O.K., How much time is needed for DL?

[pinktink83]

My humble opinion...3 days is the least amount of time if you want to ride everything at least once, catch a parade, and a show. You'll miss some of the smaller attractions, but you'll get the meat and potatoes of the park!

But you won't be bored with 5 days either! You'll just get to do EVERYTHING- every show, every parade, every small attraction that sometimes get missed (penny arcades, Mr Lincoln, etc) and ride all your favorites multiple times. Take some time out for DTD, too! Maybe an afternoon at the hotel pool. You'll get the meat, potatoes, some sides & cake with icing, too.

You may not need 2 full days at DCA, we never go for more than 1 day, and even then we park hop (go to DL in the AM, hop to DCA when it opens around 9/10am, then hop back to DL when DCA closes in the early evening) so its not even a "full" day.

 

[ACDSNY]

Another vote for 4 days to really enjoy all DL/DCA has to offer. We're not into the commando style of going through the park, we like to stop an appreciate the small stuff too.

We've been known to throw in a Segway or a Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour or Dessert Seating for Fantasmic to add a little something special to a trip.

 

[BeccaG]

Factoring in jetlag, shorter hours in February, wanting to be here on a weekend to catch shows, and wanting to do at least one special meal in your non-commando park schedule, I would say minimum 4 days. You could stretch it to six, but I'd stick with no more than 5 so you aren't dying to leave day 6. It also depends on the age of your travel party. If it includes young kids who will need naps or adults who like naps on vacation then go for 5.

 

[intheflame]

After paying an extremely random visit this past weekend (I wasn't suppose to visit until September), I will have to say 5-6 days. I visited two days and have still so much to see! I saw no parades, shows, etc. I wanted all the time possible for rides.

The first day was a bit harder. No fastpasses were collected. My niece wore the worse shoes, so I didn't want to drag her around the park.

I haven't been since I was around 7, which was over 12 years ago. Even with all I knew from DIS I felt clueless once I actually entered the park.

You're a WDW vet so you're probably use to the environment, walking, etc.

As much as I loved revisiting I don't think I could ever do more than 2 days. I was exhausted by the end of the day 2, I could barely walk, and I'm still recovering!

 

[hsmamato2]

I voted 5+.....b/c that's what I'm planning- like OP I don't see ever getting back here,it's our only visit...plus I'd like to do some partial days at DL and visit a great beach,Universal,etc too,that's 7 nights near Dl with some day trips....6 day passes....we'll see...I need advice too!

 

[3monkeys4me]

I think 3 days is pretty reasonable, 4 if it is at a busier time.

We went for 6 last summer, right before the So CA blockouts and right after WOC opened and we didn't get to do everything we had wanted. We were traveling with 5 young children though and we spent about 5 hours at the hotel every afternoon for naps, baths/showers and overall downtime. We also took turns going back to the hotel early with the youngest 3 kids who needed to get to bed around 9.

 

[Tinkervamp]

We had a 28-person family reunion a few years back and were there for five days. We did and saw absolutely everything! The last day was a leisurely slow day where we strolled around and sat a lot and just took in the magic. I think 3 to 4 days would still be adequate with a small group though Have fun!!

 

[Jynxed]

I am doing 4, this is my first trip but since my sister is getting married in 2013 out in LA, I know I will have a chance to go back so I don't have the pressure of NEEDING to do everything this trip. If it was my one and only, I probably would have done 5 days, just to be sure (I am traveling in high season) that I had time to get it all in at a leisurely pace.

 

[JosieGirl71]

We always do a week. We may spend a day at Universal but we'll come back and spend at least a couple hours at the park afterwards. We do things at a slow to moderate pace since it's just the two of us and do our favorite rides/shows several times. For us, four to five days is absolutely necessary.

 

[OFF TO WDW!]

First let me say we love to package our vacations with other things in California. We have done San Diego (which we love), San Fran, Monterey, and Yosemite NP (which is absolutely amazing. We have also done DL just by iteself. I think the perfect one is 5 full days. We usually do 2 at DL, 2 at DCA and one day to just relax at the hotel pool, downtown disney, and go to the ocean. I wouldn't do Hollywood. It is not worth it at all. The last vacation we actually did 6 days and took a sunset cruise out on the Pacific which was amazing. You can catch these for about $15 a person from Newport. The more time you have the more leisurely you can do the parks. It is sooo important to do the little things at Disneyland. For instance:
All of fantasyland including Storybook Canal and Casey Jr.
Golden Horseshoe with Elvis Billy
Ride the Lilly Belle train car
Fantasmic!, Fireworks, and Parades
Walk thru Sleepy's Castle Dioramas
Ride IASM at night
Eat at Plaza Inn oustide
Swing Dance at Carnation Plaza on Saturday nights (Date Night at Disneyland)
Do jungle cruise at night after you've done it in the day

At DCA
Aladdin (twice!)
Toy Story
Grizzly RR
Screamin'
Soarin'
Monsters Inc
Silly Symphony Swings
and most definitely....
World of Color

The fun thing about more time is it gives you more chances to find the fun places in both parks that people don't mention like the Animation building in DCA, Grand Californian Chaisse lounge chairs, Downtown Disney in the night when the bands are playing, Disneyland's marching band in front of the castle when the characters come out, and so much more.....

Have fun planning and if you have any more questions feel free to ask. Congrats on your decision by the way to go to DL.

I agree with the above poster that said to park hop. It really is so much fun and so doable!
Remember there are as many rides and attractions in two parks at DL as there are at four parks in WDW.

Thank you for that! Thanks all!

 

[PrncesKMW]

This is so crucial. Don't do 2 at DL/2 at DCA. Just get a hopper pass and go back and forth between the two parks as you like. It is a far more efficient use of your time and money. Don't limit yourself by doing only one park per day.

What about doing one full day in DL, and then a magic morning in Fantasyland followed by a day at DCA? I've never been to DLR so I've been comparing DCA in my head to DS (MGM to me still), and we never spend more than 5 hours tops at that park.

Anyone have a sample touring plan of a two or two and a half day trip where you park hopped on both days? I will be staying very close by, but I'm so used to going with a touring plan that I can't let it go!

 

[HydroGuy]

What about doing one full day in DL, and then a magic morning in Fantasyland followed by a day at DCA? I've never been to DLR so I've been comparing DCA in my head to DS (MGM to me still), and we never spend more than 5 hours tops at that park.

Anyone have a sample touring plan of a two or two and a half day trip where you park hopped on both days? I will be staying very close by, but I'm so used to going with a touring plan that I can't let it go!

There is lots more to do do at DCA compared to DHS. DHS has 3 headliner attractions (RnR, ToT, TSM). DCA has 6 (ToT, Soarin, GRR, Screamin, TSMM and now LMAUA). Altogether I think DHS has 10 rides. DCA has about 26.

Think of DCA has another "land" at MK. Your questions about hopping sound to us a lot like the following MK question "Should I spend all day in Tomorrowland then on the second day spend all day in Fantasyland?". The answer would, in most cases, be "no". Switch lands throughout the day to hit the rides and shows of interest.

Same thing at DLR. Hopping from Main Street DL to DCA is faster than going from Main Street DL to ToonTown or Critter Country. Hop between the parks for rides, shows, parades, dining, etc. We have been known to hop four times in a single day, although we usually only do it once or twice.