Last minute help! flying into Long Beach this Sun..any tips on a beach and other ???

[colbybug]

We are arriving at noon on Sunday and want to go straight from the airport (we'll have a rental car) to a beach for a few hours before checking into our motel (the Best Western Raffles...ug!) Any suggestions on a family-type beach that wouldn't be too crowded? Any opinions on Seal Beach? Secondly, any tips or feedback on our itinerary for that night (in case I am missing something....) After we clean up, we are going to the RainForest for dinner in Downtown Disney, then heading to DCA to hopefully catch a ride on Soaring or Grizzly River and then watch the Electrical Parade (since neither my husband or little boy has seen it). We might also try to catch It's Tough to be a Bug since it looks like Sun night is the last night it plays before refurb. Any chance we'd make it out of DCA after the parade in time to see the fireworks from maybe, the train station on Main St.? I know it will be crowded with everyone else trying to do the same but I figured if we only tried to get to the entrance we might be okay. ???

(I know that we are only using a night of a hopper but it was only $40 more for three of us to add an extra day and I figured it was worth it so we got a 4 day hopper The other days we are RideMaxing it!)

If you anyone can see a flaw in my plan please clue me in!!!

Thanks to all of you who have helped me plan our trip via all of your experience and suggestions !

Kathy

 

[stampinshauna]

Huntington Beach is nice. I think it is $10 to park.

 

[Pir8girl]

Newport Beach is nice too. So is Balboa, which is farther south on the peninsula.
There are public parking lots, but I'm not sure if they charge to park.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dis...ly/daily?name=CalendarDailyPage&date=20060423
The calendar shows that the Electrical Parade begins at 8:45 p.m.
Fireworks in DL start at 9:25. I think the EP runs about 20 or 25 minutes. Accounting for crowds, I'd say you might make it, but the train station area is usually packed well in advance.
You can always try.

 

[colbybug]

Here's a bumpity, bump, bump for me!

I'm running out of time. Please feel free to share.

Kathy

 

[fidoprincess]

I heard that the electrical parade is starting at the opposite end so you will not be able to catch it close to the entrance of CA and then run over to DL unless you are magic! I would pick a spot in CA and sit and watch them from there or skip the electric parade all together for the fireworks. Once we watched them from the pier area near California Screaming while we were waiting for others on the ride!

 

[Pir8girl]

I don't think you'll be able to make both shows. You'll have to choose which one you want to see.
BTW: Be sure and make a reservation at Rain Forest Cafe or you may have to wait a long time. It's going to be nice weather, so dont' forget your sunscreen. But if you're going to ride GRR after dark be prepared with sweatshirts & pants. It gets cold once the sun goes down over DL.