California Parks Christmas Week

[danandjackie]

We can cope with busy, the way the business runs one of our main breaks has to be over the christmas period from christmas eve to new year.. I notice for some reason everything apart from disney is closed on chritmas day so we plan our first two days in disney Christmas day being the first day then intend to move up to knotts then valencia then back into hollywood for universal...

 

 

We will be using hotels either on or as near to the gate as possible but any tips would be welcome...

 

We have previously done this same period in paris and florida and have always found it easy to get everything done just as long as we make use of EE or get to the gate on time..

 

I have to admit though I cant get my head around how SFMM front of line system works??

[nursemelis374]

It will be insane that week. I went last year the week before Christmas and was miserable. It was nearly impossible to even get around. Just for 2 people to walk from the entrance to the castle took almost 20 mintues!

 

HOWEVER, you gotta do what you gotta do. Like you said, get there early and stay late, using FP as much as possible. I don't think the other parks will be as bad.

 

Have Fun!

[Costakid]

KBF: I went to Knott's on the 23rd last year and it was pretty slow. Still enough people to make Ghostrider's fill up the top switchbacks, and Silver Bullet's line to get down to the bottom of the stairs, but that was as long as it got. After Christmas is exponentially worse, so I would look into going before Christmas if you can, but hopefully you get some luck. Get on Ghostrider early. It still seems to be the most popular ride in the park, and the crew (when I was their last) realy sucked. Silver Bullet (if running 2 trains) can chew through some people, but it can ammase some long lines, so I'm not sure what to expect there. Xcelerator is, IMO, still the best ride there, so try to get on that as much as possible. My personal fav is the back, just for the wicked airtime coming of the top hat and continuing through the veritcal twist. Quite a bit will depend on how many trains are being run on each coaster, so hopefully you'll hit some luck there. I don't know what the maitenence schedules are, so maybe some one can help you out with that one.

 

For Disney, learn all the little fast pass tricks. My sister and I went on one of the buisiest days of Spring Break and were able to do both parks by taking advantage of the fast-pass tricks. We were able to get on everything we wanted to at both parks, and do a few choice rides a few more times. Get their extremely early. We waited for about 30-40 minutes just to get out car into the parking garage, and we didn't get into the park until 40 minutes after the park opened, but if you get a hotel in the Disney complex ,you won't need to worry about that.

 

For SFMM, get there early as well. You might opt for some FastPass tickets, and due to the time you are going, I would suggest some. Most of them just take you through the exit of the ride. Which rides use FastPass adjust from day to day, take a look at what rides will be using it when you arrive. When you arrive early, head to the back of the park. On a buisy summer day, I was able to walk on to the front or the back of every ride in the back of the park, twice. However, you might find an urge to ride the POS known as X right out of the gate. This is fine, but make sure the ride opens with the park, because I have personaly never seen it open with the park, and after your ride, head to the back of the park. Last I was their, the back of the park had almost no lines up untill 12:00 while the front of the park had 1:00-1:30 lines. I don't know about you, but I won't wait 1:00 for Viper. The lines will even out later in the day anyway, and I was able to get onto the front of X and Viper that day in very good time. There isn't much more to ride other than coasters, and it will probably be decently cool, so the water rides won't be enticing, but I love to take a spin on the Granny Grand Prix while I'm there.

 

I haven't been to Universal in a LONG time, so some one else can help you out on that one.

[SharkTums]

SFMM -

 

Be at parking booths by 9...already have your tickets...as soon as gates open run or walk very fast to X, after that walk very fast to Deja Vu, after that ride: Riddler, Batman, Scream, Colossus, Goliath...now get food or a break, then get fastlanes and start a lap again but this time do: Fastlane on Revolution if needed, Fastlane on Viper if needed, Psyclone, up the hill to Superman/Ninja (if open due to construction), Goldrusher, Kiddie coasters if you're a credit whore. That is my plan, and it has worked amazingly way too many times.

 

If we're around we'll meet up if you want!

[danandjackie]

Elissa. We will be stopping at the Holiday Inn Valencia from the night of the 27th so we can get to the park early as possible on the morning of Dec 28th...

 

Thanks for the tips everyone... I see you can do an internet advanced ticket is that the way to go or does that mean You would end up Queing again to exchange them for a real ticket, or are they barcoded like Universal HHN internet tickets?

 

Danny and Jackie xx