Two Parks One Day????

[dclfan]

Hey All,
I'm making my way to California for the first time in February, so obviously Im going to visit Disneyland. Is it possible to visit both parks in one day if I buy the one day park hopper. The whole trip is only a week and I'm seeing San Fran and Los Angeles on this visit so time is defninitley not on my side. Any cali locals your input is much needed. Thanks a bunch.

Alisa

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Absolutely, especially if you have already been to WDW and don't need to experience every single thing...on an off-peak day, you will be done with everything at Disneyland by 1:00 and can spend the entire rest of the day nextdoor, or even come back for the evening fireworks...DURING PEAK you can still get a lot done in both parks, but the lines will not be manageable to do everything. Expected crowds can be checked at touringplans.com -- the lines in general at Disneyland are much shorter than at WDW...on a busy day you might have a 40 minute wait for Soarin', but it will be nowhere near the 180 minute wait at WDW on the same day

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Like Ron said - eliminate all WDW clones from your list and deal with Disneyland exclusives or superiors (for example, Pirates of the Caribbean is superior to WDW's version, but DL's Haunted Mansion is inferior to WDW's - skip it). Show up at park opening, take advantage of Fastpass, and prepare to run like crazy until the parks close.

 

[dclfan]

Thanks so much for the input. I will go ahead and do the park hopper. I know I def want to see Carsland and World of Color at night. Ill try to avoid anything I have already did in WDW. Are there any good places to eat in the parks?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Flo's, Lucky Fortune Cookery and Paradise Garden/Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta are great counter service in DCA. Jolly Holiday, French Market and Plaza Inn are good at DL. Don't do table service, it'll eat up too much of your time.

Arrive 30 minutes before DCA opening. Go straight to Racers to ride, or get a Fastpass for later. Then head to Grizzly River Run to pick up you World of Color Fastpass. Quickly hit major attractions in DCA you want to see, and then head to DL for Indy, Space, etc. Hopping is quick and painless.

 

[dclfan]

Thanks for the tips, I know I definitley dont have time for a sit down :-/.... I didn't know I needed a fastpass for world of color thanks for the heads up.

 

[WED99]

Take some time to explore Buena Vista Street, there's nothing like it in WDW!

 

[AndyS2992]

Must Sees:

=Disneyland=
Space Mountain
Star Tours
Matterhorn
It's a Small World
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Carribean
Big Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Indiana Jones

=Disney California Adventure=
Soarin
Grizzly River Run
California Screamin
Little Mermaid
Tower of Terror
Radiator Springs Racers

=Downtown Disney=
World of Disney Store

should be able to do all this on an off season day

 

[flynnibus]

You can certainly see highlights of both parks - but you're not gonna get deep in the parks.

Start at DCA before gate opening.. get in line (yes, the LINE) for RSR fastpass (it's on the path straight back from the Carthay Circle Theatre on the left before you get to Bugsland)
Then head over and get a showpass (doesn't conflict with your FP) for World of Color over near Grizzy River Rapids
From there you can decide what you want to do in DCA..
Ride things like Little Mermaid (walkon)
CA Screamin (high capacity coaster.. ride single rider if line is long)
Walk through bugsland for the sights.. then hit Monster's Inc.
Then walk back through hollywood and BVS and head over to DLR.

That means skipping all the fun, but duplicate rides like Soarin, ToT, TSMM, etc.

In DLR, see which FPs are running out first.. Indy or Space.. and grab a FP for that. Make the other your next Fastpass. If you grab Space first.. you can start a circle of the park in TL..

Things that are unique compared to WDW or worth seeing in DLR
- Buzz (better version)
- Nemo (but expect a line for this.. may want to put this off until late night if you will have the energy)
- Autopia (better, but decide if its worth your time.. lower priority)
- Matternhorn (unqiue - line looks long but moves fast.. single rider is also available)
- Small World (better)
- Walk around Toon Town, do Rodger Rabbit if wait is low or FP is available
- Mr Toad (no longer in WDW)
- Storybook Canal (unique)
- Alice in Wonderland (unique)
- Castle Walkthrough (unique)
- Pinocchio (unique)
- Snow White (different.. lower priority but should be almost a walkon)
- Casey Jr is unique, but you could skip if you did Storybook Canal
- Ride the Columbia river boat if its running that day - or try the canoes if its not.. or alt try the Tiki Room

Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise both offer slight variations.. but you could skip if time constrained.
BTMRR will be down for refurb. Star Tours is the same as DHS.

Just whatever you do.. don't skip Indy, Space Mountain, or Fantasmic! if it's showing.

Check the calendar your day of visit to see if fireworks are showing, F!, and what times for F! and WoC. If 'Remember..' is playing for Fireworks, make a point to be on Main Street or the hub to see it.. but don't camp out for it.
-

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Eat your Dole Whip inside the Tiki Room... yes inside. DL lets you bring them into the show. You won't get to do that at WDW!

 

[TP2000]

Alisa, you have a lot of research to do and should be ready to prioritize your attractions. Even on a slow weekday, you can't dawdle and you will need to be ready to skip a lot of your favorites from WDW. There are nearly as many attractions in both Disneyland Resort parks as there are in all four WDW parks combined. Luckily for you, a lot of these rides were cloned at WDW and you can skip some of the big ones.

Here's a list of attractions that are exclusive to Disneyland Resort, or that you at least won't find at WDW, listed from big to small using the old ticket system:

E Tickets
Indiana Jones Adventure - Disneyland
Matterhorn Bobsleds - Disneyland
Radiator Springs Racers - DCA
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage - Disneyland
California Screamin' - DCA
Grizzly River Run - DCA (similar to Kali River, but several minutes longer and themed differently)

D Tickets
Sailing Ship Columbia - Disneyland (only ship running this winter due to Mark Twain rehab)
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes (only runs weekends in winter)
Storybook Land Canal Boats - Disneyland
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail - DCA
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island - Disneyland
Goofy's Sky School - DCA
Animation Pavilion - DCA (Turtle Talk clone inside, but also unique other shows/exhibits inside)

C Tickets
Pinnochio's Daring Journey - Disneyland
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - Disneyland
Snow White's Scary Adventures - Disneyland (closed for good last year at WDW)
Alice In Wonderland - Disneyland
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin - Disneyland
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley To The Rescue! - DCA
Casey Jr. Circus Train - Disneyland
Mickey's Fun Wheel - DCA
Tuck & Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies - DCA
Luigi's Flying Tires - DCA
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree - DCA
Red Car Trolley - DCA

B Tickets
Tarzan's Treehouse - Disneyland
Golden Zephyr - DCA
Silly Symphony Swings - DCA
Jumpin' Jellyfish - DCA
Flik's Flyers - DCA
Francis' Ladybug Boogie - DCA
Heimlich's Chew Chew Train - DCA

A Tickets
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough - Disneyland
Blue Sky Cellar - DCA
Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo - Disneyland
Boudin Bakery Tour - DCA
Main Street Cinema - Disneyland
Disney Gallery - Disneyland

You obviously can't do all of those rides in a single day, and many of the B Tickets are simple spinner rides you can skip. But research the ones that interest you, especially the E Tickets and dark rides, and try to fit as many as you can into your day.

Then consider doing some of the cloned rides that are superior at Disneyland. Pirates is the obvious choice here, but Jungle Cruise, Small World, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Peter Pan's Flight are all either noticeably longer, different, or more advanced than the WDW versions. Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion, Winnie The Pooh, and Splash Mountain are generally thought to be inferior at Disneyland for one reason or another, and can be skipped unless you are a big fan.

For fast dining, in DCA I strongly recommend the Boudin Bakery for fresh salads and soups in bread bowls you can watch them make on the bakery tour attached to the café. The two Paradise Garden Grill restaurants in DCA are also very good, and they will have a band playing on the patio during dining hours. In Disneyland I recommend the French Market in New Orleans Square; another patio restaurant with a live band during dining hours.

I find the Chinese food at Lucky Fortune Cookery to be a goopy imitation of Panda Express, but to each his own.

Wear comfortable shoes, stick to your priorities, and keep moving. You have a lot to do if you are there for just one day.

 

[DisneyAddict95]

Hi I am from California, and I would suggest that you get there extra early.This will be your great advantage.I think that you should go to Disneyland first because its really important that you expirience the true magic of Disney.I would not reccomend stopping to see parades, and other things, those are just to attract attention from going on rides, I reccomend searching for fast passes like crazy, and When you get to california adventures, you could relax, and enjoy your day to the fullest, i am going on feburary 15, so maybe ill c u and not know who you are, but i hope you have a wonderful time, and just take everything in.

 

[DisneyAddict95]

I forgot to tell you were you should eat.Eat at the blue bayou in DisneyLand, but you have to call and make a reservation a day before,its also not cheap, if you have a family of four, then i suggest you take 150 dollars. thank you, and have fun