FIRST time, need a lot of help!

[Domique]

I just returned from our 5th WDW trip and now I feel we need to visit Disneyland! I have so many questions and will appreciate all the help and advise I can get.
This trip will be my husband and I only, we have 2 children, 1 in college and 1 HS but they will sit this trip out. We are planing on staying at the GC, and I'm thinking beginning of Nov 2015 for our schedules.
Here is my list of questions;
- Fly into LAX?
- Do the have a Magic express?
- How far is it from the airport to Disneyland?
- How many day do you recommend to visit *both* parks?
- Crowd levels vs WDW, similar?
- Expense per day for 2 on average, $200?
- Any tips?
Again, I just started planning so any advise would be welcomed!!!!
Thanks

 

[JRacine690]

Very Cool,

I lived near WDW so it was a change when I moved bear DL.

OK, you want to fly into Orange County/John Wayne Airport. Only about 5-10 miles from D Land, LAX is very far and a lot of traffic.

Not 100% on Magical Express but I do not think so.

Days in parks is a bit subjective. You could do a day per park, though California Adventure is smaller. You may want to do 3 so you can use the 3rd to go back and redo what you liked best. 2 minimum though

Crowds vary but are usually less than WDW. The share the same peak times i.e. holidays, summers etc but typically less volume than WDW

Expenses again are subjective. Eat quick service and pay less than full service. The prices in my opinion are comparable to WDW.

If you cn, stay at one of the on site resorts. and Californian is my favorite, Disneyland Hotel 2nd, Paradise Pier last.

Hope this helps, have fun

John

I just returned from our 5th WDW trip and now I feel we need to visit Disneyland! I have so many questions and will appreciate all the help and advise I can get.
This trip will be my husband and I only, we have 2 children, 1 in college and 1 HS but they will sit this trip out. We are planing on staying at the GC, and I'm thinking beginning of Nov 2015 for our schedules.
Here is my list of questions;
- Fly into LAX?
- Do the have a Magic express?
- How far is it from the airport to Disneyland?
- How many day do you recommend to visit *both* parks?
- Crowd levels vs WDW, similar?
- Expense per day for 2 on average, $200?
- Any tips?
Again, I just started planning so any advise would be welcomed!!!!
Thanks

 

[MissEllie]

- Fly into LAX?
- Do the have a Magic express?
- How far is it from the airport to Disneyland?
- How many day do you recommend to visit *both* parks?
- Crowd levels vs WDW, similar?
- Expense per day for 2 on average, $200?
- Any tips?

I'd recommend the PP and try to fly into John Wayne if you can- it's a very short distance from the parks.

There is no Magical Express- there are shuttles that you can hire (I haven't had to do it- so hopefully someone who has will come and comment) or you can rent a car.

The airport is about 10 - 30 minutes away depending on traffic.

If you're looking to make a full vacation out of it- I recommend a 5 day park hopper. This gives you two full days for each park, plus a bonus day to see anything you might have missed/ want a redo. Disneyland has about 5 attractions less than ALL of Disneyworld, so there is no way you'll get bored.

Crowd levels will be larger on the weekends (which is something I never worried about in WDW) but the bonus is longer hours/ some of the shows only run on the weekends.

Prices are similar to WDW. A counter service meal with an entree and drink will be approx $15 or so. Table service runs anywhere from $15 - $50 a person. There are a lot of cute Disneyland branded merchandise, so if you like shopping I'd bring some money for that.

I think that as a Disney Vet you'll have a LOT of fun seeing some of the same rides, and some totally new ones. I would HIGHLY recommend seeing WOC at CA as well as Fantasmic at DL. Also- you're gonna love our Space Mountain. Have fun!

 

[PinkBudgie]

You are the opposite of us. DH and I left our two college age boys at home and took off for WDW for the first time last summer for 13 nights!

I suggest a 5 day park hopper. You really need all that time to see things and go back and do favorites. And don't forget DTD which I think is much better than WDW's (but we were there during construction...)

DH and I spend way less than $200 a day. Our average meal cost is $50 to $60 a day. (At WDW it was $75 per day with almost one sit down per day). The counter service is better at DLR and more varied. (WDW had a lot more fun choices for TS, but the counter service pretty much sold the same hamburger everywhere). At DLR we split CS meals and sometimes just had an ice cream cone and called it lunch.

We stay at the Candy Cane Inn when at DLR and they provide free breakfast so we don't need to spend money on that. At WDW, of course we did not get free breakfast so we usually just ate a bar or cheese stick in our room which you could do at the GCH to save expense money. Of course, after food, whatever else you spend depends on how expensive your souvenirs are.

We had such a fun time comparing the rides and parks! Make a point to see F! I'm looking forward to seeing how the new meal packages will be.

 

[SplashMo]

John Wayne (SNA) if price is good.

A five day park hopper would be great. Make sure to rope drop a few days... Consider Chefs Table at Napa Rose for a splurge.

 

[tarheelalum]

- How many day do you recommend to visit *both* parks?
- Crowd levels vs WDW, similar?
- Expense per day for 2 on average, $200?
- Any tips?
Again, I just started planning so any advise would be welcomed!!!!
Thanks

We always drive so I can't say anything about flying in or airports.

Buy a 4 Day park hopper. It will give you enough time to do both parks. If you want to do more days that would be ok as well but you need 4. And the park hopper is key. Its nothing like WDW. The parks are a one minute walk from each other. Sometimes one park is crowded and the other one is not. On the days when one of the parks has magic mornings, and the other park does not, you'll want to start your day in the park that does not have the magic morning and maybe go to the other park to ride something that has a low wait time. With the park hopper you have that flexibility.

*Crowds depend on the day and time of the year but usually Disneyland is crowded most of the time regardless of the time of the year. No off season when its 70 and sunny in the winter.

When you say expenses do you mean everything, Hotel etc? Or just food, parking, merchandise?

If you are planning to come in the next 4 months. You should check to see which rides are going to be down. Lots of closures this winter.

If you have an android phone, get the free mousewait app. Don't pay for the platinum mousewait.

 

[SplashMo]

No magic express... You have to pay for your ride form the airport....

Either bus, taxi, van or limo.

$100.00 per person seems fine. We always buy two cases of Dasani water and carry them into the park and also have breakfast already eaten to avoid delays during rope drop. Typical counter meal is $10.00 / person and table service varies of course. I would recommend table service lunch with a reservation your first couple of days.

Crowd levels are different. Best to ask about your days on the board here as they will have the most detailed info...

 

[lalasmama]

I just returned from our 5th WDW trip and now I feel we need to visit Disneyland! I have so many questions and will appreciate all the help and advise I can get.
This trip will be my husband and I only, we have 2 children, 1 in college and 1 HS but they will sit this trip out. We are planing on staying at the GC, and I'm thinking beginning of Nov 2015 for our schedules.

My trips with just my hubby are some of my favorites!

Here is my list of questions;
- Fly into LAX?

We prefer SNA. It's smaller, and significantly closer to the parks. It can be a little more spendy to fly in to, but it's also significantly cheaper for ground transportation. We're flying into LGB on Jet Blue in 60 days; I managed a fantastic deal where round trip was $160--usually, that would be a one-way fee! Apparently, LGB is smaller than SNA, and, while it doesn't have the same ground transportation options, it still costs about the same for the taxi.

- Do the have a Magic express?

No Magical Express like at WDW. There are shuttles available from LAX and SNA called the Disneyland Resort Express, but it is *not* owned or ran by Disney.

- How far is it from the airport to Disneyland?

About an hour to 90 minutes from LAX, depending on traffic. About 30 minutes from SNA.

- How many day do you recommend to visit *both* parks?

Our first visit we did 7 days. That may be a but of an overkill for 2 adults. It was my DD's first trip, so I wanted to take a lot of time! I'd recommend 5 day parkhopper passes. That will allow you plenty of time in each park. Unlike WDW, DLR parks are right next to each other--less than 90 seconds away from each other--and are really two halves of a whole instead of two separate wholes, if that makes sense.

- Crowd levels vs WDW, similar?

Crowds at DLR may seem worse because they are more compact. Remember, there's just as many attractions, approximately, in DL/DCA as in all the WDW parks, but in an area significantly smaller, which lends to it feeling more crowded even with less numbers. Now, if you mean are the crowded times the same at DLR as at WDW, no way! WDW, as you know, is a vacation destination. DLR is a "locals" park, built in the middle of a city, and locals come whenever school isn't in session--which means Friday nights, random Saturdays, etc.

- Expense per day for 2 on average, $200?

We plan $90 per person, per day, for food and other random incidentals. Sometimes we spend more (like when we eat at Carthay Circle, or Blue Bayou), and other times we spend less, like when we're craving corn dogs.

- Any tips?
Again, I just started planning so any advise would be welcomed!!!!
Thanks

Hydroguy has a sticky thread near the top of the list of threads, titled something like "DLR for WDW vets." This is always a good thread to read! Otherwise, just ask whatever questions you come up with! Oh, and remember that DLR isn't WDW, it's Walt's original park, and those that consider DLR our home park take a lot of pride in knowing Walt walked this park, and while it's not as "expansive" as WDW, this is the park that Walt built!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hydroguy has a sticky thread near the top of the list of threads, titled something like "DLR for WDW vets." This is always a good thread to read! Otherwise, just ask whatever questions you come up with! Oh, and remember that DLR isn't WDW, it's Walt's original park, and those that consider DLR our home park take a lot of pride in knowing Walt walked this park, and while it's not as "expansive" as WDW, this is the park that Walt built!

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[Domique]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my questions!!
I am officially starting to plan today
I am so excited for our first trip to DL

 

[Larissa]

I always take the Disneyland Resort Express.
I would suggest at least 2 days/park for a first time visit, and perhaps even an extra day for your favourite (or both, if you're hopping).

SAVE MONEY / FREE OR CHEAP SOUVENIRS
-A few weeks BEFORE YOU GO, go on the Disney website and order a free Disneyland vacation planning DVD. It’s fun to watch and get excited.
-Bring water bottles and snacks. They're totally allowed in the park.
-Budget wise, sometimes it is cheaper to share adult meals than buy kids meals.
-Bring Ponchos. You’ll want them if it rains or on particular rides (Grizzly River Run can be a drencher but Splash Mountain can get you wet too). As soon as one drop of rain hits that California pavement, the Disneyland ponchos are on the shelves. And they are not cheap. We always pick up a few from the dollar store. On the same note, you may be interested in bringing a towel in the rainy season (or whenever) because sometimes the seats on some of these rides or those with outdoor tracks get wet.
-At the front desk, they give out free pins for First-timers, birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
-Try Animation Academy in Disney California Adventure. If you scrapbook, this is especially a must. You get a nice little drawing of some Disney character on 'special' Disneyland paper. Very cute.
-If you ask, apparently, you can get maps from the Jungle Cruise and pilot the Mark Twain Riverboat.
-Buy Disney-themed clothing ahead of time (try the Disney Store, Wal-Mart, H&M).You can also bring your kids' favourite Disney stuffed animal/doll to play with on the plane or in the hotel. This may curb their asking for souvenirs.
-Another cheap souvenir is the reusable popcorn buckets. When my sister was younger we always got these and took them home. She stored her Kelly dolls and Disney playsets in them.
-The LEGO store gives out free mini models once a month (I believe the first Tuesday). They are located in Downtown Disney.
-Don't buy an autograph book in the park - it'll be ridiculously expensive. Buy a Disney note book at the dollar store (and one of those pens that go around your neck). Or, if you scrapbook, bring a stack of cardstock and the autographs can go right with the photos.
-Think of creative things to autograph. For instance, my favourite character is Winnie the Pooh. I ordered Pooh's Little Book of Wisdom and had Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore sign the inside cover. It was nice and light. A picture book would work just as well. I have also seen people have characters sign baseball hats, photo mattes, t-shirts (not while wearing them), pillowcases, and DVD cases. Once I saw someone lugging a giant blank vinylmation to be signed. These double as souvenirs.
-Pin trading is great fun for young kids. You can buy a couple cheaper ones and trade with other park guests and cast members. Cast members trade one-for-one, no matter how 'good' or 'bad' the pins you offer are, so you can get some cool pins that way! It's also good for kids because they're always looking for something 'better' and 'newer'...pin trading lets them cycle through a bunch of souvenirs to get the 'best' one.
-Pressed pennies are also a relatively cheap souvenir. If you were trying to teach your kids about saving and spending, you could have them collect bottles and return them for change. This change can be used for their pressed penny collection.
-Canadians (perhaps Americans too) can get cheaper tickets through BCAA and the Entertainment book.

SAVE TIME
-Do your shopping at night. The shops are generally open on main street until 1am, or an hour after park closing.
-Check local schedules for school holidays – they’ll be busy. Also look for when Gay Days, Bat Days, Grad Nights, and Dapper Days are on because these will impact the crowds.
-Eat while waiting for parades or shows, or on the train.
-Figure out Fastpasses....and use them! Know that Fantasmic and World of Colour Fastpasses DO NOT mean you cannot get ride Fastpasses.
-If you have a favourite character, ask at the front desk if/when/where they will be out.
-Eat lunch on the trains (this is also a great way to get the kids to relax (or even nap) while not ‘wasting’ time. It’s technically a ride, and there are things to see (hint: dinosaurs) along the way.
-In Disneyland, do Peter Pan first. If you're into roller coasters, you might send one parent out with the park tickets to get Fast Passes to something else while you wait/ride PP, but that depends on how busy it is. Peter Pan gets crazy busy.
In California Adventure, go to Cars Land first. Or maybe Toy Story mania if your kids don't reach the Radiator Springs Racers' height requirement.
-Bring Ponchos. I’ve said it before – I’ll say it again! You don’t want to waste time hiding from the rain or dealing with miserable kids (...or being miserable yourself!)

MAKE MEMORIES
-Character dining is expensive, but it's almost something you've got to do once. I never did it as a kid and I turned out just fine, but we took my princess-obsessed sister when she was 6 and she was on cloud nine the whole time. She got into a conversation with Mulan as everyone was leaving and Mulan stayed with her and talked for about half an hour. We kept trying to urge her out, but Mulan went - "no rush" and kept talking. It was the sweetest thing and we have some great photos and videos. She even remembers it now (8 years later).
-Give your kids disposable cameras - you might be surprised about the things that they take photos of. Sometimes the littler ones catch details that we miss, but are just at their eye-level!
-Make the lead-up to the vacation special. Make a countdown calendar, or even just cross off the days on the calendar. Make Disney-themed crafts every weekend with the kids.
-Search for Hidden Mickeys. It’s fun feeling like you’re in on a secret.



FUN FINDS:
-Touch the apple in the queue for Snow White’s Scary Adventures and watch the window.
-If a sign in the Indiana Jones queue says not to touch something, break the rules. Also, use this decoder to decipher secret messages on the walls (http://findingmickey.squarespace.com/other-hidden-dl/adventureland/3104083)
-At the Mad Hatter’s store, watch the window.
MISC.
-If you have medication that needs refridgeration, apparently it can be stored at a First Aid Centre.

 

[mlggator]

I grew up near WDW and went there all the time until I was 29. I now live in So Cal and have had annual passes to DLR for the last 10 years or so.

You will love DLR and Grand California is by far my favorite hotel.

I would agree with a four day pass.

I would also try to fly into John Wayne airport. It's smaller and much closer. Disney does not provide magical express, so you will need to find transportation to and from the resort. Don't rent a car unless you plan to leave Disneyland and travel around to other SoCal sites.

The great thing about DLR is everything is pretty much in one place. You can walk to and from the parks, they're only a football field apart. Your hotel is right there too, as is Downtown Disney. No need to take a bus, boat, or monorail to get from place to place.

Disneyland will feel much more crowded than it actually is compared to Magic Kingdom. Remember that it was built in the 1950s and walkways are narrow, making it feel more constricted. Also, as other posters have mentioned, there are a lot more rides crammed into a smaller space.

Two things really struck me the first time I went to DLR after growing up with WDW. The castle is small - I mean really small compared to WDW. I laughed when I first saw it. The other was how crowded it felt because of the narrow walkways.

Some rides here are so much better, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Small World. And there are some rides here that are not anywhere at WDW resort, such as Indiana Jones (do not miss this ride. It's great.), Matterhorn and Radiator Springs Racers. It's fun comparing all the differences.

I just adore my new home park (DLR) and prefer it now much more over WDW. I hope you have a wonderful stay and love our park as much as WDW.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

You've got some great tips already, I just wanted to mention that you shouldn't feel it necessary to stay in the on-site hotels. It isn't like WDW, where that makes more of a difference - at DLR, there are dozens of hotels right across the street, and some of the neighboring hotels are actually a shorter walk to the front gates than the on-site hotels are. I enjoy strolling through the lobby of the Grand Californian every now and then, but I find that I spend so little time in my room on DLR trips that staying off-site for the much lower price tag is the way to go.

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

The best airport to fly into is the John Wayne (SNA). It is only about 13 miles away, and it is small and easy to navigate. LAX is, to many people, hectic, dirty, and stressful, but you can usually find cheaper flights there (and with less stops). LAX is 35 miles away, but how long it takes you depends a lot on traffic. There is no free magical express, even if you are staying at a resort hotel. There is a large tour bus called the disneyland resort express, though, but many private van companies (such as Lansky or Zippy Shuttle) can get you to your destination quicker and more reliably.

As for how many days, I would say anywhere between 3 and 5 days. If you are okay rushing around, or if you are just interested in the headliners, then 3 days will do. On the other hand, if you want to do everything the resort offers, take it slow and relax, and eat at various sit-down restaurants, 5 days (or longer) will likely suit your needs. For the complete disneyland experience, stay onsite and do full five days.

In the summer, disneyland is much more bearable than WDW, in terms of both crowds and heat. And on weekends, disneyland is more packed, because of the demographics (mostly locals go to DLR). But the two resorts share the same busy seasons (summer, holidays, etc.) and the same slow seasons (January, September, etc).

Disneyland is such a magical place and you will love it there!

 

[Indiana Scott]

We like to take a cab from John Wayne. There's no faster way to get to the park (sometimes scary fast..) and the fare is about $40 no matter how many people you have in the cab.

 

[VandVsmama]

5-day park hopper. Days at parks spread over 7-8 days. 2 days on, 1 day off. Or 3 days on 1 day off, then last 2 days at the parks.

Park hopper tickets are a must. EMH is ONLY the hour before regular opening. No evening EMH like at Wdw.

DL has way more counter service. Counter service food is very wide and varied in terms of options. My husband eats vegetarian and always found something good to eat at counter service. Dining reservations can only be made 60 days ahead of time so you will not be making dining reservations 6 months in advance.

DLR at this time does not have FP+ or magic bands. Just the traditional paper ticket FP system.

Our family tends to eat grab and go breakfasts in the room. Saves money and gets us to the park opening on time. Vons (Safeway chain) delivers groceries to your hotel if you like. Expect California prices (aka likely a bit more expensive than most other areas). Our family of 4 budgeted $150/day for food and I think we ended up somewhere between $150-200/day. Eating at Napa Rose for 2 will likely run $200. We have never eaten there but many swear that it's really fabulous. You can eat very well at DLR without ever eating at a sit down establishment.
You can also have a wonderful Disney experiencd without staying at one of the DLR hotels. If you are staying there for many days, you could always switch hotels part way through...start your stay at a Good Neighbor motel within walking distance and change the last couple of nights to a DLR hotel. But my point is that you can have a wonderful time and not stay "on site."

The benefit of doing at least 4 days is that you don't feel like you have to be rush. You can savor things a bit more. And it gives you more time to go on your favorite rides multiple times....like RSR, Pirates, the original Haunted Mansion, and many others!

 

[momsmail]

I recommend:

- SNA, not LAX (closer)

- 5 day parkhopper tickets

- Disneyland Resort Express (had wonderful experience with them)

- A good neighbor hotel. The on site hotels are nice, but can sometimes be further away from the main entrance than some off site hotels. Park Vue Inn, Tropicana, Desert Inn, Best Western, Howard Johnson, Fairfield Marriott are some that are across the street from the main entrance. Not to mention you'll save money. Take a look at a map and see what works for you.

Have fun planning!!

 

[sharonabe]

My best tip: Radiator Springs single-rider line!!! My family of four rode three times in less than an hour using this. The stand-by wait was around 45 min. Single rider is even faster than FP, but we did do FP once so we could all ride together.

I also agree with at least 4-day park hopper. We only had 3 days and we didn't get everything done we wanted. However, we did do multiple rides on several attractions because that was what our teens wanted to do.

 

[mgothel]

This is such a helpful thread! We too are thinking about going to DL for the first. I noticed the plaza inn has Minnie's breakfast. Does anyone know if you can get a reservation for this before the park opens, like you can do at crystal palace in MK?