Printing Park Tickets in Advance? (and other advice)

[TXTink]

I see we can print a voucher for park tickets before we get there and turn them in at the front gate. Is that recommended? Any information on that would be great!

All other planning advice would be appreciated as well…

We are only going for 1 day and want to park hop. I am starting to get nervous!

We have been to WDW many times, and to DL twice. The previous trips to DL we stayed close, or on-site and were there several days each time.

This trip, we will only be there one day, a Tuesday. We are staying close to Camp Pendleton (where our son in law is a Marine) and will be driving up for the day. (Any advice on that drive would be great! I am already biting my nails at the thought of California traffic! )

I also saw where we can print a parking pass in advance as well. Do you recommend that too?

Just FYI, we have a Disney Visa & own DVC... I don't know if there are any advantages to those in DL, but thought I would throw that in!

 

[sonnyjane]

If you're talking about buying your tickets online from Disneyland.com, you do not print a voucher, you print your actual ticket. You do not have to go to the ticket booth, but rather go directly to the turnstiles and there they will trade your piece of paper for a regular ticket that you can use in the FP machines. It is highly recommended as it saves you time.

As far as the drive from Pendleton, you'll just stay on the 5 North all the way to Disneyland. Since you'll be doing the drive on Tuesday there will be some traffic, but when I drive up from Pendleton I find that the traffic is heading into Pendleton, so if you're leaving from there, you'll have less to worry about.

 

[TXTink]

Thank you, sonnyjane! That was the exact info I was looking for!

I guess I'll buy and print the tickets and the parking permit.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't know where your town (mentioned in your "location" spot) is, but I don't find so cal driving to be much different than the driving around San Antonio... I DO find it different than many other places, and I don't particularly *enjoy* driving there (so fast!), but if you live anywhere near San Antonio it might not feel that different.

If you buy food, just ask if they take the DVC discount (bring your card) or Disney Visa, let them figure which one is best (though i think both are just 10%, so...).

 

[DLtorgo]

I am doing a similar thing this summer- just a one day trip. Since Tuesday is a magic morning day can you switch to visit on Monday or Wednesday? That way you can get in at the same time as everyone else.

 

[TXTink]

bumbershoot, we live in a suburb of Houston, so our traffic is pretty bad too. But, I don't drive in it. Poor DH has to drive it everyday... And he will be the one actually driving to DL, so I shouldn't complain. I must admit though, I "might" not be the best "passenger" in traffic either.

Thanks for the heads up on the discounts, I'll be sure and bring our cards!

 

[TXTink]

I am doing a similar thing this summer- just a one day trip. Since Tuesday is a magic morning day can you switch to visit on Monday or Wednesday? That way you can get in at the same time as everyone else.

See?? I just don't know much about touring at DL. I'm just now reading up on the whole Magic Morning thing... Now I am second guessing our overall trip itinerary...

 

[sonnyjane]

See?? I just don't know much about touring at DL. I'm just now reading up on the whole Magic Morning thing... Now I am second guessing our overall trip itinerary...

As long as you're second guessing your whole itinerary, you should know that since your son-in-law is a Marine, he can get up to six 3-day parkhopper tickets for just $99 each. A ONE-DAY park hopper ticket online or at the gates is $101.00, so if you want to go to Disneyland for more than a day, OR if you just want to save $2.00 lol, you might want to consider asking him to get you some military tickets

 

[JimmyJam838]

One of the conditions listed for the discount, is that the Military member must be with you. If he is not going, the discounted tickets would not work.

 

[sonnyjane]

One of the conditions listed for the discount, is that the Military member must be with you. If he is not going, the discounted tickets would not work.

Well, technically him OR his spouse count, so if he can't go but say their daughter can, with her ID they would be ok. Good point though, thanks for reminding me of that.

 

[TXTink]

As long as you're second guessing your whole itinerary, you should know that since your son-in-law is a Marine, he can get up to six 3-day parkhopper tickets for just $99 each. A ONE-DAY park hopper ticket online or at the gates is $101.00, so if you want to go to Disneyland for more than a day, OR if you just want to save $2.00 lol, you might want to consider asking him to get you some military tickets

I wish we were going to be able to go for 3 days! You really need that long to do everything (or close to everything). Sadly, though, we only have 1 day. We might be able to switch days, it would be that Monday or Wednesday, I need to ask about the other plans that have been made. I know one day we were going to spend in Temecula, so maybe we could switch that around. It is our youngest Grandsons 1st birthday, so we are also working around that. I can't wait for the trip, it will be our first time out there since they moved to Pendleton, I can't wait to look around there too!

Well, technically him OR his spouse count, so if he can't go but say their daughter can, with her ID they would be ok. Good point though, thanks for reminding me of that.

Our daughter and son-in-law will be with us, as well as our grandsons, but they already have annual passes (so they get to park for free! lol). Since we only have one day for DL, we aren't going to bother them with the military discount.

 

[sonnyjane]

I wish we were going to be able to go for 3 days! You really need that long to do everything (or close to everything).
...

Since we only have one day for DL, we aren't going to bother them with the military discount.

Fair enough, I just like enabling people when it comes to days at Disneyland lol! Enjoy your trip.

 

[TXTink]

Fair enough, I just like enabling people when it comes to days at Disneyland lol! Enjoy your trip.

Oh, I'm glad you did say something!.... as I am sitting here, I am now thinking about staying in Temecula our last night and maybe we could skip up to DL one more time before leaving! Then, the military discount would be worth it! Now, if I can only get DH to agree...hummmmm

 

[sonnyjane]

Oh, I'm glad you did say something!.... as I am sitting here, I am now thinking about staying in Temecula our last night and maybe we could skip up to DL one more time before leaving! Then, the military discount would be worth it! Now, if I can only get DH to agree...hummmmm

Well, now I hate to burst your bubble but knowing that your son-in-law and daughter have AP's, I don't think the discount will work for you, at least not according to the fine print.

"No more than six (6) Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased and (if applicable) activated by any Eligible Service Member or spouse (regardless of the place of purchase and whether purchased by that person or that person's spouse), and all six (6) must be purchased at the same time. Accordingly, no Eligible Service Member (or spouse) may purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets at any military sales outlet if that person (or that person's spouse) previously purchased Disney Military Promotional Tickets (whether at that same military sales outlet or at any other military sales outlet or at any other place). In addition, one of the six (6) Tickets purchased must be for use by the Eligible Service Member or his/her spouse."

That means your son-in-law or daughter would have to buy a ticket for themselves, but as you said, they have AP's so don't need one. This is the problem I ran into when I wanted to buy them. My sister was visiting and I wanted to buy them with my military ID, but since I have an AP, I would have had to buy one and not use it, which didn't make financial sense obviously.

 

[TXTink]

Well, rats! I guess I'll just have to go back to my original plans and figure out the best way to spend just one day in Disneyland... oh, the problems to have... right?? Thanks for all your help, I really do appreciate it!