DL in one day???

[hopelea]

We are flying in on March 10, '11. We are thinking about going to DL and California Adventure on Friday, all day, opening till close. Will we be able to do it all in one day? We have never been to DL but have been to DW many times. So there are things in DL that we can skip, but some things we must do. We are sailing on the Disney Wonder on March 13. My kids want to do a tour or Hollywood on Saturday, so that is why we only have one day at DL!

I thought if we started our day at California Adventure and did every thing there, then we could move on to DL & do space mountain, things like that.

We are not staying near the parks. We have rooms booked close to Ontario Airport because I have family close to there....so how much drive time am I looking at also?

Thanks

 

[Master Mason]

We are flying in on March 10, '11. We are thinking about going to DL and California Adventure on Friday, all day, opening till close. Will we be able to do it all in one day? We have never been to DL but have been to DW many times. So there are things in DL that we can skip, but some things we must do. We are sailing on the Disney Wonder on March 13. My kids want to do a tour or Hollywood on Saturday, so that is why we only have one day at DL!

I thought if we started our day at California Adventure and did every thing there, then we could move on to DL & do space mountain, things like that.

We are not staying near the parks. We have rooms booked close to Ontario Airport because I have family close to there....so how much drive time am I looking at also?

Thanks

Usually DL opens before DCA, so if you want to do all day, then you want to get to DL first, which is actually better because you can ride a bunch of the rides before it gets crowded, which is when you would then want to go over to DCA.

And just because the rides have the same name, doesn't mean they are the same ride.

Much Better at DL then WDW would be Pirates, Space, It's a small world.

Not at WDW at all would be the subs, mr toad, Indiana Jones, Inoventions, Materhorn and a couple I am forgetting I am sure.

So the answer to your question is yes you can if that's all you have, but plan for it well and make sure you use fast pass to your advantage.

 

[Hound 109]

I agree with Master Mason. You'll want to do DL first...then hop to DCA mid morning...& then probably back to DL in the evening.

The time change is your friend....if DL opens at 8am, be at the security tent at 7:20am (no later).

Here's some info i provided to another WDW vet visiting for one day (with several good links):

30 minutes early is typically when security opens (so getting in THIS line 35-40 min. early is best). Being one of the first 8-10 families at Security will get you up front (probably first thru third family) in line at the DL turnstile. Being very near the front of the turnstiles is important (to me) so that:

- For MM I'm first on Peter Pan...if i'm first on PP then the rest of MM flows easily. & even if i'm not doing PP, i would want to be first on Matterhorn...or SM (or whatever) during MM.

"Critique of MM/EE" by Hound 109 www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392671


- Even on a non MM day, I want to be one of the first few the turnstiles so i can get to SM (or Indy) FP machine first (to start the FP collection clock). Then we'll hop on our first ride a minute or two later & begin the important first 90-120 min. of the day at DLR.

"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


The one time that I lined up 5 min. before opening (instead of 35 minutes before opening), I was way back (40-50 families back) at the turnstiles when i walked up. 2-3 rides could have been ridden by the time I've made it thru the turnstiles 10-12 min. after opening.

Plus there's lots to do while you wait the 30 min.... Pics to take, maps (& touring plans) to study, sunscreen to put on, McBreakfasts to munch on, people watching to do, talking to others in line who are as pumped up as you.

& definitely read Hydroguy's DLR for WDW vets tip thread. It's the primer for all DLR first timers.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599



My trip report (linked below) might also be helpful. Have a great time at Walt's Park.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We did one *busy* day July 2009 ~ here's my brief report *~*~*~*

 

[skiingfast]

The drive from Ontario will take 30-40 minutes going home on a Friday but much more in the morning and hour maybe one and a half. It could be messy and slow.


You might want to come Saturday night also. You can see Hollywood in half a day if you want even a few hours will do for most visitors. It depends on how many stores you want to go in.

Read those links that PP provided. DL and MK are not the same thing and even if the name is the same for an attraction it doesn't mean the ride is the same. Also F! is far better at DL as are the Fireworks. WoC of course will take even more planning if you want to see it and it isn't in the world at all.

 

[hopelea]

Thanks...I think we can do it. I know that I want to be at the park an hour early to park and get the security line. We are going to stay about 40 miles away. It is going to be a lot of fun. It was really hard convincing my DH that this is something that we should spend $100 each on. It is hard to justify spending $404 for one days worth of fun. And that doesn't include the food!!! It will be an expensive day. But well worth it!

 

[hopelea]

I would love to do DL on Saturday also, but can't talk the family into it. They want to take a starline tour of Hollywood/Santa Monica. They want to do the double decker bus that you can hop on and off of to see things. My sister lives in Upland and refuses to go to DL. It doesn't interest her at all....we are so different, if I lived that close I would have annual passes!!!

 

[JH87]

Honestly, i'd say skip the Hollywood tour and spend the day in DL. Are you going on a guided tour? The ones I have heard of are not worth the money, and i've been on on too. it was a scam and pretty much insead of telling us cool info at popular spots, they pretty much dropped you off at the spots, gave you a time frame to get back to the bus. We could have done that ourselves in the comfort of our own cars!
Or, if you must do Hollywood, drive through it yourselves, you can always GPS popular spots. I did that with some friend and had much more fun than a tour. You could do half a day in Hollywood, half in DL.

 

[hopelea]

I wish I could talk my family into that. But, my dd's want to take this tour, $35 each...with the ability to hop off the bus at any stop, hang around until the next bus comes around and get back on. I agree, there isn't much I want to see, I would rather spend my day at DLR. DD's want to go so they can say they have gone. As long as I can get DLR in on Friday, I will have a smile on my face while touring Hollywood!

 

[bumbershoot]

Come up with a plan of must-sees. Work it out, let the family know that in order to see and do the most things that everyone wants to see and do, the plan needs to be followed. It took almost 2 years to get my family to see the light...I'm not making your day miserable, I'm making your day fun and full of the things YOU guys said you wanted to do!

Consider going on your own, if your family doesn't mind, on Sunday.

If everyone has a change of heart by the end of that one day, before leaving, upgrade to a 2 day ticket!

 

[jtown]

Honestly, it all depends on how your family handles theme parks. I can go with a few friends and we hit everything we want to do in both parks in half a day with time for a couple repeats after the fireworks. At the other extreme is my buddy's family who can't make it to the park before noon if they're staying across the street and, after each ride, it's a 20 minute conference before they can agree what to do next. If that sounds like your family, just go with the flow and remember an incomplete day at Disneyland is better than no day at Disneyland.