A WDW veteran's first time at Disneyland - Questions!

[tinpanorama]

Hey gang,

My soon-to-be-wife and I will spending our honeymoon in California from Sept. 14-19 !!(missing the D23 expo by one day, darn!). Anyway, we have both never been to CA. I have been to WDW about six times since 1999 and pretty well know the tips and tricks in Orlando. What should I expect as a total newbie at Disneyland in September? Crowds? Weather?

It sounds like the Haunted Mansion usually goes down around the time we'll be there. When does Small World usually go down for its holiday refurb? I am hoping at least one of them will be open.

No Fantasmic or MSEP in September? That's the impression I am getting. If so, that's a bummer!

I know Pirates and Small World are MUCH different than their WDW counterparts, but what about some of the other attractions? I don't want to use up too much time riding attractions that are exact duplicates of stuff we've done before in Florida. Should we just skip Star Tours, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Muppetvision, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Tough to Be a Bug, et al and just focus on attractions like Roger Rabbit, Indiana Jones, Fantasyland stuff, Toontown, Nemo's Subs etc.

Are there any really good podcasts devoted to Disneyland advice for newbies (kind of like WDW Today)?

We are planning to have dinner one day at Blue Bayou. Any other must-dos for meals?

Is it fairly easy to get to Universal Studios' tour from Anaheim? Is it worth the trip? (Again, I notice a lot of attractions are the same as Orlando's like Jurassic, Shrek, Simpsons, etc... but does the tour make it worth it?)

We will be renting a car and staying at the Embassy Suites on Harbor Boulevard/Garden Grove.

Any advice/tips/hints/suggestions, etc will be much appreciated!!!

[tinpanorama]

Oops, meant for this to be posted in Vacation Planning. Could one of the mods move it over? Sorry!

[Magic Smiles]

Seems to be a lot of newbies going to DL this summer. I am also one and am really starting to get excited for the trip. We are also doing Universal, but staying at the Hilton Universal, so apparently will be across the street. I am under the impression that Los Angeles is only approx 45 minutes from Disneyland, but I could be wrong. We have 5 nights there and then 7 nights in Disneyland.
So keep the questions coming as the more information the better. Unfortunately I don't have any answers for you.

[fupresti]

Don't skip Space Mountain, the one at Disneyland is far superior to the one at WDW. Make sure you ride the Nemo Submarine ride first, there is no FastPass and the standby line is slow and fills up fast.

[PiratesCove]

IMHO:

Don't skip anything! I'm a veteran of both parks and I don't skip rides ( Unless the lines are just too long for the time frame I'm in the park.)!

Eat at the Blue Bayou...I can't stress this enough!

Savor down-home, Louisiana-inspired cooking and full table service in moonlit ambience as Pirates of the Caribbean passenger boats drift past. This popular restaurant serves a range of delectable dishes for lunch and dinner:

Fish and beef entrees — including mahi mahi, roast New York strip and an exquisite dinner special featuring surf and turf
Cajun classics like Tesora Island chicken, jambalaya and a Monte Cristo sandwich
Cajun-inspired wedge salad and gumbo (with entrees)
Specialty desserts like crème brulee (includes pirate keepsake)

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Cajun-Creole

Service Type: Fine Dining

Price Range: $$$ ($20-$30 per person) *

Meals Served: Lunch, Dinner

Location: New Orleans Square

Additional Information
Priority Seating is recommended and can be made in person for this location on a limited basis. Priority Seating can also be arranged in advance by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE, or (714) 781-3463†.


Universal Studios Hollywood is GREAT! I've been 4 times and I still enjoy going. The back stage tram tour is great! IMHO, you should go!

Hope this little bit of info helps! I hope you both have a fun and safe trip!!

[nicster]

Universal CA is totally worth doing, even if you have been to FL many times before. You always have a chance of seeing a celeb on the backlot, so keep a weather-eye-out (oops, my pirate comes out randomly)
As for eateries, the Wine Country Trattoria is very good. Even if you just want a bit of a break, sitting outside and enjoying one of their cheese plates with some wine is very enjoyable. Their Italian food is wonderful. The weather is usually 80's, much cooler in the mornings & evenings. Also, they have a tortilla factory tour, with freshly made tortillias handed out at the end of the tour (the same with the sourdough bread factory). The tours are short, but interesting. The Mexican Concina Cucamonga Mexiacan Grill & Taste Pilots Grill have great food.

FYI Watch for traffic hours during the week, they can be brutal. What looks like a simple drive across town can be hours, if you choose the wrong time.

Enjoy your trip

[MushuGrl]

Don't skip anything! Even repeat rides such as Peter Pan do have differences.

[NotaGeek]

I vote don't miss anything? The parks aren't like WDW ... you walk between them and you can really see a lot and repeat stuff you love during the day. It's a different experience -- just go see everything. Nothing is exactly the same.

I am not a fan of BB, it's overpriced and the service isn't amazing for the price point. For some time away, hop on the Monorail and try Hook's Point at the Disneyland Hotel. It's great food, nice atmosphere and family friendly -- and it's a nice break from the hustle of the park. DTD has Ralph Brennan's which is really good -- my favorite meal in the park for lunch or dinner is probably either Rancho del Zocalo or Plaza Inn -- the fried chicken is to die for! For breakfast it's definitely Carnation Cafe or Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel.

[delphinidae308]

Agreed, I wouldn't skip any duplicates. I would maybe just try to ride the unique rides first. Space Mtn, POTC, Indiana Jones, California Screamin, and Blue Bayou are musts. Whenever I ride Mickey's Fun Wheel the line is shorter for the non-free swinging gondolas if you want to ride just for the view. Storyteller's Cafe is popular for breakfast because of the characters, but I like to go for lunch when it's less busy and I'm in the mood for quiet.

[NewDVCowner]

I just wanted to chime in to say not to skip anything.

I'm blanking on the name, but there's a Mexican restaurant near BTMRR that I highly recommend. Good food, huge portions and it's counter service.

And, as has already been mentioned, the traffic in LA is horrible. It can take you a lot longer to drive somewhere than you'd anticipated.

[Marceline]

Oh gosh...yeah don't skip anything. There are no actual true duplicates at DL because the beauty is in the details of the differences. Main Street in DL should be savored. Absolutely see the original unadulterated Tiki Room! POTC, Small World and Space Mountain are BETTER at DL IMHO. Explore New Orleans Square. Ride the train, ride the monorail, take a walk through the gorgeous Grand Californian Hotel. Shop around Downtown Disney. I recommend Ralph Brennan's Jazz kitchen, even just the Express kitchen, for the shrimp Po' boys and beignets. yummm

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

I just booked my first trip to DL. I've been to WDW many times but never DL. I'm enjoying reading everyone comments here.

Rancho del Zocalo - glad to hear this is good.

Wine Country Trattoria - wine and cheese plate... I think I'm going to have to do this.

I have one question... how bad are the crowds the week before Labor Day? We'll be there Aug 30-Sept 4. The rates were less than a couple weeks earlier so I was wondering if the crowds will be down a little bit or should I expect to wait an hour for rides.

[NotaGeek]

I have one question... how bad are the crowds the week before Labor Day? We'll be there Aug 30-Sept 4. The rates were less than a couple weeks earlier so I was wondering if the crowds will be down a little bit or should I expect to wait an hour for rides.

Expect crowds -- that's the last weekend of summer, take advantage of fastpasses. Hit Disneyland early, and take advantage of DCA when DL gets crazy. You'll be fine.

[Magic Smiles]

We just arrived today for our first visit. This place, Disneyland, is spectacular!
I love WDW, but this place takes my breath away. I can't even tell you how wonderful the theming is. DH noticed almost right away at how there is not spot of the park that has been missed on the theming.

[NotaGeek]

We just arrived today for our first visit. This place, Disneyland, is spectacular!
I love WDW, but this place takes my breath away. I can't even tell you how wonderful the theming is. DH noticed almost right away at how there is not spot of the park that has been missed on the theming.

Have fun at Walt's Park ... you should open a new thread in Trip Reports, that way you have your own thread if you'd like to report as you go!