I may be going to Disneyland---have questions, need help!

[blackcauldron85]

I've always wanted to go to Disneyland. I didn't grow up going to the parks, but now I live near WDW, and I go all the time.
Last year, I got married, but we never had a honeymoon. So, we've never had a big vacation, and I just want to go to Disneyland.

This morning, my hubby said that my job today is to find information on Disneyland and hotels and airlines and everything.

I printed out 2 useful threads on DL here at UD, and I have some questions about what I read there.

1.- Someone mentioned that the hopper tickets come with a Fast Pass. Are Fast Passes not in the park, like they are at WDW?

2.- Is Fantasmic any different at DL than it is at WDW? Don't you have to stand up the whole time (or have they changed it)?

3.- Is it much cheaper to not buy Hopper passes? I'll go to disneyland.com soon to see if they list prices for things...Since I live in Orlando, I've only ever bought annual passes (except for the one time I went to MGM before I moved down here), so I don't really know that much about them, except that you have the ability to hop between parks.

4.- Someone gave the advice about lining up at least half an hour before the gates open. Why? Just to get their early enough to spend the whole day there?

5.- Are certain months cheaper than other months? I have no idea when we'll be able to go, but are tickets (either DL tickets or hotel rates, or airfare) cheaper at some times of the year than at others?

6.- Have any of you found a great (cheap) airline that flies to the DL area?
Also, have any of you found a cheap car rental service in that area?

7.- Someone told me that there is a wider variety of merchandise at DL than at WDW, since the stores don't repeat merchandise. With that in mind, I'm assuming everything is as expensive as it is at WDW. Is there a Mouse Surplus-type store near DL? Do you have any recommendations as to what types of DL merchandise I should buy (mainly, that WDW doesn't have), in order to save money and suitcase space? Are there any stuffed animals that DL has that WDW doesn't have (that's my biggest collecting "thing", besides Disney movies)?

I'll do some more research, and I'll come back with any questions that I have! Thanks, everyone!

[kbehm29]

I go to Disneyland fairly frequently, and can answer some of your questions.

Fastpasses work just like in WDW, so I'm not sure what that offer was about. ???

I ALWAYS get there at LEAST 1/2 hour before the park opens. They let you all the way through Main Street 1/2 hour before park opens. There's a rope blocking you off from the rest of the park, then at park open they "drop" the rope. It's a fun experience.

I'm pretty sure that the hopper passes are not much more than the regular ones. You'll want the hopper pass for the day(s) you go to California Adventure park -- I appreciate that park and enjoy it, but there might be a day you'll want to go back into DL too. It's only steps away.

I'll write more as I remember stuff - you'll have a great time! I absolutely love DL and hold a very special place in my heart for it. I truly believe it's a better park vs. Magic Kingdom. Don't forget to check out POTC - it's a lot longer at DL. And you'll get to experience Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the Matterhorn, Alice in Wonderland, and Indiana Jones!!! Aren't you excited???? I'm going in January.

As for shopping - I never have much money to buy anything when we go...but there are two different stores right outside of the Jungle Cruise and the Tiki Room. One is a covered "stand" where I found really cool stuffed jungle animals. I got a parrot. The one by the Tiki Room is pretty cool too.

[Poody]

I'll try and answer a few other things....

2.- Is Fantasmic any different at DL than it is at WDW? Don't you have to stand up the whole time (or have they changed it)?

Well I watched the Fantasmic show from WDW on youtube and the show itself is different.... You have to stand the whole time unless you go to one of the "sitting areas." If you get there early, you can sit right in front of the "rivers of america," on the ground. Or you can sit where they have tables and chairs near the back.

5.- Are certain months cheaper than other months? I have no idea when we'll be able to go, but are tickets (either DL tickets or hotel rates, or airfare) cheaper at some times of the year than at others?

The tickets themselves are always the same prince, unless.... you buy them somewhere else before hand. Sometimes grocery stores and other places sell tickets cheaper around January.

[Mr. Toad]

1. Parkhoppers do not come with Fastpass. Fastpass works the same whether you have any type of tickets. Here is a FAQ
There is an error in it though. If you have a fastpass for 1-2, you can get another Fastpass at 1:01 not 2:01.

http://allearsnet.com/dlr/tp/fastpass.htm

2. If you go to the stairs then often everyone will sit. Or you can splurge like I did for the balcony or reserved seating. And Fantasmic is much different at Disneyland even though the storyline is the same. They can do much more using the Rivers of America and all of the boats.

3. Multi day passes are must cheaper. By the third day it is only like $10/day. If I am planning to go for 2 five day trips I buy an annual pass. It is worth it once you add in parking and discounts.

4. Yep, then you are first in. Great theory but when you go for multi days finding the energy may be tough.

5. Hotels and airfares off season is definetely cheaper. Sometimes multi day tickets are discounted during off season but single day or annual passes arent.

6. Cars are pretty useless if you are doing nothing but Disneyland. Try supershuttle.com

7. Stuffies are my big ones too. Florida was so far away I really didnt look for them in Orlando though. There seemed to be a lot more specialty shops in Disneyland to me but it may have been because of familiarity. Buy whatever you want. I have always found shopping in New Orleans Square to be really good for high end stuff.

I've always wanted to go to Disneyland. I didn't grow up going to the parks, but now I live near WDW, and I go all the time.
Last year, I got married, but we never had a honeymoon. So, we've never had a big vacation, and I just want to go to Disneyland.

This morning, my hubby said that my job today is to find information on Disneyland and hotels and airlines and everything.

I printed out 2 useful threads on DL here at UD, and I have some questions about what I read there.

1.- Someone mentioned that the hopper tickets come with a Fast Pass. Are Fast Passes not in the park, like they are at WDW?



2.- Is Fantasmic any different at DL than it is at WDW? Don't you have to stand up the whole time (or have they changed it)?

3.- Is it much cheaper to not buy Hopper passes? I'll go to disneyland.com soon to see if they list prices for things...Since I live in Orlando, I've only ever bought annual passes (except for the one time I went to MGM before I moved down here), so I don't really know that much about them, except that you have the ability to hop between parks.

4.- Someone gave the advice about lining up at least half an hour before the gates open. Why? Just to get their early enough to spend the whole day there?

5.- Are certain months cheaper than other months? I have no idea when we'll be able to go, but are tickets (either DL tickets or hotel rates, or airfare) cheaper at some times of the year than at others?

6.- Have any of you found a great (cheap) airline that flies to the DL area?
Also, have any of you found a cheap car rental service in that area?

7.- Someone told me that there is a wider variety of merchandise at DL than at WDW, since the stores don't repeat merchandise. With that in mind, I'm assuming everything is as expensive as it is at WDW. Is there a Mouse Surplus-type store near DL? you have any recommendations as to what types of DL merchandise I shoDould buy (mainly, that WDW doesn't have), in order to save money and suitcase space? Are there any stuffed animals that DL has that WDW doesn't have (that's my biggest collecting "thing", besides Disney movies)?

I'll do some more research, and I'll come back with any questions that I have! Thanks, everyone!

[/b]

[Mr. Toad]

www.allears.net
www.mouseplanet.com
www.miceage.com

Are all great places to plan a trip.

[Prince Charming 12]

In response to Q#5:

The Disneyland Resort uses the same pricing tiers as WDW by segregating the year into three seasonal dates: Value, Regular and Peak. For example, the remaining "Value" dates for 2007 are 9/2 - 11/19 and 11/25 - 12/20.

I was doing a little research on Disneyland too and I picked up a travel brochure at Triple A and found that very helpful.

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, everyone! I'll look into all the links everyone provided, and look more into what everyone said, and just prices, etc. in general. We won't be going for a while, and first I need to find airline and hotel prices, I guess (that's what the hubby said, after I didn't look up that stuff yesterday).

Mr. Toad, MousePlanet is great- it's like having a Disneyland guide book! AllEarsNet looks great, too, but I haven't searched around there much yet.

[GOGOinVegas]

I hope you have a great time at DL!
I really love the intimacy of the place and all of Walts special touches.. although I only go during the slow times....
I was only going to add that there is a Disney Character Outlet down harbor blvd. about a few miles that we always stop at . Especially since we do some pin trading and they are cheaper there...
To get to the Disney Character Warehouse from Disneyland, go North on Harbor Blvd and cross Highway 91. Make a right at Orangethorpe and another right on Pomona, which is a street that goes right into the Orangefair Marketplace shopping center. A Michael's store is right in front of you; drive toward it and then go left to get to the Character Warehouse, which is at the corner of the building.233 Orangefair Mall. You can call (714) 870-9363

Also, our favorite thing is to stay across the street from DL at either The Best Western or the Del Sol.. they are not super fancy, but it is the easiest walk across to the gate and makes taking breaks ( which we always do) MUCh easier...we have a 4 year old so convienience is a must. there are a couple others around the 1500 block of S. Harbor .....
I always hear about how hard it is to get to your hotel from Disneyworld, and I think Ive gotten spoiled by this DL system...

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, GOGO! If and when we go, it won't be for a while, because of money reasons. And I was supposed to look at hotel and airline prices, but that seems like such a big task.

[blackcauldron85]

It's official! We're going to Disneyland in September! We have a hotel- the Fairfield Inn Disneyland, right across the street from Disneyland, $89 a night.

The cheapest plane tickets we found were $530 total, round trip, which includes both of us. Bobby wants to know if we should hold out for a better price.

Prince Charming 12, your idea of getting a Triple A travel brochure is a good idea I might look into doing that- is it free?

I'll look into the links that you provided more seriously now, and I may purchase the Burnbaum (sp?) Disneyland 2008 book. I'm excited, but I'm going to miss our doggies (we'll have friends take care of them).

We'll be going for a week. We're going to the San Diego Zoo (1 day), Disneyland (4 days), and Hollywood (1 day). I'd rather just do Disneyland and come home, but Bobby has a friend who lives in San Diego that he wants to see, and he wants to see Hollywood.

[Simba3]

Good for you Amy! I hope you have a wonderful late vacation. Disneyland is wonderful, from what I can remember, it's been like 11 years since I went. But I remember I loved it! Also, the San Diego Zoo is a wonderful zoo, you'll have a great time. (And on a side note, if you are a Zoo person, you should check out the Jacksonville Zoo in our wonderful state of Florida - it's GREAT!) Anyway, I hope you have a great vacation, make sure you tell us all about it when you get home.

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, Simba3! I'm so excited, but it's still 7 months away! Gah!!!

I haven't been to the Jacksonville Zoo- I haven't really been to any touristy places besides WDW...maybe I'll go eventually, though!

[PeterPanfan]

I hope you and Bobby have tons of fun, Amy!!

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, Dan!

[Mr. Toad]

Sounds great except I really think you should reconsider Hollywood. Looking at famous people's houses from far off really is not very exciting.

[kbehm29]

but....Hollywood is more than looking at houses.

You can take pictures of the Hollywood sign, drive up in the hills and get scenic pictures of the LA area, browse the Walk of Fame, and see the Chinese Theater. I go to Hollywood every other time I go to California.

[blackcauldron85]

Hollywood is my husband's idea, and so is the zoo. If I had my way, we'd just do Disneyland. I do like zoos, but we could go to those anywhere. I don't care too much about Hollywood, but seeing certain stars on the Walk of Fame might be cool.

[reyquila]

I'm going over there!!! I'll be staying at the Disneyland Hotel from March 19 thru March 26!!!! I'l' be hitting Universal Studios and San Diego Zoo also!!!

[MickeyMousePal]

Hey, Amy if you want a grand tour of Disneyland I can show you and your husband around. I usually go one time a week on the weekends. The problem is that I might not renew my passport. I know I'll probably have college classes by September, but I can squeeze in to help you. Oh, one thing before going you should check if they are really showing Fantasmic, because in January and February they didn't show it. Usually on windy days they don't show Fantasmic or the fireworks at the night.If you are my friend on MySpace just check out my pictures.

[blackcauldron85]

Hey, Amy if you want a grand tour of Disneyland I can show you and your husband around. I usually go one time a week on the weekends. The problem is that I might not renew my passport. I know I'll probably have college classes by September, but I can squeeze in to help you. Oh, one thing before going you should check if they are really showing Fantasmic, because in January and February they didn't show it. Usually on winding days they don't show Fantasmic or the fireworks at the night.If you are my friend on MySpace just check out my pictures.

Hey MMP! That would be really cool- thanks for the offer! I hope they're showing Fantasmic, but I guess we won't know until we get there...?!?

And reyquila- that's awesome!!!! You'll be there on my birthday- I'll be thinking of you having fun there...and I'll live vicariously through you! Take lots of pictures, if you can!!!!!

Is there anything at the Studio to see? Bobby said we maybe can drive past it...can you see anything from the road? Is there anything outside of Disneyland that is Disney-related that the public can do?