Two Great Solo Days in Disneyland and California Adventure! April 2023

[ThreeMountains]

I had a work trip to the Anaheim Convention Center this past week and, since it’s across the street from Disneyland, I was able to add two solo park hopper days in the parks. I’m starting this trip report from Santa Ana airport awaiting my flight home to my wife and two boys; hopefully I’ll get to fly them out to join me on a future trip but it wasn’t in the cards this time. I also brought my good camera with me and took a lot of photos but will post those separately when I have time to select and edit them. For this thread, I’ll use my phone snapshots.

Here's me, btw. I've been visiting WDW since I was eight weeks old and Disneyland now for the past 4-5 years.



SATURDAY APRIL 15TH

I booked a separate hotel - La Quinta on S Clementine about a 15 minute walk to the gates - and moved from my work hotel to the new one Saturday evening. Once settled, I walked to Downtown Disney and spent a few hours there grabbing dinner at Ballast Point, shopping, and soaking in the atmosphere to get in that Disney mindset. It worked! By the time I went to bed, the anticipation had built and I was ready for rope drop the next morning!


Suitable walking-distance hotel for my solo purposes. Plenty of space and we’ll say semi-clean with worn furniture and a sunken mattress. Minor issues with the tub and toilet but the staff was friendly and I didn’t want to waste time moving rooms, so I dealt with it.


I love this door to backstage!


100th Anniversary cake in The Grand Californian hotel lobby.


Blackened fish tacos and a pale ale with tortilla chips. I had some dietary restrictions that prevented me eating or drinking the type of stuff I normally would, but I was somehow good with these delicious fish tacos! I actually had them a few times this trip and will definitely have them on future trips.

DAY ONE in the parks next!

 

[ThreeMountains]

DAY ONE - Disneyland Park then California Adventure

My game plan was to use day one to get a lot of rides done so that day two could be slower paced with a focus on taking photos with my camera (and, of course, more rides…), something I’ve never been able to do at the Disney parks. This plan worked perfectly and, even though it was Dapper Day today, I could do no wrong. Between rope drop, Genie Plus, and Single Rider, I never waited more than 20 minutes or so for a ride, and not nearly that long for most. And I did a LOT of rides this day...I’m beginning to figure out how to do Disneyland solo!

LET’S GO!

Thanks to the time change, I woke up before my alarm even went off and didn’t have to rush getting ready. I left the hotel at 7:09am and was through security and the gates to Disneyland Park by 7:28am!


That sight never gets old!


And neither does this one!


I’m a big fan of the 100th Anniversary decorations and merch around the parks.


Having spent all of my life going to WDW, the tiny DL castle always makes me chuckle a bit. But I love it just the same!

I took my time wandering up Main Street USA to soak in the vibes, then waited maybe 15 minutes at the rope to the right. When it opened, I walked through the castle to Fantasyland to enjoy some of those rides.

PS - As I mentioned, these phone photos were just snapshots as I went through the parks to help document what I did and when. They’re making me look forward to the actual camera photos when I get to those next, though!

PPS - I’m not sure of the photo limit per post, so I plan to continue posting with around 4-5 photos at a time and will break them up that way to keep it simple. This will also allow me to make posts when I can over the coming days, rather than trying to make long posts and get interrupted.

 

[ThreeMountains]

I went straight to Fantasyland because I had never ridden the DL Peter Pan and figured rope dropping it would be my best chance for a short wait. There was a line but I only wait just over 20 minutes, about the longest I waited for any ride the entire two days. Talk about Disney magic!





Seeing how short the Fantasyland rides were, and being a huge dark ride fan, I decided to knock out several of them, including Mr. Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland. Mr. Toad was a five minute wait, and Alice was maybe 10, while the other two were basically walk-ons. Mr. Toad has always been one of my favorite rides, and I love that I can come to DL to ride it after many years of not having it at WDW.







The band playing Disney classics was a nice surprise to further sent the vibe for the start of my trip!











Alice is probably my least favorite of these rides, but it’s still a fun one! Happy I was able to check it off the list this visit. It was also cool to see the differences between WDW and DL Peter Pan. The loading ships one at a time really hurts the wait, though. That same crowd at WDW would have been maybe a five minute wait!

 

[ThreeMountains]

Next up, I decided to visit ToonTown to see the revamp and use my Lightning Lane for Roger Rabbit. I have more photos from later I will post, but I was not disappointed! I loved the extreme cartoony vibe of the entire land and can imagine my kids having a blast in this area.







I grew up watching Roger Rabbit and enjoy this ride as long as I’m not spinning too much. I was all about the spinning rides as a kid and teenager, but no longer. I’m still not sure how I did the teacups the way I did as a kid without throwing up…

On my way out of ToonTown, I rode one of my favorite Disney rides, and that’s probably a contentious statement for many lol: SMALL WORLD! I really love the DL version, and although I didn’t think it would be the case, I like it even more than the WDW version, especially with all of the characters in it now.



I’m a thrill ride junky, so now that many of the slower dark rides were out of the way, it was time for Matterhorn! I didn’t know if the single rider line would be open, so I used a LL and waited less than ten minutes. This time, I was on the right side track, while I rode the left side track later. The left side seemed a bit quicker and jerkier, but maybe that’s just in my head.





Either way, I really love this ride, especially at night! The timing was also perfect because this was the last day before it shut down for refurbishment.

 

[wabbott]

Great pics. We'll be there in September. Can't wait.

 

[ThreeMountains]

I had a short wait for my Autopia LL, which actually had a bit of a line, so I’m glad I grabbed it. I wandered through Tomorrowland for a few, sent my brother pin photos to see if he needed any because he collects them, then hopped on Autopia.





These cars steer so much more smoothly than the WDW ones. For the first time pretty much ever, I also didn’t get stuck behind anyone slow! I was basically able to keep it “floored” the entire drive. Miracle? No. Disney magic? Yes!

Now it was time for my ultimate favorite ride: Space Mountain! The single rider queue had just opened and a cast member directed me to it (I never would have figured it out on my own). It was a near walk-on this way, and before I knew it I was soaring through outer space!



While I strongly prefer the Space Mountain queue and building in WDW, I think the DL ride is better in every way, whether it’s the normal version OR Hyperspace Mountain. I wish the two could be combined. Tomorrowland is also disappointing in DL compared to WDW, especially since there’s no PeopleMover, but DL does have better versions of a couple rides (SM, Autopia, and Buzz, IMO, even though I like the WDW queues of all three better).

I then wandered back to the hub to FaceTime with my kids in front of the castle (5 and almost 3). They loved it! They’re going to love it even more when we’re all at WDW together for a couple days in a few weeks, though.

FUN NOTE - it was only 11:30am at this point and I had done Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White, Alice, Roger Rabbit, Small World, Matterhorn, Autopia, and Space Mountain, plus FaceTimed with my kids at the castle for a while. Like I said previously, this was an “I can do no wrong” kind of day! And it continued to go well…

 

[ThreeMountains]

I forgot to mention, the weather was cooler than expected. I thought I’d be wearing shorts and a t-shirt both days, but it was 50s in the morning, 60s most of the day, maybe touching 70s when the sun came out in the afternoon each day. For me, this was perfect weather. Jeans and a sweatshirt for most of it, then take off the hoodie for a bit in the afternoon when the sun was out. It was pleasant for running around, especially when I had my backpack, and I never overheated.

After FaceTime, I wandered into Adventureland and started with a Dole Whip. So good!





Here’s another contentious take: I‘m not the biggest Jungle Cruise fan. I don’t dislike it, I just don’t understand the hype or the long waits. I’m even a fan of puns and dad jokes, but it never clicked with me. That said, the wait was under 10 minutes, so I hopped on, as I had never ridden the DL version. Another one checked off the list, which means I’ve ridden everything I care about at DL and CA now (well, by the end of this trip).





FUN NOTE - this guy on the left with the beard had a giant water bottle leaking in his backpack and didn’t notice until I pointed it out. Looked like he came off Splash Mountain by the time he realized what was happening and stopped it. Poor guy.

 

[DLo]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more .

 

[ThreeMountains]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more .

I'm back home now after a delay due to the Southwest nonsense yesterday, but I plan to continue through to the end with this report (hopefully I didn't jinx it by saying that, as kids and work definitely keep me busy). Much more action to come; thanks for following along!

 

[ThreeMountains]

Pirates was my next stop, and the more I ride the DL version, the more I enjoy it. The queue is certainly superior at WDW, but the extended scenes at DL put it in front as a ride for me. Also, this guy looked JUST like Johnny Depp from a distance.





What better way to follow Pirates than with Haunted Mansion! Very short wait with Lightning Lane and who doesn’t love seeing the hatbox ghost? I’ve heard they’re bringing him to WDW and that would be a welcome addition. As has been a theme here, though, I prefer the WDW queue and the mansion design itself.







Although I didn’t ride it yet this trip (spoiler alert: I do on day two), I couldn’t resist a shot of the photogenic Splash Mountain in the its final days.



And then a first for me, the Explorer Canoes! I had no intention of doing this until the guy sold me with the line, “The shortest line in Disneyland! Come see why for yourself!” I chuckled at that one and decided it would be fun to cross it off my list. The pilot/captain was very entertaining in a Jungle Cruise captain sort of way, and it was cool to have that unique point of view. I recommend it at least once if you haven’t before. Cast member photo bomb!

 

[ThreeMountains]

I took a quick timeout to enjoy that Splash Mountain view and also some grapes and water. I’m all about the unhealthiest of foods on a Disney trip, but with my current medical issue, I had to take it easy this time around. It made me appreciate even more the stands and marketplaces they have around the parks these days with fruit and healthier options. But what I don’t appreciate is the almost $5 bottles of Dasani. I mean, I know they’re a business, but I’d be embarrassed charging that much for bottled water knowing stores still make a profit charging a little more than that for an entire case of 24. Not Disney’s finest moment, in my opinion. And yes, I know you can request a cup of water at many locations in the parks for free, but I simply draw the line at almost $5 for a bottle of water, and I don’t only feel this way about Disney doing it; it’s a problem across the entertainment industry and live events.



But I digress…back to the story! And why not keep it going with the classics? Big Thunder Mountain. If this isn’t one of the most perfect rides, I don’t know what is. Thrilling enough for adults, tame enough for younger kids, perfectly themed (and again, WDW queue is better), long enough to make it worth a wait (but my LL meant almost no wait), and if you’ve been going to Disney parks your entire life, nostalgia for days. What’s not to love?





Whenever I try to come up with my current top three Disney rides, this one is always a contender and typically makes the list.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Before seeking more substantial food, I decided to wander through Galaxy’s Edge. I enjoyed Star Wars growing up, but the original movies. These days, there are just too many movies, shows, characters, and story lines for me to keep up with in my limited free time, so while this land is impressive, it’s a bit lost on me. I don’t fully understand where it falls in the timelines and have no real emotional connection to some of the characters the way I did with the original movies, but I at least appreciate the fully-immersive design and follow-through.

I had no plans to fight Rise of the Resistance crowds or pay big money for the Rise ILL on this trip, as I’ve ridden it a couple times before, but I did have a first experience with Smugglers Run in that I was tasked with the Gunner assignment. I’ve been on this ride several times, as well, but only ever as an Engineer. I’ve still yet to be a pilot, and almost went back through a second time to see if they’d allow it if I made a special request since the standby line was also pretty short, but decided it was time to find food. My pilot day will come…


They did a nice job with this transition from Frontierland to Galaxy’s Edge.



After making my way through the rest of Galaxy’s Edge, I mobile ordered a turkey sandwich from Jolly Holiday Bakery and Cafe, ran back to my locker on Main Street, and did a little window shopping while I awaited my sandwich. I also happened to see the parade as I awaited my sandwich, so I sent some videos to the kids, then sat down at Jolly Holiday and ate my tasty sandwich and chips to relax for a bit.



If you know, you know.

Also, I forgot to take a picture of my sandwich before I ate it, as I was pretty hungry at this point (my only food for the day had been a Dole Whip, grapes, and some water until this turkey sandwich and chips showed up). It was tastier than I expected, though, and the homemade-style chips were really good.

 

[ThreeMountains]

The only ILL I purchased on this trip was for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, as I thought I heard the standby queues were very long and I wanted to see the differences between WDW and DL versions. The ride itself is pretty much the same (a few differences), but the queue is completely different. I definitely like the DL queue better and being in ToonTown fits extremely well with the vibe. Have to go with DL overall on this one.













There was one noteworthy experience on this ride: once my row was seated, the bar wouldn't go down. Every other row was ready to go and ours seemed stuck in the up position. For some reason, the cast member didn't notice and clicked the "go" button before I could tell them. I yelled to them as the train was "leaving the station" and they had to hit the "stop everything" button to pause the entire ride, or at least our train, which was partially into the next room. It seemed like they wanted to manually unstick the bar and move it down, but apparently none of them were trained on how to do it, so they had to remove us and put us on the next train leaving that row empty with the bar still up. I wasn't concerned about my own well being, but it made me nervous for little kids who could easily get whipped off that car during the ride and seriously injured (or worse). I hope this turned into a significant training example for those involved, but I don't know what happened.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Now that I knew the single rider option worked well for Space Mountain, why not ride it again?! Waited only a few minutes.







I definitely need this lunchbox at some point but didn't have much extra room in my suitcase, especially with the few things I was bringing home for the kids. Perhaps I'll take another look when we bring them to WDW in a couple weeks!

Having made serious ride progress at DL at this point, I decided it was time to park hop over to California Adventure. It was only around 5:30pm at this point, so there was plenty of time to knock out several rides there...and maybe more? We'll find out soon!





Took my time wandering out of DL to appreciate all that Main Street USA has to offer.

 

[ThreeMountains]

After a lifetime of visiting WDW and only getting to DL for the first time 4-5 years ago, I still can't get over the ease of movement from hotels to Downtown Disney to both parks. Sometimes I'll just stand in the promenade between the gates for a few minutes and absorb the fact that it takes 30 seconds to walk from one park gate to the other or Downtown Disney. It's incredible, and I honestly feel that DL is the way to go when kids are really small, especially for shorter trips.



For those who haven't been to DL, the gate for Disneyland Park is roughly this same distance directly behind where I took this photo from, and Downtown Disney is the same distance to my right. You can walk from your room at DL Hotel through Downtown Disney and be at both gates in about 10 minutes total, and from The Grand Californian, it's even closer (you can actually go from TGC directly into California Adventure without leaving the hotel, as there's an entrance from that hotel directly into that park).

I quickly grabbed a locker, then made my way over the Soarin' Over California for a LL reservation. I had never been on this ride at DL, only Epcot, and have never seen the Over California version, so this was another one to check off the list. The vistas and landscapes you see on the ride are incredible, and once again, the queue is better than WDW in my opinion. That said, I do love The Land at Epcot.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

I remember back in the day of paper fast passes taking everyone’s tickets and running back and forth between Disneyland and CA Adventure to score our FPs. Definitely got my steps in! It’s awesome the parks, hotels and Downtown Disney are all so walkable, especially when our kids were little.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Following my Soarin' flight, I decided to take a stroll through Hollywood Studios. I'm no artist, but Off the Page is one of my favorite stores in any Disney park I've visited.











I then looped around just in time for my Guardians Lightning Lane. I am a huge Tower of Terror fan but love that I can ride Guardians in California and ToT in Florida, as they're both great rides.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Realizing the crazy progress I was making with rides, I decided it was time to slow down again and just soak in the vibes, so I did some more wandering. I also tried this Mexican lager from the bar in Avengers Campus. It was good, but it was also torture walking around California Adventure during Food & Wine without being able to sample just about everything. I'm not a picky eater, so pretty much every menu I see has something I want. Having to limit my food and beverage intake in this scenario was...difficult. I took photos of some of the booths anyway.

 

[ThreeMountains]

Beginning to think this would be an earlier night than anticipated in my trip planning, I made my way to Incredicoaster for a LL. I enjoy this ride more every time I go on it, and I'm a roller coaster junky. The ride is longer than you'd expect, which is a bonus (insert adult joke here).









I love this wall with Jack-Jack. Fun note, my younger son's name is Jack and he has this exact personality. He could have played him in a real life remake (don't get any ideas with this one, Disney, as so many of those remakes are terrible).

Being a walk-on, I also decided there was no reason not to hop on Little Mermaid. I love the music in this movie and, at this point, I figured it would be my last ride of the night since I had done so much. We'll see how that went in the next post...

 

[ThreeMountains]

A little after 8pm at this point and time to head back to the hotel...or not! I noticed crowds getting lower, so I decided to try my hand at single rider for Radiator Springs Racers, one of the best Disney Parks rides ever, IMO. The wait was less than 10 minutes!







Even though it's a completely different theme, Test Track and RSR are the same type of ride / ride system, so comparisons are reasonable to make. Do I enjoy the fast, outdoor portion of Test Track? Yes, of course, but the rest of the ride pales in comparison to RSR, especially the current Test Track version. It's hard to imagine improving upon RSR for this type of ride. Theming, animatronics, dark ride aspects, thrill ride aspects, length of the ride, it has everything. I put it in the same category at the WDW version of Splash Mountain in that it's a complete ride and themed to perfection.