WDW Veterans head to DL for the first time - Thoughts and Strategy

[katethegreat24]

THOUGHTS AND ITINERARY / STRATEGY FROM WDW VETERANS

DATES: January 9-13, 2016
2 WDW Enthusiasts (adults in good shape, no kids)
TICKETS: 3-Day Park Hoppers, no early entry
HOTEL: Hilton Garden Inn, Garden Grove
TRANSPORTATION: Uber

General Thoughts from a WDW Veteran:

• The best advice I read before going: don’t compare Disneyland to WDW. Some of the rides are similar, but they are completely different parks with completely different feels. Appreciate each park for what it is. Remember that even though it’s small, Disneyland is the place where the magic started!
• The castle is small. Very very small. There was no wow-factor when walking down Main Street. Prepare yourself.
• Not as many dining options as WDW. We saw lines for every table service and quick service restaurant all day, every day, even for food that wasn’t line-worthy (like popcorn and a Coke). We did not purchase a dining package since we had free breakfast at the hotel.
• Even though we couldn’t choose FPs beforehand and we didn’t have dining reservations, we still found it very useful to have a plan. A lot of people say you don’t need a plan at DL, but we disagree. If you have a limited amount of time (3 days for us), make an itinerary. Ours worked great - we never waited more than 10 minutes except where noted. The longest lines were for food and drinks!
• Disneyland is in the middle of a city. We didn’t get the “removed from reality” feeling we get at WDW. We always knew we were in downtown LA.
• After walking through each Disney hotel, the only one we would stay at is Grand Californian. They’re all overpriced, but at least GC has great theming and keeps you immersed in the Disney experience. If you can’t afford GC, the hotels on Harbor Blvd are fine. Most are walking distance, some have shuttles, and Uber is awesome in the area.
• Uber is fantastic for small groups who don’t want to walk or wait for shuttles. $4-6 each ride (our hotel was 1.5 miles from the gate), and we never waited more than 5 minutes for a car. Easiest place to catch a ride was Grand Californian lobby or Paradise Pier lobby.
• We were able to get the most done in the first 2 hours of the day. Eat a good breakfast, get to the park early, and have a plan.

OUR ITINERARY / STRATEGY

DAY 1 - Saturday
Arrived in Anaheim at 5pm. Used Uber to get to Downtown Disney.
Explored Grand Californian
Window shopping
DINNER - Tortilla Jo’s, 45 minute wait at 7pm.
- Long wait for a table, so we found a seat at the bar (upstairs and outside).
- Margarita was weak. Burrito was huge, could have fed 2 with an appetizer. Pick 3 platter was also huge.
More window shopping
Explored Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel

DAY 2 - Sunday
Disneyland opened at 9am, we arrived at 8:15am.
- Perfect timing - the lines to get in the gates filled up fast behind us.
1. Indiana Jones - very similar to Dinosaur at WDW.
2. Pirates - longer, better scenery, and better storyline than WDW.
Grabbed FP for Big Thunder
3. Haunted Mansion Holiday - holiday version is amazing.
4. Sleeping Beauty Castle
5. Snow White - maybe we missed it, but we didn’t see Prince Charming kiss Snow White! The most important part of the story! I’m hoping we were wrong and that scene is there.. somewhere..
6. Pinocchio
7. Small World Holiday - loved the holiday version and the Disney characters in each country.
8. Big Thunder - the back is faster than the front.
9. Tarzan’s Treehouse - not as tall and not as much scenery as WDW.
LUNCH - Royal Street Veranda. 15 minute wait at 11:30am.
- Clam chowder in bread bowl, veg chili in bread bowl. Both good.
- Very little seating in area.
- Wanted to eat at Blue Bayou or Cafe Orleans but both had a 45+ minute wait at 11am. Should have made reservations.
10. Disneyland RR from NO Square to Main Street - don’t miss the trip from Tomorrowland to Main Street!
Walked to DCA
Grabbed FP for Tower of Terror
11. Aladdin Musical - in line at 12:30pm, showtime 2:20pm.
- We didn’t know that they were doing FP only for the last day of the show. We were allowed to wait in standby, but with no guarantee that we would get seats. Shout out to the cast members - they brought office chairs into the balconies to make sure everyone who was waiting got in to see the show. Disney magic at its finest!
- Best show I have ever seen at Disney. Great acting, amazing voices, awesome props, so comical that we were crying. I can’t believe they closed it.
12. Tower of Terror - shorter than WDW.
Walked to Grand Californian, drinks at Grand Californian bar.
- 1+ hour wait for every bar at DCA (4pm on a Sunday).
Walked to DL
Grabbed FP for Big Thunder
DINNER - River Belle Terrace Fantasmic Package, 5:30pm
- Waited 30 minutes after res time for a table.
- Steak was clearly part of a roast, not a NY Strip. Overdone and tough. Shrimp was good. Apple pie and chocolate mousse were delicious.
- Great wait staff.
13. Shootin Arcade - change machine was broken. This happens to us every time at WDW, too.
14. Big Thunder - even better at night.
15. Jingle Cruise - 30 minute wait at 7pm. Speakers on our boat were so muffled we couldn’t understand the skipper. Holiday decorations were great.
16. Tiki Room - Classic version, no annoying Iago. Great theming outside. Can bring Dole Whips into the theater. Much better than WDW.
17. Fantasmic - in line at 8pm, showtime 9pm. Sat to the left of center on the rail. Some mist during show but not bad. This version is way better than WDW (don’t want to ruin the surprises), just wish they had an actual theater. The cement was cold and uncomfortable. Glad we bought the Fantasmic package; the standing section looked packed.
18. Disneyland Forever - from Fantasmic spot, showtime 9:30pm. Great view of projections (on water screens), ok view of fireworks.
19. Haunted Mansion Holiday
20. Mr. Toad - The classic. I miss this at WDW.
21. Mad Tea Party - love the theming, especially at night.
22. Paint the Night - from It’s a Small World, showtime 10:45pm.
- Similar to Main Street Elec Parade, with different characters. Love the old Spectromagic music at the beginning.
- Because there was an earlier parade, this one started at Main St and ended at IASW. We were one of 3 families watching from this spot. The park was empty.
- No crowds at all when leaving the park from here.

DAY 3 - Monday
Disneyland opened at 10am, we arrived at 9:30am.
- Lines were already long. Should have gotten there earlier.
1. Hyperspace Mountain - Star Wars theming. LOVED IT. WDW could use this update.
Grabbed FP for Star Tours
Grabbed FP for Buzz Lightyear
2. Matterhorn - long line so we used single rider. 5 minute wait. VERY rough ride, so much so that I couldn’t focus on the scenery. Would not risk breaking our backs to ride again.
3. Alice in Wonderland - 30 minute wait. Very slow. Story was out of order, which bothered me. Not worth the wait. Ride broke down so we walked the last 50 feet of track. That was a first for me!
4. Buzz Lightyear - Laser guns aren’t connected to vehicle, but that made it harder for us. Otherwise the same as WDW. Husband still beat me.
Grabbed FP for Hyperspace Mountain
5. Star Tours - FP line still took 20 minutes to get to front. Included scenes from new movie.
LUNCH - corn dog cart next to Plaza Inn on Main St. 15 minute wait at 12pm.
- Best corn dog I’ve ever had!
6. Mickey and the Magical Map, showtime 1pm - loved the show, loved the theater (reminded me of Beauty and the Beast theater, but without the crowds!). Wish we had something like this at WDW.
7. Roger Rabbit - 30+ minute wait. I love the story so it was worth the wait to me. Husband enjoyed spinning the car himself.
8. Mickey’s House - Mickey wasn’t home, but the house is cute. I wish WDW still had this.
LUNCH2 - Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, 5 minute wait at 2:30pm.
- Sundaes are HUGE. With a whole can of whipped cream. You have been warned.
9. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln - do not miss. Great place to go in the middle of a busy day.
10. Main Street Cinema - we were the only ones in the building! Great idea but no where to sit.
11. Marvel Exhibits - loved seeing Iron Man’s suits and other movie props.
12. Star Wars Exhibits - nice display of ship replicas.
13. Meet and Greet with Thor, 4:15pm - Loved that they turned this into an experience, not just waiting in line. Thor was awesome - look and personality.
14. Jedi Training - same show for kids as WDW.
15. Hyperspace Mountain - FP line took 20 minutes.
16. Star Wars Path of the Jedi - compilation of all the movies, VERY well done.
Walked to DCA
17. Animation Academy, 6pm - I am not artistic at all, and my picture of Donald Duck looked great! A nice relaxing experience and a break from the cold.
18. Monsters Inc - great theming, followed the story nicely.
DINNER - Flo’s V8 Cafe, no wait at 6:30pm.
- Roast beef sandwich tasted like Arby’s; not bad, but not gourmet. Riesling was sweet but good.
- Loved the atmosphere.
19. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree - loved the sound effects.
Walked to DL
20. Paint the Night - from Disneyland RR Main Street Station, showtime 8pm.
- If you can get on the rail, this is a PERFECT spot to see the parade.
21. Disneyland Forever - from Disneyland RR Main Street Station, showtime 8:40pm.
- If you can stand in the center of the platform, this is a good spot. If you’re off center, you may miss some fireworks due to large trees. We were very lucky.
- Cannot see projections (because castle is so small), but we saw them the night before and they didn’t add much to the story.
- We liked Wishes at WDW much better - better music, bigger fireworks, bigger castle. I didn’t get teary eyed at all during DF, but I cry every single time I watch Wishes.
- Awesome place to be when the fireworks end and everyone is leaving. We were the first ones out!

DAY 4 - Tuesday
DCA opened at 10am, we arrived at 9:30am.
- Lines were short. Park felt empty all morning.
1. Toy Story - same as WDW. No FPs so we went here first via Grizzly Peak area to avoid crowds. Perfect strategy.
2. California Screamin - a weak version of Rock n Rollercoaster.
Grabbed FP for Radiator Springs Racers - Pulled at 10:30am (30min after park opening), return time 2:30pm.
Grabbed FP for World of Color - Pulled at 10:45am, Blue Section.
3. Goofy’s Sky School - Like WDW’s Primieval Whirl without the spinning.
4. Little Mermaid - Same as WDW.
Walked to DL
5. It’s a Small World Holiday - 30+ minute wait due to several people in wheelchairs that could not transfer. Cast members finally opened the second line which helped to speed things up.
6. Storybook Land Canal Boats - loved it! Nothing like it at WDW.
7. Pirates
Walked to DCA
LUNCH - Paradise Pier Ice Cream Company, 20min wait at 2pm.
- Long line but worth the wait.
8. Radiator Springs Racers - FP was still 20 min wait. Similar to Test Track but AMAZING! Loved the scenery, loved the story, loved the characters. Very well done!
LUNCH2 - Cove Bar, 30 min wait at 3pm.
- Secret menu item “Mickey’s Fun Wheel” was delicious and beautiful (but mix it before you drink it). Lobster nachos were amazing.
- Service was great, view was great. Worth the wait.
9. Redwood Creek Trail - cute place for kids to run around.
10. Pixar Parade, 5:15pm from Buena Vista Street - Crowded spot but we were stuck. Loved the Pixar characters.
11. RSR, single rider - Much faster than FP line and we ended up in the same car anyway.
DINNER - Alfresco Tasting Terrace
- Expensive wine flights but we needed a place to warm up. Wine was ok.
12. World of Color - in line at 7:15pm (Blue), showtime 8:15pm.
- Tried to get fire hydrant spot but it was taken. Stood behind fire hydrant in between rail and tree, right next to rope at VIP seating area. PERFECT view. Easy exit into Grizzly Peak area and out the Grand Californian entrance.
- Nothing like this at WDW. Think the water screens, fire, and music from Fantasmic combined with the Bellagio Fountains in Vegas, and multiply by 1000. AMAZING show. Great way to end our trip.


A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone on the forums. Because of your advice, we were able to do everything on our list (and then some). It was an amazing trip and we’re so glad we didn’t let other WDW enthusiasts talk us out of going. We loved every second of our first Disneyland adventure!

 

[PRomano]

Thanks for posting. We love our trips to DL! We are heading back soon. The last 2 summers we did WDW.

 

[Turk February]

Great post. WDW vets headed to our first DL trip in August. Bookmarked this for our planning.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Great information. My only correction would be that Anaheim is really more a suburb of L.A. rather than a big city, but I guess that sorts of depends on how you define city. Downtown L.A. is at least 40 minutes away.

 

[sherilaine]

I always find it interesting when WDW veterans review DLR. I don't think it's possible for people to not compare as you did. I have yet to read a trip report from someone who went to WDW first that did not compare, in some way, the two resorts. I am sure if we ever visit WDW, I will find it much different. Most people are just more comfortable with what they are used to and better or worse becomes irrelevant.

 

[adisneymama]

Great post. WDW vets headed to our first DL trip in August. Bookmarked this for our planning.

We are going August 6-13th for our first trip to DL! Also WDW vets. What are your dates? Maybe we will see each other!

 

[hawkeyesparks]

very helpful. We are also WDW vets going to DL for the first time this summer. Looking forward to it.

 

[texasgingerbread]

Thanks for the report. Great reading how long it actually took to do things with FP, etc. This is our first time to DL too.

 

[DnA2010]

Enjoyed your write up we were just there in Oct for 6 days, you packed a lot into 3 day hoppers

 

[Turk February]

We are going August 6-13th for our first trip to DL! Also WDW vets. What are your dates? Maybe we will see each other!

We are tentatively doing the week of the 22nd but I might move it earlier to avoid the Haunted Mansion closure for holiday overlay. I am enjoying learning about an entirely different park after mastering WDW!

 

[soonergreg9802]

We are WDW vets. Going to DL for first time June 26 - June 30. DW and I 20th Anniversary on June 29th. Taking our 17 year old, and HS Graduate by then, 14 and 12 year old.

Thanks so much for this post! It really does help.

 

[mkla2015]

Another WDW Vet here planning a trip to DLR (it has been 15yrs since I've been). Thanks for your post- great info!!!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We always tell WDW friends that the "wow factor" for DL's castle is huge. Not because of the size, but because of the importance. This was Walt's first castle and the only one he ever saw. He loved it. Walking through the castle knowing that Walt walked through it, too, and what it meant to him... well, wow.

 

[xlsm]

We're WDW vets heading west to DLR for the first time in June. This was a great rundown of your experience and it was very helpful, thank you!!

 

[snowybelle]

Happy this thread got bumped up. Another WDW vet here, headed to DLR on May 8th! First time, so excited!

 

[ckb_nc]

WDW vet family heading out for Memorial Day

 

[Lothlórien]

I have been to WDW more times than I can remember. We love it there. We are here, currently at DLR, and I am so disappointed. It is hard to believe that this place is owned by the same company. You really have to get WDW out of your head. Here is what we have found:

• The CMs here are RUDE! I do mean RUDE. They are unfriendly, very "cross" when you ask for an explanation and their tone is nearly hateful. They just can't be bothered with guests. On the other hand, they are super friendly to their fellow CMs.
• Guests here, in general, are rude. It is West Coast culture I suppose. Nobody says excuse me or I'm sorry. They just ram into you to pass.
• The parks are nowhere near as clean as WDW parks. People are allowed to eat in the line.
• The restrooms here are mostly dirty all of the time.
• There is a lot less walking space, so it seems like everybody has a stroller. LOL
• The line cutting here is INSANE!!! People literally crawl over bushes and short fences to cut lines and they do it so obviously. Not sneaky at all.
• The parks are smaller, so going from attraction to attraction is much easier.
• There are much fewer shops here. If you want something, you need to get it when you see it. It is not like WDW where all of the shops have the same items.
• Here, you see Walt everywhere. It is truly nostalgic.
• Downtown Disney is much smaller and easier to maneuver. We like that a lot.
• People smoke EVERYWHERE. If you are sensitive to smoke, keep that in mind.
• We notice people do not constantly take photos on dark rides like they do at WDW. That has been very nice.

 

[brymolmom]

We are WDW vets and have been to DL once about 5 years ago - Our second trip is planned for August and I'm really looking forward to it.

Like pp said, we too were unimpressed with the CM's and general 'upkeep' and 'Disney-ness' of the parks. I think about it like this - we have a local 'hole in the wall' amusement park in town here...Practically ALL of the nametags I saw in DL when I was there indicated LOCALS working there...So I figure for these young men and women it was like working at their local amusement park and I got similar treatment to the one in my town. At WDW, nametags are from across the country and across the world...So, you can IMAGINE, if you're willing and wanting and accepted to work at WDW from across a country or continent - you OBVIOUSLY really WANT that job and will be OUTSTANDING in every aspect (for the most part). So that is why I think everything like cleaning to customer service at WDW is far superior...Even the lines move way more slowly at the ice cream shop or CS food shops with the same number of people working.

I'm trying to keep an open mind about it for this upcoming trip but not really expecting it to be different for that part of it.

But I'm still REALLY looking forward to the trip! The differences! The 'old' FP's! Walking to the parks! YAY!

 

[Catvondita]

Going to Disneyland for the first time in July. So excited!

 

[msr709]

So very disappointed in hearing this but it does make sense, I guess. 'll keep to going to WDW where we ALWAYS feel welcome, and I'm always impressed by how clean they can keep such large parks. I guess it does make sense if the CMs are from around the world that they REALLY want to be there so the service would be better. I've regretted making the decision to go to DL over my usual visits to WDW. I'm stuck since we already purchased the airline tickets and bought the package. From what I'm reading in these threads, it seems like they nickel and dime you for every little thing. Yes, this will definitely be our last trip to DL. So sad.