Disneyland and CA Adventure on the same day?

[LovelyC]

Hi,

I have just one day to visit Disneyland and California Adventure! I've been to Disney World multiple times but never Disneyland. It is possible to do both parks in the same day?

Also, I'm booked at the Fairfield Inn - any feedback?

Thanks!

 

[suzy021372]

I have never stayed at the Fairfield, but if you are staying at the one on Harbor, you have a great location within walking distance.

It is possible to do both, but you won't be able to hit everything. Kind of like trying to do 2 parks in one day at DW. If you are picking and choosing your top sees it is worth getting the park hopper. FYI- you can have active fastpasses at both resorts, they are not linked. If you want to see WoC make sure you get a fast pass in the morning!

Have fun.

 

[princessaw]

It is definetly possible! Our family does it all of the time! Park hopping at DLR is a LOT more convinient than it is at WDW, since the parks are literally 100 yards from each other. We have had half our family go on Indiana Jones, while the other half that didn't want to ride, ran over and got Soarin' FPs. They were outside the ride waiting for us when DS and I got off! Also, since the Fairfield is so close, you can go to one park in the morning, go back to your hotel, and go to the other park in the evening.

 

[candygirlIRE]

We used to always do the ONE day thing at Disneyland when we were kids and I remember always seeing everything... now throwing California Adventure into the mix might be pretty tight...
I would just suggest looking through the rides (on website or via a book) to see what you really really must see and stick to seeing those as a priority.

I cannot fully recommend this book yet, as I have only about a third through it, but I picked up the "Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2011" the other day and it has guides for ONE day trips. They suggest what to do to minimize your wait times etc.
Maybe if someone else has read all the way through the book or someone who has followed one of the guide plans can chime in....

Have fun!

 

[Brer Cameron]

You will not be able to do everything in both parks in only one day. If you plan it correctly, you can do a lot, if not almost all of the big rides and stuff in one day. But it also depends on what time of the year you are going. It's tougher to do in the summer.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Since you've been to WDW, I would concentrate on the attractions not available in Florida. After you've seen Aladdin, and the Matterhorn, and had lunch at the Blue Bayou, then branch out and compare the rides similar to your favorites at WDW. As a PP has mentioned, be sure to get Fastpass to WOC. If you have young kids with you, naturally they'll want to spend more time in Fantasyland.

 

[Dobie]

The Dobies have never stayed at Fairfield, but my BFF has and has loved it.

If I had one day to spend I would spend it at DL, just because the cost of a park hopper is more than a single park ticket. You can easily fill a whole day just at DL.

 

[SweetNovBlue]

Hi LovelyC,

Like PP, DL & DCA are definitely doable in one day, but you will definitely be picking and choosing what you'll be doing in both parks. As for me, I like the option of walking back and forth between the different parks. When I go, DL opens 2 hours earlier than DCA, so I'll be at the opening for DL and do all the major rides. Then I'll pop over to DCA to get FP for WoC and spend some time that park for Soarin', ToT etc; Back over to DL for lunch and BTTR and just walking around and some of the minor rides. Since I enjoy the faster rides, I think the 1 day park hopper is best for me.

Have fun! I'll be there tomorrow using a one day park hopper and I'm pretty sure I'll have fun. From 8 AM - 11PM (that's how long my friends & I lasted) the last time I was there. hahaa.

 

[Hound 109]

Hi,

I have just one day to visit Disneyland and California Adventure! I've been to Disney World multiple times but never Disneyland. It is possible to do both parks in the same day?

Also, I'm booked at the Fairfield Inn - any feedback?

Thanks!

The Fairfield is a good clean hotel a 7 - 9 min. walk from the turnstile.

What day of the week are you visiting (& what month)?? (It matters when making a plan.)


As others mention, it's possible to do a LOT.....but you should:

- Get to the parks 35-45 min. before opening.
- Know how to use FP at DLR.
- Have a plan & know how & when to hop.

Here's info from a similar post last week (essential info for the WDW veteran):

HydroGuy's DLR for the WDW veteran tip thread. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1478699


Also, lots of good info for the WDW vet in Mary Jo's tip thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=802084



& KNOW THESE FP THREADS:

"Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

"FastPass for Dummies and Smarties - A Photographic Explanation" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1186052

"Which Fast Pass First?" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1107718 (see my post #4 in that thread)

"Strategies For Using DL and DCA Opening Time Differences to Collect More Fastpasses"
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1553197


"Why I Park Hop" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1491961


& read the rest of HG's tip threads as well.


Also, the first page of my trip report might be helpful. (linked in my signature below). Probably best to have a DLR map handy when reading all tip threads.

Post again with day/date info & with a tentative plan of attack & you'll get lots of opinions.

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

 

[furb & dez]

I would generally do 2 or 3 days when visiting the resort... then parkhop each day and see just about everything in both parks. Seriously, it's nearly the same distance from the start of Indiana Jones' queue to the actual IJ loading zone as it is from the castle to California Screamin'.

It's easy to parkhop several times on the same day, particularly if you're using Fastpass judiciously.

 

[ArchOwl]

You could hit many of the highlights of both parks in one day, but you won't see everything. If staying longer isn't an option, then post your "must dos" and "want to dos" and "don't mind skipping" options.

One day is better than no days!

 

[Bungle]

You won't be able to see everything in both parks in one day. We didn't see/do everything in both parks in 4 days

I would make a list of things you really want to do and then figure out if they have fast passes or not and tackle those first. Then with the time left over just jump on whatever has the shortest line.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

There is too much in both parks to do everything in one day. I think 2-3 days is best, however that may not be an option. So if 1 day is all you have, pick and choose what you see.

Since you're a regular WDW visitor, do some research between what both parks share. For instance, as much as I love Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror, and Soarin, I can't recommend them to a WDW regular with 1 day only because they're very similar to the WDW versions.

At the same time, do not assume that just because both parks share a ride of the same name, the rides are the same. Pirates of the Carribean is far superior at Disneyland. The two do not compare. Likewise, Space Mountain is a completely different experience both ridewise and audio experience in Disneyland.

I can't back up Hound's tips enough. Be there early and have a plan. As Han Solo would say, "flying through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops." You can knock out most of Fantasyland in the first hour or so if you're there when the park opens. Likewise, Fantasyland empties out the last hour the park is open.

And since World of Color is unique to the DLR, plan on getting a fastpass for it since it is not to be missed.