Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[cfc]

^I would recommend going DCA first thing in the morning and lining up for a Racers' Fast Pass, then hitting the standby line before it gets too long. That way, you can get at least two rides on it.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

The fireworks seem to cause issues at all parks.

 

That's the reason Disney is trying to get rid of them. It's loud, expensive, not re-useable, and dangerous.

Mapping, lights, fountains, and drones are the future of night-time entertainment.

 

In my opinion, nothing can beat fireworks, but well... There's a lot of new technologies to discover and play with. For instance, that thing I came accross the other day. Displaying a 3D image in mid-air, impossible you say? Look at that, I already see giant Mickey heads floating in the sky!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfVS-npfVuY

 

... and to think this video is from 2011..!

 

 

Wait wait wait, of all of the rumors I've heard, I've never heard that Disney is trying to get rid of Fireworks. Yes, sometimes they are perceived to cause problems and they could possibly be working toward better ones. But never have I heard they are looking for other things to replace them. Also, Disney making new shows that may not include them is no indication they are trying to remove them from the parks.

[KingRCT3]

Neither did I actually, but there are some clues (ie. the drone patents, the emergence of the mapping technology)... And let's face it: fireworks are a nigthmare, even more when you want to have a show every day.

Don't worry, Disney has not the intention to get rid of fireworks soon enough, but in the long term however... (maybe one or two decades?)

[DJeXeL]

^Projection Mapping technology is something that compliments the firework shows and is not designed with the intention of replacing Disney's signature nighttime spectacular.....

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Neither did I actually, but there are some clues (ie. the drone patents, the emergence of the mapping technology)... And let's face it: fireworks are a nigthmare, even more when you want to have a show every day.

Don't worry, Disney has not the intention to get rid of fireworks soon enough, but in the long term however... (maybe one or two decades?)

 

LOL, I am not worried at all. Because they aren't going anywhere. Especially at Disneyland.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Fireworks are never going to completely go away. That said, Disneyland would be wise to design a nighttime show that would be minimally impacted if the firework shells are unable to be launched because of wind conditions or other factors.

[DJeXeL]

Fireworks are never going to completely go away. That said, Disneyland would be wise to design a nighttime show that would be minimally impacted if the firework shells are unable to be launched because of wind conditions or other factors.

 

That's where the projection mapping on the castle and main street will really have the spotlight.

[KBrylczyk]

That's where the projection mapping on the castle...spotlight.

 

If you were able to SEE the teeny tiny DL castle from anywhere aside from directly underneath it, I'd go along with what you're saying.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

That's where the projection mapping on the castle...spotlight.

 

If you were able to SEE the teeny tiny DL castle from anywhere aside from directly underneath it, I'd go along with what you're saying.

 

That's why they aren't just projecting on the castle, but all over the park...

[Nrthwnd]

A day late but...

Happy 20th Birthday

 

Indiana Jones and The Temple of The Forbidden Eye!*

 

We visited DL on the first birthday of the ride (1996), and I remember riding it

more than 14 Times during our two-day visit to the park. And I still have

the decoder card (for figuring out the symbols on the queue walls) they gave out, back then!

 

*(You don't look a day over 19)

Indy during construction, before it's opening in 1995. Can you figure out (and many Thanks ^ for the photo!)

where this is, in the attraction's layout? (It's pretty easy to figure out)

[cfc]

^That's a very interesting photo. Hard to believe how elaborate the final ride turned out to be (still the best attraction at Disneyland).

[DonGeorge]

I recall hearing all the stories about the queues for this ride during the opening season, such as how it started going down Main Street. It's neat that this ride turned 20.

(still the best attraction at Disneyland).

That.

 

EDIT: I think that's the boulder finale.

[DJeXeL]

^Yes the queue did stretch down Main Street. I waited in that queue a couple days after it opened which was about 4hrs.

[Ridewatchers]

kristenstep23 wrote:

Alright so I am a WDW vet going to DL and DCA first time thurs morning thru Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend. flying into LAX from Indy. This may be a once in a lifetime as I haven't flown since 2006 and usually drive to Florida. I love Disney and I love roller coaster parks as well. Do I need all three days on a busy weekend at DL and DCA to experience it? Or should I use one of the days to go to SFMM or Knotts? I have usually been disappointed by the upkeep of sF parks, but I namely have gone to Chicago. St. Louis is better but smaller as far as rides. I know SFMM is Cedar Point of the West. If I am a disney nut but also love coasters.. What would you do?

 

Also consider visiting a site called Ridemax. The author says he has found optimal ways to tour both parks to minimize wait times. This might be worth the investment.

 

If the folks on this thread advise two days for Disney, consider coming to SFMM on Sunday. Get to the parking lot at about 9:45 A.M, and make sure you are at the park entry ASAP. Consider the platinum FP (since you don't have to leave your seat and can reride immediately), but Gold is almost just as good.

 

If you decide to get a GOLD pass, don't buy the pass first. Instead, go to Full Throttle, then X2, then Superman, then take the Orient Express downhill and buy the pass then.

 

If you decide to get a PLATINUM pass, don't but the pass first. Instead, go to X2 and THEN buy the pass. Click my siggy for more data.

[Jew]

Dang...it's been 20 years since Disneyland got a true E-ticket attraction?!?

 

It's probably also been 20 years since everything has worked at Indy too!

Edited March 4, 2015 by Jew

[DJeXeL]

Define "Worked."

[KingRCT3]

Does anyone have infos about the infamous multi-million dollars room that was planned but never build? I guess it's a pitch black section in the ride nowaday, but I'm not sure where.

[SFOGdude25]

Love Indy!! By far the best attraction at the whole resort. Truly an awesome experience.

Here's to many more years!

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Dang...it's been 20 years since Disneyland got a true E-ticket attraction?!?

 

It's probably also been 20 years since everything has worked at Indy too!

 

 

Does the 2005 Space Mountain count as a true E-Ticket?

[rcdude]

Indiana Jones Adventure may be twenty years old, but I still think it's one of the best theme park attractions ever created. I remember first riding it in 1996 or 1997 and finding the ride both awesome and terrifying (I would have been five or six at the time). The ride is still my favorite attraction at the Disneyland Resort and my favorite dark ride anywhere.

 

As for the picture, I'm pretty sure the left is the rolling boulder, so the track in front would be the dart corridor and the section behind that the mudslide and skull room. I love seeing pictures that show off the spatial relationships of dark rides because some of them feel huge inside when there's often just a wall between scenes. It's also amazing how little elevation change the ride has compared to what it feels like it has when you're on it.

[Nrthwnd]

^Totally agree. It some times amazes me that there is so much packed into an indoor attraction like this,

then you see the show building and wonder how they puzzle-packed it all into that building, lol.

 

[Jew]

Dang...it's been 20 years since Disneyland got a true E-ticket attraction?!?

 

It's probably also been 20 years since everything has worked at Indy too!

 

 

Does the 2005 Space Mountain count as a true E-Ticket?

 

I don't consider that to be a new E-ticket, so I didn't count it. They rebuilt the same ride and just modernized the themeing/FX.

[aCoasterStory]

So I haven't been to Disneyland/DCA since 2012 (pre-Cars Land), and I'll be out in LA in a couple weeks for work. I have the option to fly out early and spend the weekend there, and while I had originally been thinking of visiting SFMM, I'm now tossing around the idea of doing Disney instead.

 

My concerns are 1) crowd levels, particularly since it'd be on a Saturday (or Sat/Sun) during Spring Break Season (3/28-29) and 2) that they have a number of attractions closed for refurbishment (Matterhorn Bobsleds being a notable credit I lack), so I don't know if I want to shell out the cash to visit now and not get to ride that (or Splash Mountain, or see World of Color).

 

Matterhorn was closed when I was there in 2012, and World of Color had technical difficulties for the show I was at, so I didn't get to see it then. But on the flip side, Cars Land wasn't opened yet, so that's something new I could experience for sure. There were also a few attractions I skipped on the previous trip (1 day parkhopper around this time of year, albeit on a Thursday) either due to time limitations or not knowing they existed.

 

I don't know if I want to try to only do a 1-day and still spend Sunday at SFMM, or if I'd be better off springing for the 2-day pass at Disney and leaving SFMM for a later trip. One caveat is that I'd likely have to pick up my coworker from the airport (John Wayne/Orange County, not LAX) sometime on Sunday (hopefully later), so that may affect my ability to get a full day of theme parking on Sunday.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice? Words of warning?

[rcdude]

That is a very difficult decision, and ultimately it comes down to two key factors: How soon you'll likely have another chance to visit, and how important Cars Land and the closed attractions are to you. If you think you'll have another chance to visit in the next year, I would absolutely recommend delaying your visit until then, as you will get a much better value for your money when everything is open. However, if it is unlikely you'll get a chance to visit for some time and you're okay with paying the price with the current number of closed attractions, I'd opt for Disneyland over SFMM.

 

It will be spring break, and no matter what park you visit it will be crowded. At Disneyland, expect 60+ minute waits for headliners, and don't count on Fastpasses being available beyond mid-afternoon. That said, you can get a large amount done in a single day, even when the parks are busy, as long as you have an effective touring strategy. Here's what I'd recommend as a basic one day, two park touring plan during the time you're visiting:

 

1. Arrive at the Disneyland Resort at least 45 minutes before opening (an hour would be ideal). Head into Disneyland first. Wait on the Adventureland side of the hub for rope drop.

 

2. When the park opens, head directly to Indiana Jones Adventure and ride. After riding, cross to Tomorrowland and grab a Fastpass for Space Mountain, then do anything you want to do in Tomorrowland while waiting.

 

3. After using your Space Mountain Fastpass (or before if desired), do any attractions of interest in Fantasyland and Toontown. Once done with these areas, check the time. If it is before noon, do Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, then head to DCA. If it is close to (or after) noon, head over to DCA and save the New Orleans Square attractions for when you return.

 

4. As soon as you get to DCA, head to Paradise Pier and get a Fastpass for California Screamin', then do other Paradise Pier attractions until it is time to ride. If nothing else in Paradise Pier interests you, you may ride California Screamin' through the single rider line to save time.

 

5. After riding California Screamin', grab a Fastpass for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, then explore the rest of DCA while you wait. Use single rider on Radiator Springs Racers for a manageable wait. After redeeming your Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Fastpass, head back to Disneyland, grab a Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (if they are still available), then explore the park at your leisure for the remainder of the day.

 

If you decide to do two days at Disneyland and would like to save money, I'd buy a two day, one park per day ticket and do one day at each park. If you decide to do one day at Disneyland and want to go somewhere else on Sunday, I would pick Knott's over SFMM, especially if you need to pick up a coworker at John Wayne that day. As you have visited the parks before and several major attractions are closed, one day would probably be sufficient for Disneyland even with the crowds, but I will leave the decision up to you. Alternatively, if you decide to skip Disneyland completely, do SFMM on Saturday (with at least a Gold Flash Pass) and Knott's on Sunday (if you want a second park).

[aCoasterStory]

That is a very difficult decision, and ultimately it comes down to two key factors: How soon you'll likely have another chance to visit, and how important Cars Land and the closed attractions are to you. If you think you'll have another chance to visit in the next year, I would absolutely recommend delaying your visit until then, as you will get a much better value for your money when everything is open. However, if it is unlikely you'll get a chance to visit for some time and you're okay with paying the price with the current number of closed attractions, I'd opt for Disneyland over SFMM.

 

It will be spring break, and no matter what park you visit it will be crowded. At Disneyland, expect 60+ minute waits for headliners, and don't count on Fastpasses being available beyond mid-afternoon. That said, you can get a large amount done in a single day, even when the parks are busy, as long as you have an effective touring strategy. Here's what I'd recommend as a basic one day, two park touring plan during the time you're visiting:

 

1. Arrive at the Disneyland Resort at least 45 minutes before opening (an hour would be ideal). Head into Disneyland first. Wait on the Adventureland side of the hub for rope drop.

 

2. When the park opens, head directly to Indiana Jones Adventure and ride. After riding, cross to Tomorrowland and grab a Fastpass for Space Mountain, then do anything you want to do in Tomorrowland while waiting.

 

3. After using your Space Mountain Fastpass (or before if desired), do any attractions of interest in Fantasyland and Toontown. Once done with these areas, check the time. If it is before noon, do Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, then head to DCA. If it is close to (or after) noon, head over to DCA and save the New Orleans Square attractions for when you return.

 

4. As soon as you get to DCA, head to Paradise Pier and get a Fastpass for California Screamin', then do other Paradise Pier attractions until it is time to ride. If nothing else in Paradise Pier interests you, you may ride California Screamin' through the single rider line to save time.

 

5. After riding California Screamin', grab a Fastpass for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, then explore the rest of DCA while you wait. Use single rider on Radiator Springs Racers for a manageable wait. After redeeming your Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Fastpass, head back to Disneyland, grab a Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (if they are still available), then explore the park at your leisure for the remainder of the day.

 

If you decide to do two days at Disneyland and would like to save money, I'd buy a two day, one park per day ticket and do one day at each park. If you decide to do one day at Disneyland and want to go somewhere else on Sunday, I would pick Knott's over SFMM, especially if you need to pick up a coworker at John Wayne that day. As you have visited the parks before and several major attractions are closed, one day would probably be sufficient for Disneyland even with the crowds, but I will leave the decision up to you. Alternatively, if you decide to skip Disneyland completely, do SFMM on Saturday (with at least a Gold Flash Pass) and Knott's on Sunday (if you want a second park).

 

Thanks for the suggestions. What about if I flew out earlier (on Thursday night) and got to spend all day Friday, all day Saturday, and maybe till 7PMish on Sunday at Disney? A 3-day pass would also let me have the Magic Morning Hour on Saturday at Disneyland. This should let me take a much more leisurely pace, but I don't know that I really *need* 3 days at the parks. Also, is there anything that can be done to not have to pay $17/day each day for parking?