Spring break trip to Disneyland first timers.

[NicholeB630]

I had posted another thread seeing when the best time was to go Sept after SWGE or Spring break which for us in VA is April 15-19 but we would go to Cali the 13-21 I love long trips. Anyways after much thought and advice I'm thinking we'll do the spring break. So some advice for planning would be great and I just have a few questions.

Should we do 4 park days instead of 3 like I originally planned?

Will the Castle still be under construction? I wont change my mind about going but it will obviously stink to walk in and see the walls instead of the castle

Are most rides and shows up and running by mid April or is there a chance things will still be under refurbishments?

Any other advice for a great trip let me know I really appreciate it. Im a DW vet and know everything to do there but DL is a so foreign to me and its so different when it comes to planning.

Looking at the map the DL Hotel is def walking distance correct? Disney springs looks to be pretty small and a quick walk to the gate?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

If you can do 4 or even 5 days, go for it. More days at DLR is better because you don't have to do whole days -- you can break things up, come and go as you please, keep booking MP for later in the evening, and not get burned out or overwhelmed if things start to feel too crowded. 4 or 5 days allows for all the rides that you want, re-rides of favorites, shows/parades/live music/etc., taking in all the small details of Walt's original park (and there are a lot!), doing TS meals/character meals/dining packages/trying restaurants in DTD without feeling like you're missing park time, etc.
SBC might be under wraps -- there has been no official date announced for the castle's return. You'll see it announced here right away when the return date is posted. Everyone is hoping for sooner, rather than later.
DLH is totally walking distance to the gates -- like 10-12 minutes at a relaxed pace? You'll go through bag check (quick and easy), through DTD (get a snack or a Starbucks), then go to the gates. Or, if the monorail is running, you can enter through the monorail turnstile, which is just past the bag check -- maybe 5 minutes from the DLH.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

It seems like the castle may still be under scrim during your visit, but the art on the front is one of the original drawings, and the back will have maleficent, so it could be pretty cool! Especially if you are already familiar with Cinderella's castle - Sleepy Beauty's is smaller and in some ways less impressive, but with the scrim up it can be a different experience for you. So it is kind of a win-win for your trip - if its open, yay! But if it is still closed, yay for a somewhat unique experience.

DL Hotel is walking, DTD is smaller than Disney Springs I believe, so even walking the entire length of DTD is not really a big deal. There is a thread specifically for WDW vets coming to DL - if I find it I'll link it here!


***Update: Found it - like page 6 or 7. https://www.disboards.com/threads/a-dlr-guide-for-wdw-vets.1162599/

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It seems like the castle may still be under scrim during your visit, but the art on the front is one of the original drawings, and the back will have maleficent, so it could be pretty cool! Especially if you are already familiar with Cinderella's castle - Sleepy Beauty's is smaller and in some ways less impressive, but with the scrim up it can be a different experience for you. So it is kind of a win-win for your trip - if its open, yay! But if it is still closed, yay for a somewhat unique experience...

It can help WDW folks to know the history of SBC to prepare them for what they'll see when they walk down Main Street. SBC was not made to be the center focal point of DL -- the Matterhorn is the focal center. So if you step back a bit from the castle and look up to the right, you'll see the castle with the Matterhorn rising majestically in the background. That's the perspective that makes sense -- how many castles are bigger than an alp? (See photo below) If you see the castle against the Matterhorn from the Mark Twain, it makes even more sense. And if you've ever seen the photo of Walt watching the children running full speed through the castle, you'll see that the building proportion is perfect. The kids are excited to run into the castle, not overwhelmed and frightened. One wonders, though, if the bank had given Walt a blank check, how big would SBC have been??


(HT Google) Castle vs. Alp

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Yeah, I hope that didn't read like I don't love SBC - I do Just many folks seem very down that it is under scrim, and really there are lots of great visuals and some are even more unique/special right now. The Matterhorn perspective is so effective it kind of scared my daughter off riding it last time, despite going on tower of terror and what was california screamin'!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Yeah, I hope that didn't read like I don't love SBC - I do Just many folks seem very down that it is under scrim, and really there are lots of great visuals and some are even more unique/special right now. The Matterhorn perspective is so effective it kind of scared my daughter off riding it last time, despite going on tower of terror and what was california screamin'!

Oh, no -- I didn't read it that way at all! It's just that sometimes (often?) guests that don't have any background on SBC feel let down by its size if all they know is Cindy's castle in MK. And since they don't have a Matterhorn for comparison, they don't know it's our focal point. Once that perspective is explained, things make a lot more sense. And I just love that our castle is smaller -- you have to start somewhere, right? And SBC paved the way for all the other castles and all the other dreams!

 

[NicholeB630]

It can help WDW folks to know the history of SBC to prepare them for what they'll see when they walk down Main Street. SBC was not made to be the center focal point of DL -- the Matterhorn is the focal center. So if you step back a bit from the castle and look up to the right, you'll see the castle with the Matterhorn rising majestically in the background. That's the perspective that makes sense -- how many castles are bigger than an alp? (See photo below) If you see the castle against the Matterhorn from the Mark Twain, it makes even more sense. And if you've ever seen the photo of Walt watching the children running full speed through the castle, you'll see that the building proportion is perfect. The kids are excited to run into the castle, not overwhelmed and frightened. One wonders, though, if the bank had given Walt a blank check, how big would SBC have been??


(HT Google) Castle vs. Alp

Wow I wouldn't have even thought about that like that. I remember going years ago and my first thought was "Wow this castle is dinky" comparing it to DW. I like this perspective and we obviously didn't even notice Matterhorn. So excited to ride it this time along with so many others.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/disney-california-adventure/food-and-wine-festival/
DCA's Food & Wine Festival will still be going on during your trip dates! Not nearly as big as Epcot's (and much more laid back), but lots of fun!

 

[NicholeB630]

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/disney-california-adventure/food-and-wine-festival/
DCA's Food & Wine Festival will still be going on during your trip dates! Not nearly as big as Epcot's (and much more laid back), but lots of fun!

Could this impact crowds even more? Or not make much a difference? We've never been the Food and Wine at Epcot. We did the Art Festival though in Feb and loved that.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Could this impact crowds even more? Or not make much a difference? We've never been the Food and Wine at Epcot. We did the Art Festival though in Feb and loved that.

DCA's festival isn't huge like Epcot's. It's much more relaxed and really seems to draw more locals. It ends on 4/23, so you might notice more people in the evenings and that last weekend getting their last taste of favorites. But it isn't "crowds" like Christmas Week! (We think F&W at DCA is "crowded" when we have to stand in a line for food at more than one booth!) The Disney Food Blog has articles about DCA Food & Wine -- it starts March 1st, I think, so start looking for updates then to see what the reviews are and what you might want to try.
Oh, and Easter Sunday, at least the morning and earlier part of the day, is supposed to be a low crowd day. Keep that in mind!
And there should be an Egg Hunt type game (find the Easter Eggs on the map, complete the map and turn it in, get a prize) during your dates. Stay tuned for more details!

 

[NicholeB630]

DCA's festival isn't huge like Epcot's. It's much more relaxed and really seems to draw more locals. It ends on 4/23, so you might notice more people in the evenings and that last weekend getting their last taste of favorites. But it isn't "crowds" like Christmas Week! (We think F&W at DCA is "crowded" when we have to stand in a line for food at more than one booth!) The Disney Food Blog has articles about DCA Food & Wine -- it starts March 1st, I think, so start looking for updates then to see what the reviews are and what you might want to try.
Oh, and Easter Sunday, at least the morning and earlier part of the day, is supposed to be a low crowd day. Keep that in mind!
And there should be an Egg Hunt type game (find the Easter Eggs on the map, complete the map and turn it in, get a prize) during your dates. Stay tuned for more details!

Ok great. Ill look for more info as it gets closer! It will be fun to be there for this maybe. I was reading some of the Max Pass forums and there is just so much info. I have a quick question regarding them first thing in the morning. I know you said we could ride a lot more in the first two hours then I would think, so when is it smart to get obtain the first MP? Someone said right away that I ready. But wouldn't it be smart to go straight to a ride with no wait and say reserve the first MP for like 10am or even 9am IF we start at 7am? Or do we just check in and get a MP for the first ride we want and then book another as soon as its scanned on the ride? and so forth? I guess the other option is to get in Book the first one at say 9am (assuming its a 7am morning) and we book it right at 7:00 when we get through ticket check. Then we can book our next one at 8:30am correct since its past the 90 min? So say we book our next one at like 10:15 ... Now 9 am has come and we have scanned into our first booked MP , can we then book another or do we have to still wait 90 minutes because we just booked one after scanned the last FP? Is that making sense LOL

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Ok great. Ill look for more info as it gets closer! It will be fun to be there for this maybe. I was reading some of the Max Pass forums and there is just so much info. I have a quick question regarding them first thing in the morning. I know you said we could ride a lot more in the first two hours then I would think, so when is it smart to get obtain the first MP? Someone said right away that I ready. But wouldn't it be smart to go straight to a ride with no wait and say reserve the first MP for like 10am or even 9am IF we start at 7am? Or do we just check in and get a MP for the first ride we want and then book another as soon as its scanned on the ride? and so forth? I guess the other option is to get in Book the first one at say 9am (assuming its a 7am morning) and we book it right at 7:00 when we get through ticket check. Then we can book our next one at 8:30am correct since its past the 90 min? So say we book our next one at like 10:15 ... Now 9 am has come and we have scanned into our first booked MP , can we then book another or do we have to still wait 90 minutes because we just booked one after scanned the last FP? Is that making sense LOL

You can’t pick your return time; they start at opening or 30 minutes later and then just march forward. So you want to reserve immediately and then as soon as you’re able. In the morning, you’re very rarely going to wait 90 minutes. You may want to click the link for the “when can I book my next FP” thread, which is linked in the OP of the thread about Fastpass/Maxpass (here it is again: https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...view-and-some-strategy.3726246/#post-60074882)

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Also, keep in mind that you have an hour (actually 75 minutes) to use a FP after the window opens. So if you are in at 7 and book your first FP for 8, you could use it all the way until 9:15. There’s no reason to wait to book in the morning.

 

[NicholeB630]

You can’t pick your return time; they start at opening or 30 minutes later and then just march forward. So you want to reserve immediately and then as soon as you’re able. In the morning, you’re very rarely going to wait 90 minutes. You may want to click the link for the “when can I book my next FP” thread, which is linked in the OP of the thread about Fastpass/Maxpass (here it is again: https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...view-and-some-strategy.3726246/#post-60074882)

OK I think I am a little confused but maybe not. So I want to book fast passes as soon as possible correct because then once I’m in that hour time frame to ride I can book another? So if I get in park at 8am and I choose a MP that’s window is 8:30-9:30 I can then book another at 8:30? Am I understanding that correct. And then the 90 minutes rule is only when you have booked a fast pass or later in the day that you then have to wait 90 minutes before booking another one?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

OK I think I am a little confused but maybe not. So I want to book fast passes as soon as possible correct because then once I’m in that hour time frame to ride I can book another? So if I get in park at 8am and I choose a MP that’s window is 8:30-9:30 I can then book another at 8:30? Am I understanding that correct. And then the 90 minutes rule is only when you have booked a fast pass or later in the day that you then have to wait 90 minutes before booking another one?

Yup!

 

[NicholeB630]

Yup!

Question for you. I did read the Max Pass links posted but still curious about this ... Say we get in and the rides we care most about Matterhorn at DL and say Radiator Springs at DCA. Do you recommend getting those Max passes first thing. If we see those no matter what the time is? These are two rides we obviously will want to go on and are not at DW as well as Incredicoaster. Does it make sense to grab those first? Go to those right at Rope drop will using MP for something else near by? I haven't studied the maps enough to know where things are yet. Id hate to wait and then miss out. I just don't know how to approach that. Im assuming in-between Max passes we go on near by rides that don't have long wait times?

 

[NicholeB630]

If you can do 4 or even 5 days, go for it. More days at DLR is better because you don't have to do whole days -- you can break things up, come and go as you please, keep booking MP for later in the evening, and not get burned out or overwhelmed if things start to feel too crowded. 4 or 5 days allows for all the rides that you want, re-rides of favorites, shows/parades/live music/etc., taking in all the small details of Walt's original park (and there are a lot!), doing TS meals/character meals/dining packages/trying restaurants in DTD without feeling like you're missing park time, etc.
SBC might be under wraps -- there has been no official date announced for the castle's return. You'll see it announced here right away when the return date is posted. Everyone is hoping for sooner, rather than later.
DLH is totally walking distance to the gates -- like 10-12 minutes at a relaxed pace? You'll go through bag check (quick and easy), through DTD (get a snack or a Starbucks), then go to the gates. Or, if the monorail is running, you can enter through the monorail turnstile, which is just past the bag check -- maybe 5 minutes from the DLH.

Quick Question ... While we are staying at the DL Resort Hotel should we get on the monorail and take that in and be placed further in park? Or go through the main entrance? If the park opens at 7am is that even open yet? For an 8am day we'd try and be there an hour early. I think I'd try and be there at least 30 minutes early for 7am.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Question for you. I did read the Max Pass links posted but still curious about this ... Say we get in and the rides we care most about Matterhorn at DL and say Radiator Springs at DCA. Do you recommend getting those Max passes first thing. If we see those no matter what the time is? These are two rides we obviously will want to go on and are not at DW as well as Incredicoaster. Does it make sense to grab those first? Go to those right at Rope drop will using MP for something else near by? I haven't studied the maps enough to know where things are yet. Id hate to wait and then miss out. I just don't know how to approach that. Im assuming in-between Max passes we go on near by rides that don't have long wait times?

So, if you’re starting at DL, this is personally what I would do: I would grab Matterhorn first, do other Fantasyland stuff, and then check RSR when your Matterhorn window opens. If it’s still for early enough (like noon or 1) maybe grab one or two other “immediate” things, but overall, aim to get RSR before, say, 2:00 return time. Finish up your morning at DL and head over to DCA at lunch.

If you’re starting at DCA, I’d grab RSR IF it’s close enough that you have less than an hour wait for the window to open. If it’s later than that, I’d do something else first and then RSR.

Quick Question ... While we are staying at the DL Resort Hotel should we get on the monorail and take that in and be placed further in park? Or go through the main entrance? If the park opens at 7am is that even open yet? For an 8am day we'd try and be there an hour early. I think I'd try and be there at least 30 minutes early for 7am.

Don’t use the monorail first thing. It doesn’t start running until the park is open, so you miss out on precious time! After a mid-day hotel break, you could use it if you want to be in Tomorrowland.

Also, if you have EMH and are there at 6:30, you’d be able to ride RSR and Matterhorn during your EMH, for what that’s worth.

 

[NicholeB630]

So, if you’re starting at DL, this is personally what I would do: I would grab Matterhorn first, do other Fantasyland stuff, and then check RSR when your Matterhorn window opens. If it’s still for early enough (like noon or 1) maybe grab one or two other “immediate” things, but overall, aim to get RSR before, say, 2:00 return time. Finish up your morning at DL and head over to DCA at lunch.

If you’re starting at DCA, I’d grab RSR IF it’s close enough that you have less than an hour wait for the window to open. If it’s later than that, I’d do something else first and then RSR.


Don’t use the monorail first thing. It doesn’t start running until the park is open, so you miss out on precious time! After a mid-day hotel break, you could use it if you want to be in Tomorrowland.

Also, if you have EMH and are there at 6:30, you’d be able to ride RSR and Matterhorn during your EMH, for what that’s worth.

If we plan on having two days at each park should then I should stick to one for each day right and not hope in between? So if Im at DL in the am grab the Matterhorn early and then do other things around until that time or if its right away go there? Then continue using whatever ones we can get?

So for RSR you say only grab it first if its early. If its later then grab something else and you think it would be available still later in the day? How about incredicoaster? Would you do one first over the other? Could either of these I just walk on right away when the park opens or its best to just get a Max pass as soon as we get in and head to that.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

For RSR: make sure to ride it at night, too! It is a beautiful, different ride at night. Keep watching return times for after dark. AND... Google the sunset time for one of your days and be in Cars Land on Route 66 (in front of Flo's or the Cozy Cones is good) about 5-10 minutes before that for the neon lighting. The lighting happens at sunset every day. They play the Sh'boom song -- it's just like in the movie! Pure Disney magic.