itinerary questions

[mrsswat]

We will be arriving Monday, 7/5 late afternoon. We were originally thinking we would do DL Tuesday and Wednesday, then tour Hollywood and Catalina on Thursday and Friday. Now we're thinking maybe we should do Catalina on Tuesday? We are coming from the East coast, so we're thinking because of the time difference we would be waking up early on Tuesday anyway, which would allow us to grab an early ferry to Catalina? Any opinions?

 

[Sherry E]

We will be arriving Monday, 7/5 late afternoon. We were originally thinking we would do DL Tuesday and Wednesday, then tour Hollywood and Catalina on Thursday and Friday. Now we're thinking maybe we should do Catalina on Tuesday? We are coming from the East coast, so we're thinking because of the time difference we would be waking up early on Tuesday anyway, which would allow us to grab an early ferry to Catalina? Any opinions?

Well, you know my feeling on that! The earlier the boat departure, the better - especially if you are going to be leaving Catalina to come back to the mainland in the late afternoon (which, I think, was your plan at one time). Get in as much time on the island as you can. It's a full day of activities if you plan it that way.

So if you went to Catalina on Tuesday, 7/6, when would DLR be? Would you then do DLR on Wednesday and Thursday, or how would that work?

 

[mrsswat]

I'm surprised you didn't say skip DL and just stay at Catalina FYI, we have decided to amend our plan about leaving Catalina early and driving mid way to Monterey the same day. We are just going to leave DL on Saturday and take a leisurely drive up the coast to Monterey that day. So that leaves coming back from Catalina an open time slot. Never having been to DL, do you recommend going on a Wednesday and Thursday, Thurday and Friday, or Wednesday and Friday with Hollywood on Thursday? Of course, this would be subject to change depending on the weather out there. The only DL reservation we are going to try to make in a few days is to do the Segway tour, so that day we would surely stay and visit the park/parks. I truly appreciate all the help we are given here on the boards, being WDW veterans, but DL and CA virgins.

 

[Sherry E]

I'm surprised you didn't say skip DL and just stay at Catalina FYI, we have decided to amend our plan about leaving Catalina early and driving mid way to Monterey the same day. We are just going to leave DL on Saturday and take a leisurely drive up the coast to Monterey that day. So that leaves coming back from Catalina an open time slot. Never having been to DL, do you recommend going on a Wednesday and Thursday, Thurday and Friday, or Wednesday and Friday with Hollywood on Thursday? Of course, this would be subject to change depending on the weather out there. The only DL reservation we are going to try to make in a few days is to do the Segway tour, so that day we would surely stay and visit the park/parks. I truly appreciate all the help we are given here on the boards, being WDW veterans, but DL and CA virgins.

Oh no! I would never say skip DLR!! I love love love Catalina, but you have to get some Mouse time in when you visit SoCal too! Those are my two favorite places - DLR and Catalina - so I would always recommend both! But it's easier to get away with a single day trip to Catalina (a full day) than it is to do at DLR. DLR requires more time, so 2 days are good for that.

That's great that you have the whole day for Catalina to leave and come back when you want to!! You can really get a lot done in a full day. Actually, you're in luck because the Flying Fish tour will be going on at that time. I highly recommend that. Another DIS-er (PrincessInOz), who just got back from Catalina not long ago, missed out on the Flying Fish Tour because they hadn't started it yet (it only runs between late May/early June to Labor Day). It's a nighttime tour, so if you can swing it, I say stay until nighttime, do the first Flying Fish tour that evening and then catch a nighttime Express boat back to Long Beach. PrincessInOz did the Semi-Sub and the golf cart (get 3 hours for the price of 2), and they both went over well, I think (thank goodness!).

Now, as for DLR and which days you should go....I am thinking Wednesday and Thursday would be better than the other two options - only because Fridays are always busier at DLR. But maybe one of our other DIS-ers here likes the Wednesday-Friday or Thursday-Friday DLR option better.