Thinking about First Disneyland Trip: Need Help

[MrPeetrie]

Hey gang, I've been to Walt Disney World several times and I know what's involved in planning a trip there. For some time, I've been contemplating a much shorter trip to Anaheim and Disneyland. How intense is the planning for a trip there?

How many days is sufficient? I was thinking 4 or five nights. Is that a good amount?

Do I need to reserve my ADRs at the 180-day mark? Do I need to be online PRECISELY at 6:00 a.m. to get the good meals? Will I be able to eat at any sit-downs as a "walk-up?"

Do they utilize the paper FastPass system there?

Is it worth staying on property?

Is it better to fly into John Wayne Airport over LAX?

Please, help this Disneyland newbie. Be as specific as you like.
Thanks.

[NewDVCowner]

Depending on the time of year you're going four or five nights is great. Dining reservations are available at 60 days out. However I will say that the coynter service restaurants at DL are MUCH better than WDW so you don't need to get reservations for every meal - just experiences that you really want. Blue Bayou is, in my opinon, over priced (it's Disney) but a great experience to have at least once.

DL uses paper fast passes and I cannot emphasize enough to get the park hopper.

In terms of where to stay I'll say it depends on your budget. The Disney hotels are great however you can save a ton of money staying at an offsite hotel. Several of them are a shorter walk than Paradice Pier.

I'd fly into long beach - SNA. Cab ride to the resort is about $40 a or at least it was the last time I went three or four years ago

[PopPhan]

Recently returned from my first ever Disneyland trip and will say the following:

1) Park Hopper!!! It is so easy to go between parks...like walking a few hundred yards!
2) Take advantage of the early park hour if you can! That extra hour can mean the world for getting on the most popular rides.
3) Visit during the week!! Parks are so much less crowded on weekdays vs. weekends.

I booked two sit-down meals because i wanted to see Fantasmic! and World of Color from decent locations. I really don't know how much you NEED to book ahead, but at 60 days I got anything I wanted.

Paper fastpasses, no MagicBands. Get your fastpasses as soon as possible once you are in the gates.

Both parks have a smaller footprint than any of the WDW parks, so they seem to fill much more quickly. Just getting around can be a chore, specially later in the evening and on weekends.

All that said, I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!! Enjoy your visit!

[BrerGnat]

Hey there, congratulations on planning your first Disneyland trip! First off, relax a bit. Disneyland doesn't require quite the same level of planning as WDW does.

I think 5 nights would be perfect, giving you 4 full days to enjoy the parks.

When would you visit? If at all possible choose a weekday visit (plan for M-F at the parks). The parks become insanely crowded every single weekend due to an influx of local AP holders (guilty as charged!)

Dining: you don't really NEED reservations unless you want a dining package. Or, want to eat in Downtown Disney on a weekend night. Blue Bayou is probably the only place you still need a reservation, although they will take walk ups when it's slow. I would recommend (if it makes you more comfortable) make reservations maybe around the 30 day mark. You should get whatever you want. I never make reservations and we eat at the restaurants frequently by just walking up.

Old schol paper fastpass still in use. Can have passes for both parks simultaneously. The systems are not connected.

Personally, I think the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian are 100% worth it. I would choose an off site hotel over Paradise Pier, though. That hotel leaves a lot to be desired, from a Disney perspective.

John Wayne is 1000 times better than LAX, in every way. It's small, efficient, friendly, modern, and a very short drive to Disneyland (20 min). I can't recommend it highly enough.

Any other questions?

[Genie1953]

We loved Disneyland! We did 5 nights.....flew in on a Sunday and back home on a Friday. We flew into SNA (Orange County/Santa Ana) and used a shuttle bus service...can't remember the name but will look through my records and see if I can find it. We stayed at Candy Cane Inn....located very close to the parks....easy 5-10 minute walk. It is a owned by the same family since the late 1950's and has a great reputation. They also have a bus service to the parks if you don't feel like walking. The one thing we noticed was that Disneyland seemed very crowded but I think that is because everything is closer together. We love love loved being able to walk out the gate of one park and across a courtyard and into the other park or to Downtown Disney. Yes...they are actually that close! We also loved that Downtown Disney was much smaller and easier to navigate. The night show at California Adventure is absolutely amazing as is the Fantasmic show at Magic Kingdom. We ate at breakfast at the hotel every morning as it was included and ate lunch and dinner at the parks...some table service but more often at counter service. The food was great! Enjoy your trip!

[MrPeetrie]

Personally, I think the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian are 100% worth it. I would choose an off site hotel over Paradise Pier, though. That hotel leaves a lot to be desired, from a Disney perspective.

John Wayne is 1000 times better than LAX, in every way. It's small, efficient, friendly, modern, and a very short drive to Disneyland (20 min). I can't recommend it highly enough.

Any other questions?

Brergnat, are those hotels considered "on property?" In other words, would there be transportation to-and-from either of those resorts to the park?

Also, thanks about the John Wayne Airport review. I was a bit tentative about flying into a smaller airport.

The time I am thinking about is near Christmas. Do they do a Christmas party like Disney World?

[Genie1953]

Disneyland hotel, Grand Californian, and Paradise Pier are all Disney hotels located right on property. I don't think transportation is needed even if it is provided. If I remember correctly Grand Californian has an entrance directly into Disney's California Adventure Park.

[BrerGnat]

Brergnat, are those hotels considered "on property?" In other words, would there be transportation to-and-from either of those resorts to the park?

Also, thanks about the John Wayne Airport review. I was a bit tentative about flying into a smaller airport.

The time I am thinking about is near Christmas. Do they do a Christmas party like Disney World?

Those are Disney's three resorts on property. If possible, I recommend looking at the resort using a maps (satellite view) app or Google maps. It will show you how the resort is laid out. Disneyland and California Adventure are located directly across from one another and separated by less than 100 yards. Downtown Disney lies to the west of the parks and forms a long strip that terminates with the Disneyland Hotel (total distance from DLH to the parks is less than half a mile). Paradise Pier Hotel lies South of the Disneyland hotel, separated by a parking lot. The Grand Californian hotel is adjacent to DCA and Downtown Disney. There is a hotel entrance approximately halfway down the length of DtD and also an entrance directly into DCA, near the Grizzly river attraction.

Moving east from the parks is Harbor Blvd. There are several hotels located on that street within easy walking distance. However, they are all non Disney hotels/motels.

There isn't transportation needed to any of the Disney hotels. It is all very walkable. I would compare the walking distance to the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier as similar to that between Epcot's International gateway and the the Boardwalk Hotel.

There is a monorail that travels between Tomorrowland and the end of Downtown Disney, near the Disneyland Hotel. Walking is always faster going TO the park, but coming back to the hotel, taking the monorail from Tomorrowland is faster if there is a short line.

[BrerGnat]

Oh, and no Christmas party. They provide all the same entertainment daily for everyone to see. There is a Christmas Fantasy Parade, special Fireworks, and a special World of Color show at DCA.