Which park which days?

[KatieCharlotte]

I had a perfect schedule laid out in my head for a Wed-Wed trip, but it's looking like Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun will be more feasible. So, how would you plan your days? This will be during summer vacation, so every park day will be busy and hot. We'll have the convenience of a DAC, but we need to take long afternoon breaks. Also, I'm the only coaster rider, so I'll be taking advantage of single rider. Our focus is tame rides. We'll go to DL on arrival day but not expect to get much done, especially since we'll be on Eastern time.

We'd like two additional DL days and two DCA days. We'd have one Magic Morning; I wanted it to be the first DL day, but I can't see how that would work out. I'm going to take a lot of convincing to spring for park hoppers because we're splurging in other ways on this trip. We'd like to take a beach tour through the Anaheim Tour Company, which is an all-day tour that runs every day except Sunday. We'd also like to take one day in the middle of the trip to be very lazy, hang out at the pool, and at most go to DTD. On one of our DCA days, I want to book the WOC dessert party.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Even if you are spending a lot already, I think park hoppers are the way to go. The last few times I've been to DL, I've been overwhelmed by the crowds and needed to go to DCA to be able to walk around without rubbing bodies with strangers for a few hours. On the days where I've mostly been in DCA, I do everything I want to do and still have time to kill, so it's nice to hop over to DL.

 

[remlap]

I second the park hoppers for the reasons cruisehopeful mentioned above. I also think a four day ticket is a park hopper by default but could be wrong.

Also what is a full day beach tour for your family? Have you looked at just renting a car for 24 hours and driving yourself to the beach. Spend as much or little time as your family wants at your favorite OC beach. Personally might recommend Newport as its at the end of the 55 freeway and in addition to sand has balboa, the ferry, etc

 

[Imdboss]

I would not try to save money by skipping park hoppers. If need be give up something else such as a beach tour, you can do that on your own for less money. Personally I can't imagine going to DL without PHs (pretty sure a great majority on here agrees). If one park starts feeling too crowded it's nice to be able to walk over to the other park within minutes. We usually do our first day at DL all day then from there we will park hop. Usually switch parks after our afternoon break amongst other times if we are utilizing some FPs.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

The beach tour is $170+tip for all of us. I've decided that renting a car for one day and driving myself or trying to take public transportation is not worth the cost savings. For our family at this time, those options would add unnecessary stress to a trip where my number one priority is making it as low-stress as possible. Hoppers would be $40 more per ticket. This will not be a trip where we're running all over. I would be willing to consider them, though, if it would help us escape the crowds for a little while, before or after our afternoon break.

 

[chickapin parterre]

* how do you have one MM?

*convenience of DAC will still have you in the sun

Start planning in the middle of the week and work your way back to Saturday
*Wednesday mornings are the best at Disneyland, so be rested for early morning arrival.

*since you want to be rested for Wednesday, Tuesday is pool day

*Monday is DCA, though it will already be open before you are admitted, you want to avoid Disneyland because of weekend folks taking that last morning visit before heading off or heavy Monday due to airline fares cheaper to fly out on Tuesday.

*Sunday is the beach

*How much time are you allowing for your DAC registration? This could very well make your Saturday just a walk around day and take in shows, early back to lodging and hit the park heavy into the night closing, since you will be on beach towels all day Sunday

* Saturday is doable if you go straight to Adventrueland/NOS area without DAC. folks will already be in the park and will be collecting tomorrowland FP and Toontown, so stay away from that behavior and FP you way to what attractions you need

*Thursday is your magic morning day in Disneyland

Friday, exhausted, will find DCA very relaxing.

 

[goooof1]

I think you will find park hoppers to be extremely helpful. It's not a question of constant running around, but FLEXIBILITY. Especially in the summer with big crowds the start of a more relaxing atmosphere can easily be a quiet area of DCA. It's nice for food options as well and if you will be single ridering, it's just so easy to hop over to the other park when the group is slowing down and single rider something! I can't imagine a trip where we did not hop! I would feel so confined and restricted!

 

[KatieCharlotte]

* how do you have one MM?

*convenience of DAC will still have you in the sun

Start planning in the middle of the week and work your way back to Saturday
*Wednesday mornings are the best at Disneyland, so be rested for early morning arrival.

*since you want to be rested for Wednesday, Tuesday is pool day

*Monday is DCA, though it will already be open before you are admitted, you want to avoid Disneyland because of weekend folks taking that last morning visit before heading off or heavy Monday due to airline fares cheaper to fly out on Tuesday.

*Sunday is the beach

*How much time are you allowing for your DAC registration? This could very well make your Saturday just a walk around day and take in shows, early back to lodging and hit the park heavy into the night closing, since you will be on beach towels all day Sunday

* Saturday is doable if you go straight to Adventrueland/NOS area without DAC. folks will already be in the park and will be collecting tomorrowland FP and Toontown, so stay away from that behavior and FP you way to what attractions you need

*Thursday is your magic morning day in Disneyland

Friday, exhausted, will find DCA very relaxing.

I appreciate all the thoughts. I didn't think about Monday being busy.

Our MM is from our multi-day tickets. I want to stay at HoJo, not on site.

Yes, the DAC won't save us from the heat. I think arrival day will be the only day we're in the parks all afternoon. Every other park day, we'll be swimming and resting in the hotel a/c most of the afternoon. DS also needs that down time.

I figured that our first day will be registering for DAC, riding a couple favorites with the DAC and in between wandering, using FP on Buzz, checking out Rivers of America and/or the railroad if they're re-open by then and not too busy, hopefully catching the parade without worrying about having a great spot (my kids aren't too into the parades), eating dinner at Plaza Inn. 10 p.m. will feel like 1 a.m. to us, so I'm not sure how late we'll make it the first day. My DS might enjoy the parks late at night, but I think it will have to be later in the trip when we start adjusting to the time difference.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I think you will find park hoppers to be extremely helpful. It's not a question of constant running around, but FLEXIBILITY. Especially in the summer with big crowds the start of a more relaxing atmosphere can easily be a quiet area of DCA. It's nice for food options as well and if you will be single ridering, it's just so easy to hop over to the other park when the group is slowing down and single rider something! I can't imagine a trip where we did not hop! I would feel so confined and restricted!

What are the best quiet areas in DCA? That might be helpful if DS wants to escape before the rest of us are ready to go back to the hotel.

 

[chickapin parterre]

that is a good question, not many benches with people watching status, so I suggest exploring the the different activities in the Animation Building. I use Crush to rest all the time, soft theatre seats, I enjoy the simple humor and easy to navigate. As a single visitor to cursh, i always worm my way to the front of the waiting room around the large groups of folks who are not touching the other group, leaves a wide path to snake around till up close to the door, then once in the showroom, I head left to be near the exit door, empty seats and away from the crush of people who are filling in at the right and front

 

[goooof1]

What are the best quiet areas in DCA? That might be helpful if DS wants to escape before the rest of us are ready to go back to the hotel.

Between the wharf and Carsland is one area that is seldom busy....and if not at a meal time, sometimes the wharf area in a corner is nice. Back by Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta is a nice large area with tables and shade. The Redwood Creek area has some nice out of the way niches, too. Actually there are several corners that don't always have tons of traffic.