Ok all you Disneyland experts, I haven't been here in a while, but now I need help planning a Disneyland trip! It's because of some wacky circumstances... So a wee bit of background first. I'm a medical student who has to take my Boards Step 2 (Sounds fun right? 
). There are two parts to Step 2, one is a knowledge exam that you can take in any ol' testing center in the country (Woooooo hoo! Passed that sucker last month) and one is a skills test. There are only 5 testing sites in the US. I live in the midwest so Chicago would be my site... if it hadn't been full for the dates I would have been able to take it. So then my choices were Houston (no desire to visit), Philly (already been there), Atlanta (eh could be cool), and LA (wait isn't Disneyland also there?). My kind parents said hey! you have a week off so maybe it's time for a vacation... So it's off to LA from Monday June 23 to Saturday June 28 for my mother and I. (Hoping this becomes a yearly thing as we went to WDW last year together )
So. Our very preliminary plan is that we will arrive in LA on the 23rd and will be staying at a hotel near the testing center. I take my test the 24th (8 to 5! Gah!) , and then that night we will be taking a shuttle of some kind to Anaheim, and checking into a hotel close to DL. Will be going into a park that night for a meal and to catch a show., no real expectations for riding rides or anything like that. We'll be there through the 28th and will be taking a late flight out that night, so chances are we'll get some park time that day. All that to say, we're going to most likely get a 5 day ticket. And now some questions... (Please take pity on a WDW expert but a DL newbie and answer them.
)
1. Good neighbor hotel vacation packages through the DL site... worth it? Or should we just book a GN hotel and buy tickets separately?
2. Any recs on Good Neighbor Hotels? Or should we avoid those all together and just book any old hotel around there? If so, recommendations on those?
3. When should I buy tickets? (Assuming we don't go with a vacation package). Is it ok to just purchase when we get there or should we do that in advance? I've seen many times that people don't think Park Hoppers are worth it... My family has always gotten Hoppers at WDW so it's a bit of a thought to wrap my head around that we may not need it. Thoughts? And do you get one magic morning admission only if you are staying in a GN hotel or does it not matter as long as you purchase at least a 3 day pass from the box office? Was a bit confused on that while exploring the site.
4. WOC meal package or Fantasmic dessert package... worth it? Basically here I'm just looking for a restaurant recommendation for that first night, and which to see WOC or Fantasmic? I'm not picky. I'll end up seeing both. But if you have a favorite, tell me why! Or which you'd think you'd want to see first from the perspective of a first time visitor.
5. I recognize that DL probably has no real off season anymore same as WDW, but could someone least give some sort of estimate as to the crowds I'm going to encounter in June, since by then it will be in the summer season. (Gosh darn all those kids getting off school). How bad does it really get at DL? Are APs likely blocked during those dates? I'm ok with crowds, but still, I like knowing what I'm going to be up against. At least we'll be there on mostly weekdays except for the 28th.
Help me WDWmagic members, you're my only hope!
). There are two parts to Step 2, one is a knowledge exam that you can take in any ol' testing center in the country (Woooooo hoo! Passed that sucker last month) and one is a skills test. There are only 5 testing sites in the US. I live in the midwest so Chicago would be my site... if it hadn't been full for the dates I would have been able to take it. So then my choices were Houston (no desire to visit), Philly (already been there), Atlanta (eh could be cool), and LA (wait isn't Disneyland also there?). My kind parents said hey! you have a week off so maybe it's time for a vacation... So it's off to LA from Monday June 23 to Saturday June 28 for my mother and I. (Hoping this becomes a yearly thing as we went to WDW last year together )So. Our very preliminary plan is that we will arrive in LA on the 23rd and will be staying at a hotel near the testing center. I take my test the 24th (8 to 5! Gah!) , and then that night we will be taking a shuttle of some kind to Anaheim, and checking into a hotel close to DL. Will be going into a park that night for a meal and to catch a show., no real expectations for riding rides or anything like that. We'll be there through the 28th and will be taking a late flight out that night, so chances are we'll get some park time that day. All that to say, we're going to most likely get a 5 day ticket. And now some questions... (Please take pity on a WDW expert but a DL newbie and answer them.
)1. Good neighbor hotel vacation packages through the DL site... worth it? Or should we just book a GN hotel and buy tickets separately?
2. Any recs on Good Neighbor Hotels? Or should we avoid those all together and just book any old hotel around there? If so, recommendations on those?
3. When should I buy tickets? (Assuming we don't go with a vacation package). Is it ok to just purchase when we get there or should we do that in advance? I've seen many times that people don't think Park Hoppers are worth it... My family has always gotten Hoppers at WDW so it's a bit of a thought to wrap my head around that we may not need it. Thoughts? And do you get one magic morning admission only if you are staying in a GN hotel or does it not matter as long as you purchase at least a 3 day pass from the box office? Was a bit confused on that while exploring the site.
4. WOC meal package or Fantasmic dessert package... worth it? Basically here I'm just looking for a restaurant recommendation for that first night, and which to see WOC or Fantasmic? I'm not picky. I'll end up seeing both. But if you have a favorite, tell me why! Or which you'd think you'd want to see first from the perspective of a first time visitor.
5. I recognize that DL probably has no real off season anymore same as WDW, but could someone least give some sort of estimate as to the crowds I'm going to encounter in June, since by then it will be in the summer season. (Gosh darn all those kids getting off school
). How bad does it really get at DL? Are APs likely blocked during those dates? I'm ok with crowds, but still, I like knowing what I'm going to be up against. At least we'll be there on mostly weekdays except for the 28th.Help me WDWmagic members, you're my only hope!
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