Help; My First Trip!

[TheDorkofDW]

(Mods, forgive me and move/delete this post accordingly if this isn't the correct place to post this)

To preface this, I've been to Walt Disney World enough times that I feel as if I've lived there. I spent my entire childhood living 2 hours or less from the World, and never went more than a couple months between trips. As a matter of fact, even living 1,000 miles away, I still make it back every year (I was there about 6 weeks ago, actually). Thanks to those trips, I'm pretty much immune to heat (I don't consider it to be 'hot' until the temperature goes about 100), and have a surprising tolerance for lines (then again, I also have the knack for getting the most out of Fastpasses).

Next month, I'm excited (to put it mildly) to say that I'm going to Disneyland! The one problem (albeit a good one): I've NEVER been! I'm flying out to San Francisco (where my mom lives), and we'll be driving down. We'll be staying in one of the 'Good Neighbor" hotels (we've got it narrowed down to a couple hotels that have openings and will book officially next week). Our tentative plan is to spend one day at Disneyland, and another at California Adventure, before moving on to Leg 2 of our vacation (Los Angeles). Personally, I'm hoping to squeeze in a baseball game while I'm there, but I'll have to wait and see on that...

Beyond that, I'm essentially clueless. I know very little about Disneyland (and am therefore trying to provide myself with a crash-course), and almost nothing about California Adventure. The only thing I do know is that this whole trip has turned this jaded college underclassman into a giddy four year old!

So, to prevent further rambling on my part, I'm asking for advice - ANY advice - that you have to offer.

Please, don't think anything is too trivial; I need all the help I can get!

Thanks in advance!!!

[tinkwest]

Welcome to INTERCOT!!!!

My first piece of advice is to not set your plans to "one day at Disneyland, and another at California Adventure". Get your park hoppers and HOP!! Disneyland feeling too crowded? ---> Move over to Disney's California Adventure. Had enough of DCA's open spaces & need a Tiki Room fix? ---> Go back over to Disneyland.

There are so many things to suggest it would be a lot easier for us if you posed a few specific questions. Do you have particular interests? (Thrill rides, nostalgic rides, entertainment). What kind of meals do you look forward to? (A memorable dinner, a quick lunch, snacking throughout the day). Why not read through some other threads in this Vacation Planning forum and see what you learn.