Help with touring plan

[millie0312]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to DLR as neither DH nor I have been since we were young kids and I could use some help with my touring plan.
Background: 3 adults with DD7 and DS3 months, will be using 3 days of 1-park per day passes, staying night before parks at HoJo, followed by 2 nights at GCH then the day we leave the parks we are going to the knott's berry farm hotel (were spending the next days at Knott's berry farm). I planning on spending 2 days at DLR and 1 at CA. We are going 12/13-12/15 and have an early morning at DLR sat and CA Sunday. My family does best with a basic game plan and being flexible as needed (otherwise we argue about where to go each ride lol).
Question: I have a subscription to touring plan as well as the unofficial book and have been on this site quite a but, however I'm still unclear as to the best order in order to minimize wait times (at least as much as you can for the holiday season lol). We are planning on hitting all the thrill rides (everything with a height limit) as well as all the major must sees. I put in my must see rides/shows to touring plan and it gave me some plan that didn't seem right at all even for a new DIS'er like me ie Peter Pan mid day. Can anyone give me a good direction of what rides need to be done at certain times or get a fast pass by a certain time? (Or even what rides you can do any time with not much wait as fill in rides?) also any tips for a pretty much first time trip? Any help would be very much appreciated as I'm getting pretty close to my trip!!

 

[CaptBane]

At the beginning of the day Fantasy land can be pretty much walk on rides. Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Peter Pan Always seems to have a huge line. Don't forget to do the walk through of Sleeping Beauties Castle. And you can check at the Main Street Train Station to see if they'er running the Lilly Bell and get a reservation. (Its a 50/50 shot)

 

[MouseEXP]

Here is what I would recommend. Not sure if you will have the parkhopper ticket, but that might be a good thing to have for the third and final day at the parks.

Disneyland:
645am: Get to the entrance to Disneyland 15-30 minutes before it opens for Early Entry
7am-8am: Enter Fantasyland and ride Peter Pan first, then Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland and the Matterhorn.
8am-830: Ride the remaining FL attractions that are not open during Early Entry, just make sure you are out of there by 830am.
830am-11am: Jingle Cruise, Grab a FP for Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Splash Mountain, grab a FP for Big Thunder, use FP for Indiana Jones, Pirates, Grab FP for Space Mountain, use FP for Big Thunder Mountain.
11am-12pm: Lunch Time
12pm-3pm: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Grab FP for Star Tours, use FP for Space Mountain, ride attractions in the Tomorrowland area until it is time to use the FP for Star Tours.
3pm...Open. Perhaps go back to the hotel to rest.

Disney California Adventure:
645am: Get to the entrance to DCA. Do not use the GCH entrance to DCA
15-30 minutes before it opens for Early Entry
7am-8am: Enter Cars Land and ride Radiator Springs Racers first and then head to Toy Story Mania.
8am-9am: Ride the remaining Paradise Pier attractions. Starting with California Screamin, Mickeys Fun Wheel, Symphony Swings, and the Little Mermaid.
9am-10am: Grab a FP for RSR, Ride Soarin, Grab a FP for the World of Color, ride Grizzly River
10am-11am: Bugs Land attractions
11am: Lunch
12pm-2pm Check out Hollywood Land attractions at 1230pm get in line for the 1240 Aladdin show. Should be time to use the FP for RSR, or perhaps you can get another FP for RSR
2pm...Open. Perhaps go back to the hotel to rest.

 

[Off to Neverland 7]

On your DCA day, get to Carsland first thing in the morning. Get your fastpass for Radiator Springs Racers then walk right on. Definitely worth riding twice. Also, make sure to get your World of Color fastpass before the midway point in the day to lock it in. Holiday World of Color is a must! So fun and entertaining

I would also recommend using your Extra Magic Hour while staying at GCH and ride all the major rides (Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, Thunder Mountain, Screamin, ToT, Toy Story) out of the way.

But most importantly, have a GREAT time! There's something special about the Disneyland during the holidays

Off To Neverland



Disneyland Resort annually Spring Break 1993-2000 & Passholder 2004-2014, Caribbean Beach Resort July 2001, Paradise Pier Resort 2009, November 2014, Grand Californian April 2010, Pop Century Sept 2012 & Sept 2013, Disneyland Hong Kong July 2013, Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Villas & Universal's Cabana Bay Sept 2014, Pop Century & Disney Dream Feb 2015!!

 

[millie0312]

Thank you so much for the help!! A few more thing as I finalize my plans- which rides always have a long line? Which ones are almost always short lines or walk on? Do any of the FP rides run out very early? Anyone have recommendations of rides we will definetly want to ride twice? TIA!

 

[SplashMo]

Main thing. Arrive early each day. MouseEXP has given you a solid plan... DO you want to do A&E as well?

 

[millie0312]

Main thing. Arrive early each day. MouseEXP has given you a solid plan... DO you want to do A&E as well?

Yes- we are planning on doing A&E. Hoping to get to the parks 30+ mins before EE. I'm just trying to figure out when I should fill in the rest of the items we want to do and in what order using MouseEXP's plan