Disneyland before or after?

[goofynut41]

Is it better to do Disneyland before or after Aulani? I am planning our trip for 2019 probably Sept. Just wondering which is better?

 

[alohamom]

I personally like to do it after/on the way home for a couple of reasons.

a) it really helps with the jet lag

b) it makes leaving hawaii not so sad, I almost always have a couple of tears as I leave but I am Hawaii addicted so it might not be so bad for others LOL

 

[94bruin]

I live on the West Coast, so I'd never combine the trips. With that being said, I personally would do DL first since those days would likely be more hectic than days on Hawaii. I'm all for getting the the busy part of the vacation over with first, so then you can be relaxed at the end. Either way, the trip will be awesome!

 

[Aviator621]

You're probably aware already, but you will be going right after the new Star Wars land is opening; Disneyland will be a madhouse. Think you will NEED the relaxation of Hawaii after that.

 

[southerngirl528]

b) it makes leaving hawaii not so sad, I almost always have a couple of tears as I leave but I am Hawaii addicted so it might not be so bad for others LOL

As someone who goes to Hawaii annually (though we make no stay overs coming or going from the east coast), I also vote for AFTER! It will ease your leaving lovely Aulani!

 

[kiford]

We did it before Aulani but that was mainly due to flights and schedule convenience. We were able to get flights back from Honolulu (to Toronto) that had only a short stop very close to home whereas flights from Toronto to Honolulu had you changing planes in the middle leaving little time to relax on the flights and had a long layover in between. So we figured we might as well stop in LA and do DL on the way there. Plus it split up the jet lag into two smaller pieces so as not to really disrupt our vacation; coming home we had a couple of days after returning to readjust so it didn't matter as much.

I would maybe say it's nice to relax at Aulani after running around DL except that the one friend we travelled with had us running around Hawaii at much the same pace with only a day here and there to relax so it didn't really matter in our case.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I say DL first so after crazy, nonstop walking days at DL you can relax in Hawaii.

 

[goofynut41]

This is what I have decided too. With Star Wars opening I may decide to not do Disneyland. Still thinking????

 

[pepperandchips]

it makes leaving hawaii not so sad, I almost always have a couple of tears as I leave but I am Hawaii addicted so it might not be so bad for others LOL

This!!! Another vote for "after" Hawaii. I needed something to look forward to. By the time we finished our 4 days/3 nights at Disneyland I was so exhausted I wasn't even sad to leave. It also helped us get readjusted to the time change (we are from the east coast, so it was good to stop halfway and not have a huge jet lag readjustment in going back to work)

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

Before or after...either way disneyland will be packed...but california adventure might be rather nice. Cars land opening made disneyland rides and crowds noticeably lighter...star wars land will likely do the same for california adventure.

Aulani could still be doing some halloween activities (I don’t think they’ll stop...but it’s always a possibility)...so if planning for sep starts to turn into october...doing aulani after makes it more likely to encounter halloween type things at Aulani. In years past halloween events at Aulani have been mostly from 2 weeks before halloween while disneyland starts much earlier.

Once you know what days for your trip and/or disney posts the halloween party info for disneyland...the halloween parties can also be a factor (either to avoid, or attend)

 

[soniam]

We did it before in 2013 and decided to do the same thing again in 2 weeks. Since we don't do DLR often, we really go commando there. I need the relaxation of the Hawaii and the beach afterward. Plus, I don't know if I would feel like going full bore at DLR after flying all night from Hawaii.

 

[kdonnel]

We have done it before and really enjoyed it.

I think it depends on how long you have already been gone. In the past when we have done 2 or 3 in one style vacations with multiple destinations we time out around 12 days and everyone is ready to be home.

 

[Seltzer76]

i'm planning an Aug 2019 trip and was considering the same 'dilemma'. Learning towards "first," but now I'm actually rethinking DL due to the comments about SW - hadn't thought of that!

 

[Cinderella94]

Going in January for the first time to both places, coming from the east coast. At first I was thinking before, but we ended up booking after for a couple reasons. 1) because of everything I had read about how it helps more with jet lag that way, and 2) if we had gone before, our days in DL would have been the first days after AP holders are no longer blacked out and I didn't want to have increased crowds due to that.

 

[corrie563]

I might be alone in this, but we just did 3 weeks of Disneyland/Waikiki/Aulani and we chose Aulani for last... After a week at Disneyland we really enjoyed the slow pace of Aulani (we had done both before but seperately, so knew what we were in for), and we really felt like we needed time to recover from the long days at Disneyland... Would definitely do it again that way...

 

[Amw1064]

I would have to say I would do it after because we are so sad when we leave Aulani. At least you know you have Disneyland to still go to. On the other hand, we skipped our Aulani trip this year and did a Hollywood/Disneyland trip this summer and I have never been so exhausted in my entire life. I felt bad for my husband having to return and go straight to work.

 

[GeneralTso]

Disneyland first, then decompress and relax in paradise! It's kinda hectic at the parks. You'll get your big Disney fix, then can take in all the Aulani touches.

 

[goofynut41]

I decided to make two different vacations out of this. I wanted to go on my Birthday which is in July, but that's when its Pricey and crowded . So I decided to go to Disneyworld in Florida on my Birthday and Aulani in Sept.

 

[alohamom]

I decided to make two different vacations out of this. I wanted to go on my Birthday which is in July, but that's when its Pricey and crowded . So I decided to go to Disneyworld in Florida on my Birthday and Aulani in Sept.

Great idea! Aulani in September will be amazing!