Please help plan a day at DL for us!!!

[kjs1976]

DH and I are going to California for the first time in Oct. We will be spending one day in DL (maybe one more if we can squeeze it in!) and don't have a clue as to what strategies to use when there. Take this WDW planning nut out of her "world" and I don't know what to do!

So...we are a late 20 something couple -love all the big rides, no restrictions or fears - who want to make the most out of our one day DL visit without running ourselves tooooo ragged...can anyone plan a near perfect day for us at the park????

Thank You !!!!!!!!

Kassi

 

[HydroGuy]

DH and I are going to California for the first time in Oct. We will be spending one day in DL (maybe one more if we can squeeze it in!) and don't have a clue as to what strategies to use when there. Take this WDW planning nut out of her "world" and I don't know what to do!

So...we are a late 20 something couple -love all the big rides, no restrictions or fears - who want to make the most out of our one day DL visit without running ourselves tooooo ragged...can anyone plan a near perfect day for us at the park????

You may want to consider buying RideMax. It will plan your rides for you and give you an itinerary. See my recent critique here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885134

To better answer your question, what are your priorities? Are you planning to get a parkhopper ticket to go also to Disney California Adventure (DCA)? (The DCA gate is right next to the DL gate and parkhopping is easy.) If you are doing a one day trip, I would recommend you skip DCA. If two days, I would recommend some time at DCA.

What is most important for you? Rides? Shows and parades? Restaurants?

Here is my personal must do list:

DL Rides:
1. Pirates of the Carribean (scheduled to be closed in Oct, but rumors are that the closure will be delayed until early 2006)
2. Haunted Mansion
3. Indiana Jones
4. Splash Mtn
5. Space Mtn
6. Big Thunder Mtn RR
7. Small World (I really do not like this ride, but everyone should do it at least once - OTOH, my wife loves it)
8. Peter Pan
9. StoryBook Land Canal
10. Tiki Room
11. Mark Twain
12. Jungle Cruise

DL Shows:
1. Fantasmic - get there early to get a good viewing spot
2. Parade of Dreams
3. Remember Dreams Come True... Fireworks

If you are on a day trip, I would recommend seeing Fantasmic and skipping the fireworks show. If staying for two days, then see both. OTOH, if you have seen Fantasmic at WDW, you may want to see the fireworks instead.

If you spend a second day, here are some things at DCA not to miss:

DCA Rides:
1. Soarin Over California (do NOT miss this)
2. Tower of Terror
3. Animation Studio
4. Grizzly River Run (if you want to get wet)
5. California Screamin (currently closed indefinitely due to recent accident)

DCA Shows:
1. Aladdin (a Broadway quality show)

 

[munchkinsmom]

I second the suggestion about Ridemax. We have it and it works very well for our family.

BTW, Ridemax is now available for WDW's Magic Kingdom!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I agree with pretty much everything Hydroguy said. Definitely if you can only do one nightime show, Fantasmic vs. Remember (fireworks) I would see the fireworks. Fantasmic is basically the same show you have seen at MGM except they use a Peter Pan sequence as opposed to the Pocahantas one. I think the Disneyland version is a bit better than WDW's but you have to get a spot really early as there is no seating like what they have at MGM. I would hate to see you spend all that time seeing a show you have probably already seen. The fireworks are the 50th anniversary ones and are supposed to be incredible, even better than Wishes! I think it would be a shame to miss out on those. You need to get a spot for those early too but to me they sound worth it (can't wait to see them myself in a few weeks).

The main thing is to get there early! If Disneyland opens at anytime later than 8:00 they will open the gates and Main Street 30 minutes early. If 8:00 is the opening time (as it usually is on Saturday) then they will open the gates at that time and not before. Do Fantasyland first, especially Peter Pan and Matterhorn. Nothing in Fantasyland has fastpass so to save time ride those first. Fantasyland in Disneyland is so much prettier and charming than the one in WDW and there are some really neat rides like Alice in Wonderland and Storybookland Canal boats they just don't have at WDW. Then you can head over to Critter Country, Tomorrowland or Adventureland and start fastpassing stuff. I would try to get in the things that WDW does not have such as Indiana Jones. Then if you have time you can take in things you have done at WDW. The exception to this is Pirates, the Disneyland version is sooo much better!

Also, as soon as you have a good handle on attractions at Disneyland then you can head over to DCA. DCA is never as crowded as Disneyland so you can get a lot done over there. Also the fastpass machines are not linked at the two parks. So make sure you fastpass something at Disneyland before heading over to DCA so when you return you have a fastpass ready! DCA has some neat rides, we love Screamin (maybe it will be back open when you go I hope), its a great, smooth rollercoaster. The Soarin at DCA is exactly like the one at Epcot but its so wonderful I would ride it at both parks any day! If you have time, do try to see Aladdin, it is incredible, the best show at any Disney park imho.

Disneyland is so much more compact that with a good gameplan you will be amazed at how much you can do and park hop! Also DTD is right there too. I second ridemax, we used that once for one of our early trips and it was great. You can play around with it and it will literally give you a day's worth of rides and shows. Good luck and have fun with all your planning!

 

[Judy from Boise]

even without ride max it is very doable if you gett here early, use FP for the mountains and IJ, and skip sit down restaurants. I think it is worth it to hop over to DCA from about 2-5 pm if you are willing to spend the $, and there are late hrs at DL.

 

[kjs1976]

Thanks so much for the ideas so far! There is so much I didn't know! I have to quick jot all this down!

We have a park hopper with one day left that we want to transfer to a DL ticket. We are staying in Long Beach for the inline marathon/5k that is on Sunday of that weekend. Right now we are looking at going to DL on Friday.

Anyone know how driving to DL is and what parking is like????? Right now we have a rental car booked because we got such a great deal. We are prepared to see as much at DL as we can before heading back to Long Beach!