First Day at DL when we arrive (1:15pm arrival at SNA), or wait until the next day?

[fctiger]

I think since they added DTD 11 years ago has made a BIG difference for people if they want to hold back on the first day or not as well! There was a time there nothing around besides your hotel or maybe go to DLH for the day and grab dinner there, walk around, maybe do the arcade, etc. Nowadays there is a lot more to do. There is more dinner options for starters, many more places for shopping or you can just see a movie which a lot of people do on their first night or somewhere during their trip.

I remember when I first went to WDW and spent my first day at DTD! I was SO jealous of how much you could do there, feel like you got the complete Disney magic and never had to step inside a theme park. This was obviously before Disneyland expanded into a resort but it made a huge difference and the experience really felt different. Hell you can spend days just catching the various Disney transportation and spending time at all the hotels since there is so much theming and activivities.

Now of course there is DTD and GCH at DLR and that alone makes a difference. Granted, its still nowhere the size of WDW but it is easily a nice distraction for a day or your arrival day.

 

[motor58]

thanks to everyone-I love hearing how everyone does it and how their kids react.

We will be flying in, only a 2hr flight so we shouldn't be that beat. We are so used to cross country flights that 2hrs is going to seem like a walk in the park.

The car seats I was going to put the ears on were the ones in our car, that we will be dumping at the airport. We are going car-less (or so I think) at DL.

We will probably go ahead and do the park that day, for an extra $30 it seems the way to go. But I am really going to think about doing the goofy dinner-that is a great idea. I have planned to do 2 character dining anyway during the week.

 

[scrapshappen]

The last two trips, we've arrived in Anaheim around 2 p.m. on a Saturday and gone straight to the parks. Our trip last October was our first with our youngest DS (he was 6 but we adopted him when he was almost 4 so that's why it was his first). So the first thing we did was get on the train and ride it all the way around the park, just to take it all in. We didn't plan to do much that day, but because Fantasmic and the FW were only on the weekends, we wanted to be sure and get one of those in on Saturday.

Have so much fun! We surprised our kids in October with the trip and that was really fun. We also had an additional surprise every day of the trip. They would open an envelope with something for the day inside: Saturday was the trip; Sunday was brunch at Goofy's; Monday was Rainforest Cafe; Tuesday they got a gift card to spend on whatever they wanted; and Wednesday was Toontown Morning Madness. They asked if we could do that on every trip.

 

[WishnDreamer]

I am new on the Disneyland forum because I am in the dreaming phase of planning a DL vacation. We just got back from our first trip to WDW a couple weeks ago. I am no veteran and have no experience with DL which could be much different. Before our trip I got a lot of advice not to go into a park the first day even though we could be in a park by 2:00 at the latest. I really felt like I wanted to be able to "see the Castle" and experience the atmosphere. So we went with no plans for rides, just parades, shows, etc. and dinner. My kids knew this but the temptation was to great once we got there but of course everything had long waits. (Like I said, this could be different at DL.) We had a fine time, but if we go again, I would settle in at the resort and enjoy things there, maybe a character dinner as was suggested.
I would definitely still want a break day in the middle too.
As for the gifts, you could give the mini-M&M tubes filled with quarters & pennies for pressed pennies, Autograph books & pens, disposable cameras, sunglasses with characters. You many want to wait til you get to Disneyland to let them pick their own ears unless you want them all to have the traditional kind. I also gave my kids Crocs and got Disney jibbitz on ebay. Mickey came in our room every night while we were there and left a jibbitz for each of them for their Crocs. DD8 who hasn't believed in Santa since she was 5 actually believed this (or played along REALLY well). That was a lot of fun.
Have a blast whatever you decide!!!

 

[rramstad]

Last visit we arrived at the hotel around 5 PM, I had to return a rental car, and we went into the park around 6:30 PM. It was awesome, and our kids would have never been able to handle not going in! We managed to see the fireworks, ride Jungle Cruise at night (much better than daytime), got a ride on Indy, hit the Matterhorn... it was really nice and felt like we "arrived" if that makes any sense.

Adding $5 per person for that extra few hours was well worth it... we're doing the same thing on our next trip, actually, we made a point of buying the longest hoppers possible, we really like to get into the park that first night, and on our last day, we like to get to the park early, hit our favorites, grab a few souvenirs, and head to the airport more or less directly from the park.

The half days can be really awesome, you are fresh, ready to go, and can run around all you want knowing you've only got a few hours... it's invigorating, and of course, late night and early morning can be great for the lack of crowds...

 

[motor58]

now that I am all set for doing the park that first day, I am reading that they are not allowing anyone to add on to their hoppers. I know things can be different with CMs at the park vs. on the phone but now I will have to think about that.

I still think we will go that first day. I will plan a break mid week and do a character meal at a hotel. If I can add on the the hoppers, great-if not that will still be a fun day too.

Thanks again for everyone's help.