First family visit - overwhelmed!!

[laughinplace199]

Hi All,

We are doing our first family visit to DL next month and I'm totally overwhelmed!

We usually go to WDW, which I know like the back of my hand, but there seems to be so much that we want to do and we'll only have 3 days!

We'll be getting 3 Day Park-hoppers and we'll be going to the parks on a day when DL has Magical Mornings and our other two park days will be on days where DCA will have EMH.

Any suggestions on what we should do first on our DL MM and our two DCA EMH mornings? We have three kids, DD15, DS13, & DS7, and they want to do as much as we can, especially rides that they don't have in WDW.

Thanks for any advice you can give us!

 

[peterpanandwendy]

Hi! Where are you staying?

I've never been to WDW, but from what I understand from reading these boards is that Disneyland is a MUCH more relaxed touring style We barely 'plan' anything when we go to Disneyland, other than where we are staying, and perhaps where we are eating… but you don't even have to book that too far in advance. We have made reservations a few days in advance and been totally fine.

If you really want to plan you could look at the Disneyland website to pick shows that you want to see, and schedule around the show times… or just decide when you get there, which is what we usually do.

Everything else is pretty relaxed. You could get fast passes for the big headliners first thing… like space mountain, big thunder, or RSR etc… or just go with the flow on your first day, decide what you really want to do again, and get fast passes first thing the next morning.

The other thing I seem to notice about WDW veterans coming to Disneyland is that they don't realize how close everything is. The resort hotels are literally a 5 min WALK to the front gates of the two parks, as are many of the 'good neighbour' hotels on Harbour BLVD. You don't have to worry about bus systems etc to get to and from your hotel, which frees up a TON of time for touring the parks… and all the attractions in Disneyland and DCA are much closer together than in WDW, so you can get a lot done in a day in Disneyland, especially if you are there all day.

I hope other people have better responses than me! Happy planning

 

[luulu1999]

First of all will you be staying onsite? Because otherwise you will only get the MM at DL. Everyone heads to FL first at EMH and usually straight to Peter Pan because later the line is crazy long so if that is one ride that you think your family would like that is the first place you should go, keep in mind that not all rides are open during EMH/MM

 

[laughinplace199]

We are staying at the Grand Californian (Villas).

I'm a bit relieved to hear that park touring is more relaxed at DLR. I like the idea of going with the flow for the first day and then figuring out what we still want to do/do again.

Thank you!

 

[SweetAlex]

How exciting! You'll have a fabulous time.

Honestly, we go with NO plans. None. We may wake up and say "let's watch the parade today" or "lets hit Fantasmic tonight" but other than that, we just go with the flow. We ride what we want, we eat at whatever restaurant we are close to when hunger hits. Having to plan it all out is stressful for me and only leads to disappointment when something doesn't go the way it was supposed to. I haven't been to WDW but from what I've heard, DLR is must more relaxing.

Your best strategy is to learn what you can beforehand. For instance, knowing about the "wide right" at RSR saved us a TON of wait time and understanding FP helped tremendously but you do not have to worry about having each day planned out to a T. It sounds like you will be going at a busier time than we usually do so knowing what to avoid or hit when may provide a general guideline but other than that, just have fun!

 

[peterpanandwendy]

oh yeah, I just wanted to add too, that we have always gone during busy times (we are teachers…) and we have never had an issue with fast passes 'running out' until pretty late in the afternoon/evening. So if you are just going with the flow and taking your time and you happen to wander into tomorrow land and the line for space mountain is HUGE (or whatever) than it is pretty easy to get a fast pass throughout the day… RSR may be much more difficult because it is so popular, but the other rides are easy to 'wing it'.

I've always wanted to stay at the Grand! You will have a great time! The Grand backs right onto DCA, and you have your own entrance into the park right from the hotel… it is so nice!

 

[laughinplace199]

How exciting! You'll have a fabulous time.

Honestly, we go with NO plans. None. We may wake up and say "let's watch the parade today" or "lets hit Fantasmic tonight" but other than that, we just go with the flow. We ride what we want, we eat at whatever restaurant we are close to when hunger hits. Having to plan it all out is stressful for me and only leads to disappointment when something doesn't go the way it was supposed to. I haven't been to WDW but from what I've heard, DLR is must more relaxing.

Your best strategy is to learn what you can beforehand. For instance, knowing about the "wide right" at RSR saved us a TON of wait time and understanding FP helped tremendously but you do not have to worry about having each day planned out to a T. It sounds like you will be going at a busier time than we usually do so knowing what to avoid or hit when may provide a general guideline but other than that, just have fun!

Thank you - I'm so glad to know it's ok to not have everything planned out. I've been trying to familiarize myself with the rides and where they're located so that we'll have an idea of our "must-do" rides/attractions.

What does "wide right" at RSR mean? I've seen it mentioned in other posts, but I haven't seen an explanation of what it is.

 

[laughinplace199]

oh yeah, I just wanted to add too, that we have always gone during busy times (we are teachers…) and we have never had an issue with fast passes 'running out' until pretty late in the afternoon/evening. So if you are just going with the flow and taking your time and you happen to wander into tomorrow land and the line for space mountain is HUGE (or whatever) than it is pretty easy to get a fast pass throughout the day… RSR may be much more difficult because it is so popular, but the other rides are easy to 'wing it'.

I've always wanted to stay at the Grand! You will have a great time! The Grand backs right onto DCA, and you have your own entrance into the park right from the hotel… it is so nice!

That's great info about Fastpasses. I'm definitely less stressed since I started this thread. Thank you!

I'm really looking forward to the Grand and I love that there's an entrance from the hotel to DCA!

 

[Jdismom]

We are also planning our first trip to DL, and from what I have read you should use the main entrance for EMH for DCA not the hotel one or you will be behind the crowd at rope drop. I think it's because there are less turnsills there.

I think we will plan to do TSM first because there are no FP, then California Screamin and Soarin during EMH. When the park opens to everyone we will grab Racers FP and then a World of Color FP (not connected to rest of FP). From my research so far that seems to be the recommendation for DCA.

I think the wide right people refer to is if you plan to ride RSR at rope drop with the crowd at the main gate.

 

[TinkFlies]

I have to echo others...it doesn't need to be overwhelming. It'll all work out!!!

 

[ktlm]

WDW vet here who also loves DL. I recently posted this on another thread, but I figured I would re-post it for you:

Everything is within walking distance at DL, so you don't have to have a set plan of attack. The items you need a plan for are:

1. World of Color
2. Fantasmic
3. Radiator Springs Racers
4. Anna and Elsa (and the best plan for that right now is to skip them if at all possible)
5. A TS meal or two if you so desire (I will say that while we like and book TS meals, that unlike at WDW where I would go nuts after a day of CS, at DL I could happily live on the CS options and the places you can walk up to and get in without a reservation).

Other than those- no planning is necesesary or required! That's one of the things we love about DL/CA!

I would recommend that you not miss the Aladdin show, the Indiana Jones ride and POTC-- although DL's POTC will ruin you for the WDW version.


If you are remotely into character meals, my favorite TS at DL/CA is Minnie's Breakfast. It beats all the WDW character meals. We do it around 10:00 a.m. and get park time first. The least amount of characters we have seen are 7, and usually we see more. It is not your typical WDW character meal characters either, and you never know who you are going to see- we've seen Rafiki, Hook, Fairy Godmother, Max, Tweedle Dum, Gepetto, Chip and Dale, Minnie, Mad Hatter, Alice, Brer Fox, Mary Poppins Penguin, Pinnochio Eeyore, Pooh, Tigger, Sleeping Beauty, and more I can't remember.

Have a fun trip!

As far as EMH- we head for Radiator Springs Racers, and then we do the other 2 rides in Carsland after that. Others will tell you not to do RSR during EMH because it is often down for a while at the start of EMH and just to head to TSM and maybe after that hit the other 2 Carsland rides then just get a FP for RSR once the park opens and the FP machines are working.
TSM does not have FP, but do be aware that the line is not as bad as WDW. We have found that the line is fairly regularly around 30 to 45 minutes, as opposed to the line being regularly an hour to an hour and a half at WDW.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I just wanted to say don't miss Fantasmic! When we saw it at WDW I just wanted to cry for all those poor people who are stuck watching that version. The DL one blows that one so far out of the water. It really is a must see.

We have often done the two small rides in Carsland, then over to TSMM or a rider or two, then Screamin, then FP for Cars. We were able to do all that pretty quickly. I have to say that even though it is shorter, the line for TSMM at DCA is so boring and hot! WDW's line is way better!!!

 

[sewingmolly]

While I've had a lot of success using a very detailed plan in DLR, it isn't necessary to have a great trip. Keep in mind that that the crowds are different in DLR than WDW. I have found that mornings are less crowded than WDW, but evenings are more crowded. Locals will come to the parks after work, especially on Fridays, so there may be a lot of people arriving from 5-7pm. If you're coming from the east, the time change will work in your favor.

I would say to start in Fantasyland on your DL EMH, if you have any interest in those attractions. Do Peter Pan first, if you want to ride it. If not, I would say start with the Matterhorn. It's not in WDW and while it does have single rider, it doesn't have fastpass. Peter Pan is a lot like the one in WDW, but don't miss MR Toad and Alice in Wonderland if you want to do rides not in WDW. We were the first ones on Mr Toad last week and it was REALLY hot in hell.

Most importantly, you must read Hydroguy's guide to DLR for WDW vets http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599. It's a great source of information.

 

[laughinplace199]

We are also planning our first trip to DL, and from what I have read you should use the main entrance for EMH for DCA not the hotel one or you will be behind the crowd at rope drop. I think it's because there are less turnsills there.

I think we will plan to do TSM first because there are no FP, then California Screamin and Soarin during EMH. When the park opens to everyone we will grab Racers FP and then a World of Color FP (not connected to rest of FP). From my research so far that seems to be the recommendation for DCA.

I think the wide right people refer to is if you plan to ride RSR at rope drop with the crowd at the main gate.

Thank you. I did read that about using the main entrance, but I had totally forgotten. Thanks for the reminder!

I have to echo others...it doesn't need to be overwhelming. It'll all work out!!!

Thank you! I'm so glad I started this thread - I feel much less overwhelmed now.

WDW vet here who also loves DL. I recently posted this on another thread, but I figured I would re-post it for you:

Everything is within walking distance at DL, so you don't have to have a set plan of attack. The items you need a plan for are:

1. World of Color
2. Fantasmic
3. Radiator Springs Racers
4. Anna and Elsa (and the best plan for that right now is to skip them if at all possible)
5. A TS meal or two if you so desire (I will say that while we like and book TS meals, that unlike at WDW where I would go nuts after a day of CS, at DL I could happily live on the CS options and the places you can walk up to and get in without a reservation).

Other than those- no planning is necesesary or required! That's one of the things we love about DL/CA!

I would recommend that you not miss the Aladdin show, the Indiana Jones ride and POTC-- although DL's POTC will ruin you for the WDW version.


If you are remotely into character meals, my favorite TS at DL/CA is Minnie's Breakfast. It beats all the WDW character meals. We do it around 10:00 a.m. and get park time first. The least amount of characters we have seen are 7, and usually we see more. It is not your typical WDW character meal characters either, and you never know who you are going to see- we've seen Rafiki, Hook, Fairy Godmother, Max, Tweedle Dum, Gepetto, Chip and Dale, Minnie, Mad Hatter, Alice, Brer Fox, Mary Poppins Penguin, Pinnochio Eeyore, Pooh, Tigger, Sleeping Beauty, and more I can't remember.

Have a fun trip!

As far as EMH- we head for Radiator Springs Racers, and then we do the other 2 rides in Carsland after that. Others will tell you not to do RSR during EMH because it is often down for a while at the start of EMH and just to head to TSM and maybe after that hit the other 2 Carsland rides then just get a FP for RSR once the park opens and the FP machines are working.
TSM does not have FP, but do be aware that the line is not as bad as WDW. We have found that the line is fairly regularly around 30 to 45 minutes, as opposed to the line being regularly an hour to an hour and a half at WDW.

This is great info - thanks so much!

I'm not sure if we'll see Fantasmic or WOC. For Fantasmic, it seems like you need to get there hours in advance to get a good spot and for WOC it seems like it might be hard to get a spot where my 7 year old would be able to see, so although I'd love to see both, I'm just not sure if it's worth it.

We do have some TS meals booked, but I might look into Minnie's Breakfast (we have Storyteller's and Goofy's Kitchen booked for non-park days).

Thanks also for the EMH plan of attack. That's just what I needed!

I just wanted to say don't miss Fantasmic! When we saw it at WDW I just wanted to cry for all those poor people who are stuck watching that version. The DL one blows that one so far out of the water. It really is a must see.

We have often done the two small rides in Carsland, then over to TSMM or a rider or two, then Screamin, then FP for Cars. We were able to do all that pretty quickly. I have to say that even though it is shorter, the line for TSMM at DCA is so boring and hot! WDW's line is way better!!!

I want to do Fantasmic, but not sure about it. From what I've read, you have to get there very early to get a good spot.

While I've had a lot of success using a very detailed plan in DLR, it isn't necessary to have a great trip. Keep in mind that that the crowds are different in DLR than WDW. I have found that mornings are less crowded than WDW, but evenings are more crowded. Locals will come to the parks after work, especially on Fridays, so there may be a lot of people arriving from 5-7pm. If you're coming from the east, the time change will work in your favor.

I would say to start in Fantasyland on your DL EMH, if you have any interest in those attractions. Do Peter Pan first, if you want to ride it. If not, I would say start with the Matterhorn. It's not in WDW and while it does have single rider, it doesn't have fastpass. Peter Pan is a lot like the one in WDW, but don't miss MR Toad and Alice in Wonderland if you want to do rides not in WDW. We were the first ones on Mr Toad last week and it was REALLY hot in hell.

Most importantly, you must read Hydroguy's guide to DLR for WDW vets http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599. It's a great source of information.

Thanks for the info on Fantasyland and for the Hydroguy link!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Yeah, it is hard with only three days. If you are interested in WOC or F!, try searching for some of the strategies used here to see them. They may fit for you. I've found the second showing of WOC is less crowded. And we have also stood behind the fire hydrant in the back for a great view. For F! we have used the light tower trick to get a spot at 20 min til show and we've also camped out for hours. There are also places to position yourself to swoop down and take spots in the second F! showing.
If you are looking to see the fireworks show with little waiting, the area up by IASW is wonderful for that. And they have projections up on the IASW building too.

After having gone to WDW this summer, what I like best about DLR is that you have all the rides and attractions to choose from each day. At WDW you are limited by the park you are currently in. If we are at MK, we can't just go to Tower of Terror. At DLR, all choices are open and you can hold FPs for both parks at the same time.

 

[Angrose]

I want to do Fantasmic, but not sure about it. From what I've read, you have to get there very early to get a good spot.

You don't need to get there super early for the 2nd show. Usually they do Fantasmic at 9pm, then fireworks around 9:30, then another fantasmic at 10:30. It's super easy to get a good seat for the later show because a lot of people head out after the fireworks. What I did last time was watch the fireworks on the Adventureland side of the hub, then headed over to grab a spot for F! right after. There were plenty of good spaces left.

 

[laughinplace199]

You don't need to get there super early for the 2nd show. Usually they do Fantasmic at 9pm, then fireworks around 9:30, then another fantasmic at 10:30. It's super easy to get a good seat for the later show because a lot of people head out after the fireworks. What I did last time was watch the fireworks on the Adventureland side of the hub, then headed over to grab a spot for F! right after. There were plenty of good spaces left.

Thanks for this info. I'm not sure if DS7 can make it that late (he's an early to bed, early to rise kid), but maybe DH can take him back to the room and I'll stay for the second show with DD15 & DS13.

 

[ktlm]

This is great info - thanks so much!

I'm not sure if we'll see Fantasmic or WOC. For Fantasmic, it seems like you need to get there hours in advance to get a good spot and for WOC it seems like it might be hard to get a spot where my 7 year old would be able to see, so although I'd love to see both, I'm just not sure if it's worth it.

We do have some TS meals booked, but I might look into Minnie's Breakfast (we have Storyteller's and Goofy's Kitchen booked for non-park days).

Thanks also for the EMH plan of attack. That's just what I needed!

[/QUOTE]

You are welcome! WOC is amazing. I wasn't expecting much- I'd seen dancing water at the Bellagio- and the first time I saw it I was so impressed my eyes welled up a little. DD has seen it at ages 5, 6 and 7 and you do have to plan to get a good spot. We do the dining package and get the FP that way, but you can do it without If you don't mind getting wet, the wet zone is the way to go to get a spot for a kid or adult. That is what we always do. We get right down on the rail, and depending on which way the wind is blowing, you can get soaked or not really wet at all. The wet zone does fill up, but not quite as fast as some of the other prime spots. In my opinion WOC is really worth the effort! There is nothing like it at WDW!

If you want to absolutely splurge, they do have a Fantasmic dessert package. You get an actual chair, a box of desserts and cheese and crackers, and all the non-alcoholic beverages you want. If you do the early Fantasmic, you also get to stay and watch the fireworks. It is pricey though. We enjoy it because DD with the time change is likely going to make it to the 10:30 show and be awake for it, and I'm not going to stake out a spot for hours. If your son can stay up that late, the later show wouldn't be hard to do. Fantasmic really is far superior at Disneyland. We haven't even bothered to see it at WDW since we have seen the DL version. There is a whole section with Peter Pan and Hook and a pirate ship that is fabulous. DD was always a big Peter Pan fan. If I had to skip either WOC or Fantasmic, I would skip Fantasmic though.

 

[laughinplace199]

This is great info - thanks so much!

I'm not sure if we'll see Fantasmic or WOC. For Fantasmic, it seems like you need to get there hours in advance to get a good spot and for WOC it seems like it might be hard to get a spot where my 7 year old would be able to see, so although I'd love to see both, I'm just not sure if it's worth it.

We do have some TS meals booked, but I might look into Minnie's Breakfast (we have Storyteller's and Goofy's Kitchen booked for non-park days).

Thanks also for the EMH plan of attack. That's just what I needed!



You are welcome! WOC is amazing. I wasn't expecting much- I'd seen dancing water at the Bellagio- and the first time I saw it I was so impressed my eyes welled up a little. DD has seen it at ages 5, 6 and 7 and you do have to plan to get a good spot. We do the dining package and get the FP that way, but you can do it without If you don't mind getting wet, the wet zone is the way to go to get a spot for a kid or adult. That is what we always do. We get right down on the rail, and depending on which way the wind is blowing, you can get soaked or not really wet at all. The wet zone does fill up, but not quite as fast as some of the other prime spots. In my opinion WOC is really worth the effort! There is nothing like it at WDW!

If you want to absolutely splurge, they do have a Fantasmic dessert package. You get an actual chair, a box of desserts and cheese and crackers, and all the non-alcoholic beverages you want. If you do the early Fantasmic, you also get to stay and watch the fireworks. It is pricey though. We enjoy it because DD with the time change is likely going to make it to the 10:30 show and be awake for it, and I'm not going to stake out a spot for hours. If your son can stay up that late, the later show wouldn't be hard to do. Fantasmic really is far superior at Disneyland. We haven't even bothered to see it at WDW since we have seen the DL version. There is a whole section with Peter Pan and Hook and a pirate ship that is fabulous. DD was always a big Peter Pan fan. If I had to skip either WOC or Fantasmic, I would skip Fantasmic though.

Hmmm, maybe we should rethink our plan to see WOC and Fantasmic...just when I thought I had things under control!

I did read about the Fantasmic Dessert package, but DD15 has multiple food allergies, which really limits what she can eat for dessert, and DS7 doesn't like any sweets, so it wouldn't really be worth the price for us.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I'll jump in here. My best two pieces of advice (would have been three, but you're already buying hoppers!) are:

Think of DL and DCA like one, single park. With how close their entrances are together (100 yards apart almost exactly), from a WDW perspective where the parks are so far apart from each other, that really is how it will feel. So you'll be able to cover a lot more ground and do a lot more of what you want without having to worry about logistics, transportation, travel times, and all that other messy stuff that can trip you up hopping between parks in Orlando.

And on the other hand, also remember that the two DLR parks have about as many rides and attractions packed into them as the four WDW parks put together. So don't assume you'll be able to do everything that is on your list, but also be open to the magic--it's so much easier to pivot at DLR when a ride is down or something unexpected changes your plans than it is at WDW. So go with the flow if you can. DLR will always be there to come back to for another visit.

Also, have an awesome time!!!