Help! Please? Once in a lifetime family trip advice needed.

[Wcpedorc]

We are traveling from nj to Disneyland in January. It started with my brother and sister(who can afford to travel as they wish) wanting to run the star wars 10k, to celebrate my brothers birthday. They then wanted to include me since I'm the third sibling, which was awesome. So it would be my sister, her husband, my brother and his wife maybe( fear of flying), my wife, son(3), and myself. We had been planning to save up to hit disneyland, in a year or so to get my son to carsland, we will be able to save enough, it will just be tight. I decided that we should bring my mother, she has always wanted to get to disneyland, and her birthday is the day after my brothers, so we are bringing her too. Anyway, I don't know disneyland. I was there for a few hours right before a conference in San Diego a few years back, but didn't get much done. What amazing experiences, or must dos can we experience while we are there? My mom, will likely never get back, nor will my wife son and I in all likely hood. Thanks for the help.

 

[SplashMo]

How many days will you be there? Which week in January?

 

[HydroGuy]

We are traveling from nj to Disneyland in January. It started with my brother and sister(who can afford to travel as they wish) wanting to run the star wars 10k, to celebrate my brothers birthday. They then wanted to include me since I'm the third sibling, which was awesome. So it would be my sister, her husband, my brother and his wife maybe( fear of flying), my wife, son(3), and myself. We had been planning to save up to hit disneyland, in a year or so to get my son to carsland, we will be able to save enough, it will just be tight. I decided that we should bring my mother, she has always wanted to get to disneyland, and her birthday is the day after my brothers, so we are bringing her too. Anyway, I don't know disneyland. I was there for a few hours right before a conference in San Diego a few years back, but didn't get much done. What amazing experiences, or must dos can we experience while we are there? My mom, will likely never get back, nor will my wife son and I in all likely hood. Thanks for the help.

OK, I will give it to you straight. Going on a "once in lifetime" trip to DLR in January is not a very good idea. Going in 2015 when DL will be getting ready for a 60th anniversary celebration next summer will make it worse.

If you were on this forum this year from Jan-May you would have read the daily rants (justified rants IMO) from guests upset at the extremely large number of ride closures.

You can make up your own mind. Just be prepared for lots of closures.

Here are some more threads that may help you with your decision:

"What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889

"Choosing When To Visit DLR: Summary of High and Low Season and When Each Happens" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=36509602

Whatever you decide, I hope all of you have a great trip!

 

[HydroGuy]

Also see:

"What to expect for DL's 60th anniversary in 2015" - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3280301

 

[msmama]

I agree with Hydroguy about ride closures, kind of.

If the choice is to go to Disneyland when lots of things might be closed, versus never go to Disneyland, then I say go.

You'll have a small child so (at least part of the group) will most likely be skipping a lot of the big rides. If you go in KNOWING what you'll not be able to do, and focus on the stuff you will be able to do, I think you'll be okay.

I don't know if this is your first Disney trip at all, or if you've done WDW before. There is less to know about Disneyland, though I think it makes it easier to get overly obsessive.

If the idea is to spend time with family and enjoy experiences together, I think you'll have a great time!

 

[8lovesmickey]

The hardest part about "once in a lifetime" is managing your expectations. I would start by finding out which rides will be closed and just getting those out of your mind. One of the worst things is getting all psyched to ride something only to find out it's not at all available.

That said, if you go with the right frame of mind you can still have a wonderful time. The crowds should be manageable and hopefully the weather will be moderate as well. There is so much to see and enjoy and if it's the only time you can go, it's better than not going!!

Do your research and ask your family what they're interested in doing - rides, shows, parades, shopping, etc. Use these boards and the Disneyland website.

If your group doesn't want to stay together all day, make a meeting plan for meals or shows. And whatever you do, get there early. You will get more done in the first couple of hours than you may get to the rest of the day. Have fun!!

 

[Wcpedorc]

How many days will you be there? Which week in January?

We are going for the Star Wars half January 15-21

 

[Wcpedorc]

OK, I will give it to you straight. Going on a "once in lifetime" trip to DLR in January is not a very good idea. Going in 2015 when DL will be getting ready for a 60th anniversary celebration next summer will make it worse. If you were on this forum this year from Jan-May you would have read the daily rants (justified rants IMO) from guests upset at the extremely large number of ride closures. You can make up your own mind. Just be prepared for lots of closures. Here are some more threads that may help you with your decision: "What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889 "Choosing When To Visit DLR: Summary of High and Low Season and When Each Happens" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=36509602 Whatever you decide, I hope all of you have a great trip!

Decision has been made, we are doing the Star Wars race, as part of a birthday celebration for my mother and brother.

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree with Hydroguy about ride closures, kind of.

If the choice is to go to Disneyland when lots of things might be closed, versus never go to Disneyland, then I say go.

You'll have a small child so (at least part of the group) will most likely be skipping a lot of the big rides. If you go in KNOWING what you'll not be able to do, and focus on the stuff you will be able to do, I think you'll be okay.

I don't know if this is your first Disney trip at all, or if you've done WDW before. There is less to know about Disneyland, though I think it makes it easier to get overly obsessive.

If the idea is to spend time with family and enjoy experiences together, I think you'll have a great time!

The hardest part about "once in a lifetime" is managing your expectations. I would start by finding out which rides will be closed and just getting those out of your mind. One of the worst things is getting all psyched to ride something only to find out it's not at all available.

That said, if you go with the right frame of mind you can still have a wonderful time. The crowds should be manageable and hopefully the weather will be moderate as well. There is so much to see and enjoy and if it's the only time you can go, it's better than not going!!

Do your research and ask your family what they're interested in doing - rides, shows, parades, shopping, etc. Use these boards and the Disneyland website.

If your group doesn't want to stay together all day, make a meeting plan for meals or shows. And whatever you do, get there early. You will get more done in the first couple of hours than you may get to the rest of the day. Have fun!!

If you read the threads on this forum back in Jan-May you would see for at least those posters "managing their expectations" was extremely difficult. There were threads by DLR first timers with the title "2014 the worst year ever to go to DLR". I think most years in Jan-May folks manage OK. But this year the ride closures were excessively high and invited anger from folks who had already booked air travel and could not reasonably cancel. I too would have been angry. I think Disney was likely between a rock and a hard place and had no choice. But for visitors this year it was very disappointing.

 

[Wcpedorc]

I agree with Hydroguy about ride closures, kind of. If the choice is to go to Disneyland when lots of things might be closed, versus never go to Disneyland, then I say go. You'll have a small child so (at least part of the group) will most likely be skipping a lot of the big rides. If you go in KNOWING what you'll not be able to do, and focus on the stuff you will be able to do, I think you'll be okay. I don't know if this is your first Disney trip at all, or if you've done WDW before. There is less to know about Disneyland, though I think it makes it easier to get overly obsessive. If the idea is to spend time with family and enjoy experiences together, I think you'll have a great time!

We are wdw vets, I have been around 15 times, we have a timeshare in Orlando and drive down annually, I also go to an annual conference on property, I have stayed at akv, ssr, csr, and gf in sept. We will spend time together and have fun, we will be able to ride anything, that's the beauty of a big group, always someone who wants to sit out. Does DLdo rider swap? I'm looking for the info that is DL exclusive info, things a wdw vet won't know.

 

[Wcpedorc]

The hardest part about "once in a lifetime" is managing your expectations. I would start by finding out which rides will be closed and just getting those out of your mind. One of the worst things is getting all psyched to ride something only to find out it's not at all available. That said, if you go with the right frame of mind you can still have a wonderful time. The crowds should be manageable and hopefully the weather will be moderate as well. There is so much to see and enjoy and if it's the only time you can go, it's better than not going!! Do your research and ask your family what they're interested in doing - rides, shows, parades, shopping, etc. Use these boards and the Disneyland website. If your group doesn't want to stay together all day, make a meeting plan for meals or shows. And whatever you do, get there early. You will get more done in the first couple of hours than you may get to the rest of the day. Have fun!!

Again, we are not new to disney, and have experienced ride closing a, and managing expectations. I think the crowds on race weekend will be big, also it's a holiday weekend which I would imagine might make it crowded. We can and will still have fun. We are rope drop people, so we will be there early. What we are looking for is DL info, things that a wdw regular wouldn't know. Special DL stuff that we could do. For example in my several hours at DL I saw the Restraunt in potc, blue bayou I think. That's cool and I would like to try it out, but had I not seen it I wouldn't know, and on a busy weekend we might not get a good reservation. Please help me with things that we shouldn't miss at DL.

 

[Wcpedorc]

If you read the threads on this forum back in Jan-May you would see for at least those posters "managing their expectations" was extremely difficult. There were threads by DLR first timers with the title "2014 the worst year ever to go to DLR". I think most years in Jan-May folks manage OK. But this year the ride closures were excessively high and invited anger from folks who had already booked air travel and could not reasonably cancel. I too would have been angry. I think Disney was likely between a rock and a hard place and had no choice. But for visitors this year it was very disappointing.

Let's hope this year is better. Any tips on awesome DL experiences, or DL exclusive things to make sure to check out, or do?

 

[SMD]

Go to the race Expo to get your bibs and shirts on Thursday, it gets busier as the weekend goes on.

 

[Wcpedorc]

Go to the race Expo to get your bibs and shirts on Thursday, it gets busier as the weekend goes on.

This is our plan, my wife and I are doing the 5k, which is Friday morning, so we will definitely be there Thursday. Do you have experience running at DL? How busy is the expo on Thursday?

 

[HydroGuy]

Let's hope this year is better. Any tips on awesome DL experiences, or DL exclusive things to make sure to check out, or do?

Lots of them here:

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

and in the Newbie sticky thread at the top of the forum.

I always try to help folks make the most informed decision for them. Everyone has different priorities and situations. I hope everything goes as well as possible on your trip.

 

[SMD]

This is our plan, my wife and I are doing the 5k, which is Friday morning, so we will definitely be there Thursday. Do you have experience running at DL? How busy is the expo on Thursday?

I volunteered at the last expo, I didn't run. Before it opened on Thursday the line was long. They set up the bib picks ups on the first underground level of the parking garage, so it was pretty cramped. Then the t-shirts and other stuff are upstairs. After the initial group got through the line it sort of died down and was steady. On Friday is was crowded all day, with crowds building as people got off work or arrived in town. They are starting a new policy that racers have to pick up their own bibs now, so it could increase crowds. Supposedly you can get your bib at the race, and since the expo will still be going after the 5k, you could always get your shirt after the race. (I might do it this way to avoid having to get a hotel Thursday or drive down their twice. But I'm not sacrificing any park time on Friday, just delaying my return home.) If you want to buy stuff like the New Balance shoes or race merchandise, you should probably line up early Thursday because those items are popular.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

I ran the Tink half marathon, which was the same weekend (MLK weekend).

There will definitely be ride closures. Haunted Mansion will most likely still be closed for the Nbc overlay removal, but will likely open on the Monday or Tuesday after the race. Small World will be open, but will still be decorated for the holidays. It will close on Monday or Tuesday. Splash Mountain was open, but I would expect for it to be close, as well as GRR. I think Fantasmic was also dark, and the Columbia was in refurb. You can check the historical hours and see what all was closed.

The bigger issue, at least in my mind, is crowds. It will be PACKED. As the weekend builds, it will get more and more crowded. The morning are manageable, but as the day progresses, the lines are likely to get crazy.

I would recommend trying to ride as many rides as possible in the mornings, while the crowds are small. Then, use your afternoons to catch shows. Crowds will likely thin in the evenings as runners head back to get ready for their o'dark-thirty wake ups.

As for things I'd suggest: Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour (I'd take it in the afternoon, when the parks will be crowded), Mickey and the Magical Map, Aladdin, The DL-exclusive rides (Alice, Mr. toad, Snow White, Casey Jr., Storybookland boats, Matterhorn, subs, Roger Rabbit, much of DCA), the rides better at DL (Pirates, Space...). Blue Bayou is definitely full of ambiance, and I enjoyed my post-race meal there.

I think as long as you get there at rope drop, you'll be fine. I entered the park right after the half (like 9:10 or so), and it was very empty. I walked on several rides before heading back to the hotel. It was much more crowded on my return, so, take advantage of those early hours when the runners are changing and resting!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have been for MLK weekend each of the last three years. Go in expecting crowds, and you won't be surprised. As for weather, this can be quite variable. It being January, there is always the possibility of rain, but we are more likely to get caught unprepared for warmer-than-expected weather. It was quite hot during MLK weekend a couple years ago. I remember wishing we had packed some shorts and more short-sleeve shirts. Just watch the weather forecasts as your trip time approaches, and plan on packing layers.

Haunted Mansion usually re-opens that Thursday or Friday of race weekend. Small World usually closes for several weeks for its overlay removal starting a day or two after MLK day. If you don't mind Christmas in January, then ride IASW before it goes into refurb so you can experience the holiday overlay.

There will definitely be other ride closures due to the time of year and preparations in anticipation of the 60th anniversary, but people have already warned you about that. Just be aware that Disneyland doesn't typically announce their closures nearly as long in advance as WDW regulars are accustomed to so don't get your heart too set on any particular rides or shows. January tends to be a good time to spruce up the water rides so Grizzly and/or Splash may be closed. A few other rides may also be down for short or long times that may coincide with your dates. Fantasmic often goes dark during this time period, so don't count on seeing that. Another big show like Aladdin in DCA might also be closed for refurbishment and/or re-casting around that time of year, but my recollection from last year was that they kept Aladdin running through MLK and sent it into refurb a week or so after.

I haven't been to WDW to compare, but here's just some of what I would put on the try not to miss list:

Buzz Lightyear - I can't imagine not being able to move the blasters.

Matterhorn - I personally don't enjoy this ride and find it very rough, but some like to experience it since it's unique to DL.

It's a Small World holiday version

Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through

Pirates of the Caribbean

Indiana Jones

Mickey and the Magical Map show in Fantasyland

Beauty and the Beast and/or Tangled shows at the Princess Fantasy Fair - not on the scale of the grander shows like Magical Map or Aladdin but cute and fun in their own right

Fireworks show - most likely will run at least the Friday-Sunday/Monday

Check out the Saturday night Swing Dancing - if you like to swing dance go for it; even if you don't like to dance it's fun to check out the fashions and watch the dancers and listen to the great music

Aladdin show

Radiator Springs Racers

Carsland in general

California Screamin' is good if you like roller coasters

World of Color show - not a fan personally, but many people like it and I believe everyone should try everything at least once and form their own opinion

Take time to admire Buena Vista Street in DCA. They really did a lovely job with this. It's fun to ride the trolley on Buena Vista Street in DCA or one of the street cars or carriages on Main Street in DL. DCA has a couple of good shows that play frequently throughout the day on Buena Vista Street. I especially enjoy the Newsies one.

As for eating, you noticed the Blue Bayou restaurant in the Pirates ride. This is a pretty famous location. You can get dining reservations 60 days out, so if that's important to you I would recommend reserving at the 60 day mark since it is a holiday weekend. Many people will suggest that you go for lunch with an 11:30 AM seating and try to check in at least 15 minutes in advance and request a water side table for the full experience. You can request water side at check-in regardless of what time of day you choose to eat; it's just usually easier to get your request with a shorter wait time if you are a first of the day reservation.

Don't overlook counter service. I feel that DL and DCA have really improved their offerings in this category. French Market in DL is one of our family's favorites. The fried chicken at Plaza Inn is also very popular. Flo's Cafe in Carsland in DCA also has lunch and dinner food my family really enjoys. Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta is a great location for finding food in a relatively uncrowded environment, and sometimes there is even live music back there to listen to while you eat.

DL does offer rider swap passes. I've seen lots of posts about them but never used them myself so I don't know if there are any differences in the way they work at DL versus WDW.

Fastpass times are enforced like at WDW.