First Time - Need Recommendations

[jerzeystar09]

I have an AP for WDW, but have never been to DL before and am planning a trip for mid June of this year. Just starting to do research and am up for any and all recommendations.

We are trying to be very cost effective for this trip, so what hotels are best? Also, how many days are needed to see as much as possible? Coming from the east coast, and don't foresee coming back out west in the near future.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DLRExpert]

- Flying into the John Wayne Airport is closer and easier to travel from, but probably more expensive than traveling from LAX.
- To save money I would stay at a hotel near the Toy Story Parking Lot. This will give you two options of transportation. Hotel Shuttle or Disney Buses
- At a minimum you should give yourself two days at the parks, one day for Disneyland, one day for California Adventure, with maybe a park hopping day on the California Adventure day as CA doesn't have as much to do as Disneyland.
- However, I would recommend three days. Two for each park and a third to revisit the things that you enjoyed at both.
- Don't worry about Early Magic / Magic Morning Hours, just visit the park that is not having it on that particular day.

Also remember that a visit to the Disneyland Resort isn't like a visit to WDW. At WDW they do a better job at keeping you in the Disney Bubble. While at the Disneyland Resort even though they try to keep you there, you should really venture out and explore what Southern California has to offer. Especially if this may be a once in a lifetime trip.
- Santa Monica Pier
- Hollywood and Highland
- Griffith Park / LA Zoo
- Universal Hollywood
- Huntington Beach
- In N Out
- Knotts Berry Farm

ME

 

[Niltiac]

I have an AP for WDW, but have never been to DL before and am planning a trip for mid June of this year. Just starting to do research and am up for any and all recommendations.

We are trying to be very cost effective for this trip, so what hotels are best? Also, how many days are needed to see as much as possible? Coming from the east coast, and don't foresee coming back out west in the near future.

Thanks in advance!

When trying to keep cost down, a great option is one of the motels across the street. There are a bunch of them right across Harbor, so you're practically at the front gate. They're nothing special, but they're so close you can avoid the cost of a rental car and parking fees. If you want to spend a little more, there are some decent hotels within walking distance, but the motels are the closest. There are some decent hotels (Hilton, Marriott, etc.) near the Anaheim Convention Center, where you have the choice to either walk to the parks or walk across the street to one of DLR's parking lots and take the free shuttle. But in the end, if cost is a concern, I would just stick to the motels and enjoy the convenience.

As for how much time you need, I think it really depends on your group and your touring style. My first trip was four park days. We went from open to close each day, but it was the off season so hours were short. I think that was a good amount of time. We did nearly everything we wanted to do (the few things we missed were due to poor planning and low motivation to get them done, not because we didn't have time), and we did our favorites many times. As we left on the last day, my partner said she wished we had one more day, so I think four or five days is a good amount of time to really enjoy yourself on a first trip, especially if you don't want to stay from open to close every day. That said, you really don't *need* that much time. I think three days is enough to do just about everything but at a less leisurely pace, and two days is enough to hit the highlights.

 

[Imdboss]

1) as already stated, there are a lot of great hotel options close to DL, most located on Harbor Blvd. We stay at a couple different Hilton properties about 1 mile from the park and use the Toy Story parking lot shuttle (you don't need to park there to use the shuttle and it's free)

2) we go every year and always get 5 day PHs. I'd say a minimum of 3 days while visiting the park but if budget/time allows I'd go for 5 days

3) be aware that there might be grad nights while you are there in case you want to try and avoid them as much as possible

4) it will be very busy (as it is most days) so if you have 5 days it allows you more time to take a break mid-day to escape the crowds and possible heat

 

[chickapin parterre]

what is your lodging budget

what chain of lodging do you avoid at all costs

What do you not do at WDW

are you early morning folks?

 

[minnieralyks]

-Don't stay onsite. Not worth the $$$$ and unlike WDW, many of the hotels on Harbor are closer than the onsite hotels.

-Do at least 5 days so you can see most of both parks. While California Adventure can be done in about 1 - 1.5 days, Disneyland needs at least 3 - 4 to see everything. Downtown Disney doesn't have anything that is must-do, so no need to devote very much time there.

-There are a lot of affordable hotels and motels directly across the street from Disneyland. I would choose one close to the Harbor crosswalk so you don't have to worry about catching transportation and can head back to the hotel whenever you want. We really like the Camelot Inn and Suites and Tropicana. You can get a pretty nice discount at both if you stay 5 or more nights. McDonald's is right next to Camelot, which is nice for a quick and cheap breakfast on the go.

-Definitely do rope-drop. This is when you'll hit the most rides.

-Reservations for dining aren't as necessary here. If you really want to do Blue Bayou, character dining, etc. it is a good idea to have a reservation but no need to book them too far in advanced.

-Disneyland uses the paper FPs, so no need to reserve those. Be sure to maximize them though. You can typically pull a FP every 2 hours.

-Get park hoppers so you can visit both parks whenever you want.



Edited to add: Fly into John Wayne Airport (SNA) if at all possible. LAX takes longer to get from. It's only about a 20 minute drive by taxi from the airport to Disneyland. Also, I would do a taxi rather than a shuttle service. It's a little more expensive, but you don't need to drop off other people and can get to the hotel quicker.

 

[figment_jii]

I think you can see a lot of the highlights in three days, but you'll still have to prioritize and probably forgo some things. I would aim for at least 5 days if possible or even more if you can swing it. While there are "only" two parks, they is a lot to do in both parks. I would probably opt for two days in DCA and three in DL, but I highly recommend getting park hopper tickets. The two parks are only about 100 yards apart. Think of DL as Epcot's FW, DCA as Epcot's WS and DTD as being just outside of International Gateway. You can see the entrance to DCA from inside DL's gates and vice-a-versa. Park hopping is also useful because DL often stays open a few hours longer than DCA, so after you finish up in DCA, you can "hop" over to DL for a few hours.

In terms of lodging, as others have said, there are several motels (and one hotel) within easy walking distance of the main entrance. If you stay onsite, you have access to EMH, which can be helpful in the summer. However, the motels on Harbor are generally a lot cheaper. My family likes to stay at the BWPPI; it's a motel and there is really nothing special (nor nothing awful) about it. However, it's directly across from the main pedestrian entrance to DLR. For walking distance hotels, I liked the Courtyard by Marriott Theme Park Entrance, but it's on the pricey side (more in line with the on-site hotels).

A few other (random) thoughts:

• DLR posts their operating calendar about 45-days in advance, one day at a time. Entertainment, refurbishment, etc. is often not published at that point, but added over the course of the next several weeks. Things can change at the last minute (although, it doesn't seem like operating hours change that often once published).
• Dining reservations can be made online or over the phone 60-days in advance. I highly recommend making dining reservations if you know you want to eat a specific location and/or at a specific time, but you don't (typically) need to worry about being online right when the system rolls (no one really knows when the system rolls - it's some time between midnight and 6:00 am Pacific Time in general). You can often find prime times/locations with on a few days notice. So if you go online right on the 60-day mark and something is showing as unavailable, it probably means it's not yet been loaded into the system. This often happens at the start of a new month or when the "season" is changing (e.g., start of HalloweenTime, etc.)
• Depending on when you're going in mid-June, you may run into Grad Nites at DCA (the last one is on Jun 17th). Some people don't mind Grad Nites, others avoid them at all costs. Basically, the grads have park hopper tickets and can be in both parks during the day. Then after DCA closes for the day, their special event party starts in DCA.
• There is an Official Disneyland App that has a lot very useful information (e.g., current wait times, character schedules, etc.). I highly recommend downloading it before going.
• Right now, DLR is still using the legacy/paper FP system. However, they just announced a new MaxPass system that will roll out at some point this year. They haven't announced a starting date, but I wouldn't be surprised if it rolls out in time for spring break season.
• It probably won't help, but you might want to look into the prices of annual passes (depending on how many days you go and which WDW AP you currently have). DLR has some pretty good AP discounts on dining and merchandise (not so much so on lodging).
• If you opt to stay off-site, consider pre-purchasing your theme park tickets. Most three-day or longer pre-purchased tickets include one Magic Morning.

 

[jerzeystar09]

Thanks for all the tips. We are most likely staying in one of the closer hotels. Didn't realize how close they were to the parking lots. That's wonderful. Also probably doing 3-4 days as this is a weeklong(ish) trip with the 2nd half spent in Vegas.

 

[LizzyS]

Oh hey, I am sitting in Las Vegas at work right now! I hope you enjoy your stay here, too!

We always stay at the Red Lion right next to the Toy Story parking lot and we like it, but it sounds like you want to be a little closer. I would recommend 3 days at DLR based on past experience.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This thread has lots of helpful information: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets.

 

[mlittig]

Thanks for all the great advice I am a long time Disney World visitor but this will be my first visit to Disneyland Plus I will be taking two little girls (ages 5 & 6) for their first visit All this information will surely help with the planning

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Thanks for all the tips. We are most likely staying in one of the closer hotels. Didn't realize how close they were to the parking lots. That's wonderful. Also probably doing 3-4 days as this is a weeklong(ish) trip with the 2nd half spent in Vegas.

We're also WDW vets who did DL for the first time in a loooooong time this past summer. I think you'll find that 4 days will give you the chance to go back and hit highlights a second time, whereas three days is going to be pretty tight. Disneyland is IMO a 2 day park same as Magic Kingdom and for the same reasons ... just so much to do. And the shows at DL are so special that you won't want to pass them by because you're cramped for time. CA can be done in a long day, but if you want to double dip on Radiator Springs Racers or Guardians (and you probably will), that makes doing the park in one day a tough task.