WDW Vet going to Disneyland - Help Please!

[FoxC63]

I'm just not sure how to plan our days at DLR and am in need of help from our DIS Board experts.

• We’ll be staying at Fairfield Inn Aug 12-Aug 18
• I purchased 4 Day - One Park per day tickets and received one MM for DL that can be used Tuesday or Thursday.
• We plan to purchase MP for all days.
• *Add Park Hopper if needed
• Plan on taking afternoon breaks 2pm-4pm

Please note our 14yr old son will be turning 15 on our first day at the park and has ADHD/Autism so Toontown is a must!

As a WDW Vet, we would divide MK park in fourths when visiting for 2 days which allowed us to enjoy each section thoroughly. After reading so many posts, I’m thinking this won’t work at DL or DCA is this correct? I’m also confused on which is the best day to utilize MM.

In following @HydroGuy "least crowded day of the week" calendar this is what I'm envisioning.

***The attractions are in alphabetical order only and some rides have been omitted.

Monday, Aug 13 (ranked #4): DL / Toontown / New Orleans Square / Adventureland
BB with Fantasmic! - ADR Booked @ 6:10pm - DS 15th Birthday

Adventureland
Enchanted Tiki Room / 8am-12am / Refurbishment
Indiana Jones Adventure / 8am-12am / MP
Tarzan’s Treehouse / 8am-12am

Toontown
Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse / 9am-8:30pm
Donald’s Boat / 9am-8:30
Gadget’s Go Coaster / 9am-8:30
Goofy’s Playhouse / 9am-8:30
Mickey’s House & Meet Mickey / 9am-8:30pm
Minnie’s House & Meet Minnie / 9am-8:30pm
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin / 9am-8:30pm / MP

New Orleans Square
Haunted Mansion / 8am-12am / MP
Pirates of Caribbean / 8am-12am / MP


Tuesday, Aug 14(ranked #2): DL use MM / Fantasyland / Main Street
PI with Pixar Play Parade - ADR Booked @ 4:15pm
Together Forever 9:30pm 12 min, Laser & projection show

Fantasyland
Alice In Wonderland/ 8am-12am
Casey Jr. Circus Train / 8am-12am / Original
Dumbo The Flying Elephant / 8am-12am / Original
It’s a Small World / 8am-12am / MP
Mad Tea Party / 8am-12am / Original
Mr. Toads Wild Ride / 8am-12am / Original
Peter Pan’s Flight / 8am-12am / Original
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough / 8am-12am
Snow White’s Scary Adventures / 8am-12am / Original
Storybook Land Canal Boat / 8am-12am / Original

Main Street
The Disney Gallery / 8am-12am
Abe Lincoln / 8am-12am
Main Street Cinema / 8am-12am / Original
Main Street Vehicles / 8am-1:30 / Original

Critter Country - Thanks for the reminder @Winnowill
Winnie the Pooh

Wednesday, Aug 15(ranked #1): DL /Tomorrowland & Park Hop to DCA Pixar Pier & Evening Entertainment/ADR?

Tomorrowland
Astro Orbitor/ 8am-12am
Autopia/ 8am-12am / Original
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters / 8am-12am / MP
Disneyland Monorail / 8am-12am
Nemo Submarine Voyage / 8am-12am
Space Mountain / 8am-12am / MP
Star Tours / 8am-12am / MP
Star Wars Launch Bay, M&G / 8am-12am

Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad / 9am-12am / MP
Mark Twain Riverboat / 9am-5:45pm / Original
Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island / 9am-5pm
Sailing Ship Columbia / 11am-4pm

DCA
Check out Pixar Pier & Evening Entertainment

Thursday, Aug 16 (ranked #3): DCA
As much as we can fit in.

Friday, Aug 17: Downtown Disney

Please, if you can assist I’d be most grateful. Thank you!

HELPFUL TIPS & RESOURCES: Post #32
The Walls at DLR - Photo Ops: Post #57

 

[smartlabelprint]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[smartlabelprint]

Toon town opens an hour later than the rest of the Park. No, we don’t divide in 4ths.

Yes use your mm Tuesday!

CAn your son benefit from the das? I’d get that for Peter Pan.

What do you mean ranked?

 

[FoxC63]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Thanks but I think it's inappropriate for me to post all this on his thread.

 

[FoxC63]

Toon town opens an hour later than the rest of the Park. No, we don’t divide in 4ths.

I'm looking for help, is this all you have?

 

[Winnowill]

I'd say your plan is pretty doable. Are you not planning on doing Splash Mountain or the Winnie the Pooh ride? You've left Critter Country off altogether. They could easily fit into your NOS day. And you've also skipped BTMRR - that's in Frontierland and could easily be done that day, as well.

 

[FoxC63]

I'd say your plan is pretty doable. Are you not planning on doing Splash Mountain or the Winnie the Pooh ride? You've left Critter Country off altogether. They could easily fit into your NOS day. And you've also skipped BTMRR - that's in Frontierland and could easily be done that day, as well.

Oh, I forgot Critter Country! Not sure where to put that section.

 

[FoxC63]

Toon town opens an hour later than the rest of the Park. No, we don’t divide in 4ths.

Yes use your mm Tuesday!

CAn your son benefit from the das? I’d get that for Peter Pan.

What do you mean ranked?

@HydroGuy listed the park days "ranking" them 1-5, from my understanding of his thread #1 is the best time to go to DL on Wednesday.

We try not to use the DAS. We haven't used it at WDW for many years, were trying to teach our son patience and would hate to take away a privilege meant for those in serious need.

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

Where can I find @hydroguy’s information on recommended days?

 

[gottalovepluto]

...We try not to use the DAS. We haven't used it at WDW for many years, were trying to teach our son patience and would hate to take away a privilege meant for those in serious need.

Don't be afraid to go to City Hall or Commerce Dept in DCA if it does get to be too much for him! The crowds at DL are very different from WDW, they are much more intense and it's really a lot to process. Everything, from lines to walkways to show viewing areas is SMALL, thousands of people shoved in small areas makes it an intense experience. It's not uncommon for Adventureland to come to standstill at night after Fantasmic show #1 clears out (but DL has been trying crowd control methods of keeping traffic moving).

Day 1 is definitely doable. Day 2 is another matter. EMH is great, make sure you are there for rope drop. At rope drop everyone proceeds to race for PP, by the time you get there you may be lucky and have a 20 minute wait, you might not and you'll have the normal 30-40 minute wait. TBH, skip PP. It's not THAT different from WDW. You can do a lot during EMH if you skip PP. I'd start with Alice and Dumbo, it's a nice time to do Snow White and Pinochio with 5 minute waits. Toad will fill as people get off PP and go to the next ride so slip Toad in there after Alice and Dumbo. Canal boats next and then time for a Tea Party! (Fit in your MPs as they come up) The walk through of the castle can literally be done whenever the area is not blocked off for fireworks, never a wait. You will all be very tired after this, Plaza Inn out here does a great QS lunch, their fried chicken is legendary. Blue Bayou if that's on your bucket list for TS. Carnation Cafe is the most classic restaurant, comfort food all the way, TS. Monte Cristo is great for splitting and can found at Cafe Orleans, TS. Plaza Inn and Carnation Cafe have split inside/outside seating, Blue Bayou all inside, Cafe Orleans 75% outside. Inside = air conditioning!!!! And you're going in August, 100 degree days are definitely possible. You can request inside seating at Carnation and have a good shot at getting it. Cafe Orleans is tough because there just isn't much. Winnie after lunch? Grab anything you miss when you come back that night (do realize part of Fantasyland will be closed during fireworks, and canal boats are much better in the day if you only do them once). Pick up MPs for the afternoon and evening for some of those bigger attractions you might want to repeat like BTMRR, Indy.

Everything on Main St is 100% skip able so skip it, you won't have time. Do catch the train for a round-the-Kingdom trip! Our train is much more convenient out here than at WDW.

Where are you staying? On-site, 2pm to 4pm will be fine for a break but I don't think you are since you mention only have MM. Off-site but walking to the park 2pm-5pm to account for the longer security lines. Off-site but driving to the park 2pm-5:30pm because traffic.

Wed is doable.

Remember, upgrading to a park hopper will cost the same if you do it on the first day of the trip or the last. Also, you can book MPs for either park so pick up MPs for GOTG, IncrediCoaster for sure. Soarin is the same as WDW. Grizzly has the potential to soak you fyi.

Fri at DtD. Is this departure day? DtD DLR sucks right now fyi. World of Disney is half under construction, Rainforest cafe/espn zone/movie theater will be in the process of being torn down. There wasn't much to keep one's interest besides browsing shops for a couple hours before this and now- there's even less. I'd REALLY consider upgrading to a 5 day ticket. If you have to chose park hopper upgrade for a 4 day ticket or 5 day non-park hopper ticket I'd do the 5 day non-park hopper. Even if you do Day 5 without MP.

Phew! much planning!

 

[Jimsig]

In following @HydroGuy weekly crowd calendar this is what I'm envisioning. The attractions are in alphabetical order only and some rides have been purposely not added.

Where is his crowd calendar? I can't find it.

TIA

 

[FoxC63]

Where can I find @hydroguy’s information on recommended days?

Where is his crowd calendar? I can't find it. TIA

It's not a "Crowd Calendar".

16. Best Time To Visit DLR
The least crowded day of the week to go to the DL park is Wednesday. If you are doing a day trip this is even more true because MM (Magic Morning) is not offered on Wednesdays at this time. Here is a list of least crowded days of the week at DL which basically reflect that the further away from the weekend, the better:

1. Wednesday
2/3. Tuesday/Thursday
4. Monday
5. Friday
6. Sunday
7. Saturday

LINK: [URL="https://www.disboards.com/threads/a-dlr-guide-for-wdw-vets.1162599/"]A DLR Guide for WDW Vets[/URL]

 

[FoxC63]

Phew! much planning!

Woof! Thank you so much for taking the time! If the crowds bother DS we'll use the DAS pass @smartlabelprint mentioned. Yes, we're staying at Fairfield Inn which is pretty close by, right across the street from the entrance. That's sad to hear about Downtown Disney. I was hoping to take a look see but if you say it's not worth it, I can purchase another park day!

Thank you so much for all your time and energy, I really appreciate it!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Woof! Thank you so much for taking the time! If the crowds bother DS we'll use the DAS pass @smartlabelprint mentioned. Yes, we're staying at Fairfield Inn which is pretty close by, right across the street from the entrance. That's sad to hear about Down Town Disney. I was hoping to take a look see but if you say it's not worth it, I can purchase another park day!

Thank you so much for all your time and energy, I really appreciate it!

Of course! FYI if you get off the monorail in DtD you can walk through all of DtD on your way back to the park gates. 10 min walk if you take it leisurely and you can poke into anything of interest that way.

 

[FoxC63]

Of course! FYI if you get off the monorail in DtD you can walk through all of DtD on your way back to the park gates. 10 min walk if you take it leisurely and you can poke into anything of interest that way.

This is great! I don't think I've read that before so thank you!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Regarding MM: your "best" day to use this perk is the day with the earliest MM time. So 7 am MM is better than 8 or 9 am. The later the MM start time, the more crowded the MM will be. However, couple that adage with your family's general well being and state of mind. Usually, the earlier in your trip that you do your MM, the perkier and more energetic your family will be that early in the morning. So, generally speaking, earlier MM start time + more energetic family = best day to do MM. Agree with the pp that Tuesday, if your family is up for it, is a good day for this.
As for PP, anytime you find the line is 30 minutes or less, great! If you can do something else while waiting, like eat a light meal in line (e.g. corn dog, fun snacky type meal, etc.), even better to pass the time. Another option: during fireworks, FL will close and a line will start forming in the carousel/Mr. Toad area for PP. If you have already seen fireworks and are willing to wait in this line to be one of the first groups allowed back in when FL reopens, this can give you an interesting view of fireworks (from the back side of the castle -- one of you can wait in line while the others view from the Dumbo area) and you won't have to wait in the sun.

 

[FoxC63]

Regarding MM: your "best" day to use this perk is the day with the earliest MM time. So 7 am MM is better than 8 or 9 am. The later the MM start time, the more crowded the MM will be. However, couple that adage with your family's general well being and state of mind. Usually, the earlier in your trip that you do your MM, the perkier and more energetic your family will be that early in the morning. So, generally speaking, earlier MM start time + more energetic family = best day to do MM. Agree with the pp that Tuesday, if your family is up for it, is a good day for this.
As for PP, anytime you find the line is 30 minutes or less, great! If you can do something else while waiting, like eat a light meal in line (e.g. corn dog, fun snacky type meal, etc.), even better to pass the time. Another option: during fireworks, FL will close and a line will start forming in the carousel/Mr. Toad area for PP. If you have already seen fireworks and are willing to wait in this line to be one of the first groups allowed back in when FL reopens, this can give you an interesting view of fireworks (from the back side of the castle -- one of you can wait in line while the others view from the Dumbo area) and you won't have to wait in the sun.

I totally understand what you're saying regarding the best day to use MM. Does DL park hours in August fluctuate often during our time frame? I would think DL would be crazy busy on a Monday compared to any other day. Most people who arrive on Sunday make DL their first park but now that Pixar Pier is in the mix this could change.

Thank you for your advice! That's a very important tip to remember! I'll be sure to stay on top of the park hours.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... I would think DL would be crazy busy on a Monday compared to any other day...

For a variety of reasons, Mondays have now become very busy days at DLR. Many people have been taken by surprise by this, especially the people who just assumed that Mondays would be low crowd days. Today was a good example of this. The M&F structure closed for a while this afternoon because of the crowds. Lately, this has been happening on Sunday afternoons or Friday evenings.

 

[agamble]

Mondays have been awful. We were there a Monday morning in early March and I couldn't believe how busy it was. We just visited last week Sunday through Friday and Monday was by far the busiest day.

That being said your plans are not too aggressive and you should be ok.

Toon Town opens at 9 on Monday (assuming 8 AM opening). I would plan to arrive no later than 8 and get a few things done before. Peter Pan can be a difficult ride to get on. I generally don't recommend people rush there, but if you did Peter Pan at opening on Monday you could check it off your list as done before heading to Toon Town. Arrive at Toon Town about 5 min early. The characters will come to the gates around 9 and greet guests and welcome them into the area. The two rides will have no wait at this time. If you want to meet Mickey and Minnie they will be at their doors. BUT if you want a photo pass photo with Mickey in his movie barn you will have to wait a while because he doesn't move back there for about 30 mins, sometimes longer. You can still go in Minnie and Mickey's houses though. All the other houses are very minimal attractions and take only a min or two to see.

 

[LadyD]

The best crowd indicator for DL is not necessarily the day of week, but the type of one day ticket you can purchase and what APs can access the park that day. Days that have peak tickets with all passes except signature and signature plus blocked tend to be less busy, especially if that day is next to any days with non-peak tickets or more APs being able to access the parks. I would believe that will hold true for this summer as well with the current deal they’re running for APs to bring a friend for a whole lot less than the cost of a normal ticket. 4th of July last summer was dead, Christmas Eve was dead this year, Memorial Day was dead this year, etc. This rarely happened before their ticket pricing switch. So that is something to keep in mind.

You’re touring schedule is pretty generous. Monday you could easily accomplish before noon if you stay on top of your maxpasses, especially since toontown opens later. Tuesday will likely take a bit longer because fantasyland can be slower to get through. Unless you go to Peter Pan immediately in the morning or just as the park is closing, you’re looking at a minimum of a 45 minute wait. The line for Alice, Casey jr, and the storybook boats can get bad too, but not quite as bad as Peter Pan. Wednesday, as long as you get Nemo done early before that line gets crazy, you should be done fairly quickly that day too.

You’re probably going to find you have a lot of extra time to ride things, look around, watch shows, etc. On new year’s day this year this is what my wife and I were able to do between 9:30 AM and 7 PM using maxpass:

Snow White 9:34 to 9:37
Mr toads 9:37 to 9:44
Pinocchio 9:44 to 9:50
Dumbo 9:51 to 10:02
Alice 10:03 to 10:17
Tea cups 10:17 to 10:23
Main Street vehicles 10:25 to 10:29
Exit DL 10:29
Enter DCA 10:33
Mission breakout 10:39 to 11:05
Toy Story midway Mania 11:14 to 11:36
King Triton’s Carousel 11:37 to 11:47
California screamin 11:48 to 12:00
Soarin 12:12 to 12:32
Goofy’s sky school 12:39 to 12:44
Silly symphony swings 12:46 to 12:51
Golden zephyr 12:53 to 1:01
Little Mermaid 1:14 to 1:25
Left DCA 1:31
Enter DL 1:32
Winnie the Pooh 1:43 to 1:48
Pirates 1:52 to 2:20
Mark Twain 2:22 to 2:47
Space 2:53 to 3:06
Autopia 3:09 to 3:31
Small world 3:37 to 3:57
Gadget’s Go Coaster 4:00 to 4:19
King Arthur’s carousel 4:29 to 4:38
Star tours 4:41 to 4:55
Buzz light year 4:59 to 5:08
Jungle cruise 5:16 to 5:26
Indiana Jones 5:28 to 5:51
Splash 6:06 to 6:21
Big thunder 6:32 to 6:43
Monorail 6:55 to 7:01

We usually meander around both parks and don’t ride too much, so we wanted to see how much we could get done before we were both done. I’m on the spectrum and this day was hard for me. I don’t recommend touring this intensely haha. I was very, very done after this.