Any Disneyland guru's? I need some help planning a trip

[grannylvsfish]

we want to go when its least buisy, and the parks are open at least until 8:00 or 10:00 PM avoiding the cast parties, and candle light procession... can you tell me what the best time to go is, and still be able to see the decorations?

what dates do you recomend ? November or December?

[wataugachicken]

http://www.squidoo.com/disneyblog

some tips and links

http://www.disneylandvacationtips.com/disneyland-attendance.html

[grannylvsfish]

thank you so much!!!! :)

[mozart]

If kids aren't an issue, they say the first week of school (September) is the quietest and cheapest week. It is also hurricane season still, but the odds are in your favor. Have fun. Disney gives you the most for your money!

[Mgamer20o0]

no hurricane season in cali.....

[feemia]

Staying in one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels is very convenient, BUT you'll save a lot of money by staying off the property in one of the nearby hotels. You have to weight cost vs convenience.

September and October aren't as crowded as the rest of the year, but they close the Haunted House for part of September to decorate it for Halloween, so if you really want to see the Haunted House check to see if it'll be open when you're planning to go.

The food inside the park is VERY expensive so plan ahead.

[FireDancer7905]

When we went in late January it was quiet and there were very few lines. They were taking down the Haunted House displays, but I would imagine that in early Jan it's still up.

[grannylvsfish]

I booked my package. I decided to go the second week of December as October some schools were out, utah had a 4 day out, and lots of activities. November I was going to but decided on December to get to go on its a small world and see the other decorations.
I knows its going to be buisy but I am prepared. I also got the meal plan ( I have used it in the past) tickets to knotts, and were set to go for 1 week ! I am thrilled, my kids are thrilled :)

[FireDancer7905]

Have fun!!!!! It's one of my favorite places on Earth!!!

[Mgamer20o0]

sea world? universal?

just those two?

[Horchata]

dude, i am disney god. It doesnt matter what time of year you go, the park usually for the most part will have a good amount of people in it. Its all about the order in which you ride attractions. Im there at least once a month, but I would suggest going in November just because that way you could avoid Christmas breaks for school. Since "Finding Nemo" is the newest ride in the park, everyone goes there when the gates open. I would also suggest doing this, immediatly after the gates open. If its a busy day, right when you're in line for finding nemo, have one person in your party get everyones tickets, and walk across the tomorrowland stage to space mountain, and get fast passes for space mountain. (if its been that long, fast pass is basically making a reservation for your ride. Fast passes are handed out based on amount of people per time span.) Once you get off Nemo, your fast pass for Space Mountain should be ready. Blast off on Space Mountain, then when you land back on Earth, walk out of tomorrowland towards mainstreet. Go into Adventureland, and get a fast pass for Indiana Jones. Keep walking past Pirates, and the Haunted Mansion, then go to Splash Mountain. Get a little zip a dee doo da water on you, and by that time your fast pass for indiana jones should be ready. Once you get off Indiana Jones, you've now ridden all the attractions with the longest lines. Play it by year from there. You could get lucky and not have to do that, but its a good way to do everything in a short amount of time. Hope that helps!

[ProAquatics]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:


:welcome::welcome::welcome::headbang2::headbang2:: headbang2:

[grannylvsfish]

dude, i am disney god. It doesnt matter what time of year you go, the park usually for the most part will have a good amount of people in it. Its all about the order in which you ride attractions. Im there at least once a month, but I would suggest going in November just because that way you could avoid Christmas breaks for school. Since "Finding Nemo" is the newest ride in the park, everyone goes there when the gates open. I would also suggest doing this, immediatly after the gates open. If its a busy day, right when you're in line for finding nemo, have one person in your party get everyones tickets, and walk across the tomorrowland stage to space mountain, and get fast passes for space mountain. (if its been that long, fast pass is basically making a reservation for your ride. Fast passes are handed out based on amount of people per time span.) Once you get off Nemo, your fast pass for Space Mountain should be ready. Blast off on Space Mountain, then when you land back on Earth, walk out of tomorrowland towards mainstreet. Go into Adventureland, and get a fast pass for Indiana Jones. Keep walking past Pirates, and the Haunted Mansion, then go to Splash Mountain. Get a little zip a dee doo da water on you, and by that time your fast pass for indiana jones should be ready. Once you get off Indiana Jones, you've now ridden all the attractions with the longest lines. Play it by year from there. You could get lucky and not have to do that, but its a good way to do everything in a short amount of time. Hope that helps!
Awsome advice!!

Is there nothing going on in November that folks go then? If you think its better to go then tell me the days that is the best days!! we are going for a week. I could try to change my dates if you think its better, but we do want to see decorations. I hear the week before thanksgiving is not good either.

[Mgamer20o0]

lol you got that down to a T kid lol

[Horchata]

well going in november you would probably run into thanksgiving breaks too. That would be a lot better than running into Christmas crowds. Disneyland DOES sell out, and it usually sells out in December, and in the summer. If you want to try to get the best of both worlds, I'd say the first week of December would be awesome just because you get all the Christmas decorations and all the holiday stuff (which disney doesnt cheap out on) But even if you go in november, you'll still get to ride "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in the haunted mansion. Between Halloween and Christmas, they convert the ride, and its marvelous. If I had to pick dates, I'd try to go the first week of December. Because the park is ALWAYS going to have lots of people in it. There are certain days you can avoid crowds at many parks, but Disneyland doesnt work that way.

[grannylvsfish]

Our trip is set for December. I am thrilled and I have had a hard time deciding. I am such a planner that it makes me crazy.( and the travel agent to! ) I have decided to stop !! this trip will be fun and all I have to do is make reservations to three character meals and thats it! oh and the rainforest, and the house of blues . oye there I go again!
:lol:

[Horchata]

awesome! You're going to have an amazing time. Make reservations for the "Blue Bayou"... its the resturante inside pirates of the carribean. Its a MUST. Reservations must be made a few days in advanced. Its quite an expirience. Also, above the entrance for Pirates theres the "disney art gallery"... If you go up there, you can make a reservation for a PRIVATE BALCONY show of "Fantasmic" with a chocolate buffet. Absolutely spectacular!

[mozart]

no hurricane season in cali.....

Good point. Big difference between the two!

[grannylvsfish]

awesome! You're going to have an amazing time. Make reservations for the "Blue Bayou"... its the resturante inside pirates of the carribean. Its a MUST. Reservations must be made a few days in advanced. Its quite an expirience. Also, above the entrance for Pirates theres the "disney art gallery"... If you go up there, you can make a reservation for a PRIVATE BALCONY show of "Fantasmic" with a chocolate buffet. Absolutely spectacular!

We have tons of reservations to make. we also want to go to the house of Blues on Sunday for the gospel brunch, espn zone, cafe orleans, rainforest cafe,3 disney carectar meals, ( breakfast lunch and dinner) The Blue Byou will be for the deserts :)
the monte cristo will be cafe orleans, its way cheaper!
whats the cost of fantasmic on the balcony? sounds interesting.

[Horchata]

$70 a head. But its worth every Penney if u dont get to go to Disneyland alot

[kimmisc]

I dunno the difference between Disney Land and World other than location, but I always enjoyed Universal Studios and Sea World more than Disney World, so if you have those over there in Cali I'd make sure to set aside days for them.

It'd take much more time than 1 week to do and see everything!

[Squawkbert]

When you get off Splash Mountain, be sure to ask when they're going to release Song Of The South on DVD.

:devil:

[lucy42083]

When you get off Splash Mountain, be sure to ask when they're going to release Song Of The South on DVD.
:devil:

LOL Splash Mountain is definitely my #1 fave Disney World ride though (never been to Disneyland, I'm an east coast girl).

[Squawkbert]

It amuses me no end, that 10-15 years after they decided that they would NEVER rerelease Song of the South in the US (there are some PAL formatted VHS copies floating around in other parts of the world), they build what turned out (for a while) their most popular ride based on it.

I (allegedly) found a torrent (legal - I'm certain of it) copy of it online, complete w/ the cartoons. It's extra amusing as Korean subtitles pop up during all of the songs (and only the songs).

[/riaa protect mode]

[grannylvsfish]

I dunno the difference between Disney Land and World other than location, but I always enjoyed Universal Studios and Sea World more than Disney World, so if you have those over there in Cali I'd make sure to set aside days for them.

It'd take much more time than 1 week to do and see everything!

been to sea world, and wanted to do universal, but I have a little guy and not to many rides are for him. Disneyland is for the little fellow who wants to ride all the rides. he meets all the height requirements finally. And we are going to knotts, I love that place!


When you get off Splash Mountain, be sure to ask when they're going to release Song Of The South on DVD.

:devil:

I sure will :lol:

[grannylvsfish]

Changed out plans last week..... we are heading to disney world !! Man that place is huge, I will have to plan very wel to see only a small portion of whats there LOL