at it. The GCH is hands down the closest but there are several on harbor that are closer than DLH and PPH is a little bit further. Have a good dinner(s).

 

[ktlm]

WDW vet here. We were in the same boat as you. WDW several times, but only a 1 day rush trip to DL while on a business trip (other than 1 DL trip when I was a kid). We did a 4 night DL stay in June and stayed at DLH. We absolutely loved DLH. We really felt the disney magic there. It was really neat staying in such a classic place. How can you not love a place where Goofy might happen to be standing by the elevators just to say Hi (haven't seen that in WDW for probably 10 years)! We really liked having dinner at Goofy's Kitchen at DLH too (think a better version of Chef Mickey's with a wider variety of characters- Goofy is clearly a better cook). They are reburbishing the place now, so I don't know what it will be like in terms of contruction etc. by the time you go. We didn't have any issues while we were there (they had redone one of the 3 towers completely already, but the only evidence we saw or heard that they were doing stuff was we saw a crane and occasionally we saw a couple of workers walking by us as we were going to the parks) , but I heard that within a couple of weeks after our trip they started ripping out waterfalls etc. to make way for the new pool. We loved our trip to DL!

As far as the GC, it looks like you are a WL, AKL fan. We love WL and AKL and have stayed at both (WL multiple times) at WDW. That is the reason I did NOT pick GC. GC is gorgeous, but very similar to those places (minus the AKL animals of course), and we decided we wanted something different at DL. We did go visit GC while we were there. It is beautiful, and if you had not stayed at WL and AKL, it would be a wonderful choice, but we felt like it was pretty much a scaled down version of WL. Plus, although it was a scaled down version of WL and AKL, the price to stay there was higher than the WDW resorts. Having the park entrance to CA would be great though.

What we really liked about DLH was we were immersed in Disney like when we go to WDW. We drove from the airport (Orange County which I would recommend) to DLH, parked the car, and did not get back in the car or leave Disney property until we checked out and left to go to Carslbad/San Diego. From DLH, you walk through DTD to get to the parks. You can also hop the monorail which lets you out in Tommorowland. You don't have to see Harbor Blvd, or anything non-Disney. We rented a car. The driving was not bad between the airport and Disney. We spent 4 nights at DL/CA and then 4 nights in the Carlsbad/San Diego area. Even that driving was not bad as long as you did the off times. We only hit annoying traffic one time the whole week.

 

[raftislander]

When picking out the time of year when you visit remember that HM and IASW get extensive holiday overlays. The HM overlay (a Nightmare before Christmas overlay to make it Haunted Masion Holiday) goes on in September and stays on through the new year. It will be down for a couple of weeks to put this overlay on and to take it off. IASW overlay goes on just before the Christmas holiday season which this year starts Nov. 12th. If you visit in January, just after the new year, both these attractions will be closed.

 

[Funball]

just dont stress.. cause we are all here to help you--my first tip

second tip--have a plan for your days at disneyland

 

[JaxsonsMom]

When picking out the time of year when you visit remember that HM and IASW get extensive holiday overlays. The HM overlay (a Nightmare before Christmas overlay to make it Haunted Masion Holiday) goes on in September and stays on through the new year. It will be down for a couple of weeks to put this overlay on and to take it off. IASW overlay goes on just before the Christmas holiday season which this year starts Nov. 12th. If you visit in January, just after the new year, both these attractions will be closed.

They usually do not close at the same time. Historically it's been HM first followed by IASW