Million first trip questions

[MarBee]

I am a WDW vet who originally planned my first DL trip during the pandemic and ultimately had to cancel.
After a bunch of “maybe I’ll go” never coming to fruition, I think I’m going to do a last minute trip this week. I have a bit of analysis paralysis but think I’ve narrowed it down to doing 3 day park hoppers and staying at the Anaheim Marriott. I have a million questions though. If any kind souls will take pity on me and answer some, I would appreciate it.

1- with the new park hopping system, is it possible to rope drop DL, go back and nap, go back to CA (after 1:00), then go to DL after CA closes at 10:00?

2- I plan on getting my tickets through Undercover Tourist. What is the most convenient way to transport them to and from the park? (At WDW I would like them to My Disney Experience and then just use my magic band for entry). I don’t want to worry about losing the print outs.

3- How can I purchase and link Memory Maker/Photopass to my account?

4- Is Fantasmic the same show as the one at Hollywood Studios? Trying to prioritize what we can get done. Although I love the show, I’ve seen it half a dozen times at HS and have a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen at DL.

5- We were factoring in a day to go to the beach and site see. What are your suggestions? We will not have a car and will be ubering. We are a family of 4 with a 10 and 12 year old.

6- groceries/grocery delivery: what’s my best bet here? Anywhere close and reasonable to grab some essentials (cases of water, breakfast and snack items, etc)?

7- we are flying into SNA and flying out of LGB. Are there any car services besides Uber/Lyft that you’d recommend?

8- our beach day is a Saturday and was planning on going to Downtown Disney later that night. What are the crowds like on a Saturday night? Am I better off skipping with kids?

Any advice is welcome and appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[maleficent55]

1. Yes
2. You only need the barcode the first time you scan into the park; then your tickets will be in your Disneyland app, they will also give you hard copy credit card sized tickets when you’ve entered the first time. I’ve gotten tickets through Under cover though and I feel like I had a confirmation number I’ve entered into the app to link my tickets. Either way you won’t have to carry your printed tickets in and out of the park every day.
3. Photo pass is included with Genie+ So will automatically be in your Disneyland app. If you aren’t buying genie+ Then after you’ve purchased photo pass it’ll be in your app.
4. I’ve only seen Fantasmic at Disneyland and I’ve heard it is superior to the one at Walt Disney World, for one instead of being in an amphitheater style setting it’s on the rivers of America set off from Tom Sawyer‘s island so it’s a very intimate setting and very up close and personal. I highly suggest looking into one of the dining packages that will give you a viewing spot for the show.
5. I can’t answer this one because we never leave Disneyland, I can’t get enough!
6. For a grocery delivery service we’ve only used Vons free delivery service. It’s free the first time you use it. But a lot of people have used Amazon prime delivery and other services.
7. Lansky or Karmel shuttle
8. Crowds can vary but if you have a chance to go and it’s not a park day I wouldn’t skip it.

 

[mouschievous]

1- with the new park hopping system, is it possible to rope drop DL, go back and nap, go back to CA (after 1:00), then go to DL after CA closes at 10:00? Yes! In fact, we did it our first day of our trip (July 5).

2- I plan on getting my tickets through Undercover Tourist. What is the most convenient way to transport them to and from the park? (At WDW I would like them to My Disney Experience and then just use my magic band for entry). I don’t want to worry about losing the print outs. You can link them to your Disneyland app, just like you would at WDW. Then you use your phone to scan in to the park. When you scan in the first time, they will take your photo and issue a paper ticket for each person in your group, but you don't have to use that, you can just use your phone in the same way that you would use a magic band.

3- How can I purchase and link Memory Maker/Photopass to my account? Are you buying Genie+? If so, Photopass is included in that. You purchase G+ in the app after you've scanned in to the park for the first time that day.

4- Is Fantasmic the same show as the one at Hollywood Studios? Trying to prioritize what we can get done. Although I love the show, I’ve seen it half a dozen times at HS and have a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen at DL. I think so? However, you should check out my trip report (I'm planning to finish it today ) because we did 20-28 attractions each day with our 3 day park hoppers, and we did WOC, F! and MSEP - and never waited more than 30 minutes for any of them. The only evening show we didn't do was fireworks, and that was on purpose.

6- groceries/grocery delivery: what’s my best bet here? Anywhere close and reasonable to grab some essentials (cases of water, breakfast and snack items, etc)? We like to use Amazon/Whole Foods for our deliveries. I schedule it to be delivered while we're en route so that it's at bell services when we arrive. We just pick it up when we check in!

7- we are flying into SNA and flying out of LGB. Are there any car services besides Uber/Lyft that you’d recommend? a lot of people recommend Lansky's. I do not know if they services those airports, but if they do, they also provide a grocery stop on the way to the hotel.

 

[shosh1530]

You've gotten great answers, so I'll just echo what others have said on the tickets. We have purchased through Undercover Tourist twice now and just linked the tickets via the app, made our park reservations, then used our the app to show the tickets on our phones when entering the parks each day.

We did not need to print out the tickets or the park reservations at all. They do give you printed tickets the first time you enter and it is worth holding on to those. You can use them anytime you have trouble using the app (e.g. phone dies, glitch in the system) for redeeming lightning lanes, entering the park, etc.

 

[lalasmama]

1- with the new park hopping system, is it possible to rope drop DL, go back and nap, go back to CA (after 1:00), then go to DL after CA closes at 10:00?

Yep, completely can do this! And since the parks are right next to each other, it's a 60-second hop from one to the other.

2- I plan on getting my tickets through Undercover Tourist. What is the most convenient way to transport them to and from the park? (At WDW I would like them to My Disney Experience and then just use my magic band for entry). I don’t want to worry about losing the print outs.

As soon as you get your e-ticket, you can add it into your Disneyland app. (Make sure you have the DLR one, not MDE.) Then, you'll just use your phone like your WDW MB, except that it will go in the G+ machines instead of tapping.

3- How can I purchase and link Memory Maker/Photopass to my account?

We don't have MM like at WDW. However, you can get Photopass. The easiest way is just to buy G+ for 1 member of your party every day. That will get you everyone's ride photos, and the photographers around the parks. Honestly, I have no idea how to do PP without just going G+! It's been years (5 or so) since I bought a separate PP because the Max Pass, and now G+ have always been a better value.

4- Is Fantasmic the same show as the one at Hollywood Studios? Trying to prioritize what we can get done. Although I love the show, I’ve seen it half a dozen times at HS and have a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen at DL.

We didn't see the F! when we were at Hollywood Studios because we were told (like a million times) that F! at DLR is so much better than at HS. My understanding (being a DLR vet) is that WDW's version is shorter and just not as extravagant.

5- We were factoring in a day to go to the beach and site see. What are your suggestions? We will not have a car and will be ubering. We are a family of 4 with a 10 and 12 year old.

Can't help with this, sorry!

6- groceries/grocery delivery: what’s my best bet here? Anywhere close and reasonable to grab some essentials (cases of water, breakfast and snack items, etc)?

Von's delivers, and your first delivery is a lower cost. Vons is the Safeway/Albertsons company. There's also a Target a few miles down Harbor. 7-11 on Harbor & Katella would have cases of water, but of course, then you have to carry them back to your hotel and that can suck depending on the temperature that day!

7- we are flying into SNA and flying out of LGB. Are there any car services besides Uber/Lyft that you’d recommend?

We always just do Uber/Lyft. I'm cheap, so I'm never really willing to do a hired car, hahaha. I used to do the Disneyland Express bus years ago, but they are out of business now. So, we just Uber/Lyft. However, if you do a hired car, some companies will allow a grocery stop on the way, so you could get your water and snacks then.

8- our beach day is a Saturday and was planning on going to Downtown Disney later that night. What are the crowds like on a Saturday night? Am I better off skipping with kids?

Every night at DTD is busy, but no need to skip it. There's still lots to look at, and food, and treats!

HAVE A GREAT TRIP! It's so worth it!

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

For the beach trip, Alamitos Beach in Long Beach is your best bet. It's 30-40 min away though. Aquarium of the Pacific and other attractions are right next to it if you want to make a detour.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I'll just skip the questions that are already answered.

4- Is Fantasmic the same show as the one at Hollywood Studios? Trying to prioritize what we can get done. Although I love the show, I’ve seen it half a dozen times at HS and have a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen at DL.

I haven't seen the Hollywood Studios version since before Fastpass+ so I'm not sure what has been upgraded since then. Whether you consider the shows the "same" is a matter of what differences you consider major. The overall "story" follows a similar path. Certain segments are completely different (ex. Pirates of the Carribean in the Disneyland version). The dragon and light effects feel more impressive to me at Disneyland while pyrotechnics feel more impressive at WDW. Seating is done differently as at Disneyland. There isn't a dedicated stadium so you'll either stand or sit on the floor. I think it's different enough to warrant seeing at least once for a 3 day trip.

I'm going to tackle the next 3 questions together because of my recommendation.
5- We were factoring in a day to go to the beach and site see. What are your suggestions? We will not have a car and will be ubering. We are a family of 4 with a 10 and 12 year old.
6- groceries/grocery delivery: what’s my best bet here? Anywhere close and reasonable to grab some essentials (cases of water, breakfast and snack items, etc)?
7- we are flying into SNA and flying out of LGB. Are there any car services besides Uber/Lyft that you’d recommend?

Instead of doing Uber, I actually recommend renting a car in your case. You can do a one way rental from the airport with Hertz and return the car at the Marriott. Enterprise is at the Hilton just across from the Marriott. Then on your arrival day, you can go to whatever grocery store you want. For your beach day, you could drive to Santa Monica which I recommend visiting if you've never been there before. Even if you have to pay parking for one night, it'll likely be cheaper than doing all these Ubers/Lyfts. Renting a car from SNA is relatively painless.

But if you really want to rely on only Uber/Lyft, that's relatively easy and typically would cost about $30 each way. At SNA, you'll have to walk across and go up the parking structure so some people prefer to take a taxi. You'll basically only have Long Beach if this is the route you go. You can check to see what can be delivered through Instacart.

8- our beach day is a Saturday and was planning on going to Downtown Disney later that night. What are the crowds like on a Saturday night? Am I better off skipping with kids?

Downtown Disney can be kinda busy on a Saturday night but if there's things you think you'd like to see there, I wouldn't skip it due to crowds. You could also consider going to Garden Walk instead. There's more chain restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen that would be familiar to kids and it'll likely be less busy.

 

[ParkHopper1]

4- Is Fantasmic the same show as the one at Hollywood Studios? Trying to prioritize what we can get done. Although I love the show, I’ve seen it half a dozen times at HS and have a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen at DL.

Yes and no...kinda the same show but in DL it is an entirely different vibe and scale since the show comes out of nowhere at night in New Orleans Square vs a theater specfically built for it at WDW.

I loved F! as one of my all time favorites and when we finally saw it in Orlando we were cracking up the entire time because we described it as the Orlando Community Theater version of Fantasmic. I lost it when their version of the Mark Twain came around the corner!

With seeing at Disneyland if you are a fan IMO.

 

[Claudia1]

As soon as you get your e-ticket, you can add it into your Disneyland app. (Make sure you have the DLR one, not MDE.) Then, you'll just use your phone like your WDW MB, except that it will go in the G+ machines instead of tapping.

DLR? What is DLR?

 

[Mle8308]

DLR? What is DLR?

Disneyland Resort....

 

[Blue32]

Just wanted to add that F! is MUCH better at DL. You would probably want to do one of the dining options for getting a spot if it's on your list of priorities. It would be much harder to view the show without one of those. I will also add the World of Color is EXCELLENT and like no other show at WDW. If it were me, and I had already seen F!, and I was short on time, I would try to catch WOC instead of F!.....but that's me.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I know you can purchase PhotoPass seperately, but I have no idea how to do it. If you were getting Genie+ it is included in Genie+.

 

[Sunclytie]

If you use Lansky Shuttle to pick you up from the airport, they include a grocery stop before taking you to your hotel. Also, I don't know what ages your kids are, but if they need car seats, we always use Lansky because they include car seats for free, whereas Uber/Lyft don't.