Disney World AND Disneyland in 1 Trip - Need Advice

[Lester Hawkins]

My wife and I are planning our trip of a lifetime - first we'll fly to Disney World and spend time there, and then we'll fly straight to California and go to Disneyland! Included is our plan to be at a Disney World park and at Disneyland on the same day.

We need to hear any advice from others who have done both Disney parks in one trip. Also, are there any perks, awards, certificates, badges, etc. that Disney gives people who do both parks in one trip or on one day?

We each have a Disney Premier Passport, and we'll be staying at a DW resort and using the Magical Express from the Orlando airport. Any tips, warnings, or just plain stories of your visit to DW-DL in one trip would be much appreciated! This is the only time we'll be doing both in one trip, so we want to do it right (we're 60 years old).

 

[WDWisTheBest]

My wife and I are planning our trip of a lifetime - first we'll fly to Disney World and spend time there, and then we'll fly straight to California and go to Disneyland! Included is our plan to be at a Disney World park and at Disneyland on the same day.

We need to hear any advice from others who have done both Disney parks in one trip. Also, are there any perks, awards, certificates, badges, etc. that Disney gives people who do both parks in one trip or on one day?

We each have a Disney Premier Passport, and we'll be staying at a DW resort and using the Magical Express from the Orlando airport. Any tips, warnings, or just plain stories of your visit to DW-DL in one trip would be much appreciated! This is the only time we'll be doing both in one trip, so we want to do it right (we're 60 years old).

This is a trip of a lifetime. Since I haven't been able to do this, I can only congratulate you and your wife for making this trip magical.

 

[arilvdc]

I did this in August. as far as I know, there are no special awards or anything except the awesomeness of being in both Parks on the same day. be okay with leaving early from Disneyland as the jetlag will catch up to you pretty quickly. make sure you take a picture in front of each castle, and DONT use the same photopass. our photographer warned us that the system would delete the photos for some reason. also, be prepared for some incredulity from cast members when they see your premier pass and they ask when the last time you went to disneyworld and you answer 'today'

 

[mrsxsparrow]

DON'T preorder the photopass CD. The WDW version is $149, or $99 preordered, but the DL version is only $59 (I believe). As long as your last photopass picture is from Disneyland, you can add both the WDW and DL pictures on the same CD for the price of the DL CD.

 

[kwdw]

I did this in October, though I didn't make it to a park on my travel day!

Honestly - it really let me feel how DIFFERENTthe two places are. I know I may heard feedback from this comment - but WDW was alot nicer. Better CMs, DL really feels small after MK, ride lines longer at DL, more teenage couples or small groups at DL, more families at WDW, CA really needs it's construction to be over - made it a disappointing park.

I think the most striking thing was that the CM's were nicer, more informative, and seemed more interested in doing a great job at WDW, IMO. That was unexpected. I really thought based on Disney standards - that would be the same. Now - we did have some very positive experiences with CMs at DL, don't get me wrong, there were just more of them at WDW.

It was fun to see the differences between the rides that are "the same." I like Pirates better at DL, but the Jungle Cruise storyline was better at MK.

World of Color at CA is WORTH IT! Be sure to go first thing in the morning to pick up a FP so you can get into the viewing area. The main parade is different at MK and DL - but both have the same Celebrate theme.

Not all cast members I encountered had seen that Premier Passport at DL - one CM asked me for a photo ID at an entrance gate at DL because according to her - the pass is supposed to have your picture on it. Well, WDW does the finger scan instead...and that's where I bought the Premier Passport.

It was a ton of fun. I will probably never do it again, but it's a great story to tell how I did both places in two weeks! I'll cherish that memory a long time!

 

[sophie832]

DON'T preorder the photopass CD. The WDW version is $149, or $99 preordered, but the DL version is only $59 (I believe). As long as your last photopass picture is from Disneyland, you can add both the WDW and DL pictures on the same CD for the price of the DL CD.

Wait...we have Premier APs and are heading to WDW in a couple of weeks. Are you telling me we could pre-order the DL CD, go get a couple of pics taken there, and then get all of our WDW pics added to that same CD?

 

[luckyfin]

I have no advice at all. I just wanted to comment on how cool that is. I'm giddy at the thought that we are likely going to both parks in the same year... but the same DAY??? Wow.

 

[boltfan]

My daughters and I did this for free in 2009! My eldest daughter won us the trip through Macy's. We loved DL! Most people were telling us it didn't come close to WDW, but we liked the smaller parks and being able to walk out of our resort into the parks. Don't know of any special things regarding doing both parks...but have fun!

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Wait...we have Premier APs and are heading to WDW in a couple of weeks. Are you telling me we could pre-order the DL CD, go get a couple of pics taken there, and then get all of our WDW pics added to that same CD?

No. DL doesn't offer a pre-order special like WDW. Also, the pictures from Disneyland have to be taken after the pictures at WDW. So you'd have to take a trip to WDW, then visit DL and take some pictures, then order the CD. If you take pics at DL first your CD price would be the WDW price.

Are you local to DL? I'm taking a trip to WDW in January and February (both within 30 days of each other). In order to get the cheaper CD I'll just get a couple pics taken at DL after my last WDW trip. You could do the same. Or is this what you meant?

Just make sure the last picture taken is from DL -- then yes, all pics from WDW and DL can go on the same CD.

 

[mariacj]

Check out Lurkyloo's TR... she did both Haunted Mansions in one day. I can't find the link as I am not on my normal computer but search via google or the search engine here. She is a disboard celeb in her own way.

 

[sophie832]

No. DL doesn't offer a pre-order special like WDW. Also, the pictures from Disneyland have to be taken after the pictures at WDW. So you'd have to take a trip to WDW, then visit DL and take some pictures, then order the CD. If you take pics at DL first your CD price would be the WDW price.

Are you local to DL? I'm taking a trip to WDW in January and February (both within 30 days of each other). In order to get the cheaper CD I'll just get a couple pics taken at DL after my last WDW trip. You could do the same. Or is this what you meant?

Just make sure the last picture taken is from DL -- then yes, all pics from WDW and DL can go on the same CD.

Yes, we're local, so we can go to D-land pretty much anytime. I had no idea this was a possibility! Good to know