WDW vet needs help with itinerary!

[DISFANSHAN]

Hi! We will be stopping over in California on our way to Hawaii for a few days. I was hoping someone could tell me the best way to tackle Disneyland, California Adventure and Universal. We will be landing at LAX on Saturday, 6/23 at 12 noon. We will check into the Disneyland Hotel, then we're ready to hit the parks. We depart LAX on Tuesday, 6/26 in the early afternoon. Please feel free to fill in my days for me.
Oh, important info!!! It will be me, DH, DS7 and DS3. We would like to sqeeze in everything possible, or at least the major stuff! My DS7 is almost 48", (may even be by now!), and I know he would like to do the big rides.
Also, we are WDW veterans, have been 8 times in the last 6 years, and we are used to doing the parks commando style!!!!!

Thanks for any help!!!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Be aware that people are predicting huge crowds at DL on Sunday June 24. With the Nemo Sub ride opening June 11, Sunday is a prime day for AP holders who will have a blackout for the rest of the summer after that week.

If you try to do DLR and USH, you will be squeezed for time. But if you want to spend a day at USH, Sunday would be the better day with Monday at DLR. If you decide to skip USH, then Sunday would be a better day for DCA and Monday for DL itself.

Check out RideMax for DLR www.ridemax.com .

Get to the parks early each day.

BTW, we'll be coming back from Hawaii to LAX on Sat June 23 (maybe we will see you at LAX ) and then onto DLR during the following week after visits with family in the area. Have a great trip.

 

[Twinprincesses]

We are WDW vets and love DL. I say must do is Materhorn, Alice, Storybook boats, Casey Jr Train, Small World, Monsters Inc, Mr Toad (those are not at WDW). CA is fun as well it is kinda like a cross between the best rides at MGM and Epcot.

Also with you having a 3 year old make sure to do the bugs life area. My girls loved it there.

 

[ShawnaF]

Pirates is also apparently very different, try to hit that!

Get your meals booked right away! For that age, I'd hit Goofy's for dinner (maybe more meals if you want), the little one would really enjoy Minnie's breakfast inside the park and your older one probably would enjoy it too. Carnation Cafe is my favorite restaurant for lunch - best food in the park in my opinion. You need reservations for all of these. For other "snack times" with the kids, hit White Water Snacks and the GC. Have a fantastic time!!!

 

[tinkermell]

Be aware that people are predicting huge crowds at DL on Sunday June 24. With the Nemo Sub ride opening June 11, Sunday is a prime day for AP holders who will have a blackout for the rest of the summer after that week.

If you try to do DLR and USH, you will be squeezed for time. But if you want to spend a day at USH, Sunday would be the better day with Monday at DLR. If you decide to skip USH, then Sunday would be a better day for DCA and Monday for DL itself.

Check out RideMax for DLR www.ridemax.com .

Get to the parks early each day.

BTW, we'll be coming back from Hawaii to LAX on Sat June 23 (maybe we will see you at LAX ) and then onto DLR during the following week after visits with family in the area. Have a great trip.

Hey Trey/aka HydroGuy,
I think you are slacking. Either that, or your being bashful, or your mind was on Hawaii. Geesh!!! J/K...Anyways you didn't give out your wonderful articles to this poster. I would do it, but I don't know how. I'm not very computer savvy. Sorry!

 

[brenda1966]

Since you're used to doing the parks commando style, I would skip any meals that require reservations (or limit it to one). I don't think you have the time for it. Also, with younger kids, I'd skip Universal (or save it for monday or your 1/2 day Tuesday). There is so much charm to DL that I would concentrate on spending Sunday there and maybe your 1/2 day tuesday. If it gets too crowded on Sunday, hop over to CA. I'd start your half day Saturday at CA. And hit the bug's life area for your youngest. Also, in the back of the park are those slow loading midway type rides. My DD loves the Sun wheel.

Be sure to catch the Aladdin show at CA. It's superb! Also catch the Monster's Inc ride at CA.

In fantasyland I'd hit those rides WDW lacks as mentioned above: Casey Jr and Storybook canal boats often open an hour later than Dumbo etc. Ride Mr. Toad, Pinoccio. Mickey's toontown has a roger rabbit ride that my DD loved last time.

Also ride those things that are a bit better at DL: Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear (the guns come off).

Ride Indy with your oldest child.

 

[DISFANSHAN]

Thank you all for the great info!!! I think we are going to skip character meals, we do at least 2-3 of them when we're at WDW, and we're going back there in August. This trip is more about exploring and enjoying DL and CA and their attractions, as opposed to meeting characters.
We HAVE to do Universal. DH is a fireman and wants to do Backdraft, and DS7 is really looking to do "something besides Disney, ma!". Of all our trips to WDW, we've only been to Universal in Orlando once!

Hydroguy, thanks for the tip about Sunday June 24, that will have to be our Universal Day.
Do you think we will be able to get alot done at DCA on Saturday, June 23, if we arrive at the park at about 4p.m.?

 

[HydroGuy]

Hey Trey/aka HydroGuy,
I think you are slacking. Either that, or your being bashful, or your mind was on Hawaii. Geesh!!! J/K...Anyways you didn't give out your wonderful articles to this poster. I would do it, but I don't know how. I'm not very computer savvy. Sorry!

I usually do not post the links unless people are soliciting that type of advice, and she wasn't here.

DIS FAN, here are some links that Tink thought I should have posted:

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

Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1345319

HydroGuy's Fireworks Rule
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199851

HydroGuy's Hotel Rule
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you all for the great info!!! I think we are going to skip character meals, we do at least 2-3 of them when we're at WDW, and we're going back there in August. This trip is more about exploring and enjoying DL and CA and their attractions, as opposed to meeting characters.
We HAVE to do Universal. DH is a fireman and wants to do Backdraft, and DS7 is really looking to do "something besides Disney, ma!". Of all our trips to WDW, we've only been to Universal in Orlando once!

Hydroguy, thanks for the tip about Sunday June 24, that will have to be our Universal Day.
Do you think we will be able to get alot done at DCA on Saturday, June 23, if we arrive at the park at about 4p.m.?

You are going to be moving around a lot just because of the things you want to squeeze in. Since you have a commando mentality, here is commando schedule I would recommend:

Saturday - arrive DLR 4PM hopefully - Yes, do what you can with DCA this day. Consider seeing Fantasmic or Remember Dreams Come True fireworks show at DL in the evening. Consider seeing Aladdin or Block Party Bash at DCA (this will be the only day you can see Aladdin if you want, because it is always dark on Mondays/Tuesdays).

Sunday - USH - you will have about a one hour drive to USH - leave early as I think they open pretty early (8AM?). Try to not get back too late as tomorrow is an early day at DL.

Monday - DL - this is an Early Entry day at DL. Since you are staying at the DLR hotel, then you will have EE which will be at 7AM. Get to the gates by 6:30-6:40AM and hit Fantasyland right away. Consider seeing Fantasmic or Remember Dreams Come True fireworks show at DL in the evening. Take a break in the afternoon.

Tuesday - Another EE day at DL so same thing as Monday for morning plans. Hop to DCA at 10AM if you want or visit Toontown and have time before your flight. The HydroFamily will be in line for EE this morning too.

 

[DisneyfeverTN]

Here's my advice:

Don't miss Aladdin. It's so much better than you probably think it will be.

Universal - you might want to purchase the front of the line pass. We did that and were able to save so much time and ride some of our favorite rides (like Jurassic Park and The Mummy) several times with no wait. Since it was crowded when we went, it was worth the money to us.

Also, California Screamin has a single rider line. If only person in your family wants to ride it, the single rider line lets you walk right up to the loading part. When we took our youngest DS(then 10), we all used the single rider line over and over again.

Have fun!!