DL question

[sm4987]

Would you consider DL a major summer vacation, or more like something to do if you want to just get away for a while. My family has never been, and while interested, I'm wondering if it's not a major summer vacation. We usually go to WDW anywhere between 8 and 14 nights. I have plans on gong back to WDW this summer for 9 nights, but really would like to go to DL. How are the parks, and is there enough to do to keep a family of 4 interested? I know we can do sea world and the rest, but my main focus is Disney. Please let me know what you think. If it's not, I can plan to go to DL for the holidays next year.

 

[Sonya in Boise]

We spend 5 days there last March and I could have used a few more. We take our time and ride rides over and over, enjoy the character interaction, and just sit and watch people/ducks. When we went as kids we did the "Disney or die" way of riding rides, rushing everywhere and only spending one or two days at the most.

When the girls get older I think a week in Anaheim with 5 disney days and a few beach/shopping days will be the perfect vacation (maybe 7 disney days and 3-4 beach and shopping days).

We have been 3 different times in less than a year and there are still a few rides and show we have never seen. It really depends on what you want out of the trip, when you go (crowds), and if it's a "Magical" place or just a vacation place to you.

For me, it's all about the magic and show, so we spend alot of time just taking it all in. We go during the off season so the park hours are shorter and some of the big rides are down, but it works well for my young kids (2 and 4 yrs old). During the summer the hours are longer, but the crowds are bigger. Most all the rides are up and running, so you are able to enjoy the e-ticket rides.

We have never been to WDW, but are planning a trip sometime 2008.

 

[ChibiJones]

We're only doing 2 days at DL & DCA in March, but we're going out primarily for my sister's wedding. I've told my parents that I want to go to DL while I'm out (after the Day's Inn Miami incident of 2002, DBF doesn't get a say ).

Since my mother has managed to invite just about the entire family to our eventually-we'll-get-around-to-it elopement, I have a feeling I might get volunteered to act as tour guide for all the out of town guests

 

[disneychrista]

I guess it depends on what you think of as a "major summer vacation. This being your first trip to Disneyland, I was say you need at least 5 or 6 days to "do the resort." Spending 2 - 3 days at DLpark, 1.5 - 2 days at DCA, 1/2 - 1 day to explore DTD. Of course, as you mentioned, there are other parks in the area that you could add to "round out" your vacation. Or you could take a trip up north and visit SF and a bit more north the redwoods.

We go to DL each spring/summer and that is our "major vacation" for the year. We spend 3 - 5 full days (not counting day of arrival , day of departure) each trip. We havne't been to Universal or Knotts in 5 years & have never gone south to San Diego.

 

[sm4987]

Thanks for the information. I really do want to go, but have read that you can do it all in 3 days. We are so used to taking our time and visiting each park in WDW twice, that I was beginning to wonder if DL could spead out a whole vacation.

 

[mom_rules]

We returned from our first DL visit at the beginning of Oct. 9 days and I'm positive we did not see it all-plus we also spent time in Huntington Beach (20 mins away), Newport Beach (also 20 mins or so away) and shopping off property, and a day at Knotts (10 mins away)plus my guys had to have lunch at Hooters-I really don't think you would have a problem filling 10 days. Downtown Disney is great and there are so many places to eat and watch people. We really enjoyed DCA because it was so different from WDW.