Does Disneyland need strategy?

[Summer2018]

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... I cannot walk far because of a serious knee injury. I can handle only a half-day...

You might want to look into using an ECV at DLR. Having that option can really change your whole trip for the better by saving you so much pain and energy. DLR is very accepting and flexible about guests with special needs. We have quite a few regular posters here who have lots of experience using ECVs at the parks. If you have any (and I mean any) questions about this, ask away! One of the great things about having an ECV is having the choice to use it if you want to/need to or parking it for a while and walking if you'd like to. Then you can come back to it later if the pain flares up again. There are companies that get recommended here which will drop off/pick up at your hotel -- Deckert's is one that comes to mind.

 

[Summer2018]

You might want to look into using an ECV at DLR. Having that option can really change your whole trip for the better by saving you so much pain and energy. DLR is very accepting and flexible about guests with special needs. We have quite a few regular posters here who have lots of experience using ECVs at the parks. If you have any (and I mean any) questions about this, ask away! One of the great things about having an ECV is having the choice to use it if you want to/need to or parking it for a while and walking if you'd like to. Then you can come back to it later if the pain flares up again. There are companies that get recommended here which will drop off/pick up at your hotel -- Deckert's is one that comes to mind.

Thanks.

I’m considering a wheelchair rental. I used a wheelchair in the parks in WDW this summer and was able to walk around our resort and to restaurants because I rested my knee in the parks.

I will give it some thought.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thanks.

I’m considering a wheelchair rental. I used a wheelchair in the parks in WDW this summer and was able to walk around our resort and to restaurants because I rested my knee in the parks.

I will give it some thought.

An ECV can work out better than a wheelchair at DL depending on who will be pushing the chair. The ground at DL isn't level all around (it can be quite steep or uneven in places), so pushing a chair around can be quite a workout. If you start a new thread with any questions about a wheelchair vs. ECV, you can ask any and all questions and get good answers from people here who have used both.

 

[Summer2018]

An ECV can work out better than a wheelchair at DL depending on who will be pushing the chair. The ground at DL isn't level all around (it can be quite steep or uneven in places), so pushing a chair around can be quite a workout. If you start a new thread with any questions about a wheelchair vs. ECV, you can ask any and all questions and get good answers from people here who have used both.

Great advice. Thanks.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I appreciate your information a lot. I'm a group A WDW veteran, and I'm feeling uncomfortable right now. Our stay at Disneyland Hotel is during Easter week, arriving the evening of Palm Sunday, and checking out on the Saturday before Easter. We basically have 5 days there. I read somewhere that unlike WDW, Mondays are crowded in Disneyland, and we are better off being in the park on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We plan on exploring Seal Beach on Monday; taking a tour bus from Anaheim to Hollywood and hitting the hot spots on Tuesday(still have to find the right tour for us); exploring Disneyland on Wednesday and Thursday mornings beginning at rope drop, afternoon at the pool (No, we are not doing California Adventure, don't want to); and relaxing at our resort on Friday, pool, etc. I'm hoping at some point to enjoy Trader Sam's. We missed out when staying at the Polynesian in July because we just never got around to it. I'm looking at restaurants to reserve now, but I feel weird without our Disney Dining Plan. Figuring out a budget for meals is freaking me out. Normally, we do DDP and don't think about it. Can I get Max Pass before we leave? Not doing FP+ at home is also making me wonder how it will all go. I know nothing about Disneyland except that the castle is smaller.

I feel like 2 days with breaks will not be enough.

I agree with pp that the more days you're at dl the more lax you can be with planning.

ETA there is “nothing” at dtd imo. Hahaha! He’d have more fun hopping into a park for food or a ride. I can’t even spend an hour there, beyond dining. It is not at all comparable to Disney springs.

 

[Princess Katelet]

I tend to map out in my head which days I plan to do parades and night shows. We also make a few dining reservations. Beyond that, we decide everything as we go. We love it that way. Honestly, it's why we ditched WDW when FP+ started.

We haven't been back to WDW since FP+. I'm not going to put up with that nonsense.

I hope Disneyland never falls victim to FP+. My Disney days would be over.

Meeee, tooooo!! Haven't been to WDW since 2010 (before FP+ started, thankfully...I've never had to deal with it). Before then we were huge WDW fans and vets and loved the free dining and the FP runs and had absolutely fabulous trips and we have wonderful memories. But when we visited DL in 2012 for the first time we fell in love with that, too, and then when WDW ruined (in our opinion) their perfectly good FP system we decided it was far more worth our time and money to fly from the east coast to the west coast for DL and their regular FP system and now their Maxpass system!! DL is a DREAM! Been there five times in six years now with plans to return. I WOULD like to visit WDW again to experience 7 Dwarf Mine Train, the new Toy Story rides, Flight of Passage, and Frozen Ever After, but I just can't justify it at all.

 

[katyringo]

Meeee, tooooo!! Haven't been to WDW since 2010 (before FP+ started, thankfully...I've never had to deal with it). Before then we were huge WDW fans and vets and loved the free dining and the FP runs and had absolutely fabulous trips and we have wonderful memories. But when we visited DL in 2012 for the first time we fell in love with that, too, and then when WDW ruined (in our opinion) their perfectly good FP system we decided it was far more worth our time and money to fly from the east coast to the west coast for DL and their regular FP system and now their Maxpass system!! DL is a DREAM! Been there five times in six years now with plans to return. I WOULD like to visit WDW again to experience 7 Dwarf Mine Train, the new Toy Story rides, Flight of Passage, and Frozen Ever After, but I just can't justify it at all.

This is me. Kinda. Haven’t been to WDW but I really struggle with the idea of giving up Disneyland and then there being no garuntee of getting the dinning and rides you want at WDW... I like
My happy safe Disneyland bubble

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I often wonder why they even bother coming.

Sometimes it's just to dip their toes in the water to see how things go. We've had reports here from WDW vets who were convinced that they weren't going to care for DLR at all, so they didn't really invest in their trip here -- not much planning, not much time. And... they ended up liking it so much that they planned a return trip. And another return trip... And now they go back and forth between both coasts. Some people are belly flop folks -- they just throw themselves into whatever they're doing -- full immersion or nothing! But other people need more time to process and try out someplace/something new. Some posters here report just falling in love with DLR. And others say that because it isn't WDW 2.0, they're never coming back. Everyone is different, and we're fine with that here. As long as they gave DLR a fair shake, they are entitled to their opinion. (It's the unfair reports that get people going around here! Whole 'nother story...) Room for one and all on these boards!

 

[LizzyS]

We haven't been back to WDW since FP+. I'm not going to put up with that nonsense.

I hope Disneyland never falls victim to FP+. My Disney days would be over.

See, I personally just don't get that train of thought.

I am, admittedly, a planner, but I thought FP+ was really cool. It's different than DLR's FP, or now Maxpass, but it was still really good for us. I know a lot of people don't want to plan that far in advance, but I had fun doing that, too.

I guess I'm saying give it a shot before deciding you hate it.

 

[LizzyS]

I’ve noticed this with a lot of WDW vets. They downplay Disneyland /DCA a lot.. DCA has so much magic!!

Yeah, I have to chime in and say that DCA is pretty great and, although I've done a couple of one day trips without going to DCA, if you have the time, you should absolutely do DCA.

 

[LizzyS]

This is me. Kinda. Haven’t been to WDW but I really struggle with the idea of giving up Disneyland and then there being no garuntee of getting the dinning and rides you want at WDW... I like
My happy safe Disneyland bubble

WDW had no chance of replacing DLR as my fave Disney experience, but we went back in February and I'm really glad we did as we had a fantastic time. I had no issue getting the Fast Passes and dining that I wanted, just be sure to be on point as to when reservations open up and it's generally not a big deal. What I'm saying is, don't rule out WDW, give it a chance. It's a different sort of vacation than DLR, but we plan to go back in a few years. It honestly blew my husband's socks off.

 

[mom2rtk]

See, I personally just don't get that train of thought.

I am, admittedly, a planner, but I thought FP+ was really cool. It's different than DLR's FP, or now Maxpass, but it was still really good for us. I know a lot of people don't want to plan that far in advance, but I had fun doing that, too.

I guess I'm saying give it a shot before deciding you hate it.

I've tried it. I hated it. It's about more than the extra scheduling, which I'm not fond of. It's mostly about the inability to get FPs for high demand attractions. Or to get FPs for re-rides. Or to get high demand FPs if your plans change for a given day (like for bad weather or illness). Plus the fact that FP has slowed down lines on things that never needed FP before (IASW, Teacups, etc).

 

[LizzyS]

I've tried it. I hated it. It's about more than the extra scheduling, which I'm not fond of. It's mostly about the inability to get FPs for high demand attractions. Or to get FPs for re-rides. Or to get high demand FPs if your plans change for a given day (like for bad weather or illness). Plus the fact that FP has slowed down lines on things that never needed FP before (IASW, Teacups, etc).

I hear ya and that's fine, at least you gave it a shot.

 

[katyringo]

I hear ya and that's fine, at least you gave it a shot.

I’m deff going to try it once my kiddos are older and I don’t have to haul a stroller around the city that is WDW resort. I’m sure I’ll love it because Disney is my life... I just really really love Disneyland.

 

[AustinTink]

See, I personally just don't get that train of thought.

I am, admittedly, a planner, but I thought FP+ was really cool. It's different than DLR's FP, or now Maxpass, but it was still really good for us. I know a lot of people don't want to plan that far in advance, but I had fun doing that, too.

I guess I'm saying give it a shot before deciding you hate it.

We have been to WDW 11 times. I'm ok with never going back. We loved being able to make the most of the old fp system and we were darn good at it. We could easily ride 12 or more rides in a day, headliners and re-rides of headliners, with very little effort. This included afternoon naps and swims at the hotel. That type of touring is just too difficult to achieve with the new system.

 

[LizzyS]

I’m deff going to try it once my kiddos are older and I don’t have to haul a stroller around the city that is WDW resort. I’m sure I’ll love it because Disney is my life... I just really really love Disneyland.

I feel the same way about Disneyland!

 

[tvguy]

We are just back, yesterday, from 3 days in the parks. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. 2 adults in our 60's, stayed at the Grand Californian. We opted not to buy MaxPass, and as far as I can tell, it would not have helped us with anything we wanted to do. The making dining reservations 60 days in advance is a whole lot more planning than I want to do on a vacation. We like to be a lot more free form. We were disappointed Sunday when we tried to make reservations for Tuesday at the Blue Bayou, host said they are booked solid through Thanksgiving but once in a while they do have slots open for standby guests. On a whim Tuesday night at 730 pm we stopped by to see if any standby slots were open, and we were seated immediately!
So to the OP's question, we don't think you need much of a strategy for DL or DCA. Only strategy we had was to do Splash Mountain in DL and Grizzly River Run in DCA back to back and then go back to the hotel and change into dry clothing.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... The making dining reservations 60 days in advance is a whole lot more planning than I want to do on a vacation. We like to be a lot more free form. We were disappointed Sunday when we tried to make reservations for Tuesday at the Blue Bayou, host said they are booked solid through Thanksgiving but once in a while they do have slots open for standby guests. On a whim Tuesday night at 730 pm we stopped by to see if any standby slots were open, and we were seated immediately!..

One tip for a future visit: DLR holds some reservations for on site hotel guests, so you can ask the hotel concierge to find you a PS reservation at BB or any other TS restaurant. Also, the Dine Line can help on site guests with reservations. But I'm glad you found some pixie dust and got a table as a walk up!

 

[JohnneeO]

We are going from Nov. 4 through Nov. 9 this year (5 park days). Our strategy is based on the daily event calendar. There are several daily events listed right now only for November 4th, and not on the other days (as I type this): Fantasmic, Fireworks, Mickey and the Magical Map, Pixar Play Parade, Storytelling at Royal Theatre, Plaza de la Famalia.

So our "strategy" is to experience all of these attractions on November 4th. We will do rides as well, of course, but our priority will be those attractions happening only on that day. IMO, it would be foolish to miss out on experiences/attractions because of not taking time to do minimal research, and create a simple plan.