Is this itinerary possible?! Disneyland crammed into 1 day!

Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I decided to post my Disneyland itinerary online for your review. Every ride and attraction is listed in order of riding (eg. Main Street Vehicles first and Tiki Room last) My main concerns are: How crazy is this? Is it possible to accomplish in a day? Lastly, any tips you can give me to avoid crowds or if any changes need to to be made in the itinerary? All I know is that it's going to be one tiring day! :confused:

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Californian Elitist

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
This is A LOT for one day, and it MAY be possible for you to do all of this... Right now, I'm thinking there's no way you'll be able to get all of the things on your checklist done.

I would skip attractions like Dumbo, Gadget's Go-Coaster, Innoventions, Starcade and the Mad Tea Party. I'd also choose the Mark Twain or the Sailing Ship Columbia. I wouldn't do both. If Buzz is a long wait, skip it.

I'd see Soundsational parade over Magical!. I'd also try a corn dog on Main Street instead of the link. If you're still going to attempt to do all of this in one day, you're going to have to get there at opening and do some hustling. Of course, single rider also.
 
ImagineerDude

ImagineerDude

Well-Known Member
Ummmmm all I can say is goodluck. I wouldn't even attempt this mainly because you can't take time to just enjoy it. Definitely everything @raven24 said and I love Soundsational :) Fantasmic is obviously a must-do. I would choose the Columbia and Conoes not all three of them. They are pretty much the same thing. I'd also skip the carousel, Tiki Room, Casey Jr., Mad Tea Party, Starcade...but that's just me. I didn't think two days were enough in Disneyland. Definitely go opening-closing, and maybe use after closing to get a snack, walk around, and enjoy the atmosphere for a little while if you aren't too tired :)
 
Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
raven24 said:
This is A LOT for one day, and it MAY be possible for you to do all of this... Right now, I'm thinking there's no way you'll be able to get all of the things on your checklist done.

I would skip attractions like Dumbo, Gadget's Go-Coaster, Innoventions, Starcade and the Mad Tea Party. I'd also choose the Mark Twain or the Sailing Ship Columbia. I wouldn't do both. If Buzz is a long wait, skip it.

I'd see Soundsational parade over Magical!. I'd also try a corn dog on Main Street instead of the link. If you're still going to attempt to do all of this in one day, you're going to have to get there at opening and do some hustling. Of course, single rider also.
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Yeah I figured that for Mark Twain and Columbia. I'll maybe choose The Sailing Ship Columbia because it's more unique to Disneyland. Anyway I'm checking off attractions to skip when time is running out. Thanks for your input! I know it's going to be hectic, but it's Disneyland, so it'll be worth it.
 
Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
ImagineerDude said:
Ummmmm all I can say is goodluck. I wouldn't even attempt this mainly because you can't take time to just enjoy it. Definitely everything @raven24 said and I love Soundsational :) Fantasmic is obviously a must-do. I would choose the Columbia and Conoes not all three of them. They are pretty much the same thing. I'd also skip the carousel, Tiki Room, Casey Jr., Mad Tea Party, Starcade...but that's just me. I didn't think two days were enough in Disneyland. Definitely go opening-closing, and maybe use after closing to get a snack, walk around, and enjoy the atmosphere for a little while if you aren't too tired :)
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I'll see if I could squeeze in more Disneyland in my DCA day
 
Cosmic Commando

Cosmic Commando

Well-Known Member
Ooooookay, here we go!

1. I think you need some re-jiggering at the beginning of your day. The Castle Walkthrough is probably never going to have a line, so you can save that for later in the day once the crowds start to build. The Main Street Vehicles run longer than they do in MK, so you might want to slot that in when you see musical chairs or some other time when you happen to be near the hub.

2. Starting in Fantasyland is a good idea, but you also need to be taking advantage of Fastpass. I would grab a Star Tours or Space Mountain Fastpass on my way up to Fantasyland in the morning. It's a little tougher since they enforce the return times, but still valuable. Maybe grab the Fastpass for Splash before you ride Pooh or eat at Hungry Bear. Think about grabbing the Fastpass for Indy right after dinner, since you're headed that way.

3. Last attraction of the day: The crux here is that if you get into a 60 minute queue right before the park closes, you still get to ride. You can essentially extend the park hours by whatever the longest line in the park is. If you really want to maximize your park time, save a ride for last that has a long standby and no Fastpass available. My pick is Nemo. That queue is mostly unshaded if the wait is more than 10 minutes, so you'll appreciate riding at night if the line is long.

4. Gibson Girl is nice and all, but it's not really special in any particular way. Unless you have a tradition of getting ice cream on MSUSA, it's skippable.

5. Everything @raven24 said.

6. Astro Orbitor is on the ground at DL, so it's just a spinner that isn't Dumbo. Skippable.

7. No love for Lincoln?

8. You forgot a mint julep with your beignets.
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Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Cosmic Commando said:
Ooooookay, here we go!

1. I think you need some re-jiggering at the beginning of your day. The Castle Walkthrough is probably never going to have a line, so you can save that for later in the day once the crowds start to build. The Main Street Vehicles run longer than they do in MK, so you might want to slot that in when you see musical chairs or some other time when you happen to be near the hub.

2. Starting in Fantasyland is a good idea, but you also need to be taking advantage of Fastpass. I would grab a Star Tours or Space Mountain Fastpass on my way up to Fantasyland in the morning. It's a little tougher since they enforce the return times, but still valuable. Maybe grab the Fastpass for Splash before you ride Pooh or eat at Hungry Bear. Think about grabbing the Fastpass for Indy right after dinner, since you're headed that way.

3. Last attraction of the day: The crux here is that if you get into a 60 minute queue right before the park closes, you still get to ride. You can essentially extend the park hours by whatever the longest line in the park is. If you really want to maximize your park time, save a ride for last that has a long standby and no Fastpass available. My pick is Nemo. That queue is mostly unshaded if the wait is more than 10 minutes, so you'll appreciate riding at night if the line is long.

4. Gibson Girl is nice and all, but it's not really special in any particular way. Unless you have a tradition of getting ice cream on MSUSA, it's skippable.

5. Everything @raven24 said.

6. Astro Orbitor is on the ground at DL, so it's just a spinner that isn't Dumbo. Skippable.

7. No love for Lincoln?

8. You forgot a mint julep with your beignets.
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Genius! Great advice! I'll be sure to get those fastpasses beforehand. I'll probably move the castle walk through to when we go back to Main Street on the way to Fantasy Faire. Astro Oribitor is already on the "boot" list. I completely forgot about Lincoln, and I'll be sure to include that near the end of the day. And about the Gibson Girl, do they have ice cream sundaes? I love Disney sundaes!! Again thanks a lot for all the info! Unfortunately no mint juleps for me! Lol
 
Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
ImagineerDude said:
I actually liked DCA a teeny bit more than DL because Magic Kingdom will always be my home as DL park is to SoCal people. :)
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I thought the same way until I went to Disneyland. There's just a certain charm you can't get at Magic Kingdom, but Magic Kingdom will always live in my heart. I've also never been to DCA, so I can't judge.
 
Wilt Dasney

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
I was going to write something about the value of being spontaneous and just wandering around the park, but with only one day to go, that's really not a luxury you have. So I would say just be willing to sacrifice some of your plans, and not just because I think your itinerary *might* be physically impossible on the least crowded day of the year, but because there will be times you'll find things that are worth just stopping for. Be willing to say "Phooey" on running to the next thing on your list if you find a Main Street character window display or Mary Blair art exhibition that grabs your attention, or catch a hint of the wonderful Indy/Jungle Cruise 1930s shortwave radio background audio while sipping a Dole Whip around dusk, or find a crowd gathered around one of the Frontierland denizens telling silly stories in between saloon shows. (OK, I'm totally describing my own experiences. You might not find any of these things interesting...but something else WILL pop out to you if you let it!)

Maybe it's all personal preference, and maybe your mind works differently, but I find I lay down the most valued memories when I take time to linger over little things like that instead of running to the next "big thing" all the time. When you look back, you'll probably remember small, quiet moments more happily than all the lines you stood in. Obviously, you have to make good use of your time and get in a lot of rides. And saying "plan to be spontaneous" is silly, with so little time. But when you find the park starting to open itself up to you in those wonderful little ways, just let it happen without worrying about the day's agenda. I love me some rides, but I love those things even more. They're what make the place so special to me. Good luck with your plans!
 
Marc Gil

Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wilt Dasney said:
I was going to write something about the value of being spontaneous and just wandering around the park, but with only one day to go, that's really not a luxury you have. So I would say just be willing to sacrifice some of your plans, and not just because I think your itinerary *might* be physically impossible on the least crowded day of the year, but because there will be times you'll find things that are worth just stopping for. Be willing to say "Phooey" on running to the next thing on your list if you find a Main Street character window display or Mary Blair art exhibition that grabs your attention, or catch a hint of the wonderful Indy/Jungle Cruise 1930s shortwave radio background audio while sipping a Dole Whip around dusk, or find a crowd gathered around one of the Frontierland denizens telling silly stories in between saloon shows. (OK, I'm totally describing my own experiences. You might not find any of these things interesting...but something else WILL pop out to you if you let it!)

Maybe it's all personal preference, and maybe your mind works differently, but I find I lay down the most valued memories when I take time to linger over little things like that instead of running to the next "big thing" all the time. When you look back, you'll probably remember small, quiet moments more happily than all the lines you stood in. Obviously, you have to make good use of your time and get in a lot of rides. And saying "plan to be spontaneous" is silly, with so little time. But when you find the park starting to open itself up to you in those wonderful little ways, just let it happen without worrying about the day's agenda. I love me some rides, but I love those things even more. They're what make the place so special to me. Good luck with your plans!
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Yeah, sometimes not everything goes to plan. I plan on being flexible. My itinerary is just the basic floor plan of the day. It's subject to change. And I'm sure a lot of spontaneous things will occur during my visit, and It'll definitely distract me. But you're right about seeing the more simpler aspects of Disneyland. These small features make the park more special; and I'll definitely be stopping by the Disney Gallery later in the day, you just reminded me! ;)
 
MichWolv

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
If you go on a day when Disneyland is open 8 am to midnight, and crowds are light, then you still cannot do all this. I applaud the effort, however.

If you do want to maximize what you can get done, you've got a good start on your list. Get there at park opening. But do not ride the Main Street Vehicles, because the time you lose will cost you later. Instead, one person go get FPs to Space, Star Tours, or IJ, while the rest heads for Fland. In Fland, you need to hit Pan, Storybookland, Alice, Toad, Pinnocchio, dumbo, and Snow White first thing, in approximately that order. By doing those things right away (and I'm assmng you aren't going on a day when others can get in an hour early but you can't), you can knock these off in 90 minutes, saving you hours of lines later. Do not expect to get in Storybookland anytime other than right away without a line that will drive you crazy because of how slow it moves.

With those out of the way, you'll feel good at having accomplished a lot. If you want to do Gadget, now is the time, because its a terribly slow loader, so you need to get there before the line grows at all. Now you grab a second set of FPs and go use the first. You'll be in good shape at this point and can do most of the attractions in a jam packed day, but not if you insist on all the character greetings as well, because they have very slow lines. On the other hand, having gotten thru the Fland dark rides, you are now in position to rely on FP to avoid almost all of the long lines in the park (IJ, ST, SM, Splash, BTM). The only attractions you haven't ridden yet that regularly get long lines and don't have FP are Jungle Cruise, AstroOrbiter (skip it), Buzz (intermittent lines), Matterhorn (but theres a single rider line that can really help), and Autopia (which has FP, but if you wait until late, the line will go down).

Things I'd skip with only a day include Innoventions, most meet n greets, the Main Street vehicles, astroOrbiter, the Columbia and Mark Twain (but do the canoes), Casey Jr (Storybookland boats see the same thing in a better way), and several of those snacks and souvenirs.
 

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