Help for a friend visiting Disneyland for the first time please!

[pjlla]

I have a friend who is visiting Disneyland for the first time in two days (last minute trip with DH). SHe has never been there or to WDW and knows nothing. Also, coming from the east coast she is having trouble finding a DisneyLAND book. I am not really any help since I have never been to CA!

Any specific tips that you might offer? THanks so much.....P

 

[daannzzz]

You mean they are leaving 2 days from now? How many days will they be there for?
If she will be there over the week end it will probably be fairly crowded. Indianna Jones, Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountian are all closed right now. Best advice is to get up and be at the gates a half hour or so before they open. They should go in and do Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland and the Matterhorn all in Fantasyland. They can then go get a fastpass for Splash Mountain (if needed) and do The Haunted Mansion and Pirates and then head to Tomorrowland for Star Tours and then back to Fantasyland for Snow White and Pinnichio. They should be able to fit everything else in after that. If they are there on a weekday and are there for more than 2 days they can slow down as it is a slower time for the park.
If they have the time to go to the new DCA park they should go in and do Soarin' over California First and then head over to do the California Screamin Coaster. If the want to do the Sun Wheel (many peoiple chicken out) do early as it loads really slow and gets big lines. They should make a big effort to see the Aladdin show which often only shows 3 times a day, but is a big theater. Tell them not to miss the animation exhibit or It's Tough to be a Bug.
Good places to eat at Disneyland are The Blue Bayou (call ahead for PS and at lunch the serve the Monte Christo sandwiches). The Plaza Inn, The french Market and Redd Rockets.
At DCA the Pacific Warf has good bread bowl soups and salads. The Vineyard Room is expensive but supposedly really good. They can leave DCA and walk into Disney's Grand Californian for lunch or dinner at Storyteller Cafe.
There are many restaurants at Downtown Disney which is located right at the two parks.
http://www.beachcalifornia.com/dlmp.html

 

[Blackunicorn]

The Disney Store carries Birnbaum's guide to both Disneyland and Disneyworld. Barnes and Noble carries guidebooks for destinations all over the world, or any bookstore should, just ask the employees for one.

I don't really have anything to add about the park, except that it's always good to take advantage of the Fastpass system. Disneyland.com should tell which rides are fastpass, and you can get a second fastpass after the first time on your fastpass, so get another fastpass before using the first, so that some of the wait passes while you're riding. I hope I said that clearly.

Dawn