PDA

View Full Version : Disney World Frequent Visitor but 1st time at Diseyland HELP!



Family5LovesDisney
12-30-2004, 07:15 AM
Help! :confused: Our family has been to Disney World many times and we know all the "ins and the outs". But we have never been to Disneyland before. We wanted to see where it all happened. We will be in Disneyland from March 15th through March 19th. We were only planning on two days in the park. After reading through the posts and reviews, we want to spend most of our time in Disneyland and skip California Adventure. Our children aren't into thrill rides but are too old for the child's Bug area in that park. I am hoping that we picked a good time to go.........not too crowded?? We usually visit Disney World in January and it's not very crowded at all.

What are the things we must do?? Where is the best character meal for dinner??? (Ariel's Grotto or Goofy's Kitchen?) We really want to go on the rides that are unique to Disneyland and the hit some of our favorites if we have time.

Any advise would be appreciated!

rentayenta
12-30-2004, 08:09 AM
I know nothing about WDW and don't know what rides are unique to DL :)

How old are your are your kids and are they boys or girls? This will help narrow down the character meal ideas.

karl
12-30-2004, 08:23 AM
Hi, I'll jump in.

There are so many different answers to the questions you have asked, so its best to browse the park guides on MousePlanet, absorb all the answers on these boards, and so on.

In general, the parks have a similiar navigation, but with distinct differences, mostly on the 'left' side. We have no Liberty Square, but we have a New Orleans Square. Frontierland will seem very small to WDW's Frontierland. Adventureland likewise will seem odd.

There is lots of activity happening at WDW's Tomorrowland, whereas Disneyland's Tomorrowland is 'in recovery' from the 1998 redo. We expect great things this year, with Buzz that may be soft-opening in March, and a rebuilt Space Mountain later this year.

Must-rides -

The Indiana Jones attraction is great. This is similiar in technology and layout to Animal Kingdom's Countdown, but so very well themed and built.

its a small world - another must see, this is the original (from the World's Fair) and far better than the "indoor mall" type at the Magic Kingdom.

Matterhorn - Another classic, uniquely Disneyland attraction.

Autopia - An updated version at Disneyland.

All the other classics Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean..

Don't forget Fantasmic!

In general, Disneyland will be familiar, but feel quite a bit more intimate and smaller. But dont let size fool you,, the quantity and detail of attractions and shows is every bit as strong.

Although I would trade you Innoventions for your copy of Caroussel of Progress!

-- Karl

bassett1976
12-30-2004, 08:25 AM
My wife and I just got back from our first trip to WDW and are regulars at DL. The time you selected might be alright but it is getting closer to our Spring Break.

The rides you must hit:
Haunted Mansion (Much better than WDW)
Pirates (Much better than WDW)
Splash (Not quite as good but still fun)
Pinochio (Unique to DL, is alright)
Alice in Wonderland (Good, the only 2 story dark ride in the world)
Matterhorn (This is a thrill ride though)
Indiana Jones (This is another bumpy ride but fun)
Small World (I've heard this is better than WDW but it's annoying)
Jungle Cruise (Always a cheesy favorite)
Buzz (Might be open for the time you've chosen)
Star Tours (I think it's the exact film as WDW)
Rodger Rabit (Alright, get a fastpass)
Gadgets Go Coster (Small roller coaster but usually a LONG line)
Fantasmic (I like this version a lot better than WDW, but it is a bit shorter and no stadium to sit in)
Monorail (The original, this is fun if the line isn't long, ask to sit in front!)

One piece of advice that my wife and I were given on our honeymoon is this: As the park opens, head up to Toon Town. Toon Town is not open but they send the characters out to great people. It's a great way to get a couple of pictures without the long line. We got a picture with Mickey, Minnie and Pluto with having to wait 1 minute and walked right up to Goofy.

To ride the attractions, the best time is to get into the park when it opens and depending on how late DL stays open, the hour or two before closing.

I Heart Disneyland!
12-30-2004, 08:26 AM
I think Cal. Adv. is okay to pop in for an hour or so. Soarin' Over California is really cool, I think (and so does my hubby and adult kids), and Bug's Life is cute...even for us (and we're in our 40's!) it's one of those one time deals. We DO spend 99% of our time, however, in DL. What kind of things are you looking for? Rides? Food? Parades? Shows? Like RentaYenta said, if you narrow down your search, we can all pitch in! We all have tons of thoughts about this subject, as you can see! :D

VickiC
12-30-2004, 08:34 AM
I wouldn't skip CA altogether. Plan on one afternoon there. It's less than a five minute walk. And I actually think Ariel's Grotto is one of the better character meals, it's the only one with Mickey. If your kids are too old for BL they will love Soarin and the rapids ride is not a thrill ride persay. The ferris wheel is good for a view of the whole resort. Mid March, two days should be enough to do both parks, Oh yeah, try to catch Alladin too. Best show in both parks, IMO.

MrsG
12-30-2004, 08:44 AM
I think you should at least visit DCA. Like everyone has said, at least for Soarin'. But then again, you are getting that in WDW soon.

I'd think about a trip to Blue Bayou restaurant - exclusive to DL. While the food is so-so, it is a classic. Great atmosphere. It is kind of expensive, so go just for dessert.

merlinjones
12-30-2004, 08:45 AM
Have fun and kick back!

Unlike at WDW, you don't have to get up at dawn and panic and run around trying to overschedule everything in order to just accomplish the vacation on Disney's terms - - at Disneyland, you can relax and enjoy at a less frenetic pace. In two days, you'll see everything.

rentayenta
12-30-2004, 08:46 AM
If you do decide to pop into DCA you must explore Animation Studio. It's the only place in DCA that has that Disney magic, IMHO :)

karl
12-30-2004, 08:47 AM
I tend to agree with seeing "Soarin over California". This is definitely a ride you dont have in Florida (but will in Epcot). Perhaps one of the most emersive experiences anywhere.

Grizzly Rapids is somewhat based on the Animal Kingdom attraction, but I hear done better.

And I can't forget the Animation Building. A must see.

Spend an afternoon break in DCA... its well worth the trip.

sediment
12-30-2004, 09:29 AM
There have been a few threads about sameness and differentness between the two American resort destinations. It's too bad you won't have more time, since you really should visit DCA and record your opinions here. There are some good things to do once and not at WDW: Soarin' (you'll get your own soon), Aladdin show, Grizzly River Rapids, ... that's pretty much it in terms of uniqueness.
Then you can check out its watered down ToT.

Oldtimer
12-30-2004, 09:32 AM
Hope you enjoy your Disneyland visit...

Looking at your timming the Tiki room should be open by then, it should be the same show soundtract, as it was written in the 1960's; although all the annamatronics(sp) will be new. It shouldn't be missed. It will be on your left just as you enter Adventureland. As it is sponsered by Dole there is also a pineapple snack bar there.

Also Disneylands Pirates is much better then the florida one, it is as Walt planned it.

Have Fun!!
Oldtimer :cool:

jrad32
12-30-2004, 09:41 AM
Two days is plenty of time to do both. I've done both in one day.

My advice
Day 1
-Hit DL at opening.
-Get lunch
-Head over to DCA get a fastpass for Soaring and check out the animation building.
-Ride Soarin
-Head back to DL.
Day 2
-DL

There you will sucessfully see and do everything that is worth your time at Disney's Crappy Adventure, and spend enough time to do everything in DL.

Must dos in DL would be

Matterhorn - both sides. Especially since you don't have this ride
Indy - great ride you also don't have
Smallworld - much better than WDW
Roger Rabbit - another only in DL
Pirates - The real pirates not whatever that thing is in WDW that is too short and is missing scenes.
Blue Bayou - Try a Monte Cristo
Mr. Toad - You used to have one in WDW before Pooh

iAmJacksDLand
12-30-2004, 09:48 AM
The biggest difference is size - at the Disneyland Resort you can walk from one end of the resort to the other in about 10-15 minutes, depending on your pace.

That being said, the Disneyland Resort is a totally different and unique experience when compared to the massive Disney World Resort. Make sure you take time to visit the Grand Californian Hotel, which is right next to Disney's California Adventure and Downtown Disney. It is an amazing resort, even if your just passing through (it's style and setup will remind you of Walt Disney World, especially the Wilderness Lodge and the Animal Kingdom Lodge). Also explore the Disneyland Hotel - the original Disney hotel (it has charming grounds and stuff to see and do for kids and adults, even if you are not staying there).

Don't skip California Adventure. What you read are other peoples opinions, so give it a chance and formulate your own opinions - the biggest reason why it is said to be a sub-par theme park is because everyone is comparing it to the original right across the way. California Adventure holds a certain amount of charm and executes a different sort of style - while it's definetly no Epcot, it holds the same kind of fun that the Disney Studios holds. Don't mistake it for being a thrill ride only park. Some other people on the board have menioned just a few of the really cool things to see and do there:

Alladin Show (amazing)
Grizzly River Run (great family ride, way better than Animal Kingdom's Kal River Rapids)
Soarin (a California Adventure original... just because you're getting your own verion, doesn't mean you shouldn't see it here)
Explore the differences between the setup of Muppet Vision 3D and It's Tough To Be a Bug - it's fun to see how Disney does stuff differently at each resort.
Explore the wine exhibits while kids are reriding their favorite attraction.
Definetly take a stroll through a Bugs Land - it's really cool.
Electric Parade!
Paradise Pier is really cool at night - unique to California Adventure.
The shops are wonderfully themed.
Take an afternoon break at the Grand Californian (mentioned above)
Snack on the delicious fare (giant corn dogs, tasty chicken strips, and greatly unique hot dogs)

Yes, so there is a lot to do there. I find I usually spend more time at California Adventure when I visit because everything is more laid back and yes, maybe due to it's low popularity, less crowded.

OH! Yes. Don't forget the Animation Building. Really amazing.

Try to do everything, cause it's really very possible - even at a laid back pace. Make extra sure to see stuff you can't see at Disney World. And while you're coming out to Anaheim, bring the Carosuel of Progress with you would ja?

Thanks.

Niwel
12-30-2004, 10:04 AM
My pick for breakfast: Mickey Mouse Pancakes at River Belle Terrace. You can't get them anywhere else and they are absolutely delicious (you can see what they look like in the Disneyland Fun Sing Along Video). I agree with the others that the kids will adore the Animation Building at DCA -- and you all must go on Soarin -- then take a walk through the Grand Californian (the lobby is incredible).

Don't forget to head over to Snow White's Grotto (to the right of the castle). It is totally unique to DL and is one of the most treasured spots in the park. Also, make sure to catch the Disneyland Railroad between Tomorrowland and Main Street for a trip to the Grand Canyon (present and waaaay past).
The Enchanted Tiki Room might or might not be open at that point, if it is, check it out since it isn't (we hope) "under new management."
And don't miss the Storybookland Canal Boats -- miniatures scenes from Disney's animated films -- and you get there via Monstro the whale.

Have a great trip!

CoasterChickie
12-30-2004, 10:04 AM
Hi

I think you are going at a great time since it's just before Spring Break so you're just missing the hiked up prices at the hotels and the crowds.


I think if you stay at one of the DLR hotels for 4 nights on those dates, some Disney dollars will still be included in your package and you can use them anywhere in the resort.

Also, since you're goiing to be there 5 days total , it would probably be worth it to get a three day park hopper instead of two. You could go to DL the first day, DCA the second day, and then back to DL the third day.

I'm one of the people who loves DCA, though in a different way than DL. I can spend hours there going on every single ride, every show, stopping to listen to the bands that play throughout the park, hanging out in the Animation building, watching the Electrical Parade, and some of the best food in all of DLR is available there.

hbquikcomjamesl
12-30-2004, 10:05 AM
One of the things you need to keep in mind is that everything is quite a bit closer together here, because the Disney property is in the middle of Anaheim. So where the WDW theme parks are around 15-30 minutes away from each other (and from most of the hotels) by monorail, friendship boat, or bus, everything here is at most, a 5-10 minute walk away.

I highly recommend that you see our Fantasmic, if it's running during your planned stay. While I don't think ours is so much better as to reduce yours to irrelevancy, it's still the original, and it's still somewhat better.

Our Tiki Room is still the original show (but at the moment, it's closed for rehab); so far as I know, it will be after it reopens. I understand that Dole has made it clear that their continued sponsorship is contingent on it remaining so.

Your "Pirates" is, so far as I know, the only one that doesn't have "the drops" at the beginning; in our case, it was a matter of necessity (in order to connect an in-berm entrance to an out-berm show building); in Tokyo and Paris, I understand that the drops were put in because they make for a better show. Likewise, your HM seems to be the only one I'm aware of in which the stretching rooms aren't working elevators. Same reasons.

The Disneyland Railroad runs through Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas.

Our Frontierland opens directly into the Plaza Hub. The back end of our (much smaller than yours) Adventureland connects to it about halfway back, right around where our New Orleans Square branches off. We also have something called Critter Country (formerly Bear Country) at the back end of our Frontierland; it's where our CBJ (replaced by Pooh) used to be, and where our Splash Mountain is.

We still have our Mr. Toad. And back in the 1980s, our Fantasyland was rebuilt extensively, into something a bit closer to what Walt had originally wanted.

Oh, and you don't have anything like our Storybook Land attraction.

Our Space Mountain has always been on a different track than yours. It's getting a new track that's going to be even more different.

We still have the original Main Street Electrical Parade (except that, since it's running in DCA, it's called "Disney's Electrical Parade").

Also, be prepared to be a bit disoriented when you first set foot in DL: not everything is where you'll be expecting to find it, but things will look enough like your MK to fool you at first. Also keep in mind that DL is considerably more compact, on the one hand, but has Walt's Hand in it.

In DCA, I highly recommend "Soarin'." Our ToT is somewhat different from yours, different enough that if you're into that sort of thing, it may be worth your time. I haven't gotten round to it myself; then again, I've only done yours once. Our Animation Building is somewhat different from yours is now, and VERY different from the way yours USED TO BE, before the working animation studio closed. The new "Drawn to Animation" show in yours is a virtual carbon-copy of the one that's been in ours since DCA opened. And if you've got half an hour to kill in DCA, while waiting for a fastpass to ripen, "Golden Dreams" and the Boudin tour may be worth your time (but I wouldn't bother with the Mission Tortilla Fiasco: it makes El Desperdicio de Tiempo in Epcot Mexico look like the Great Movie Ride, by comparison. I'm not especially interested in Mexico, and have never had the inclination to go there, but I do think it rather unfortunate that Disney theme parks always seem to give that country the short end of the proverbial stick [or is it the end that's been up a cow's defecatory orifice?])

Family5LovesDisney
12-30-2004, 11:46 AM
We are a family of five. I have three boys, ages 10, 7, and 4. My oldest son is not a thrill seeker (he won't do Splash Mountain) but he does enjoy The Tower of Terror, and the Rockin' Aerosmith ride in MGM.

We will be arriving in Los Angles around 10:30 in the morning on the 15th of March. We are coming from N.J. and will be quite worn out after the long flight. We were thinking of eating dinner in one of the Disney Hotels. My boys like the sounds of Goofy's Kitchen since they love Goofy and they love buffet type meals (even if their parents aren't thrilled with buffet style food) Perhaps Goofy's Kitchen is like "Chef Mickey's" in the Contemporary Resort in WDW????

Two days in Disneyland only because I really want to drive out to Joshua Tree National Park one day. I have been reading that the desert should be in bloom in mid-March when we will be there.

I have read through the rides that will probably be closed when we are there. My oldest son will be dissapointed with no Abe Lincoln show as he loves him! Someone on this thread mentioned the rides unique to Disneyland and I have already made a list of them.

I appreciate hearing that some of the rides are better or different then their counterparts in WDW. I will want to see them to note the differences.

We were thinking of just doing Disneyland the first day and half of the second day. Then we could maybe head over to California to do Soarin' and the Brother Bear Trail. If it isn't too cold, maybe the river ride. And my four year old will probably like Flik's world or whatever it is called but my 7 and 10 year old will be bored stiff. It might be time to divide and conquer and that point with the family. We were thinking of having dinner in Aerial's Grotto and watching the Electric Parade (which we have always loved in the Magic Kingdom)

Please, continue with the suggestions and advice. I am making note of it all!!!!!!!! And I am looking forward to adding some reviews once we return. I have submitted many for WDW resorts and dining.

kohl
12-31-2004, 07:46 AM
My kids are 6 and 8 and LOVE Goofy's Kitchen. We have eaten at Chef Mickey's once and loved that also. The are similar in how the buffet works. The food is not the same, but they are both good.

bassett1976
12-31-2004, 08:05 AM
Two days in Disneyland only because I really want to drive out to Joshua Tree National Park one day. I have been reading that the desert should be in bloom in mid-March when we will be there.

Driving to Joshua Tree will be quite a trek for the day. I would say it's about 2-3 hours from Disneyland and if it's a weekday you might run into the Orange County Traffic.

Besides that, Joshua Tree is a great place to climb around different rocks and just have a great time.

englishdisneylandfan
12-31-2004, 01:42 PM
definately go to DCA, the animation building and paradise pier rides will appeal to the kids, while you can take a ride on grizzly and soarin both of which are great.

D-lander 1956
12-31-2004, 02:27 PM
And I am looking forward to adding some reviews once we return. I have submitted many for WDW resorts and dining.

We are born and raised D-landers and have been to WDW on 5 different vacations. DL "feels" very different than WDW, much smaller and more intimate. The attention to detail is much more evident as well. You'll notice all the walkways narrower, more crowded, the castle much smaller and the attractions seemingly compact instead of sprawled out like at WDW. But, even though both parks have a HM, POTC, PP etc you must still go on every ride, they are the same but yet not.

Sadly, DL doesn't come close "restaurant-wise" to WDW. Hands down, WDW has better quality, quantity and selection. DD here has a large World of Disney, theaters, restaurants and more upscale, independent shops.

Lastly, as others have said, don't write off DCA. It is worth a half day, pop in to definitely see the Aladdin show, ride Soarin', CA Screamin, and Grizzly rapids.

The crowds should be more than manageabe and don't really start up until spring break, which I believe will be the last week in March.

Joshua Tree is also an awesome place - especially if you've never seen that kind of desert before!

Have a great trip!
:D

sediment
12-31-2004, 02:30 PM
Slightly off-topic: Another thing I learned on that high-def documentary about DLR is that the Grizzly River Rapids has a cold-or-hot switch to lower the amount of water that will be splashed during colder days. Pretty cool, as I simply won't ride it unless it's sunny and I'm dressed appropriately (for quick drying).