Contemplating A First Trip in 2014

[Pooh'sBuddy]

Hi, all! I may have talked the hubby into a Spring Break 2014 trip to DLR, with a little bit of other So. Cal. places to see. May I get a little help, please?

Should I get a Touring Plans or Ridemax subscription? I've checked out Birnbaum's Guide to orient myself, but I think I'd buy the Unofficial Guide. Would two days for Disneyland and one day for C.A. be good?

Where else should we spend time? San Diego Zoo? Do a Hollywood tour? Universal Studios for a day? A whale watching tour?

Thank you for any suggestions!!

 

[Californian Elitist]

No need to buy a guide! Check out the link I left bethymouse in the "Possible DLR Trip and Questions" thread in this forum. That thread is on the second page of the Disneyland forum and it's post number 86. That link has tons of info for WDW vets trying the DLR for the first time.

Two days for DL and one for DCA sounds good. I'm happy you're venturing out to other CA destinations. All the suggestions you've already mentioned are great suggestions. I'd add a major studio tour and the Grove to that list. It'd be great if you could do everything on that list.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

No need to buy a guide! Check out the link I left bethymouse in the "Possible DLR Trip and Questions" thread in this forum. That thread is on the second page of the Disneyland forum and it's post number 86. That link has tons of info for WDW vets trying the DLR for the first time.

Two days for DL and one for DCA sounds good. I'm happy you're venturing out to other CA destinations. All the suggestions you've already mentioned are great suggestions. I'd add a major studio tour and the Grove to that list. It'd be great if you could do everything on that list.

Thank you, raven! I'll find the thread and your post. I've been doing searches and have already gotten lots of good info from y'all.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thank you, raven! I'll find the thread and your post. I've been doing searches and have already gotten lots of good info from y'all.

Anytime!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Hi, all! I may have talked the hubby into a Spring Break 2014 trip to DLR, with a little bit of other So. Cal. places to see. May I get a little help, please?

Should I get a Touring Plans or Ridemax subscription? I've checked out Birnbaum's Guide to orient myself, but I think I'd buy the Unofficial Guide. Would two days for Disneyland and one day for C.A. be good?

Where else should we spend time? San Diego Zoo? Do a Hollywood tour? Universal Studios for a day? A whale watching tour?

Thank you for any suggestions!!

Touring Plans doesn't cost a lot of money, so it might be worth it if you think you'll check wait times and use their app for optimizing. If you're there for Spring Break, the crowd calendar will probably just be 10 everyday, anyway... no need to check that!

I had a great time dolphin watching... it was a bad time of year for whales when I went. Not sure about spring time.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

Thanks, CC! Your dolphin watching sounds fantastic!

 

[bethymouse]

I am anxious to hear some ideas as well. Hubby wants to stay @ Grand Californian and enjoy the parks if we go. He is spoiled, but I am too. We can handle the $$$. We have 6 months to save it!
I was considering the cheaper options, but just didn't feel right about it. I guess I wanted to experience Disney's "best" if we could.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I am anxious to hear some ideas as well. Hubby wants to stay @ Grand Californian and enjoy the parks if we go. He is spoiled, but I am too. We can handle the $$$. We have 6 months to save it!
I was considering the cheaper options, but just didn't feel right about it. I guess I wanted to experience Disney's "best" if we could.

Woah, the Grand Californian?!?! Your DH loves to spoil you! Lucky girl!

 

[bethymouse]

Woah, the Grand Californian?!?! Your DH loves to spoil you! Lucky girl!

He really does, but I do give up some things throughout the year. It's my combined Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, and Valentine's gift ( no roses). But, I absolutely love Disney, and I'd make sacrifices any way I can for a chance to stay at GCH! It's actually cheaper than a trip to WDW @ New Years time. I compared them. I wanted Beach Club or Saratoga Springs again, but just couldn't afford it! This way, I get a whole week in California! We'll save the $$$. We're only waiting to see if he can get those days off. Otherwise, we'd have to plan for April 2014. We'll see...

 

[Californian Elitist]

He really does, but I do give up some things throughout the year. It's my combined Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, and Valentine's gift ( no roses). But, I absolutely love Disney, and I'd make sacrifices any way I can for a chance to stay at GCH! It's actually cheaper than a trip to WDW @ New Years time. I compared them. I wanted Beach Club or Saratoga Springs again, but just couldn't afford it! This way, I get a whole week in California! We'll save the $$$. We're only waiting to see if he can get those days off. Otherwise, we'd have to plan for April 2014. We'll see...

That's awesome, hope everything works out for the best, whether its the DLR or WDW.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

A guide will get you oriented. I like the Official one just for familiarizing yourself with the parks. It's so different from WDW that you need it to get yourself oriented.

San Diego Zoo is lovely. My family did it four years ago and really enjoyed it.

I would get a hopper. Unlike WDW, the parks are about 100 meters from one another, making hopping simple. So if on your second day you've done all you wanted to at Disneyland Park (or at DCA) you can go over to the other park. Three days should be enough, though my family just spent a six day marathon there (yeah, I know. Yikes).

Oh, and no one is kidding when they say Fastpasses for Radiator Springs Racers are out by 9:30. It seems impossible, but it's true. So either get there and get one or take the singles line which is about 20 minutes.

I'll be posting a trip report soon, so be on the lookout. I hope it will help other trip planners to know what we did right/wrong.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I am anxious to hear some ideas as well. Hubby wants to stay @ Grand Californian and enjoy the parks if we go. He is spoiled, but I am too. We can handle the $$$. We have 6 months to save it!
I was considering the cheaper options, but just didn't feel right about it. I guess I wanted to experience Disney's "best" if we could.

It's a great choice. We stayed there using our DVC points and it was great. You can be back at the room within three minutes and DCA has its own private entrance. For proximity to the parks, it wins hands down. It's also gorgeous. But you'll see pics in my upcoming trip report.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I would get a hopper. Unlike WDW, the parks are about 100 meters from one another, making hopping simple. So if on your second day you've done all you wanted to at Disneyland Park (or at DCA) you can go over to the other park. Three days should be enough, though my family just spent a six day marathon there (yeah, I know. Yikes).

What's a meter? How far is that in American?

@Pooh'sBuddy , you might want to add on a fourth day at DLR, especially with the spring break crowds. On our last trip, our time was split very evenly between DL and DCA... maybe even more time in DCA! Since you have two little boys, they're gonna want to ride Radiator Springs Racers at least twice, and the only way to do that (unless they're old enough (7) and okay with single rider?) is to get in line for Fastpasses before the park opens or run right to standby at park open. A four day one-park ticket is cheaper than a three day hopper, if that helps. Park hopping is easier because the parks are so close, but each of the parks is good enough to stand on its own... so you don't really need to park hop even though it's easier.

What else are you interested in? With only a week and 3-4 days at DLR, you could easily fill the rest of the time with whatever floats your boat the most. Nature: beaches, Palm Springs, even the sequoias are a [very long, but] possible day trip. The Channel Islands have been called "the North American Galapagos", and they're just sitting there right off the coast. For museums, there's the Getty (modern art), the Getty Villa (antiquities), the Reagan Library (see a real Air Force One), the Tar Pits, California Science Center (they have one of the shuttles) and lots more. If you have a membership to your local zoo, science museum, or children's museum, check to see what reciprocal admissions you get in LA.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

What's a meter? How far is that in American?

@Pooh'sBuddy , you might want to add on a fourth day at DLR, especially with the spring break crowds. On our last trip, our time was split very evenly between DL and DCA... maybe even more time in DCA! Since you have two little boys, they're gonna want to ride Radiator Springs Racers at least twice, and the only way to do that (unless they're old enough (7) and okay with single rider?) is to get in line for Fastpasses before the park opens or run right to standby at park open. A four day one-park ticket is cheaper than a three day hopper, if that helps. Park hopping is easier because the parks are so close, but each of the parks is good enough to stand on its own... so you don't really need to park hop even though it's easier.

What else are you interested in? With only a week and 3-4 days at DLR, you could easily fill the rest of the time with whatever floats your boat the most. Nature: beaches, Palm Springs, even the sequoias are a [very long, but] possible day trip. The Channel Islands have been called "the North American Galapagos", and they're just sitting there right off the coast. For museums, there's the Getty (modern art), the Getty Villa (antiquities), the Reagan Library (see a real Air Force One), the Tar Pits, California Science Center (they have one of the shuttles) and lots more. If you have a membership to your local zoo, science museum, or children's museum, check to see what reciprocal admissions you get in LA.

A guide will get you oriented. I like the Official one just for familiarizing yourself with the parks. It's so different from WDW that you need it to get yourself oriented.

San Diego Zoo is lovely. My family did it four years ago and really enjoyed it.

I would get a hopper. Unlike WDW, the parks are about 100 meters from one another, making hopping simple. So if on your second day you've done all you wanted to at Disneyland Park (or at DCA) you can go over to the other park. Three days should be enough, though my family just spent a six day marathon there (yeah, I know. Yikes).

Oh, and no one is kidding when they say Fastpasses for Radiator Springs Racers are out by 9:30. It seems impossible, but it's true. So either get there and get one or take the singles line which is about 20 minutes.

I'll be posting a trip report soon, so be on the lookout. I hope it will help other trip planners to know what we did right/wrong.

Thank you very much, y'all!! A lot of great info. With our WDW trip fresh in the books, we're going to wait until 2015 to go. More planning time for me!!!

 

[lego606]

He really does, but I do give up some things throughout the year. It's my combined Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, and Valentine's gift ( no roses). But, I absolutely love Disney, and I'd make sacrifices any way I can for a chance to stay at GCH! It's actually cheaper than a trip to WDW @ New Years time. I compared them. I wanted Beach Club or Saratoga Springs again, but just couldn't afford it! This way, I get a whole week in California! We'll save the $$$. We're only waiting to see if he can get those days off. Otherwise, we'd have to plan for April 2014. We'll see...

Hmmm i should see if I'll be able to knock it down to the CM rate

 

[bethymouse]

ote="lego606, post: 5574931, member: 82265"]Hmmm i should see if I'll be able to knock it down to the CM rate[/quote]
A good reason to be a CM I'd love to retire in Florida and be a CM.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

I'll be posting a trip report soon, so be on the lookout. I hope it will help other trip planners to know what we did right/wrong.

Have a great trip, and I'll be looking forward to reading all about it.

 

[TP2000]

What's a meter? How far is that in American?

That one stumped me too.

For American audiences, it's best to say that Disneyland and DCA main entrances sit about 100 yards from each other, or the length of a football field. I actually think its less than that. Maybe 75 yards from turnstile to turnstile?

As such, a WDW vet shouldn't really think of the two parks as separate and needing different days to experience them. You would probably want to head to Disneyland first, just because it's the only park Walt Disney ever had any hand in building and he lived and walked there for 12 years. No other park has that, or anything even close to Walt. Go to Disneyland first on the first day and say "Thanks, Walt".

Then, you just flex and flow back and forth between the parks as your whims and interests dictate. Want to see the 2 o'clock Pixar Play Parade? Head over to DCA and grab a spot on Hollywood Blvd. Time for your Space Mountain Fastpass? Head back to Tomorrowland. Want an Earl of Sandwich dinner? Take the monorail from Tomorrowland to Downtown Disney, before heading to Cars Land for your Racers Fastpass and dessert at Ghirardelli's in the Pacific Wharf before your World of Color Fastpass time.

It's a very, very different scene and vibe from WDW. Get in the groove like the West Coasters do and just go with the flow. Relax, your at Disneyland.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

It's 311 ft (or 95 metres, for the other 7 billion people) from turnstile to turnstile, according to my measuring on Wikimapia.

I'd say most people would probably start at Disneyland and MK on their trips to DLR and WDW, respectively. Any particular reason? It just feels right.

P.S. I think it was @TP2000 who posted the picture somewhere of Walt and his grandkids in the runabout. My 6YO looked at it and said, "Hey! Look! It's Walt Disney." Atta boy! And no cavities! I must be doing something right.

 

[Pooh'sBuddy]

As such, a WDW vet shouldn't really think of the two parks as separate and needing different days to experience them. You would probably want to head to Disneyland first, just because it's the only park Walt Disney ever had any hand in building and he lived and walked there for 12 years. No other park has that, or anything even close to Walt. Go to Disneyland first on the first day and say "Thanks, Walt".

I thought about that twice this weekend. I showed our younger son Walt's Disneyland opening dedication and found it on you tube. That's wild to think about. Secondly, we saw M.U., and as in all "Disney" movies now, we see the "Walt Disney Studios" video clip at the beginning. I always ask our younger son, "Sweetie, what's that?" To which, he responds, "Cinderella Castle!!" Why is it Cinderella Castle and not Sleeping Beauty's Castle? I'm now really bothered.