Where to Start?

[jcourtney]

We're heading down to DLR in a couple of weeks. We're spending 2 days at Sea World/Legoland first and then moving up to Anaheim. Our first park day will be Tuesday Dec 5 which has early entry at DLP. We're not going to be able to make it for early entry or rope drop since both parks open at 8am and we have to drop the car at Budget when they open at 8:00. So it will likely be 8:30 before we make it to the security line.

Which park should we do first from a crowd stand point? I would think that DLP would be busy because of early entry and DCA would get everyone who didn't have early entry. What's our best bet? We have 4 days in the parks so I'm not worried about missing anything per se but don't want to start our first day in a huge crowd either. It will be my husband and I, our 5 year old, and my husband's parents (in their 60's).

Thoughts?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Start at DCA.

My daughter goes to preschool on M/W/F, so almost all of our morning trips happen on Tuesday/Thursday, and DCA is the better call for at least a couple of hours on Tuesdays.

 

[bethwc101]

My vote is for Disneyland. I just think it's always best to start a trip at DL.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I vote DCA. We recently did a Tuesday magic morning at DL and it was awful. I would try your magic morning on Thursday instead.

 

[Nevada Jen]

Crosswise? Definately dca. Magic wise? DL. With Christmas stuff up, DCA is a close enough second that I would go for that. So less overwhelming in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Nonsuch]

FYI: DLP = Disneyland Paris

 

[Mary Jeane]

Debating on Thursday, Nov 30 8 AM Magic Morning (day 1 or 4) or Saturday, Dec. 2 7 AM Magic Morning (day 3/4). Myself (mom 56), DDs 16, DD14, DD11. I've heard the 7 AM MM are less crowded. I can see pros and cons of each.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Debating on Thursday, Nov 30 8 AM Magic Morning (day 1 or 4) or Saturday, Dec. 2 7 AM Magic Morning (day 3/4). Myself (mom 56), DDs 16, DD14, DD11. I've heard the 7 AM MM are less crowded. I can see pros and cons of each.

I'd probably pick Saturday if you can actually make it over there in time to be in the park at 7. Less crowded for two reasons: Saturdays are less crowded, 7am days are less crowded. Thursday would be ok, though; it's Tuesdays that should be avoided.

 

[Mary Jeane]

I'd probably pick Saturday if you can actually make it over there in time to be in the park at 7. Less crowded for two reasons: Saturdays are less crowded, 7am days are less crowded. Thursday would be ok, though; it's Tuesdays that should be avoided.

I think we can. We're staying at Tropicana and have our own breakfast food so easy commute! What time would security open?

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Debating on Thursday, Nov 30 8 AM Magic Morning (day 1 or 4) or Saturday, Dec. 2 7 AM Magic Morning (day 3/4). Myself (mom 56), DDs 16, DD14, DD11. I've heard the 7 AM MM are less crowded. I can see pros and cons of each.

Saturday for sure!

 

[Mary Jeane]

Saturday for sure!

OK. Going to try to be at the gate by 6:30.

 

[jcourtney]

Thanks everyone! We will likely head to DCA first and definitely do our Magic Morning on Thursday.

 

[ktlm]

Hoppers or no hoppers? If you have hoppers, I would just pull up the Disneyland app when you get there and check wait times and start off at the park with the shorter times listed. You can always hop (we often do if the wait times at one park seem long and we check and the other look quite a bit shorter). No hoppers, I still might pull up the wait times when you get there, but my gut tells me that your choice of DCA for that day would be the right choice.