Park hopping

[Suz36]

I'm trying to work out our schuledule for our upcoming 1st trip to DL (so excited!), and I'm wondering about early entry. If we can be at the gate in time for early entry, will we really have enough time to get much done and then be at the gates for opening at the other park to take advantage of easy early touring there? Just trying to figure out if all that running around will really be worth it. Do park hoppers enter through a separate turnstile and will that be functioning at opening time of the non- early entry park?

[gerald72]

If you go the EMH at one park, you aren't going to make it to rope drop at a different park that day.
Park hoppers use the same entrance as non-park hoppers.

[gerald72]

Never mind....thought you meant WDW, not DL

Sorry

[tinkwest]

You could take advantage of Early Admission at one Park and then rush on over to the other Park for regular hours opening. But, to me, that seems like putting too much pressure on yourself. Go to an Early Admission, enjoy all the options given to you, and then when you are finished and feel ready for the other Park, wander on over. Is there a particular reason that you want to be at one Park early and then the other Park for opening?

[Suz36]

Being a WDW veteran, I think I'm just conditioned to take advantage of those early hours, and figured I might be able to do it at both parks with the proximity.:blush:

[rwdavis2]

We're going in September and if the pattern holds then DCA will be the early park for the single day we are there. I have never been there and my wife has never been to either park.

So we'll do what we have planned out at DCA realizing we can't do it all. Then hop over to DL and do the rides they don't have at WDW. At that point we will decide if there's anything else we want to do in DL and if not hop back to DCA.

It may be hectic but we'll try to not get too crazy as the parks may be open for about 12 hours that day.

[eeyorepoohfan]

It really depends. If DL is the early entry, you can probably hit 2-3 rides in that 1 hour. However, keep in mind where in DL you are and you still have to walk to the front gates and get through the people coming in, walk across the promenade and get in line at CA. But you may be stressing too much to get over there and not enjoy the scenery as much! CA is a spread out park so if that is the early entry, you may only hit 1-2 rides before having to head over to DL. In my experience, both parks are at their lowest crowds in the first 2-3 hours. So that's always my goal time frame. I get fastpasses or ride my favorite rides in those first few hours with little wait times. By 11AM both parks start to get busy.

[BadBoyBill]

One important difference between WDW and DL is most people go to WDW for a week and most people go to DL for 2-3 days. The biggest thing is a huge percent at DL on weekends are local pass holders who are there more often and want to ride the E ticket rides. The lines can be very long for those rides and since the parks are MUCH smaller they are more crowded considering the attendance is about the same to the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland park. The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland has a comparison between rides at WDW and DL. Don't miss Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean as they are much better at DL. Also check out Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel for a nice place to unwind after the parks.