Quick planning trip to DL?

[lorenae]

I may or may not be able to do a quick (one day) trip to DL this late fall. I won't have advanced notice, beyond a week or so. Is it still doable?
In my WDW experience, you need two months of planning to get your Fastpasses and rooms, and even then you may be out of luck.
I'd like to be able to do it if I can be in San Diego in early November.
Would it be worth it, and would I be able to see/enjoy/do many of the attractions!
I haven't been to DL since 1970, so I'm definitely a newbie!

 

[DLgal]

Yep, absolutely. Get there early, buy Maxpass and go to town!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I may or may not be able to do a quick (one day) trip to DL this late fall. I won't have advanced notice, beyond a week or so. Is it still doable?
In my WDW experience, you need two months of planning to get your Fastpasses and rooms, and even then you may be out of luck.
I'd like to be able to do it if I can be in San Diego in early November.
Would it be worth it, and would I be able to see/enjoy/do many of the attractions!
I haven't been to DL since 1970, so I'm definitely a newbie!

Agree with the pp: it's totally doable! Especially since you're already here asking questions and planning! Read this classic thread to get started: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets. It's pre-SWGE, but still has lots of great information. Get there as early as you can (Rope Drop, if possible -- it will be worth it!), make good use of those morning hours (golden at DLR), have a plan and a back up plan, then enjoy the magic! Reservations open up (usually) 60 days out, so if you think you might want to see F! (a better show at DL) or WOC (nothing like this at any other Disney park), go ahead and book a dining package. You can always cancel it 24 hours in advance if you think you won't use it. Read this thread ("Maxpass/Fastpass: an overview and some strategy" by @Skyegirl1999 - www.disboards.com/threads/maxpass-fastpass-an-overview-and-some-strategy.3726246/ ) and ask any questions there -- MP is going to help you take the most advantage of your day.

 

[tzeitel]

As the previous posters have said - get there early. That is the best advice anyone can give you, you can really get so much done in those first 2-3 hours! MP is also a must when going for just one day. I would make a list of the must-do rides, the ones you cannot find at WDW and the ones that are significantly different (PoTC at DL is a must!).

I am not a huge show/fireworks fan myself (unless it's MSEP or PtN), but I really liked WoC. Favorite was when we did do the dessert package, it is not cheap but you do not have to wait or stand for the show. We did the dining package once but still had to get there earlier than we wanted to so we could get a good spot.

Don't waste time with TS meals, DLR has great CS places - I like them much better than what you can find at WDW (some exceptions in AK and Epcot ).

DLR is so much more relaxed than WDW - you will have a blast!

 

[lorenae]

I'm not sure that it will happen, but you have me excited about it! I may not know my travel dates until 30 days in advance, that's the bugaboo in my travel right now.

My son has had a rough deployment, and the ship is having a "Tiger Cruise" at the end of it. That's when family and/or friends can ride on the carrier from the last port to home port. Since the dates aren't announced yet, I really don't know when it will be. So once the dates are announced, I can see then when I'm going to Hawaii to meet the ship, and then when I'll be in San Diego at the end. And of course, that's when I'll find out if he has a day or two of leave to go to DL.

I just think a trip to DL for us would be a great way to celebrate the end of this long hard deployment, and then I would fly back home and he'd fly to his base. Cost is a concern as well- I know late planning costs more $$$$$ with one way airfares, etc.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... I just think a trip to DL for us would be a great way to celebrate the end of this long hard deployment, and then I would fly back home and he'd fly to his base. Cost is a concern as well- I know late planning costs more $$$$$ with one way airfares, etc.

That does sound like a great way to celebrate! Keep asking questions -- the info can always come in handy for the future, whenever it will be needed. Military discounts can really help with tickets and hotel, so you might want to check to see what your son can qualify for. There are other discount vendors for tickets who are authorized by Disney, so check their rates, too: AAA, Costco (packages w/hotel), Undercover Tourist (discount tickets and pre-purchase MP), Last Minute Travel Club (Google for a free membership code), aRes Travel, GetAwayToday Travel, and check Mousesavers.com for any other current deals. Come on back with any questions!

 

[DLgal]

That does sound like a great way to celebrate! Keep asking questions -- the info can always come in handy for the future, whenever it will be needed. Military discounts can really help with tickets and hotel, so you might want to check to see what your son can qualify for. There are other discount vendors for tickets who are authorized by Disney, so check their rates, too: AAA, Costco (packages w/hotel), Undercover Tourist (discount tickets and pre-purchase MP), Last Minute Travel Club (Google for a free membership code), aRes Travel, GetAwayToday Travel, and check Mousesavers.com for any other current deals. Come on back with any questions!

There is really no military discount on one day tickets that is worth the aggravation of buying them on a base ahead of time. It's literally a few dollars off. Much easier to just download the app, buy them digitally, and just go straight to the turnstiles.

At the end of a deployment, your son will DEFINITELY have leave granted. Everyone will get a block of 3-5 days off. That is standard protocol.

Don't make any reservations. Just go with the flow. Disneyland is best when you aren't tied to any specific plans and can just make the most of the day as it unfolds.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There is really no military discount on one day tickets that is worth the aggravation of buying them on a base ahead of time. It's literally a few dollars off. Much easier to just download the app, buy them digitally, and just go straight to the turnstiles.

At the end of a deployment, your son will DEFINITELY have leave granted. Everyone will get a block of 3-5 days off. That is standard protocol.

Don't make any reservations. Just go with the flow. Disneyland is best when you aren't tied to any specific plans and can just make the most of the day as it unfolds.

The OP mentioned that she might do 2 days -- and if her son is going to get 3-5 days, that could change her plans again -- so knowing all her discount options can only help her with her planning. Also, not everyone has the depth of knowledge and familiarity that you have with the parks, so going with the flow doesn't always work, especially if someone doesn't know the flow in the first place. Some people need a bit more structure -- or not -- depends on the OP's style and preference. OP: check some videos on YouTube for Fantasmic! (make sure the videos are from DL, not WDW) and WOC to see if these shows interest you at all -- if so, making a dining plan reservation can save you a lot of time and headache by getting you good viewing spots with the least amount of wait time. With a short trip, it probably won't be worth the time to get free FPs and invest the long wait time for good spots. (Feel free to ask any questions about these dining plans!). If you don't want to see these shows, then make sure to have the free Disneyland app on your smartphone with a credit card on file so that you can use Mobile Ordering at CS locations -- that will be a big time saver!