Disneyland questions! End of October - early November - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Disneyland questions! End of October - early November
We've booked a 10 night stay in Anaheim and plan on spending a few days seeing Disneyland and California Adventure. Hopefully we'll have 3 day park hoppers, hoping that will be enough as we'd like to experience as much of L.A. as possible.
We're coming from the Uk and it will be our first time in California (I was lucky enough to visit some 30 years ago but don't really remember anything). I'm afraid I have alot of questions, so please bear with me
I'm hoping we've picked a good time to visit...we fly into LAX on the 24th October and fly out on the 3rd November.
Can anyone tell me what crowd levels I can expect? We're used to WDW in mid August, so are no strangers to lines and hitting the big rides first and getting to the parks for opening. We'd try not to hit the parks on a weekend. Will Halloween affect the parks? Do US kids have this week off school like our UK kids do? Will we need to grab Fastpasses early on?
Also, what about the weather? Is it shorts or jeans weather? Hot or just pleasantly sunny?
We're staying at the Hyatt Orange County and will be using their shuttle bus. How soon before park opening do you think we should be at the bus stop? Is the ride very long? And (see, told ya I have lots to ask ) would the shuttle bus take us to Downtown Disney, or could we walk to and fro the two parks and DTD?
Sorry for so many questions on one thread, figured it would be easier on everyone if I didn't clutter the boards with individual questions!
Hello neighbour! I just realised we're just down the road from you.
We were there around the same time in 2008 - from memory about 25-28 October and it was a perfect time to visit. The crowds were low and the weather was amazing. Actually, in truth, it was too hot - it was into the 90s, but I know from the friend we were visiting Disneyland with that that was unseasonably hot.
I was just at Disneyland last year at Halloween and the crowds were not bad at all except for the weekends. Even when we went to MNSSHP the crowds were a nice level. The weather was in the 80s the whole time. I don't know how long the shuttle ride is from your hotel though.
You can easily walk between Disneyland, California Adventures and Downtown Disney. In fact DL and DCA are just across from each other and DTD is right there as well.
I have stayed at the Hyatt Regency and it is less than a mile from the Parks. The shuttle was efficient, and I believe it came round a couple times an hour. Their website should have information on the schedule.
You an walk between the two parks as they are separated by a courtyard. DTD is situated in between the two parks as well.
We've booked a 10 night stay in Anaheim and plan on spending a few days seeing Disneyland and California Adventure. Hopefully we'll have 3 day park hoppers, hoping that will be enough as we'd like to experience as much of L.A. as possible.
We're coming from the Uk and it will be our first time in California (I was lucky enough to visit some 30 years ago but don't really remember anything). I'm afraid I have alot of questions, so please bear with me
I'm hoping we've picked a good time to visit...we fly into LAX on the 24th October and fly out on the 3rd November.
Can anyone tell me what crowd levels I can expect? We're used to WDW in mid August, so are no strangers to lines and hitting the big rides first and getting to the parks for opening. We'd try not to hit the parks on a weekend. Will Halloween affect the parks? Do US kids have this week off school like our UK kids do? Will we need to grab Fastpasses early on?
Also, what about the weather? Is it shorts or jeans weather? Hot or just pleasantly sunny?
We're staying at the Hyatt Orange County and will be using their shuttle bus. How soon before park opening do you think we should be at the bus stop? Is the ride very long? And (see, told ya I have lots to ask ) would the shuttle bus take us to Downtown Disney, or could we walk to and fro the two parks and DTD?
Sorry for so many questions on one thread, figured it would be easier on everyone if I didn't clutter the boards with individual questions!
The weather here in Southern Calif is subject to change, lately, on a moments notice but in the past my wife would say shorts during the day and long pants at night. But it never hurts to keep the long pants handy in case 'mother', as in Mother Nature, wants to mess with your mind. LOL
To get an excellent idea as to where your hotel is to the DLR and how far apart DL, DCA and DTD are to each other, visit our web site for a Google Earth view of the area. We also have a page listing all Good Neighbor Hotels and Motels plus Resturants in the 'walking area' of DLR.
As for transportation between the Hotel and DLR, here is what their web site says, Disneyland® Resort:
Complimentary shuttle.
Departure from our Orange County airport hotel on top of & 30 mins after each hour.
Pick-Up from Disneyland® Resort 20 and 50 mins after each hour.
*Car seats NOT required or provided on shuttle
Hope this information will assist you in making your plans for your visit.
First off have a great time in LA. When I went my first time with my mom we had a blast. There is so much to see and do while you are there.
We did a 3 day park hopper pass our first time as well, and to be honest adterwards I wanted to go to the parks more. There is so much to see specially if its your first time.
The nights cool off, but depending on what you are used to, the temps may be alright.
As others have said the parks are like a 2 minute walk from one another and DTD is to the one side. THere are maps and such on the Disneyland site. ITs not as big as you are thinking.
Also I came across a map of the Disneyland hotel area, so maybe if your google hotels around Disneyland, you will be able to get a better idea as to where your hotel is, and who knows maybe it is walking distance.
Have a great time, and can't wait to hear about it when you get back home.
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
That time of year is wonderful in California! (I'll be there this year too!) Kids are not out of school - so lines and crowds aren't too bad - also, if you are used to WDW in August, DL doesn't even compare to those crowds!
Halloween affects the park mainly in decorations - not different crowd levels. If you haven't been to WDW's not so scary halloween party, I suggest going to the one at DL or DCA (location is still a mystery for this year I believe). The parties are so much fun!
Fastpasses don't disappear in an hour like in WDW...but there are some new attractions this year that I would get passes for early if you are interested. Ariel's ride in DCA and Star Tours in DL open this June, and I'm sure will have long waits and lots of people getting fastpasses.
For clothing - bring both! I used to wear jeans and a t-shirt and would bring along a sweatshirt or light jacket for at night. I'd look at the expected weather just before your trip to see if they are getting unseasonably warm or cool weather, but I think they are usually mid 70's to mid 80's during the day and 60's at night.
Also - as a side note: One of the main differences between WDW and DL/DCA when it comes to their big shows is seating. Fantasmic at DL (in my opinion) is better than WDW's, but they don't have stadium seating the way WDW does. People camp out on the grass an hour or so before the show. We used to get snacks, find our spot, and hang out till showtime. I'm not sure if Fantasmic offers dining packages with priority seating or not...but I'm guessing they do if that's the way you prefer to do the shows. If not, make sure you find your spot early enough because everyone doesn't have a clear view of the show. For WOC, the same holds true. I recommend getting the picnic lunch with priority seating for that show. You can reserve the lunch online before you leave for the trip.
Have fun! I love southern california! I'd move back if I could...but for now I just have fun planning my vacations!
About This Page: 
Disneyland questions! End of October - early November
) would the shuttle bus take us to Downtown Disney, or could we walk to and fro the two parks and DTD?
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
I just realised we're just down the road from you. 
Linear Mode
