Disneyland trip planning.....Needing ALL the help!!

[escriven75]

Hi Disneylanders,

I'm a frequent WDW visitor....I've been to DL only one time with my kids in 2010 (we live in IL). I offered to help a good friend plan her trip to DL for her fam of 5 (all adults) and am thinking I might have so much fun planning it that I want to go back myself. So...I came here where the experts live to basically absorb any and all of the assistance that you all can send my way.

Group I am planning for: I know there are 5 adults, and they will be arriving by plane and will NOT be renting a car making hotel/resort proximity to parks a top planning factor. (when I went in 2010 we stayed at Paradise Pier and wow is that a nice, short walk) I'd like to keep the hotel to parks walk under a mile.

I'd like to put together some options for them to pick from several hotel options, park hopper vs. single park, how many park days to do to cover ALL the fun things and not need a vacation from their vacation because they overdid it!

We often get hotel and tickets separate for our WDW trips (getting tickets from Undercover Tourist, is that a good option here?).
What are the benefits to choosing an on property hotel (Paradise Pier is likely the only that fits the budget). What are your favourites for those that stay at Good Neighbor hotels nearby?

Are there fireworks or other shows that are must see?
How about attractions that are new and therefore top choices for FP? Shows or attractions that are highly recommended?
Any links to other sites that are group planning tools?

All the advice on any of this and more (food, park touring tips, Fastpass suggestions, restaurants that are must do or must reserve etc.) is so much appreciated!!! Ahhhh...I feel so new again after so many trips to WDW.
Thank you ALL in advance!!!

 

[sherilaine]

Here is a great thread to start with: Guide for WDW Vets to plan Disneyland http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Just a comment on the Paradise Pier hotel walk - when you visited back in 2010 you were likely able to cut through the Grand Californian to get to the parks? This is no longer allowed and all guests staying at Paradise Pier must walk through Downtown Disney to access the parks. This walk is longer than some of the offsite hotels across the street on Harbor - so they may want to pull up Google maps and do some planning on how long a walk they want to manage.

We stay at the HOJO which is about as far away a walk as we'd want to deal with and it's an 8 minute walk to security at a decent walking pace.

When are they planning to visit?

I'd fully suggest getting park hoppers with MaxPass to be able to utlize the parks at their fullest!

 

[escriven75]

Shoot, I guess it would help to list their travel dates. They are arriving on June 10, leaving in June 15. I believe this is pretty firm.
I will check out the link you sent! And I'll look at HoJo...I remember it being one of our options back in 2010 when we went.
I also think Park Hoppers for DL is recommended! We don't get them for WDW, we like to go early and stay all day in one park. But with the close proximity to walk back and forth at DL and not a HUGE jump in the price, I think its a wise decision.
Thank you for you help!

 

[escriven75]

Max Pass? Is that a phototography package similar to Memory Maker at WDW? Pay a set price and get unlimited download of photos? Here's a dumb question......does DL use the same type of Magic Band that WDW does?

 

[sherilaine]

Max Pass is an electronic fast pass system introduced at DLR - where you can book fast passes throughout the day from the app on your smart phone rather than pulling paper fast passes from the machines located near the rides.

It includes pictures, including ride and character meal photos.

There is no magic band at Disneyland!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Here is a list of threads with good information for your/your friend's planning:
-A DLR Guide for WDW Vets -- a must read! It was linked in a post above, too.
- Airport Proximity to DLR and Ground Transportation Information by @3TinksAndAnEeyore: www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2318297
-Detailed Weather Data for DLR -- June at DLR can be quite nice, but not like June in FL -- many people are surprised by how cool it can get in the mornings and evenings at DLR in June
-Grad Nites 2019: May 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 22, 28, 29, and 31; June 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 14 -- Looks like there will be 3 during your friend's trip --The Scoop on Grad Nights at DLR in May and June: www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2298400
-Choosing the Right DLR Hotel for You: www.disboards.com/threads/choosing-the-right-hotel-for-you.3656512/ -- great information here! And the HOJO offers a DIS discount (HoJo Discount). Many people here book directly with hotels -- better deals that way.
- Maxpass/Fastpass: an overview and some strategy by @Skyegirl1999: - www.disboards.com/threads/maxpass-fastpass-an-overview-and-some-strategy.3726246/ -- great resource on MP! DLR does not have FP+ -- we have legacy FP (free) and MP (right now $15/day per person)

Tickets:
With all adults in the group, park hoppers would help them take full advantage of MP. They could book FPs for one park while still in the other park. And hopping is so easy at DLR -- the two parks are so close together that they are more like one big park. UT is a good vendor and gets good reviews here. Other vendors used here: aRes, Getawaytoday, LastMinuteTravel (don't buy a membership -- Google for a code), Costco (good package deals), AAA. One advantage right now to getting tickets directly through Disney: MP is $10/day per person on DLR's website vs. $15/day per person at the gate.
If your friends could possibly move their dates up, there is a very good ticket deal going on through mid-May. Check the DLR website.

Shows:
DL's current parade is "Soundsational" -- charming! -- which is running twice a day. DL's current fireworks show is Mickey's Mix Magic -- a short, fun projections show that has fireworks on weekends only right now/projections every day. This may change to fireworks every night in peak season, but we don't know yet since the show is new. The show has different viewing areas and is a little bit different in each area: Castle, Main Street, IASW, and ROA. Right now, the votes are in for Main Street and IASW as the better viewing areas. DL has F! -- almost unanimously voted better than WDW's show (DL - better show, WDW - better seating). At DL, do a F! dining package for the best view with the least wait. All 3 dining packages (Blue Bayou, River Belle Terrace, Hungry Bear -- high to low cost in that order) have good to great viewing, waterfront. BB's package comes with a souvenir cushion to sit on. All dining package viewing is sitting on the ground. There is free FP viewing, too, but viewing for that can be a little complicated.
DCA right now has no shows. WOC is undergoing an extensive repair/refurb. When it returns, your friends should definitely see this show! Read the first post in this thread carefully: World of Color Superthread www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37986447. The WOC Dessert Party has the best views with the least wait and has actual chairs. The other viewing is all standing (VIP and HC excepting). PTN may be back by your friend's dates -- no official word on that yet. If that parade is back, they should see that, too. Great nighttime parade -- a reimagined electrical parade for DL's 60th.

Dining reservations open up 60 days in advance (that includes dining packages). No magic bands here. FPs can only be booked day of, after you activate your ticket at the gates. Many/most people here agree that DLR's CS food and some TS food is better than WDW's. So your friends may be pleasantly surprised by all the choices available to them food-wise. No dining plan. If they want some kind of dining plan for budgeting, tell them to use Disney gift cards and gift cards for the various restaurants in DTD, e.g. Patina group, Starbucks, Jamba, EOS, etc. That can help them keep track of how much they've budgeted and how much they're spending. NB Gift cards currently cannot be used with Mobile Ordering on the DLR app. Menus can be found at the DLR website.

And, for the elephant in the room, SWGE: Iger announced June as the opening month, but no official date. Bets around here are for June 21st, based on the current AP blockout calendars. There probably will be media and preview events going on before that time. (But if SWGE opens before that, then the crowds during your friend's trip dates could be huge. Are they wanting to see SWGE? Are they willing to risk the crowds if the new land opens while they are there?) Keep watching this forum for more news on opening day and other updates.

 

[HydroGuy]

And, for the elephant in the room, SWGE: Iger announced June as the opening month, but no official date. Bets around here are for June 21st, based on the current AP blockout calendars. There probably will be media and preview events going on before that time. (But if SWGE opens before that, then the crowds during your friend's trip dates could be huge. Are they wanting to see SWGE? Are they willing to risk the crowds if the new land opens while they are there?) Keep watching this forum for more news on opening day and other updates.

OP, the June 21 date for SWGE is nowhere near unanimous around here. The AP calendar is ambiguous in this regard and not to be used as a basis for predicting SWGE IMO. I suspect it will be open earlier in June or possibly Memorial Day weekend.

Also, this thread may help in addition to previous links on MP:

"Comparing DLR's MaxPass to WDW's FastPass+" - https://www.disboards.com/threads/comparing-dlrs-maxpass-to-wdws-fastpass.3726294/

 

[theluckyrabbit]

OP, the June 21 date for SWGE is nowhere near unanimous around here. The AP calendar is ambiguous in this regard and not be used as a basis for predicting SWGE IMO. I suspect it will be open earlier in June or possibly Memorial Day weekend...

Whichever camp you're in, I think both sides agree that it would be very surprising if SWGE isn't already open by June 21st. Opening after that would be surprisingly late!