Our first trip Oct 24-30: Please critique

[boosterjuice]

Good day,

This forum looks like a wealth of knowledge. This will be the first trip for my wife, 6 yr old daughter, and 4 yr old son. Looking forward to it. Please critique my trip plan and help me with tips.

-Should I rent a car on the Sea World/Universal Studio Days? Or take Shuttles?
-Hojo has car rental. Should I rent elsewhere?
-Is 2.5 day enough time for Disneyland/California Adventure?
-Are the rides appropriate for my kids? Am I missing any really good rides?




Oct 24th- Travel Day (Wednesday)
2:30PM: Arrive in LAX
4:30PM (approx.) Arrive at Howard Johnston, Check into Hotel.
6:00PM: Dinner and sunset at Newport Beach if time allows.
9:00PM: Sleep

Oct 25th- Disneyland DAY (Thursday)
8:00AM: Magic Morning Ridemax plan: Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Autopia, Finding Nemo, Splash Mtn, Big Thunder Railroad.
1:40PM-5:30PM: Free Time : Nap at Hotel or water slides at
hotel.
6PM-9PM: Ridemax Plan: Pirates of Carib, Mad Tea Party, King Arthur Carrousel, Peter Pan, Matterhorn Bobsleds


Oct 26th – Sea World Day (Full Day) (Friday)
AM: Seaworld


Oct 27th- Beach Day: (Saturday)
9AM: Shopping around Newport
12PM-5PM Beach time at Laguna Beach.
9PM: Fastasmic if time allows.


Oct 28th – California Adventure Day (Sunday)
8:00AM: Ridemax Plan: Radiator Springs, Mater's Junkyard, Little Mermaid, Mickey's fun wheel, Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Soarin over Cali, Grizzly Run
1:40-9PM: Free Time: Hotel or water slides at hotel. Maybe Extra activities at Disneyland. Disney character dress-up.

9PM : Fantasmic Show

Oct 29th –Universal Studios Day (Monday)

Oct 30th – Disneyland and Travel Day. (Tuesday)
8AM to 1PM: Extra Rides. Ridemax plan to be determined based on what we enjoyed.
2PM: Depart for Airport

 

[NiceOneSimba]

I see lots of rides that my DD loves that weren't specifically mentioned: Storybookland Canal Boats, Casey Jr. itsasmallworld, Gadget's Go Coaster in Toontown, the train, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh. She also loved the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough. My DD loved all of the Paradise Pier rides at DCA, as well as the rides in BugsLand. The animation building is great, too, and we could spend hours there.

I know lots of people like to include a beach day. I am not one of them. I'd rather have another day in the parks. The water will be too cold to swim (in the 50s or 60s). That's not to say there isn't tons of stuff to do at the beach that doesn't involve getting a full-body wet, but it's something to consider.

With kids that young, be aware that if you see a character, they will want to stop. It can completely blow your RideMax plan, but it is worth it. It's why I'd rather have more time in the park--so that when the magic moments happen, you can slow down and enjoy them, knowing that you have more time for rides.

 

[Mary09]

Do you have to go to Sea World in the middle? Can you finish in LA and then spend a night/day in San Diego and then fly home? It's kind of far. I don't know what a shuttle would cost, or how fun Sea World would be with a 2+ hour commute both before and after it. I'm assuming you're at the HoJo the whole time.

I would think a weekday would be the better time to hit Cars Land. With kids that age, check out Bugs Land.

 

[Keurigirl]

This is the plan I give to all my friends...

DISNEYLAND:

Head to Dumbo in Fantasyland and get in line. Send one person from your party with ALL tickets to Space Mountain to get fast passes for that, and then they will meet you in line at Dumbo.

The next ride should be Peter Pan, this one gets a line fast. Once that is accomplished go on to:

Carousel
Alice in Wonderland
Tea Cups
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Snow White’s Scary Adventures
Small World
(I’ve eliminated the rides in Fantasyland that are not worth seeing, but obviously that’s up to you!)

Head to Tomorrowland
Ride:
Space Mountain (kid swap/use fastpass)
Buzz Lightyear
Nemo Submarines (if you really like Nemo, otherwise this is a ride you can skip)
Autopia if the line is less than 20 minutes and you really want to do it. Otherwise you can skip this one too.

Now check the time . It’s probably a good time to do lunch before the lunch crowds hit. One of our most favorite things in the park is a show at the Golden Horseshoe (Billy Hill & the Hillbillies). We usually go to the Golden Horseshoe for lunch and to see Billy Hill & the Hillbillies because it knocks out two birds with one stone. Check your map & attractions flyer and get in line if the doors aren’t open yet and wait to get in so you can get a good table. Then stand in line to get lunch before the show starts. Send someone to get fastpasses for Indiana Jones while others get tables and food.

ALTERNATE: If you are too close to the time cutoff, come back for the 1:30 show and do Indy & Jungle Cruise in the mean time. Obviously that’s only an option, and they may not be playing the day you’re in the parks. We also really love Rancho Del Zocalo in Adventureland. Wherever you choose, now is likely the time to eat! And have someone get fastpasses to Indy before you eat.


After the show:

Ride Indy if your fastpass time is valid, ride Jungle Cruise and then head to Big Thunder. Ride Big Thunder if wait is less than 20 minutes; if line is longer get fastpass and come back.

You have Haunted Mansion and Pirates left – do these after you’ve done the other two rides UNLESS you are waiting for your fastpasses to be valid. Just try not to do too much running around or you’ll tire yourself out.

Head to Splash Mountain and Winnie the Pooh to do Critter Country.

You’ve completed the good stuff! Now go to the Enchanted Tiki Room on your way out of Adventureland and back to the main hub to decide what you want to do or repeat. Have a Dole Whip for me. YUM!

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE:

First thing is tricky: If you are opting to see World of Color (the nighttime show in California Adventure), send one person to Grizzly River Run to get tickets (fastpasses, basically) for World of Color show.

Then that person needs to run to Carsland and get fastpasses for Radiator Springs Racers. The rest of the party should be heading to Toy Story Madness.

Ride Toy Story twice if the line is less than 20 minutes when you get off.

While you are following the next list, check your fastpass time and make sure you are getting another fastpass for something as soon as the time allows. One person from your party will need to be the ‘runner’ and do this – it’s really important to optimize this when crowds are so big. Your next fastpass should be for Soarin’.

Then Ride:
California Screamin’ (Kids not on the roller coaster can ride King Triton’s Carousel while you do kid swaps)
Goofy’s Sky School
Mickey's Fun Wheel - Swinging or not 
Silly Symphony Swings if you want
Little Mermaid

Now check your fastpass times again!

Ride Radiator Springs Racers with your fastpass. Do whatever else in this land you want to.

Head to:
Grizzly River Run (really fun, BUT you will get a little wet, maybe a lot wet)
Ride Soarin’

Check to see if you can get another fastpass! Try to get another fastpass for Tower of Terror in there somewhere so you aren’t waiting in line for that later.

Head to Hollywood Pictures Backlot

Ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (kid swap) Stephanie’s favorite!
- Obtain FASTPASSes if the wait exceeds 30 minutes
Monster’s Inc
Turtle Talk With Crush
Explore Animation Building

The rest of the day can be arranged based on what time it is now. Fit in a Pixar parade (check your map/time schedule), visit the things you haven’t done or re-ride things you loved.

Head to:
It's Tough to Be a Bug! (show)

If you have small kids, check out a Bug’s Land as they have rides for the littlest ones.
Flik's Flyers
Francis' Ladybug Boogie
Tuck and Roll Drive 'Em Buggies
Heimlich's Chew Chew Train

Now is time to check your schedule and your map and see what you haven’t accomplished and would still like to do. Dinner at the Wharf area is great with lots of options for everyone. What time is it? Make sure you’re at the World of Color show 60-90 minutes early to get good seats.

 

[surfmontana]

Not sure how your kids feel about total darkness, scary sounds, and ghosts.

My kids 6 and 9 love coasters, liked tower of terror, but HATED Space Mountain with the ghost galaxy overlay.

Lots of kids in line, so I'm sure lots of little ones love the ride, but my both my kids were scared especially by the sound.

If you know your kids will dig it, go for it. If you are not sure you may want to do rider swap and check it out first.

My daughter said she loved Disneyland except for the torture bit (aka space mtn). I regret taking them on it.

 

[Steamboat Philly]

I noticed a few things in your plan that just didn't hit me as great ideas. I hope this feedback helps in some way as a SoCal resident.

1) Flying into LAX was your first mistake, SNA would have been a MUCH better choice. It's smaller, MUCH LESS busy, and a hop, skip, and jump away from the park. But considering as how you're not visiting the park on day 1, it's not very relevant, but for future vacations! ;-)

2) On day 1, you're EVERYWHERE! Your morning Ridemax plan has you visitng all 4 corners of the park and riding multiple rides in a 5 hour period. This is going to be hard to accomplish. I'd recommend splitting the lands. For instance, try to accomplish Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and maybe Toontown or something along those lines before returning to the hotel. Then at night Frontierland, Adventureland, and Critter Country. Also noticed your were throwing the Mad T Party on your first night too. Walking from DL to DCA and then to the Party and experiencing it well is going to take the majority of that time slot. May want to rethink.

3) On Saturday, I saw you had a possible 9:00 showing of F! Think that might be a bit much for using a days admission.

Your DCA day seems very feasible if you play your cards right. Definitely hit up Cars Land first, which I'm sure you know. And I'd recommend FP'ing Soarin' while you go do Toy Story cuz that line hits 60+ mins easily. Especially since you'll be at DCA on a weekend.

Your half day before you leave should be to go do anything you didn't get to do on day 1, because I highly doubt you will accomplish everything you wanted to do at DL in 1 day, especially with such a large break in between.

 

[damiel]

In will agree with other posters that you have not given yourself time to enjoy the magic of Disney. Your children will want to see the characters and that takes time.
IMO Universal Studios is something I would skip on this trip with young children. I would spend another full day at Disney. This gives you time to go back to the hotel and enjoy the pool if the weather permits. If you are bent on going to another theme park I would suggest Legoland over Universal
Character meals with young children are great, I didn't notice any. You could take the $ you save from not going to Universal and spend it on a character meal or two.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Others have given great advice, but I wanted to say I would always hit Peter Pan up first, including before Dumbo. Our FL schedule usually goes PP, Mr. Toads, Dumbo, Alice, The Teacups, the Carousel, Snow White & Pinnochio. In our experience Casey Jr. and Storybook open an hour later, so we hit those two last in FL.

And don't forget about Luigi's & Maters in Carsland.

I am not a big beach goer, so I would skip that. And honestly with kids as young as yours, I would probably skip Universal. It can be fun, but also frustrating since there is so little they are actually tall enough for.