Trip Planning: How long is to long?

WhatJaneSays

WhatJaneSays

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm tentatively planning a Disneyland trip in late April 2016. This will be a solo trip, though I may have people along for part of a day, I intend to not plan on others. My last visit was December 2011 and I recently realized that haven't been to Disneyland when it hasn't been decorated for Christmas since I've been an adult.

Taking my time and soaking it all in is my main goal. I did 4 days on the 2011 trip (3 park, 1 DTD/hotel sightseeing/swimming) and it was a good pace: I saw everything new, got to everything I wanted to see again, and had some moments to relax. With this trip it will be Spring + CA's construction is done + 60th Anniversary and I’d like do at least the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour if not that and the California Story tour too.

Is 5 days to much of an over saturation? 4 park days w/1 other stuff day or 5 park days with other things sprinkled in? I have an ulterior motive for going then which will occupy 2-3 days of time so is it may be worth breaking it up: doing 2-3 days at Disneyland, do the other thing, and then 2-3 days back at Disneyland?
 
GiveMeTheMusic

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
WhatJaneSays said:
I'm tentatively planning a Disneyland trip in late April 2016. This will be a solo trip, though I may have people along for part of a day, I intend to not plan on others. My last visit was December 2011 and I recently realized that haven't been to Disneyland when it hasn't been decorated for Christmas since I've been an adult.

Taking my time and soaking it all in is my main goal. I did 4 days on the 2011 trip (3 park, 1 DTD/hotel sightseeing/swimming) and it was a good pace: I saw everything new, got to everything I wanted to see again, and had some moments to relax. With this trip it will be Spring + CA's construction is done + 60th Anniversary and I’d like do at least the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour if not that and the California Story tour too.

Is 5 days to much of an over saturation? 4 park days w/1 other stuff day or 5 park days with other things sprinkled in? I have an ulterior motive for going then which will occupy 2-3 days of time so is it may be worth breaking it up: doing 2-3 days at Disneyland, do the other thing, and then 2-3 days back at Disneyland?
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I think 4 days in the parks is plenty, especially if you're on your own and can do whatever you want. You might get some fatigue 5 days in unless you really just can't get enough. :) 4 days also gives you some time to see some of the nighttime shows more than once if you'd like. Late April should be relatively uncrowded since Easter is in late March and spring break crowds will have dissipated.
 
Mukta

Mukta

Well-Known Member
I don't think 5 days is too much. There are so many live shows and entertainment that is hard to see on a quick trip. This way you can really fit everything in. Last chance to pet the goats in the petting zoo!
 
PrincessJenn5795

PrincessJenn5795

Active Member
I don't think 5 days is too long. That gives you a lot of time to explore and to see all of the different shows and eat at new places at a leisurely pace. I have done quite a few 5 day trips and love them!
 
LeafsFanNL

LeafsFanNL

Active Member
We were there in early July. 5 days is fine. did 4 in DL. spent July 4th in DCA. These parks require a slower pace than FLA does IMO.
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Personally, five days is a bit too much for me, 3/4 does just fine IMO...but if you're leaning towards five days even a little bit, go for it. Better to go in with potentially too many days than too few.
 
andykate08096

andykate08096

New Member
I was wondering the same myself. I will be arriving to DLR 4-1 to 4-8 March 30th to April 1st we will be sending in San Diego but wanted to know how many days should be enough for 2 of us WDW vets who never visited DLR we will also be spending a day in universal with the VIP experience and having a LA day
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
^If you have never been before, three days should be your absolute minimum. Four or five days are better in that case because it allows you to slow down and relax. My three day trips are very busy, very active, which is not the best way to approach a first time visit. There's more to do than is immediately obvious to many first-timers.
 
D

Deleted member 107043

3 days/2 nights seems to be the sweet spot for me: enough time to experience all that I want and still miss the place after I leave.
 
RoadTrip

RoadTrip

Member
For me 4-days, 5-nights seems about perfect. I don't get there very often because of the distance and expense involved... WDW is much closer to where I live. If I am going to go there, I want to have plenty of time. I always need an extra night for the day that I arrive... by the time my flight is in and I've made it to DL it would be much too late to go to a park. I always enjoy the first night hanging out at the DL hotel and soaking in the atmosphere!
 
Kramerica

Kramerica

Well-Known Member
This is coming from someone who finds extreme comfort and contentment in repetition. So take what I say with a grain of salt, but.

Length of my trips is bound only by limitations of funds. Both monetarily and paid time off. There's virtually no amount of time that I could spend at either Disneyland or Disney World and get bored. And I think the solo trip is the way to do it. Even though people look at me funny when I tell them I'll be vacationing by myself, it's the most enjoyable way to do it for me.

See, for me. It doesn't even have to be going on the rides once and being done with them. I never get tired of most rides (I can recall a day where I essentially spent the entire day going on Rock n Roller Coaster over and over again) Not only that, but I'm a dude who likes to just enjoy the fact that I'm there. I could spend all day sitting on Main Street. Walking around the park just realizing how lucky I am to be doing just that. One of my favorite things to do at Disneyland is to hang out on a bench at the entrance and watch the groups that come in. You can tell when it's a kid's first time seeing the castle or a families first visit in a long time. The look of joy on those people's faces never tires.

California Adventure is also about as fun as it gets for drinking, if you're into that. I remember on my last trip I had ducked into Carthay Circle lounge when it started to rain to get a drink and wait out the shower. Met the coolest few people. Ended up spending hours in there, drinking too much and meeting all kinds of people.

Heck, I even enjoy hanging out in my room. Disney resorts have that ability to make you feel like home, but far away from home at the same time. that's something I can always appreciate.

I guess in the end, it's different for everyone. But for me. Getting bored simply doesn't even come into consideration when planning a trip. I know there will always be something to do.
 
D

Deleted member 107043

Kramerica said:
California Adventure is also about as fun as it gets for drinking, if you're into that. I remember on my last trip I had ducked into Carthay Circle lounge when it started to rain to get a drink and wait out the shower. Met the coolest few people. Ended up spending hours in there, drinking too much and meeting all kinds of people.
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Carthay Circle is the best place at DLR to sit back, relax, and meet people. The place seems to be a draw for people who like Disneyland, so it's always pretty easy to strike up an interesting conversation.
 
Stevek

Stevek

Well-Known Member
Kramerica said:
This is coming from someone who finds extreme comfort and contentment in repetition. So take what I say with a grain of salt, but.

Length of my trips is bound only by limitations of funds. Both monetarily and paid time off. There's virtually no amount of time that I could spend at either Disneyland or Disney World and get bored. And I think the solo trip is the way to do it. Even though people look at me funny when I tell them I'll be vacationing by myself, it's the most enjoyable way to do it for me.
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This is pretty much what I was going to say...though I can't see myself ever doing a solo trip. At the end of the day, you just have to decide how much Disney is too much for you whether that be 4, 5 or 10 days. If you want a min, 3 days should be good to experience most things and 4 would be ideal. So Cal has so many other things to offer as well so if you have the time or the inclination, explore outside of Disneyland/DCA.
 
ajrwdwgirl

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
I think that you can see enough in 4-5 days. Hubby and I just got back from spending 9 days there, we did spend one day away where we went to a mission and the beach but we still spent some time in DL when we got back. Some people might say that it was too much but we had a great vacation.
 

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