Please help-october trip

[Radgirl80]

Hi,

We are a family of 4 (the kids are 11 and 7) coming to California 10/1-10/8. My planned itinerary made most sense to start North (LA area) and travel south (San Diego). We don't want to back track. So we plan on: Santa Monica 10/1-10/2, then 10/2-10/3 anaheim, then San diego 10/4-10/8. We planned Tues 10/3 as our one day in Disneyland day. We've never been, but we have been to WDW a few times. Today I learned that unlike the past few years, the Halloween party is on tues 10/3 this year and the park closes at 6pm. We aren't doing the party. We don't care about fireworks, but the short hours are very concerning since we only get one day (we won't be adding days) and it's early magic hours that morning, I'm assuming. We are staying at Camelot Inn so we don't get the extra morning hour.

Would you expect us to be able to get most of our chosen rides if we arrive at 8 and stay until 6? We want to do all the main big rides. We will skip character greets (just went on Disney cruise) and toon town.

I really want to stay with Disneyland on Tuesday, if it's manageable in terms of crowds. But I am able to possibly switch our day to Monday 10/2. I heard Mondays are crowded. How are typical crowds on a Halloween party day? What would you do?

Thanks!

 

[Winnowill]

Would you expect us to be able to get most of our chosen rides if we arrive at 8 and stay until 6? We want to do all the main big rides. We will skip character greets (just went on Disney cruise) and toon town.

If you rope drop and use FPs judiciously, yes, you probably can do all the biggies by 6:00, especially if the instant-return FPs remain in place then. It'll be a busy day, but it's doable. Start in Adventureland (early mornings are Fantasyland and Tomorrowland only, so you'll be on a even playing field with hotel guests and MM tickets). Get FPs for Indy, ride Pirates and HM, return for Indy, and then play it by ear based on wait times, FP return times, and when you can get your next FP.

 

[Jedi Mouse]

Remember also that party guests get in at 3:00, which will make the park even more crowded between 3:00 and 6:00 when you have both normal guests and party guests in the park at the same time.

Do you plan on also going to DCA/ are you getting hoppers?

 

[Elima2015]

I read that you won't be adding days. In that case, I would make my plans for Monday if possible. Be there for rope drop and use FPs - read up on them, prioritize your rides, and make a plan, but be prepared to be flexible to make the most of your day. Mondays are more crowded, in my experience, but that is a better option to me than being done at 6:00 pm, with the last three hours very crowded.

But, here is what I would actually consider, if you are willing, as I think DCA is great:
Option 1:
* Buy the MHP tickets for Tues the 3rd - you can get into DL at 3:00 pm and stay until 11:00. When the crowds thin at 6:00 and if you don't care about fireworks, I think you should be able to hit all the major rides. During the day prior to 3:00, you could walk around DTD, grab a relaxing big late lunch so you don't need a big dinner in the park.
* Buy single park one day tickets for Wednesday and go to DCA

Option 2:
* Buy 2 day park hoppers and go to the parks Mon & Tues - you could even do one park-per-day and do DL on Mon and DCA on Tues. I suggested the park hoppers so you could move as needed to hit the highlights and adjust to crowd levels.

 

[figment_jii]

Honestly, I would also consider switching your days. While Mondays may be more crowded, it may have substantially longer hours. If you can wait until they release the operating calendar (45-days in advance), I would do that.

Otherwise, yes, I think you can probably get most of the big rides done if you get there at rope drop, use FP, and forgo any of the entertainment. I would prioritize what you want to do and focus on those so you can drop things as needed. Also, as mentioned, the overlap period is usually quite busy and they may close Toontown early if there is a MHP pre-party there (they've had one for the last several years).

 

[Jedi Mouse]

I read that you won't be adding days. In that case, I would make my plans for Monday if possible. Be there for rope drop and use FPs - read up on them, prioritize your rides, and make a plan, but be prepared to be flexible to make the most of your day. Mondays are more crowded, in my experience, but that is a better option to me than being done at 6:00 pm, with the last three hours very crowded.

But, here is what I would actually consider, if you are willing, as I think DCA is great:
Option 1:
* Buy the MHP tickets for Tues the 3rd - you can get into DL at 3:00 pm and stay until 11:00. When the crowds thin at 6:00 and if you don't care about fireworks, I think you should be able to hit all the major rides. During the day prior to 3:00, you could walk around DTD, grab a relaxing big late lunch so you don't need a big dinner in the park.
* Buy single park one day tickets for Wednesday and go to DCA

Option 2:
* Buy 2 day park hoppers and go to the parks Mon & Tues - you could even do one park-per-day and do DL on Mon and DCA on Tues. I suggested the park hoppers so you could move as needed to hit the highlights and adjust to crowd levels.

I like option 1 as well. I've been to one MHP in 2014 on Halloween night and once the fireworks were over the place was a ghost town. MHP would give you one less park hour (9 vs 10), but with lower crowds and many of those people will want to go to the fireworks, parade and special character interactions making lines even shorter.

 

[ExcitedMama]

Not an expert by any means, but if you don't care about fireworks I wonder if the party night could actually work in your favor? A lot of people wouldn't be buying a ticket if they are planning on going to the party. Maybe someone with more expertise could weigh in if the parks are less crowded on MHP nights during the day.

 

[Radgirl80]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the input. I'm leaning towards keeping our Disneyland day on tues. we will go at rope drop and hope we can complete everything by 6! In the past in WDW, we were ready to leave magic kingdom at around 4ish anyway. In 2013 we went to the magic kingdom on a sun when there was a Halloween party scheduled. It was much less crowded that day than the following Tuesday we went on a non party day. I'm hoping for the same.

We have a plan and hopefully it'll work!! We plan to start in tomorrowland (hit star tours, buzz, FP space mountain, and nemo), then Matterhorn and small world, head to fantasy land (peter pan, Alice, toad, Pinocchio, Snow White), then btmr, quick lunch, Grab FP for splash, Indian jones, and pirates. We won't do haunted mansion. Hopefully we can get all those rides in, but I'm probably too hopeful!

 

[figment_jii]

Not an expert by any means, but if you don't care about fireworks I wonder if the party night could actually work in your favor? A lot of people wouldn't be buying a ticket if they are planning on going to the party. Maybe someone with more expertise could weigh in if the parks are less crowded on MHP nights during the day.

I didn't actually notice much of a difference in terms of parks crowds on the days of MHP. The mornings are pretty manageable, especially on weekdays, and then the crowds really pick-up at 3:00 pm when party guests can enter the parks using their MHP tickets. So you really want to make sure you've done most of what you want by 3:00 pm because attraction lines really seemed to pick up at that point.

We have a plan and hopefully it'll work!! We plan to start in tomorrowland (hit star tours, buzz, FP space mountain, and nemo), then Matterhorn and small world, head to fantasy land (peter pan, Alice, toad, Pinocchio, Snow White), then btmr, quick lunch, Grab FP for splash, Indian jones, and pirates. We won't do haunted mansion. Hopefully we can get all those rides in, but I'm probably too hopeful!

Is there a reason you're skipping Haunted Mansion? I mostly ask because it'll have it's Nightmare Before Christmas overlay in place, which is something that is unique to DLR. Likewise, Space will have it's Ghost Galaxy overlay in place. Just note that with your schedule, you'll find the Tomorrowland and Fantasyland will have lines when you get there because of Magic Morning. MM/EMH guests have access to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland for one hour prior to opening. You might want to do Adventureland/Critter Country/Frontierland at opening because there won't be lines there already. I think the hardest rides will be Peter Pan (it always has a long line), Alice (it's a slow loader), Nemo (slow loader), and Space (always popular).

 

[Radgirl80]

Thanks for your suggestions! I appreciate it. Maybe it's better to start on the other side of the park. I was just worried about allowing lines to build up on space mountain, star tours, and Matterhorn. That's why I wanted to do tomorrowland first.

We are skipping haunted mansion because my daughter is refusing to step on that ride, even though she has seen the youtube video of it. It seems mild, but she still doesn't want to go.

 

[Geemo]

Thanks for your suggestions! I appreciate it. Maybe it's better to start on the other side of the park. I was just worried about allowing lines to build up on space mountain, star tours, and Matterhorn. That's why I wanted to do tomorrowland first.

We are skipping haunted mansion because my daughter is refusing to step on that ride, even though she has seen the youtube video of it. It seems mild, but she still doesn't want to go.

As mentioned, due to EE/MM the lines will have already built for those rides. They do have FP's which might help you.

Be in through the gates as soon as they will let you in. Go down Main St and wait for the rope to come down for AdventureLand.
You'll be able to ride IJ or BTMRR with a short wait. Pirates will be a fast loading one too.
When you move over to FantasyLand and TommorrowLand use FP's as best you can.

With party guest able to enter at 3pm. Don't count on much after that. Plus having to exit at 6pm, is a big cut in park time.
Since there is so much to see and do, if I were you, I'd prefer to go on a day with longer hours.

If you decide to go on Monday, your plan to start in TomorrowLand is a good one.

You might want to think about planning a meal/break during Mickey and the Magical Map. It's a nice was to rest a little bit.

 

[gottalovepluto]

FWIW Haunted Mansion will be Haunted Mansion Holiday when you're there. It's becomes Nightmare Before Christmas themed in a HUGE way. Some people find it to be less "scary" (idk having never seen the movie ).

 

[ExcitedMama]

If it helps at all there is a picture book for the HM if you want to check it out on Amazon if you think that might help her be interested in checking it out.

 

[tarheelalum]

Every single day at Disneyland is crowded. Go on the day you have the most time.