Disneyland first timer needs help for NYE/New Year's

fladisneygirl09

fladisneygirl09

New Member
Original Poster
My fiance and I are visiting Disneyland and California Adventure Park for the first time on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day respectively. While we are WDW Annual Passholders and basically veterans at this point, we have NO clue what the must-dos are in the Disneyland Resort. We already have our dining reservations made, including a World of Color dining package.

In terms of entertainment, is Fantasmic! a must even though there's one at Hollywood Studios?

I also heard that we basically need to stay in Disneyland all day on New Year's Eve to avoid the risk of not being allowed in due to capacity? Any tips to surviving a 15+ hour day there?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
 
PacNWTigger

PacNWTigger

Well-Known Member
You're going to find DLR as a whole new world in comparison to WDW!! A 15 hour day sounds like a lot, but with all of the wonderful food and places to kick back and people watch...not to mention all of the rides...it won't be a tough day to fill.

I highly suggest having sit down meals at the Carnation Cafe along Main Street and the French Market restaurant over in New Orleans Square. Both have incredible food, and various forms of entertainment by either people watching or enjoying the bands in the area.

DLR is not a place where you have to rush to do anything...it will most definitely be busy that day, so the waits will be more...if you Fastpass the important rides like POTC, Space Mtn, Indiana Jones, BTR, and Splash Mountain you should be able to move pretty well through the park.

I hope you guys have a FANTASTIC trip!!
 
fladisneygirl09

fladisneygirl09

New Member
Original Poster
PacNWTigger said:
You're going to find DLR as a whole new world in comparison to WDW!! A 15 hour day sounds like a lot, but with all of the wonderful food and places to kick back and people watch...not to mention all of the rides...it won't be a tough day to fill.

I highly suggest having sit down meals at the Carnation Cafe along Main Street and the French Market restaurant over in New Orleans Square. Both have incredible food, and various forms of entertainment by either people watching or enjoying the bands in the area.

DLR is not a place where you have to rush to do anything...it will most definitely be busy that day, so the waits will be more...if you Fastpass the important rides like POTC, Space Mtn, Indiana Jones, BTR, and Splash Mountain you should be able to move pretty well through the park.

I hope you guys have a FANTASTIC trip!!
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Thank you!! We are starting our morning off at Carnation Cafe, and then we have a late lunch at Blue Bayou.
Thanks for the advice. I am looking forward to the original Fast Pass set up!!
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
raven24 said:
Check out this thread for advice and tips:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guide-to-dlr-for-wdw-veterans.875596/
Click to expand...

Thank you @raven24 !

When you are done with that thread, come back for more specific questions @fladisneygirl09 , as you will find that there are major creative, operational, logistical and showmanship differences between Disneyland Resort and WDW.

And there are things you simply can not miss, like Cars Land & Radiator Springs Racers, Fantasmic!, World of Color, Indiana Jones Adventure, California Screamin', Aladdin, Viva Navidad, Soundsational, the Castle walk-thru tour, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Small World Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, cocktails at Carthay Circle, the Canoes, etc., etc., etc.

The thread raven24 so kindly linked for you will be a good starting point for your planning during two of the most absolutely crazy-busy days of the year.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Endor Sightseer said:
I personally would nix a lengthy sit-down breakfast in the parks and just start doing major attractions and getting Fastpasses, but that's me. It will be extraordinarily busy, as Willy Wonka would say.
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Very good point. Unless you are someone who is super dedicated to having a full breakfast on your first visit to Disneyland, New Years Eve would be the day to go across Main Street to the Starbucks Market House and scarf a breakfast sandwich and cup of coffee on your way to Peter Pan before you grab Fastpasses for Indy and Fantasmic!, then jump on Splash and Mansion Holiday while waiting for your Indy return time before getting a Space Mountain FP, and then...

I'll just stop. :rolleyes:
 
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fladisneygirl09

fladisneygirl09

New Member
Original Poster
Oh man, okay! Thanks for all of the great insight.... apologies for not responding sooner, but I never got an email update. I'll discuss it with my fiance and then more than likely cancel. While we like breakfast in the morning, we're more than okay with grabbing something quick.

Is it worth rushing around to make sure that we see both Fantasmic! and the New Year's Eve fireworks?
 
GiveMeTheMusic

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
Fantasmic is definitely worth seeing, as it's way better than WDW's. There will be three performances and you can get Fastpass seating for the either of the first two shows, either by picking up a Fastpass that morning on Big Thunder Trail or reserving a dining package.
 
fladisneygirl09

fladisneygirl09

New Member
Original Poster
GiveMeTheMusic said:
Fantasmic is definitely worth seeing, as it's way better than WDW's. There will be three performances and you can get Fastpass seating for the either of the first two shows, either by picking up a Fastpass that morning on Big Thunder Trail or reserving a dining package.
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We reserved World of Color for the 1st through a dining package. Thanks!
I guess I'm a little worried about getting everything... well, as much as possible, from both parks in only 2 days on probably one of their busiest days.
 
GiveMeTheMusic

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
fladisneygirl09 said:
We reserved World of Color for the 1st through a dining package. Thanks!
I guess I'm a little worried about getting everything... well, as much as possible, from both parks in only 2 days on probably one of their busiest days.
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The good news is that the morning of the 1st is a traditionally slow period as people trickle in after staying up late. So if you can manage to knock out a few big rides on the 31st (a lot of people will just be camping out for fireworks, etc.) and get up early enough on the 1st, you shouldn't have a problem hitting the biggies in 2 days' time.
 
fladisneygirl09

fladisneygirl09

New Member
Original Poster
GiveMeTheMusic said:
The good news is that the morning of the 1st is a traditionally slow period as people trickle in after staying up late. So if you can manage to knock out a few big rides on the 31st (a lot of people will just be camping out for fireworks, etc.) and get up early enough on the 1st, you shouldn't have a problem hitting the biggies in 2 days' time.
Click to expand...

Awesome! I'm really only concerned with hitting up the rides that are not at WDW or the ones that are duplicates but different in nature. While we'll want to see the fireworks, we won't need to be right up front.
 
Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Seeing ASIMO at Innoventions was worth the time.
If he is still there during your visit, i highly recommend at least seeing his presentation...especially if you are a fan of robotics and Animatronics.

The rest of Innoventions at DL is something that can be passed over if you are crunched for time and have already visited EPCOT in the last few years.

See ASIMO though...quite worth it...then skip the rest of the offerings inside.
 

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