DL/DCA in 40 hours - HELP!

[Peach026]

Heading to San Diego for work NEXT WEEK and I’ve somehow managed to find just UNDER 48 hours to visit DL resort FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!!

WDW AP and DVC owner, I know those parks like the back of my hand. We got 3-5 times a year so it’s been a looooong time since squeezing EVERYTHING into one trip had happened. Never mind in just under two days. I’m just grateful I found a good neighbor hotel with availability!

Now that there’s no DL pod I’m completely lost. I tried search and the links to the DL for WDW experts didn’t work for me. Therefore desperately asking for help here. How do we do it?!?! Traveling party is two adult Disney nerds

I’ll be ubering from San Diego to DL Friday morning w park reservation at DCA and Saturday reservation is at DL. Flight out of LAX at midnight (literally one night at Disneyland ha!)

No dining reserved (do I need it and can I even get it this late?!?!) I did buy G+.

Pretend you’re me. What do we do! Where do we start! I feel like I don’t even have enough time to do the research!

 

[Pluto468]

Heading to San Diego for work NEXT WEEK and I’ve somehow managed to find just UNDER 48 hours to visit DL resort FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!!

WDW AP and DVC owner, I know those parks like the back of my hand. We got 3-5 times a year so it’s been a looooong time since squeezing EVERYTHING into one trip had happened. Never mind in just under two days. I’m just grateful I found a good neighbor hotel with availability!

Now that there’s no DL pod I’m completely lost. I tried search and the links to the DL for WDW experts didn’t work for me. Therefore desperately asking for help here. How do we do it?!?! Traveling party is two adult Disney nerds

I’ll be ubering from San Diego to DL Friday morning w park reservation at DCA and Saturday reservation is at DL. Flight out of LAX at midnight (literally one night at Disneyland ha!)

No dining reserved (do I need it and can I even get it this late?!?!) I did buy G+.

Pretend you’re me. What do we do! Where do we start! I feel like I don’t even have enough time to do the research!

How exciting!

It's not too late to sign up for dining reservation alerts if there are places you want to try to eat. If you don't, you can do counter service, mobile order or see about getting on walk-up lists. You could research some foods you might want to try before you get there.

I would just plan to go with the flow and not plan too much for how/when you do rides. Maybe pick a few you know you want to try. Genie+ will show you when rides are available and how long the waits are, so you can work off that list if you want to.

I think since you've never been you will really enjoy walking around the park and soaking up the atmosphere.

Take a look at the night time entertainment schedule and see if there's anything you want to try to see


Do you have hoppers?

 

[mtemm]

Molly (now of mammoth club, formerly of allears) has FABULOUS videos on YouTube. She has a few for Disneyland (under allears) that I have found really helpful. I highly recommend!

I am heading to DL/DCA for the first time in over a decade. Grew up in CA and DL was my home park but oh how much has changed! I am far more familiar with wdw at this point.

 

[Becca1007]

With limited time ... focus on rides and lands that are unique to DL/DCA. Spend time in Carsland and Avengers Campus. I would probably skip sit down dining and just use mobile order and snack your way through the parks.

 

[irlandaise]

With limited time ... focus on rides and lands that are unique to DL/DCA. Spend time in Carsland and Avengers Campus. I would probably skip sit down dining and just use mobile order and snack your way through the parks.

Yep, Becca's on the right track here. Focus on things you can't do in Florida. Cars Land especially when you're at DCA. Both the rides (Radiator Springs Racers is the highlight) and the overall atmosphere are worth experiencing. If it's not too cold, do Grizzly River Run. I think the whole Highway 49/Grizzly Peak area is nicely themed.

It's too bad you have to leave DL early on Saturday night or you could see the much, much better version of Fantasmic at DL. (By chance do you have a park hopper pass? If so, you can go over to DL on Friday evening.)

Batuu West is the same as Batuu East, so focus on other areas of Disneyland. Pirates is a longer and better ride than in Florida. You no longer have Mr. Toad at WDW, so do that one. Small World has a stunning exterior at DL, even more so when the Christmas lights are on it; it's schedule to reopen on Friday the 11th with its Christmas overlay indoors and out.

As you enter Disneyland, be sure to look for the light in the window above the fire station; that was Walt's apartment. Keep thinking about him as you wander through DL and that will add a special measure of excitement to your visit. Have a great time!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Out of curiosity, do you mean that you are going to DCA on Friday, 11/11 (Veteran’s Day) and DL on 11/12?

It will be very crowded with not only the three-day holiday weekend but also the start of the holidays at DLR (11/11 is the first day).

Do you have park hoppers?

If you can, I would try to get to DCA well before the park opens so you can get through security and into DCA before 8am. I would also try very hard to rope drop DL. With the crazy weekend, rope drop will be your friend!

DCA will have the holiday food and wine booths, so that can be fun, although on the first few days things can be hit or miss. Know that you can order anything from any booth. So if you want three things at three different booths, you can pay at one booth, then go to pick you food up at each one. So choose the booth with the shortest line to order.

Christmas Fantasy Parade will be in DL with two parade times. Also holiday fireworks with snow, castle lighting and IASW facade lighting.

DCA has a lot of fun street entertainment like the Toy Soldiers and a cavalcade. Some of the rides will be decked out in holiday overlays.

On DL side, Haunted Mansion Holiday will be very busy as will It’s a Small World Holiday but you will have Genie+ so no problem there.

If you can, read @DLRExpert’s sticky posts on how to use Genie+ at the DLR, they are very helpful!

If you don’t have any table service meals reserved, place mobile orders for counter service EARLY. When the parks are extremely busy as they will be this weekend, the return times for mobile orders can stretch very far out (and well past your hangry moment).

Have fun!

 

[chezcurrie]

As others have said, focus on the things unique to DL (ie skip Batuu, Jungle Cruise, Splash and Tomorrowland, unless any are a real favorite.)

@Dca
Carsland carsland carsland. Then more carsland. Its spectacular.
Avengers Campus (esp at night, but the shows run during the daytime.) Webslingers is now on Genie+ so yay!
Incredicoater is one of my fave rides in all the parks. Its theming is wonderful
*skip Toy Story and Little Mermaid, they are the same. I also would skip the traditional rides in Pixar Pier as its a short trip.
Check out Animation Academy (great for a mid-day break - but skip turtle talk, its the same)
If you only see one nighttime spectacular see World of Color. My favourite across all 6 US parks.

Food: Birria tacos from Cocina Cucamonga (QS) and if you can snag a walk-up at Lamplight lounge try the Lobster Nachos and ask for a drink off the “secret menu” - I love the Sea Witch


@ Disneyland
See the original Tiki Room and try one of the different Dole Whips at Tropical Hideaway
Do the castle walk-through
Ride Mr Toads just to say you did
Ride Pirates and marvel at its superiority and how awesome New Orleans Square is
Matterhorn is back up - there is a single rider but you have Genie+ so shouldn’t be an issue
IASW - the Christmas overlay is something really special, and I don’t like that ride so that’s saying something!
Indiana!!!
Haunted Mansion Holiday - do not miss. It’s spectacular. Do this at night
Sorybook Canal boats will likely tickle the disney nerd in you
Ride Alice at night if the line is shortish

Food wise: grab a Corn Dog from the little red wagon (did you even go to Disneyland if you don’t do this!?!), fried Chicken at the Plaza (no ADR needed), a mint julep in New Orleans square, and a skewer from Bengal BBQ in Adventureland for a snack. And churros. EAT ALL THE CHURROS!!!!

Have a blast!

 

[chezcurrie]

Oh, and plan for at least 90 min from San Diego depending on where you are driving from. I’m in North County San Diego and with no traffic I can do door to door in an hour and 6 minutes. Since you don’t have to deal with parking that’s great, but I’d even plan a cushion on your drive in case there is traffic on the 5 once you hit Orange County.

 

[Kit Jackson]

This is cheesy and nerdy, but also takes less than five minutes, so it's worth considering. Stand in the hub in Disneyland near the partners statue. Look around and see the paths leading to the different lands. Remember this what Walt Disney imagined and not only lived to see come to life, but is still with us today. This is the park that Walk Disney not only created but also walked around in.

CarsLand is one of the absolute best things in Disneyland. I love how wonderful it looks at nighttime, but it's equally wonderful during the day. Pirates is a different ride at Disneyand, so try and ride it, because what is at WDW is not a carbon copy clone of the West Coast version.

 

[irlandaise]

Sorybook Canal boats will likely tickle the disney nerd in you

The Disney team puts adorable miniature Christmas decorations on many of the little houses, bridges, etc. Worth seeing both in daylight and at night.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

The Disney team puts adorable miniature Christmas decorations on many of the little houses, bridges, etc. Worth seeing both in daylight and at night.

One of my favorites!!!

 

[chezcurrie]

The Disney team puts adorable miniature Christmas decorations on many of the little houses, bridges, etc. Worth seeing both in daylight and at night.

Oh man, now I have to see that when I’m there next weekend!

 

[irlandaise]

The Disney team puts adorable miniature Christmas decorations on many of the little houses, bridges, etc. Worth seeing both in daylight and at night.

Oh man, now I have to see that when I’m there next weekend!

I haven't been to DL at Christmas for several years, so I hope they haven't made a liar out of me by discontinuing this charming tradition! Please let us know.

 

[chezcurrie]

I haven't been to DL at Christmas for several years, so I hope they haven't made a liar out of me by discontinuing this charming tradition! Please let us know.

LOL, will do!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I haven't been to DL at Christmas for several years, so I hope they haven't made a liar out of me by discontinuing this charming tradition! Please let us know.

They did it last year.

 

[DLRExpert]

Pretend you’re me. What do we do! Where do we start! I feel like I don’t even have enough time to do the research!

DCA 11/4 (no EE)
8am-840am: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, then Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters. Single Ride Racers (buy ILL for later if you want to ride twice and ride together). Head to Pixar Pier. Book LL Web Slingers or Guardians return time of 930am-1030am.
850am-10am: At Pixar Pier ride Toy Story Midway Mania, then Incredicoaster, Pal Around, Inside Out, Goofy's Sky School, Symphony Swings.
10am-11am: Grizzly River Run, the Little Mermaid, at 1030am or when you scan into the first LL. Book the LL for the attraction you did not get, either WS or Guardians.
11am: Lunch
12pm-On: Use that 2nd LL for either WS or Guardians.
Rest of the day is completely up to you.
You still have LL for...
- Incredicoaster
- TSMM
- Grizzly
- Soarin

DL 11/5 (no EE)
8am-835am: Ride Alice in Wonderland first, then Mr. Toad, Snow White, Pinocchio, and Matterhorn (if wait is 10min or shorter). Book LL for Mansion Holiday, you want return time of 9am-10am.
835am-9am: Ride Nemo Submarines (MUST be in line by 830am).
If you want to book ILL for Rise, look for a return time of 1030am-1130am
9am-1020am: Pirates of the Caribbean, use LL for Mansion (next LL will be for Falcon), ride Splash Mountain (before 10am), then Winnie the Pooh.
1020am-1130am: Use LL for Falcon (book next LL for Indiana Jones), use ILL for Rise.
1130am: Lunch
1230pm-130pm: Use LL for Indy (book next LL for Big Thunder Mountain), may have some time to waste, check out Tom Sawyers Island, the Canoes, Mark Twain, Columbia.
130pm-On. Use LL for Thunder, next LL you book is for Space Mountain. Mix in attractions with a 30 minute wait or lower.
After Space Mountain, your remaining LLs are for...
- Matterhorn (ride opposite side you experienced in the morning)
- Autopia
- Star Tours
- Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters

Try to experience the following...
- Casey Jr
- Storybookland
- Jungle Cruise
- Churro (regular cinnamon flavor)
- Corn Dog
- Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
- Disneyland Railroad

 

[DisneylandFan22]

I prefer to ride Casey Jr. Train at night rather than the Canal Boats if you have to choose.