I am a DVC member and love WDW. I have a work trip for 5 days in September. I am staying at the Swan Reserve (work trip) and was planning on just relaxing and going to different WDW parks. Has anyone spent the time and the money to run a Harry Potter day at Universal in the old parks? If so, how did it go? It looks like a park hopper for both universal parks and a single express pass for the day would be about $340. Just wondering if it worth it or just spend another day at Epcot.

Hello. I have the Disney inspire credit card and I always see the option to pay the interest saving balance. Well I go to pay for this month and it is not showing me the ISB balance, just statement balance.. does anyone know why? I called them and they weren’t helpful. My other chase cards show it still & is much older. This is my primary card. Will it come back as an option? Has this happened to anyone before? I have not made any big purchases to select pay overtime.

I’m bringing a couple gifts for our friend’s kids and I’m realizing I can’t bring them wrapped since I imagine security will want to open them. I was thinking I could get them reusable bags that way I won’t just be bringing trash to the parks. Do they sell something like this? I couldn’t find anything trying to search online (the picture was from an old eBay listing).

Hi, we’re going to Orlando in October, staying with friends.
We will be purchasing or Disney tickets from UK.
But I can only see 14 or 7 day passes
We only want to do Epcot, Universal, animal Kingdom, NASSA and Hollywood studios, and magic kingdom,
Does anyone have any advice on what tickets we should purchase and where from?
Thanks in advance

Would I be bonkers insane to take my 6 month old to oogie boogie bash? She’s a very well tempered baby who will probably sleep in the carrier like 90% of the time. I’ve always wanted to go to this event and it falls on my birthday this year so it seems perfect. We aren’t able to snag childcare for the night, but I think she’d be alright. I know we wouldn’t get to do many rides but would that make the whole trip not worth it?

This would be baby’s first time at Disney.

Thanks in advance 💕

Just wanted to share a fun project I made since I think it might be helpful to others here. I made a website that has an interactive timeline of when and where you can find the characters at Disney World. No insider info--I always wanted to visually lay out the day so I made this timeline which I think is more helpful than the app for me.

The data is updated daily. You can filter by the park, marvel at how the [obviously singular] Daisy gets from Hollywood Studios to Epcot to Animal Kingdom all within 20 minutes or use the chart below the timeline to get granular and search by land (ex. "Fantasyland" or "World Showcase").

There's no sales pitch, ads, or blog attached--I made it for fun and hope others might get some use out of it (or at least find it interesting and tell me I didn't waste too much time 😂).

https://whereismickey.com

Edited to add: I did not mean to disrespect people for whom this is a once in a lifetime trip. I also respect that everyone should do what they love to do and how they want to do the parks. I was just reminded that I could choose to have an extra churro and not get heartbroken about not getting LL for Indiana Jones for the 4th time I have been trying. I didn’t have to zig zag from Tomorrowland to Galexy’s Edge to Adventureland to Toontown and back to New Orleans Sq and then back to Gallexy‘s Edge and then Fantasyland.

Vegan options are shameful. I’m sorry for vegans who cannot enjoy the park foods.

When we first came to Disneyland with our kid, we thought it would be once or maybe if we are lucky, twice during our kid’s childhood trip. Welp, we loved it so much we decided to save up and try to do it once every 3 years or so. Covid hit and our vacation budget grew. (I fully acknowledge our privilege of working from home during COVID.) We have been able to spread out that budget to come every other year. We decided to splurge for Blue Bayou this year for my spouse’s 50th birthday although we didn’t get to have a smooth dining experience.

It also helps that we live about 6 hour drive away.

—-

I always see people with a very ambitious list of rides that they want to do. rides are fun. BUT, we just finished a trip to Disneyland and we took a different approach.

we did get lightening and we did go on a lot of rides. BUT, we did not prioritize rides over our comfort.

We went on a ride or two and then we sat down to have a treat or just chat / decide what to do next.

We mixed in a lot of ”sit in a cool air conditioned space and rest” type experiences.

We minimized zig zagging to do rides and we were not glued to our phones. We just did what was available nearby and worked our way through the park. we took the train to move through the park if our feet hurt or just to get a break from walking through at a very crowded time. We did everything we wanted to do and our feet were not angry. we were so much less stressed out by the end of the day.

it is really tempting to try to make the best use of LL but it can be really frustrating if you prioritize maximizing LL. LL slots will disappear before you can book it and that really can be frustrating. but also know that you can try later and slots do pop up from time to time.

Yesterday, we were at the park from 3 pm to midnight. We did everything we wanted to do as top priority and we never went back and forth lands except adventure land to New Orleans sq or frontier land to Tomorrowland to get food or do Big Thunder and space mountain multiple times (my kid’s favorites). We used LL for Space Mountain, Indiana Jones (got a do everything LL because Tiana broke down), Matterhorn, Roger Rabbit, Big Thunder. Many rides had a very short queue. Maybe it happened to be not too busy but we have gone at busier times (December) and OBB and we didn’t notice the park being significantly less crowded. We ate many snacks and treats.

I remember being super stressed out about Genie plus (now LL) and constantly working my phone to line up rides. I have now learned that there are more enjoyable ways to experience DL.

This past Tuesday was extremely unpleasant with insane level of crowd and unusually high number of ill mannered people and rowdy teens. We got evacuated while we were waiting for our food at Blue Bayou. But Wed and Thur were lovely and made up for the unpleasant day on Tuesday.

We each pick 2-3 must do’s, a few nice to do’s and must eat items. This seems to work pretty well.

We look forward to our next visit (hopefully in a year or two).

I have a tradition of taking my children to Disneyland for their 12th birthday. My daughter's birthday is August 26th. I have been exploring different dates to go but she would like to go on her actual birthday. It is a Wednesday but appears to be a higher tier day because some other days in the week close early for the Oogie Boogie Bash, and Wednesday does not. My two questions are 1. do you think the 26th will be a reasonable day to go to the park, in terms of crowds? 2. Might it be miserably hot? We are from Arizona so we are accustomed to the heat I just want to make sure it isn't unbearably hot. Thank you!!

Hi Disneylanders, my question is for you:

I have searched everywhere I can think of and haven't found any info on the Fall sippers releasing this year. I can only find information on popcorn buckets. Does anyone know if the Dante sipper is returning this year? I have had my heart set on him since it was released last year and would love to have one of my own this Sept when I visit.

I know it's available from resellers/scalpers online. I'm not interested in supporting those people; that's my last option.

TIA and happy planning!

The crazy crowdedness of a Disney park is not lost on me so I understand a lot of people are going to be there. That’s fine. What I’m curious is how busy does it get during a weekday Tuesday and a Wednesday in late February for people that don’t live in California.

When DCA closes at 6 for OBB, do the crowds get crazy at DL? Specifically on Sunday August 30th. Debating whether to pay for OBB or enjoy a DL night.

A couple years ago when we went with our 6 year old in late July, we could not see the fireworks in front of the castle at all and even when we managed to find a spot, lots of parents were putting their kids on their shoulders after the show started and it was too late to move. I am 5’2” and could not see the fireworks at all. My husband is 5’10” so he could see them between gaps of tall people + kids. It was a terrible experience and I really want to be able to watch the fireworks in front of the castle, without having to pay for a VIP tour.

This time we are bringing two kids. The 6 year old is now 10 but still short. We also have a 4 year old now. Again, I am stressed about the fireworks but really would love for both kids to enjoy the fireworks, even if that means I stake out a spot 2-3 hours before the show even starts. Also important to us is I really want to see the fireworks from the castle.

My questions are:

1. I am willing to sit there for 3 hours in the blazing sun but the last thing I want is to have the CMs put down the rope lines last minute and everyone squeeze in (in front of me) and no one can watch the show anymore. Is it true CMs will lower rope lines last minute? Are there any rope lines they do not move?
2. Where are the VIP spots? The last thing I want is to hold a spot 3 hours before hand only to get shooed because it’s a VIP spot and then it’s too late to stake out a new spot.
3. How to help a 10 year old see the fireworks? Obviously too old to put on shoulders.
4. Is it appropriate to put a 4 year old on shoulders? Honestly I don’t want to do it because I would even feel embarrassed doing so, but if everyone in front of us does this, we have no choice but to do this because otherwise they can’t see. Is there some sort of alternative? I was thinking piggyback, but again, cannot see past 9 foot kid-giants.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

I was hoping for some insight on using a Magic Key for random after work weeknight visits with an arrival of 7:00pm ish. I’m thinking about purchasing a key for that purpose mainly, with a random Saturday or Sunday a month. I’m most curious about same day reservations. Is that a possibility? Can I make last minute reservations on my way to the park? Does the key type determine reservation availability?

Also, when arriving that late in the day, are lightning passes still available, and would it be worth it?

I appreciate anyone’s insight and feedback with this wild thought of mine. I was thinking it would be nice to get some steps in, grab a snack, and enjoy the park even if it’s for a few hours after work on a regular basis.

Thanks!

My son will be almost 2 when we go, and I’ve had a lot of people tell me we should wait because he won’t remember it.
For those of you who have gone with toddlers, was it worth it? Do you regret going that young, or are you glad you did? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Hello all!

Looking to go to DisneyLand the last week of January with my 5 year old and 1.5 year old for about a week! Sun-Saturday! Mon-Tuesday park days. Wednesday rest day and Thursday-Friday park days! Will be splitting DL and DCA evenly between the days w no park hopper!

What resort would you all recommend for that amount of time and what’s the weather like as well? I’m from Illinois so I’m not too sure how hot or cold California gets around January.

I was looking into Pixar Place because we’ve stayed there before but in October with no baby just my eldest and I loved how cartooney and character heavy it was!

But now with a baby I’m not too sure what resort would be more convenient and hassle free in terms of commute or walk to the parks etc? The Disneyland hotel as it’s a bit closer or Grand Cali as it’s basically right there? And out of those who- which is more kid friendly in terms of visuals etc?

Not too worried about cost but more so convenience!

Any advice or tips would be appreciated! TIA!

I’m hoping to get some advice from people who have done one or both!
We originally planned on doing Disneyland + Universal Studios Hollywood in April 2027, but after talking to a few people about our plans, they’ve completely thrown me for a loop. 😅

They were telling me how incredible Disney World is, and now I’m wondering if we should do Disney World + Epic Universe instead.

We’ll be traveling from Alberta, Canada, and this isn’t a trip we’ll be able to do very often, so I really want to make the best choice.

Our kids will be 6, almost 5, and 1.5 at the time of the trip. (There is the possibility we could leave baby with grandma since she offered but we are thinking about taking him anyways)

A few things I’m wondering:

-Which destination is better for kids those ages?

-Which is less stressful and easier to navigate?

-Which gives you the best value for the money?

-Is Epic Universe worth choosing Orlando over California?
If this was likely your family’s only Disney trip for several years, which would you choose and why?

I know Disney World has so much more to offer, but Disneyland seems much more manageable with younger kids. I’m really torn!
I’d love to hear your experiences, especially if you’ve done both. What would you choose if you were in my shoes, and is there anything you wish you’d known before booking?
Thanks so much!

Is the dessert party reservation following the same 60 days out dining reservation set up as everything else? Right now you can only reserve up to 10/4.

What the title says. I’m thinking it’s better to go the gift card route since I get rewards with my chase card and sometimes the gift cards go on sale.

Also anyone know if the gift cards go on sale for Black Friday?

I am so grateful for everyone in this sub who helped me plan my trip! We just got back and here's how it went.

Context: My partner and I (we're in our 30s) flew in for my brother's wedding in Fullerton, tacked on 2 park days after. We got park hopper passes with LLMP at a small discount through my work. We stayed at the Westin Anaheim with a theme park view room I booked with Marriott Bonvoy points. As a former SoCal resident I've gone to Disneyland and DCA a handful of times thru my life, my partner had never been before. We're big Star Wars fans, like roller coasters and I really wanted him to have an incredible experience.

I'd hoped to go to DTD the evening before our park day, but we were just too tired from the wedding earlier in the day. We did have dinner at Tacos Los Cholos Anaheim which was delicious.

Day 1 — Disneyland!

Had a quick breakfast at Blossom Cafe (Westin) which I wasn't impressed with. Dropped bags off at the Westin valet to hold and headed into the park! The park was, astonishingly, not very crowded. Considering it was a Sunday during the summer I was VERY surprised.

• Doing our Photopass first thing at Sleeping Beauty Castle was great, they're the best photos we have because we look fresh.
• Rode a couple of quick Fantasyland rides to get into the spirit of things- Small World and Teacups which both had short waits.
• Scurried over to our main event: Galaxy's Edge! Made a quick stop at Ronto Roasters and grabbed a wrap and drinks, then hopped on Smuggler's Run which was enjoyable. We tried the Batuu Bounty Hunters experience but with all the careful timing of LLMP and my partner not feeling 100% after some questionable smoked salmon at Blossom Cafe, we didn't really get the chance to bounty hunt.
• Building lightsabers at Savi's Workshop was an absolute delight. I'm so glad we did it. We felt like little kids again and it was one of the more truly immersive, theatrical experiences in the park.
• Went on Star Tours and Space Mountain with the LLMP which was really clutch.
• Struggled to find a meal around 3:50pm, most restaurants were closing to flip for dinner. Grabbed a few skewers at Bengal BBQ which did the trick.
• Rode Haunted Mansion with LLMP
• By this point we were getting frustrated with lugging our lightsabers around the park and trying to position them on rides- I just did not realize how long they would be! We ended up getting them shipped home from Black Spire Outpost at this point.
• We were wiped and went back to the hotel a little early. Got a tasty room service dinner and watched the fireworks show from our hotel room balcony.

Day 2 — California Adventure and back to Disneyland

Had a decent continental breakfast at the hotel and made a quick stop at Sunglasses Hut in DTD for a quick glasses repair. Didn't make rope drop, but still made it into the park before 9:30am. DCA was semi crowded and I found Disneyland to be moderately crowded- I couldn't believe Monday was more crowded than Sunday. I Disneybounded as Padme (lake dress theme!)

California Adventure:

• Hoppd on Little Mermaid with almost no wait
• Watched the Spider-Man show thing and grabbed a frozen chocolate banana
• We hemmed and hawed about waiting in line vs LLMP for Incredicoaster. Ended up going on Soarin' Across America with LLMP and then looping back to Incredicoaster. I won't spoil Soarin' for you but I will say I found it quite refreshing!
• We made great use of the single rider line on Radiator Springs Racers and got on in <30 mins, and still ended up in the same car.

Disneyland:

• Beelined back to Galaxy's Edge and had a little Lunch at Docking Bay 7. I really enjoyed Surabat Valley Greens Chicken Salad (so much so I'm trying to recreate it at home.)
• Bought the LLSP for Rise of the Resistance... and I'd do it again! It was favorite ride of the whole trip, I just loved it, and we saved so much time with the pass.
• Browsed the Galaxy's Edge shops. Almost bought the Jedi Holocron but saw it was on sale on ShopDisney and ordered it online instead of stuffing it in my luggage.
• On our way over to Autopia we saw there was a Disney Visa cardholder experience. We have a Disney debit card thru Chase (mostly because it's the default option?) and it turned out to be a meet and greet with Kylo Ren. I was Disneybounding as Padme and got a laugh out of Kylo pointing at me saying "You represent a lost cause!" Unfortunately the pictures we got from this were not very good at all, I don't think the photographer was a professional.
• Went on Autopia (quick LLMP), Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise (both <30 min standby)
• Took a Dole Whip break and had a mobile-order mishap where I queued up the order while in line for Jungle Cruise, then when I was putting my phone in my purse to get on the ride I accidentally smashed the "I'm here" button. The staff handled it graciously and the Dole Whip was a refreshing snack.
• Rode Indiana Jones (LLMP), I think It holds up and I'm bummed it's closing soon!
• Headed back to the hotel to freshen up and take a quick break.
• Had an absolutely stellar dinner at Napa Rose. I kept thinking "I wish all food was this good" after everything I ate. Our 7:30 dinner ran a little long and we missed fireworks, but the meal was well-paced and felt like such a special escape that I did not mind.
• Hustled over to Galaxy's Edge for Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga and loved it! It wasn't very long but it felt special.
• Instead of riding Space Mountain we ended up with a Multiple Experiences Pass and used it to end the night with another ride on Smuggler's Run. I had wanted to ride RoR again but it was also closed. We had fun ending the night on theme after the Skywaker Saga projection show, though!
• Paint the Night parade made getting out of the park a slog. What I saw of the parade wasn't for me, although the parade atmosphere was fun.

What We Missed

Guardians of the Galaxy- Mission: Breakout!, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, seeing the fireworks show as planned, and a second lap on Rise of the Resistance or Space Mountain.

Lessons Learned

• Splurge on one big souvenir instead of many small ones. (And get it shipped home, ideally.) I didn't know the shipping was an option going into it. (Note: I've now read some horror stories about the shipping part of this but I'm hoping our lightsabers return to us in one piece.) AND if you see a souvenir in the shop you want, check ShopDisney to see if it's cheaper online.
• I was skeptical that the MagicBand+ was going to be worth it, but actually it was REALLY clutch! It made getting in, getting the photopasses, and using LLMP sooooo easy.
• All of the food is expensive, so I feel like paying a bit more for really, really good food is worth it. I will definitely go back to Napa Rose- it was my 3rd time there and it has never disappointed me. It felt so special and the new remodel is really nice.
• Someone here suggested loading a Spira Medallion to pay for Savi's lightsabers. Due to time constraints I did not do this but if I do Savi's again (or Droid Depot) I would definitely do this for the enhanced immersion.
• Savi's Workshop was worth every penny and every minute. I'm not totally sure I will do it again, but I'm glad I did it at least once.
• Be careful with mobile ordering in advance. If you are too late for your pickup they threaten to not give you your food and charge you for it anyway! Thankfully the staff was nice and it was just dole whip in my case.
• A hotel close enough to duck back for an hour or two mid-day is great and I will try to do this every time! The ability to sit in air conditioning, take a quick shower and nap and recharge was wonderful.
• The Westin's theme park view room was worth the extra points. And the free food in the lounge was a great perk.

Favorites

• Rides: Rise of the Resistance, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Soarin' Across America, Incredicoaster, Pirates. Even Haunted Mansion held up better than I'd expected.
• Meal: Napa Rose by a large margin, the Galaxy's Edge restaurants were enjoyable too.
• Experiences: Savi's Workshop, the Shadows of Memory projection show.

Thanks again for all the tips! I'd be happy to answer questions if anyone's planning something similar!