Pinkocto
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2011
Greetings everyone and welcome to my newest TR. I'm going to combine the PTR and TR since my trip is only 10 days away. To say I'm excited is an understatement. Oh yes, you need the destination, I'm heading to Disneyland for the very first time!!! Dates for the trip are 9/3-9/9/13. My name is Pam and here I am with Daisy on the Disney Wonder
I have loved Disney all my life. I was raised with all the Disney movies and my parents took us to WDW for the first time when I was 6. I didn't get back for 9 years but I was hooked. I've since been to WDW 11 times and although I absolutely love it I realized last year that I really needed to visit DL as well. I live in Maryland so the flight to FL is only 2 hours and 15 minutes, very easy to get to. DL is a little more difficult but definitely not too hard, 5 1/2 hours. I joined DVC in 2011 so my natural choice of resort was the VGC. I anxiously awaited my 7 month window and was able to get a studio. I had gone back and forth between a studio and 1BR and chose the studio because of points, although that soaking tub really was calling my name. When I finally decided I'd change to a 1BR they were all booked. I didn't waitlist, I figured it was just as well.
With the resort booked it was time to book flights. I fly SW when I can, so kept an eye on their prices. When flights first came out they were $500 round trip. I wasn't too crazy about that so kept watching them. When they went down to $400 I booked, but of course kept watching. They went down a few times after that and I finally got them for $300. I kept watching but they never went below $300. I am still beyond happy with that and they're both non-stop.
I bought the DL Passporter for research, very helpful, and read a bunch about DL here on the DIS. After the resort and flights my biggest problem was actually getting to DL from the airport. SW only flies non-stop from Baltimore to LAX so that was my firm choice. A friend suggested the Supershuttle which I was just about ready to book and then I started thinking about renting a car. The Supershuttle is $32 round trip, which means $42 with tips, and I could get a car for $150. So for $108 more I could have the flexibility of a car. I really liked that idea so booked it through Priceline.
After Labor Day, which is when I'm getting there, September is supposed to be quite a low crowd month. I'm hoping this holds true and I won't have crowds to contend with.
One big difference of planning for DL verses WDW is that they don't put out the entertainment schedule months ahead of time like WDW. I anxiously waited for the September schedule to be put out and that wasn't until late July/early August. They kept posting a September schedule on the website and then taking it down, it was very bizarre. I was mainly wanting to know the WoC and Fantasmic! schedules. WoC will be showing every night which is great, but Fantasmic! is only showing Friday and Saturday nights. I'll have to work around that. I'll be buying a 5 day hopper pass which I'm hoping will be enough to see everything. Here's a schedule I have so far.
9/3 Tuesday:
-Flight 9:50-12:20
-Pick up car
-Stop at grocery store for diet mountain dew and some food items
-Check in at VGC, between the drive and stopping for groceries I'm thinking between 3-4 pm
-Decide what to do next, DL closes at 7:00, DCA closes at 8:00. Do I want to use a park day for only a few hours? Must decide when I get there.
9/4 Wednesday:
-EMH at DCA 9-10 am
-Parks open at 10:00
-Lunch with Alison at a very exciting location
-Hoping to do some rides with Alison before or after lunch if that works with her
-DL closes at 7:00
-DCA closes at 8:00
9/5 Thursday:
-EMH at DL 9-10 am
-Parks open at 10:00
-DL closes at 7:00
-DCA closes at 8:00
9/6 Friday:
-EMH at DCA 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-Fantasmic! at 9 pm ?
-Parks close at 10:00
9/7 Saturday:
-EMH at DL 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-if I don't see Fantasmic! Friday I must see it today
-DL closes at 11:00
- DCA closes at 10:00
-See Alicia at DTD?
9/8 Sunday:
-EMH at DCA 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-Go to Alison and Frans concert tonight
-See Alicia at DTD? (depends on which day they'll be there)
9/9 Monday:
-Go home today
-Leave resort between 9-10 to return car at LAX
-Flight at 1:05 pm
-Arrive home at 9:05 pm
I will only have 5 day passes, so one of these days will be a relax at the resort, go to the spa, or explore CA with the car day. I will not be at the parks from opening to closing, I'm just not that kind of vacationer, I'm hoping to enjoy the pools and DTD a lot. At WDW travel time can take up such a big part of the day, I'm really looking forward to being at DL and everything being a close walk to each other. Other than lunch with Alison I have no ADRs. From everything I've read you really don't need them at DL. Most of my days will be totally go with the flow. I love to sleep in on vacation, I have to be at work at 5:30 am so on vacation I relish my down time. I'm really happy with the 10:00 opening times most days because that means I won't feel any need to rush.
Unfortunately since its off season there will be a few attractions closed during my trip. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Mickeys House, Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo, and King Arthur Carousel will all be closed while I'm there. That just means I'll have to plan another trip to DL in the next few years.
That's all I have for now, if you have any tips please share them, I'm open to everything.
I have loved Disney all my life. I was raised with all the Disney movies and my parents took us to WDW for the first time when I was 6. I didn't get back for 9 years but I was hooked. I've since been to WDW 11 times and although I absolutely love it I realized last year that I really needed to visit DL as well. I live in Maryland so the flight to FL is only 2 hours and 15 minutes, very easy to get to. DL is a little more difficult but definitely not too hard, 5 1/2 hours. I joined DVC in 2011 so my natural choice of resort was the VGC. I anxiously awaited my 7 month window and was able to get a studio. I had gone back and forth between a studio and 1BR and chose the studio because of points, although that soaking tub really was calling my name. When I finally decided I'd change to a 1BR they were all booked. I didn't waitlist, I figured it was just as well.
With the resort booked it was time to book flights. I fly SW when I can, so kept an eye on their prices. When flights first came out they were $500 round trip. I wasn't too crazy about that so kept watching them. When they went down to $400 I booked, but of course kept watching. They went down a few times after that and I finally got them for $300. I kept watching but they never went below $300. I am still beyond happy with that and they're both non-stop.
I bought the DL Passporter for research, very helpful, and read a bunch about DL here on the DIS. After the resort and flights my biggest problem was actually getting to DL from the airport. SW only flies non-stop from Baltimore to LAX so that was my firm choice. A friend suggested the Supershuttle which I was just about ready to book and then I started thinking about renting a car. The Supershuttle is $32 round trip, which means $42 with tips, and I could get a car for $150. So for $108 more I could have the flexibility of a car. I really liked that idea so booked it through Priceline.
After Labor Day, which is when I'm getting there, September is supposed to be quite a low crowd month. I'm hoping this holds true and I won't have crowds to contend with.
One big difference of planning for DL verses WDW is that they don't put out the entertainment schedule months ahead of time like WDW. I anxiously waited for the September schedule to be put out and that wasn't until late July/early August. They kept posting a September schedule on the website and then taking it down, it was very bizarre. I was mainly wanting to know the WoC and Fantasmic! schedules. WoC will be showing every night which is great, but Fantasmic! is only showing Friday and Saturday nights. I'll have to work around that. I'll be buying a 5 day hopper pass which I'm hoping will be enough to see everything. Here's a schedule I have so far.
9/3 Tuesday:
-Flight 9:50-12:20
-Pick up car
-Stop at grocery store for diet mountain dew and some food items
-Check in at VGC, between the drive and stopping for groceries I'm thinking between 3-4 pm
-Decide what to do next, DL closes at 7:00, DCA closes at 8:00. Do I want to use a park day for only a few hours? Must decide when I get there.
9/4 Wednesday:
-EMH at DCA 9-10 am
-Parks open at 10:00
-Lunch with Alison at a very exciting location
-Hoping to do some rides with Alison before or after lunch if that works with her
-DL closes at 7:00
-DCA closes at 8:00
9/5 Thursday:
-EMH at DL 9-10 am
-Parks open at 10:00
-DL closes at 7:00
-DCA closes at 8:00
9/6 Friday:
-EMH at DCA 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-Fantasmic! at 9 pm ?
-Parks close at 10:00
9/7 Saturday:
-EMH at DL 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-if I don't see Fantasmic! Friday I must see it today
-DL closes at 11:00
- DCA closes at 10:00
-See Alicia at DTD?
9/8 Sunday:
-EMH at DCA 8-9 am
-Parks open at 9:00
-Go to Alison and Frans concert tonight
-See Alicia at DTD? (depends on which day they'll be there)
9/9 Monday:
-Go home today
-Leave resort between 9-10 to return car at LAX
-Flight at 1:05 pm
-Arrive home at 9:05 pm
I will only have 5 day passes, so one of these days will be a relax at the resort, go to the spa, or explore CA with the car day. I will not be at the parks from opening to closing, I'm just not that kind of vacationer, I'm hoping to enjoy the pools and DTD a lot. At WDW travel time can take up such a big part of the day, I'm really looking forward to being at DL and everything being a close walk to each other. Other than lunch with Alison I have no ADRs. From everything I've read you really don't need them at DL. Most of my days will be totally go with the flow. I love to sleep in on vacation, I have to be at work at 5:30 am so on vacation I relish my down time. I'm really happy with the 10:00 opening times most days because that means I won't feel any need to rush.
Unfortunately since its off season there will be a few attractions closed during my trip. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Mickeys House, Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo, and King Arthur Carousel will all be closed while I'm there. That just means I'll have to plan another trip to DL in the next few years.
That's all I have for now, if you have any tips please share them, I'm open to everything.
I know I've said it before, but I'm so excited! I know I'll love it but looking forward to finding out how much 
Can't wait to read about the details of your trip. So excited for you!
