Hello! First time here and first time going to Disneyland. We are going 09/03-09/07, which seemed to be a great time until Star Wars opened. :). Was going over the tour plan and it seems to take you all over the place. Has anyone just started at one end and worked their way through? If so, about how much time should I estimate for each “land”?
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On the plan, just above where the list of attractions is you’ll see two buttons. One is for walking speed, the other for walking vs waiting. The default is in the middle for both, I believe. If you don’t want to do a lot if backtracking or “going all over”, slide that switch all the way to “less walking”. Your wait times may increase somewhat but the attractions will still be arranged to have you with the shortest wait but with less walking.
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Awesome! Thank you!
WORDS of ADVICE from a DL veteran who first lived 25 mins from the park for 45 years.
It looks as though you are going the day after Labor Day. Years ago I would have said crowds would still be high because local kids weren’t back in school, but not now. Like most of the country, SoCal kids head back before Labor Day now.
Now I know what I am going to say next may be treason for liners but…I have never used a TP for DL (or CAA), and have never felt the need for one. I never do RDs or enter before 11am either. I choose times the year that are less crowded and avoid days that have special events like MNSSHP. DL is so much more compact that you don’t waste much time with all the walking to get from one attraction to another that you do at WDW’s MK. Purchase the MaxPass, and as soon as you go through the turnstiles, get a FP for SM, walk through Main Street without stopping (leave the shops for later), head right to Tomorrowland, and get in line for Buzz Lightyear, then explore the rest of Tomorrowland. Now if you have little ones then Fantasyland should be your first stop, and then Tomorrowland–they’ll love the Finding Nemo submarine ride.
Without a TP, you are not tied to a rigid schedule so you can enjoy the small details that make DL so unique. Fantasyland alone has so much special imagineering touches like the intricate columns (watch for Chip and Dale cravings) that support the entrances to both Snow White and Pinocchio attractions. It blows MK’s version out of the water. In my opinion, DL is the very best amusement park in the world. I digress…the key is to enjoy yourselves and savor the art and sheer joy of Disney!
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Thank you for this! My main worry is Star Wars and the crowds it may bring. I had planned my trip specifically for low crowds. Ah well.
We are doing 1 day at CA and 2 days at DL. My thought was to take the right side on day one and then Ride the train to the back the next day and work our way up the other side.
It’ll be my self and my 5 year old daughter. We have watched most of the rides on YouTube and she doesn’t seem terribly interested in many of the more popular rides (huzzah for that! ).
I’ve broken the park down by lands. I was trying to create a generalized plan to make sure we see everything but I think we’ll just have to take it as it comes.
Thank you for responding.
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error wrong park!
Yes, SWGE has definitely thrown a wrench into visitors plans!
Be sure to explore all the Fantasyland rides that are missing at MK…Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad’s, Snow White, and Pinocchio…Your DD should love them!
It says Disneyland ?
Thank you so much! Those rides are on our list!
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yes! I didn’t read the heading properly, sorry!
I will add to the other responses that I usually break up my days into a Adventureland/Frontierland/CC/NOS day and a Fantasyland/Tomorrowland/Toontown day. There is usually some overlap, depending on the ages in your party (with young kids we spend a lot of time in Fantasyland). You don’t have to do it that way, but you can.
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More and more it seems that crowds are driven by how many levels of APs are blocked and if there is anything new/different to be seen at the parks. For sure SWGE may be new(er) but I don’t think there are very many people looking to pull their kids out of school to see it for the firs time & most of the US is back in school by the day after Labor day, so travel-wise, it’s a good week for it.
However, looking at the block-out calendar your trips falls under some of the initial days that the 2 lowest levels of passes (only available to locals) are unblocked from both parks and in the case of the lowest pass, their first day unblocked to Disneyland and SWGE (unless they got a day-ticket to experience it earlier).
I do still think these days will be pretty low to go (especially since it will be the time in between the summer season but before Halloween decorations/overlays are in full swing which draws out a lot of locals), but just know that lately when passes are unblocked, the parks seems to be more full than in previous years & less staffed particularly in the department of operating the park as smoothly meaning it may feel like a higher CL due to longer waits.
As for making plans, I ALWAYS make a plan but use the evaluate feature to keep things that are in the same area close to each other. I also dislike criss-crossing all over. I also make sure my plans have plenty of “buffer/break time” and I try not to plan every day to the max so that if something goes sideways we have time to pick it up later AND I know that inevitably there will be at least one
point in every day (if not ever few hours) where we stop to appreciate some DL detail/exeprience that is new to us/unexpected/on the fly.
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I have not used TP yet for DL, only for WDW. prior years we used Ridemax for DL. we did do some criss crossing, but did save a ton of time. things like going on Pirates during Fantasmic. we’ll be back this summer, I will do a TP, just to at least have a rough idea of where to be when, but I have a feeling maxpass will throw us off a bit, in a good way.
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I use TP and it works great for EE/EMH and then the rest of my TP becomes a guide/wish list because of MP.
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Thank you! This was how I built my plan. Seemed to make the most sense.
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I hit my 60 day mark and tried to reserve my dining reservations. SOLD OUT! Man. I’m getting nervous about my trip and the crowds.
It’s far more likely that the restaurant(s) you are looking at are not have not yet made their hours/schedule available. I’ve never, ever, not once ever (for DLR) seen dining sell out on day booking opens. The week you’re going is also a transition period between summer season & Halloween season & those periods are notoriously slow to get schedules (particularly for dining & entertainment) loaded to the system to be able to make online.
You can try calling the dining line to see if they have the schedule available to book reservations but usually they only have better selection once the schedule has been submitted to the system.
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Can you tell this is my first time?!? I did call. They haven’t released it yet. Man I was in a pure panic. Everyone said, nail it down at the 60 day mark or things sell out.
Thank you!
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There a few that sell out shortly after they release (mainly Blue Bayou F! dining, teatime at Steakhouse 55 & pre-RD Plaza bfast, maybe reg Blue Bayou at a reasonable hour). Most everything else will still be there around 30 days sometimes even less! I hardly make reservations before 7-10 days out for DLR.
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The fantasmic Blue Bayou is the one I’m shooting for. Although now I’m wavering between the world of color dessert party or the fantasmic blue bayou. I’ll just keep checkin in daily and figure it out. :).
Thank you!
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