One day in Disneyland- picking my "Battles"

[LKing]

I think both of those are actually macarons (almond flour), not macaroons (shredded coconut). It's an important difference for people who (1) have tree-nut allergies or (2) don't like coconut.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/baking-guide/macarons-vs-macaroons-whats-the-difference

Thanks for the correction. I never know how to spell it.

 

[aymiewilson]

Wishing you the BEST DAY in DLP and DCA! I am a big believer in the rope drop -> 3 - 5 pm nap break at hotel -> park close schedule, and since you will be staying at Grand Californian, you might be able to make that work. I'm not sure what park hours will be like when you're there. If Disneyland is opening at 8 am (or earlier) and open until midnight, then you'd have time. But if they're back to 9 am opening and 10 pm close... I don't know that I would even go back to the hotel at all during the day.

If you don't want to take the time away from the parks for a nap, then something I have done is schedule a late lunch or early dinner at a sit down restaurant where I can relax for a good 45-60 minutes.

It looks like you have only World of Color on your list of must-dos, and as a WoC fan, I think that's the right choice. I really hope it's playing while you're there!

Regarding touring strategy, I just want to put in a plug for Casey at SoCalDaily. She is in the parks all the time (often taking the early train up from San Diego the morning of!) and her touring strategies have NEVER steered me wrong. You can find her suggestions for doing both parks in one day, with Genie+, starting in Disneyland, here.

Back on the topic of food, I absolutely highly strongly very much recommend Jolly Holiday! Not only does it have delicious food (their breakfast croissants are amazing, and I've never had a bad pastry there), but it's a beautiful spot and relaxing to sit there for a bit just off Main Street and people watch. if you're lucky, you'll hear some musical entertainment too. One place to eat in Disneyland that could give you a calm, quiet bit of relaxation time is Hungry Bear Restaurant, over near Splash Mountain. I also like Rancho del Zocalo in Fantasyland, and the food over at Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland is pretty good.

If you're going to get a drink at Lamplight Lounge... I dislike all shellfish, but I love the Lobster Nachos there. Unless you get a reservation at Lamplight Lounge, you're still going to be spending some time waiting on the walkup list, so why not combo this and make it a meal? If that doesn't end up working out for you, I would hop on over to eat in Sanfransokyo Square. I LOVE Aunt Cass Cafe's curry in a breadbowl dish, and the food nearby at Cocina Cucamonga is also highly rated.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Sorry everyone, I fell away for a little bit.

Y'all are making me so excited for my trip....and hungry!

 

[mmackeymouse]

Winnie the Pooh is a great comparison to Alice IMO, the track and carts are very similar.

I know you said you weren't a fan of Pirates and I'm sure as a Disney Worlder you're hesitant to waste park time on Pirates or Small World. However, I will say: I cried when I found out that Pirates would be closed during my Disneyland trip. It is that much better than the WDW version. Small World at Disneyland is an entirely different ballgame, so massive and it has all of the Disney characters in it. I would honestly do Small World over Canal Boats or Casey Jr-- both cute but you wouldn't regret doing Small World instead.

You can definitely skip most of the other rides that you'd be able to do in WDW: BTMRR I felt was worse in DLR than it is in WDW, Haunted Mansion was just okay and definitely skippable if you aren't desperate to see the Hatbox Ghost, Jungle Cruise was nearly the exact same except the skipper had a gun for some reason. Space Mountain was Hyperspace Mountain when we went and it was a lot of fun but if you aren't going when it's Hyperspace, you can probably skip. Did not do Peter Pan's Flight in Disneyland but I also don't regret skipping it to do other attractions, especially Toad/Snow White/Pinocchio.

In DCA, I say skip Soarin' and The Little Mermaid. I had Mission Breakout on my low priority list as well but honestly had a lot of fun on it and wished I could have gone a second time. You cannot miss Incredicoaster or Radiator Spring Racers. I could have done without Midway Mania, it is very similar to DHS, but the Monsters Inc. ride was a lot of fun!

As someone who frequents WDW: I was extremely surprised with how much I was able to get done with Genie+. It was wild. I did basically every single ride in Disneyland on my first day and every single ride at DCA on my second day. It surprised me because I feel like Genie+ is functionally useless in WDW, sometimes it feels like I can only get 2-3 more rides done per day because of it. With Genie+ at DLR, I felt like I was able to accomplish basically everything in a day.

I don't know what your dietary preferences are like but my favorite meal in Disneyland was the fried chicken from Plaza Inn, this is quick service and if you get there when it opens for lunch it won't eat into too much of your day.

HAVE SO MUCH FUN! My visit to Disneyland was honestly the most special vacation of my life -- and I am a 16+ time WDW vet whose done 2 DCPs here on the East Coast! Drink in every moment and take lots of pictures

Aw thanks so much! You have definitely given me something to think about with that fried chicken.

Now a couple things o that: I am Midwestern....and have some of the best fried chicken in the world a close drive from my house. So...it's not that I wouldn't try it. I'm definitely thinking about it. But, I don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

Also...I really thought about going to Cafe Orleans for the famous Monte Cristo. But...between the fried churro and the fried beignets that are absolutely must dos for me....I worry about doing too much fried stuff and getting absolutely weighed down and miserable with it. So that logic also sort of applies to the fried chicken, although I don't think it would be quite as heavy as the Monte Cristo.

Now, I will say I am slightly confused, as you had mentioned Plaza Inn was quick serve, but it is listed as table service. Just wanting to verify?

From the Disney Parks Website.

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival (March 1-April 22): The gastronomic extravaganza serves up creative foods and beverages, cooking demonstrations and family-friendly entertainment inspired by the diverse cultures and cuisines of the Golden State. The popular attraction, Soarin’ Over California, also returns for a limited time during the

Shoot, just missing it!

 

[Newsies]

Aw thanks so much! You have definitely given me something to think about with that fried chicken.

Now a couple things o that: I am Midwestern....and have some of the best fried chicken in the world a close drive from my house. So...it's not that I wouldn't try it. I'm definitely thinking about it. But, I don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

Also...I really thought about going to Cafe Orleans for the famous Monte Cristo. But...between the fried churro and the fried beignets that are absolutely must dos for me....I worry about doing too much fried stuff and getting absolutely weighed down and miserable with it. So that logic also sort of applies to the fried chicken, although I don't think it would be quite as heavy as the Monte Cristo.

Now, I will say I am slightly confused, as you had mentioned Plaza Inn was quick serve, but it is listed as table service. Just wanting to verify?

I totally understand you may not be willing to eat so much fried food in a day! If you have to drop one and you have good fried chicken at home ... I would MAYBE consider dropping the fried chicken in favor of the monte cristo and the beignets. They were all extremely good!

Plaza Inn is table service for breakfast (it's a character meal), for lunch and dinner it's quick service!

 

[mmackeymouse]

You do you! It's OK to prioritize stuff you love! I happen to absolutely love the Tiki Room and enjoying a Dole Whip float at the preshow at the Enchanted Tiki Garden while waiting for the show. But, I didn't mention it because the show itself is similar or identical to the WDW show.

As for Alice, it's like Pooh at WDW. Except you ride in a (non smoking) caterpillar and you go outside at some point. My second choice if you skip Alice is to do the canal boats.

Absolutely....I love a good Dole Whip, but....it feels like Disney World to me. And, I will be staying at the Polynesian in a few months. So....it's one of those things I feel like I can forego in order to go for some of the more unique things.

Personally, I think the beignets are better at the Jazz Kitchen in DTD.

Oh wow....shots fired.

I thought about checking out Beignets Expressed. From pictures, they don't look super great. But, I saw they had a Fruity Pebbles variety that had me super, super intrigued.

Unfortunately, the Fruity Pebbles variety also seems to have a blueberry lemon glaze which....just doesn't really speak to me.

But, I still think I may check it out.

Ahh- my favorite DL breakfast-- get the churro at the cart in front of the castle-- for some reason they are always the best. Your choices would all be on my list- except I haven't tried the macaron. I also am not a white chocolate fan if the current version is heavy on that. You don't have to use mobile order-- there is usually a walk up line almost everywhere. We did not have much luck with mobile order - walk ups were getting food before we were--- so our trip this past September we almost exclusively used the walk up lines and had no issues. We find the counter service at DLR, is much better than the counter service at WDW-- which should make it pretty easy on a one day trip to get food without losing as much time as table service. I will say that in the last couple of years, it is hard to get them to make any changes or substitutions to any food items. It is not like it used to be. You can always ask-- but expect that you may hear no.

Haha. Indeed. The breakfast of champions.

I'm torn because I have read such excellent things about the Senor Buzz churros at DCA. But, I will be starting the day at DL.

Heck, maybe I will have to have two churros.

 

[mmackeymouse]

I think you made the right choice to do Genie+ based on your DL ride list- Space and Indiana Jones do not always have single rider available. There are also rides on your CA list that it will work for. It might be extremely helpful in getting your list done. I think it is easier to pick up a Genie+ when you are only looking for a party of one. I think you can get your list done and probably more-especially as a party of one- we have done that much before

Starting at DL, you can probably knock out Nemo and the Fantasyland things pretty quickly before the lines start building up. I would definitely add the Alice in Wonderland ride to your list- it is a dark ride-- same type concept as Pooh- but I would say it is a lot better than WDW's Pooh (and I do like Pooh) I would probably delete the Davy Crockett Canoes unless you have a love for actually canoeing or kayaking- it looks like a lot of fun in theory-- but you will be paddling-- after a few minutes we were laughing and wondering why we were doing when we expend enough effort walking all over DLR. Also, Matterhorn is VERY rough--- we usually do that one about once every 3 years--- it is one of those "We haven't ridden it in a while and they did do maintenance on it lets try it--- and after "Ouch--- why did we do that-- not doing it again for a while". The DLR version of Pirates is far superior to the WDW version- but if you aren't a fan, you aren't. We actually like DLR's BTMRR and Space Mountain better than WDW's version. If you are there January 7, Haunted Mansion should still be operating with the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. Unless you have Nightmare Before Christmas or Haunted Mansion, that is one not to miss. HM will be closing for a lengthy refurbishment while they re-do the grounds a couple of weeks after your trip. The Monorail basically runs from Tomorrowland close to the far end of Downtown Disney. The Train would be something fun at DLR for the interior scenes that run on the path between Toontown and the front of the park.

As for CA, Radiator Springs is very easy as a single rider. We have seen a 120 minute standby line and been on in 15 minutes or less. If you have time, I would recommend doing that once during daylight hours and once at night-- it is a whole different ride. We often do single rider with only a 5 or 10 minute wait-- and I would think you are going after the holiday crowds and likely won't have that crowded of a day. The Incredicoaster single rider line is hit or miss-- you might be better of with Genie + there.

Have a great trip!

Thanks! Yes, I think I did make the right decision. What's $28.50 in the grand scheme of things?

Thanks for the tips on some the rides DW vs DL. I am definitely up to comparing and contrasting, but for rides that are exact apples to apples, I will probably pass. Even the teacups...I feel like it could be a whole different vibe uncovered vs covered. It might be basically the exact same ride, but...the setting is different enough that if it's a walk-on, I'd do it.

Monorail is....on the fence for me. I did put it on the list, because it's an iconic attraction. And because I love the DW Monorail so very much (Monorail Black till I die) But, at this point, I sort of have it as...if I am nearby and it's convenient.

Wishing you the BEST DAY in DLP and DCA! I am a big believer in the rope drop -> 3 - 5 pm nap break at hotel -> park close schedule, and since you will be staying at Grand Californian, you might be able to make that work. I'm not sure what park hours will be like when you're there. If Disneyland is opening at 8 am (or earlier) and open until midnight, then you'd have time. But if they're back to 9 am opening and 10 pm close... I don't know that I would even go back to the hotel at all during the day.

If you don't want to take the time away from the parks for a nap, then something I have done is schedule a late lunch or early dinner at a sit down restaurant where I can relax for a good 45-60 minutes.

It looks like you have only World of Color on your list of must-dos, and as a WoC fan, I think that's the right choice. I really hope it's playing while you're there!

Regarding touring strategy, I just want to put in a plug for Casey at SoCalDaily. She is in the parks all the time (often taking the early train up from San Diego the morning of!) and her touring strategies have NEVER steered me wrong. You can find her suggestions for doing both parks in one day, with Genie+, starting in Disneyland, here.

Back on the topic of food, I absolutely highly strongly very much recommend Jolly Holiday! Not only does it have delicious food (their breakfast croissants are amazing, and I've never had a bad pastry there), but it's a beautiful spot and relaxing to sit there for a bit just off Main Street and people watch. if you're lucky, you'll hear some musical entertainment too. One place to eat in Disneyland that could give you a calm, quiet bit of relaxation time is Hungry Bear Restaurant, over near Splash Mountain. I also like Rancho del Zocalo in Fantasyland, and the food over at Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland is pretty good.

If you're going to get a drink at Lamplight Lounge... I dislike all shellfish, but I love the Lobster Nachos there. Unless you get a reservation at Lamplight Lounge, you're still going to be spending some time waiting on the walkup list, so why not combo this and make it a meal? If that doesn't end up working out for you, I would hop on over to eat in Sanfransokyo Square. I LOVE Aunt Cass Cafe's curry in a breadbowl dish, and the food nearby at Cocina Cucamonga is also highly rated.

Oh wow! You make it to 3 o clock!? Haha. I am a big believer in the nap break, but for me it's usually like Noon or 1. Then, I head back to the part around 3 or 4 till close.

As far as park hours...it will be an early entry day, so it's 7:30 till 8. It is an event evening, so it closes early. I don't expect to be there that late though, as I do want to get to Cars Land for the evening. We'll see how much time I have for a break.

I actually have to confess...I've never had lobster. I've often wanted to try it, but I don't like seafood.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Hey everyone! It's the day before, and I have been reading and re-reading this thread to get a game plan for tomorrow.

The weather is definitely the X factor here, as with the impending rain, it could affect my plans a lot or a little. So...while I have a general plan...I am well aware that some of it, I am just going to have to "wing it" and see how things go.

My biggest issue at this point is just getting there. Due to track closures, my train was cancelled.

As of right now, I have a rental car booked, and I have a Lyft ride booked. I am not crazy about either option. If I go the rental car route, there is just a lot of extra moving parts. Going to pick up the rental, driving around to find free parking or paying $30-40 to park, hoping I am able to get an Uber/Lyft when I drop off the car.

With the Lyft....I find myself worried, with that distance, that a driver will cancel last minute or just not show up. And while I know Lyft would reimburse me and give me credits...it would still leave me stranded and scrambling to find a ride. If it works out, it's great. It's door-to-door service.

Sigh. Well hopefully I get there, somehow.

 

[irlandaise]

As of right now, I have a rental car booked, and I have a Lyft ride booked. I am not crazy about either option. If I go the rental car route, there is just a lot of extra moving parts. Going to pick up the rental, driving around to find free parking or paying $30-40 to park, hoping I am able to get an Uber/Lyft when I drop off the car.

Since you're on a tight schedule, don't gamble on a rideshare. Just get the rental car, park at one of the Disneyland garages, and take their free tram to the parks. $35/day for a car.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Since you're on a tight schedule, don't gamble on a rideshare. Just get the rental car, park at one of the Disneyland garages, and take their free tram to the parks. $35/day for a car.

I wish I had thought about parking at VGC sooner. I don't know why I didn't.

Unfortunately, I have the car rented for tonight, which means I have to worry about parking here in San Diego as well.

I just looked into what my options are to rent starting tomorrow morning till Weds, and I could just park at VGC.

Well....there are NO options where I can pick up at SAN and drop off at SNA. I'm not sure what happened.

So, it's either keep my current rental and pay an arm and a leg in parking here in San Diego or stick with the Lyft.

 

[foolish_mortals]

I would just pay for parking the rental. This is another choose your battles. The car at least gives you more control over the situation. Not sure where in San Diego you are staying, but if you want to save money find a cheap or Trolley lot, park it there and Lyft or ride the trolley and from your hotel. Pay for parking at Disneyland the added time and effort for free parking isn’t usually worth it.

As you said cancelling is always a risk for Lyft. I’m not sure how much you budgeted for the Lyft but surge pricing in the morning can really hit you. It’s $125 from San Diego to Disneyland right now and the rain would help matters.

 

[mmackeymouse]

I would just pay for parking the rental. This is another choose your battles. The car at least gives you more control over the situation. Not sure where in San Diego you are staying, but if you want to save money find a cheap or Trolley lot, park it there and Lyft or ride the trolley and from your hotel. Pay for parking at Disneyland the added time and effort for free parking isn’t usually worth it.

As you said cancelling is always a risk for Lyft. I’m not sure how much you budgeted for the Lyft but surge pricing in the morning can really hit you. It’s $125 from San Diego to Disneyland right now and the rain would help matters.

I wouldn't be parking at Disneyland, as I have my rental car dropoff scheduled for early AM. So, essentially, I will be dropping off there first before I head to drop my bags off at the resort.

Yes, Lyft is not cheap. But, between the price of the car, the cost to park here in SD, rideshare to the airport to pick up the car, rideshare to the resort from the rental car drop off, and gas...I feel like it's probably approaching the same price range. And, it's far more hassle than door-to-door service. Lyft also gives me a chance to get some sleep as I am leaving very early in the morning.

BUT, like you said....there is a certain amount of control over the situation that the rental car affords.

My two sides of me are at war with myself: the type A side that stresses about the control. And the part of me that wants to have faith in people, and that it's all going to work out just fine.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

The weather is probably not too bad in San Diego right now but it’s been a real mess in Orange County/LA last night and today. Budget in a TON of extra time for the drive no matter which option you choose.

The governor declared a state of emergency today. Disneyland closed early last night and announced it will close early again tonight. Could happen again tomorrow night.

We’ve had nearly 4 inches of rain at my house today, streets are flooding in places. It’s not a small amount of rain. Tomorrow will be probably be tough I’m sorry to say.

 

[mmackeymouse]

The weather is probably not too bad in San Diego right now but it’s been a real mess in Orange County/LA last night and today. Budget in a TON of extra time for the drive no matter which option you choose.

The governor declared a state of emergency today. Disneyland closed early last night and announced it will close early again tonight. Could happen again tomorrow night.

We’ve had nearly 4 inches of rain at my house today, streets are flooding in places. It’s not a small amount of rain. Tomorrow will be probably be tough I’m sorry to say.

Oh great.

Driving in a place I have no familiarization of, in torrential rain, in the dark......that sounds perfect.

So, I have my Lyft set up for 4:40 am.

I would probably leave about there if I was driving too.

Does this sound reasonable? Or should I leave even earlier?

 

[mmackeymouse]

I'm now wondering if I should take a late bus up tonight, and at least get there. Even if it means double paying for a hotel room.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

@mmackeymouse how was your trip? Hope you got up there and had a good visit despite the rain!

 

[evilmommie]

How’d the one day trip go!?