Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR

[BEANTOWNDR7]

Hydroguy, that is the best presentation I have ever seen for either park, thanks

 

[Piglet99645]

BUMP.

Thank you! Awesome summary. I've been several times, but this is like a refresher course in Disney strategy.

 

[yupikgal]

I am talking about during the summer blockout period (July 3-Aug 21 this year). You are going before the long blockut in which case the June blockout days are way more important than weekday vs. weekend. I would stick with blockout days as much as possible.

Hi HydroGuy, I hope you had a great Christmas? My family sure did, we got a trip to Disneyland for May/June 2011! Anyway, we are in the planning stages right now. We bought our air tickets already, and will be in Southern California for 2 weeks. We are trying to figure out what we should do first. The last 2 trips, we've been going straight to Disney, but since we are getting there a week later than last year, and it's going to be Memorial Day weekend (we will be there May 26-June 10) I'm kind of thinking maybe we shouldn't do Disney immediately this time. Can you please tell me how you find out when the AP block dates are? If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds like that is more important than avoiding weekends? Last year we were done with Disney before Memorial Day, and my daughter and I spent a leisurely day shopping and going to movies at Anaheim Gardenwalk and it was like a ghost town! Very nice and quiet...husband and son went to Knotts Berry! Thanks for your advice...

 

[SnowWhite09]

Thanks so much for the info Hydroguy, it is great and we will use all this for our July 2011 trip!

 

[GrandBob]

Can you please tell me how you find out when the AP block dates are? If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds like that is more important than avoiding weekends?

From the main disneyland.com web site, pull down the menu that says "Tickets & Packages", and click on "Annual Passports". That brings you to this page. Then under "Compare Annual Passports", each of the first 3 types has a link for "View Calendar". This shows you the blockout calendar for each type. Premium has no blockouts.

HTH,
Bob

 

[yupikgal]

Thanks, Grand Bob!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi HydroGuy, I hope you had a great Christmas? My family sure did, we got a trip to Disneyland for May/June 2011! Anyway, we are in the planning stages right now. We bought our air tickets already, and will be in Southern California for 2 weeks. We are trying to figure out what we should do first. The last 2 trips, we've been going straight to Disney, but since we are getting there a week later than last year, and it's going to be Memorial Day weekend (we will be there May 26-June 10) I'm kind of thinking maybe we shouldn't do Disney immediately this time. Can you please tell me how you find out when the AP block dates are? If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds like that is more important than avoiding weekends? Last year we were done with Disney before Memorial Day, and my daughter and I spent a leisurely day shopping and going to movies at Anaheim Gardenwalk and it was like a ghost town! Very nice and quiet...husband and son went to Knotts Berry! Thanks for your advice...

Looks like Bob beat me to it.

Also note that the best rumor right now has the new Little Mermaid ride opening in May 2011 as well as the updated Star Tours and Goofy's Sky School. If I were you I would be tempted to push the trip to the end of your two weeks with the hope of catching these. There could be some blockout issues during that time based on when the rides actually open.

 

[mac_tlc]

Great thread, hydroGuy ! I usually only lurk on the DL boards. Since we are from CT, we only get to DL every few years, but DW 2-3 times a year.

Our 8th trip to DL is scheduled for July 2011, 20th to 26th. After experiencing DW in the summer, DL seems downright cool !!! Love the lack of humidity. I hope your info on the Little mermaid, etc, turns out to be true. Looking forward to some new attratcions. Our new DSIL will be coming, and he has never been to DL !!! Gotta love newbies.

Keep up the great info.

mac_tlc

 

[Lorelai]

, HydroGuy. , indeed.

 

[yupikgal]

Hydroguy, now that it's later in the planning stages, I have our hotel booked for San Diego, staying in Old Town, since we are taking Amtrak down there, our hotel will pick us up from the train station, and we'll be able to walk to OT for dinner, and they also have the trolley system which we can take around town, as well as a hotel shuttle that would take us to Seaworld, Zoo..we might rent a car for a day or maybe 2 to hit the beaches, hoping the weather will be nice by then!

On Memorial Day, we'll head back up to Anaheim via Amtrak, and will get there around 330p, so we don't plan on doing Disney that day. We do plan on doing 5 day passes starting the 31st, and now (as you must know) that LM, ST & Goofy's Sky School are opening June 3rd, we will be there for opening day and the day after! I know it will be super crowded, so I'm thinking this time I may do a more planned park visit, maybe using RideMax or something like that? We've never seen WOC either, so that will be something we'll want to do. I've booked the BWPPI, but I'm still toying with splitting the stay and maybe doing a couple of nights onsite, not sure yet, depends on discounts. What are your thoughts/expert opinion? Thanks in advance!

 

[HydroGuy]

On Memorial Day, we'll head back up to Anaheim via Amtrak, and will get there around 330p, so we don't plan on doing Disney that day. We do plan on doing 5 day passes starting the 31st, and now (as you must know) that LM, ST & Goofy's Sky School are opening June 3rd, we will be there for opening day and the day after! I know it will be super crowded, so I'm thinking this time I may do a more planned park visit, maybe using RideMax or something like that? We've never seen WOC either, so that will be something we'll want to do. I've booked the BWPPI, but I'm still toying with splitting the stay and maybe doing a couple of nights onsite, not sure yet, depends on discounts. What are your thoughts/expert opinion? Thanks in advance!

Regarding RideMax, it is their practice to be highly conservative on new attractions until they get some data. I suspect RM people will be at DLR on June 3 based on their past.

Also, pay attention to which days are AP blocked out. That may change things. Also decide how much you want to do ST and LMAUA. Those will almost certainly need to be done first thing in the morning - but ST will have FP so you can get FP first and then come back.

With five days you should be good. Usually the parks themselves are not super slammed with crowds, just the new rides, in early June. The AP holders may slam to parks too though to see the SoundSational parade,

 

[yupikgal]

Thanks Hydro..we may stay 3 nights off, 3 nights on property for the weekend just so we'd be a little closer to the parks, and have that private entrance to DCA available. If they come out with good enough discounts, that is!

 

[mickey22]

HydroGuy-we are planning a trip down the first week of June. We already have our hotel booked, but are waiting to get our tickets. In all your experience, do you see them doing like a buy 3 get 2 free, or anything like that. I know thier current promotion ends on the 14th of April.....so I was just wondering if we would be able to maybe get a discount on our tickets. We are a family of 5, and do not live in CA, soooooo any little discount helps. I also notice on another thread about the 25% dining discount...do you think they will carry this through the summer? That would be a bonus!!!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

HydroGuy-we are planning a trip down the first week of June. We already have our hotel booked, but are waiting to get our tickets. In all your experience, do you see them doing like a buy 3 get 2 free, or anything like that. I know thier current promotion ends on the 14th of April.....so I was just wondering if we would be able to maybe get a discount on our tickets. We are a family of 5, and do not live in CA, soooooo any little discount helps. I also notice on another thread about the 25% dining discount...do you think they will carry this through the summer? That would be a bonus!!!

I have been waiting on buying our tickets for June because of the same thing.

 

[HydroGuy]

HydroGuy-we are planning a trip down the first week of June. We already have our hotel booked, but are waiting to get our tickets. In all your experience, do you see them doing like a buy 3 get 2 free, or anything like that. I know thier current promotion ends on the 14th of April.....so I was just wondering if we would be able to maybe get a discount on our tickets. We are a family of 5, and do not live in CA, soooooo any little discount helps. I also notice on another thread about the 25% dining discount...do you think they will carry this through the summer? That would be a bonus!!!

I have no idea about ticket promotions. They did it last summer but this year most people are feeling better about the economy so maybe they won't. Usually they do not.

As for dining discount, again, no one really knows. Disney is probably going to gather lots of data when they it try this in April and then decide. I have never heard about them doing the 25% thing before.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have no idea about ticket promotions. They did it last summer but this year most people are feeling better about the economy so maybe they won't. Usually they do not.

As for dining discount, again, no one really knows. Disney is probably going to gather lots of data when they it try this in April and then decide. I have never heard about them doing the 25% thing before.

The dining discount is relatively new. They offered it during the busiest time of the Christmas/New Year's holiday I believe. I really think it's just a crowd management thing to get at least some people to choose to eat at the off-peak times since it's good only for certain hours of the day when Disney deems the bulk of people aren't choosing to eat. Over the past year, Disney has also been putting 10% off shopping coupons at the bottom of some counter service dining receipts sometimes. Those coupons are good only from 9 AM - noon and seem to be designed to get some people out of ride and attraction lines and into the stores during those morning hours when fewer people are shopping. No doubt their survey people are gathering information on these discounts so they can determine what types of things to try in future. Neither of these discounts are things that should be counted on, but take advantage of them if they're available for your visit and you're looking to save some money.

 

[mickey22]

Thank you both! I will just keep watching and wishing!!!!

 

[yupikgal]

mickey22, this year's tkt promotions will be over April 14 (this week) so hopefully they will come out with the good one that we are waiting for sometime soon!! I am praying that they do the 5 for 3 again!! We will be there during the same time as you, fyi...are you staying onsite?

 

[OrcaPotter]

I have a question about the fastpasses at DL (I could ask in the Fastpass superthread, but after reading it, my answer wasn't there that I could see--if it is, feel free to remind me).

As a WDW resident (beyond vet, haha), I'm very familiar with fastpasses. Because of the frequency of my visit to the parks, however, it's very rare that my day is centered around their use. If the fastpasses I want are available and for a return time I know won't be an issue, I get one. If they're out (which is happening a lot more often now) I just pass-go, since I've no doubt been on the ride a million times before and will have the chance to ride again in the near future. It is also my understanding that even if you return past your return time, they will still honor it, even though technically CMs are not supposed to (I've never seen a CM enforce the return time, only if you arrive prior to it).

So, I've read a lot on the DL boards of folks collecting FP's and, to my understanding, using them whenever they want for the rest of the day. So, is it also the case at DL that the CMs still allow you to use a FP even if it's past your max return time? Because it appears from the reports I'm reading that folks collect their next FP as soon as the window opens again, but I don't read them using their first FP at that point. So, does DL also not worry about you returning past your max return time?

Normally I'm inclined to not focus on something like FPs, but considering this will be my very first trip to DL and there are attractions that will be completely new to me (not to mention slight differences in the park's layout), I'd like to make sure to experience it all with the least amount of July crowd stress. I'm hoping that my group and I will be able to snag a summer special for an on-site hotel so we can take advantage of MMs--but in case we don't luck out on that, I want to make sure that we get a 1-up on long lines for our must-do's.

 

[DLR29]

So, I've read a lot on the DL boards of folks collecting FP's and, to my understanding, using them whenever they want for the rest of the day. So, is it also the case at DL that the CMs still allow you to use a FP even if it's past your max return time? Because it appears from the reports I'm reading that folks collect their next FP as soon as the window opens again, but I don't read them using their first FP at that point. So, does DL also not worry about you returning past your max return time?

You are correct. CMs do allow you to come back anytime after your window has opened up. The best I've done is had 5 sets of FP and WoC FP before 10AM. Then I used them up in the afternoon/evening.