Please help me decide which day to use park tickets.

[wallawallakids]

My husband and I are visiting the DLR Sept 6-10. He is running the Half on the 7th. We land around 9:30 am in LAX and will head directly to PPH. We only have three day park hoppers but we also have tickets to OBB on the 9th. What I can't decide is if we use our park tickets on the first day or the last day? We need to go to the expo to pick up my husband's running number etc after we check into our room as that would be the priority on Saturday. Our room wouldn't be ready until later, so I was thinking if we do not go to the park, we could rent a cabana and do a pool day until 6pm. That way we could go to bed early for his early wake up time and not have him walk a ton the day before the race. This means we would rope drop EE our last day, but we have OBB that night so we already get into a park at 3pm and I am not sure if that is a waste of a ticket day?

Alternatively, we could go to the parks after we go to the expo on arrival day and stay until closing which is a longer use of that third day ticket, but a late night for the race being the next morning and more walking that day for him. But it leaves the last morning to sleep in a bit, pack and be ready for our flight early the following morning. We could get breakfast and relax a bit before OBB. This day also happens to be our 25th wedding anniversary. We are both getting dressed up, so if we went to the parks in the morning that day, we would come back mid afternoon for a break, pack and change. Which would you choose? I have asked him and he said he is good with either choice and I am seriously having a hard time deciding. Thanks!!

 

[LKing]

Where are you coming from? Will your bodies be on a different time zone?

Personally, I think there are too many variables on your arrival day to try to plan to enter the parks. What if your flight is delayed? What if there is traffic getting from LAX ->Disneyland? What if the expo takes longer than expected? Other than a pool day, you might want to check out DTD on your arrival day.

On the OBB day, you'll have 7.5 hours of park time from rope drop to 3 pm. Do you think you will have 7.5 hours on your arrival day?

 

[wallawallakids]

Where are you coming from? Will your bodies be on a different time zone?

Personally, I think there are too many variables on your arrival day to try to plan to enter the parks. What if your flight is delayed? What if there is traffic getting from LAX ->Disneyland? What if the expo takes longer than expected? Other than a pool day, you might want to check out DTD on your arrival day.

On the OBB day, you'll have 7.5 hours of park time from rope drop to 3 pm. Do you think you will have 7.5 hours on your arrival day?

Good point on flights. We are flying from Portland OR. So it’s a short, direct flight but it’s true that things could go sideways. The park should be open until midnight that night but it would be a very late night for an early morning wake up if we did that. So maybe it is best for us to not do a park that day as hard as it would be for me to resist going in that day.

 

[LKing]

Not sure what time your husband will want to go to bed, but you can also watch fireworks from the top of PPH on arrival day. They pipe in the music up there.

 

[Pluto468]

I'd probably go in on the last day. I've gone into the parks on after-dark nights in the morning and was glad I did. It didn't feel like a waste of a ticket since we had lots of park time before the event. You could get up, go to Disneyland and then have a break in the afternoon. Then you could go into DCA for 3:00 or wait until closer to when OBB starts, depending on how you feel.

 

[wallawallakids]

Not sure what time your husband will want to go to bed, but you can also watch fireworks from the top of PPH on arrival day. They pipe in the music up there.

Oh! I didn’t know that! Thank you so much.

 

[wallawallakids]

I'd probably go in on the last day. I've gone into the parks on after-dark nights in the morning and was glad I did. It didn't feel like a waste of a ticket since we had lots of park time before the event. You could get up, go to Disneyland and then have a break in the afternoon. Then you could go into DCA for 3:00 or wait until closer to when OBB starts, depending on how you feel.

Thank you. I’m glad to know that you have done that and felt it was a good use of the day ticket. That makes me feel better. I think that sounds like the best plan and the easiest for my husband as well. Thank you for helping me decide.

 

[LKing]

Oh! I didn’t know that! Thank you so much.

Go here and scroll down. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/pixar-place-hotel/recreation/

Fireworks Viewing​

On select nights, view Disneyland Park fireworks from the rooftop pool deck at Pixar Place Hotel, while music and dialogue from the show are broadcast to the deck.

 

[hardcorestitch]

My husband and I are visiting the DLR Sept 6-10. He is running the Half on the 7th. We land around 9:30 am in LAX and will head directly to PPH. We only have three day park hoppers but we also have tickets to OBB on the 9th. What I can't decide is if we use our park tickets on the first day or the last day? We need to go to the expo to pick up my husband's running number etc after we check into our room as that would be the priority on Saturday. Our room wouldn't be ready until later, so I was thinking if we do not go to the park, we could rent a cabana and do a pool day until 6pm. That way we could go to bed early for his early wake up time and not have him walk a ton the day before the race. This means we would rope drop EE our last day, but we have OBB that night so we already get into a park at 3pm and I am not sure if that is a waste of a ticket day?

Alternatively, we could go to the parks after we go to the expo on arrival day and stay until closing which is a longer use of that third day ticket, but a late night for the race being the next morning and more walking that day for him. But it leaves the last morning to sleep in a bit, pack and be ready for our flight early the following morning. We could get breakfast and relax a bit before OBB. This day also happens to be our 25th wedding anniversary. We are both getting dressed up, so if we went to the parks in the morning that day, we would come back mid afternoon for a break, pack and change. Which would you choose? I have asked him and he said he is good with either choice and I am seriously having a hard time deciding. Thanks!!

He'll need all the rest he can get for the half marathon. Definitely set up a cabana rental and chill out.

 

[wallawallakids]

Go here and scroll down. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/pixar-place-hotel/recreation/

Fireworks Viewing​

On select nights, view Disneyland Park fireworks from the rooftop pool deck at Pixar Place Hotel, while music and dialogue from the show are broadcast to the deck.

Thank you!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

There is so much to do during the OBB that is party exclusive and not regular park things like the parade, the character treat trails (so worth it to see the characters even if you don’t care about the treats!), character M&Gs, Villains Grove and just awesome party atmosphere. The party FLIES by.

It would be worth it to rope drop DCA (or even enter leisurely if your husband wants to sleep in) in order to do the regular park things, rides, etc. before 3pm. Then I suggest getting your party wristbands inside the park at 3pm (with no lines!) and leaving to head back to your hotel to rest and change for the party.

The 3-6pm mix-in time is stupid crowded, so skip it and breeze in around 5pm for a dinner reservation at a sit-down in the park, or have an early dinner at the resort or DTD and then pop in right when the party starts around 5:50pm and you will have the nice low crowds as soon they are done funneling out the day guests.

As an athlete who competes in races, no way would I be in the parks the day before the race! Unless he’s just doing the race leisurely for fun.

 

[wallawallakids]

There is so much to do during the OBB that is party exclusive and not regular park things like the parade, the character treat trails (so worth it to see the characters even if you don’t care about the treats!), character M&Gs, Villains Grove and just awesome party atmosphere. The party FLIES by.

It would be worth it to rope drop DCA (or even enter leisurely if your husband wants to sleep in) in order to do the regular park things, rides, etc. before 3pm. Then I suggest getting your party wristbands inside the park at 3pm (with no lines!) and leaving to head back to your hotel to rest and change for the party.

The 3-6pm mix-in time is stupid crowded, so skip it and breeze in around 5pm for a dinner reservation at a sit-down in the park, or have an early dinner at the resort or DTD and then pop in right when the party starts around 5:50pm and you will have the nice low crowds as soon they are done funneling out the day guests.

As an athlete who competes in races, no way would I be in the parks the day before the race! Unless he’s just doing the race leisurely for fun.

THANK YOU so much! I didn’t even think of how crowded it would be from 3-6 or that I could get the wristband before exiting! I love this idea. You saved me so much time. This sounds like the perfect way to do it. Thank you again.

ETA: Do we just get wristbands at the gates at 3pm? Thanks!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

You are very welcome! Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure the wristband stations are open before 3pm, so you could leave a little earlier for more rest (and less chaos from the mix-in!).

Eating your dinner early helps you have more fun at the party and maximize your time. I really can’t tell you how fast the hours fly by and waiting for food during the party feels like such a waste!

I approach the party like a race … properly fuel up and hydrate beforehand so you can party to the max!