Total Disneyland novice...need some help please!

[Belle61513]

DH and I have the Southwest airlines companion pass and we're trying to hit some places that SW flies throughout the rest of the year. We're WDW vets but we've never even been to Southern Cali, let alone DL where it all began. I'm just trying to gather some cursory info to help present my case for SoCal + Disneyland while we're there.

• How many days to do DL AND CA? 2 separate days? 1.5? 3?
• How do tickets work for all the separate parks? Is Carsland included in CA? Is a park hopper recommended?
• Is there an advantage to staying on Disney property as with WDW? If so, what hotels do you recommend? Like EMH, FP+, etc.
• Do DL hotels do Magical express pickup/drop off as in WDW?
• Anything else you feel I should know going in?

Thanks!

 

[Carolynleanne]

Oh, I am SO excited for you! You are going to have a WONDERFUL trip

In regards to your questions...

1. As far as how many days, if you can swing it, i'd do three. We like to dedicate two full days to Disneyland Park and one full day to California Adventure.
2. When you purchase your tickets, you can buy a base ticket (which will be good for either of the two parks - one park per day) or a park hopper, which is again good for either park but will allow you to go back and forth between the two on the same day. Carsland is included in your ticket - it's a land at the back left of California Adventure
3. Yes, there is an advantage to staying on site. You'll have access to extra magic hour, which gets you into a select park an hour early each morning. I've never had the opportunity to stay on site, so I can't recommend which one will be best for you. That being said, if I could pick I'd be booking Grand Californian!
4. Disneyland Resort does not offer a Magical Express airport pick up/drop off like WDW does. You can book something called the Disneyland Resort Express though for a transportation fee and it will take you right to your resort.
5. Anything else to fill you in on? Hmmm, well we never leave home without purchasing Photopass+! It's kind of like Memory Maker at WDW where you can use photopass photographers stationed around the parks and with characters to snap your photos. It also includes specialty dining photos and ride photos! Also, if you are traveling off season make sure you are in the parks for at least park of the weekend - otherwise you may miss some of the night time entertainment like Fireworks and Fantasmic. Make a reservation to eat at Blue Bayou if possible - the food is good albeit pricey, but the ambiance cannot be beat!!!

 

[Aladora]

DH and I have the Southwest airlines companion pass and we're trying to hit some places that SW flies throughout the rest of the year. We're WDW vets but we've never even been to Southern Cali, let alone DL where it all began. I'm just trying to gather some cursory info to help present my case for SoCal + Disneyland while we're there.

• How many days to do DL AND CA? 2 separate days? 1.5? 3?
• How do tickets work for all the separate parks? Is Carsland included in CA? Is a park hopper recommended?
• Is there an advantage to staying on Disney property as with WDW? If so, what hotels do you recommend? Like EMH, FP+, etc.
• Do DL hotels do Magical express pickup/drop off as in WDW?
• Anything else you feel I should know going in?

Thanks!

Let's see...

1. We usually have 4 or 5 days to do both.

2. We have always bought park hoppers and hop just about every day. The two parks are so close that we have hopped between them multiple times a day even. It's nice to be able to pop between them if one park is getting busy or there is a ride in the other that we really want to do. Carsland is included in DCA.

3. Ahh, the great debate. It depends on what is important to you. When you stay onsite you do get early entry into whichever park has it on that day. This is especially beneficial for DCA since the only people who get early entrance are those who are onsite. DL early entry is much busier since all 3+ day tickets get one early entry. (Is it 3+ day ticket or 3+ day hoppers, I can't remember?) Onsite also allows you to stay in the Disney bubble. Offsite is much cheaper and in many cases closer to the entrance that onsite. We've stayed onsite 3 times and offsite 4 times and while I love staying onsite, I have a hard time justifying spending $450/night as opposed to $89/night!

4. No but you can take the DRE bus.

5. DL still uses paper fastpasses so you don't have to deal with FP+. Dining reservations can be made 60 days out and the park hour calendar is not put out as early as WDW. Right now on March 23 I can only see up to May 2nd.

 

[HydroGuy]

• How many days to do DL AND CA? 2 separate days? 1.5? 3?

It depends on time of year to some degree, but four days for DLR is considered the minimum to achieve a solid DLR visit. Not sure how long your WDW visits tend to be but four days at DLR will feel like about seven days at WDW.

Of the four days, then a reasonable split is 2.5 days at DL and 1.5 days at DCA.

If you go off-season when more rides are closed and entertainment is reduced, then three days may be enough.

• How do tickets work for all the separate parks? Is Carsland included in CA? Is a park hopper recommended?

Like WDW you can buy tickets which are "one park per day" or park hoppers which coast extra. For trips of four days then park hoppers are highly recommended.

• Is there an advantage to staying on Disney property as with WDW? If so, what hotels do you recommend? Like EMH, FP+, etc.

Much less advantage at DLR than at WDW. Onsite hotels offer EMH each morning. No FP+ at DLR yet. Just legacy FP with window enforced. No FP advantages to onsite guests.

Onsite Disney hotels do have some advantages of course of which the "Disney bubble" feeling is maximized.

However, there are lots of offsite options of which numerous offsite hotels are closer to the DLR gates than the DLH and PPH.

• Do DL hotels do Magical express pickup/drop off as in WDW?

No. Too many airports in SoCal and too few of the inbound guests visiting DLR.

Here is a link that will help:

"Airport Proximity to DLR and Ground Transportation Information" by 3TinksAndAnEeyore www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2318297

• Anything else you feel I should know going in?

This lengthy thread by yours truly is the typical starting point for WDW vets. It will help you figure out what questions you should be asking.

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Also check out the sticky thread for newbies at the top of the forum. And if you are visiting in 2015 check out the 60th anniversary information. There is a link in my signature that will get you started.

 

[figment_jii]

1. I feel like "how many days' really depends on how you like to tour, how much you want to see, and how many days you normally take for a vacation. I would say, that at a minimum, you'll need 2 days in DL and 1 day in DCA to do most things. This depends a lot on when you go (e.g., peak versus non-peak) and if you go "commando" or tend to be more relaxed. I generally think 5-days is about ideal, but I go with a park hopper so we see both parks on all days.

2. I highly recommend getting a park hopper because the two parks are only 110 yards apart (you can see both ticket gates from the center of the Esplande). Carsland is a land within DCA (kind of like Fantasyland is a land in DL).

3. Yes and no...there aren't as many advantages to staying on-site at DLR as there are at WDW. On-site guests at DLR get access to EMH (Extra Magic Hour), which happens in either DL or DCA (alternating days, usually). The park opens one-hour earlier for EMH guests. At DCA, most things are open for EMH, but at DL, only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open for EMH. There are no evening EMHs (unlike WDW).

4. No, DLR does not have an official transportation service like DME. There are several other transportation options (e.g., Disneyland Resort Express, SuperShuttle, etc.) to get you from the airport to DLR, but you have to book it yourself.

5. Are you a WDW vet? If so, I highly recommend taking a look at HydroGuy's DLR Guide for WDW Vets. Other tips that come to mind are to note that dining ADRs open about 60-days in advance, operating hours are posted about 45-days in advance, and entertainment schedule is usually posted about 30-days in advance.

 

[Belle61513]

Thanks, everyone! I feel like this is enough to get the ball rolling!

I especially like @HydroGuy's thread:

This lengthy thread by yours truly is the typical starting point for WDW vets. It will help you figure out what questions you should be asking.

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Also check out the sticky thread for newbies at the top of the forum. And if you are visiting in 2015 check out the 60th anniversary information. There is a link in my signature that will get you started.

 

[TeresaR]

You don't have to make ADRs here like at WDW. Most of the table service places you can make a ressie either that morning or if you want, just a week in advance of your trip. Also by the lockers on Main Street is the Test Wall which has bricks laid out in several different patterns. And over in DCA in the Carsland area, around dusk every evening the Shaboom song comes on and all the neon lights light up

 

[Fantaluminishes]

Since you have the companion pass, I highly recommend flying into John Wayne airport (SNA). It's the closest airport to DLR.

I now live near the parks, so I don't have to stay at a hotel. Prior to moving here last year, I almost always stayed off-site. I'm a WDW vet, and stay on property every time I travel to Florida. But the onsite hotels at DLR don't appeal to me. They are too expensive, and don't have a resort feel at all.

You must get park hoppers at Disneyland. It's just a no brainer. The convenience of crossing over to another park during the day can't be beat. I have an annual pass, and I go to the parks about every other week. I almost always park hop each time I visit.

 

[Oomiak]

I'm a WDW vet and I'm here at Disneyland now, and we flew in on Southwest. I really wish we were in a Disney resort but the price is astronomical compared to WDW prices. We are staying at the Holiday Inn on S Walnut and it is a hike into the parks every morning. There is a city bus that runs but I haven't felt like waiting for it.

It's really fun for me to see how differently they do things here. Today we watched the parade and they didn't roll tape viewing areas out and they didn't put up a bunch of barricades. The cast members were so laid back, and so were the guests. Parade time at WDW is crazy in my opinion...cast members can be really grouchy and bossy but then the guests are kind of acting like jerks there. This place has a totally different feel and it's a good feel.

Any questions you have, hit me up. I can give you the Disneyland experience through WDW eyes.

 

[elaine amj]

DH and I also both have Companion Passes for Southwest. I got mine in 2014 (valid until 2015) and he got his this year (valid until 2016). So this is the year of FLYING with both my kids flying completely free and we're paying with points for DH and I. We have a ton of flights planned.

One is to Cali with the highlight being DLR. We r going in July for the 60th anniversary. We ended up deciding to fly into San Jose, spend a night in Monterey, then a few nights in Sequoia National Park before ending up in DLR for 7 nights (5 park days). Super excited!

• How many days to do DL AND CA? 2 separate days? 1.5? 3? I wanted 5 days since we like 10-12 day WDW vacations and I've been told a good rule of thumb is half what you like at WDW.
  
• How do tickets work for all the separate parks? Is Carsland included in CA? Is a park hopper recommended? I got the hopper. With the parks so close I felt it was well worth the extra money. Plus, we can hold multiple FPs from the 2 parks - sounds pretty awesome
  
• Is there an advantage to staying on Disney property as with WDW? If so, what hotels do you recommend? Like EMH, FP+, etc. Staying onsite sounds neat but I couldn't justify the price. We are staying at the Fairfield Inn Anaheim which is walking distance(I redeemed Marriott points for a free 7 nigght stay). I am thrilled to be so close to the parks after being so used to endless buses at WDW.
  
  
• Do DL hotels do Magical express pickup/drop off as in WDW? No - this part sucks. I am flying home from SNA since that is the closest airport. Cost more points than LAX (Los Angeles airport) but the transportation and hassle (LA traffic) savings will be worth it. When I booked the points difference wasn't too bad though. Closer to the flight, SNA prices shoot upwards and for those savings, I would fly through LAX.
  
  
• Anything else you feel I should know going in? YAY to Companion Passes and Disney trips! I would suggest exploring a broader Cali trip. I was dying to see big trees so Sequoia is a huge priority for me.

 

[letsgoreds]

Great advice. Here's my take on park hoppers...if you are only doing 3 days, then it isn't worth it. There are so many things to do in each park, that you don't need to hop. If you were going 5 days, then yes, you will have time to get to know each park, and can get fancier with your touring.

This is from a WDW vet who always gets park hoppers, and just completed her first trip to DL in early Feb. We purchased park hoppers, and only hopped 1 of the 4 days. Wasn't worth it for this trip.

We did the F! Blue Bayou package, and LOVED it. Big hit with our boys too. I usually skip F! at WDW, but really enjoyed the setup/show at DL. You also must ask for a water table at BB. It may result in an additional wait up to 40min, so plan accordingly.

We had our dog with us, so had to stay off site. This resulted in a big time cost savings. That being said, if I had it to do again, I would have preferred to stay at DLH or GCA. At WDW we have always stayed onsite, usually DVC renting points. Best deal is to find a DVC owner and see if there is availability. It is pricey, and this brings down the price considerably and then parking at the resort is free (if you rent a car).

There are some awesome beaches are only 30 minutes away. We headed to Laguna (Crescent Bay), but there are a lot of options.

 

[cherice95403]

• How many days to do DL AND CA? 2 separate days? 1.5? 3? Assuming you have no kids, a 3 day park hopper is fine.
  
• How do tickets work for all the separate parks? Is Carsland included in CA? Is a park hopper recommended? You MUST have a hopper at DL. Carsland is in DCA.
  
• Is there an advantage to staying on Disney property as with WDW? If so, what hotels do you recommend? Like EMH, FP+, etc. The advantage is EMH everyday, location, and ambiance. I have only stayed at the Grand and I LOVE it. You can walk directly in and out of DCA from the hotel. Can't recommend it enough. DL doesn't have FP+.
  
• Do DL hotels do Magical express pickup/drop off as in WDW? Not sure about that one....we drive direct.
  
• Anything else you feel I should know going in? DL is a more easy going trip. I am planning a WDW trip right now and there is SO MUCH more planning involved. Make a few ADRs and make sure you hit both night shows, but mostly you can wing it.