One Day, How Many Parks?

[Shamurocks]

Me & the family are planning on doing a coach tour of the west coast in July next year, which includes a day & night at Disneyland.
We have never been to Disneyland before but visit WDW fairly regularly so we are divided on how to spend our day at the resort.
One opinion is to spend the whole day at Disneyland, do the park properly then maybe head over to California Adventure in the evening for World of Colour (a 2 park ticket is included with the trip).
However some want to split the day more evenly between the two parks so we can do more attractions at CA.

So my questions are, what will the crowd be like in mid-July (I assume pretty large but wanted to check to be sure) and for first time visitors what would you suggest we do?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

It's going to depend on what day of the week you are there as to how much you'll be able to see. DL is open later than DCA so you can go back and forth between the parks all way long to see various shows.

Also, there will be some new things opening next year at DCA, i.e. Ariel's new ride, so you'll want to determine what things you want to see while in DCA. Soaring is the exact same as in WDW if you don't have to see it.

I would definitely look in the Stickies for Hydro Guy's articles about seeing DL in a Day and DL for WDW vets for more information.

 

[HydroGuy]

Me & the family are planning on doing a coach tour of the west coast in July next year, which includes a day & night at Disneyland.
We have never been to Disneyland before but visit WDW fairly regularly so we are divided on how to spend our day at the resort.
One opinion is to spend the whole day at Disneyland, do the park properly then maybe head over to California Adventure in the evening for World of Colour (a 2 park ticket is included with the trip).
However some want to split the day more evenly between the two parks so we can do more attractions at CA.

So my questions are, what will the crowd be like in mid-July (I assume pretty large but wanted to check to be sure) and for first time visitors what would you suggest we do?

Crowds will be there but it is usually fairly manageable in the summer. The weather at DLR in the summer is much better than at WDW.

As for hopping or not hopping on a day trip, it is just so hard to say. If you plan to see WOC then you will hop at some point any ways.

You may need to do some research and prioritize what things you want to do. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself:

o Do we want to focus on things unique at DLR as compared to WDW?

or

o Do we want to focus on the DLR head liners even though they may also be at WDW?

or

o Do we want to go hard and fast or easy and slow?

Understand that DLR's two parks have only 10% less rides than WDW's four parks put together. So to try and hop and experience as many rides as possible is sort of like trying to do WDW's four parks all in one day.

I would definitely look in the Stickies for Hydro Guy's articles about seeing DL in a Day and DL for WDW vets for more information.

Here is a link - "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[Shamurocks]

Thanks alot, both of you

 

[splash5]

There are more attractions at Disneyland, so I would spend more time there - you may want to hit DCA in the afternoon when DL gets crowded. The parks are so close, it is easy to park hop. Maybe start at DL and get some fastpasses and ride a few rides, (like Fantasyland) and then hop over (about 2 hours later )and pick up a fastpass for WOC and Soarin and maybe ride Toy Story Midway Mania - get a fastpass for something over there and then head back around 4ish to DL.

 

[Amommy21]

When we go for one day we just do DL