Hay! DW and I decided to ditch the kids and do something different for our anniversary this year, so we’re going to Disneyland! Neither of us have been before (I was there for about 2 hours as a teen so it doesn’t count), so we want to experience it as best we can.
Loose details:
Flights!
Tuesday July 14: flight arrival into LAX 9am. We chose LAX because SNA only has one direct per day at an unideal time, and LAX has many directs per day. I have a one way rental to the Alamo just outside the park for $70 - I know traffic will be a bear. Hopefully my 20+ years of Chicago traffic has prepared me.
Friday July 17: 630pm flight out of LAX - details above apply.
Hotel! We’re budget conscious (in some areas!) so have chosen the Tropicana due to glowing reviews and immediate proximity to the gates. I’m not stuck on it, and can be swayed elsewhere but the Disney hotels are far out of our appetite for spending.
Parks! Getting a four day hopper with LL, and will pay for RSR and Rise. Will do RSR multiple times if it’s that good, but probably happy with one Rise. The only other rides that are really must do is Space Mountain, BTM, Indy, MFSR, Matterhorn, Guardians, Incredicoaster, and Web Slingers I’d like a relaxed pace with no rope drops (subject to change!) and time to enjoy the immersion, so any others we can grab are joyful extras.
I’d like to try and catch Paint the Night, Fantasmic!, Fire of the Rising Moons and/or Shadows of Memory. I’m eyeing a Fantasmic! Diner package but don’t see one for the Galaxies Edge shows - is that a thing? Is doing two in one night possible?
It’s that good! And single rider is an option if you don’t want to pay for a LLSP every day. Make sure to ride it in the daytime and the nighttime.
Not rope dropping is super easy if you have LLs and also can stay late. I don’t like to rope drop too much, but do love to stay late. Fantasyland late at night is the best.
Don’t miss Paint the Night, the Tapestry of Happiness show on IASW, and Wondrous Journeys with or without fireworks. The Galaxy’s Edge show is super easy to see, no need for a dining package, assuming they even do them anymore. I don’t think they do though they tried it at some point.
It’s easy to do the FW and a F! late show package, but to do the early show (or if there is only 1 and it’s usually at 9) you would have to hussle from F! to GE. I’ve done it but it’s a bit stressful due to so many people around the Rivers of America when F! ends.
You will be pleased how much you can get done and how close together things are. When I was there recently I was with a group that did not move efficiently as we had a 7 month old baby with us. I rope dropped and met them for a 10:40 character breakfast and rode 12 rides before heading out early around 7:45.
Because of the time change I find rope drop easy at DLR. I also love it there because the parks are so much less crowded in the morning and you can get so much done.
I recommend riding some of the Fantasyland dark rides if you have time just because they are fun and different as well as checking out toontown because it is charming.
Very clever of them to maximize the viewing by making it into two different shows at the same time. Wonder if the new cars land at WDW will attempt something similar. Would be nice to alleviate the crush of people around the hub!
I was thinking about this last night and how rope dropping at 8am would really be 10am back home… using time travel to to my advantage sounds fun!
Typing here fully acknowledging I don’t know all the things. There are those who do.
BUT - I did get to go to DLR in 5/2024 and 1/2026, each time celebrating a graduation and staying 5 or 6 nights.
Both trips were budgety, and both trips were amazing.
I stayed first at Castle Inn and Suites and then at Grand Legacy. Both were on Harbor, and both were easy walks. I would not hesitate to stay anywhere along there.
Traffic is awful. I drove from LAX to the area in 2024, and opted not to repeat for 2026. In 2024, I also went to the beach and SeaWorld. It was awful. Even at 4:30AM. But you know this. May the force be with you. We flew into SNA the second trip.
I did not use LL either trip. We had 5 day non-hoppers first time, the 4-day hoppers the second. Both trips I did everything I wanted to, multiple times. I am not opposed to waiting though. I don’t think you need them. Use the money elsewhere. Really.
RSR is that good; and their SR is the bomb. Ride it a few times to hopefully get both ride experiences. I was there in 2018 (dream come true) and those other two trips. I believe I have ridden it 7 times. I only saw one side once ever, and the other rides were all the other side.
I can’t help but think you will RD a few times… you will be in CST? You will be up at least the first few days. Do it at least once. Especially for a Fantasyland focus.
Fantasmic is awesome. I did do the dinner package even though I am not one for add ons. World of Color is do-not-miss IMO also. I haven’t seen PTN since 2018 and it was in DCA then. I am sad it wasn’t running in January.
A couple of tips: 1.) If there’s two parades that night, the later one tends to be less crowded, and 2.) there’s an area near It’s a Small World that makes for a great viewing spot, though it takes a while for the parade to reach you if you do the later one.
Have fun! I’d also recommend Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which was unexpectedly my favorite ride in the park.
It’s one of our favs from WDW, and we’ve ridden multiple times each visit so I’m willing to miss it in favor of something that is unique to DLR.
I’ve started pondering a two day hopper but with premier pass both days. It works out to about the same price as a 4 day with LLMP, but I’d have to find something to do one the two half days. I feel like four days, two full and two short, would be a better overall experience though.
Maybe someone can speak to crowds, but with that kind of time I don’t think you need all the LMNOP. How does it work now? Can you just buy day of? Can you see how much you can do the first 1-2 days and then decide?
The MMRR queue IS very unique to DLR. I wish the WDW version had that queue. It is loaded with fun details. I guess you could just spend time in the queue (or look at photos of it online) and skip the actual ride.
That makes total sense! FWIW, if you find yourself with extra time, I think the West Coast version of MMRR is just different enough to be worth it, and it’s a little bit better in my opinion. (The same goes for Pirates and Haunted Mansion.)
As DLR exclusives go, I’d also recommend Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland (which is delightfully insane) and catching the Monsters Inc. ride at DCA before it closes down.
I agree with this! When DH and I did this last year on our first ever DLR trip, the ride scene with all the doors really got me imagining the feel of the upcoming DHS attraction - and super eager for the new ride!
Should do nicely. I don’t have personal experience there, but I’m familiar with the walk and it’s very close, which you’ll love.
You will be doing it multiple times.
Don’t sleep on iasw, Grizzly River Run (the best river raft ride anywhere, bar none), and the original Pirates (if it’s open).
You won’t need a dinner package for this, especially if you go to the second of the two showings. Since I was there this past weekend and it was not busy, I’m guessing it is only busy on May the 4th or when a celebrity dies or something.
Yes. You could do 9:00pm Fantasmic!, watch 9:30pm fireworks from there, then walk over to Galaxy’s Edge for the 10:15pm Shadows. Or watch the 8:30pm Shadows, 9:30pm fireworks from Galaxy’s Edge, and the 10:30pm Fantasmic! Or some combination.
You will be doing it multiple times. 