One day visit - tips or hints???

[Peabody]

Hi all!

I'm so excited I just found out I'm going to L.A. and made sure they built in an extra day for me. So, Monday, July 11 I'm going to DL!! I'm VERY excited...I've only been once before in May 99 for one day.

I want to MAXIMIZE my time there and was wondering if you guys can share any one day tricks. I see the park is open from 8am-midnight so that will be nice. I assume crowds will be quite heavy.

I plan on getting a hopper. I'd like to hit TOT (could pass on it), Screamin, and the Wild Mouse at DCA. (I also need pictures of them for my site... www.coastergallery.com) The other rides I don't care about (Going to WDW on my honeymoon in Sept and will ride Soarin, Tough to Be a Bug, Muppets, etc there)

So, that means most of our day will be in DL. My priorities are anything unique and special (Matterhorn, etc) and the "biggies". I'll pass on "smaller" things like HISTA, Star Tours, etc because I will be riding them at WDW. Any special hints for a suicidal one day trip?

[Kevie]

I hate to recommend it but you could get a computer generated touring plan to maximize your day www.touringplans.org.

[Druggas]

Start early but stay for the fireworks! It will be a long day.

[sediment]

Normally, I wouldn't do this, but since I haven't done it before:

1. Carry water, or drink from the fountains (one day won't kill you).
2. Clockwise into Disneyland. Get Fastpass for IJA, then hit JC, POTC, HM, and Splash. Some experts might suggest a more efficient order for these. Maybe IJA, Splash, HM, POTC and JC. And some might suggest skipping some of these until you're back for Fantasmic! later on.
3. Skip Pooh, unless you're very curious. You can see it later after Fantasmic! It is lame, and the WDW one is slightly better.
4. BTMRR.
5. Matterhorn.
6. Any Fantasyland rides not in WDW-MK.
7. Toon Town. Roger Rabbit CarToon Spin. The rest is good for a quick look-around. 10 minutes and out, unless it's lunch.
8. Decide on Buzz or not Buzz. You'll be in WDW soon enough.
9. Across the way to DCA. Skip Soarin, as it is in EPCOT.
10. GRR if it's hot. On hot days, this line is pretty long. Get a fastpass if necessary.
11. Screamin.' Go on as often as the line allows, but at least once.
12. If you're into Ferris wheels/Wonder Wheels, try that.
13. Golden Dreams. It's A/C.
14. TOT.
15. Aladdin, especially if it's hot.
16. Animation building, though there's one in MGM. But it's A/C as well.
17. BPB, if you like parades. This one is supposed to be good, according to the plants. (Kidding!)
18. Use your DCA fastpasses and then say goodbye to California Today.
19. Back to DL.
20. Fill in whatever DL you missed, but see fireworks in the hub and then run to the second showing of Fantasmic!

Others can also give you the skinny on single rider lines.
Also, on that day, keep your ear tuned to CMs and AP holders discussing Space Mountain soft openings. Give your sob story ("Only here for the one day, etc. sob, sob...") to see if it you can get a nugget of info.
I've skipped Mulholland Madness and the other kiddie/carnie rides. You've got no time for that.

In summary:
1. It will be busy.
2. Get there early.
3. Walk swiftly.
4. Carry water.
5. Stay in the shade if possible.
6. Take advantage of Fastpass and single-rider lines, but I do not recommend back-tracking at any time. You don't have that luxury.
7. Have fun, be nice to others, and make a friend.
8. Get walking food. Sure, a sit-down would be nice, but, again, you don't have time for that. Only if you're getting tired should you sit and eat. That means: hot dogs, pretzels, fruit, Dole Whip, spear, etc.

[Peabody]

Wow! What a response!! Thanks SO much!

[danyoung]

If you're tight on time, absolutely take advantage of single rider lines. You can get on Grizzly River Rapids in about 5 minutes, while the other lines are over an hour long!

[DemonicDemona]

well for starters DL isnt in LA.

[chadb14]

I think sediment summed it up pretty well for you. Check this out so you can plan the appropriate places to use the restroom
http://www.mouseplanet.com/potties/

[sediment]

I think sediment summed it up pretty well for you. Check this out so you can plan the appropriate places to use the restroom
http://www.mouseplanet.com/potties/

Definitely! Otherwise you might be backtracking all over the place.
Without looking:
1. Entrance of Adventureland from Hub.
2. Fantasyland near the BTM trail.
3. Space Exit (closed).
4. Hungry Bear, downstairs, I think.
5. East side of Sleeping Beauty Castle, near Matterhorn/Alice.
6. Between City Hall and Fire Station.
7. Behind Great Moments with Mr Lincoln.
8. Outside, near the lockers on West side of entrance (last call).

Oh, there are more, I suppose.

[melmel]

Ride all the Fantasyland rides after the fireworks. Most of the "families" have drained out by then. one night, me and a MiceChat group hit up Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Mr. Toad all in about 30-45 minutes. Not bad.

[melmel]

Definitely! Otherwise you might be backtracking all over the place.
Without looking:
1. Entrance of Adventureland from Hub.
2. Fantasyland near the BTM trail.
3. Space Exit (closed).
4. Hungry Bear, downstairs, I think.
5. East side of Sleeping Beauty Castle, near Matterhorn/Alice.
6. Between City Hall and Fire Station.
7. Behind Great Moments with Mr Lincoln.
8. Outside, near the lockers on West side of entrance (last call).

Oh, there are more, I suppose.

AND:

9. Between Plaza Inn and Star Tours
10. Between Frontierland/Fantasyland near Rancho del Zocalo
11. Toontown
12. New Orleans Square near the train station
13. Blue Bayou -- up the steps to your right

That's all I can think of!!

I want to sign a petition for them to put another one in Critter Country by Pooh's Corner, because when you're there with a three year old, running with them under one arm to the bathrooms at the Hungry Bear is FAR FAR FAR.

[Peabody]

well for starters DL isnt in LA.

Yes, I'm perfectly aware of that. Where did I ever say it was?

Everyone else....Thanks for all the great tips!

[Peabody]

If you would be so kind to let me pick your collective brains some more, I've been researching driving directions etc. It's about 23 miles away and Mapquest says 25 minutes. (Lake Forest, near Saddleback church is where I'm staying) What's the realistic driving time? An hour? More?

Thanks!!

[SorcererMikey]

Shouldn't be too bad, especially with all the lanes on the freeway in that area... will depend on the traffic though. Without traffic, it should take less than 30 min. You might want to check the traffic reports on sigalert.com if you're concerned about it.

And reguarding the order of rides, I would change the order a bit... I would definitely head over and ride splash mountain and indy first (getting a fastpass for either of these rides first, and waiting in line for the other in the mean time). Just remember that reguarding the fast pass, you can show up anytime after the time printed on your fastpass (if it says 10 to 11, you can go back after 11 and it'll still be okay), so don't worry on making it back to the ride within the hour. I would also hit the jungle cruise and see some of the new effects they have. I would save Big Thunder and the Matt for night since they seem a lot more fun in the dark, although the lines can be pretty variable (never longer than indy or splash though). When you head over to CA adventure, make sure you note the time of Aladdin... you can get a fastpass TOT and head over to watch aladdin to wait for the fast pass time to hit. Hope that helps!

[melmel]

If you would be so kind to let me pick your collective brains some more, I've been researching driving directions etc. It's about 23 miles away and Mapquest says 25 minutes. (Lake Forest, near Saddleback church is where I'm staying) What's the realistic driving time? An hour? More?

Thanks!!

OMIGOD THAT'S WHERE I LIVE

Literally... right down the street from there.

Yeah, it's a 25 minute drive if you JAM going about 85 mph on the highway and 60 on the sidestreets... but where you're staying is about 8 miles from the freeway itself. Take Bake to get to the freeway, not El Toro (major road reconstruction right now) or Lake Forest (it's too circuitous/wind-y)... but Bake is pretty straightforeward.

There's no traffic on the 5 North from about 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, but from 2:00 pm to about 6:30 pm, expect it to be a swim upstream. Other than that, the roads are pretty easy, traffic-wise. Your biggest slowdowns will be in Tustin and Santa Ana.

It's about a 30 minute drive with no traffic. If you drive the 5 north between 2-6:30 pm, it's about a 50 minute drive. The 5 south rarely has trouble with traffic on that stretch of road that slows it down much lower than 50 mph.