Disneyland In One Day?

[sar919]

My husband and I will be going to Disneyland for the first time in July. Since we are going to staying 1 1/2 hours away and in CA for only a week, we will only be able to allow one day to go to Disney. Does anybody have any tips for us to make the most out of our trip? We plan on staying from open to close if we have to.
Thank you!

 

[wdwrich]

The best tip I can give you is to arrive in enough time to park and ride the tram over to the park entrance so you get there before the park gates open. The first couple of hours in the morning will get you the most bang for the buck as far as getting attractions/rides done.

 

[babyatlas]

are you just going to Disneyland or California Adventure too?

agree - get there wicked early. ride as much as you can those first couple of hours. make a lunch reservation or dinner reservation so you have an hour of downtime scheduled. get a locker to pack jackets for the evening so you don't need to trip back to the car. make a list of the rides you MUST do and figure out if they have a fast pass...if so, pull one. look into the food/ticket options for Fantasmic or World of Color if you choose to view one of these shows.

it will be a busy FULL day but i think if you prioritize your rides you can accomplish quite a bit!

 

[Blue32]

If I was only going for one day I might stick to Disneyland and not park hop to DCA unless you are dying to see Carsland.

Also, you may want to consider the use of Ridemax software to plan your day. It's a really neat program that lets you design your park itinerary based on what you want to see. It might be helpful when trying to see as much as possible in one day.

 

[sar919]

Thanks everybody! I think we are only going to go to Disneyland, and not California Adventure, but I am not 100% sure yet.

 

[disneydeb64]

Thanks everybody! I think we are only going to go to Disneyland, and not California Adventure, but I am not 100% sure yet.

WELCOME, sar 919! One day will be a little crazy, but can be done, and DIS'ers have given some good tips here. That said, you REALLY should make an attempt for DCA - especially if you don't plan to be in SoCA for awhile. A few years ago, I would've easily said DL all day, all the way. But DCA park remodel and Cars Land are just breathtaking, and so much fun - you'd be doing yourself a disservice by passing it up. Personally, I would get a park-hopper, and split the parks 50/50 if you can. JMO.

 

[Cinderpamela]

WELCOME, sar 919! One day will be a little crazy, but can be done, and DIS'ers have given some good tips here. That said, you REALLY should make an attempt for DCA - especially if you don't plan to be in SoCA for awhile. A few years ago, I would've easily said DL all day, all the way. But DCA park remodel and Cars Land are just breathtaking, and so much fun - you'd be doing yourself a disservice by passing it up. Personally, I would get a park-hopper, and split the parks 50/50 if you can. JMO.

I Agree!! Don't miss DCA... the parks are right next to each other so park hopping is not an ordeal, and while you are not going to be able to do everything, I would not want to miss the new DCA!

 

[lisamarch]

How about DL in half a day? First time but been to WDW many times. I'm there for work but am free at noon one day, 19 miles from DL. Should I get a park hopper?

 

[wdwrich]

How about DL in half a day? First time but been to WDW many times. I'm there for work but am free at noon one day, 19 miles from DL. Should I get a park hopper?

For a half day arriving after noon, I would not hop. Choose either DL or DCA (whichever you want to see most) and stick with that.

 

[FreshBakedDisney]

In my opinion, there is no such thing as seeing Disneyland in one day. Even if one does all the rides and attractions, you've still missed the point. I say this all the time, but it's worth repeating. Don't go to the park with an agenda, unless you're there for a very short time, and MUST see something.

But if you have as much as a full day to spend, just go and be in the park and let the park happen to you. Don't try to impose your will on the park. You will have a much better time that way. And better memories.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Here's how we spent one day mid July 2009

Single rider will be your friend.

What about driving down the evening before and getting a hotel within walking distance? You could also take a nap mid day.

 

[ArchOwl]

You can definitely see some highlights, although you won't get the full experience. I am taking my friend in June and we only have seven hours! She told me the must dos and the want to dos and I am devising a plan. We are park hopping because she hasn't seen the new DCA AT ALL!

We will be using a combination of FPs and Single Rider to get as much done as possible. We will also be eating counter service instead of table service, so we cut down on time spent eating. She is planning on coming back with her family next year, so this is really just an abbreviated tour to whet her appetite.