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View Full Version : Help with game plan for 4 (non-consecutive) days at Disneyland



CookieBandit
06-18-2007, 09:16 AM
I'm so excited! My family just got the Costco Play 4 Days for $129 - so we'll get 4 days at DL or DCA (only 1 park per day). It'll be me, my sis and our parents.

What's the best game plan to get the most out of our days at DL? We won't be going consecutive days (we all work - office jobs) so it'll have to be Saturdays... we plan on spreading out the trips - say once in June, once in July, once in August and once in Sept?

We went to DL last summer and the summer before (1 day each) and by mid afternoon, we were pretty much tired and just waited for Fantasmic (for 3+ hours). This time, I'd like to make a better game plan so we don't wait for rides that no one wants to go on (okay, I know Gadget's Go Coaster is geared towards younger kids, but we went on it the year before and I thought everyone liked it - well, after standing in line for maybe an hour? and then riding the super short coaster - then everyone complained and whined about it! Grrr).

So the last two times, we started off in Fantasyland and made our way towards Critter Country where the line for Splash was too long, so we get a FP and move on to NOS. Is this a good idea? I think Fantasyland takes a good chunk of the morning... Tomorrowland is usually an afterthought - I haven't rode Space Mountain the last two times because the first year - it was closed for repairs/refurbish and the 2nd time, I think the ride broke down and they had to fix it? Wasn't fixed until late evening... and the wait too long. Rode Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters last year - that was fun, and because it was later in the afternoon, the line wasn't bad.

Or should we start w/ the big ticket items (like Splash) and make our way to the right?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Obviously, since we will be going 4 times this summer (or at least 3 times), we don't *have* to get everything in on one day, but if we could plan something out to best use our time... also, I think we'll probably watch both shows of Fantasmic - or at least be in the general area for the 1st show, watch the fireworks and then when everyone (from the 1st show) clears, move up to a better spot for the 2nd showing of Fantasmic.

Oh, and should we use one day for DCA? My parents aren't fans of roller coasters, so ToT is probably out for them... would it be worth it?

Bytebear
06-18-2007, 09:48 AM
It sounds like you have a good game plan. I think the only hiccup is whether you want to do Finding Nemo or not. I would hold off the first couple times and see how the lines are, and then on your third or fourth trip, if you really want to go (and haven't been able to get on on a previous day) head for it first thing in the morning when the lines are short. That seems to be the strategy people are taking. That and doing it late at night.

You definitely want to hit the fireworks and parades if you like them. I find that a good 40 minute break sitting on a bench on Main Street before the parade is a good break, and you get a good view.

DCA is a tough call because you can't park hop over to Disneyland. I would still go but plan on going into Downtown Disney and visiting the lobby of the Grand Californian for a nice rest. Maybe even a nice dinner at Storyteller Cafe.

In DCA, you really need to hit Soarin' Over California. And you can see the Aladdin Stage show which is quite good. If you like Fantasyland, you should at least check out Flick's Fun Faire. Golden Dreams might be worth a look, and the Animation studio is too. Muppets 3-D and Monster's Inc are still fun, I think, so do have quite a bit to do. And don't forget the Electrical Parade.

ktrm
06-18-2007, 09:59 AM
First of all, check your tickets. I'm not sure you can spread your days out like that. Usually Disneyland tickets require you to use them within 13 days of the first day of use. This prevents people from transferring their tickets to others.

My strategy, for which there are many I'm sure, is to decide which major fastpass ride I want to ride for the day. I usually decide whether I want to ride splash or space mountain since these run out of fastpasses the soonest. I never assume I can do both space and splash in one day. My group heads over to which ever area we decide(tomorrowland or critter country), grabs the fastpasses and then rides the rides in the area. I also ride the fastpass ride if and only if the ride is short. I never run all over the park grabbing fastpasses.

After I am finished with which ever area we chose, Critterland or Tomorrowland, we head to whichever area the group wants to go to. If we head towards Adventureland, I grab an Indy fastpass, if I can....If we head towards Frontierland, I grab a BTTMR fastpass, Fantasyland, I grab Roger Rabbit(this one you can grab at anytime because its not connected to the other fastpass system). I try to never backtrack or let getting fastpasses control my day. I try to ride the less popular rides in an area because I love them all. Don't skip rides like Winnie the Pooh or the Canoe ride trying to get all the big rides in because you will just get frustrated waiting in long lines. I never ever wait longer than 30 minutes in a line even on the busiest of days. I get fastpasses and ride the less popular rides, eat, shop, or watch the streetside entertainment while I am waiting. There is so much to do at Disneyland. Remember that rides like the Pirates, the Haunted house, and Its a Small World always move very quickly even if the lines look long. Peter Pan always moves slow and I still don't have a strategy for this ride. Its not a fastpass. We do this ride maybe every other trip because it is always crowded and I don't like waiting.

We usually take a break in the middle of the day, and come back at night and use our fastpasses. To me knowing that the fastpasses do not have to be used by the window time is the key. They can be used anytime later in the day.

I just came back from Disneyland and refused to wait for the Nemo ride. It does not have a fastpass system. I just told the group that we would try it the next trip and it left us looking forward to something. I don't have the luxury to wait 3 hours for a ride because I just don't live close to the park and I don't want to wait anyway. I'll just wait until the popularity goes down and then I will ride it.