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Need some Advice
- Thread starter LinaBelle
- Start date
It's really tough to answer this one without knowing a bit about the makeup of your family and of course what you like to do, but there are a few "not to miss" items.
To really take advantage of the day, GET THERE EARLY, i.e. before the park opens. You will ride more rides in the first two hours and save a LOT of waiting in line.
You must take advantage of Fast Passes (FP). Get one as soon as you get into the park, and get another one EVERY time you can, usually if you get one as soon as the park opens, you'll be able to get your next one about 40 minutes later. After that they'll start being longer waits for the next one, but it's written on the ticket when you can get the next one. IMPORTANT!!! The time to return on the Fast Pass can be ignored. As long as you use it after the first time you can go back, you'll be fine. I suggest collecting a few in the morning to use in the afternoon when lines are much longer.
Start with Disneyland must do's:
Classic Rides: Jungel Cruise, Pirates, Small World and Haunted Mansion
The Mountains: Splash (FP), Space (FP), Big Thunder Railroad (FP) and Matterhorn
Cool experiences: Star Tours (FP), Tiki Room (do this when you're hot and tired and everyone needs a bit of rest), Train (again another ride designed to help you rest), Indiana Jones
So here's the thing, you're going to have to sacrifice many things if you're trying to do both parks in one day. IMHO parades will be out for you, but maybe if you don't mind having a distant view you can catch just the parade. Rides like Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad, Fantasyland Boats, Dumbo, Tea Cups, pretty much all of Fantasyland are pretty slow loading rides and there are no fast passes. Lines for these rides can, and will get very long. If you want to do any of them, do them right after you get your first FP, and be prepared to only do only a couple of them.
California Adventure has fewer must do experiences, so you can pick and choose what you like.
Must do's IMO: Soarin' (FP), Tower of Terror (FP), California Screamin' (FP), It's a Bugs Life, Muppet Vision 3D, Midway Mania.
Midway Mania will be a long line and there are no Fast Passes, you'll need to decide if you want to ride it or not, it will likely take up to 60 minutes waiting in line.
Grab Fast Passes for whatever you can as quickly as you can.
Nightime entertainment, you'll need to decide between World of Colour and Fantasmic. In either case, expect to have poor viewing positions as you don't have enough time to stake out good spots for either show. You can get World of Colour Fast Passes, but that means going to California Adventure early which means you'll miss out on shorter lines at DL.
I highly suggest you take a good long look at all the experiences offered at both parks and decide what kind of rides you want to focus on, then create a plan of attack based on where they all are in the park, as well as where you want to be to grab your next FP. There is a great site www.touringplans.com where you might be able to get some help, though I just looked and they don't have a one day DL / CA plan. Simply put, you'll be skipping a lot of things so only you can decide what can be skipped, and how long of a day you can keep.
To really take advantage of the day, GET THERE EARLY, i.e. before the park opens. You will ride more rides in the first two hours and save a LOT of waiting in line.
You must take advantage of Fast Passes (FP). Get one as soon as you get into the park, and get another one EVERY time you can, usually if you get one as soon as the park opens, you'll be able to get your next one about 40 minutes later. After that they'll start being longer waits for the next one, but it's written on the ticket when you can get the next one. IMPORTANT!!! The time to return on the Fast Pass can be ignored. As long as you use it after the first time you can go back, you'll be fine. I suggest collecting a few in the morning to use in the afternoon when lines are much longer.
Start with Disneyland must do's:
Classic Rides: Jungel Cruise, Pirates, Small World and Haunted Mansion
The Mountains: Splash (FP), Space (FP), Big Thunder Railroad (FP) and Matterhorn
Cool experiences: Star Tours (FP), Tiki Room (do this when you're hot and tired and everyone needs a bit of rest), Train (again another ride designed to help you rest), Indiana Jones
So here's the thing, you're going to have to sacrifice many things if you're trying to do both parks in one day. IMHO parades will be out for you, but maybe if you don't mind having a distant view you can catch just the parade. Rides like Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad, Fantasyland Boats, Dumbo, Tea Cups, pretty much all of Fantasyland are pretty slow loading rides and there are no fast passes. Lines for these rides can, and will get very long. If you want to do any of them, do them right after you get your first FP, and be prepared to only do only a couple of them.
California Adventure has fewer must do experiences, so you can pick and choose what you like.
Must do's IMO: Soarin' (FP), Tower of Terror (FP), California Screamin' (FP), It's a Bugs Life, Muppet Vision 3D, Midway Mania.
Midway Mania will be a long line and there are no Fast Passes, you'll need to decide if you want to ride it or not, it will likely take up to 60 minutes waiting in line.
Grab Fast Passes for whatever you can as quickly as you can.
Nightime entertainment, you'll need to decide between World of Colour and Fantasmic. In either case, expect to have poor viewing positions as you don't have enough time to stake out good spots for either show. You can get World of Colour Fast Passes, but that means going to California Adventure early which means you'll miss out on shorter lines at DL.
I highly suggest you take a good long look at all the experiences offered at both parks and decide what kind of rides you want to focus on, then create a plan of attack based on where they all are in the park, as well as where you want to be to grab your next FP. There is a great site www.touringplans.com where you might be able to get some help, though I just looked and they don't have a one day DL / CA plan. Simply put, you'll be skipping a lot of things so only you can decide what can be skipped, and how long of a day you can keep.
Disneyfanman
Well-Known Member
I get asked this a lot. The answer really depends on a couple of variables. Disneyland Park is only 73 acres (50% smaller than the MK) but has quite a few more attractions including many that are unique to CA. Way more is packed into a smaller package. On a slower day with extended hours you might be able to hit most of the biggest attractions but you would miss many of the small details that make Disneyland.........well Disneyland. DCA is much more managable (though that is changing) but both parks? You will have to make some choices.
I always tell people that if they are familiar with the MK and other parks at WDW, that they should choose attractions that are unique to DL or significantly different from the East Coast. Then you will have to make a CHOICE of evening entertainment because it all goes off at around the same time or is crowded early enough that you can't run from one to another.
Pick up the Unofficial Guide to DL. In the first chapter they list the attractions that are unique to DL or significantly different enough to be unique.
In DL Park, the Unique Attractions are:
Great Moments with Lincoln
Main Street Cinema
Finding Nemo Subs
Innoventions
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Alice in Wonderland
Casey Junior
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin
Snow White Castle Walk-thru
Indiana Jones Adventure
New Parade
Different enough to be unique:
Space Mountain
Pirates of the Carribbean
Tarzan's Treehouse
Enchanted Tiki Room
Fantasmic!
NEW: Star Tours
In DCA:
Unique:
Grizzly River Run
Little Mermaid Adventure
Silly Synphony Swings
California Screaming
Golden Zephyr
Jumping Jelly fish
Goofy's Sky School
It's tough to be a bug playground
Redwood Challenge Trail
Monster's Inc Dark Ride
Mickey's Fun Wheel
World of color Nighttime Show
Blue Sky Cellar
Different enough to be unique:
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
If I was going to build a list of highlights that shows the differences in the resorts, I would do the bolded ones.
If you are not familiar with Disney from the East Coast, then the list changes to the classics. The previous post did a nice job highlighting the very best of both parks without worrying about doing only what you haven't experienced before. Skipping Big Thunder, the Haunted Mansion, Soarin' etc makes me cry, but if you only have one day you will need to figure out what you want to accomplish.
Good Luck.
I always tell people that if they are familiar with the MK and other parks at WDW, that they should choose attractions that are unique to DL or significantly different from the East Coast. Then you will have to make a CHOICE of evening entertainment because it all goes off at around the same time or is crowded early enough that you can't run from one to another.
Pick up the Unofficial Guide to DL. In the first chapter they list the attractions that are unique to DL or significantly different enough to be unique.
In DL Park, the Unique Attractions are:
Great Moments with Lincoln
Main Street Cinema
Finding Nemo Subs
Innoventions
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Alice in Wonderland
Casey Junior
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin
Snow White Castle Walk-thru
Indiana Jones Adventure
New Parade
Different enough to be unique:
Space Mountain
Pirates of the Carribbean
Tarzan's Treehouse
Enchanted Tiki Room
Fantasmic!
NEW: Star Tours
In DCA:
Unique:
Grizzly River Run
Little Mermaid Adventure
Silly Synphony Swings
California Screaming
Golden Zephyr
Jumping Jelly fish
Goofy's Sky School
It's tough to be a bug playground
Redwood Challenge Trail
Monster's Inc Dark Ride
Mickey's Fun Wheel
World of color Nighttime Show
Blue Sky Cellar
Different enough to be unique:
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
If I was going to build a list of highlights that shows the differences in the resorts, I would do the bolded ones.
If you are not familiar with Disney from the East Coast, then the list changes to the classics. The previous post did a nice job highlighting the very best of both parks without worrying about doing only what you haven't experienced before. Skipping Big Thunder, the Haunted Mansion, Soarin' etc makes me cry, but if you only have one day you will need to figure out what you want to accomplish.
Good Luck.
Mickey_777
Well-Known Member
Yessir you're gonna have to choose to leave some stuff out 'cause a day won't be enough to do EVERYTHING. Make a list of "must do" priorities and try to stick to it. You'll probably get the urge to get on attractions that WDW has (to compare) but then again you might want to have a purely DL experience. Either way it's gonna be tough but above all, have fun!
Thank you everyone!
This is going to be my first time going to California Adventure. The last time I visited Disneyland, CA was still being built. So, would it be better to go there first for a few hours before heading to Disneyland? :shrug:
But, I really appreciate the advice.
This is going to be my first time going to California Adventure. The last time I visited Disneyland, CA was still being built. So, would it be better to go there first for a few hours before heading to Disneyland? :shrug:
But, I really appreciate the advice.
LaughingGravy
Well-Known Member
I just managed to swing a trip combined with business for end of June/beginning of July. I AM SO HAPPPYYYYYYYYY!!!!
I haven't been there since 2007 (one day), and it was once in 1985 before that for only one day. Both trips were solo.
Now, I get to take DW for her first time. She will get solo park time while I work, but I'll spend every other waking hour back at DL/CA
DL is open 8am-midnight!!
If you're not staying on site, AAA purchased tix can include free parking, if you're there before their AAA lot fills up.
3-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket
Save $20 per person and get more when you purchase your Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus Tickets in advance! Enjoy three days of fun at both Disneyland® Park and Disney California Adventure™ Park, plus receive one Magic Morning early entry admission per ticket!
AAA/CAA Members also receive FREE parking at the Disneyland® Resort Theme Parks with a valid Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Ticket (Parking is at a designated lot and is subject to availability. Offer not available for the 2-Day Disneyland® Resort and CityPass tickets).
The DIS boards are more geared toward DL and I've gotten many more DL tips there.
Near as I can tell after a bunch of reading over the past few days in addition to what's been said above:
Peter Pan for some reason gets nutsy busy all the time, so if you have any desire to do it, pretty much run to it at park opening.
Indiana Jones Ride is phenomenal. Do a Wikipedia search so you don't miss out on all the stuff going on.
Definitely park hop!
Definitely utilizes fastpasses, even more so that what you do at WDW, as it will be high season. Check the DIS boards for tips on that and sequence. Some have done some pretty detailed writeups.
If you've seen Fantasmic or any other water light show by Disney, take a look at a youtube video of World of Color, and based on that, decide if you want to deal with it (You actually need a fast pass for it to get anything close to a decent view...go figure) It's standing only, no seating, and definitely not tiered viewing, so if you're not tall, it might be really bad. The wait time for this show is apparently nuts as well. I might bypass this to spend more time for other things like, multiple PoTC or Tiki room or Main St wandering while the crowd gathers and waits.
Definitely ride both sides of the Matterhorn!
Food is nutsy expensive based on menus I can see. I'd fill my belly off site as much as possible.
As this is also a business trip, them seeing receipts for food from DL won't go over so well, raising flags, so I'll be eating off site as much as possible.
ESPN Zone might fit the bill for that nicely. On site, but not.
I haven't been there since 2007 (one day), and it was once in 1985 before that for only one day. Both trips were solo.
Now, I get to take DW for her first time. She will get solo park time while I work, but I'll spend every other waking hour back at DL/CA
DL is open 8am-midnight!!
If you're not staying on site, AAA purchased tix can include free parking, if you're there before their AAA lot fills up.
3-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket
Save $20 per person and get more when you purchase your Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus Tickets in advance! Enjoy three days of fun at both Disneyland® Park and Disney California Adventure™ Park, plus receive one Magic Morning early entry admission per ticket!
AAA/CAA Members also receive FREE parking at the Disneyland® Resort Theme Parks with a valid Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Ticket (Parking is at a designated lot and is subject to availability. Offer not available for the 2-Day Disneyland® Resort and CityPass tickets).
The DIS boards are more geared toward DL and I've gotten many more DL tips there.
Near as I can tell after a bunch of reading over the past few days in addition to what's been said above:
Peter Pan for some reason gets nutsy busy all the time, so if you have any desire to do it, pretty much run to it at park opening.
Indiana Jones Ride is phenomenal. Do a Wikipedia search so you don't miss out on all the stuff going on.
Definitely park hop!
Definitely utilizes fastpasses, even more so that what you do at WDW, as it will be high season. Check the DIS boards for tips on that and sequence. Some have done some pretty detailed writeups.
If you've seen Fantasmic or any other water light show by Disney, take a look at a youtube video of World of Color, and based on that, decide if you want to deal with it (You actually need a fast pass for it to get anything close to a decent view...go figure) It's standing only, no seating, and definitely not tiered viewing, so if you're not tall, it might be really bad. The wait time for this show is apparently nuts as well. I might bypass this to spend more time for other things like, multiple PoTC or Tiki room or Main St wandering while the crowd gathers and waits.
Definitely ride both sides of the Matterhorn!
Food is nutsy expensive based on menus I can see. I'd fill my belly off site as much as possible.
As this is also a business trip, them seeing receipts for food from DL won't go over so well, raising flags, so I'll be eating off site as much as possible.
ESPN Zone might fit the bill for that nicely. On site, but not.