How many days???

[K P & J's Grandma]

We are taking 2 of our granddaughters to California in June. They are 7 & 8. They have been to Disney World a few times. Will 3 days at Disneyland be enough? We are thinking of getting the Southern California City Pass. We are staying at the Embassy Suites South Garden Grove --- any comments?
Thank you -----

 

[iKristin]

I think 3 days would be perfect you can get all the rides in usually in that amount of time.

 

[HydroGuy]

We are taking 2 of our granddaughters to California in June. They are 7 & 8. They have been to Disney World a few times. Will 3 days at Disneyland be enough? We are thinking of getting the Southern California City Pass. We are staying at the Embassy Suites South Garden Grove --- any comments?
Thank you -----

It depends on how you tour. Do you get to the gates early or do you prefer to sleep in, eat breakfast, etc., and arrive a few hours late? If you are focused on getting to the parks early then three days will probably feel like enough. Otherwise you may need more.

Regarding your hotel choice, have you been to DLR before on a multi-day trip? Most of us see great value in staying within walking distance. See "HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862.

FYI, everyone is expecting a lot of crowds this June. Be careful and know what you are getting into. See "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983.

Also see

"Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1345319

"The Scoop on Grad Nights at DLR in May and June" - www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2298400

If you go early June see

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

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

5 days minimum especially if this is their first time to DL. 3 days is way too short even for me and I've been there many many times over the years. You can do a short 3 day trip but you will miss a lot of the little things that go into making the park what it is. 5 days is perfect so you don't have to go nuts doing everything commando style. You will be able to sit back and smell the roses, enjoy the little things that make it Walt's park.

 

[d1gitman]

I'd say 4 days would suffice. We were regular WDW guests until moving to CA last year. We did 4 days in November for our first DL experience. 4 days was more than enough. Mind you, we didn't do every single thing at the parks, but we did do most things. Then again, is it possible to do everything in one trip at any Disney park?

The other thing to note is that California Adventure should have some of it's current renovations/additions up and running by your trip in June as well.

DL is a much different experience than WDW. We find that fast passing at DL works very well. Not sure why it works better for us than WDW but it just does. One thing is there seems to be less overall walking vs. MK. If you utilize your FP's and use the attractions with shorter lines in between, you should be able to cover a lot of ground. one thing to note is Fantasy Land should be hit first thing in the AM as there are no fast pass rides in Fantasy Land. By late morning/lunch we have noticed the lines can get lengthy.

 

[HydroGuy]

DL is a much different experience than WDW. We find that fast passing at DL works very well. Not sure why it works better for us than WDW but it just does. One thing is there seems to be less overall walking vs. MK. If you utilize your FP's and use the attractions with shorter lines in between, you should be able to cover a lot of ground. one thing to note is Fantasy Land should be hit first thing in the AM as there are no fast pass rides in Fantasy Land. By late morning/lunch we have noticed the lines can get lengthy.

I would say it is for these reasons:

1. DL has longer parks hours than the WDW parks

2. Easier parkhopping at DLR makes it easier to collect FPs between DL and DCA

3. Easier park access and walking distance hotels makes it easier to get to the gates early and take mid-day breaks, which further enhances ones ability to collect and use FP.

 

[Luv4Disney]

This coming May will be DH and my first trip to Disneyland (well, not true, I was there when I was 3 but I don't count that). We are planning on buying the Southern California pass. Not sure if you know, but if you buy it through Universal's website, they give you an extra day there, so you get 2 days. I think what we're also going to do is do the Give a Day Get a Day, so we'll have 4 days there. We figure we can a park a day and then use the other 2 days to do whatever.