I think I'm starting to regret booking.

[Cosmic Commando]

If you do the "try it before you buy it" plan, get two day passes. Even with half the parks closed for refurbs, you could still fill two days. You probably want to call someone to confirm this, but I'm pretty sure if you get one day passes and you decide to add extra park time, your passes are considered "spent" since there are no more days of admission left, even if you're still in the park; you'll have to pay the full cost of whatever time you add. If you have an unspent day of admission left, I believe you can just pay the difference to upgrade.

Based on how I've read that you want the more relaxed experience, I think you'll really dig DLR... hopefully spring for the annual pass! (Just sit back as I plan your next trip for you...) If you guys did three day park hoppers on two vacations, you'd save money on deluxe annual passes even before the discounts that you'd get. I think the "try it before you buy it" plan is good as long as you can upgrade. I would look at the newness as the attraction this time, and then if you come back for Christmas this year, you'll have:
-IASW Holiday (a treasure inside and out!)
-Haunted Mansion Holiday
-Christmas fireworks
-World of Color Winter Dreams
-Christmas parade
-decorations all around the resort
-AND it's unlikely that Pirates, Space, Soarin or Alice will be down again in Nov/Dec since they just got their love during your first trip.

It's really not that much committing to six days at DLR over two trips, and you can use LA/DLR as your base of operations to pretty easily explore anywhere from San Francisco to Palm Springs to San Diego... you won't run out of stuff to do outside of Disney. It's really not a bad idea if you want to get a hotel somewhere away from DLR for part of your trip, although I would get one of the hotels within walking distance of DLR for at least part of your trip, 'cause that's just cool to be able to walk to Disneyland. I, unfortunately, have always driven 40 minutes away from Torrance, but it was a trouble-free drive through the car pool lanes for 34 out of the 35ish times that we drove it. It is possible to stay far away and get to DLR in good time. The parking structure and tram are nice.

Edit: One negative, though: if you go April/May and then Christmas, you'll definitely risk adding on another trip sometime next spring! "Gee, honey, it's practically free at this point!"

 

[Figments Friend]

Sweetpea, do not regret your booking.
You WILL have a fantastic time.

The fact that certain attractions will be closed will mean you will be able to possibly focus on other attractions you may have otherwise passed by or not even given second thought about.
Some of the lesser known attractions/rides are well worth taking the time to experience.

Try not to focus on how much you are perceiving to be 'missing out on'....and instead look into some of the other activities in the Park(s).
I can pretty much guarantee you will find something that you may have otherwise missed that just might 'make your day/visit'..!
Besides, this will just give you an excuse to come back and visit again..!



Just being IN the Park is wonderful. Having some attractions closed would not phase me in the least.

I just booked my May visit.
April 30th thru May 5th.
Excited about the decent flights i scored, and just the anticipation of knowing i will be coming back to Anaheim.
Am i concerned about what might be 'closed'..?
Nope, but then again i have visited before.
I remember my first visit however, and some things were closed..but it just gave me the excuse to come back!
This can be a great 'excuse' for you , too....as i mentioned earlier.

As others have said, there is a LOT to do in Southern California.
If for some reason you are dissapointed with your DL experience, you can always hop on over to another CA landmark or scenic destination.

I hope this thought process will put you in a 'Golden State of mind'....!

 

[englanddg]

Nemo Subs down (maybe out?), too. Not too bad on that one. I remember the 20K subs from when I was a kid.

Thanks for the kindness @raven24 & @RandomPrincess .

True, we haven't bought park tickets yet. I was about to start picking them up from way.com. Maybe we should rethink where we stay & what we do in SoCal. Hmmmmm....

Hubby still swears I'm going to fall madly in love and fight to go back every chance I get. The way y'all describe it as so laid back, that's a big part of why I don't want to go to WDW anytime soon. Too much to micro-manage, too much stress, too much chaos, too much high-strung nerves. Laid back + parks sounds incredible.

I had a similar experience on my trip, and was worries it would detract from it....but, there is so much to see and do that it didn't.

The ride closure list for that week was terribly long. Something like eight attractions. Off the top of my head it was big thunder, splash, Snow White, small world, their version of Kali River, Muppets, and a few others I can't recall offhand.

I certainly wouldn't worry that much about it. There is still plenty to do, at least that's what I found.

I think your sugar daddy is right. Once you go once, you'll be bitten. Is it like a cruise? No. But, it is certainly not like WDW in its current state, and even with the closures, I think that would win you over.

 

[englanddg]

Oh, now I remember the other ones. star Tours was down for refurb, and Innoventions, and whatever the big stage thing is.

Also, they had half of the rivers of America dredged up and drained to do work on the Fantasmic popjets (I guess?) so Tom Sawyer Island was also closed.

 

[Californian Elitist]

@sweetpee_1993 It looks like Pirates will be open during your trip. The refurb is no longer on the calendar, and I'm hearing its been pushed back to April.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

@sweetpee_1993 It looks like Pirates will be open during your trip. The refurb is no longer on the calendar, and I'm hearing its been pushed back to April.

We're arriving April 27th staying thru May 3rd with our last park day on the 2nd. It was originally slated as a 2 week refurb so if it starts in early April we're safe. But, because earlier April is a busier time with spring break and all, I fully expect it to start later in the month and span a time when attendance dips a little. It's okay, tho. I made my peace with it. I'll simply have to go back especially after watching a ride thru on YouTube. Seriously. How do any west coasters go to WDW and not come off Pirates thinking "That was crap"? I showed it to my old man tonight and we kept going back to pick out all the cool things and crazy awesome effects. Like in the cannon battle scene when the water splashes it also lights up like an explosion. I don't remember seeing that in our recent trips. I'm trying to remember if it ever was like that. And the fallen timbers by the jail scene with the dog had glowing embers. Totally adds that extra wow to the scene! Yeah, I gotta see this bad boy with my own eyes!

Thanks so much for thinking of us. That's so sweet of you!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Sweetpea, do not regret your booking.
You WILL have a fantastic time.

The fact that certain attractions will be closed will mean you will be able to possibly focus on other attractions you may have otherwise passed by or not even given second thought about.
Some of the lesser known attractions/rides are well worth taking the time to experience.

Try not to focus on how much you are perceiving to be 'missing out on'....and instead look into some of the other activities in the Park(s).
I can pretty much guarantee you will find something that you may have otherwise missed that just might 'make your day/visit'..!
Besides, this will just give you an excuse to come back and visit again..!



Just being IN the Park is wonderful. Having some attractions closed would not phase me in the least.

I just booked my May visit.
April 30th thru May 5th.
Excited about the decent flights i scored, and just the anticipation of knowing i will be coming back to Anaheim.
Am i concerned about what might be 'closed'..?
Nope, but then again i have visited before.
I remember my first visit however, and some things were closed..but it just gave me the excuse to come back!
This can be a great 'excuse' for you , too....as i mentioned earlier.

As others have said, there is a LOT to do in Southern California.
If for some reason you are dissapointed with your DL experience, you can always hop on over to another CA landmark or scenic destination.

I hope this thought process will put you in a 'Golden State of mind'....!

We'll be there at the same time! Our dates are April 27th thru May 3rd!

 

[Californian Elitist]

We're arriving April 27th staying thru May 3rd with our last park day on the 2nd. It was originally slated as a 2 week refurb so if it starts in early April we're safe. But, because earlier April is a busier time with spring break and all, I fully expect it to start later in the month and span a time when attendance dips a little. It's okay, tho. I made my peace with it. I'll simply have to go back especially after watching a ride thru on YouTube. Seriously. How do any west coasters go to WDW and not come off Pirates thinking "That was crap"? I showed it to my old man tonight and we kept going back to pick out all the cool things and crazy awesome effects. Like in the cannon battle scene when the water splashes it also lights up like an explosion. I don't remember seeing that in our recent trips. I'm trying to remember if it ever was like that. And the fallen timbers by the jail scene with the dog had glowing embers. Totally adds that extra wow to the scene! Yeah, I gotta see this bad boy with my own eyes!

Thanks so much for thinking of us. That's so sweet of you!

Oh wow, I thought your trip was in March! Dang, I'm so sorry. Ride-thru videos aren't so bad, I guess.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Oh wow, I thought your trip was in March! Dang, I'm so sorry. Ride-thru videos aren't so bad, I guess.

I watched just to see. I was floored. Then I watched the Indiana Jones queue & ride-thru. Any doubts I had about going? GONE! Indy should finish refurb before we get there. I'm hopeful DL will stay on-schedule. Indy looks amazing. I think I want to stand thru the standby line just like RSR so I can see all the cool stuff!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I watched just to see. I was floored. Then I watched the Indiana Jones queue & ride-thru. Any doubts I had about going? GONE! Indy should finish refurb before we get there. I'm hopeful DL will stay on-schedule. Indy looks amazing. I think I want to stand thru the standby line just like RSR so I can see all the cool stuff!

Be prepared for at least a two hour wait for RSR. And I guess that means no Indy Fastpasses for you haha. The Fastpass line doesn't see the entire queue.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Be prepared for at least a two hour wait for RSR. And I guess that means no Indy Fastpasses for you haha. The Fastpass line doesn't see the entire queue.

Yeah, I'm hoping to find a balance to catch the RSR wait at more like an hour or under. Maybe before it reaches the full 2 hrs. We'll figure it out or wait it out. DH & I waited over 3 hrs for a passholder preview of TSMM at WDW in May 2008. When we got inside the building it went down. We were told we could wait outside in the blocked off area for it to come back up but there were no guarantees. Could be 10 minutes. Could be 2 hours. Could be not at all. So we sat outside in the little bit of shade. Over time others who had waited threw in the towel. Became almost a game of TSMM Survivor to outlast the others. The CMs were great, brought out coloring pages & played games with all ages. I sat on the ground in the circle in the middle of what's now a very bustling area coloring. We played Duck, Duck, Goose! Too! So fun! My blood sugar started to dip towards the end. If we left the secure area to get food we couldn't come back until the ride reopened and there was already a long line outside the entry point. I told DH that he'd have to drag my unconscious body from my spot. Once you're there so long you can't walk away or you will have wasted all that time. So eventually it reopened and we were 1 of 4 families/couples left. It was trying in the moment but looking back it was an incredible time, one I don't regret. So waiting I can do!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah, I'm hoping to find a balance to catch the RSR wait at more like an hour or under. Maybe before it reaches the full 2 hrs. We'll figure it out or wait it out. DH & I waited over 3 hrs for a passholder preview of TSMM at WDW in May 2008. When we got inside the building it went down. We were told we could wait outside in the blocked off area for it to come back up but there were no guarantees. Could be 10 minutes. Could be 2 hours. Could be not at all. So we sat outside in the little bit of shade. Over time others who had waited threw in the towel. Became almost a game of TSMM Survivor to outlast the others. The CMs were great, brought out coloring pages & played games with all ages. I sat on the ground in the circle in the middle of what's now a very bustling area coloring. We played Duck, Duck, Goose! Too! So fun! My blood sugar started to dip towards the end. If we left the secure area to get food we couldn't come back until the ride reopened and there was already a long line outside the entry point. I told DH that he'd have to drag my unconscious body from my spot. Once you're there so long you can't walk away or you will have wasted all that time. So eventually it reopened and we were 1 of 4 families/couples left. It was trying in the moment but looking back it was an incredible time, one I don't regret. So waiting I can do!

Three hours for TSMM?? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I don't think so. For that ride? No.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Three hours for TSMM?? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I don't think so. For that ride? No.

Who knew? It was a passholder preview. We were kid-free. We were happy to try something new and, at that point, so limited. We ended up having lunch w/one of the Imagineers who had been working on the paint, decor, etc. during that trip. The whole thing was so fascinating and fresh. Now that I think about it, that's the last time we had that crazy giddy, gotta go to see the new thing feeling. In 2008.

 

[fbp]

We're going to be there the same time-ish. Just seeing all the scheduled refurbs for the first time! Oh well, oh well, oh well. I hope Indy re-opens as scheduled.

Does anyone know the exact dates of the potentially re-scheduled Pirates refurb?

 

[fractal]

So excited for you that you are going to DL!

I hope Pirates is up for you, but if not you will still have a great time. You can focus more on the attractions NOT at WDW - Indy,Matterhorn, Califonia Screaming, RSR and Carsland, World of Color, Mr. Toad and others plus ( from what I hear ) a much better Fastasmic!

I think you will enjoy the "quantness" of DLR. The fact that you can walk right out of DL and stroll over to DCA. At the same time, the smaller scale and different layout at Disneyland ( or is it different at MK? ) does get some getting used to. Can't wait to hear your ( and yours ) impressions on it!

If you do have time - I would also recommend doing something else in SoCal outside of Disney. So much to do from beaches to museums to entertainment. Have an awesome trip!

...and take plenty of pictures!

 

[shipley731]

Yeah, I'm hoping to find a balance to catch the RSR wait at more like an hour or under. Maybe before it reaches the full 2 hrs. We'll figure it out or wait it out.

If I recall correctly, you guys are staying in a Disneyland property hotel. Go to DCA on a day that they are offering EMH for on-property guests. We stayed in the Disneyland Hotel & took advantage of the EMH at DCA during our stay this past May. Got there about 5 minutes after the gates opened to hotel guests & walked right on RSR. Stand by said 15 minutes. By the time we got off the ride, about 25-30 minutes before official park opening, the stand by line said 45 minutes. You should be able to find your sweet spot to ride and look at the queue without dealing with the crazy wait. Coincidentally, we were also able to ride Luigi's Flying Tires & Mater's Junkyard Jamboree before the park officially opened. (We only had 2 days to spend at DL during our trip & were trying to make sure we did all of the things that were at the top of our list. The EMH at DCA was a big help!)

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We're going to be there the same time-ish. Just seeing all the scheduled refurbs for the first time! Oh well, oh well, oh well. I hope Indy re-opens as scheduled.

Does anyone know the exact dates of the potentially re-scheduled Pirates refurb?

No. The only info is purely word of mouth at this point and has been stated as April. No dates. It was originally slated as an approx. 2 week refurb. If they start it up to about mid-April we are likely safe. But, the first part of April is expected to be busier attendance so I'm not holding out for any miracles. It's okay, tho. We're all still going to have our socks knocked off even without the superior Pirates. I'm keeping the faith but not expecting it to be up while we're there.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Big Thunder Mountain will be brand spanking new. You'll still get to ride Haunted Mansion, Mr. Toad, Small World and see the dinosaurs on the train. Sounds like a great day to me.

 

[Figments Friend]

We'll be there at the same time! Our dates are April 27th thru May 3rd!

Sweet!
Well if we bump into one another, i will say hello.
I am pretty easy to spot.
Just look for someone wearing a 'Tony Baxter Fan Club' pinback button, and that will be moi...

 

[Figments Friend]

. Seriously. How do any west coasters go to WDW and not come off Pirates thinking "That was crap"? I showed it to my old man tonight and we kept going back to pick out all the cool things and crazy awesome effects. Like in the cannon battle scene when the water splashes it also lights up like an explosion. I don't remember seeing that in our recent trips. I'm trying to remember if it ever was like that.

It works at WDW off and on.
The water effects making it seems cannons are hitting the water is usually working at both WDW and DL.
At Disneyland however there is also air cannons that fire off from the fort wall in that scene to make it seem as if cannon balls are whizzing past you towards at the pirate ship.
I cannot recall recently experiencing that particular effect at WDW though.

I have ridden several times during the course of a day ( at both Parks ) and even then there can be dramatic differences on whether or not that particular effect ( the fort wall air cannon ) is working or not.

I think it has to do with the spacing of the boats, and the effects may not 'fire off' every time.
They may need time to reset, or it may just be a way to insure each rider/boat/ride thru gets a slightly different experience.
I find that not every boat that drifts by gets to experience almost being hit with a cannon ball.
Splashing effects and the lights below the water almost always happen, but the fort wall horizontal air cannon effect is off and on at times.
When you DO get the effect, it is awesome.
I wish it happened every ride, but not having it happen makes it all the special and exciting when it does!

I will admit that Disneyland's seems more effective.
I was thrilled when on my most recent ride on POTC at DL that i experienced the full effect twice.
Fort air cannon, water cannons, and lighting effects.
It really was a convincing combo of effects that made it seems as if a cannonball just blew past in front of your face!