1st trip, need help, what is a "must see"

[mom2jomola]

Hi all,

I am going to LA the week of Thanksgiving and will be taking my 10 year old daughter to Disneyland for the 1st time and need a little help. We've been to WDW twice and had a great time but I have no idea how to get around at Disneyland and I am affraid about how crowded it will be so I know we'll nee a plan. We are going to go on Monday and perhaps Tues, will we need both days to see everything? What rides are the same here as in Disneyworld? What rides should we not miss (she loved Space Moutain, Rock 'n Roll Rollercoaster, Test Tract and Splash Moutainin WDW) I know at WDW I had to make ADR (Advance Dinning Reservations) for sit down meals, is it the same here? What is a restaurant that not to be missed (she LOVED 50s Prime Time in WDW)? Oh, I know nothing about The Land, so I'm affraid I don't even know which questions to ask! Any thoughts or suggestions would be GREAT!

Thank so much!

[doombuggy driver]

The great thing about Disneyland is that is much smaller that WDW so getting to and from the rides is easier. DL versions of the rides are different. Here are rides you should definitely not miss:

1. Indiana Jones
2. The Matterhorn
3. Haunted Mansion Holiday
4. Pirates of the Carribbean
5. Space Mountain
6. Big Thunder Mountain
7. Splash Mountain
8. All of the Fantasy Land Dark Rides
9. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

the bold rides are for rides specific to DL


If you have time to go to California Adventure:

1. Soarin' (I know WDW has one but it's a great ride!)
2. Tower of Terror
3. Monster's Inc.
4. California Screamin'


Get a map when you walk in as this will help you navigate around the park. Enjoy your trip!

[penguinsoda]

You said you're going Thanksgiving week... are you going Mon and Tue before Thanksgiving or the Mon and Tue after? If before the crowds should be very light on those days. If its after, the parks might be a bit more busy, since Thanksgiving is the official start of the holiday season, but weekdays are generally a bit lighter. If you can do two days I would. You might be able to see everything in one, but why rush. With two days you can take your time, and if your daughter gets tired and you need to take a break you can without feeling like you will miss something.

Are you familiar with So Cal weather? Usually the days are very temperate in November, but the nights can get a bit chilly. Rain is possible, but not likely as we are suspose to be in a La Nina year weather wise.

Doombuggy Driver has an excellent list. But I would add Its a Small World to the must see. If you have a 10 year old girl, its something she would probalby like and it will have the Chrismas overlay on it which is nice. In DCA she might enjoy seeing Its a Bugs Life too. Its a 3D show, and has some cute surprizes for kids.

If you can I would have a character meal somewhere. Its very pricey, but again your daughter might love having the characters around and you can get some good photo ops. I don't remember where all of the Character Meal places are, or which ones do breakfast or dinner with characters but I know someone else on the site can fill you in on that. Last December we went to the Lilo and Stitch Breakfast at the PCH Grill and even I had a lot of fun. (Has did my daughter, who is 25)

This site is one I refer to frequently for general info. It has info on dining, with menus and prices (not always up to date), tips, and you can even view various maps in either jpg or pdf file format.

Enjoy! First trips are always a great adventure, esp. when a small child is with you!

[Junthor]

this would probably help you out a ton.....



http://www.micechat.com/forums/dlr_g...0.html?t=30900

[Datameister]

It sounds like your daughter will be able to handle just about anything at Disneyland, so here are my recommendations:

* Indiana Jones Adventure! This ride combines immersive theming and exciting thrills to a degree rarely seen anywhere else. Very cool--a modern classic, honestly. This would probably be my number one suggestion for newcomers.
* Space Mountain. Supposedly, it's vastly superior to its WDW counterpart, especially now that it's been revamped. Very fun ride through the dark, with great music and beautifully bizarre special effects.
* The Matterhorn. The first Disney roller coaster still packs a punch, thematically and thrill-wise.
* Pirates of the Caribbean. Again, supposedly quite superior to the WDW version. It's longer, in any case, and it has the gorgeous Blue Bayou restaurant attached to it.
* Big Thunder Mountain. Each resort features a different version of the ride, so you'd be well-advised to try Disneyland's.
* The Jungle Cruise. Lots of old growth, though some of it was removed a couple of years ago, creating a feeling of a genuine jungle. Pretty cool.
* The Enchanted Tiki Room. Not everyone's cup of tea, but you can't see the original show at WDW anymore and it's a true classic.

Splash Mountain and Star Tours are also good ones to try. Haunted Mansion Holiday bothers me, but many people love it--you ought to at least give it a chance.

[Pirate Lover 68]

Take both days and you will have no problem getting to see everything you would like. Spreading Disneyland (with a trip over to DCA) over two days allows you to not have to rush as much and maybe even see a couple of things morethan once. Have a great trip.