I wish . . .

[Brandie]

. . . there was a site as wonderful as this for Disneyland and/or DCL. :RpS_biggrin:

[blyday]

Me too!!!!!:high5: (Okay.....I know this is the "High five" smilie but it looks like he is raising his hand.....so that is what I'm using it as!!!!)

[lisapennie]

I agree - though I have to say, the Passporter book for DCL is pretty amazingly helpful, and their forums aren't half bad for that type of thing.

[DizDragonfly]

Add me to the list of wishers!

[USAgooner]

I know I was thinking about taking my DW to Disneyland for a quick 3-4 day getaway vacation and I could find nothing to help me plan. So I can be added to that list

[Husker Mouse]

I'll be going to DL for my first time next summer and I would love more info on how to tour there, too!

[mdsd8700]

I know I was thinking about taking my DW to Disneyland for a quick 3-4 day getaway vacation and I could find nothing to help me plan. So I can be added to that list

I agree it would be great to have site completely dedicate to DLR, I absoulely love it there! We have only been there 4 times but plan to continue our every other year plan between DLR and WDW that we started a while back.

You can find some good information, the Unoffical Disneyland Book is great and I always find that useful. Allears has some very good info as does a website called Mouseplanet (be sure to look under trip planning). One of the other larger Disney Boards has a very good section that is dedicated to Disneyland and Southern California and there are lots of people there with great knowledge to share.

Although not exactly the same a a dedicated site like this, there is some good planning/touring information that will help you with a DLR vacation.

[josh]

Unofficial Guide and touringplans.com does Disneyland. That's probably your best bet, although I would imagine their Disneyland system is somewhat flawed. I haven't been to Disneyland in like 15 years.

[DizDragonfly]

Unofficial Guide and touringplans.com does Disneyland. That's probably your best bet, although I would imagine their Disneyland system is somewhat flawed. I haven't been to Disneyland in like 15 years.

I think you should plan a trip for August 10-12. :RpS_tongue:

[mdsd8700]

With all this talk about Disneyland, I thought I would just add a few personal comments since it seems like some previous posters are talking about/planning trips to DLR. My family has been 4 times (last July was the last). We absolutely love it. Although it is different from WDW in many ways, it is the same in it's magic. Disneyland is the original and well for me that really is something special and I just love to think of that when I am there. DCA has really improved over the years and it really fun. WOC and now the addition of Carsland will put it right up there with any of the Disney FL parks. Everything is on a smaller scale, the parks, the food, the downtown area but that gives you the ability to have whole other vacation on top of Disney. So for anyone thinking of going, I say go for it!

[Brandie]

I agree - though I have to say, the Passporter book for DCL is pretty amazingly helpful, and their forums aren't half bad for that type of thing.
I've heard this before. I'm waiting until the new one comes out. They were supposed to be taking pre-orders in April, but as far as I can tell they aren't yet.



You can find some good information, the Unoffical Disneyland Book is great and I always find that useful. Allears has some very good info as does a website called Mouseplanet (be sure to look under trip planning). One of the other larger Disney Boards has a very good section that is dedicated to Disneyland and Southern California and there are lots of people there with great knowledge to share.

UG DL . . . done that. I'll have to look into Mouseplanet, I'm not too familiar with using that one. The other larger Disney board does have a Disneyland forum where the posters are generally more welcoming than some of the other forums and there are plenty of people who are knowledgable, but it's still full of people who don't necessarily know what they are talking about or their idea of helping is to say "Check out this 254 page thread. It's full of useful information."


Unofficial Guide and touringplans.com does Disneyland. That's probably your best bet, although I would imagine their Disneyland system is somewhat flawed. I haven't been to Disneyland in like 15 years.
UG and tp.com are as useful for DL as they are for WDW. One reason we're all here, right?


I think you should plan a trip for August 10-12. :RpS_tongue:
:RpS_thumbsup:


With all this talk about Disneyland, I thought I would just add a few personal comments since it seems like some previous posters are talking about/planning trips to DLR. My family has been 4 times (last July was the last). We absolutely love it. Although it is different from WDW in many ways, it is the same in it's magic. Disneyland is the original and well for me that really is something special and I just love to think of that when I am there. DCA has really improved over the years and it really fun. WOC and now the addition of Carsland will put it right up there with any of the Disney FL parks. Everything is on a smaller scale, the parks, the food, the downtown area but that gives you the ability to have whole other vacation on top of Disney. So for anyone thinking of going, I say go for it!
I'm getting really excited about DCA, too! I need someone who's been there recently to help me get ready for my upcoming trip. When to get to Ariel, how early arrive for WoC, FP strategy for ST2, how to work in characters. Ya know?!
I also agree about the compactness (if it isn't, it should be a word). DLR has almost as many attractions at WDW but I can do it all in 3 or 4 days! It's a great long-weekend-type trip.

[mdsd8700]

UG DL . . . done that. I'll have to look into Mouseplanet, I'm not too familiar with using that one. The other larger Disney board does have a Disneyland forum where the posters are generally more welcoming than some of the other forums and there are plenty of people who are knowledgable, but it's still full of people who don't necessarily know what they are talking about or their idea of helping is to say "Check out this 254 page thread. It's full of useful information."

I'm getting really excited about DCA, too! I need someone who's been there recently to help me get ready for my upcoming trip. When to get to Ariel, how early arrive for WoC, FP strategy for ST2, how to work in characters. Ya know?!
I also agree about the compactness (if it isn't, it should be a word). DLR has almost as many attractions at WDW but I can do it all in 3 or 4 days! It's a great long-weekend-type trip.

Agreed you will have to weed through the "other" board to get to the useful information, however I really did get some good tips. There are a some very knowledgable people who like to their experience.

Also agree with all the new things opening at DLR (Ariel, ST2) you will definately need someone to give you in the ins and outs. Unforunately with our trip being last July I have nothing to really offer to you. I do know there are no FP for TSM and the CM there don't do as good a job as containing the crowd at RD. It literally is like "running with the bulls" to get in line. Okay that might be a bit of an overstatment, most people were walking/running with purpose. There were some however that would have run us down without a second thought.

Not sure where you are staying on your trip. On site guests (Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel), get into DCA 30 minutes early and can grab WOC FP. Also thru September 5th on site hotel guests can get access to Little Mermaid ride 30 minutes early. There is also early entry on certain mornings if you have a 3 day park hopper or more. Also thru September 5th each on site guest will get 2 free FP. They will charge you $15 a day to park you car though! ARES Travel is good place to get tickets, we always use them.

Sorry I just looked at Mouseplanet in the trip planning area and much of it doesn't seem to be updated. Not sure it will be useful. Sorry to lead you down the wrong path. I know I used it previoulsy, but since we have gone every other year for the last several years I have become more comfortable with the parks.

Enjoy your trip!!

[Brandie]

We're staying at VGC, which is where we stayed in November, so I'm familiar with the early entry to DCA. I'm glad they'll have Ariel running at that point! But, will I make it to TSMM if I stop for Ariel?? I'll probably use a free FP for Ariel later in the day. I wish it was 2 FP per DAY! Since I'm onsite, I get access to all the MM. Unfortunately I think we'll only make it to one because the 2nd MM is our departure day.
I've done ARES before, but last time I checked the savings were minimal. I'll check again before I make our ticket purchase.

I've done the WoC stampede but it was all a blur. I'm considering the Cove Bar. Anyone have any experience with that?

[Janine]

Look at that. You guys are turning into your own wonderful resource for information on DLR.

[mdsd8700]

We're staying at VGC, which is where we stayed in November, so I'm familiar with the early entry to DCA. I'm glad they'll have Ariel running at that point! But, will I make it to TSMM if I stop for Ariel?? I'll probably use a free FP for Ariel later in the day. I wish it was 2 FP per DAY! Since I'm onsite, I get access to all the MM. Unfortunately I think we'll only make it to one because the 2nd MM is our departure day.
I've done ARES before, but last time I checked the savings were minimal. I'll check again before I make our ticket purchase.

I've done the WoC stampede but it was all a blur. I'm considering the Cove Bar. Anyone have any experience with that?

Isn't the VGC just amazing?! :RpS_thumbup: I love it there. We stayed last July and our room overlooked Paradise Pier and we could see WOC from our room. Although the view is better straight on. As far as WOC goes have you tried the picnic or dinner package? We did the dinner package last year and it was surprisingly good and it worked out great in terms of seating.

As far as the Cove Bar goes I know last year they starting charging people a $10 cover per person because they figured people were watching WOC there. I know it didn't go over very well, so I am not sure if that is still the case, but you may want check that out somehow.

Your correct about ARES if the length of days is shorter than the savings are minimal. Similar to WDW, the more you play the more you save.

Now wouldn't that be sweet if they gave two FP per DAY, instead per stay! I would go for that. :RpS_smile:

[DizDragonfly]

I've done the WoC stampede but it was all a blur. I'm considering the Cove Bar. Anyone have any experience with that?

I've read the view from there really isn't the best. But, if you've seen it before, it maybe ok.

[Brandie]

I've seen it before but the rest of my travel party hasn't. Sounds like the bar isn't for us!

I haven't done the preferred dining for WoC, yet. In my experience, you've got to go through the WoC stampede no matter which section you get assigned. But, I went to the first show. I hear the second show is less hectic. And, the picnic doesn't get you a better section than pulling a FP. Pulling a FP is actually the easiest part of the ordeal.

I probably don't need to worry about it as much as I have been. It's just adults this time around. The first time I was very concerned about getting a spot in the front so that my kids could see. This time I should be more focused on making it less stressful for myself and the rest of our group.

[DizDragonfly]

I haven't done the preferred dining for WoC, yet. In my experience, you've got to go through the WoC stampede no matter which section you get assigned. But, I went to the first show. I hear the second show is less hectic. And, the picnic doesn't get you a better section than pulling a FP. Pulling a FP is actually the easiest part of the ordeal.

I probably don't need to worry about it as much as I have been. It's just adults this time around. The first time I was very concerned about getting a spot in the front so that my kids could see. This time I should be more focused on making it less stressful for myself and the rest of our group.

We did the preferred dining in December. The meal was great. We were first in line for our section too. So, we got the pick of where to stand. It worked out well for us. However, we also saw the show from the very back a few nights later. I think I actually preferred that view. It was the spot that's recommended over at the DIS, by the fire hydrant. Really nice spot and we weren't in the middle of a mob or belly up on a railing with people pushing in behind us. Well, we had the rail, but no one was crowding us. That was part of the Blue section.

[Rhonda]

I wish....... I needed a planning site for DL:RpS_cool:

[Brandie]

We did the preferred dining in December. The meal was great. We were first in line for our section too. So, we got the pick of where to stand. It worked out well for us. However, we also saw the show from the very back a few nights later. I think I actually preferred that view. It was the spot that's recommended over at the DIS, by the fire hydrant. Really nice spot and we weren't in the middle of a mob or belly up on a railing with people pushing in behind us. Well, we had the rail, but no one was crowding us. That was part of the Blue section.

Thanks, Karen! It's easy enough to get a blue FP for the first show. I should research how to get a blue for the second show. My travel party is up for an AG WoC package, so maybe we'll do as you've done: See it once in the preferred section and then try to pull a blue FP later in our trip.

[Brandie]

I wish....... I needed a planning site for DL:RpS_cool:

:laugh:

[DizDragonfly]

Thanks, Karen! It's easy enough to get a blue FP for the first show. I should research how to get a blue for the second show. My travel party is up for an AG WoC package, so maybe we'll do as you've done: See it once in the preferred section and then try to pull a blue FP later in our trip.

Sounds like a great plan to me! I've got to decide if Kyle and I are going to try to see WOC and/or F! We aren't staying onsite, so pulling a blue will be a little harder for us. I think I'd prefer the second show anyway. Guess I'd better research that too!