First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

[ILdave]

Family is going to my brothers military graduation in San Diego and thought we would see Disneyland while we where there. None of us have every been so looking forward to it. Thought the first week in December would be a quite time to visit the park now finding out about candlelight processional and short hours on Mon and Tue. The candlelight processional sounds like something nice to see, but don't want the crowds, but not much we can do about it. Having trouble finding hotels to say in, so know it's going to be busy. We will be doing the Southern CA City pass. Was thinking of doing this schedule, how does it sound?

Fri Dec. 1 - Disneyland
Sat Dec. 2 - Universal Studios
Sun Dec. 3 - Disneyland & CA (also see candle processional this day)
Mon Dec. 4 - San Diego Zoo
Tue Dec. 5 - Sea World
Wed Dec. 6 - Disneyland
Thurs and Fri Dec. 7 & 8 - Graduation

Would rather be going the week after graduation, but other things will not allow this.

Any advice or tips would be great.

[French25Fan]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Yay! Your first trip to DLR! It'll be a blast.

Here's the advice I give all my friends:
-Eat at the Blue Bayou. It's the resaurant inside the Pirates of Caribbean. The food is pricey but really good. The ambiance is amazing.
-For less expensive food, try White Water Snacks (it's inside The Grand Californian Hotel).
-You should be able to do all the dark rides in Fantasyland in an hour if you go as soon as the park opens.
-Get a Dole Whip! You can find it in Adventureland in front of the Tiki Room.

[sediment]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

DL will close early that Mon and Tues for Cast member Family Holiday Parties.
So, good idea going to San Diego on those days.

[VeganPrincess]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Was thinking of doing this schedule, how does it sound?

Fri Dec. 1 - Disneyland
Sat Dec. 2 - Universal Studios
Sun Dec. 3 - Disneyland & CA (also see candle processional this day)
Mon Dec. 4 - San Diego Zoo
Tue Dec. 5 - Sea World
Wed Dec. 6 - Disneyland
Thurs and Fri Dec. 7 & 8 - Graduation

Any advice or tips would be great.

Don't go to Universal or Sea World and spend minimal time in DCA. Only go to Disneyland!!!!!! :lmao: Wait, is my bias showing?

[ILdave]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Thanks Everyone

Bought airplane tickets and hotel last night. Going to stay at the Tropicana. Now getting excitted about the visit.

If anyone else has any other advice or tips would be helpful.

[Loomis]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Don't go to Universal or Sea World and spend minimal time in DCA. Only go to Disneyland!!!!!! :lmao: Wait, is my bias showing?

Just a tad, but I totally agree with you. We spent the better part of two days doing Universal and Knott's Berry, and they were two days that I wish I'd spent in the DLR. Not that I'm knocking either too much, but they were hardly a match for the Land of Dis. As it was, we wound up spending 4 days in total in the parks, but there were still a few little things we wanted to do that we just missed out on, or didn't get around to. It was a holiday, after all, and we seemed to spend most of our time rushing from place to place.

Which brings me to my advice, for what it's worth. Plan your time there, especially given that it is your first trip. It may seem a bit military to do so (although it seems that there is a military connection in the family!), but having an attack plan for each place you go to saves so much time and enchances the fun factor. Have a big breakfast each day and launch yourself wholeheartedly into the parks. That said, take the time to relax on Main Street and New Orleans Square and soak up some of the ambience.

[hollywood1939]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Have fun! Sounds like it's gonna be awesome.

[PragmaticIdealist]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Don't go to Universal or Sea World and spend minimal time in DCA. Only go to Disneyland!!!!!! :lmao: Wait, is my bias showing?

I agree. You'll most likely be disappointed with Universal Studios and Sea World.

Southern California has so much to offer beyond amusement parks, and Disneyland really is in a class by itself.

[JiminyCricketFan]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

The day of the Candlelight Processional will be backed. Since there is two performances, I suggest that you stake out a place to see that several hours a head of schedule. Then go up Main Street and watch the procession for the second show. That way you get the full wonderful effect.

[ILdave]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Hit a small bump in the road, whats new. Shortly after posting had to make Dr. appointment, was having some eye problems turns out it was a torn retina, wouldn't be that huge of a deal other then I only have one eye so the past month has been kinda rough, Ending up spending 2 straight weeks after surgery on my back with eyes closed because eyelid wanted to roll from swelling. Just know getting back to net and so on, hopping things keep improving so it doesn't put a damper on Disneyland.

[Disney Wrassler]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Have fun ILdave ! Congradulations to your brother as well!

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Hey, I think you have a wonderful plan! and I loved seeing sea word and would have loved to see universal. you will be dog tired I will tell you this right now! a lot of walking please, take pictures and let us kow when you get home how the trip wass. i am so excited for you!!!!
Disneyland is awsome, you will have a great time, and DCA is myt favorite. do not listen to others, go to all those places and have a ball

[TheDude]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

get Dinner reservations ahead of time, call 714-781-DINE

[#1Goofy]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

Don't forget the flag retreat ceremony held at the Main St. flag pole at sundown, it's great!!

[~xxBooxx~]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

dont forget to get the mouse ears that say "my first DL trip" have fun! and make sure to report all the fun back to us at MiceChat!

[daisydog]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

see fantasmic

see the holiday lighting on IASWH

read Darkbeer's sticky on how to use fastpass

take lots of pictures

get to DL early if you want to beat the crowds, especially on the weekends

[Abominable Snowman]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

That sounds like an fun, but exhausting, week!

[TP2000]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

I agree. You'll most likely be disappointed with Universal Studios and Sea World.

Not unless he is comparing them to the Universal Studios and Sea World out in Orlando. Compared to the Orlando copies, those two parks are either very different, or noticeably superior in their SoCal guises.

As for the touring plan, it sounds good to me as long as everyone involved are theme park fanatics. Although you might consider cutting out the Sunday visit to DL/DCA in favor of a day spent down in Laguna Beach or Newport experiencing the SoCal beauty and infamous OC lifestyle. Coming from the Midwest however, those OC locales are very, very different than Illinois and offer up some fabulous scenery and exotic and legit surf/beach culture.

Or maybe spend Sunday morning/afternoon having brunch down in Laguna and poking around town or down in the tidepools at Crystal Cove State Beach, and then spend the evening at Disneyland doing a few favorite rides and seeing the Christmas fireworks and Fantasmic! when its less crowded than Friday night?

I do have to agree that your SoCal touring plan is heavily tilted towards theme parks. It would likely be interesting and a nice change of pace to spend a day, or at least a good chunk of a day, down along the Orange County coastline seeing how the real SoCal lives.

[PragmaticIdealist]

Re: First time visit to Disneyland (1st week of December)

I think it may be difficult for a person who has never visited southern California before to know how sprawling and varied it actually is. A person could spend multiple lifetimes here and never experience it all. So, for that reason, I would recommend sacrificing Sea World and Universal Studios for sight-seeing, recreation, and absorbing some of the local culture. There are many places beyond L.A. and Orange Counties that are worthwhile, too, and all of them are within about an hour of each other.