Please help with June itinerary for our first trip to DLR thank you

[Georgieut]

Thank you all! This is our first trip to disneyland.
We are a Family of 5 - three girls 18, 16 and 5. All but the youngest has been to WDW once. We are going June 2-4 and are off site FFI. How to make it fun for the older kids too. Oldest will have just graduated from high school. I also just had knee surgery.

So far I have the following:

Monday DCA it's a extra hour for on site so 7am for them 8 for us.
Arrive at 7:15
Go to camera place for photo pass lanyard.
Get FP for RSR
TSMM
Not sure how to go about the rest.
11am Ariel's grotto - only ressie we have.
Animation workshop - middle DD is an artist

Tuesday DL - MM 7am arrive 6:15
Peter Pan
Dumbo
Mad tea party
King Arthur's
8:10am BBB - crown package - older ones perhaps go off on their own.
Fantasy faire
Dole whip
Pixie hollow
Fireworks

Wednesday - last day
DL 8am no E or Mm arrive 7:30
E/A MG
Do things we didn't do day before.

 

[Georgieut]

Bump -

 

[kitayama]

I saw something that you said in passing that will probably make everyone's trip better... The older ones will probably have much more fun away from you. I am not saying that as a bad thing, but they are teens and hanging out with mom and dad is so uncool... Of course, let them play with their little sister and hang out with you, and insist on meal times and curfews, but give them time to do things that you and your little one do not want to/can't do. Definitely track their smartphones' location! Anaheim is not horribly dangerous, but there are some shady areas outside Disneyland.

 

[kitayama]

By the way, Pixie Hollow closes early. Keep an eye on the closing time.

 

[Georgieut]

I saw something that you said in passing that will probably make everyone's trip better... The older ones will probably have much more fun away from you. I am not saying that as a bad thing, but they are teens and hanging out with mom and dad is so uncool... Of course, let them play with their little sister and hang out with you, and insist on meal times and curfews, but give them time to do things that you and your little one do not want to/can't do. Definitely track their smartphones' location! Anaheim is not horribly dangerous, but there are some shady areas outside Disneyland.

I agree your so right about them going off on their own. Even if that makes me sad mom because they so grown up. Thought this would be good during little sisters BBB experience. How do I track their smart phones ?

I will definitely make note about pixie hollow. Thank you!

 

[Georgieut]

Bump

 

[Girimama33]

Your plan looks good.
My only suggestion on the first day is when you get to the park, have someone else get in the RSR FP line while you get the PP+ card.

 

[rtfelt]

I assume you don't have hoppers. Too bad because it would make a big difference in your plans. Wednesday is a grad night at DCA, which means all the grads, who get a full day park hopper, will be spending the day at DL. They will move over to DCA in the evening some time.

Going to DCA on a day with EE will mean you will wait longer for TSMM. I also wouldn't get the RSR FP first thing. The line for FP first thing can be 20 minutes long. Wait for at least 30 minutes then get the FP with no wait. You won't get a morning return time, but since you plan on being there the whole day, that shouldn't be a problem. Since you're all older, you can also ride RSR SR if you want to do it more than once.

I know hoppers are an added expense, but I think a situation like this is when they are sooooo worth it. With a hopper you could start Monday at DL avoiding EE and getting through FL & TL, then hop to DCA late morning for shows and shorter line rides (depending on time you could still score a RSR FP). Then start Tuesday in DCA at RD fro TSMM and possibly RSR SB and other popular rides, then hop to DL for low wait time rides. On Wednesday do RD at DL for left side of park but hop over to DCA as grads come in around 10 or 11 am, and hop back to DL for the evening when grads leave.

The plan you have means you will be doing EE on Tuesday with EVERY other tourist with at least a 3 day pass and all on site guests. It is better with an 8 am RD, because fewer are willing to get there by 7, but it will probably be more crowded than you expect. Personally if you're not doing hoppers, I would skip the EE and do DL Mon and Wed and DCA Tue.

If you're keeping with your plan then after TSMM (this will be a 30 minute wait because of EE) & RSR FP, do Screamin' if no line or get FP (not connected to system) then go to Maters. Luigi can be skipped. Since you'll be in line for TSMM for a while have one person get Soarin' or ToT FP on way in with return time 40 minutes--1 hour 40 minutes. Use it at the end of your return window, but get a new FP at the beginning.

If you PM me with your email, I can send you an excel file I made for my nephew's family with a 2 day, 2 park itinerary with hoppers. The opening times are later and it has hoppers, but it can give you an idea of what to do when and in what order. They did not go on EE days, so that may change things somewhat, but you can get an idea.

 

[lk2500]

Do you have park hoppers? If not, do you have the option to upgrade to park hoppers? Park hoppers would allow your older girls much more flexibility in wandering around on their own and overall you will have a much better experience.

 

[rtfelt]

That first week in June is also the last days before the S CA Select AP are blocked out until the last of August. In my experience, all the locals with that pass will flood the park to get that last day in before a nearly 3 month drought. It might be busier than you anticipate.

 

[Georgieut]

Sorry it had taken so long to respond. I went back to work .... ( i had knee surgery last week and took a week off) Thank you all for your responses.

Your plan looks good.
My only suggestion on the first day is when you get to the park, have someone else get in the RSR FP line while you get the PP+ card.

I just had knee surgery so yep I wont be running for FP for sure. I do hope it all works out. I am walking like a gimp. I hope I can make it through this trip thats in 3 weeks.

I assume you don't have hoppers. Too bad because it would make a big difference in your plans. Wednesday is a grad night at DCA, which means all the grads, who get a full day park hopper, will be spending the day at DL. They will move over to DCA in the evening some time.

No hoppers. Hubby didn't want them. We are combining our trip with going to San Diego. So they money went to that. I hope my older girls have a good time.

Going to DCA on a day with EE will mean you will wait longer for TSMM. I also wouldn't get the RSR FP first thing. The line for FP first thing can be 20 minutes long. Wait for at least 30 minutes then get the FP with no wait. You won't get a morning return time, but since you plan on being there the whole day, that shouldn't be a problem. Since you're all older, you can also ride RSR SR if you want to do it more than once.

I know hoppers are an added expense, but I think a situation like this is when they are sooooo worth it. With a hopper you could start Monday at DL avoiding EE and getting through FL & TL, then hop to DCA late morning for shows and shorter line rides (depending on time you could still score a RSR FP). Then start Tuesday in DCA at RD fro TSMM and possibly RSR SB and other popular rides, then hop to DL for low wait time rides. On Wednesday do RD at DL for left side of park but hop over to DCA as grads come in around 10 or 11 am, and hop back to DL for the evening when grads leave.

The plan you have means you will be doing EE on Tuesday with EVERY other tourist with at least a 3 day pass and all on site guests. It is better with an 8 am RD, because fewer are willing to get there by 7, but it will probably be more crowded than you expect. Personally if you're not doing hoppers, I would skip the EE and do DL Mon and Wed and DCA Tue.

If you're keeping with your plan then after TSMM (this will be a 30 minute wait because of EE) & RSR FP, do Screamin' if no line or get FP (not connected to system) then go to Maters. Luigi can be skipped. Since you'll be in line for TSMM for a while have one person get Soarin' or ToT FP on way in with return time 40 minutes--1 hour 40 minutes. Use it at the end of your return window, but get a new FP at the beginning.

If you PM me with your email, I can send you an excel file I made for my nephew's family with a 2 day, 2 park itinerary with hoppers. The opening times are later and it has hoppers, but it can give you an idea of what to do when and in what order. They did not go on EE days, so that may change things somewhat, but you can get an idea.

Thank you for the great advice. Its to late to change things I am sure. The ressies already in place and I guess I will live and learn from this first time trip. I agree hoppers would have been nice. Hubby said no. But with doing 2 trips Disney and San Diego we had to save money to do all we wanted to do for the whole trip.
I will send ya my email. It would be great to see an agenda. TY!

Do you have park hoppers? If not, do you have the option to upgrade to park hoppers? Park hoppers would allow your older girls much more flexibility in wandering around on their own and overall you will have a much better experience.

We don't have them. Hubby wanted to save the money to use for other parts of our trip. I hope the older girls will still have a good time.

That first week in June is also the last days before the S CA Select AP are blocked out until the last of August. In my experience, all the locals with that pass will flood the park to get that last day in before a nearly 3 month drought. It might be busier than you anticipate.

Picked bad days (sigh)

 

[lk2500]

Sorry it had taken so long to respond. I went back to work .... ( i had knee surgery last week and took a week off) Thank you all for your responses.



I just had knee surgery so yep I wont be running for FP for sure. I do hope it all works out. I am walking like a gimp. I hope I can make it through this trip thats in 3 weeks.



Thank you for the great advice. Its to late to change things I am sure. The ressies already in place and I guess I will live and learn from this first time trip. I agree hoppers would have been nice. Hubby said no. But with doing 2 trips Disney and San Diego we had to save money to do all we wanted to do for the whole trip.
I will send ya my email. It would be great to see an agenda. TY!



We don't have them. Hubby wanted to save the money to use for other parts of our trip. I hope the older girls will still have a good time.



Picked bad days (sigh)

No worries! With the advice from this board and the right attitude going in (knowing to expect big crowds, how to use fast passes, etc..) you guys will have a blast regardless!!

 

[Georgieut]

No worries! With the advice from this board and the right attitude going in (knowing to expect big crowds, how to use fast passes, etc..) you guys will have a blast regardless!!

Yes right attitude will be key! I stink at that sometimes lol thank you for your post.

 

[lk2500]

Yes right attitude will be key! I stink at that sometimes lol thank you for your post.

Just think of all the poor people who have no idea about Disney forums, have no idea what a fast pass is, don't know about all the non-ride stuff like the animation academy, have no idea what rides will be closed when they get there, etc.... At least you can plan ahead for all that stuff.

 

[nannyz]

We will also be there the first week of June.
I started to fret and worry about the negatives but realized that if I continued, I would ruin my vacation.
Sometimes I think that it's better not to know everything.

Patience and attitude are the keys to a good time at DLR.
It isn't only about the rides and the parades and the shows.
Some of the finest moments I have had were sitting on a bench in DL with my husband, sipping a cold drink and watching people; or watching a mama duck and her babies floating down the river.

Enjoy!!