New to disney-need itinerary review!

[ready4fun2011]

Hello everyone! First time trip to Disneyland for myself and two tweens. I have been reading the boards (I love this site) and have tried to figure out a plan of attack. We will be there mid-July for 5 days and four nights. Please review my itinerary and let me know if it looks ok. Day 2 and 4 we plan to be in parks from 8a-2p, then 6:30p-1130p(flexible). Thanks in advance.

Sunday Arrive at hotel around noon. Settle in and hit DCA no later than 2pm
We want to either ride or obtain FP for soaring, TOT, screamin, Toy story and see WOC that evening. We’d also like to knock out Monsters Inc. if possible. We will not enter DLR.

Monday: DLR. Tours and Space Mt. are our first priority. Is it okay to hang out in Tomorrow land and do Buzz, Autopia and Nemo? I would like to do one land at a time, but not sure if this is advisable.

Where do we go immediately after tomorrowland, should we go to Adventure land or Frontierland? We also want to ride Pirates and the Haunted mansion. We want to see fireworks and fantasmic on the same night if possible. Is it okay to do splash Mt. right before leaving?

Tuesday: SeaWorld via Grayline tours. Downtown Disney at night. No parks.

Wednesday: Fast pass frenzy. Park hop and finish attractions not seen. Ride LM and Grizzly. Fantasmic if not already seen

Thursday: Arrive at 7am for MM, explorer parks. Leave at 1pm. Late check out at 3pm.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Are you skipping kiddy rides?

 

[ready4fun2011]

We plan to skip kiddie rides initially. We plan to do them on Wed and during MM on Thursday.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Ok so what WE like to do is hit up adventureland and wind our way INTO frontierland. There's no perfect way of doing it..but we like it this way cuz you run right into stuff like tiki room (if you're into that), Jungle Cruise and Indiana. Then you can stroll around that whole area into Frontierland.

FTR, I'd totally stay in Tomorrowland while you're there. No sense in running yourself ragged (this is JMHO!)

 

[skiingfast]

I would be a litttle careful on Sunday. There may not be WoC FPs left that late in the day, so be prepared that you may have to see it another night. Also if you are not aware, Toy Story is not a FP attraction, so plan on waiting about 45 minutes for it.

Monday, sure hang out in TL. ST you will probably want to FP and ride right away. May not get the space FP for a while later. Autopia also has FP but will have long waits. Nemo will have long waits too. So if you FP most of these and standby Buzz you will have lots of time to go to other land or a round trip on the Rail Road. Try to see F! and WoC this night if you could on Sunday.

 

[ready4fun2011]

Thanks for the responses!! I will head to adventureland after leaving TL. Nice to know we don't have to scurry from land to land. Would like to slow down and take it all in.

I am worried about not getting a FP for WoC. I think we will do the picnic reservation to ensure we get a FP on Sunday.

 

[disneyrand]

Thanks for the responses!! I will head to adventureland after leaving TL. Nice to know we don't have to scurry from land to land. Would like to slow down and take it all in.

I am worried about not getting a FP for WoC. I think we will do the picnic reservation to ensure we get a FP on Sunday.

Good idea. The peace of mind knowing that you'l have a pass and not have to stress about it is worth the $15.99/pp, IMHO.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Thanks for the responses!! I will head to adventureland after leaving TL. Nice to know we don't have to scurry from land to land. Would like to slow down and take it all in.

That's what I love doing. Fly by the seat of my pants..going where we want when we want and seeing everything we possibly can. Good luck! Can't wait to hear how it went

 

[starshine514]

Hello everyone!
Monday: DLR. Tours and Space Mt. are our first priority. Is it okay to hang out in Tomorrow land and do Buzz, Autopia and Nemo? I would like to do one land at a time, but not sure if this is advisable.

Where do we go immediately after tomorrowland, should we go to Adventure land or Frontierland? We also want to ride Pirates and the Haunted mansion. We want to see fireworks and fantasmic on the same night if possible. Is it okay to do splash Mt. right before leaving?

I haven't been there since Star Tours opened, but I would get a Star Tours FP, ride Nemo, ride Autopia, ride Buzz and get a SM FP (as soon as you can). I would save the Tiki room for later in the afternoon (when the park is packed) and do Jungle Cruise, Pirates and HM (get an Indy FP as soon as you can, if so desired). By then, it'll probably be crazy crowded, so go back and use your FPs, see the Tiki Room, etc. before staking out your nighttime entertainment locations.

 

[ready4fun2011]

Thanks Starshine514, your plan sounds great. Will definately give it a run. I subscribed to tourplans, but the plans seem confusing and exhausting. This sounds sooo much better

 

[cougarfan84]

I haven't been there since Star Tours opened, but I would get a Star Tours FP, ride Nemo, ride Autopia, ride Buzz and get a SM FP (as soon as you can). I would save the Tiki room for later in the afternoon (when the park is packed) and do Jungle Cruise, Pirates and HM (get an Indy FP as soon as you can, if so desired). By then, it'll probably be crazy crowded, so go back and use your FPs, see the Tiki Room, etc. before staking out your nighttime entertainment locations.

That's the same type of plan I would do. Most important part is to be there right at park opening to grab the Star Tours FP. Then you can ride other TL rides while you wait for the FP window to open for grabbing a Space Mountain FP.

Doing JC, POTC, HM and getting an Indy FP ASAP is also a great idea. If you end up getting the Indy FP soon enough, you may also be able to grab a FP for Splash Mountain before heading out of the park for a mid-afternoon break.

If you do this, then when you return to the park you will have FP's for Star Tours, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Indy all to use before camping out for your Fantasmic!/Fireworks.

As far as Splash! is concerned at night. I think right before closing is a great time to ride it. I would still grab a FP to use earlier when the line is long, but at the end of the day the line is pretty much non-existant and you should be able to get in another ride or two before heading home. As far as getting wet on the ride - if you do, you are heading back to the hotel right afterwards anyways so I don't think it's a big deal.

 

[cougarfan84]

Thanks Starshine514, your plan sounds great. Will definately give it a run. I subscribed to tourplans, but the plans seem confusing and exhausting. This sounds sooo much better

I subscribe to touringplans myself in preparation for my trip this coming August. While I have been impressed w/ their WDW information that my brother used on his trip to WDW, I have been a little disappointed in the level of detail and upkeep on the DLR side of their site. I plan on using the info on wait times, etc. in helping me in my trip, but I've found as far as touring plan strategies there is just as much if not more information here on this board.