Any advice for getting the most out of a Disneyland visit? We have two girls, age 6 (will be 7 in April) and 2 (will be 3 the week after we visit), have 3-day park hopper passes, and are staying about 3 miles from the park. We plan on doing the recommended mid-day break by the motel pool while the 2-yr old (we hope) gets in a nap.

We leave Saturday and plan on being in the park Monday-Wednesday - hopefully before spring break crowds clog up the park. Also got visiting with kids advice from the FamilyFun website.

Just wondering if any Disneyphiles have some advice we may not have come across yet.

Thanks in advance.

Any advice for getting the most out of a Disneyland visit? We have two girls, age 6 (will be 7 in April) and 2 (will be 3 the week after we visit), have 3-day park hopper passes, and are staying about 3 miles from the park. We plan on doing the recommended mid-day break by the motel pool while the 2-yr old (we hope) gets in a nap.

We leave Saturday and plan on being in the park Monday-Wednesday - hopefully before spring break crowds clog up the park. Also got visiting with kids advice from the FamilyFun website.

Just wondering if any Disneyphiles have some advice we may not have come across yet.

Thanks in advance.

I would spend one morning in the Animal Kingdom park and then head over to Epcot after your afternoon break. Epcot stays open later than any other park. There is a really good Lion King show where kids can even get up with some of the characters at the end and march around. The safari ride is okay, but since most of the animals are nocturnal you don't get to see much. A second day you could possibly spend at MGM Studios followed up by another afternoon/evening at Epcot.

Epcot is probably my favorite park. Some things to definitely do with the kids:

1) Finding Nemo / Crash show back by the aquarium. Get early and let the kids get up front.
2) Each of the nations has an area set up for the kids where they can color a small item and basically put it on a string. It gives the kids an opportunity to get a little sense of each country and since each nation is staffed by actual members from that country, it gives them some exposure.
3) There are some relaxing rides for you and the kids.
4) There is a family style restaurant in the "The Land" at Epcot that has characters come around throughout dinner.

You'll probably want to spend an entire day at Magic Kingdom. Liberty Tavern is good place for a sit-down meal and has characters coming around to say "Hi". The Bear Jamboree is another good show for the kids. Pirates of the Caribbean ride is a must.

You'll also want to find out the times for various shows and parades throughout the park. The evening light parade down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom is pretty nice, just get a spot about half hour before it begins. Right in front of the castle isn't a bad area.

It is hard to not enjoy yourself......

Wayne

Thanks Wayne, but I should clarify I'm going to Disneyland in California, not Disneyworld in Florida.

I agree with you about Epcot.

Hi Scott,

I guess I should have realized DisneyLand and not DisneyWorld...I keep getting them confused. I can't really help you out then since the last time I was DisneyLand was back in the 90's.

Wayne

Just enjoy yourself and don't try to do too much too fast. Drink plenty of water.

Disneyland was the 1st place I went after I graduated Marine Boot Camp and I continued to go there many times afterwards, and I enjoyed every visit.

I'm with Randy, don't try to rush, drink plenty of fluids.

It's been many years since I was there, but it is a special place with many fond memories. Of course now I have this "it's a small world" loop running through my head....

Any advice for getting the most out of a Disneyland visit? We have two girls, age 6 (will be 7 in April) and 2 (will be 3 the week after we visit), have 3-day park hopper passes, and are staying about 3 miles from the park. We plan on doing the recommended mid-day break by the motel pool while the 2-yr old (we hope) gets in a nap.

We leave Saturday and plan on being in the park Monday-Wednesday - hopefully before spring break crowds clog up the park. Also got visiting with kids advice from the FamilyFun website.

Just wondering if any Disneyphiles have some advice we may not have come across yet.

Thanks in advance.

A few tips.........

For more time with the characters, go to Ariel's in California Adventure.....eat in the lower level by the water, every time I have there have been plenty of chaacters and much less crowds.....food is decent (not great), you can have a beer, and the price is no worse than anywhere else in the parks.....

FASTPASS..........several of the rides have that, make use of it.....

In California Adventure, especially if you have been walking awhile, the Soaring ride is good.....

Both the hotels and the OCTA busses are generally good.....

Food is way expensive, you will get just a tiny bit better price in Downtown Disney which is right there at the parks.....

Hope this helps.

Just enjoy yourself and don't try to do too much too fast.

That's why we decided on the 3-day passes, so we don't feel rushed. Should be plenty of time to see what we want and re-visit favorites.

Of course now I have this "it's a small world" loop running through my head....

"It's a small world" is under repairs, so we won't have this problem. A co-worker's son works for an engineering firm that has some Disney contracts - he told me they have to beef up the boat ride because they were bottoming out from all the 'husky' people around.

Hope this helps.

Yes, thank you.

Any advice for getting the most out of a Disneyland visit?

Scott,

Disney On A Budget (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Disney+on+a+budget&btnG=Google+Search).

Stijloor.

Of course now I have this "it's a small world" loop running through my head....

Thanks, Steel... now it's in mine! :biglaugh:

I have "War Pigs" looping myself.

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of deaths construction....etc

Disney On A Budget (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Disney+on+a+budget&btnG=Google+Search).


Doing what we can, we got the SoCal CityPasses from Costco, which includes: 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket valid for admission to both Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park; 1-day admission ticket to SeaWorld Adventure Park San Diego; 1-day admission ticket to the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park and 1-day admission ticket to Universal Studios Hollywood for $217 for adults and $174 for our 6-yr old. The almost 3-yr old is free.

Staying at a Holiday Inn Express 3 miles away instead of next door to the Mouse - saves $39 a night ($100 including taxes - staying for 3 nights) and includes free breakfast.

Other nights we're staying with relatives.

Driving from Utah in the Civic (35 mpg) instead of the Mazda MPV (17 mpg).

So, not including lunch and dinners for the time at Disneyland, we're sitting at $1050 (assuming gas is $3.65/gallon).

It takes a lot of time to plan these things.

I have "War Pigs" looping myself.


I seem to remember "War Pigs" was the original name of that album, but the record company was concerned about having an anti-war song for the album title.

I seem to remember "War Pigs" was the original name of that album, but the record company was concerned about having an anti-war song for the album title.


Yeah, it came out as the lead song on "Paranoid" Black Sabbath's best selling album and my favorite BS album as well.

Plus, do not forget to go to the Disneyland website to check out what's happening each day. They list closures on the site...etc. :)

I have "War Pigs" looping myself.

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of deaths construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait till their judgement day comes, yeah!

Now in darkness, world stops turning
As the war machine keeps burning
No more war pigs of the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
All right now!

Randy,

Black Sabbath - War Pigs (Live in Paris 1970)

xtqy4DTHGqg

Stijloor.

Opps, my lrics are out of sequence...........

I listen to this and other "light" tunes when I grade tests and write reports.

Opps, my lrics are out of sequence...........

I listen to this and other "light" tunes when I grade tests and write reports.

Is there a correlation between the "weight" of the tune and grade? :D

Is there a correlation between the "weight" of the tune and grade? :D

Nawwwww:nope:

We are all waiting for the after trip report on the visit to Mouse House.....

We are all waiting for the after trip report on the visit to Mouse House.....

Noted. Will submit report this week.

Any advice for getting the most out of a Disneyland visit? We have two girls, age 6 (will be 7 in April) and 2 (will be 3 the week after we visit), have 3-day park hopper passes, and are staying about 3 miles from the park. We plan on doing the recommended mid-day break by the motel pool while the 2-yr old (we hope) gets in a nap.

We leave Saturday and plan on being in the park Monday-Wednesday - hopefully before spring break crowds clog up the park. Also got visiting with kids advice from the FamilyFun website.

Just wondering if any Disneyphiles have some advice we may not have come across yet.

Thanks in advance.

I guess after reading this over and over and the responses, I am assuming that you are talking about Orlando, FL Disneyland or are you talking California's Disneyland (:confused:)? Either way you go, just have fun.

I guess after reading this over and over and the responses, I am assuming that you are talking about Orlando, FL Disneyland or are you talking California's Disneyland (:confused:)? Either way you go, just have fun.

Orlando=Disney World
Anaheim=Disneyland

OK........it has been more than a week.........

NOW....................

We expect the report to be a validation report.....that is.....coorelate actual results (good or bad) to suggestions.....

We truly hope you saved money and time and trouble.....

but we are understandably curious...........

We had a great visit to Disneyland.

It was pretty much new to everyone - first time for the kids (age 6 & a week short of 3 - so she was still free) my wife had been there when she was about 3, my wife and I went to Disneyworld (in Orlando) in 1991 (and I had been there before in 1984 for a HS band trip).

We didn't tell the kids we were coming to DL on this trip - they thought we were just visiting family in the area.

Best features:
Fastpass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%27s_Fastpass) - reserves a time to return for popular attractions so you don't have to waste time standing in the longer stand-by line.

Child-switch - when a child in the group is too short to ride an attraction, one parent waits with the smaller kid while everyone else rides. When they are done, the other parent waits (or does something else) with the little one while the first parent to wait gets to ride with the bigger kids, but they get to go through the fastpass line, instead of the longer stand-by line.

Lots of nice places to sit down for a picnic lunch.

We made a good move with staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Garden Grove - less then 10 minutes away. It was cheaper then hotels right next to the parks (which we heard could be a bit over-used and dirty), even with paying for parking each day. They had the free hot breakfast each morning, and we grabbed bread and the little packets of jam and peanut butter for our lunches, so all we had to pay for in the parks was dinner. This ran from $32-$36 each night, and the quality was (surprisingly, to me) very good - first night we had hamburgers (and grapes!) at the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country (Disneyland), second night we had pizza and salads at Pizza Oom Mow Mow (California Adventure) and the last night we had jambalaya and red beans and rice at the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square (Disneyland).

Weather was perfect - cool mornings and evenings, not so warm during the day that I needed to bring shorts to change into.


Day 1 (March 17)
The major attraction to the girls was the Princesses, so the first day we made a bee-line to the Princess area of Fantasyland to get in the meet-a-princess line before it opened. We made two trips through the line, stayed for two princess-led storytimes and one coronation, where they learned how to act like a princess at a ball. The almost 3YO was enthralled. We spent about 3 hours there, including lunch. Did a bunch in Fantasyland until the afternoon parade, then had dinner and did stuff on that side of the park (Critter Country & Adventureland) until the fireworks at 9:30. We left the park at about 10 pm.

Day 2 (March 18)
We planned on spending the majority of our time in California Adventure.

The highlight of this day for me was the California Screamin' roller coaster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Screamin). This is no clickity-clack-up-the-incline coaster, it uses a linear motor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_motor) to send you from zero to 55 mph (89 km/h) in 4 seconds and doesn't let up. Between fastpass and the Child Switch feature - and some employees not paying attention, the 6YO got to go 3 times - twice with me. I could ride that thing all day.

Did the kids area (based on A Bug's Life) - while I ran to get an end-of-day fastpass in DL - the Indiana Jones Ride (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_Adventure).

Saw some of the HSM show, the Pixar parade and the electrical light parade - after which we went into DL for the Indiana Jones ride - while fireworks exploded over Adventureland. Looked like a scene out of Apocalypse Now. The 2YO slept in our laps while we child-switched the ride. We left about 10:30 pm.

Day 3 (March 19)
Picking up the leftovers from both parks. Did space mountain right away and fastpassed Splash Mountain for later, when it warmed up. Did the Nemo ride next - had me or my wife stand in line while the other went off with the girls so they wouldn't be bored.

Did ToonTown, two different Jasmine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Jasmine)shows, the evening DL parade, pictures with Micky Mouse. We left about 9:30 pm.

Stuff report
Stuff we wanted to do but didn't have time for: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the Peter Pan ride, the Casey Jr. ride, all the boat rides on the Rivers of America except the 100 foot raft ride to Tom Sawyer's island, Disneyland Monorail, Innoventions, all the animation stuff in California Adventure. We could have spent another day there.

Stuff we didn't care to do: Haunted Mansion, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Autopia.

Stuff that was closed: It's a Small World (MAJOR bummer) & King Arthur's Carousel (minor bummer).

Highly Recommended stuff that I didn't think was a big deal: Soarin' Over California, Splash Mountain - though I did like the Song of the South set pieces, the ride was not big deal.

We took 684 photos.

Characters we got the girls pictures with: Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella (twice), Princess Minnie Mouse, Snow White, Pocahontas, Ariel, Tigger, Eeyore & Wizard Mickey Mouse.


The difference between plan and execution:

We plan on doing the recommended mid-day break by the motel pool while the 2-yr old (we hope) gets in a nap.

This didn't happen. The kids did great, no sleepy-baby issues, so we skipped the afternoon break.

We leave Saturday and plan on being in the park Monday-Wednesday - hopefully before spring break crowds clog up the park.

This was a good move. Crowds were only an issue once - while waiting for the new Nemo ride. There's no fastpass for this, so we were in line for about an hour. The longest we waited anywhere else was 20 minutes.

Any questions? :cool: