rtiller said:
Thanks for the feedback so far...anything more will be greatly appreciated. Are the fireworks any different on the fourth? We are figuring that the park will be busier on the fourth so if we only go for one day we're not sure we want to go then.
Is there a best day of the week to go or should I expect it to be busy all week due to the holiday?
The actual 4th of July will be very, very busy. Remember, Disneyland sits smack dab in the middle of one of
the largest metropolitan areas on the planet. This isn't WDW out in the swamp where there are more alligators than people. You've got over 15 Million Southern Californians who live within 2 hours drive of Disneyland, and on weekends and major holidays it seems like all 15 Million descend on Disneyland en masse. For SoCal'ers, Disneyland is "their" local theme park, and they show up by the tens of thousands every weekend.
The 4th is infamously one of the busiest days of the year. Disneyland makes up for it a bit by staying open until 2:00am that day, but it will still be very, very busy. Since the 4th is on a Tuesday this year, that whole weekend from Saturday through Tuesday will be very busy, but Tuesday will generally be the worst day. If you can, try to visit on the 5th or the 6th. It will still be summertime busy, but not nearly as tragic as the 1st through the 4th.
There's already great advice here about Space Mountain, Pirates, Indy, Matterhorn, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, parades, Fantasmic! and fireworks. But let me add that you would probably also enjoy focusing a bit on the other lesser attractions that are exclusive to Disneyland. Those E Tickets and big, splashy entertainment offerings are important, but you'll want to fill in the gaps with a few smaller rides as well. Such as, in no particular order....
Alice In Wonderland - Disneyland exclusive and a clever multi-level dark ride from 1958.
Pinnochio's Daring Journey - They have one in Tokyo, but it's a nifty dark ride missing from Florida.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - Another dark ride now only found in Disneyland. They don't make 'em like this anymore!
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin - A very long, very impressive dark ride with a spinning vehicle gimmick. It's got Fastpass too!
Davy Crockett Canoes - Another Disneyland exclusive, and a great way to see the Rivers of America at duck level. Be ready to paddle.
StorybookLand Canal Boats - A 1955 original, and a real blast from the past. It's a beautifully landscaped part of Disneyland and it has Walt written all over it. In this modern age you just don't see this type of craftsmanship or TLC any more. Only at Disneyland.
Casey Jr. Circus Train - A surprisingly thrilling little train ride, and a good alternative if you can't handle the long StorybookLand queue. It zips over and around all of StorybookLand.
Sailing Ship Columbia - If you don't do the Canoes, see the Rivers of America from this vessel! More thrilling than the Mark Twain Riverboat, with cannons that are fired
(BOOM!) and a wonderful below decks museum of historic ship life. Another Disneyland exclusive.
Enchanted Tiki Room - This show is the original 1963 version, with all of the Walt-era charm, wit and style left firmly intact. The pre-show lanai with the Gods & Godesses introducing themselves and campy 1960's Dole Pineapple video is a time warp back to Disneyland when Lyndon Johnson was President and Walt walked the park daily picking up scraps of paper and signing autographs. Plus, it's a nice air-conditioned break from the maddening crowds. Don't miss it! And then be really mad at what they did to the WDW version!
Mickey's Toontown - It's wall to wall strollers by Noon, but there's so much wonderful eye candy and Imagineering at it's best in this land. Try to just wander the area for 15 minutes in the morning if you can.
Things you could skip at Disneyland, in my opinion, are...
Star Tours - Exact same ride, just in a different building with a slightly different pre-show. Skip it.
Splash Mountain - This is about the only E Ticket that is inferior to it's Florida cousin. The pacing of the sets is faster and more frenetic here and it's just not as well done as Florida's. There are more animatronics in the Disneyland version, but you are going so fast it's hard to tell what they are saying or what is going on. I didn't even know Splash Mountain had a plotline until I went on the WDW version! The lines will be HUGE on a hot July day, and you'd have to waste a Fastpass that would be better spent on Indy or Space Mountain. Skip it.
Winnie The Pooh - Noticeably different ride, but not that much better than Florida's. Only do it if there's less than a 10 minute line. Otherwise, skip it.
Peter Pan's Flight - It's a great ride, but the differences from Florida aren't enough to justify waiting in the horendous 45-60 minute line.
Buzz Lightyear - Same story as Pooh and Pan. Fun, but too similar to WDW's when you're limited on time.
Innoventions - It looks snazzy from the outside with the spinning building, but it's just as boring as the Epcot version. Visit your local Best Buy instead.
Snow White Musical Show - Unless you are a huge Snow White fan, this stage show will take at least an hour out of your day that could be better spent elsewhere.
Hopefully you can spend two days at Disneyland. If you avoid the 4th and use Fastpass for the big E Tickets, you should have plenty of time to do all that has been recommended here for you. The best bet is to get to the main gate before opening at 8:00am and do the Fantasyland dark rides first thing. Those don't have Fastpass, and by 10:00am the lines are horrible and they never get better until Midnight. Remember that the Rivers of America boat rides begin closing around 5:00pm to get ready for Fantasmic, so do those in the middle of the day. Disneyland is open until Midnight every day, so head back to the hotel around 3:00pm for naps and quiet time before going back for the evening. Be prepared for a physically smaller park with narrower walkways, shorter buildings, but more rides packed miraculously in to the smaller space. With all the strollers and crowds, it can get intense in the afternoon and around parade and firework time. The other thing to note is the famous "Southern California Lifestyle" that can be enjoyed at Disneyland; without any Florida-style rain or humidity, there are a lot of rides that are outdoors, and lots more patio and terrace dining available. No mosquitoes either.
Disneyland on a summer night is pure magic. The Disneyland Orchestra will play big band and swing music at night at the Plaza Gardens next to the Castle, and the dancefloor will be packed. If your not a dancer, it's fun just to watch. There is also live rock n' roll bands and more dancing at Tomorrowland Terrace each night. Add in the fireworks, Fantasmic!, the warm and dry SoCal summer weather, and the Park all lit up and you've got a very pleasant place to spend the evening.
Please come back and leave us a Trip Report! :wave:
