WDW Vet... Disneyland Newbie: What to see???

[tigertides]

Planning first ever trip to DL/DCA. We have been to WDW > 10 times. What is new/unique/special in Disneyland?

I've looked at a few lists. Not a huge fan of doing things for nostalgia sake alone. I'm looking at you, Peter Pan Dumbo Small World etc.

We will have 2 days there. So don't feel we have to ride everything. Kids will be 9 and 12. So some thrill rides acceptable.

I was hoping to do:

Matterhorn
Mr Toad
Nemo
Alice
Indy Jones
Snow While
Radiator Springs - DCA
Web Slingers - DCA
Incredicoaster - DCA
Grizzly River Run - DCA
Mike & Sully - DCA

And then WDW Classics:
Space
Splash
Big Thunder RR
Rise

Anything you would add/delete from this list? Will be doing 1 day each, no park hopper (Sorry Chapek. No more money from my wallet).

 

[dieumeye]

You should be able to easily accomplish your list.

I’d add Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout to your DCA ride list. It’s super fun.

Space Mountain in DL is different than the one at WDW.

A note regarding park hoppers. Many regular WDW visitors don’t realize how close the DL/DCA parks are to each other. The two parks face each other and are almost like one big park. You walk out of the gate of one, and the other is right there. DL has longer hours and in your case your ride list is 2/3 DL, so having the option to return to DL on your DCA day might be helpful. Just take this into consideration when deciding on park hoppers.

 

[tigertides]

Good to know.

Can you add park hopper after your regular ticket purchase same day?

What about adding on to convention tickets?

 

[ktlm]

POTC is far superior at DLR. I would add that one to your list for sure. It is longer than WDW's version.

Monster's Inc. is really cute. Luigi's Roadsters are fun too.

Also-- Small World at DLR does have Disney characters added in throughout, so we really enjoy that (some purists don't-- but DD loved spotting them when she was younger and still does).

We prefer Space at DLR-- much smoother and side by side seating.

Haunted Mansion also has some differences-- like the Hatbox Ghost.

All the little shows around Avengers Campus are fun if your kids are Marvel fans. They are all short.

Guardians Mission Breakout is fun IF you like Tower of Terror---- if you don't like TOT, then you will hate it (ask DD).

If you liked Animation Academy at WDW and miss it, you can still find it at California Adventure. They have a schedule up for the day, so you can see what they are drawing when.

And originally being a WDW person, I agree with the above poster on hopping. It is a little more annoying with the 1:00 p.m. limitation---- but it does feel like one park-- almost like the 2 sides of EPCOT. The plaza between the parks is roughly the length of a footfall field-- closer than most of the bus stops to the gate at WDW. You can be out of one park and in the other in less than 10 minutes- we have done it in 5 minutes many times. (Just don't go right at 1:00 when everyone is trying to hop at the same time).