It's official- tell me 3 days will be enough

[rentayenta]

So I had to bank my unused (I know, horrific) DVC points by tomorrow which meant I had to make a final decision on the length of our holiday trip.

Three days won over 4 for various reasons but now I am freaking a little over being able to get everything we love in especially during the holidays.

Arrival: Nov 27-Nov 30. We'll be coming from my best friend's house who lives maybe 15 minutes from Disneyland so we'll be able to rope drop. We arrive with her the day before Thanksgiving and will be staying there 4 nights.

Tickets: my friend who usually sings us in will be vacationing as well so ticket prices just increased for my budget. I do have access to 3 day hoppers for $99 each from a friend whose has a military ID. There isn't a 4 day option. And no she doesn't have to be with me for me to use the tickets.

Travel: we'll be driving and as it stands now.....
Wed: leave 5 am, drive straight thru meaning no stop in Vegas overnight. However, I am wondering what that traffic will look like? Maybe we should leave Tuesday night and stop in Vegas?

Thurs: Thanksgiving

Friday and Saturday: beach/shopping days

Sun, Mon, and Tues: Disneyland/DCA

Tues: leave So Cal, maybe stop in Vegas, not sure, it depends on when DH works.

From looking at last year's hours it appears to be a semi slow week with no set ride closures.

Will the entertainment like fireworks and WoC be nightly? I believe we won't run into any CM parties or the CP.

Tell me 3 days will be enough. It's my very favorite time of year to go. Adding on a couple of nights at the DLH or PPH is still an option as they have room using DVC points but I would have to borrow points from next year as I just banked this year's points. I don't want split stay for just one night. Been there, done that, no thanks, total

 

[FlameGirl]

Personally, for our family, three days would not be enough. Especially if we were driving all that way. Sunday will be pretty busy, and we would feel rushed, like we wouldn't have enough time to do "everything". I put everything in quotations because you can't really do everything in 3 days...but everything we would care to do.

I'm sure not trying to be the Debbie Downer, but just wanted to share my perspective.

Either way, have a great trip. We will be there at the same time.

 

[DangerMouse]

Jenny, we are doing 3 days during that same week as well, and for our family it is enough time if we are serious about being at rope drop and utilizing FPs as much as possible. We could be a little more relaxed and less commando with 4 days, but by day 4 we find we are normally just redoing favorites.

Since your kids are getting older and have been to DL multiple times, you might find that they want to skip some attractions.

But I might also argue that by skipping Wednesday, we won't get to meet, which is a BIG disappointment for me.

 

[vettegirl]

IMO 3 days is the perfect amount of days for DL. Unlike WDW you aren't spending a lot of time getting from park to park, I love that at WDW you just walk across the plaza! Have a great trip.

 

[FlameGirl]

Jenny, we are doing 3 days during that same week as well, and for our family it is enough time if we are serious about being at rope drop and utilizing FPs as much as possible. We could be a little more relaxed and less commando with 4 days, but by day 4 we find we are normally just redoing favorites.

Since your kids are getting older and have been to DL multiple times, you might find that they want to skip some attractions.

But I might also argue that by skipping Wednesday, we won't get to meet, which is a BIG disappointment for me.

The rope drop point is a really good one, and I might feel better about 3 days if that was how my family rolls, but it just isn't. We tend to take it pretty easy.

Callie - did you book your airfare yet?

 

[DangerMouse]

The rope drop point is a really good one, and I might feel better about 3 days if that was how my family rolls, but it just isn't. We tend to take it pretty easy.

Callie - did you book your airfare yet?

Nope, not yet, Kathy. We're waiting on 2 real estate deals to close first.

 

[Belle Ella]

If it's the time you have, you'll find a way to make it work That's my theory that I'm sticking to lately. I'm kind of with Kathy in that, for me, I wouldn't be able to get everything in that I want to do in 3 days (and I am a be there at rope drop person) but I'd be able to get a lot in. There's just so much more to see during the Holidays at Disneyland than a trip during another part of the year I'd need the extra time.

Here are the hours/entertainment schedule from November 2010 so I'm pretty sure there will be nightly entertainment

 

[GrandBob]

We were there for that Sun-Thurs after Thanksgiving in 2009, and yes, it's an ideal time! Very uncrowded. You should be able to easily get done what you want to do in 3 days. You'll have a great time! Enjoy!

-Bob

 

[Vexorg]

You'll have to be careful about Fastpass usage and things like that, but in my DLR experience, three days is usually just about right.

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with Kathy and Jessica. I agree that 3 days is not enough (for me, personally) and I agree that since this is the time you will have available to you, you will make the most of it and do as much as you can! For many people, 3 days would be fine. I agree with Callie, too, about being there at rope drop and using as many FP's as possible, etc., if that's something that's feasible for you to do.

You know how I feel about the holiday season at DLR - I think that's very obvious! Seeing that I've increased my own holiday trip for this upcoming season to be more than twice as long as last year's stay, I think it will come as no shock to you or anyone that 3 days would not be nearly enough time for me...IF I wanted to cover many bases and get a lot done, that is. Heck, as soon as I was left alone for a couple of days, that's when I went nuts with the camera and starting taking photos of everything. I need that extra time to really get in there and crawl around people to get to window displays, study every ornament on every tree at the Reindeer Round-Up, go to every hotel and examine their decorations, leisurely stroll around NOS and TT and any other land that has themed decor, etc. I still haven't even done all the stuff I wanted to do - which is why I added on more days this year.

BUT, I have also done a 1-day holiday trip before and it was still fun - it was hectic, and I don't think I got too much done in the scheme of things, but I dealt with the time I was allotted and tried to make the best of it.

So you will have enough time to do a lot of things, and maybe 3 days will be plenty for you. I would suggest mapping out which specific things you want to do in the parks and the hotels, and which things can be skipped, before-hand. You'll have a great time no matter how long the visit is!

 

[Eeee-va]

3 days is fine. I actually did 3 parks in WDW in 2 days and wasn't disappointed.

Could you do more in 5 days? Well, sure. Could you do more if you stayed at the GCH for a month? Sure. I say make the most of what you're given/what is reasonable, and it sounds like the 3-day option is the most reasonable for your situation.

Have a great time!

 

[Dobie]

I think that three full days at DL is fine! Especially since you are doing other things that week. The Dobies tend to do a couple more days since we really don't care for any other attractions in LA, and it is such a hassle to fly down, but we could make three days be very magical!

 

[rentayenta]

But I might also argue that by skipping Wednesday, we won't get to meet, which is a BIG disappointment for me.

Now that bums me out! Maybe we could meet for breakfast or something at WWS? We don't have to check out until 10 or 11 and are driving just to Vegas so we aren't in a hurry at all.




and for your insights. I appreciate your time and honesty. I agree that 3 days is pushing it a little but because we'll be at the GCV and just about as close as you can get, we won't waste a lot of time on travel and breaks. We'll have 4 nights in So Cal before so it's not like we're making the 10.5 hour drive for just 3 days.

I think 4 is the perfect amount of days for my family but 4 isn't an option at this point. I'd have to move rooms for one night which I have no interest in doing. I know the Dobie understands this. I had a 2 bedroom booked for that Wed night at the GCV but even a split stay there sounds like a headache and it's more room than we need. Plus, it's 52 points for one night? Yikes! The DLH and PPH have total availability thru DVC that entire week but I don't want to add on 2 more nights at this point.

I like the $99 3 day Hopper option too. DH can stomach $33 a day. I'm saving quite a bit that way but not as much as if my friend could have signed us in like usual.

Thank you Bella Ella for the entertainment link. And somehow I've got to get my hands on homemade candy canes.

Sherry, I knew you'd say no. My list is long and rope drop is an option. DH best wear his running shoes because he's our FP runner. I need to research on what order to obtain FP now with ST in the mix. And the new LM ride but I'm guessing once will be enough for that.

There are rides we seem to do just once and are totally fine like the Nemo Subs, Bug's Land, Autopia, Storybook Boats, Alice, Snow White, DLRR, the Tiki Room. I have to drag my family in and bribe them with Dole Floats. I can also do Space Mountain once and be totally content. They usually hit that up a few times while I claim my fireworks spot.

But there are some we must do multiple times like Soarin', ToT (them, not me, I can do it once and I'm solid), POTC, HMH which I adore, Splash, BTMRR, Screamin' (again them not me), IASW Holiday, Indy, Jungle Cruise once at night and once during the day, and the Matterhorn again once at night and once during the day.


I've also got to see the fireworks and snow once along with the holiday parade. Is WoC doing a holiday version? I was going to skip it but if so, I'm going to have to squeeze that in too unless we get a killer DCA vew again. We haven't seen F! is ages but the issue is that no one wants to sit with me and save our place and I refuse to lay out like I'm making snow angels and save spots.

 

[rentayenta]

If it's the time you have, you'll find a way to make it work That's my theory that I'm sticking to lately. I'm kind of with Kathy in that, for me, I wouldn't be able to get everything in that I want to do in 3 days (and I am a be there at rope drop person) but I'd be able to get a lot in. There's just so much more to see during the Holidays at Disneyland than a trip during another part of the year I'd need the extra time.

Here are the hours/entertainment schedule from November 2010 so I'm pretty sure there will be nightly entertainment

That Sunday is open until midnight too. The 8 pm closing hours don't bum me out all that much because it will enable us to rope drop easier. And do a little more shopping/strolling on Main St. But it's going to be a challenge for sure.

 

[HappyHaunt]

Three days will be fine. We did 4 days in June, and that extra day was just that. We had done it all, and it was a day to do some of our favorites again. But it really wasn't needed, we got it all done.

 

[rentayenta]

Three days will be fine. We did 4 days in June, and that extra day was just that. We had done it all, and it was a day to do some of our favorites again. But it really wasn't needed, we got it all done.

I like you. What I'll miss most is that extra day for redo's and in case of entertainment cancelations.




I always try to see the fireworks the first night because sometimes those Santa Anas pop up unexpectedly. I can't live without the fireworks. I would surely perish.

 

[rentayenta]

And if I'm not mistaken we'll get MM on Sunday and Tuesday.....

 

[Sherry E]

That Sunday is open until midnight too. The 8 pm closing hours don't bum me out all that much because it will enable us to rope drop easier. And do a little more shopping/strolling on Main St. But it's going to be a challenge for sure.

You can use the 8 p.m. closing nights to go sit with a beverage in the GCH lobby and enjoy the carolers and atmosphere!

It really comes down to the stuff you, personally, want to do. Do you want to linger at the Reindeer Round-Up? Do you want to make time to get that fresh candy cane? Do you want to really pay attention to the different themed decorations in each land or look at the window displays? Do you want to visit the hotels and enjoy their decor? Do you want to catch the snow on Main Street? Do you want to make time for the Storybook ride to see the teeny trees and wreaths? Do you want to make time for WoC if it IS a holiday version (which, for right now, there is no word on)? Three days in February or March or June or August, etc. would not necessarily require the same amount of activity that a holiday visit would require, as there is less 'stuff' to see. The holidays kind of add an extra layer to things.

But to be honest, 3 days for some of my own friends would be way too much! They wouldn't be able to handle it after Day 2! Lots of people (who are clearly not DIS'ers!) can't imagine ever going to DLR for more than 1 day, let alone going for 3 days. We are a rare breed here on the DIS. I would certainly do a 3-day trip (if I weren't doing a 7-night trip)! I might be conniving and scheming for ways to add on extra nights, but I would still take the 3 days and make the most of them! It's plenty of time to get a good dose of the merriment!

 

[rentayenta]

You can use the 8 p.m. closing nights to go sit with a beverage in the GCH lobby and enjoy the carolers and atmosphere!

It really comes down to the stuff you, personally, want to do. Do you want to linger at the Reindeer Round-Up? Do you want to make time to get that fresh candy cane? Do you want to really pay attention to the different themed decorations in each land or look at the window displays? Do you want to visit the hotels and enjoy their decor? Do you want to catch the snow on Main Street? Do you want to make time for the Storybook ride to see the teeny trees and wreaths? Do you want to make time for WoC if it IS a holiday version (which, for right now, there is no word on)? Three days in February or March or June or August, etc. would not necessarily require the same amount of activity that a holiday visit would require, as there is less 'stuff' to see. The holidays kind of add an extra layer to things.

You and I are very similar because all that above is exactly what I want to do plus ride Indy, HMH, and ISAW holiday a half dozen times. I always make time for the Storybook Boats. So funny you say that because my kids don't "get" why I insist on them the first night. I explain that they are easy to overlook if you don't understand the magic of them especially during the holidays. They simply look like a small baby boat ride.


You hit it on the head: the holidays add an extra element to everything thus requiring more time.

Those candy canes are going to kill me. The early morning power walk through DCA sounds amazing. It's very quiet and all clean and decorated for the holidays. They say you can't bring a camera though. Wonder what they about iPhones. I can snap a picture very sneakily.

But to be honest, 3 days for some of my own friends would be way too much! They wouldn't be able to handle it after Day 2! Lots of people (who are clearly not DIS'ers!) can't imagine ever going to DLR for more than 1 day, let alone going for 3 days. We are a rare breed here on the DIS. I would certainly do a 3-day trip (if I weren't doing a 7-night trip)! I might be conniving and scheming for ways to add on extra nights, but I would still take the 3 days and make the most of them! It's plenty of time to get a good dose of the merriment!

I have similar friends who can do a day every few years and feel satisfied. I don't know why I continue to allow them in my life?

7 nights? DH would throttle me but it might be worth it.

 

[GeneralTso]

Sounds like this isn't your once in a lifetime trip that you need to cram everything in. I think you'll see and do plenty in your time there.

Sometimes I LOVE the short little jaunts. You have a lot of fun in a short amount of time, but it really is enough to see so much. Truly, after a few days at Disneyland and one at CA Adventure, I'm good. I feel like I've taken it all in. Of course, I'm one of those people here that would lose my mind at a week there. That's just overload for me. Too much Disney.

Have a blast, don't worry.