Gaining Early entry to both Disneyland and DCA

[Pacolovestacos]

Hey folks, I'm a Disney World expert but a Disneyland rookie so please excuse my ignorance. I'm going to do a West Coast trip and 3 days/2 nights will be spent in Disneyland. 1 day for DL and 1 day for DCA.

It's my understanding that a 3 day park ticket (purchased before I arrive) will allow for a Magic Morning entry on Tuesday (1st full day I plan to be there).

But if I want early entry to DCA, I would need to stay at a Disneyland Resort. This shoots a bit of a hole in my budget plans but it can be overcome. My main question is: How critical is that 1st hour of early entry at DCA? It would be in June but on a Wednesday (so perhaps crowded but not as bad as it could be).

 

[Darkbeer1]

You are right, Magic Mornings are at Disneyland 3 days a week and most 3 day or longer ParkHoppers come with one.

Extra Magic Hour is what the 3 Disney owned Hotel guests can use daily, and that is the three Magic Morning days, and the other 4 days is Early Entry at DCA.

A Wednesday in early June, I would opt to stay off-property, since you will save money and have a lot of options, such as Hotel/Motel with free breakfast, etc. Plus easy access to shopping and dining off property, such as CVS and Walgreens for basic supplies including groceries, and lower cost restaurants.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Great, thanks for the info!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It sounds like you'll be traveling solo? If so, that can really work in your favor. That first hour in DCA may not be as critical for you. You'll be able to maneuver much more easily in the parks and use single rider lines. Using FP will also help you make the most of your days in the parks. Download the free DLR app to keep track of wait times, FP availability and return times, character M&G locations, make dining reservations, etc. This thread can give you lots of helpful info: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Actually, after doing some more research, I think I will just use my points to stay at Hyatt House for free. And on Tuesday, I'll go to DCA which won't offer early hours. And on Wednesday, I'll go to Disneyland which also won't offer early hours. If the schedule flips for some reason, I'll do the reverse.

 

[MacMama0930]

I would choose to stay on site purely for the Magic Morning. I found that hour essential in doing what we wanted to do! However, like all things, the worthiness of things is totally subjective. With kids, getting on those sought after rides, like Peter Pan and RSR, was so easy with EMM. But if just an adult (to be blunt...no Whitney kids!), ESPECIALLY if you're willing to utilize single rider lines, I don't think that hour is super beneficial. It also depends on park time opening. More people are likely to be there for a 10am rope drop than an 8am.

 

[Canuck16]

I would stay off site and save the huge amount of dough on your hotel as you are only going to DCA for one day......save the hundreds and hundreds of dollars that you would be spending for basically an hour in the park and use it on something special that you can't find at WDW.

Maybe a lunch or dinner at Blue Bayou in Pirates of the Caribbean on one of your DL days.

 

[Darkbeer1]

I would choose to stay on site purely for the Magic Morning. I found that hour essential in doing what we wanted to do! However, like all things, the worthiness of things is totally subjective. With kids, getting on those sought after rides, like Peter Pan and RSR, was so easy with EMM. But if just an adult (to be blunt...no Whitney kids!), ESPECIALLY if you're willing to utilize single rider lines, I don't think that hour is super beneficial. It also depends on park time opening. More people are likely to be there for a 10am rope drop than an 8am.

Staying off-site and just buying a basic 3 day or longer ParkHopper ticket, or the SoCal CityPass gets you one Magic Morning. So it sounds like the OP will have one to use, if they choose. Just no early entry to DCA.

 

[the donut]

I agree with the overall sentiment - DCA is totally doable without the early entry. RSR, Soarin, Screamin, and GRR all have fast pass. If you stay on top of when you can get your next one, you could knock off all of those rides with minimal waiting. Toy Story Midway Mania is the only must do ride for us that doesn't have a fast pass, but in the mornings, most people are concentrating on RSR and Soarin. I would knock that out of the way first thing and you should be great! I would also recommend Mickey's Fun Wheel (no fast pass) since you're a first time visitor. It's a fantastic view of both parks.

Disneyland magic morning is more valuble as rides with no fast pass and traditionally long lines are open during magic morning (Peter Pan, Alice, Dumbo). Although someone classified these as "kids" rides, I think my husband and I love Peter Pan more than the kids at this point. We've been so many times that we do abandon Peter Pan if there's any delay to it's opening. You can end up sucking up all the least crowded part of the morning waiting in that line.

 

[MacMama0930]

Staying off-site and just buying a basic 3 day or longer ParkHopper ticket, or the SoCal CityPass gets you one Magic Morning. So it sounds like the OP will have one to use, if they choose. Just no early entry to DCA.

It sounded like he was just going to do a two day ticket with no MM?

 

[Pacolovestacos]

It sounded like he was just going to do a two day ticket with no MM?

I would have done a 3 day ticket just to get the MM. But it sounds like early mornings/magic mornings are not necessary. Just go to Disneyland on the day there is no magic morning and go to DCA on the day there is no early morning. Am I right in this line of thinking?

 

[wilkeliza]

Every time I've gone to Disneyland Early Entry was a bust. We got to the gates 30 minutes before opening and still had to wait 30 minutes past Early Entry opening to get in so missed half of Early Entry. I would not stay at a Disney owned hotel just for that if the budget could be used for other things.