1 day, 1 shot trip at DL - I'd like to know if my bucket list is reasonable. Maybe overthinking it!

[Mousekethot]

Hi everyone,

Long story short, I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to go to Disneyland, and I'm getting the opportunity to go with my parents at the end of the month on short notice. We will only have one day, likely Thursday the 28th, and won't be able to get there right at opening but plan on spending the whole day there. Ive checked a few crowd predictors and it seems like it should be a good day to go!

As a huge disney parks & history nerd, I'd really like to get a chance to see some of the original versions of WDW attractions I know and love, plus unique to DL attractions. I am most passionate about dark rides and animatronics, thrill rides being less important to me.

Could you help me figure out the best order to attempt my list here to get the best chance of finishing it? I'm used to the craziness and unpredictability of WDW so maybe it won't even be hard to do. Please feel free to add anything you think is a must do, attraction or otherwise!

• Pirates - this is the first ride we do as a family tradition so it's where illI start. Everything else the order doesn't matter, just what is most efficient!
• Haunted Mansion
• Splash Mountain
• Mr. Toads wild ride
• Alice
• Small world
• Jungle cruise
• Indiana Jones
• Storybook land canal boats
• Tiki room
• Matterhorn

As much as I have no interest in Cars, I understand the animatronics in radiator springs racers are awesome, so if getting park hopper tickets and scooting over there is as easy as it seems I'd like to give it a try, but it's not a must do for me.

I also understand that the fast pass system there is like the old WDW system with paper tickets and no months-in-advance requirement so that's great. But I also understand that there is the maxpass option. It looks like most of the attractions I'd like to do aren't really fast pass rides anyway - do you think it's worth it regardless?

Thank you for any help. I know I might be asking redundant questions, I just don't know if I'll ever have a chance to go again so I'm trying to do my best to have a plan. I've read the average guest does 9 rides in a visit so I'm hoping I can pull it off!

 

[natfrac]

Get the max pass—it will help you accomplish your ride list without running across the park for fast passes. Since you’re starting with Pirates, I would do Indy, Jungle Cruise, HM after that. Do Splash when you have a fast pass. Save the Tiki room, Small World, Storyland boats for when it’s busy in the afternoon. Do the fantasyland rides in the evening, either late or during a parade/fireworks to lessen your wait.

Disneyland is smaller, so you can accomplish a lot especially if you’re not going to park hop. Since your family likes Pirates, maybe book a reservation at Blue Bayou for lunch or dinner. Pricey, but a nice break from the crowds.

 

[Mousekethot]

Get the max pass—it will help you accomplish your ride list without running across the park for fast passes. Since you’re starting with Pirates, I would do Indy, Jungle Cruise, HM after that. Do Splash when you have a fast pass. Save the Tiki room, Small World, Storyland boats for when it’s busy in the afternoon. Do the fantasyland rides in the evening, either late or during a parade/fireworks to lessen your wait.

Disneyland is smaller, so you can accomplish a lot especially if you’re not going to park hop. Since your family likes Pirates, maybe book a reservation at Blue Bayou for lunch or dinner. Pricey, but a nice break from the crowds.

Awesome, thank you so much. I hadn't even really thought about food which is a whole other ballgame and one I'll have to research, being vegan. I'd love to eat there if possible!

 

[chickapin parterre]

Have a mental preparation that pirates may not have opened yet after safety inspection.....a frequent problem in the ROA....though I read that you may not arrive right at opening , but later.....we can help you if you tell us what time you think you will arrive. The park will have already been open for an hour to MM guests, but that has little impact on the ROA area as those folks tend to stay in Fantasyland and tomorrowland because of the fastpass system. , I don't use maxpass, so I don't know what time the folks in Disneyland can reserve fastpass during MM. So if you enter ROA an hour after opening to the public, then all the attractions should be open and you have a good chance to board Pirates.

so what time do you see yourself at the entrance to parking lot?

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I think that you could definitely do all of this in one day. I'm always pleased with how much I am able to accomplish in Disneyland in one day. It does depend on who is in your party though. Small kids definitely slow things down, but with three adults you should be able to zip around the park no problem. In terms of ride order, normally my suggestion would be to ride Peter Pan first, since it ALWAYS has a long line, but it sounds like you always do Pirates of the Caribbean first.

I highly suggest you purchase MaxPass for each of you for the day. You will want to read up on how it works, because it's different than WDW. You can get unlimited FastPasses throughout the day through their app, though you have to wait specific time intervals between pulling them. What makes it worth it is that you can be located anywhere in the park to pull a FastPass for a far away ride.

Here is the order that I suggest, considering that you are starting with Pirates. Keep in mind that the order/times I suggest getting FastPasses will likely vary based on the times that you see available in the app:

Head to New Orleans Square. Get a FastPass for Indiana Jones on the app. Then ride:

• Pirates
• Haunted Mansion
• Splash Mountain

Then backtrack to Adventureland:

• Indiana Jones (use FastPass, then ride it again if there's no line - this is my favorite ride!)
• Get another FastPass, for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (only if wait times are long)
• Jungle Cruise
• Tiki Room

Then head to Frontierland:

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (use FastPass if you needed to get one)
• Get a FastPass for Matterhorn
• If you're ready for a break, take a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat, otherwise skip it. I like to bring my lunch into the park (peanut butter and jelly sandwich and orange/banana) and eat it while overlooking the Rivers of America.

Head around the backside of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which puts you in Fantasyland:

• Mr. Toads wild ride
• Storybook land canal boats
• Alice
• Peter Pan (if you're willing to wait in line)
• Pinocchio and Snow White are also fun dark rides, and lines are usually short
• Matterhorn (use FastPass)
• Get a FastPass for Space Mountain
• Small world (I list this one last because it's at the very back of the park)

Take a walk around Toontown just to see it, but I don't think there's anything worth riding here. Get on the Disneyland railroad in Toontown and ride it to Tomorrowland, or walk there. In Tomorrowland:

• Star Tours
• Space Mountain using FastPass (this one is much better than the WDW version)

I also suggest taking a full loop tour on the Disneyland Railroad if you have time. Skip shows, parades, and fireworks.

Basically, this plan has you starting on the left side of the park and doing a big loop around so that you end in Tomorrowland. However, you'll find that things are rather squished together in Disneyland, so if you see a FastPass available at a convenient time in another land, then it's really not a big deal to jump over there for that ride and then come back to what you were doing before. To avoid the longest lines, the focus for FastPasses should be Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, and Star Tours.

Normally I always suggest park hoppers at DLR, but with only one day and with you saying that you aren't that interested in thrill rides, I really don't see the point. I think the Cars ride is good, but I've never thought it was totally amazing like many seem to. But really that would be the only ride worth hopping over to DCA for, and I just don't think it's worth it. I would spend as much time in Disneyland as possible in that one day.

For food, stick to quick service, which is generally better quality and more variety than at WDW. For example, I love getting gumbo at Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square. Bring in your own snacks if you are able. If you REALLY want to do table service, I would suggest Blue Bayou, the restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, especially since your family seems to really enjoy that ride. The food is not mind-blowing but the ambiance and experience are really unique and special. Ask for a waterside table.

I think that about covers it! I'll also say that I wouldn't waste any time in Downtown Disney. It's really just a nice looking outdoor mall, in my opinion, and the focus of the day should be rides, not shopping.

But in DLR, I find that being flexible is best! It's a park that somehow allows for more spontaneity than WDW, maybe because everything is in such close walking distance. In WDW I find myself sticking to a more rigid schedule, but in DLR I seize opportunities as they come up. Walk by something and the line is suddenly short, even though you had no plans of going on that ride? Jump on it! You won't regret the 5-10 minutes spent on that new experience.

Have a GREAT time! Even if you follow no schedule at all, I'm sure you will.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

By the way, I just saw that you are vegan. I saw this interesting article a couple of days ago: https://www.delish.com/food-news/a26324368/disneyland-awarded-most-vegan-friendly-amusement-park/

 

[gottalovepluto]

Definitely doable with MaxPass. Skip DCA, you’ll be busy enough in DL. I’d also do Big Thunder. I think ours has more attention to detail and being toward the middle of the park it’s easier to access.

Also I’d ride the train. New-Orleans to Toon Town has the new features in the back of ROA. Tomorrowland to Main St has the World’s Fair Dinosaur animatronics.

 

[agamble]

Are you not interested in Space Mtn? Structurally Matterhorn is more similar to Space at WDW than Space is, though theme wise Matterhorn has the greater difference.

If you have time left I suggest Roger Rabbit too.

We love DCA, but with only one day I would suggest making the most of one park. Disneyland is something special. Have fun.

 

[SLynn9]

Are you not interested in Space Mtn? Structurally Matterhorn is more similar to Space at WDW than Space is, though theme wise Matterhorn has the greater difference.

If you have time left I suggest Roger Rabbit too.

We love DCA, but with only one day I would suggest making the most of one park. Disneyland is something special. Have fun.

Space Mountain is closed for OPs date.

 

[WonkaKid]

Awesome, thank you so much. I hadn't even really thought about food which is a whole other ballgame and one I'll have to research, being vegan. I'd love to eat there if possible!

Have a great trip! I go to DL nearly every Sunday and always love it!

I'm a longtime vegetarian and occasionally eat at Rancho del Zocolo. They have great vegetarian tacos. If you simply ask them to hold the cheese, they're then vegan. Chefs at most (all?) DL restaurants are sensitive to and respectful of guests' various food restrictions and choices. FWIW, I usually pack my own lunch of raw veggies and fruit, a vegan tuna sandwich, mixed nuts and a Lärabar. If it helps, there are three Trader Joe's not far from DL. Their spicy lentil wrap (had one for lunch yesterday - pic below) is pretty good -- unless spicy isn't your thing -- and definitely filling. I'm 99.99% sure that's vegan.


I see that your tradition is to always ride Pirates first. It's nice to honor tradition(s). Nealy every time I ride Mr. Toad, I let my head collapse onto the steering wheel as if in surrender as the train approaches. This is in homage to what my brother did when we rode it for the first time as children many years ago at DW. That's sort of one of my traditions -- whether alone or with someone else ;-).

Since Thursdays are EMH/MM, that means that you can essentially rope-drop Pirates (or HM or Indiana Jones). Unfortunately, unless you have EMH, no matter how early you arrive at the park, there will still be several hundred other guests ahead of you in FL. Not so for NOS or Adventureland, however.

Again, have a great time! I leave for the park in about 14 hours ;-). We nearly always rope-drop on Sunday mornings and I'm often the first guest in the park. Hopefully this pic makes you even more excited for your visit, which is now less than two weeks away!


Rob

 

[Mousekethot]

Wow, I'm honestly so touched that people have given me such thoughtful help. I was worried people would be annoyed for some reason. I'm out of the house still but I can't wait to get home and get on the computer so I can properly respond. Thank you thank you!

 

[WonkaKid]

Wow, I'm honestly so touched that people have given me such thoughtful help. I was worried people would be annoyed for some reason.

We're a pretty good group here . I was on another "social media" DL group for a day or two recently. They're not nearly as cool as we are ;-). Have a great time!

 

[ktlm]

Since this might be your only DLR trip, I would get the hoppers and go see Carsland. Hopping takes about 5 minutes and you don't even go through security to go between the parks. We don't care much for Cars, but Carsland is absolutely amazing. RSR is far far superior to TT. It is my favorite ride in any of the Disney parks. You can single rider RSR. It is definitely work the walk over, plus you should at least see the other park. I don't know how you feel about Guardians of the Galaxy-- but if you like it that remake of Tower of Terror is really fun. I'm not a fan of TOT as a ride (I always liked the theming, just not the drops)- but I will ride Guardians.