Anyone want to help with this weekends itinerary? Pretty please?

[colbybug]

We haven't been to Disneyland for about seven years. Sad. After reading about how crazy Disneyland is going to be after the Star Wars opening (for awhile) we decided to throw together a last minute trip to Disneyland thinking that maybe, just maybe, people will hold off going there until Star Wars opens. (We aren't Star Wars fans so no loss for us). I assume it will still be busy because when isn't it and it is a three day weekend but we are still hoping for lighter crowds. Anyway, it is my hubby, myself and our Disney addicted 17 year old son. We are flying in Sat morning and should be able to get to the park by 12:30ish. We aren't that interested in riding the kiddie rides. Here's my questions:

1) Where should we start first given it is already Sat afternoon? We will have MaxPass and Parkhoppers (that should be interesting as this is new to us. I have read the MaxPass threads so that should help). But where we aren't getting there til later, I'm assuming that a lot of Fast Passes will have been distributed. Correct?
2) Sunday? I've heard the earlier the better and to start at DL and it's suppose to be rainy so that might keep crowds down somewhat.
3) Monday? I have tickets to WOC dessert party for 10:00 pm so I figure we'd be in CA Monday late afternoon/evening???

We leave Tues morning... back to the airport at 10;00 am so not sure it's worth going back for a few hours. One last question...has anyone used Uber from the Long Beach airport to a Harbor Blvd hotel? How much is it ...ballpark?

Any help anyone can send my way would be greatly appreciated!!

Kathy

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

We haven't been to Disneyland for about seven years. Sad. After reading about how crazy Disneyland is going to be after the Star Wars opening (for awhile) we decided to throw together a last minute trip to Disneyland thinking that maybe, just maybe, people will hold off going there until Star Wars opens. (We aren't Star Wars fans so no loss for us). I assume it will still be busy because when isn't it and it is a three day weekend but we are still hoping for lighter crowds. Anyway, it is my hubby, myself and our Disney addicted 17 year old son. We are flying in Sat morning and should be able to get to the park by 12:30ish. We aren't that interested in riding the kiddie rides. Here's my questions:

1) Where should we start first given it is already Sat afternoon? We will have MaxPass and Parkhoppers (that should be interesting as this is new to us. I have read the MaxPass threads so that should help). But where we aren't getting there til later, I'm assuming that a lot of Fast Passes will have been distributed. Correct?
2) Sunday? I've heard the earlier the better and to start at DL and it's suppose to be rainy so that might keep crowds down somewhat.
3) Monday? I have tickets to WOC dessert party for 10:00 pm so I figure we'd be in CA Monday late afternoon/evening???

We leave Tues morning... back to the airport at 10;00 am so not sure it's worth going back for a few hours.

Any help anyone can send my way would be greatly appreciated!!

Kathy

I really don't have experience in DCA so no help for that but I can help a bit with DL because I've been researching for a trip to that park.

You're right that a lot of the FPs will probably have been distributed. Skyegirl's thread on FPs is great. I'd get an FP for Space Mountain as soon as you're scanned in - the return time should be late. Then ride Splash single rider (I'd do that the day that's not rainy so that the sun can dry you off). Next watch some shows I guess, lines will be really long by this point and you won't have FPs. Then use Space FP. Get a FP to Big Thunder Mountain next. Ride Matterhorn single rider. Use the FP for BTM.

For Sunday rope drop. Do Indy first thing in the morning before doing Pirates, lines should be pretty short in the morning. Get a FP at entrance for Star Tours by the way and after Pirates use that FP. Then get a FP for Buzz Lightyear, that should be pretty immediate return and you can ride that once or twice. Next I'd get a FP for haunted mansion which should also be pretty immediate and ride that. That's kind of all the big rides but you should definitely do some shows and shopping in the mid afternoon. I'd also get a FP for Fantasmic! early in the day and watch that at night.

I'd devote Monday fully to DCA

 

[Skyegirl1999]

So, if it was me, on Saturday I'd check on the app what wait times in both parks look like and just head to whichever park looks best. You'll likely be able to pick up cancelled FPs if you don't like the current selection; just keep refreshing until you see stuff you want. (We were there in the afternoon on the day before Mother's Day and even though FPs were late when we arrived, we rode TSMM, GOTG, and could have gotten RSR all on cancellations if we'd been able to stay until 4:30.)

Sunday, definitely start at DL. Sunday mornings are usually pretty good there (even on holiday weekends), so book FPs efficiently and ride non-FP rides as much as possible in the morning. With Maxpass, you'll have zero trouble hitting all the FP rides over 2 1/2 days, so those morning hours should definitely be for non-FP stuff as much as possible - this is a time I'd book Space Mountain for 8:30-9:30 and not use it until like 9:40, personally, and at 8:30 book something like IJ or Matterhorn or even jump on the RSR train if that's going fast...

Monday evening if you're going to be in DCA, try to time a RSR FP for a little after sundown and catch the sunset "show" where they turn on all the neon lights in Carsland! It's really cool.

You'll have a great time even though I'm sure it will be crowded. Have fun!

 

[colbybug]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. It is very helpful!! Any other opinions?

 

[midnight star]

In between rides, check out different entertainment options. At DCA, the Philarmagic show is pretty cute. I've never done the animation academy or beasts library but many people like it. Frozen is great too, it's just a little long. Only do it if you are big Frozen fans or have a lot of time to waste. At DL there is Mickey and the Magical map! I love that one!