longtime dreamer, first time visitor

[stalking lily chou-chou]

After reading and dreaming obsessively about Disneyland for years (literally, since I was 7!), I'm finally going to visit it! I've been to Disneyworld five times now, but this'll be my first time in The Original.
I'll be there at the end of next month. Any suggestions for what a first-timer must do (I'll be there for two days)?

[ah schucks]

OMG where to begin? Do it all and if someone tells you the rides are the "end all be all" then forget about that advice, be sure to see some shows too, especially Fantasmic. In any event- work your way through the lands and take advantage of the Fast Pass, it will allow you to get pretty much every ride you can want under your belt and still have time for shows.

Also if you wanna good meal fork over a little more don't get just a hotdog/pizza/hamburger. There are some decent restraunts scattered across the park. My favorite is the Big Thunder Mtn BBQ next to Big Thunder Mtn.

All I can say is "Fantasmic"

[wolfy]

Also if you wanna good meal fork over a little more don't get just a hotdog/pizza/hamburger. There are some decent restraunts scattered across the park. My favorite is the Big Thunder Mtn BBQ next to Big Thunder Mtn.

I'm pretty sure Big Thunder BBQ has been closed for a couple of years now! Try Blue Bayou, not cheap but good food and service (most of the time)!

Fantasmic is somewhat disappointing now, with so many parts of it missing, but the music is awesome!

Of course, try to fit in Aladin over at DCA, as close as you can get to a Broadway show in the parks!

All the rides if time allows!

But most of all have FUN!

[ah schucks]

The Big Thunder Mtn BBQ was intergrated into the Mexican Ortega Restraunt actually, still very good and so is the Ortega place.

and if you never seen Fantasmic its still remarkable after all these years even with a few missing parts- not to be missed.

I agree with Aladdin but it requires almost a solid hour and half to wait for it, get in and watch it. If you have one day and you have to choose one show, I really think Fantasmic is the one. Especially since you can see the big fireworks show from the same place, very well-Tom

[wolfy]

El Rancho is now fully Mexican food, no BBQ at all. Ribs, chicken etc have been removed from the choices there. So Big Thunder BBQ really is closed now.

[Druggas]

Don't try to see it all, or you will miss the best parts. Take in the "magic" of the park and you will come back again and again. Remember, this the original park that Walt conceived. This is where the 'Magic" began.

[Metal God]

walk, dont run, down main street and let the park pull you in. I like to start at pirates and Haunted mansion but thats just a personal preference. Overall have a great time and dont rush you'll miss it.

[JoeCool]

Ride Pirates first and then HM and splash...and make sure you have a meal at a water-side table at the Blue Bayou....the atmosphere and food are great!

[winniepooh]

Start the day with having breakfeat at Carnation cafe, just sit there and enjoy the magic of it all.

[dshimel]

Having been to Disney World 5 times, there are some things you can slide right to the bottom of the list. These include the rides that are virtually if not totally identle to the WDW versions.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (Same as Epcot's)
Star Tours (Same as MGM's)
Muppet Vision 3D (MGM)
It's Tough to be a Bug (DAK)
Annimation at DCA, except the lobby, which is way cool
Dumbo
Peter Pan
Carousel

Other things that you should skip just becuase they suck.
Innoventions
Tarzan's Treehouse
Anything at DCA except Soarin', Screamin', ToT, GRR (if it is a warm day), Animation (Lobby only), Aladdin show, and a walk-through of Bugs land to check out the theming.


The rides you'll really want to catch are:
Indianna Jones... same ride system as DAK's Dinosaur , but MUCH better ride
Pirates... much better than WDW's
Matterhorn (both sides)
BTMRR (quite different than WDW)
Original Tiki room... much better than WDW's "Under new management"

Shows to see:
Fantasmic!
Aladdin
Snow White
Billy Hill and the Hillbillies

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

These people that say "slow down and take it all in".... easy for them to say. They live near-by and have had APs for many years. If they only ride Indianna Jones once (or not at all on a given trip), it is no big deal as they'll ride it again in a couple weeks or so. They just don't understand what it is like to do a once-a-decade or once-a-life-time trip. If you don't get that second ride on Indianna Jones, then you're not going to...... for a decade, or maybe ever.

Sure, the flowers on Main Street are pretty, and it is great for the people that live a few miles away to be able to go to Disneyland often enough that they can take the time to check out the flowers...... This is your first, long-time dreamed about, super special, one trip to Disneyland..... There are flowers all over the country.... There is only 1 Indianna Jones ride in the country... There are only 2 Matterhorn rides in the country, and they're both at Disneyland.

I say, get there before opening, run around like a mad-person the first few hours, collecting FastPasses and getting on as much as possible in the first 3 hours. When it gets crowded, run around like a mad person using Fast Passes and getting Fast Passes, while seeing shows.

If you want one "really nice, really expensive meal" make it Blue Bayou... Otherwise.... grab snacks on the run from the carts. You can eat anywhere, anytime... Why waste your highly limited Disneyland time doing it?

Once you figure out your favoirte rides, try to get on them 6 to 8 times each in your 2 days. Highly do-able by getting to the park early, using the heck out of FastPass, and running yourself ragged.

Stay in the park as long as possible at night.... Lines start to drop in the last few hours, take advantage of it. In fact, if you're in line at closing, you still get to ride.. So be in a long line when the clock strikes closing time.

Then, AFTER CLOSING... when there is nothing else to do, take your time walking out of the park, checking out the castle and fowers and shopping. Sit on a park bench as the last few people trickle out.... Make them kick you out....

Then, hit the hotel for a 6-7 huors of sleep before doing it again the second day.

Don't let these "Slow Down and Take it all in" people in your head..... It's all about the rides! Strike first, strike hard, show no mercy!

[DemonicDemona]

just dont go right now it'll be a biiiiig let down lol you should have went back in the 80's or 70's

[jmuboy]

The crowds should be relatively light. So take advantage of this by taking your time and soaking up some of the atmosphere:

-Take time to relax and feed the ducks that live in the river. You can do this at the Hungry Bear restaurant's lower outdoor patio.
-Ride either the Mark Twain or Columbia, but I say try the Columbia since you can do a Riverboat at the other parks but the Columbia is only at DL.
-Ride the DL RR round trip
-Enjoy the Storybook Land Canal Boats
-Stroll New Orleans Sq. Get lost and take your time. Eat here (at the French Market) if you have time. If you want to splurge, try the Blue Bayou at lunch. Enjoy New Orleans Sq at night as well.
-See the REAL ORIGINAL Tiki Room in all its glory.
-Another great place to eat is the Plaza Pavilion
-Listen to Rod play piano at the Plaza Pavilion veranda
-Ride Matterhorn and Alice in Wonderland, both DL originals
-HM and Pirates are a must. These are the originals and Pirates especially will wow you if you've only been on the WDW version.
-Don't miss a DL original - Indiana Jones Adventure
-Check out the cool DL specific collectibles at the Disneyana Store on Main St.
-Visit Snow White's Grotto

[cellarhound]

After reading and dreaming obsessively about Disneyland for years (literally, since I was 7!), I'm finally going to visit it! I've been to Disneyworld five times now, but this'll be my first time in The Original.
I'll be there at the end of next month. Any suggestions for what a first-timer must do (I'll be there for two days)?

First off, it is ok to be a little offended if certain things are "closed for refurbishment" when you get there, but just keep in mind it isn't the fault of the current managment... They are trying to fix an even worse offense of letting things go...

Second, when I first made the trip to WDW, I made the mistake of thinking it is a carbon copy... Even though I knew differantly, in the back of my mind I thought they where build on the same scale... they are not... DL is a completely differant type of park, scale wise...

I recomend the Matterhorn because of it's uniqueness to DL... There is likely never to be another ride like it anywhere...

I would meander about, take time to explore paths that people are NOT traveling... because you don't know where those paths may lead you to... I always find certain walkways lead to unique discoveries...

[fkurucz]

Don't try to see it all, or you will miss the best parts. Take in the "magic" of the park and you will come back again and again. Remember, this the original park that Walt conceived. This is where the 'Magic" began.

I agree. Linger. Go slow. There is detail and charm in DL that just doesn't exist at MK.

[ah schucks]

If everyone in this thread is giving you advice like slow down and take it all in, there must be something to it. Dshimel, while providing some great points, fails to take into account that you can go anywhere for rides- there are very few places as well themeed, as beautiful and worthy of attention as Disneyland.

I have in a very good day been able to ride every major e-ticket ride using the fastpass and still being able to see 2 shows and have a nice decent dinner. The "magic" of Disneyland seems lost on those who run through the park so fast they don't see the immense detail and love poured into even the most basic aspects.

Of course you will deceide for yourself and only you know what kind of experiance you will make out of your day(s). Best of luck-Tom

[dshimel]

If everyone in this thread is giving you advice like slow down and take it all in, there must be something to it.

Yes, the something being a bunch of people that live in the area and go frequently.

I lived in Hawaii for 4 years, followed by a deaced in Colorado. In that 14 year span, I went to Disneyland 2 times.....

Now I live 5 hours away, and have been 30-35 days in the last 3 years.

I understand the mind-set of the frequent visitor, and I understand the mind-set of the once a decade visitor.

The local has been on Indianna Jones 100+ times. Hume's (non-gender specific pro-noun representing a human) enjoyment comes from slowing down and just being at the resort... It is like central park... A great place to relax and get away from Los Angeles Metro reality. Feeding the ducks, watching the people go by, appreciating the architecture..... This is what the local does.

The once-a-decade person, that has never been on Indianna Jones..... DO Indianna Jones, EARLY AND OFTEN!!!! Ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride.....

When you get back home... then you can rest your feet, feed ducks and look at flowers!

[shurley]

just dont go right now it'll be a biiiiig let down lol you should have went back in the 80's or 70's

Despite some negitive comments about the original park, there are some great things to see. It's not going to be the best time to visit since there is quite a bit a refurbishment going on, but be sure to catch Fantasmic, Blue Bayou, Tiki (now that it's open). Try to hit the things you wouldn't normaly hit or dont have at WDW. If you get tired, check out Mr. Lincoln, (if it's open) or Golden HorseShoe Review. It's a great break from the crowd.

Shurley

[dshimel]

Mr. Lincoln, (if it's open)

Gone until after the 50th... if not forever.

or Golden HorseShoe Review. It's a great break from the crowd.
Shurley

It's also gone... Now Billy Hill and the Hillbillies plays 7 days a week in the Golden Horseshoe.

[stalking lily chou-chou]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Although I have always tried to "slow down" and "relax" while at Disneyworld, I usually end up running around the place like a kid off his adderall, trying to see and do everything before the gates close for the day (or my vacation ends...for the year).
While at Disneyland, I do plan to take it all in at my (version of) leisure, making sure to hit a few choice spots in particular:
Pirates O.T.C.
Alice in Wonderland
Matterhorn
Dinner at the Blue Bayou
Storybook Land Boat Rides (as silly as it sounds to all y'all)
one of those legendary Dole Whips
Indiana Jones

A couple of quick questions:
My sister has semi-easy-to-break-bones. Will Indy, Matterhorn, or the waterfall drop on Pirates be too rough (the waterfall on Pirates, Disneyworld was no big deal for her)?

[dshimel]

A couple of quick questions:
My sister has semi-easy-to-break-bones. Will Indy, Matterhorn, or the waterfall drop on Pirates be too rough (the waterfall on Pirates, Disneyworld was no big deal for her)?

Watterfall on POTC is nothing..... Nice and smooth. Matterhorn isn't too bad, especially Fantasyland side. Indy is the roughest of the 3, but ask for a front row.... Less violent than the back seat....


Even then, Indy is not nearly as rough as the typical Six Flags or Knotts coasters. I've never been bruised or given a headache by a DL ride. Same can't be said for Six Flags or Knotts.