Another Disney (CA) Thread - Help with a 1 day only trip

I also read about the photo pass. Am I correct that this encompasses every photo a Disney staffer takes for you? Are there a lot of photo ops that are NOT on rides? (More just like posed photos in front of monuments and stuff). Can you ask a photo person to take a photo? Yes, if you see a Disney photographer, you just ask them and they will take your photo. If you purchase the PhotoPass, you get ALL of them. They'll hand you a card to bring to Guest Services at the end of the day. You can also buy it ahead of time with your tickets and connect it to them and then you can have your ticket scanned after the photos are taken and they will upload and you can check them when you get home. They're only available for 30 days, so make sure you download before then or they will be gone. You could get a MagicBand and wear your ticket/photopass but it sounds like you want to be on a tight budget, so I'd skip that unless you just have to have one. You can also wait to purchase them at the end of your park day, but that's your call. It's more expensive to do it then, but if you're unsure, maybe hold off?

Another friend told me about the plan where one parent can ride and then the other parent can, while one waits with the baby. It's called Rider Swap and you just tell a Cast Member when you get to them. Be sure to bring snacks/activities for waiting in line. It's hot and boring, especially for kids.

How much should I budget for food and drinks? Is there a place you'd recommend as being the best bang for our buck? We'll probably be pretty hungry by that time. We don't like seafood or spicy food but we'd be willing to try anywhere else, probably in DL since we want to get in position for the parade. Food and drinks aren't cheap anywhere, but cheapest at a quick service type stand. Think chicken fingers and fries type food. The biggest money saver will be to get free iced water at the windows instead of buying bottled water throughout the park.

Where is the best place to plant ourselves for the parade? Unsure as it's been a few years, but I'm sure that's a quick Google search.

Can I carry in stainless steel water bottles? disneyland.disney.go.com/park-rules/ - You can bring in your water bottles.

Are there any sources for discounted 1 day tickets? Everything I found is for 2 or more days. We are not So Cal residents. Not really any discounts for park tickets, especially for only one day.

Are there quiet places to chill out for a while? disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/baby-center-lost-children/ I cannot recommend the Baby Center near the front of DL enough. I was breastfeeding my 7 month old at the time and we found this gem after I'd been finding spots throughout the park. They have a section curtained off with rockers for breastfeeding. Otherwise, it's a great place for other stuff you might forget or need in a pinch. I would always ask a CM before I purchase something, like aspirin.

I want to go on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. DH wants to go on a Sunday. On summer break, is one day really noticeably different than another as far as crowds and lines? You should keep in mind the Magic Hours for the parks: disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/extra-magic-hour-early-admission/ Summer is going to be crazy regardless though. The best plan is to plan ahead and have it mapped out. Use the Disney app to watch your line times, etc. I always recommend getting to the gates 15 minutes before the park opens at least.

The pins are super fun and addictive!

You can also get current Disneyland books at the library to give you a bit more of a leg up on research. I planned our DW trip for 15 people, but started researching about a year out from our date, just because I enjoy that type of thing. We'd gone to Disneyland without hardly any planning when we only had a 7 month old and a 2 year old with a group of 12 and it was fine, too. We only did one side, didn't meet characters - except Minnie Mouse - and got there right when the park opened.

Here is some info on the parade and a package that includes dinner:

disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/main-street-electrical-parade-dining-packages/

Note there is a "to go" option and dine in/sit down option.

I think your plan of Carsland, parade and photos is totally doable!

Okay here are my recommendations:

1. Try and go during the week for sure. Even in the summer; the weekends are busier. I've never done Disney with a baby, so jot sure how that works into my suggestions below. We take our own pictures so no advice on that.

2. Take a backpack with water (you definitely can take those water bottles in), sunscreen, snacks, and lunch in it. If you don't want to carry it all day, there are lockers near the entrances in both CA and DL that are easy peasy to use. Any counter service restaurant will give you ice water for free. Also, pack a small/compact blanket or sheet big enough for all of you to sit on for the parade.

3. I agree with starting at cars land. You need to get fast passes for Radiator Springs racers first thing in the day. They will run out mid day so get them first, trust me! Then, I would go to stand by line and ride Soaring over the World. Then I would head to cars land and explore and ride all those rides. Cars land is truly amazing and lots to see and do and all the rides are fantastic. When your fast passes say you can ride racers, do that. Then, go to Bugs Life area. All of those rides and the small splash pad are fun and appropriate also. The lines move fast, also. If you want a cool place to relax, watch the bugs life show- it's really cute and only 10 mins long or so. You can head over to Hollywood Studios, also not far from Bugs Life, and ride Monsters, Inc.

4. Probably at this point, I'd go to DL. DL is always more crowded that CA so don't be disappointed! Just meander your way through the crowds. I'd probably head towards the back of tomorrowland to autopia and get a fast pass for that first. Ride Nemo submarine, then back to ride autopia. Ride it's a small world- its a classic and a nice way to wind down. Head towards fantasy land and pick from Alice in Wonderland, the teacups, and possibly the boat ride. Dumbo always has a ridiculous line. We love love love Peter Pan. The rest of Fantasyland rides actually are kind of dark and scary so I'd probably avoid those. About an hour, hour and a half before the parade starts, go stake out your seats- spread out your banker or sheet. We like to sit in the central plaza area, facing the Astro orbiters. That's a great viewing area. One parent can stay with the stuff and the other can go get food or ride a couple rides while waiting for the parade. Maybe Astro Orbiters and Buzz light year. Might I suggest the Little Red Wagon for corn dogs for dinner? It's close to the central plaza and fairly cheap ($10ish per dog/chips) and really very good for theme park food. You can go back and sit at the blanket. If you want a table service meal, it will take a large chunk of your time.

5. Budget $100 for food, drinks, and snacks for one day. Should be plenty with taking in some things and only eating one meal. If you eat at Little Red Wagon and aren't huge snackers and only refill your water bottles, you could do $50-60 even. I like to take extra just in case.

6. Try and get to the park as early as possible. You can't see/do everything in one day. You really won't even see all the lands/areas, and that's fine. Try and look at it as the whole Disney experience, not just riding rides. With your kids ages, I'd leave after the parade. If you linger too long, you will get stuck in the massive amount of people that stay for the fireworks. Those are fun and great too, so stick around if you like fireworks then leave. Central plaza is a great viewing place, BUT everybody stands, you won't be able to just keep your parade spot most likely if you want to see things. I would avoid Downtown Disney. It's fun to explore if you have the time but you'll have plenty to do/see.

7. Pin trading is fun, but honestly, I would skip it. My kids didn't get into it until they were more like 8-10 years old. One girl is very shy and didn't particularly like talking to strangers. Maybe your son can just wear his own Cars pins and not worry about taking the time to trade.

8. There is a fantastic blog called Disneyland Daily (I believe she recently changed the name but it is still searchable as that). She lives in socal and visits weekly and is always updating her site. She has details on everything you can think of, and I know she has all the information on taking a baby to Disney and how to do the rider switch thing.

I think that's it! Hope that helps .

I don't think the photopass is worth it, especially if you are t doing a character meal or the more intense rides that offer ride photos. Although Cars does have a photo, but it would be less expensive just to buy that photo if you like it. At any of the other photo op situations (characters, in front of the castle, in front of carsland, etc), the cast member will happily take your picture with your camera.

For the parade, if you don't do a dining package, a good quieter spot is over by Its a Small World.

Dining...Flo's at DCA is a good option. At DL, Plaza Inn is good. The meals are large enough to share at Plaza Inn if you wanted to share with your son.

I highly recommend downloading the Disneyland App. Max Pass should be live by then and for $10 per person per day, you can book your fast passes with the app instead of running all over the place.

Since you won't have Magic morning or early entry, I would go to DCA first if you do the parks on T/Th/Sat. If you go on Sun/Mon/Wed/ Fri then I would start at DL. Sundays are very busy, so I would personally pick Thu, Wed or Tue (in that order).

If you do DCA on Thurs, I would arrive at least 45 minutes before opening. They let you in 30 minutes before. Head towards Soarin and get in line to ride that first. Then head to Paradise Pier. Ride Toy Story if the lines is 20 mins or less. Then do all the other Paradise Pier Rides. You can get them all done in the first two hours.

Then pull the fast pass for Cars. Spend some time in Carsland (they have a Cruz or Lightning photo op), ride Mator and Luigi.

I haven't read up on the new fast pass system and didn't realize they are charging people to use it.  $10 per day, per person seems really expensive. 

Both are shows - World of Color is standing (no seating) and little kids can have a hard time seeing over adults.  Some folks prop their kids up on their shoulders to see, but that is not alway popular with the people standing behind...

You get the FP at Calif Adv.  

Fantastic is located on Rivers of America by New Orleans Sq.  You need the FP to get into a reserved section which is part of the walkway.  



With only 1 day and, already planning to see the parade, I would skip Fantasmic and WOC.

Here is the schedule for today's activities at DL. As you can see, would be hard to see both, the Electrical parade and Fantasmic unless you are going to stay until almost midnight.  If you are at CA, you will want to make your way back over to DL well before the parade.....like 2 or 3 hours, if possible.

disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/day/2017-07-18/

Once you have decided what day you are going, take a look online at the activities for that day and plan out where you need to be and when.

yes

These fast passes for those are to save a spot in a designated viewing area. The viewing areas will fill ups. These fast passes are not tied to your other ones. With only one day, I agree with skipping them.

How many parks are you going to? I'm not familiar with Cars Land, or D, only WDW. I know we used to get park hopper passes, but I don't know that we ever really used them when we were there for 3-4 days. Saves a lot of money not to if you really don't need to.

Tired kids probably enjoy the parks in a stroller. I should have stuck my 6 year old in it years ago. LOL

At WDW, a one-day photopass is set up online. We have 30 or so days to decide if we want to order. We didn't take many with just dh and I, but we used it a lot when we had ds and my mom.

We took our YETIs. I'll never go to a park without it again. It was amazing to have ice and ice cold water on such a hot day. We refilled with water as needed, but large ice cubes I used lasted much better than dh's pellet ice he filled at the park.

We've always arrived before the regular opening and never have a problem doing our must see and do's.

Enjoy the parade. It's my favorite and I was disappointed that WDW didn't have it this year. Boo!

Wow....way too much work. And people! I'd rather go camping!

You don't need to run to get a Racers fast pass. It's noon now and they are still distributing them (return time is 7:10 pm). Just keep an eye on the return times using the DL app and pull a FP for a time that works for you...before or after the parade.

Since everyone runs to Guardians or Racers...you can get so much done at Paradise Pier and the other Carsland rides before pulling your Racers FP.

We were just there two weeks ago (also in Apr and Jan) and that strategy worked very well for us.