Saturdays at DLR?

[jsmla]

We'll have 3 1/2 days (Wednesday afternoon-Saturday) to visit DLR and, after a bit of reading I'm concerned about Saturday. Are Saturdays really a zoo? My husband isn't a big fan of theme parks in general and hates massive crowds. I'm wondering if we should try to hit the parks hard W-F and then take it easier on Saturday?

What do all of you do when the parks are crowded? I was thinking of EMH at California Adventure (This is strictly for Disney resort guests, right?) and staying through lunch. What would be a good afternoon/ evening activity outside the parks?

We enjoy trying new restaurants and craft brews and was thinking maybe something beachy? We won't have a car, can we Uber from the Disneyland Hotel? If not is it possible to pick up a rental in Anaheim and return it to SNA?

Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

Saturdays are normally busy days in the park, but some of it does depend on when you'll be there.

 

[sheetz]

In the past Saturdays haven't been too bad when local APs were blacked out, but that may have changed as more have passholders have opted for the higher levels APs. That said, DCA is rarely that crowded, even on the busiest days.

A nice foodie destination that's close by is the Anaheim Packing District. I think it might even be reachable by ART.
http://anaheimpackingdistrict.com/visitor-information

 

[jsmla]

We'll be there at the end of April.

 

[Angrose]

I would definitely do DCA on a Sat morning, especially if you can get there at rope drop. Saturdays are EMH/magic morning at DL so will be more crowded, but I've always found Sat mornings at DCA very mellow. Our best day ever in DCA was Sat morning after Thanksgiving, we rode RSR 3 times that day! It would be a good time to do TSMM and RSR. Have fun!

 

[figment_jii]

The end of April doesn't really have any major events associated with it, so in that way, things might not be too bad. Three of the APs (the SoCal, the SoCal Select, and the Deluxe) are blocked out on Saturdays in April, so that should help to some degree with the AP-crowds (but note that DLR blocks out APs on days when they estimate that there will be enough guests in the parks to make up for the lack of APers). Overall, I agree that on a Saturday, I would start in DCA at rope drop and try to do as much as possible there first, then hop over to DL. I think you can still get a fair amount done, but note that crowds will pick up as the day progresses (which is true for most any weekend day).

I agree with sheetz, in that the Anaheim Packing District is a fun (and eclectic) place to eat. Think of it like a large upscale food court, with lots of different choices. Parking is a little tough (so I would definitely take Uber or taxi).

 

[jsmla]

Thank you for the replies!

I guess I should have stressed the "DH is NOT a fan of theme parks" factor. I'm thinking 2 1/2 days may be about as much as he'll enjoy. I may be doing that Saturday EMH solo while he has a relaxing morning in. We never planned to go, go, go in the parks from open to close anyway and I'm thinkng Saturday may be a good time to slow down and relax a bit before we return home.

We'll be at the tail end of a trip that begins with a fairly busy three days in Las Vegas. We're going for a wedding and the itinerary there is packed!

 

[Vincent405]

Overall, I agree that on a Saturday, I would start in DCA at rope drop and try to do as much as possible there first, then hop over to DL. I think you can still get a fair amount done, but note that crowds will pick up as the day progresses (which is true for most any weekend day). .

If DL gets more crowded than DCA, wouldn't it make sense to hop the other way? Start out at DL and hop over to DCA? We will be there over a Saturday in a few weeks.

 

[figment_jii]

If DL gets more crowded than DCA, wouldn't it make sense to hop the other way? Start out at DL and hop over to DCA? We will be there over a Saturday in a few weeks.

On Saturday mornings, DL usually has their EMH/MM. So by the time the park opens to the general public, the popular attractions in FL and TL will already have lines built up. So many recommend starting in DCA and taking advantage of what should be lower crowds at rope drop. Then when you've finished at DCA, hop over to DL. Yes, the crowds will have been steadily building at DL all morning/day, but in theory, you have had a fairly good morning in DCA.

 

[Vincent405]

On Saturday mornings, DL usually has their EMH/MM. So by the time the park opens to the general public, the popular attractions in FL and TL will already have lines built up. So many recommend starting in DCA and taking advantage of what should be lower crowds at rope drop. Then when you've finished at DCA, hop over to DL. Yes, the crowds will have been steadily building at DL all morning/day, but in theory, you have had a fairly good morning in DCA.

I see.

We will be on-site. But does it get so crowded for EMH, that the advantage (using EMH) is minimal?

 

[figment_jii]

It depends on what you want to accomplish during EMH/MM. I think you can get a fair amount done during EMH/MM, but it does depend on when you get there and what you decide to ride.

When I went, half of group wanted to do the rides in TL and the other half wanted to ride Peter Pan. We got there a little before EMH/MM started, but were pretty far back (beyond the monorail tracks). By the time we got into the park and to Peter Pan, the line was already 40 minutes long. We waited and rode it, but when all was said in done, there was only about 10 minutes left of EMH. The group that went to TL, on the other hand, rode Buzz and Star Tours a few times each during that same period. So, for them, EMH was beneficial, while for the Peter Pan-group, we didn't get as much done, but we did get on Peter Pan and didn't have to spend time later in the day waiting for it. So in the end, it's all a matter of what you want to go and what you consider a successful EMH/MM.