First Trip to Disneyland...have a few questions. :)

[MoonMouse1]

Hey everyone! We are Orlando locals who are thinking of planning a first-time DLR trip.

We are looking to stay for 4-6 days/nights sometime between October 23-November 1...so we need to book pretty soon!

Before I ask questions, our background info...this trip would consist of myself, my sister, and my mom. We are all adults. We have been to WDW more times than I can count, and my sister is a WDW cast member. My sister and I are pretty hardcore theme park fans, and my mom is just along for a nice vacation and will probably go back to the hotel and relax quite often during our stay. We enjoy all types of rides and love shows and parades. Dining experiences are not super important to us, but we will probably want to have at least one or two nice meals...the rest can be quick and/or casual.

Now my questions...

1. I noticed the DLR website has only listed park hours up until October 11. When should I expect to see the park hours listed for the dates we are considering? Do any DLR experts predict what the hours might be?

2. We really want to see Fantasmic, Paint the Night, and World of Color during our trip...what dates should we choose so we can easily see all of these nighttime shows?

3. I am assuming there will be a few Halloween parties during our stay. Is this event worth going to, or should we just go to DCA for the Halloween party evening(s) and avoid DLR? We have been to MNSSHP before.

4. I looked to see if anything was closed for refurbishment during these dates and couldn't find anything. Will everything be open or did I miss something?

5. My mom wants to stay at the Grand Californian and my sister wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Which one would you recommend and why? Price is not an issue and we want a "premium" view.

6. I have a gluten/wheat allergy. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at DLR? Are there any restaurants that you recommend, or restaurants I should avoid?

7. My sister is a WDW cast member. Does she get any type of hotel or ticket discounts, and does she get into the parks for free? Are there black-out dates?

8. Which airport would you recommend flying into, and what type of transportation would you recommend to get to/from DLR?

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?


Any other advice or input would be appreciated...thanks in advance!

 

[TP2000]

Hi @MoonMouse1, and welcome to the community here!

As you've probably noticed by looking at the first page of this forum, we get these types of threads started every couple days here, so we made a thread to help. Many of your questions can be answered by reading the famous thread Guide to DLR for WDW Veterans, which is always found on the first page of this community, or by following this link... http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guide-to-dlr-for-wdw-veterans.875596/page-16#post-6847247

As for airports, the general consensus is... avoid LAX like the plague. John Wayne Airport (AKA Orange County International Airport, airport code SNA) is far easier for a Disneyland visit. It's cleaner than LAX, it's safer than LAX, it's nicer and more polite than LAX, it's more gracious than LAX, it's easier and faster than LAX, and it's far closer to Disneyland and way more convenient than LAX. Be advised however that since it's such a pleasant and highly demanded airport the fares for the lucky passengers who get to fly into John Wayne are generally higher than similar flights to LAX. But you get what you pay for. http://ocair.com

A close second to John Wayne is Long Beach Airport (airport code LGB), which is equally as safe and clean and stylish as John Wayne, but just a bit further from Disneyland.

Distances from Disneyland Hotel to SoCal Airports
John Wayne Airport - 12 Miles, 15 minutes without traffic, 35 minutes with traffic
Long Beach Airport - 23 Miles, 30 minutes without traffic, 45 minutes with traffic
LAX - 36 Miles, 45 minutes without traffic, 90 to 120 minutes with traffic

If you do choose to fly into LAX to start your Disneyland visit, let us know so we can pray for you.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

2. We really want to see Fantasmic, Paint the Night, and World of Color during our trip...what dates should we choose so we can easily see all of these nighttime shows?

Fantasmic will only be performed on weekends. Paint the Night, Disneyland Forever and World of Color are performed nightly. On Halloween party dates, Forever will not be performed and Paint the Night will only be available to Halloween party guests.

3. I am assuming there will be a few Halloween parties during our stay. Is this event worth going to, or should we just go to DCA for the Halloween party evening(s) and avoid DLR? We have been to MNSSHP before.

Disneyland's Halloween party pales in comparison to MNSSHP. It's fun enough, but have low expectations going in.

4. I looked to see if anything was closed for refurbishment during these dates and couldn't find anything. Will everything be open or did I miss something?

The refurbishment schedule isn't yet announced, that will come with the park hours. Expect it's a small world to be closed during at least part of your visit as it prepares for its Christmas version.

5. My mom wants to stay at the Grand Californian and my sister wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Which one would you recommend and why? Price is not an issue and we want a "premium" view.

If you want a park view, GCH is the way to go. DLH doesn't offer much by way of park views.

6. I have a gluten/wheat allergy. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at DLR? Are there any restaurants that you recommend, or restaurants I should avoid?

Almost any restaurant will be able to accommodate you, just like WDW. Tell a CM when you arrive that you have the allergy and they'll work with you from there.

7. My sister is a WDW cast member. Does she get any type of hotel or ticket discounts, and does she get into the parks for free? Are there black-out dates?

Those kinds of benefits change regularly, so have your sister log into the Hub and see what's currently available. There are blackout dates and they're publicly viewable here:

https://blockoutdates.disney.com/disney-parks-in-california-print/

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?

Give yourself 3 or 4 days so that you have enough time to not run around like crazy. I'd lean toward 4.

 

[JarretttheGuy]

Hey everyone! We are Orlando locals who are thinking of planning a first-time DLR trip.
1. I noticed the DLR website has only listed park hours up until October 11. When should I expect to see the park hours listed for the dates we are considering? Do any DLR experts predict what the hours might be?

During the week the park is usually 9am-8pm or 10am-9pm, the weekend usually goes to midnight. Halloween might have extended hours.

2. We really want to see Fantasmic, Paint the Night, and World of Color during our trip...what dates should we choose so we can easily see all of these nighttime shows?

Check the online schedule and make sure they are doing those particular shows.

3. I am assuming there will be a few Halloween parties during our stay. Is this event worth going to, or should we just go to DCA for the Halloween party evening(s) and avoid DLR? We have been to MNSSHP before.

As for a "must do", you MUST do Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy! It is only at DLR & TokyoDL. Space Mountain is hyjacked by a strange zombie ghost creature that pulls you into a different galaxy. It is super dark with jump scares thrown in. Different music too! Very cool and very unique.

I think Jack Skellington will have taken over the Haunted Mansion by then as well, and it's not just a small thing here or there, but EVERY SCENE in the ride is completely taken over. It is so so so cool. Definitely a must.

Those are the big things that are different during Halloween. And since you've been to MNSSHP, you can skip that.

4. I looked to see if anything was closed for refurbishment during these dates and couldn't find anything. Will everything be open or did I miss something?

Since it's the 60th, most stuff is open, but sometimes things get a week refurb. I'm going tomorrow and Haunted Mansion is closed (booo), but since you'll be there for a holiday, it should be 100% running.

5. My mom wants to stay at the Grand Californian and my sister wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Which one would you recommend and why? Price is not an issue and we want a "premium" view.

Grand Californian. You have your own entrance into California adventure, and it's iconic. The Disneyland Hotel, while nice, isn't special.

6. I have a gluten/wheat allergy. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at DLR? Are there any restaurants that you recommend, or restaurants I should avoid?

This is California, the land of Gluten Free. Every sit down dining will have an option for you, and most of the quick service will too.

7. My sister is a WDW cast member. Does she get any type of hotel or ticket discounts, and does she get into the parks for free? Are there black-out dates?

I was a cast member in NYC for a bit. She should definitely get discounts on tickets, hotels, dining, and merch. Her bluepass may even count for free entry for you into the parks, but she'll need to ask about that. There will definitely be blockout dates.

8. Which airport would you recommend flying into, and what type of transportation would you recommend to get to/from DLR?

This was covered but, I'll add Burbank to the list. It's basically just as far as LAX, but way better. However if you can fly into Orange County, I recommend that. If you do end up at LAX, you'll get to experience the world famous LA traffic.

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?

If it is a slower day, you can rush and get both parks done. A day each is enough for ease. Three will be plenty even if it is busy. They just aren't that big. It is not like WDW.

Any other advice or input would be appreciated...thanks in advance!

I grew up going to WDW and now live in LA so I go to DLR all the time!

I can also tell you that it is quite a different experience. Disneyland is smack dab in the middle of Anaheim, so it is surrounded by hotels & building, people doing their every day thing. Just walking across the street to get some non-park food you will come across panhandlers asking for money. So the "magic" can wear off really quick.

It is a lot smaller than the Florida parks as well. Remember, this is basically the first ever theme park. No one had done it before. So it is small and when it is busy can feel very cramped.

A lot of the attraction queues are outside, but SoCal is so temperate and low on humidity that this is fine.

It may be me, but I've found that Cast Members at WDW have a lot more "pixie dust" on the brain than DL Cast Members. They are pleasant and get the job done, but WDW has people who eat/sleep/breath/live Disney.

The guests are different as well, for good or ill. I think it is about half and half for guests who live in SoCal vs tourists. That makes a difference as well. It isn't mainly tourists blowing tons of dough for a rare vacation, but people who come to the park often.

 

[habuma]

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?

Most of your other questions are answered fairly well already, so I'll just focus on this one (which, although answered, I have a slightly different take on)...

If this is a first time trip to DLR, then absolutely do 4 days (or 5) if you can. It's true that the parks are smaller and closer together, but there's *SO* much to do and so much detail. You'll want to set aside a little time here and there to just stop and look around. And you'll probably want to do a lot of it more than once. You could probably get away with 1 day for each park if you're a seasoned DLR veteran, but for a first-timer you'll want to be sure to have *PLENTY* of time to see it all and take it all in.

We've been to DLR 3 times and would still plan on at least 4 days (assuming our calendar and budget allow for it).

 

[PrincessJenn5795]

1. I noticed the DLR website has only listed park hours up until October 11. When should I expect to see the park hours listed for the dates we are considering? Do any DLR experts predict what the hours might be?

They usually have about 45 days worth up. DL should be open 9 or 10am to 10pm on weekdays and 8am-12am Friday and Saturday. DCA usually closes at 8pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends.

2. We really want to see Fantasmic, Paint the Night, and World of Color during our trip...what dates should we choose so we can easily see all of these nighttime shows?

Any night that doesn't have a Halloween party should work. There are usually two PTNs, and two Fantasmics!, although I don't know if that has changes now that they have the Fantasmic! dinner options.

3. I am assuming there will be a few Halloween parties during our stay. Is this event worth going to, or should we just go to DCA for the Halloween party evening(s) and avoid DLR? We have been to MNSSHP before.

I have never been to the one at WDW, but I hear it is much better than the DLR version, so you may want to skip it. The calendar for the Halloween party dates is available online so you can plan your schedule around it.

4. I looked to see if anything was closed for refurbishment during these dates and couldn't find anything. Will everything be open or did I miss something?

I don't believe anything is scheduled to be down, at least I hopw not since I will be there for part of that time too

5. My mom wants to stay at the Grand Californian and my sister wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Which one would you recommend and why? Price is not an issue and we want a "premium" view.

GCH for sure, for the proximity to the parks and you can get an amazing view of DCA. The DLH is great, but you can't really get a great park view.

6. I have a gluten/wheat allergy. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at DLR? Are there any restaurants that you recommend, or restaurants I should avoid?

I don't specifically know about gluten free, but at all of the sit-down restaurants the chefs will work with you, and at the quick service locations they will usually have information on what you can eat to accommodate special diet needs.

7. My sister is a WDW cast member. Does she get any type of hotel or ticket discounts, and does she get into the parks for free? Are there black-out dates?

I would imagine she would get discounts, but that is one of the busiest times of the year for DLR, so I would be surprised if she were able to get in free all the days of your trip. She should probably check with someone like her manager or someone who would know for sure.

8. Which airport would you recommend flying into, and what type of transportation would you recommend to get to/from DLR?

SNA, since it is really close. Personally, I prefer taking a taxi, which costs about $40. I used to take the Disney Express, and it was great for awhile, but the last couple of times we used it we bought tickets for both ways and they were late picking us up at the hotel to go back to the airport, so we stopped using them.

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?

I would say probably 5 if you can. My family goes to DL pretty often and we still almost always to 3-4 days.

 

[Eric The Disnerd]

Hey everyone! We are Orlando locals who are thinking of planning a first-time DLR trip.

We are looking to stay for 4-6 days/nights sometime between October 23-November 1...so we need to book pretty soon!

Before I ask questions, our background info...this trip would consist of myself, my sister, and my mom. We are all adults. We have been to WDW more times than I can count, and my sister is a WDW cast member. My sister and I are pretty hardcore theme park fans, and my mom is just along for a nice vacation and will probably go back to the hotel and relax quite often during our stay. We enjoy all types of rides and love shows and parades. Dining experiences are not super important to us, but we will probably want to have at least one or two nice meals...the rest can be quick and/or casual.

Now my questions...

1. I noticed the DLR website has only listed park hours up until October 11. When should I expect to see the park hours listed for the dates we are considering? Do any DLR experts predict what the hours might be?

2. We really want to see Fantasmic, Paint the Night, and World of Color during our trip...what dates should we choose so we can easily see all of these nighttime shows?

3. I am assuming there will be a few Halloween parties during our stay. Is this event worth going to, or should we just go to DCA for the Halloween party evening(s) and avoid DLR? We have been to MNSSHP before.

4. I looked to see if anything was closed for refurbishment during these dates and couldn't find anything. Will everything be open or did I miss something?

5. My mom wants to stay at the Grand Californian and my sister wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Which one would you recommend and why? Price is not an issue and we want a "premium" view.

6. I have a gluten/wheat allergy. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at DLR? Are there any restaurants that you recommend, or restaurants I should avoid?

7. My sister is a WDW cast member. Does she get any type of hotel or ticket discounts, and does she get into the parks for free? Are there black-out dates?

8. Which airport would you recommend flying into, and what type of transportation would you recommend to get to/from DLR?

9. We would like to experience everything DLR/DCA has to offer that isn't a clone of something at WDW. How many days do you think we will realistically need to do this?


Any other advice or input would be appreciated...thanks in advance!

Not necessarily going to answer anything here, but I'm going to give you some advice. First of all, 4-6 days is way too long for Disneyland. 3 or 2 is good enough to get everything in. I would also warn you that this place is way more crowded than Disney World, since everything is more crammed. I would recommend going to 'Our Park' with an open mind

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not necessarily going to answer anything here, but I'm going to give you some advice. First of all, 4-6 days is way too long for Disneyland. 3 or 2 is good enough to get everything in. I would also warn you that this place is way more crowded than Disney World, since everything is more crammed. I would recommend going to 'Our Park' with an open mind

You honestly believe two days is enough to see everything?

 

[Eric The Disnerd]

You honestly believe two days is enough to see everything?

Not sure if that is being rude or curious, but yes, I do. If you spend an entire day at each of the parks, and the wait times are around 20 minutes, it is totally possible to do everything. I do it every summer.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Not sure if that is being rude or curious, but yes, I do. If you spend an entire day at each of the parks, and the wait times are around 20 minutes, it is totally possible to do everything. I do it every summer.

I'm being genuine. You're saying in one day at Disneyland, you've been able to experience all 51 attractions, 36 of them being rides, the fireworks, the parade, and Fantasmic!? Same question goes for DCA, though it wouldn't be as difficult for me to believe the same scenario for that park.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

You need at least two full days to take in everything at Disneyland the park.

 

[croboy82]

I've spent 5 days last year and two years before that and I'm planing on spending again 5 days next year there so no, 2 days are not enough for me.

It's not just about doing all the attractions once and then go home, for me it's also about taking in the atmosphere, just walking around.

 

[PrincessJenn5795]

Not sure if that is being rude or curious, but yes, I do. If you spend an entire day at each of the parks, and the wait times are around 20 minutes, it is totally possible to do everything. I do it every summer.

When during the summer are wait times for all rides only 20 minutes? The parks are packed during the summer. They also will probably be packed around Halloween time when they are going. Add in the parades and shows and other attractions and that is a LOT to fit in 2 days. For someone's first trip I would recommend at least 3 full days to see and do everything at both parks, but I would still say 4-5 days is better because then you can do/see everything without being rushed and hit your favorites again too.

 

[JarretttheGuy]

I was there yesterday and the longest wait was 30 minutes.

If you want to explore every corner of everything and see every show, you'll need a few days.

If you want to hit the attractions that don't have copies in Florida and see most things, then I agree that one day at each park is plenty of time.

 

[MoonMouse1]

Sorry for the delayed response...and thank you everyone for your advice...I really appreciate it!

I am very excited to announce we have booked a trip to DLR October 23-October 28th! My sister was able to get 50% off of our rooms at the Grand Californian, so we are splurging and booked two Premium View Concierge rooms. She also gets into the parks for free, and may be able to get us into the parks at least one of the days we are there as well. We also decided to purchase tickets for Mickey's Halloween Party for October 27...we don't really care too much about the Halloween offerings but we would rather spend our last night at Disneyland instead of DCA. We are super excited and can not wait to experience the "original" park!

Now that we are definitely going I have a few follow-up questions...

-We unfortunately are flying into LAX. We wanted nonstop flights and LAX was the only airport offering this from Orlando. What transportation would you recommend to get from LAX to DLR? We are open to taxi, Uber, or a shuttle.

-There is only one day to see Fantasmic while we are there. The schedule for that night is:
---8:45 Paint the Night
---9:00 Fantasmic
---9:30 Disneyland Forever Fireworks
---10:45 Paint the Night
---10:45 Fantasmic

We would like to see both Fantasmic and Paint the Night...which order should we see them in for a smoother experience (Fantasmic first or PTN first). Also...how do we go about getting the best possible viewing area for Fantasmic without having a dining package? OR, should we watch both Fantasmic showings and save Paint the Night for another night of our trip, and if we do that are we able to get a fastpass for both showings?

-Do Soundsational and Paint the Night share the same parade route? And where would be the best spot to watch both of these parades with the most minimal wait? (For instance if we were watching the Electrical Parade at WDW we avoid the Castle hub and Main Street because it is always super crowded and head to Frontierland or near the Barber Shop where the parade starts). And is it possible to watch these parades twice? (If we watch Festival of Fantasy in Frontierland and walk briskly to Main Street/ Town Square we can catch it a second time.) I am asking because my sister is an avid Disney photographer and likes to get the most "bang for her buck" lol.

-We have made lunch reservations at Ariel's Grotto (we are big princess fans) and Cafe Orleans (the menu sounded better to us than Blue Bayou). Are there any other restaurants you might recommend or should we just be spontaneous for the rest of our meals?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Eat at the French Market.

 

[ForeverAnna]

Sorry for the delayed response...and thank you everyone for your advice...I really appreciate it!

I am very excited to announce we have booked a trip to DLR October 23-October 28th! My sister was able to get 50% off of our rooms at the Grand Californian, so we are splurging and booked two Premium View Concierge rooms. She also gets into the parks for free, and may be able to get us into the parks at least one of the days we are there as well. We also decided to purchase tickets for Mickey's Halloween Party for October 27...we don't really care too much about the Halloween offerings but we would rather spend our last night at Disneyland instead of DCA. We are super excited and can not wait to experience the "original" park!

Now that we are definitely going I have a few follow-up questions...

-We unfortunately are flying into LAX. We wanted nonstop flights and LAX was the only airport offering this from Orlando. What transportation would you recommend to get from LAX to DLR? We are open to taxi, Uber, or a shuttle.

-There is only one day to see Fantasmic while we are there. The schedule for that night is:
---8:45 Paint the Night
---9:00 Fantasmic
---9:30 Disneyland Forever Fireworks
---10:45 Paint the Night
---10:45 Fantasmic

We would like to see both Fantasmic and Paint the Night...which order should we see them in for a smoother experience (Fantasmic first or PTN first). Also...how do we go about getting the best possible viewing area for Fantasmic without having a dining package? OR, should we watch both Fantasmic showings and save Paint the Night for another night of our trip, and if we do that are we able to get a fastpass for both showings?

I would recommend seeing them on different nights.
The Yellow Fastpasses for Fantasmic have almost as good seating as the dining packages but you need to get there an hour before the show. The second show tends to be easier but you'll likely have to go the Fastpass distribution a few times before they switch over to the later show. The cast members there will give you an estimate of when that will be but it is just an estimate. I don't know if you can get Fastpasses for both shows.

-Do Soundsational and Paint the Night share the same parade route? And where would be the best spot to watch both of these parades with the most minimal wait? (For instance if we were watching the Electrical Parade at WDW we avoid the Castle hub and Main Street because it is always super crowded and head to Frontierland or near the Barber Shop where the parade starts). And is it possible to watch these parades twice? (If we watch Festival of Fantasy in Frontierland and walk briskly to Main Street/ Town Square we can catch it a second time.) I am asking because my sister is an avid Disney photographer and likes to get the most "bang for her buck" lol.

They do use the same route. For Soundsational you can get a decent spot without much hassle and it might be possible to see it twice. I think the best plan for that would be to watch the parade on the west side of main street (assuming it starts in Town Square which I believe it always does right now.) then move as quickly as possible through the shops to the hub. Circle the west side of the hub (the parade goes along the east side) go through the castle and Fantasyland turn right when you get to Dumbo and left when you reach the parade route again and might be able to beat the parade to small world. This might also be possible for the second of Paint the Night but less likely. It's not possible for the first showing as people will already be camped in front of the castle for the fireworks and Fantasyland will be closed. Of course Paint the Night usually has two showings so you could just watch both. If you want to watch Paint the Night from Town Square or Main Street you will need to get your spot a couple of hours early. I found that it was much easier to get a spot in the small world mall. You might want to try to catch it on your Halloween Party night since there will be fewer people in the park.

-We have made lunch reservations at Ariel's Grotto (we are big princess fans) and Cafe Orleans (the menu sounded better to us than Blue Bayou). Are there any other restaurants you might recommend or should we just be spontaneous for the rest of our meals?

My favorite places to eat are Bengal BBQ, Plaza Inn, and Riverbelle Terrace (for breakfast) at DL and Wine Country Trattoria, Lucky Fortune Cookery, and Ghiradelli's (ice cream makes the best lunch) at DCA. If you want to try Carthay Circle but don't want to spend the money visit their lounge for drinks and dessert.

 

[ForeverAnna]

Sorry most of my recommendations ended up in the quote. Let me try this again.

 

[ForeverAnna]

We would like to see both Fantasmic and Paint the Night...which order should we see them in for a smoother experience (Fantasmic first or PTN first). Also...how do we go about getting the best possible viewing area for Fantasmic without having a dining package? OR, should we watch both Fantasmic showings and save Paint the Night for another night of our trip, and if we do that are we able to get a fastpass for both showings?

I would recommend seeing them on different nights.
The Yellow Fastpasses for Fantasmic have almost as good seating as the dining packages but you need to get there an hour before the show. The second show tends to be easier but you'll likely have to go the Fastpass distribution a few times before they switch over to the later show. The cast members there will give you an estimate of when that will be but it is just an estimate. I don't know if you can get Fastpasses for both shows.

 

[ForeverAnna]

-Do Soundsational and Paint the Night share the same parade route? And where would be the best spot to watch both of these parades with the most minimal wait? (For instance if we were watching the Electrical Parade at WDW we avoid the Castle hub and Main Street because it is always super crowded and head to Frontierland or near the Barber Shop where the parade starts). And is it possible to watch these parades twice? (If we watch Festival of Fantasy in Frontierland and walk briskly to Main Street/ Town Square we can catch it a second time.) I am asking because my sister is an avid Disney photographer and likes to get the most "bang for her buck" lol.

They do use the same route. For Soundsational you can get a decent spot without much hassle and it might be possible to see it twice. I think the best plan for that would be to watch the parade on the west side of main street (assuming it starts in Town Square which I believe it always does right now.) then move as quickly as possible through the shops to the hub. Circle the west side of the hub (the parade goes along the east side) go through the castle and Fantasyland turn right when you get to Dumbo and left when you reach the parade route again and might be able to beat the parade to small world. This might also be possible for the second of Paint the Night but less likely. It's not possible for the first showing as people will already be camped in front of the castle for the fireworks and Fantasyland will be closed. Of course Paint the Night usually has two showings so you could just watch both. If you want to watch Paint the Night from Town Square or Main Street you will need to get your spot a couple of hours early. I found that it was much easier to get a spot in the small world mall. You might want to try to catch it on your Halloween Party night since there will be fewer people in the park.