How many park days for October?

[amydew51]

Help me plan what to do, we have a lot of down time. Do we need more park days? Never been to DL, been to DW 3 times. Staying at Courtyard Marriott with the water park. Kids are 14,11, and 6.

Sunday- character breakfast at GCH, DH and DS will be watching an NFL game on tv until about 4:30 No other plans, maybe swim.

Monday- DL
Tuesday- CA. Our only full day and I just realized they close early at 6, for the Halloween party
Wed- debatable. Maybe rent a car and go to Rodeo drive, In N Out or go to Newport Beach or Balboa Island
Thursday- 9 am princess breakfast for me and 6 year old. Halloween Party, planning on going at 3.
Friday- DL

Do we need another CA day? If so, only option is Friday, so we would need to add some more DL time somewhere.
CA reservations are sold out M and Wed and Sunday there is the Halloween party.

 

[Dr. G]

You'll find there is less to do at Disneyland than Disney World, but there is still a ton to do and it is all so close together and also so close to your hotel (right across the street as I'm sure you know). It is relatively inexpensive to add a 4th or 5th day so if you are not already at 5 days you might consider that. Also might consider adding Parkhopper if you haven't already so you could fit in more CA time if desired. We are the types that do 5 days and love it, but others are maxed out at 3. Anyway, planning on 5 right now and getting reservations gives you flexibility at not too much incremental cost (but it is still money...). Good luck and have fun!

 

[Kit Jackson]

I would give yourself as much time in the parks as you can afford. With more days in the parks, if a ride is down, that gives you more chances to ride it another day if it is only down for the day. When I go, it's for five days because we don't do rope drop and we like not having to rush in order to do everything we want. We also like to reride our favorites. At a bare minumum, I would say 1 day in California Adventure and 2 full days in Disneyland.

 

[sjmac42]

I’d leave it as is. You can always add the parkhopper and hop to DL on the Tuesday as DL is probably where you want more time. You have the party on Thursday so will get plenty of time at DCA.

 

[sophy1996]

I’d leave it as is. You can always add the parkhopper and hop to DL on the Tuesday as DL is probably where you want more time. You have the party on Thursday so will get plenty of time at DCA.

Unless park hopper reservations aren’t available then.

 

[amydew51]

We are the type that rope drops, leaves around 1 to swim and then back to the parks from 5-10.
I don’t have any park hoppers, we never used them at DW. Can I add to just one day?
Should I add them to Monday or Tuesday and then add another park day Wed?
We only have 3 days of park tickets. Im not opposed to adding more, just not sure which days to add and which parks to pick!

 

[jskiffington]

We are the type that rope drops, leaves around 1 to swim and then back to the parks from 5-10.
[snip]

I think if you're efficient with your use of time you'll be fine for your two DLP days. One day at DCA when it's closing early can be tough, though.

Only other thing you might want to keep in mind is that there have been a lot of rides going down recently. When we were there a couple of weeks ago we had a day at DCA where RSR was down from open until 5:30PM on an OBB day. Similarly with DLP we never got to fully ride Splash as the first time we tried it went down just prior to the big lift hill (I got to be the final person taken off the ride before it closed for the night, so that was...something) and all the future times we tried to ride it went down before we got on. I don't want to scare you, but just keep in mind that if there are "can't miss" attractions then ride them early!

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

Maybe Knott's on Wednesday? Its a great park. One day in DCA is enough, but with the early closing you will miss World of Color. Get a park hopper if you can for some added flexibility.

 

[Dr. G]

The Parkhopper isn't added day-by-day--the option is added to the whole multi-day ticket. At WDW with the parks so far apart sometimes we just do one park per day. But at Disneyland we always get the Parkhopper option. It's like one minute to walk from the exit of one park to the entrance of the other.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I know a lot of people are suggesting adding a park hopper, but even if the OP wanted to do so that might not be a feasible option this late in the game. In order to do this, the OP would have to request a refund on their single park tickets, then buy entirely new park hopper tickets. Reservations do not transfer, so the OPs days and starting parks would all need park hopper availability in order to do this successfully.

Disney makes it very difficult to change/upgrade tickets, and the reservation requirement makes it even harder.

With the trip next month during one of the busiest times of the year, this might not even be possible.

OP I think you will be fine with what you have, especially with an OBB on top of your DCA day. It’s a bummer your DCA will end at 6pm and be very crowded from 3-6pm, but if you rope drop I bet you can do a lot in the park that day before you have to leave.

 

[amydew51]

I know a lot of people are suggesting adding a park hopper, but even if the OP wanted to do so that might not be a feasible option this late in the game. In order to do this, the OP would have to request a refund on their single park tickets, then buy entirely new park hopper tickets. Reservations do not transfer, so the OPs days and starting parks would all need park hopper availability in order to do this successfully.

Disney makes it very difficult to change/upgrade tickets, and the reservation requirement makes it even harder.

With the trip next month during one of the busiest times of the year, this might not even be possible.

OP I think you will be fine with what you have, especially with an OBB on top of your DCA day. It’s a bummer your DCA will end at 6pm and be very crowded from 3-6pm, but if you rope drop I bet you can do a lot in the park that day before you have to leave.

Thanks for the reply. Park hopper adds 250 dollars, which is too pricy for me. I can add 2 park days for that same amount.
Am I able to call Disney and upgrade to add additional park days? I always thought when you were in the parks you could add days.
I bought the tickets from undercover tourist if that makes a difference

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Thanks for the reply. Park hopper adds 250 dollars, which is too pricy for me. I can add 2 park days for that same amount.
Am I able to call Disney and upgrade to add additional park days? I always thought when you were in the parks you could add days.
I bought the tickets from undercover tourist if that makes a difference

I have not personally used undercover tourist, but for all ticket media, you have to cancel the original tickets, get refunded and then buy new tickets (and make all new park reservations). It’s worth calling undercover tourist to see if they can do this for you before calling Disney.

Check first to make sure there are park reservations available for the days and parks you want before canceling anything.

 

[amydew51]

I have not personally used undercover tourist, but for all ticket media, you have to cancel the original tickets, get refunded and then buy new tickets (and make all new park reservations). It’s worth calling undercover tourist to see if they can do this for you before calling Disney.

Check first to make sure there are park reservations available for the days and parks you want before canceling anything.

Hmmm…that’s not what I am reading online. I’m reading we can just call and add days, or even do it though the app

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Hmmm…that’s not what I am reading online. I’m reading we can just call and add days, or even do it though the app

I am curious what you are reading? On Disney's website or Undercover Tourist? Or are you looking for something at WDW?

You can start a chat on the Disneyland app. They will tell you how to do it.

 

[amydew51]

I am curious what you are reading? On Disney's website or Undercover Tourist? Or are you looking for something at WDW?

You can start a chat on the Disneyland app. They will tell you how to do it.

I just called and it sounds complicated but they can do it. I would have to mail in our undercover tourist tickets to them for a refund
I don’t trust that they aren’t going to mess up our reservations. We will just try to add an extra day or park hopper the first day at the window. He said he didn’t think park hopper would sell out.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I just called and it sounds complicated but they can do it. I would have to mail in our undercover tourist tickets to them for a refund
I don’t trust that they aren’t going to mess up our reservations. We will just try to add an extra day or park hopper the first day at the window. He said he didn’t think park hopper would sell out.

It does sound complicated. I would absolutely not believe that CM who says the reservations won't sell out. If you wait until you arrive just know that you might not be able to add anything. Over the summer, park reservations were wide open. Now, with Halloween time, I am seeing sold out park reservations very frequently. I was just there on Saturday and there were no single park reservations and no park hopper reservations available. I was in line at the ticket booths and overheard a CM turning people away from even entering the line because there were no ticket sales/changes left for the day.

 

[amydew51]

It does sound complicated. I would absolutely not believe that CM who says the reservations won't sell out. If you wait until you arrive just know that you might not be able to add anything. Over the summer, park reservations were wide open. Now, with Halloween time, I am seeing sold out park reservations very frequently. I was just there on Saturday and there were no single park reservations and no park hopper reservations available. I was in line at the ticket booths and overheard a CM turning people away from even entering the line because there were no ticket sales/changes left for the day.

I need to talk to my husband tomorrow but I am leaning towards maybe adding a day and dealing with mailing my undercover tickets into Disney

 

[amydew51]

California adventure just sold out for the Friday we will be there so I will just leave things be.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

California adventure just sold out for the Friday we will be there so I will just leave things be.

Ahhh too bad! I think you guys will be fine!

 

[amydew51]

Does Genie + sell out too or can we add that the day off? I’m hoping we get DAS again and won’t need Genie+.