Help! Panic attack! Can't breathe......

[tylerandalexsmom]

...it's getting dark.... (where's the little fainting icon when I need it?!) Just kidding!

I'm planning our first trip to DLR (and it's probably the ONLY trip we will be taking, at least for many years - so I want to get in all the really special stuff!) I can plan WDW blindfolded, but this is our first DLR trip, which I'm planning for Christmas. I know we have a lot of time before the reservation window opens, but my internal "WDW ADR clock" is ticking and going in to panic mode that I should have it all planned out by now!

Seriously, since I don't know when or IF we will be able to make it back to DLR (at least not while the kids are young, and definitely not during Christmas due to work-related vacation restrictions). And I have so much I want to fit in, but I'm afraid I'm going to over plan and we won't have time to get it all done. Ok, I know we can't get it ALL done, but still trying to plan to get the most of it in.... I know there in DLR everyone says its much more laid back than WDW, but I need the help of you expert planners to get an overall plan going (and calm my nerves!) I know, you'll all tell me to relax and not plan so much. But I really will feel better when I have some sort of game plan.

Planning on arriving at DLR on Friday December 21 (afternoon/after lunch), and planning on exploring the hotel and DTD. Was planning on doing dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, but that is the one thing that I could do elsewhere (like WDW), so I would be open to other options for that one (but not planning on going in to the parks that day, so would pretty much have to be at one of the resort restaurants....)

Was planning on:
Sat 12/22 -- DL
Sun 12/23 -- DCA
Mon 12/24 -- DCA
Tues 12/25 -- DL
Wed 12/26 -- hotel (DLH), DTD, and have a 5th day park hopper that could go back in to the parks

For meals -- want to do all 5 character meals, BB (for waterside -- dinner menu sounds better, but sounds like first reservation of day at lunch is better for waterside), CCT (for WOC dining -- don't care if lunch or dinner), Big Thunder BBQ, and of course, also want to fit in some of the quick service like the Cove Bar for Lobster Nachos, Carsland, and the new restaurant at DLH (Trader Sams or whatever it's called), and all the great snacks I keep reading about. WHEW! I'm tired already!

And then also planning on the Christmas tour, and want to do the Fantasmic dessert. Oh, and at least swing by Mad TParty, fit in fireworks, parades, etc.

Oh, and then of course, there's also the having time to RIDE! (We are staying onsite, so will be able to take advantage of the early entries, and we use FP a lot!!) Oh, and did I mention it will be Christmas?! so I know it will be crazy busy!

Kids are/will be 14 & 8, and fortunately they are used to going full tilt at WDW. They do like to swim at the hotel, but that time of year, I'm not sure if we will be able to (and will have the day before and after to swim if it's nice enough).

Any insight as to how to fit those in, and suggestions for which days to do what (would it be better to do the parks on different days than I was thinking? I know DL will be crowded on Christmas Day, but we like the atmosphere like at MK on Christmas Day last year....) Any help will be greatly appreciated! (sorry to write a book....)

(I know I mentioned a lot of dining -- we aren't really "foodies" -- really it's more about the experience! It's just that all those that I mentioned sound like such good experiences, and I'd much prefer a character meal to standing in line for character autographs -- and since we've got to eat anyway, we can kill two birds with one stone! )

 

[Butterfly123]

Are you getting one park tickets, or park hoppers? Because I would recommend park hoppers. The parks are really close together, and it is nice to be able to hop back and forth for FP's, entertainment (parades and shows), etc. When it's really crowded, it is nice to have the option to switch off between the two. I know with CL DCA is more of a one day park, but I still highly recommend hoppers.

Have a great time!

 

[tylerandalexsmom]

Getting park hoppers, but just trying to figure out a plan for which park to start in each day (to take advantage of early mornings), which days to do evening entertainment, and when to fit in the meals we want to do.

When we did WDW over Christmas last year, we knew the crowds would be bad, so we went prepared and arrived early and rode as much as possible before the lines got to be unbearable, and picked up FPs to use later in the day when the lines were long. Then we could spend the "peak" time of the day for dining reservations, some fun things (like makeovers, parade, etc) that didn't require standing in long lines; and used FPs and watched the fireworks at night. But then, we've ridden the rides at WDW and been to most of the restaurants and character meals, so we weren't too concered about fitting it all in -- we were just enjoying the Christmas festivities. (Although I must say, with arriving early, and using FP's, we actually got in more rides than I think we ever have before!)

But at DLR, we want to do the rides that aren't at WDW (or are different) AND fit in the cool dining experiences, and take in the Christmas festivies.

So much to do, so little time!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

wow that is alot but I am sure you can fit it in.

Plan the chr meals and BB and cc meal first. I always start on what day and what time do i want to eat at each place before i plan my rides and shows. If you are doing the tour make sure to check you may get perfured seats for fireworks or parade i know when we tried the tour (but rain made us cancel) we were going to get seats for one or both of those.)
With the halloween we are doing i know the parade is included and we will stay and watch fireworks too) i think most tours include soemthing like that.

2 read the christmas super thread if you have not yet.
3 Plan a day for carsland dca, CC meal, Mad tea part and woc (im doing one full day starting liek this)
We will line up 7am for dca, wait till 730, run to get in line for FP rsr or jsut hop in stand by line)

we will do the rest of dca that we must do (not bugs land and not most of hollywood land for my fam and only a few on Paridise pier)

Then we plan to go back for rest and come back before our resvation at cc. then after CC we are heading to Mad t party for an hour (the best part is the first 30mins thats when alice and mad hatter are on stage ) then at bout 815, or 830 we will get to the woc spot and get the best place we can for the CC fast pass we get. )

That is alot to fit in one day but seeing you want to do it all I thought Id give you my run down.
Charcter meals here are my hints.
Do Goofys kitchen for dinner not Breakfast and Id do it the first day you arive or the last day you are there)

Minnies If you do it on a MM day do it at about 930am (we saw 10chrs in two hours) If you do it at 930) you will have two in half hours to hit all the MM rides pluse a few others before you head for the Brunch at Minnies) You will be eatting at one of the more busy times of the morrning so it will be a good time)

Storytellers breakfast id do before the park opens if you can and if you eat off the menu get the stake and eggs it is the best.

Princess's Lunch was good for me I haven't ever done dinner.

never done the surfs up.
(do not forget to get photopass+ for 69bucks. (you will get every chr meals photo package and all the ride photos + all the rest the photopass photos.)

Fantasmic Desert plan for the day you do BB lunch so you can stay in that part of the park that day, Maybe make a dinner resvation so you can go stright to the F standing podium after dinner. (make sure to give your self 90mins to eat before you want to line up to pick your seats. You will want to arive 630-7pm to be in line to pick your seats for the 9pm show)

The BBQ id do a lunch)

Make sure to read the super thread for wdw vets.
Good luck and remember to take a brake relax an breath. You will have fun and get many tips from all of us. (ps sorry for spelling i typed super fast today)

 

[rtfelt]

The one good thing is all the AP's except the premium is blocked out for your days. The bad thing, you already know, it's Christmas at DLR. The last time I did Christmas at DLR was nearly 30 years ago (when it was only DL) and I swore I would NEVER do it again--and haven't. I know it's gotten even busier. I know a family who did DL Christmas day for over 30 years then stopped about 8 years ago because it was just too crazy. I know you realize that, so as long as you know this and have appropriate expectations and a good plan then hopefully it will be magical for you--Christmas is always magical at DL (we just have our DL Christmas earlier around here ).

Like others have suggested read the thread for WDW vets. It's a wealth of info.

 

[blackjackdelta]

If you have not read the board stickies you should, here is a start..There are a number of superthreads dealing with what you are asking that are updated constantly. Have a great time planning


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

Jack

 

[dsneygirl]

Just a suggestion I would NOT consider all 5 character breakfasts I think that would be way too much. Also character dining at DL is very different than at WDW.

We did Minnie's last week and saw 10 characters, Meeko, Fair Godmother, Meeko, Chip and Dale, Rafiki, Minnie, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Capt Hook. This took well over an hour (we weren't in a hurry) but more characrters = a lot more time. The characters also tend to be random so you never know who will be there.

If you do all 5 you will see many of the same characters repeated and miss out on a lot of early morning ride time. I would really just pick 2 maybe 3 if you must.

Quick service options at DL are way better than WDW there are so many really good options for good value. We were at DL for 5 days and only did 1 sit down meal.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

if you only chose a few, story tellers and surfs up could be easikly skipped and not miss much in my opinion. Minnies goofys and princess meal are must dos

 

[SplashMo]

Do Minnies for sure... The gate opens are important and you can actually hit both on the same day sometimes. Once everyone has admission to the park. You can fast pass run in that park and then also send a runner with the tickets to the other park... it is well worth it. I would check out Fantasmic and World of Color. Skip some of the character meals.

I am not convinced that counter service in DL is always better than WDW. I would place a priority on a table service lunch place in the parks each day. BB for one of the days for sure. Make sure the table service is an inside table as some are outside...

You are going to have fun and it will be easier than you think. Keep posting questions here. The board is great.

 

[gypg]

Hydroguy's DLR for WDW vets post is awesome, check it out

www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

And if that's not enough, here's a whole heckuvalotta his links.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, first stop, read the "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" thread linked to in the page Jack gave you! It's your first big bit of reading. Unless it has changed, some of it is a little outdated (if it starts with a pirate show, that's not there anymore, for example), but it's still a good *primer* in all things Disneyland.

Next, you should visit your library and get the absolute newest guidebooks, like the Unofficial Guide. Don't bother with Passporter, though, their most recently DLR guide is from '06 or something like that.

 

[tylerandalexsmom]

Thanks for all the info! I have read through some of the threads (I never seem to be able to get all the way through, and then I forget where I left off..... So I've read just enough to be dangerous! ), and I've got Birnbam's and Unofficial Guides. So I have a pretty good idea of what we want to do, it's just a matter of figuring out what to do on what days (and with the changes with CL, etc.)

One other question -- everyone says you park hop a lot more at DLR than WDW. And we do have park hopper tickets. But I know when we went to WDW this past Christmas, I was afraid to park hop or even go back to the hotel for a mid-day break for fear that the parks would fill up and we wouldn't be able to get back in (of course, later I found out that there are different levels of park closures, and as an on-site guest, it would have to have been one of the highest level closures for us to not get back in....) So, considering it will be Christmas again, should I worry about park hopping and then not being able to get back in due to crowd closures? (we will again be on-site guests if that makes a difference)

 

[DisneytheKid]

solid advice

If you have not read the board stickies you should, here is a start..There are a number of superthreads dealing with what you are asking that are updated constantly. Have a great time planning


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

Jack

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for all the info! I have read through some of the threads (I never seem to be able to get all the way through, and then I forget where I left off..... So I've read just enough to be dangerous! ), and I've got Birnbam's and Unofficial Guides. So I have a pretty good idea of what we want to do, it's just a matter of figuring out what to do on what days (and with the changes with CL, etc.)

One other question -- everyone says you park hop a lot more at DLR than WDW. And we do have park hopper tickets. But I know when we went to WDW this past Christmas, I was afraid to park hop or even go back to the hotel for a mid-day break for fear that the parks would fill up and we wouldn't be able to get back in (of course, later I found out that there are different levels of park closures, and as an on-site guest, it would have to have been one of the highest level closures for us to not get back in....) So, considering it will be Christmas again, should I worry about park hopping and then not being able to get back in due to crowd closures? (we will again be on-site guests if that makes a difference)

It will really help if you can find an hour to read the DLR Guide for WDW Vets thread I wrote. It is 100% updated except for any recent advice for CarsLand in the last 2 weeks. It will help you much better than Birnbaums at this point. You are asking questions which it addresses and answers in a form you can understand as a WDW vet.

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

Also, regarding Christmas visits, read this:

Disneyland at Christmas Time (and Holiday Season) Information & Photo Superthread! ~ Sherry E

Regarding dining and your ADR clock, read this.

"What WDW Vets Need to Know About Dining at DLR" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2914467

 

[bdmphs]

Done that trip twice and this Christmas will be the third. Recommend the Christmas tour on Christmas. Will get you on rides in the afternoon and spot for the parade without dealing with crow as much. We always find the dlr is empty until around 10:30 Xmas morning and we wake up early and get in all our favorites. As WDW vet you are not going believe the time you will save by walking from park to park. I made it from toy story to Fantasmic in DL with a 4 yrd on my shoulders in 15 minutes including the gates. You will love it!!! Try for candy canes if you catch the last day when you arrive. That was an awesome experience.