Disneyland Trip Advice

[xlauren13x]

So me and a friend are wanting to plan a trip to Disneyland for next year. However, we aren’t sure how long we should stay. Is a week too long for Disneyland? If so how long would be a good amount of time to stay without being rushed?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

What kind of trip do you want? Open to close, all rides, all day? Or do you want to enjoy things at a slower pace? Do character meals, shows, dining packages, shopping, etc.? If you want to go hard, all day, 3 days should be enough, especially if you purchase MP and use it well. If you like a more relaxed pace, 5 days is great -- that allows for shows, TS meals, pool time, etc. And what time of year were you looking at? Certain times of year are more busy and crowded than other times, so more days is good for managing crowds without feeling overwhelmed. If you want a whole week, throw in a day for the beach and maybe a day for some shopping and SoCal sightseeing.

 

[pblack]

While a week would certainly be fine, you could probably do everything you want to do in 3-4 days.

 

[xlauren13x]

What kind of trip do you want? Open to close, all rides, all day? Or do you want to enjoy things at a slower pace? Do character meals, shows, dining packages, shopping, etc.? If you want to go hard, all day, 3 days should be enough, especially if you purchase MP and use it well. If you like a more relaxed pace, 5 days is great -- that allows for shows, TS meals, pool time, etc. And what time of year were you looking at? Certain times of year are more busy and crowded than other times, so more days is good for managing crowds without feeling overwhelmed. If you want a whole week, throw in a day for the beach and maybe a day for some shopping and SoCal sightseeing.

We would probably be going in October. We would like to do a somewhat of a relaxed pace to allow for table service meals. This will both be our first time not only at Disneyland but in California in general.

 

[Erin M]

My sweetspot for a friends trip is four days. By day five I’m tired of standing in lines, even with MP.

We usually do one table service a day. We are also open to close and crunch time people. But you certainly don’t have to go at that pace on a four day trip. I think four days let’s you enjoy both parks and have time to repeat favorites, maybe fit in one special thing like Fantasmic! or WOC.

Have a great trip!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We would probably be going in October. We would like to do a somewhat of a relaxed pace to allow for table service meals. This will both be our first time not only at Disneyland but in California in general.

October is Halloween Time at DLR -- a very fun, very busy time in the parks! (Halloween Time Superthread 2019: "Oogie Boogie Bash" Party to Be Held in DCA ONLY!) So more days would be great to allow you to experience all the fun and deal with any crowds, while keeping a more relaxed pace. I would aim for 5 days, which is the maximum multiday ticket sold. Look into getting park hoppers, too -- the 2 parks are right across from each other (about the length of a football field), so it is easy to go back and forth from one to the other.
Have you visited other Disney Parks before or will this be your first visit ever?

 

[nkereina]

DH and I just spent 4 nights and did 3.5 park days - got in around 7pm Monday, park days Tues, Weds, Thurs, and Fri morning, left by 1pm on Friday. We went at a pretty slow pace with breaks and did a few TS meals. We saw and did everything we wanted, more than once in many cases. We agreed it was the perfect amount of time - even 3 days would have been fine. We then spent the last 3 days of our trip in LA. I think if you have a week to work with, you should spend 3-4 days at DL with the rest of the time doing something else unique to Southern California.

 

[Howry]

So me and a friend are wanting to plan a trip to Disneyland for next year. However, we aren’t sure how long we should stay. Is a week too long for Disneyland? If so how long would be a good amount of time to stay without being rushed?

We always go for 7 nights. Part of that is because we stay in a timeshare and its in week blocks but also because we feel that is the right amount of time. We can go to the parks for 5 days and have time for other stuff as well without feeling rushed or anything. If we only want to go to a park for 3-4 hours one day its not a big deal because we have lots of time.

 

[lalasmama]

Our family's first Disneyland trip was 7 (8?) days long, and oh how we loved it... But that was also back when we could get 7 (8?) days on a single park hopper. It allowed some sleeping in, and when the Heavens let loose with a torrential downpour one evening at 7:00pm, we were able to shrug our shoulders and walk back to the hotel (soaked, but in good spirits) knowing that we had a lot of time still left. That being said, we also went in February, so park hours were pretty short--several nights the park closed around 9:00pm, so those extra days helped make up for the shorter hours.

For 2 adults' first visit in Halloween time, I think I would do 4-day park hoppers, with an additional night for Oogie Boogie's Bash (whatever it's called this year). On the day of the party, I would *not* go into the parks that morning. Sleep in. Enjoy a drink at Starbucks or a late breakfast from Panera. Explore Downtown Disney. Then, when the "pre-party" time starts (like 3 hours before the party), I would go into the park at that point. I did this a few years ago, but on a solo trip, and it was glorious. No rushing out the door in the morning for rope drop. No fear of missing out on something while I was scoping out Downtown Disney. I was also well rested enough so that the late night party didn't wreak too much havoc on my sleep cycle.

Have a great trip!

 

[xlauren13x]

October is Halloween Time at DLR -- a very fun, very busy time in the parks! (Halloween Time Superthread 2019: "Oogie Boogie Bash" Party to Be Held in DCA ONLY!) So more days would be great to allow you to experience all the fun and deal with any crowds, while keeping a more relaxed pace. I would aim for 5 days, which is the maximum multiday ticket sold. Look into getting park hoppers, too -- the 2 parks are right across from each other (about the length of a football field), so it is easy to go back and forth from one to the other.
Have you visited other Disney Parks before or will this be your first visit ever?

Thanks for the advice! I have been to Walt Disney World several times.

 

[xlauren13x]

Our family's first Disneyland trip was 7 (8?) days long, and oh how we loved it... But that was also back when we could get 7 (8?) days on a single park hopper. It allowed some sleeping in, and when the Heavens let loose with a torrential downpour one evening at 7:00pm, we were able to shrug our shoulders and walk back to the hotel (soaked, but in good spirits) knowing that we had a lot of time still left. That being said, we also went in February, so park hours were pretty short--several nights the park closed around 9:00pm, so those extra days helped make up for the shorter hours.

For 2 adults' first visit in Halloween time, I think I would do 4-day park hoppers, with an additional night for Oogie Boogie's Bash (whatever it's called this year). On the day of the party, I would *not* go into the parks that morning. Sleep in. Enjoy a drink at Starbucks or a late breakfast from Panera. Explore Downtown Disney. Then, when the "pre-party" time starts (like 3 hours before the party), I would go into the park at that point. I did this a few years ago, but on a solo trip, and it was glorious. No rushing out the door in the morning for rope drop. No fear of missing out on something while I was scoping out Downtown Disney. I was also well rested enough so that the late night party didn't wreak too much havoc on my sleep cycle.

Have a great trip!

That’s a great idea. We both love Halloween so that’s one reason we wanted to go in October.

 

[Creen14]

We did five days and I think it was perfect. That being said, we also have a young child and were never in the parks later than 8-9 pm. We also took a couple hour break every afternoon. When we were at the parks, though, it was go, go, go.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thanks for the advice! I have been to Walt Disney World several times.

Great! Then this classic thread will have lots of helpful information for you: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets.
It comes from this sticky (* DLR Info/Links - Maps, Hotels, DISer Reviews, Hydroguy's tips, NEWBIE INFO here!) at the top of the first page -- LOTS of great information for DLR trip planning there!