First DL Visit, WDW Vet

[abbyzipp]

Hi all!

I will be visiting DL on March 17th with my bf (who has only ever been to WDW once) and I am looking for some tips and info about the park so we can maximize our one-day visit. Here's some info and questions I have about our trip, please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips that you think would be helpful!

Info: We are only going to DL not DCA. We need to leave around 9 pm because we are driving up to Bakersfield that night as a pitstop to Yosemite. I lived in Tampa FL for 8 years and used to have AP for WDW, so I'd consider myself a vet in some aspects.

Questions:
-How has park attendance been and what is the estimate for a Tuesday in March? Do you think concerns about Covid-19 are lessening crowds?
-Is the MaxPass worth it? (We are trying to save some $ since we are on a Cali road trip for 9 days but if it seems necessary we will get it)
-How exactly do the boarding passes work for ROTR? (I moved up to VA right before Galaxy's Edge opened at WDW so we haven't experience it yet and we are both really looking forward to it)
-Are there any particular food/snack places in the park that are local faves or hidden gems?
-What are the best alcoholic beverages in the park?
-Is there a particular way that you make your way around the park? ie fastpass based or by land?

Any other tips are super appreciated! We are so excited about our Cali trip in general but going to DL is like the cherry on top so I definitely want it to be a blast!

 

[natfrac]

So I'll give you my opinions...
You're going during spring break for some schools, so it will be crowded. Don't know if cornona virus will make too much of an impact.
Yes, MaxPass is worth it.
Something special and unique to DL is the Blue Bayou, if you can get reservations.
No alcohol in DL itself. The DL Hotel has Trader Sams, which is fun, but you'd have to leave the park.
DL is a smaller footprint than the MK at WDW, which will save some time between rides. We generally try to tour by land, but everything is close enough to move between the areas for fast passes. Since you have to leave by 9, try and get to the gates before opening. Go on the most popular rides in the first hour or two.

 

[superdeluxe]

Hi all!

I will be visiting DL on March 17th with my bf (who has only ever been to WDW once) and I am looking for some tips and info about the park so we can maximize our one-day visit. Here's some info and questions I have about our trip, please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips that you think would be helpful!

Info: We are only going to DL not DCA. We need to leave around 9 pm because we are driving up to Bakersfield that night as a pitstop to Yosemite. I lived in Tampa FL for 8 years and used to have AP for WDW, so I'd consider myself a vet in some aspects.

Questions:
-How has park attendance been and what is the estimate for a Tuesday in March? Do you think concerns about Covid-19 are lessening crowds?

March 17th is squarely in the ‘spring break’ time for many schools. But generally mid weeks are better. We were in the park the last week of February and it was really busy, but also before corona virus really took off in the states.

-Is the MaxPass worth it? (We are trying to save some $ since we are on a Cali road trip for 9 days but if it seems necessary we will get it)

I would definitely suggest for the digital fast pass and considering you will only be staying for one day. Do note that fast passes can ‘sell out’ for the day.

-How exactly do the boarding passes work for ROTR? (I moved up to VA right before Galaxy's Edge opened at WDW so we haven't experience it yet and we are both really looking forward to it)

There is a virtual queue that opens up when the park officially opens. Make sure you have the app and that both your tickets are attached together. Have the better half also trying to get in as well. Honestly it’s luck. We had four phones going, only one actually got a boarding group and the other 3 struck out. If you do happen to get a boarding group and the ride is down during your time, you’ve been allowed to come bAck anytime later (but I’d definitely make a screen shot). Good luck!

-Are there any particular food/snack places in the park that are local faves or hidden gems?

I love the beignets in the French quarter, churros are also great. For a cheap/quick lunch the grilled cheese and tomato soup at the jolly Holiday hits the spot.

Also dole whip from the tiki hut. Try to do the mobile order option though as it can ge t busy.

-What are the best alcoholic beverages in the park?

Disneyland is a dry park.

-Is there a particular way that you make your way around the park? ie fastpass based or by land?

People generally tend to go to rides that don’t have fast passes first (Peter Pan flight). Also galaxies edge for smugglers run.

Any other tips are super appreciated! We are so excited about our Cali trip in general but going to DL is like the cherry on top so I definitely want it to be a blast!

Try to have fun and enjoy yourself!

 

[abbyzipp]

@superdeluxe @natfrac Thank you both for the help! For some reason I totally forgot about spring break smh, also had no idea that DL was dry but its fine. Would you guys recommend trying to do breakfast in the park before OPO in order to get a leg up on a boarding group for ROTR?

 

[natfrac]

From what I’ve read about getting a boarding pass, I’m not sure that will help.

 

[goooof1]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599
You should check out this stickie from @HydroGuy ..... tons of info.
also there is a thread about Boarding Groups for ROTR.... read the first few posts.... updated info on the entire process and what you need to do: https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...s-please-please-read-posts-1-3.3794369/unread

 

[wench]

Alcohol is served at Oga’s Cantina in DL park. You can & should book a reservation if you want to go there in order to minimize your wait time. I myself have only had the non-alcoholic drinks there though, so I can’t make a recommendation of what is best.

 

[VandVsmama]

• How has park attendance been and what is the estimate for a Tuesday in March? Do you think concerns about Covid-19 are lessening crowds? You'll be there during spring break, so expect spring break crowds. No idea about how coronavirus is affecting crowds, though. Keep an eye on the boards over the next week-ish until you get there...maybe someone will report in on crowd levels.
• Is the MaxPass worth it? Yes. $40 total for the 2 of you. Just eat at quick service locations for food. Bring a couple of snacks in with you and bring a water bottle to save on some $$. It's worth it for just the 1 day, will help you a LOT in getting on all of the E-ticket rides you want that day.
• How exactly do the boarding passes work for ROTR? (I moved up to VA right before Galaxy's Edge opened at WDW so we haven't experience it yet and we are both really looking forward to it) Go read first couple of posts on the ROTR non-spoiler thread. It explains all how to do it.
• Are there any particular food/snack places in the park that are local faves or hidden gems? Corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon at the castle end of Main Street are really really good. I hate corn dogs, but these are OMG good.
• What are the best alcoholic beverages in the park? ONLY place booze is available in DL itself is Oga's Cantina. Make a reservation now.
• Is there a particular way that you make your way around the park? ie fastpass based or by land? I have suggestions for this! See next post.

 

[VandVsmama]

Re: the question of is there a particular way that you make your way around the park..ie fastpass based or by land:

Since you're leaving at 9 pm, you need to make the most of the time you have that day. I'm going to go into a fair amount of detail, but this is based on going at spring break & in June several times and we've used & modified this strategy several times and this is what works for our family.

General tips before I get started:

• Download the Disneyland app to your phone and browse it to get familiar with it.
• Set up a Disneyland.com account for yourself.
• You can mobile order at QS locations like you can at WDW.
• You'll be going on a Tuesday, which is an EMH/Magic Morning day. Park will open to regular park guests at 8:00 am.

Here's what I'd do if I were in your shoes:

1. Park at the Toy Story lot, NOT Mickey & Friends. Both parking locations will open at 6:30 am. I'm assuming that you're staying at a hotel somewhere nearby. Be there at 6:30. Yes, seriously. Or a little before.
2. Target to get to the Esplanade ~ 7 am.
3. Some lines at 7 am will only be for MM/EMH at that time.
4. Around 7:30 am, they'll probably start letting regular park guests through the turnstiles.
5. Follow the advice on the ROTR non-spoiler thread on how to get a boarding group.
6. Pick a land to start in. I'd recommend Fantasyland because lots of those rides are slow loaders.
7. In Fantasyland, go on things in about this order (do Dumbo or Alice first): Dumbo, Alice, Mr Toad, Pinocchio, Matterhorn.
8. As soon as you get into the park, if you've purchased Max Pass (you can buy it through the app on your phone), get a FP for Space Mtn, Indiana Jones, or Star Tours.
9. If you want to meet Mickey w/o a wait, at 9:00 am, be at entrance to Toon Town. That's when Toon Town opens. Meet Mickey w/o hardly any wait. Then basically walk onto the Roger Rabbit ride.
10. Pay attention to your Space Mtn return time. When you got that FP, Max Pass will tell you what time you can get your next FP. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you. When the alarm goes off, pick Star Tours or Indiana Jones (I vote for Star Tours).
11. After Space Mtn, go on Buzz or Autopia. Probably Autopia first because that's a slow loader, but now it has FP available, so you can FP both of those (which I'd recommend considering).
12. After Star Tours, get a FP for Indiana Jones. Stop by castle for photopass pics in front of castle. You'll get that included with Max Pass.
13. Now go to Adventureland. To kill time while waiting for your IJ return time, go to Tiki Room & Jungle Cruise. stop in at the eating area at Bengal BBQ and put in ~ $0.75 (or maybe it's $1 now?) to get a prescription card from the Shrunken Ned machine (it's really funny and a cheap souvenir).
14. Go on IJ. Next FP you get should be for Splash Mtn or BTMRR.
15. After IJ, go on Pirates.
16. Splash Mtn or BTMRR FP return window is probably now open. so go on that. Next FP should be for whichever you didn't get before (BTMRR if you went on Splash Mtn).
17. After Splash Mtn, go on Winnie the Pooh.
18. Stop somewhere to eat if you're hungry (we usually stop at Hungry Bear right about now). Or go have lunch at Docking Bay 7 (or have dinner there).
19. Go on BTMRR after lunch.
20. Next FP should be for Matterhorn, IJ again, Star Tours again, or Space Mtn again.
21. When your boarding group is called, you'll probably be given a 2 hr window to get there.
22. At some point, get in line for Millennium Falcon.
23. Middle of afternoon - explore Star Wars land, go on Mark Twain river boat, consider getting silhouettes done of the 2 of you at the shop on Main Street (inexpensive souvenir, it's about $17-$18).
24. The new parade is at 3:30 & 6:00 pm. Usually no need to camp out 2 hours ahead of time like some people do at Magic Kingdom in WDW.
25. Rest of day: continue to use Max Pass to get more FPs one after the other using the phone alarm technique I mentioned earlier. Go on Pirates again (preferably when line is <30 min, 20 min wait or less is ideal).
26. Other good stuff to explore as time fillers in between FP rides or when it's really busy: ride the train (our family also uses it as transportation to get from 1 land to another), go to Great Moments with Mr Lincoln on Main Street, go to Tom Sawyer's Island, go on Pirates again (can you tell we love that ride?), pretty much avoid Fantasyland in middle of the afternoon, go see Mickey & the Magical Map show in Fantasyland, meet some princesses in Fantasyland, go to the shooting gallery in Frontierland, etc. I'd probably go on the Millennium Falcon ride again even if it's a 45 min wait. You can also ride the monorail, but it's an attraction at DL compared to transportation at WDW. At Coke Freshment Corner on Main Street in the afternoon, Alice & the Mad Hatter play musical chairs with kids some time in the afternoon. At a CM at Coke Corner for the time. It's fun to watch.
27. Also, there's a flag retreat ceremony in Town Square usually ~ 5:00 pm. That's cool to see.
28. If it feels totally mobbed at some point the afternoon and you're sick of it and need like an hour to get away, take monorail to DTD stop, get off and go to Trader Sam's tiki bar at the DLH. Try to get a seat inside the bar instead of outside. Have a cocktail, then take monorail back to Tomorrowland.
29. In evening if you can swing it when the sun goes down before you leave, go on Storybook Land Canal Boats.
30. Eat at odd times compared to the rest of the crowds. So eat lunch & dinner early - 11-11:30-ish, and 5-5:30 ish, with snacks in between & after dinner. OR eat lunch & dinner later (lunch ~ 2 pm, dinner ~ 7 pm).
31. We always try to have Pirates be one of our last rides before we leave because it's one of our favorites.
32. Leave a thank you at City Hall for a CM before you leave. It goes in their employee file, helps them get promotions, helps them get raises, and the CM gets a certificate with your thank you written up.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Some threads with very helpful information for you:
A DLR Guide for WDW Vets
Maxpass/Fastpass Superthread: an overview and some strategy -- if you decide to get MP, learn how to use it to your full advantage! Ask all questions in this thread -- you'll get great help!
Rise of the Resistance BOARDING GROUPS Superthread Part 2 *No Ride Spoilers Please* *PLEASE READ POSTS 1-3* -- Read the first 3 posts for all the basic information, then ask any further questions in that superthread! All the current, up to the minute info is there!
New SWGE Superthread! Now Open to All! (6/24/2019) -- any questions about SWGE, MFSR, and Oga's Cantina? Ask here!
First timer must have foods or snacks -- pretty much explains itself!
March Check-In **Official** Thread (Start with Post #17) -- join this thread and read through it to find up to date information for your visit date.
Download the free Disneyland App now -- make sure you get the latest version (it updated recently) -- and start playing around with it to get used to how it works on your phone. Have a credit card on file so that you can purchase MP as soon as you activate your tickets at the gate (unless you choose to pre-purchase MP with your tickets) and so that you can use Mobile Ordering. Buy your tickets ahead on the app so that you can go right to the gates and skip the ticket booths. And use the app to "play along at home" with getting a BG for ROTR. It really helps to practice at home to see how your phone works with the BG process. (This is explained in the ROTR Superthread.)

 

[theluckyrabbit]

To answer a few of your other questions:
It does appear right now that the current health scare is affecting crowd levels in the parks. But that may or may not still be true by the time of your visit. Spring Break is just starting out here (DLR usually sees a 6 week period of breaks from different districts), so who knows how things will look once the major districts start their breaks. Better to plan for crowds -- then you'll be prepared if there are crowds and pleasantly surprised if there aren't.
Touring styles vary and are really a matter of preference. Some people hit the parks hard and let FP/MP determine where they go and when. (But remember that not all rides at DLR are on the FP system, so you will be mixing in FP/MP rides with standby lines throughout the day.) Don't forget about Single Rider lines! Those can help you get repeat rides on favorites. Other people organize their day land by land -- it feels easier to them and more thorough. There is no right or wrong here -- whichever way feels more comfortable for you!
The best tip I can give you is to visit DL with an open mind and no preconceived WDW expectations. This is Walt's original park, the one that started it all! So let it all unfold for you as a totally new adventure, not WDW 2.0. Let the magic happen and have a great visit!

 

[TikiRob]

I'm also making my first trip and I believe I've read every helpful link folks have shared in these types of threads. I've read all about the rides only at DL or rides better than the WDW version, the difference in FP, dining, touring, etc.

Can I ask about unique smaller things that make the parks special? I've just learned about the animated windows at a shop on Main Street and the little man door in Adventureland. I'm making notes of all these types of details that I want to be able to share with my family.

I'd love to hear about the little things that you love about DLR that one might miss if they didn't know to look! Thanks in advance.

 

[superdeluxe]

I'm also making my first trip and I believe I've read every helpful link folks have shared in these types of threads. I've read all about the rides only at DL or rides better than the WDW version, the difference in FP, dining, touring, etc.

Can I ask about unique smaller things that make the parks special? I've just learned about the animated windows at a shop on Main Street and the little man door in Adventureland. I'm making notes of all these types of details that I want to be able to share with my family.

I'd love to hear about the little things that you love about DLR that one might miss if they didn't know to look! Thanks in advance.

There is a book, where it shows all the hidden mickey logos, and its fun to try and spot them all:

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Micke...DVWXXB2Y8D1&psc=1&refRID=K4V187AX6DVWXXB2Y8D1

 

[BeachtoDisney]

There are quite a few DL vs. WDW YouTube videos that compare parks and rides. This one is pretty funny: