Do I need a schedule at DL?

[IBLarsen]

Hi, we are taking our first trip to DL the first week of October, being there on a wed, thurs and fri. As I read through this board, I see people trying to plan their days at DL. Is this really the best plan of action? It's my DH and I with DS 5 and DD 3. I of course want to do as much as possible with our time, we will allow for rest time in the afternoons. I wasn't sure if it's just as easy to go, and start at one side and keep going until we make our way around the park, and stop to eat when we get hungry. OR would it be best to have an 'itinerary' of what to do when and where to eat. IF SO, I have no idea how to even come up with a good schedule. Or where to start in the park. Any thoughts please??? TIA!

 

[PinkBudgie]

With small children I wouldn't worry about rushing around the park. Have an idea of a few rides/attractions you want to make sure you get to. Maybe know where you will head first when you get there, after that I'd wing it.

 

[grizbuzz]

I recommend having a plan for the mornings - when you'll do early entry morning, what rides you will go to first and what are the "must do" rides for you while you're there. You might also want to check out shows, parades, fireworks ahead of time and figure out when you'd like to do those. But I agree that you don't need a schedule for every minute you're there.

 

[twinspluscade]

I guess I'm the opposite of PP, in that with small kids I like even more having some sort of schedule.

If it were just dh and I, we could (literally!) run from one ride to another, with very little breaks. We could eat lunch at 3 pm if we wanted, or skip lunch altogether in favor of ice cream cones, or nothing at all. We could not ride our favorite rides, and it won't be a big deal.

With kids (at least mine ), it doesn't work that way. Dozens of bathroom breaks, stops for drinks of water, possible clothing changes, and lunch at decent hour means I like at least some sort of schedule to plan out the day. But probably the biggest factor is that my kids have certain rides they just HAVE to ride, and I like to get those out of the way first on our trips. Saves on the whining. .

And another big factor....waiting in lines. Having a plan cuts down having to wait in line.

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

I think it would be more safe for you to have a general guideline schedule with specifics that you want to do; especially emphasizing in rides that get long lines normally (i.e. Nemo, Peter Pan). I'm saying this because you are going the same week as the Gay Days and there is a chance that the park might be slightly more busy than normal and it would be terrible for you to miss out on rides because the lines are too long. You should look through some threads here and pick out rides you think you'd like to see or attractions/shows you like to watch and aim for those at times when they won't be so crowded.

OH !! .. and if you want to see fantasmic and the electrical parade in the same day, I recommend watching the electrical parade where the parade route starts in DCA and head over to DL to get a good spot to see fantasmic. That way you're beating the rest of the crowd who is watching the electrical parade at the tail end of the route.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We go to Disneyland with our two small children (ages 4 & 2.5) and we go without a schedule for the most part. The only thing we really have planned before we go is any PS/character meals, which of course we have to work around. In the mornings as we're getting ready we'll discuss whether we're going towards Nemo or FL and except for knowing we'll always start with PP and then Dumbo in FL, we let the kids pick what they want to go on there. We normally decide while we're in line for one ride, what we want to go on next. As for lunch time, we just wait until when we'd normally eat and start asking if the kids are hungry and we'll decide what to eat from there. We almost always take an afternoon swim/nap break and that normally happens when our little one looks like she's ready.

I think it's easier with smaller kids to not have a schedule because there isn't the same worry about going on the bigger rides as a family. I know a lot of parents utilize the parent swap pass, which might require some more planning, but so far we've tended to just skip the bigger rides, unless the lines are really short or we have fast passes for them.

 

[avalon451]

Read Hydroguy's sticky thread at the top of this forum: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

Do you want to get up late, wander around not quite knowing where things are, wait in line for rides anywhere from 30-90 minutes?

Or would you rather get up early, be familiar with what rides get busy faster, get to the parks at opening, and ride every ride your kids want with no more than 10-20 minutes' wait all day long, including taking a long midday break to swim and nap back at the hotel?

If the latter sounds better to you, for all the money you are spending on this vacation, it's really worth it to get familiar with how the park works. Some people like to say, relax, just take it all in, go with the flow. Those people usually don't want to ride the rides much, or they are AP holders who have been so many times that the rides aren't important to them (or they really, really like hourlong lines for a 3 minute ride! )

If the information gets to be too overwhelming, a couple of guides can do it for you: Unofficial Guide to Disneyland has lots of info and references, plus some premade plans you can use for touring. There's a downloadable program online called Ridemax (ridemax.com) which is fun to work with; you input the rides you want to do, and it gives you a touring plan. ($15 for a 3-month subscription).

Otherwise, getting familiar with how FastPass works, willingness to get up early, and a little research to decide what you really want to see, will make your trip LESS stressful, because having a plan in place means you don't have to stress about the decisions once you're there. You can ride lots of rides in the morning with little wait, then come back after your break and do the leisurely strolling, shopping and enjoying the atmosphere.

Hope that helps!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

After reading Avalon's last post, I feel I should clarify that we ALWAYS make it to park opening. That is a given and my DH knows it. I love the quiet time in the mornings in the park.

 

[ter-moo]

We always have a schedule, particularly when we bring the kids. They're older now, but when they were little, it really helped to have it because it cut down on arguing and begging about what to do next.

We always buy the current edition of "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland." I use one of the touring plans in the back, amending it to fit our family's needs and interests. It becomes a game for the kids as we consult the plan about what we're doing next. Their plans always have time for a rest period in the afternoon, which is ESSENTIAL with small children.

Beyond having a plan, my two BIGGEST pieces of advice are to:
1) Get there EARLY before the park opens and head straight to Fantasyland.
2) Use Fastpass whenever you can. You can also use the "Baby switch" for those rides that your kids are too small for or one of them doesn't want to ride. It saves a lot of time.

 

[camouseketeer]

We were just there last week. It was me and my DD4 and DD6.

Around 11 am I saw a wife in DCA say to her husband in a very exasperated voice, "Well get a map and we'll see what's here!" To me that is NOT the way to visit DLR.

By 11 am we had been on about 5 rides in DL, hopped to DCA, done Toy Story ride plus at least 3 others.

Did I have a plan? You bet. I'll say the same as others. Get there before opening to be one of the first in the park. That's how you get a lot done.

These rides build lines quickly and do not have FP, so I made sure I hit them close to opening:

much of FL
Nemo
Matterhorn
Star Tours
Astro Orbitor
Gadget Go Coaster in Toontown (opens 1 hr after park does)

In DCA:
Toy Story Mania
Monster's Inc.
Jumpin Jellyfish
Maybe Orange Stinger (my DD's are too short so we've not done it)

Or would you rather get up early, be familiar with what rides get busy faster, get to the parks at opening, and ride every ride your kids want with no more than 10-20 minutes' wait all day long, including taking a long midday break to swim and nap back at the hotel?

If the latter sounds better to you, for all the money you are spending on this vacation, it's really worth it to get familiar with how the park works. Some people like to say, relax, just take it all in, go with the flow. Those people usually don't want to ride the rides much, or they are AP holders who have been so many times that the rides aren't important to them (or they really, really like hourlong lines for a 3 minute ride! )

I totally agree with Avalon on this. If you want to enjoy the rides and attractions with minimal waits, some research and planning is necessary.

You have three days, one of which is a MM. Both FL and Nemo are open for MM. If you want to do both, choose one day to hit Nemo first and one day to start in FL.

Then start you collection of FP's for the bigger rides. You can enjoy those when you return in the pm after naps.

Choose one day to hit Toontown an hour after opening. I would choose Thursday because on Wed and Fri it opens an hour early for some guests with special passes.

I'm sure you will enjoy your visit to DLR, but I truly believe that a little planning adds a lot to your vacation!

 

[Hound 109]

This thread (& the advice given on it) is becoming almost sticky worthy.

All the points made above are SO correct. I know that Trey has mentioned this in one of his threads, but we on the DIS tour so differently than many who visit DLR. (thankfully)

Most DL visitors stroll in 2 hours after opening & "get a map". Most of us Disers have probably ridden 12-14 slow loading rides & have picked up 3 FPs by the 2 hour mark. While the late arriving "what should we do first" crowd is strolling up Main St. starting their day....Diser's are having a snack (or breakfast), interacting with a character (or a darth), deciding on if we want to hop to DCA or pick up another 2 FPs while touring the still semi-empty "left" side of the park. Maybe run around a pirate island or paddle a canoe?

It's not that one follows the plan....it's that when one goes to the trouble of doing a little research & makes a plan, it's easier to KNOW what rides are best to ride when. & what rides are best to avoid at a particular time.....to zig when others are zagging.

Planning helps with watching shows & parades....& helps in making sure a family departs for a much needed mid day swim/nap break. Planning means you KNOW you must get there early. & getting there early means:

- riding slow loading attractions in minutes (instead of in 30-45 min.)
- the methodical collection of FPs for later. (& you WILL need them in the evening)
- snack breaks & meal breaks not eating into prime touring times....nor are they when EVERYONE is stopping a meal.
- touring when it's less crowded so you can enjoy shows or have a nap/swim when it's more crowded.
- getting to smell the roses AND enjoy the wonderful rides WITHOUT standing in long lines.

One doesn't have to follow a plan....but a little research & the MAKING a plan can translate into an effective (& fun) method of touring & enjoying Walt's park.

hound <----is making a plan to ride Storybookland, Casey & ride on the DL Railroad next time if it's the last thing he does.

 

[Sy-]

Are you going to the parks all 3 days? Will you have 3 full days or only 1? If you are only going 1 full day then you need a plan if you want to do everything. You will also have to carefully plan when/if you want to see the parade(s) and fireworks and what rides are in close proximity (eg... you don't want to be in line for POTC when the parade starts because the parade will be done by the end of the ride. and the parade people are not going to wait for you ). If you are going 3 full days you can easily do everything you want to. You would only need to plan what days you want to see the different parades, shows and fireworks. You should plan what days you want to do character meals (if any at all) and get priority seating 2 months in advance! Don't forget to Have Fun!

Edit.... I didn't read very good... You did say how many days youe were going to be there..

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

You never said how many days you are going. It makes a big difference! If you are only going 1 day then you need a plan if you want to do everything. You will also have to carefully plan when/if you want to see the parade(s) and fireworks and what rides are in close proximity (eg... you don't want to be in line for POTC when the parade starts because the parade will be done by the end of the ride. and the parade people are not going to wait for you ). If you are going 3 or more days you can easily do everything you want to. You would only need to plan what days you want to see the different parades, shows and fireworks. You should plan what days you want to do character meals (if any at all) and get priority seating 2 months in advance! Don't forget to Have Fun!

I agree 100% !!! If you are only going for one day then you really need to map out what you want to achieve because going without a plan for a short amount of time is going to guarantee that you will not be able see/do everything you want. My fiancee's mom bought me the unofficial guide to Disneyland 2008 and they have several suggested day plans for people w/ children who are only going to be at DLR for a short amount of time. If you'd like, I can send it to you !

 

[IBLarsen]

OK, you guys are great! Thanks for all the feedback. This is exactly what I was looking for and I feel like I better start planning planning planning...which i have to tell you just makes me more excited about going. After reading the advise, I would agree that it sounds like it would make our days at DL flow a little more smoothly to have a plan of action. I actually did buy the Unofficial Disneyland Guide, thanks for the recommendations. I will have to look through some of their suggested touring plans. We really aren't sure what rides are must do's for us just yet. As I stated this is our first trip ever. I should probably start a new thread to get ideas on what's recommended for our children, from those of you with little ones who have experience. It sounds like I probably want to start off our MM with fantasy land, and I know my kids would love Toon Town. I want to hit the playhouse disney show and the electrical parade and fireworks. Will the parade be going on weekdays during the first couple days of Oct? I know because of shorter hours the fireworks will only be done on the Friday night that we are there. We again will be spending 3 full days (wed, thurs, and fri). Our kids are 3 and 5, and fairly cautious, although my 5 year old may suprise me! So if anyone has any recommendations, please do share.

 

[Hound 109]

Print park maps from the DLR website, print the abreviation page in the link below & read the links in the attached thread. (You'll want to read some of them twice & some you'll want to print):

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

OK, you guys are great! Thanks for all the feedback. This is exactly what I was looking for and I feel like I better start planning planning planning...which i have to tell you just makes me more excited about going. After reading the advise, I would agree that it sounds like it would make our days at DL flow a little more smoothly to have a plan of action. I actually did buy the Unofficial Disneyland Guide, thanks for the recommendations. I will have to look through some of their suggested touring plans. We really aren't sure what rides are must do's for us just yet. As I stated this is our first trip ever. I should probably start a new thread to get ideas on what's recommended for our children, from those of you with little ones who have experience. It sounds like I probably want to start off our MM with fantasy land, and I know my kids would love Toon Town. I want to hit the playhouse disney show and the electrical parade and fireworks. Will the parade be going on weekdays during the first couple days of Oct? I know because of shorter hours the fireworks will only be done on the Friday night that we are there. We again will be spending 3 full days (wed, thurs, and fri). Our kids are 3 and 5, and fairly cautious, although my 5 year old may suprise me! So if anyone has any recommendations, please do share.

I would also read some trip reports (especially ones with kids) since many who post have "walked in your shoes". Have a great time planning a trip to Walt's park!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i fill you may want to know electric parade goes dark after labor day i wish it wouldnt but it should be down in oct..also heard fantasmic wouldnt be running but dont know for sure

 

[Jenn1116]

Hold on just a light parade minute!!!! Do you have more details??? It can't be a season thing bc I saw ELP in February. Is it temporary???

 

[Brady's Mom]

We have 2 small children, one middle-ish and one who thinks he's an adult! So planning is imperative for us. Frequently we plan for the littles because they are the most likely to get cranky and tired. However, we also make sure our 12 year old gets to do what he really wants to do. We frequently divide and conquer.

I spent a lot of time in FL with our 2 small kids and a lot of times on Pooh. However, we also did Splash and they really like Buzz and the astro orbitor in Tomorrowland. Make sure you go to California Adventure and do all of the rides in Bug's Land multiple times. (I am sure you will love Heimlich as much as I do ) And don't forget Monsters over near ToT. When we went the first time we completely missed Monsters and it would have been great to ride it instead of standing outside Tower and having my kids scared of the thunder and lightning. But, we didn't know!!! (Pre Dis-board)

We love the stroller/parent swap. It works really well, except you have to ride singly. My DH and I did not do a lot of riding together. But, that works out okay too. We still love being at DL and being with our family. And DH is willing to go often and not everyone is.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Hold on just a light parade minute!!!! Do you have more details??? It can't be a season thing bc I saw ELP in February. Is it temporary???

In January '08 the Block Party Bash left DCA and went to WDW; leaving DCA temporarily without a parade.

The DEP was only a temporary fill-in for January and February '08.

The DEP is usually shown:

Spring Break: Nightly
March: Fri, Sat, Sun
April: Fri, Sat, Sun
May: Fri, Sat, Sun
Summer: Nightly (early June to late August)
Sept: Not shown after Labor Day
Christmas Week: Nightly (late Dec to early Jan)

The above information is generally correct, but be sure to double-check the parade dates at the following calendars:
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dis...nthly/monthly?name=CalendarMonthlyPage&bhcp=1
www.laughingplace.com/guide-cal-DCA-200807.asp

BOT

... Will the parade be going on weekdays during the first couple days of Oct? ...

Yes, the Parade of Dreams should be shown at 7 p.m. on weekdays in early October

(According to last year’s calendar: www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200710.asp.)

... I want to hit the playhouse disney show and the electrical parade and fireworks. ...

The Electrical Parade is usually not shown in October.

(Here is DCA’s calendar from last October: www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dca-200710.asp.)


HTH

 

[S. S. Columbia]

... I should probably start a new thread to get ideas on what's recommended for our children, from those of you with little ones who have experience. ...

I would highly recommend Autopia! Children love this ride!

You may be surprised at how quickly your 5-year-old will start to feel comfortable going on the “big” rides. The Matterhorn, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mtn might be doable!

I would also take the time to ride some of the Main Street transportation, like the Fire Engine, the Horse-Drawn Streetcar, the Horseless Carriage, or the Omnibus.

HTH