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View Full Version : 2 or 3 days in DLR?



MermaidHair
09-13-2005, 01:20 PM
Hi folks, can you lend some of your sage advice to this question? We are taking our children next spring for Thing 1's 5th birthday. Thing 2 will be 2.75 years-old. I think we should fly down on Wednesday morning, go into the parks Wed afternoon/evening, Thursday and Friday. DH thinks that might put the kids on DL overload and cause meltdowns and the like. He thinks we should just do the Thursday and Friday. I say, with 3 days in the parks (well 2.5) we can be more mellow about it and allow more time for naps/swimming at the hotel. Is there a right answer here? :confused:

DisneylandAlum
09-13-2005, 01:26 PM
As a mom of 4, personally I'd go with your game plan. We are Disneyland locals, but I built extra days into our WDW trips so that we could be less stressed about trying to accomplish everything "now." It gave us time for afternoon pool breaks, etc.

If you're planning to also visit DCA that first afternoon would be a good time to visit. Especially with small children, there isn't a huge amount to see/do at that park, and it might be a letdown to them compared to Disneyland.

hlbtimes2
09-13-2005, 01:46 PM
I always vote for the more time the better. It will give you more time for breaks and what not. With just 2 days you'll feel compelled to stay at the park more hours a day then the kids can handle- which will cause the meltdown your husband is trying to avoid.

rentayenta
09-13-2005, 02:29 PM
As usual I agree with Linda. I think the more time you have the better. I think longer days are more likely to cause meltdowns. More days will allow you to move at a more leisurely pace.

Have fun. :)

Chadsgal
09-13-2005, 02:32 PM
Use all the time you have at the parks! :D We just survived 6 days in them with a 3 year old and when all else failed she'd pout her self to sleep in the stoler. LOL

Mac_gurl
09-13-2005, 02:42 PM
Im heading in November for 3 days, and am worried that might not be enough (I guess it depends too, if our flight arrives on time and the ride from the airport goes smooth, otherwise day 1 might be cut short)
Can you see most of the park in 3 days?!!?? (Including DCA?!?!) with the winter hours of 10-8?

passthepixiedust
09-13-2005, 09:07 PM
DEFINATELY go with the 3day plan ! Everything everyone has said here is right on target (as always !) There is just so much to do, and spreading it out makes for a much more relaxing plan. That midday break is a HUGE life saver !

and Mac_gurl...... have you been before ? If you know exactly what's important for you to experience, it will be easier.... also, are you travelling with kids ? (not having to chase around characters and ride slow loading kiddie rides saves loads of time) But no matter what you will have a great time. No, you probably cannot experience ALL of Disney's nuances in three days but you can definately hit all the "big tickets" and "must sees". Try not to think of them as things you are missing, but as things you are "saving" for your next trip !

sambo
09-13-2005, 11:33 PM
I went with 3 year-olds for a three-day vacation once - what a mistake!

I made it a rule to never go for less than 5 days...

TikiTiki
09-13-2005, 11:42 PM
My lil man is 7 and he still loves a good rest in the afternoon. Take advantage of that while you are there for 3 days. Hit it early, have breakfast in your room early or in the park. Go crazy on all the Fantasyland rides in the early hours. Then grab a snack or some lunch and have a break back at the hotel. You'll be amazed how well rested your little ones will be and how much more they'll enjoy the afternoon/evening hours. ( As will you ;) )

Mine used to fight the meltdown something fierce, now he welcomes the break and he is SO pleasant afterwards it makes for a fantastic trip everytime!

Have a wonderful time!!!

tinksmom
09-14-2005, 05:37 AM
My lil man is 7 and he still loves a good rest in the afternoon.!

My lil man is 49 and HE still loves a good rest in the afternoon!

yellowrosedtxn
09-14-2005, 06:06 AM
My vote is with the majority here. The longer you can go, the better off you are!

MermaidHair
09-14-2005, 06:34 AM
Thanks all - this is great information, and ammunition to use against my husband's 2 day plan. :~D I especially liked the comment about not looking at it as if you are "missing" something but leaving some things to see next time. That is an important mindset to adopt for a Type A like me!

sierranevada
09-14-2005, 09:33 AM
Absolutely stay at least 3 days - as many others have pointed out, it gives you time for breaks in the afternoon without feeling so rushed! Plus, I think it would be hard to explain to the kids when you get in on Wed - look, there is Disneyland but we aren't going today!! Enjoy!

MrsPooh
09-14-2005, 09:52 AM
We used to do the one day thing, if you can imagine that. We found that if we do 3 days we can go at whatever pace we want and pretty much see everything. That included nap/lunch/pool breaks midday, and in the middle of August.

Do the 3 days, you won't regret it! ;)

sand20go
09-15-2005, 11:50 AM
Let me adopt a contrarian position. First, I would agree with everyone that it is critical to take the afternoon breaks and swim if the weather is good (and it should be in April/May). Any other strategy almost guarentees one of those classic "too hot and over loaded" meltdowns.

But I think the two/three day decision is really a function of how much DL YOU and your husband want. A bunch of DCA is going to be a bust for a three year old (and only some is going to work for thing #1). You can do some swaping but I am not sure how much fun.

My own strategy (East bay native) would be to take the third day and go to the beach (Southern OC has some great ones). As you know, getting to the ocean is a "production" from Oakland and can be less than fun if it is a foggy day. Conversely, you are about 30 minutes from DL to some great kid friendly beaches in OC that can make probably just as fun of day for the kids and doing a third day with mickey.

Barbossa
09-15-2005, 12:26 PM
We've got a 4.75 and 2.75 year old, when we go to DLR on an extended weekend we hit the parks as soon after arriving as we can, and as close to the time we leave as we can. The younger one still naps occasionally, so he'll get cranky in the afternoons until he goes to sleep in the stroller. I'd say plan on as many days as you can!

Donald Duck Fan68
09-15-2005, 12:29 PM
If you're a Disney addict, like myself, then even 2.5 days in the parks will leave you wishing you had more time. I was there this last spring for a convention, got to spend 2.5 days there by myself, and I came home and immediately planned a trip where we'll have about 6.5 days in the resort over Christmas. If I were you, this would be my plan:

Get a 3-day park hopper pass w/early entry

Wed: go to DCA. You'll be able to check out the new Monsters Inc. ride, spend some time in Bugs Land, don't miss Soarin', catch the Block Party Bash parade, enjoy a princess character meal at Ariel's grotto, let the kids explore the Redwoods creek challenge, and then go back to the hotel when the park closes.

Thurs: This day does have an early entry option. Use it. Head to Fantasy Land and ride all the kiddie rides with minimal lines. Get breakfast once the park opens to the general public. Go to Toontown when it opens so that you'll experience this part of the park with minimal lines. Be sure to catch Mickey in his house. (If you and your DH want to ride bigger rides, grab fastpasses for those in the am, but use them when you get back from the break.) Then, ride other family friendly rides untill about 1pm. Go back to hotel for break. Eat, nap, etc. Upon coming back, catch the Parade, ride a few rides, eat dinner, stay for fireworks, back to hotel.

Fri: leasure paced day; ride any rides you really wanted to ride but missed the day before. Perhaps find characters at meet and greets. Spend some time looking at shops (if that's your sort of thing). For the break, go to DTD, shop, eat at Rainforest Cafe, or some other restaraunt (maybe even Goofy's kitchen for another character experience. Come back to park, have one adult stake a place for the evening showing of Fantasmic, the other can take the kids over to Tom Sawyer Island. Switch off with the other parent (one always stay's and guards, the other takes the kids on rides). Catch Fantasmic at the 9pm show, stay put and see the fireworks where you are. Depending on how the kids are doing, you can usually walk on to a few rides like POTC or HM after this. Plan to leave though if they're too tired.

My2kidsrule
09-15-2005, 01:04 PM
My vote is to go with the 3-day because you can get the park hopper for the same price through AAA or Safeway up here. My kids are exactly the same age as yours. We've been with them six times now, and time constraints lead to meltdowns in our family. We realize we won't get to do everything we want as adults, but you really want to be able to not do anything for a while. Sometimes, just hanging out at DL is great for the kiddos.

CarrieL
09-15-2005, 01:30 PM
My kids are 6 and 2. We are going to DLR for four days just so we *can* take it easy if needed. We don't want to have to rush from one thing to another to 'fit it all in'. If people want to hang and be mellow and take a break, we will. Three days, for us, would have been tight and four days gives us an extra.

MermaidHair
09-15-2005, 01:54 PM
DonaldDuckFan68 - Sounds like you have done our itenerary work for us! :) It looks like a good plan to me.

In the end, I think I am going to have to wait and see what the weather expected to be like closer to the time. I have planned for the 3 days (in terms of work and hotel rezzies) and will finalize the decisions when we actually have to spring for the airfare. If the beach and pool are options that could really change things. My kids are FISH and would love to do either of those things.

MrsPooh
09-15-2005, 02:15 PM
You know, another thing you can do is on day 2, if you need a break, don't go back after the afternoon nap. Stay in and watch a movie on the TV. Let the kids play with their new toys. Go some place different for dinner. Go to a movie. Whatever makes you happy and gives you something else to do if you think you are getting too much DL.

We will do that sometimes on night 2. Stay in, color, play with the new souvineirs, swim, order pizza in. Watch a PPV movie in the hotel. Ordering a pizza at a hotel adds fun to the experience.