Is 3 days enough time during Spring Break?

[clairabell29]

Hi all! I'm taking my niece on a suprise sweet 16 birthday trip March 12-15. She's never been to DL and was at WDW once when she was 8. I've been to DL during Aug and spring break before, so I know it's going to be busy.
I usually go with my DS5 and DS2 so we work the whole rider switch and getting 2 FP for different big rides at the same time. So I know it's going to take longer gathering fast passes. We always stay for 5 days too!

I know she's going to want to do all the big rides at least once. She's a HUGE tinkerbell fan, so I know we'll have to do Pixie Hollow. And I want her to experience all the little things too, like Storybook Canal and Monster's Inc.

My question is 3 days going to be enough?

I can bump it up to 4 days, and spend the 15th from open until 5pm, however that would mean a jump of $164 if I don't get an AP or $82 if I do, since we're using the 96 military pass. Would it be needed?

I'm planning on flying in on Saturday the 12th, that would put us at DL by 10:30am. I could have us fly in Friday night so we could hit opening on Sat, would that make a huge difference?

Thanks all! You are wonderful!

 

[Raindown]

If it is just you and her, then I think so. You can get a lot done in one day with a little planning and getting there early. I'd use the money during the trip.

 

[DizNee Luver]

It's possible to get everything done in 3 days even during the busy times, as long as you go in with a plan. Know exactly what you want to experience, things you'd like to get to if there's time & things you can skip this trip. Get there at opening to take advantage of smaller crowds & best time for Fantasyland rides. Gather FP's early in the day, take a break mid-afternoon & return & use your FP's for the evening.

 

[arftle]

My daughter and I will be there the 14-16th. We've made lists of what we want to ride, shows we want to see, and where we are going to eat. I've read a lot of other Disneyland forums that are saying March may not be as crowded this year since a lot of spring breaks are closer to Easter, which is at the end of April this year, so we'll see. It will be fun, though, no matter what!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Get there at opening to take advantage of smaller crowds & best time for Fantasyland rides.

Yes, get there at opening. I can't stress this point enough. In fact, get there a little before opening so you make sure you have plenty of time to get through security, etc. We've gone during spring break the last 2 years and it was pretty crowded but we were able to get a lot done in the first hour or so before it got really crowded. In fact, we got there at opening and were able to ride maybe 5-7 FL rides during the first 60-90 min. (i can't remember the exact count) and my SIL who is never able to get up early for anything, came about an hour and a half after opening and lines were already pretty long by that time. I would say that we probably only did 2 rides the next hour.

So yes, i think you could do 3 days as long as you get there at opening and at least have a plan for which 2 or 3 rides you want to do first so you don't wander around. Oh and try to eat your meals a little earlier, like 11 for lunch and 4 or 5 for dinner so you can avoid the mealtime crowds.

 

[clairabell29]

Thank you all! Makes me feel a bit better about only having 3 days. We won't be able to be there before 10:30am on Saturday if we take the Saturday flights. They land at 9:18am at SNA. We're not checking bags and taking the shuttle so I figure it will be at least 10:30am before we get to DL maybe 11am. It would cost about $50 more for the hotel to fly in the night before and get to opening on Saturday. Would it be worth it?? I know we will be staying in the park until closing every day. I know the last hour or so the park is open it usually clears out. We will not have MM due to the type of tix we have. Thanks so much everyone!

 

[danceanddisney2010]

Of course the more time you have in the park the better! But speaking from experience ... i have gone during VERY busy times for a usual of 3 days and we have always been able to do everything we wanted to do! Just scatter throughout the days you are there the things you want to do. That way you make sure you get to do everything you REALLY want to do .. and it allows for a little extra whatever time. My family doesn't really stick to too much of a schedule. It's fun to play it by ear with a few set things that are a must. We always get to do everything and most of the times a little more

Hope you have fun!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Thank you all! Makes me feel a bit better about only having 3 days. We won't be able to be there before 10:30am on Saturday if we take the Saturday flights. They land at 9:18am at SNA. We're not checking bags and taking the shuttle so I figure it will be at least 10:30am before we get to DL maybe 11am. It would cost about $50 more for the hotel to fly in the night before and get to opening on Saturday. Would it be worth it?? I know we will be staying in the park until closing every day. I know the last hour or so the park is open it usually clears out. We will not have MM due to the type of tix we have. Thanks so much everyone!

Since you can't get there until later the first day maybe you can plan to do some of the things that don't have as long of a wait and also collect FPs along the way to use later that night. Have a great trip!

 

[clairabell29]

Maybe all the fastpasses won't be gone by 11. I'll have to do some more thinking on it. If we got there Friday evening we could do DTD for a couple hours, then hit DL at rope drop...hmmm...

Also if we were to do single rider lines on IJ, GRR and screaming is there a chance we would ride together? Of course I would do the first ride together.

 

[alivingxerox]

I think since you have close to 3 full days you should be able to get in everything you'd like to do.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

My best morning ever at DL was the year that the time change fell on our Sunday. I come from CST so it was super easy for me to be the first one at DL - literally. Magic morning coupled with the time change made it wonderful, very few people for almost two hours. Luckily, the time change falls on my Sunday again this year. I am hoping for another awesome morning.

 

[clairabell29]

I didn't even think about the time change, looks like it happens while we're there too! Not sure if I can drag myself up that early after being up til midnight...lol sounds like it might be worth it though

 

[DLR29]

Maybe all the fastpasses won't be gone by 11. I'll have to do some more thinking on it. If we got there Friday evening we could do DTD for a couple hours, then hit DL at rope drop...hmmm...

Also if we were to do single rider lines on IJ, GRR and screaming is there a chance we would ride together? Of course I would do the first ride together.

Arriving at 11, most FP won't be gone. I think Space's return time will probably be for around early eveningish, and most other FP return times will be for sometime in the mid-afternoon, so it's not terrible if you get there at 11. You can start at DCA (which opens at 10), which will have only been open for an hour. The only things that will be busy at 11 at DCA would be Toy Story, Soarin, Screamin, and possibly Grizzly River Run if the weather is warm. Most other things will have wait times of 20-30 minutes max (yes, even ToT). But FP for DCA rides will probably not have return times of more than 1.5/2 hours later.

There is a chance that you would ride together with SR line, but very unlikely. That's the downside, obviously, of the SR line.

 

[clairabell29]

I never thought of starting at DCA, I always think of that as an afternoon away from the big crowds place. Thanks for the tip!