Hi Eric!
Thank you so much for reaching out to us hEAR at planDisney! I have to say, this is a very fun question. I'm so excited to be your planEAR today!
I have strong opinions about both coasts. I used to visit Disneyland Resort three times a week, but I've also planned many last-minute trips to Walt Disney World Resort, once with 24-hours notice. So not only do I know that this
can be done, I know for a fact that you and your wife are going to have an amazing weekend! If I'm looking objectively at your options, the weather on both coasts is going to be about the same. Both of Mickey's houses are hosting seasonal foodie favorites in the
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival as well as the
Disney California Adventure Park Food & Wine Festival. And it's also Spring Break season all over the country, so both resorts are going to be just as people-y. Subjectively, Land stays open later than World, and it's easier to get around the property. But, WDW has four parks vs. DLR's two, so there's more to do and see and eat.
Your biggest caveat to a pandemic-era last-minute Disney getaway will be needing daily Park Pass Reservations. In addition to purchasing Theme Park Admission Tickets, Park Pass Reservations notate which theme park you plan to visit on which day. If you purchase the Park Hopper add-on option, the park pass reservation will serve as the theme park you
start your day in, and then you can hop to another park after 1:00 PM in California or 2:00 PM in Florida. Park Pass Reservations are available for booking 120 days in advance of each Disney day, so it might seem like you have slim pickings on such short notice. However, at the time of this writing, you do have some options:
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Here is the Park Pass Reservation Calendar for Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. In my experience, both EPCOT and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park tend to be the last parks booked solid. Buying Park Hopper tickets would give you the ability to visit all four theme parks.
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Here is the Park Pass Reservation Calendar for Disneyland Resort in California. The only way to even purchase Admission Tickets to then make park pass reservations for this weekend is to book a
Disneyland Resort Hotel Vacation Package.
If you can book something
right now, I would go with Disneyland Resort as the vacation package can guarantee a room, tickets and your choice of park passes to see and do everything. However, if you need more time or you truly won't know where you'll end up until Saturday (maybe you're flying standby?) I would sway you towards Walt Disney World Resort; definitely double-check the park pass reservation calendar and admission ticket links again before you select your final seats, but if they show availability then
yes, you'll be able to purchase last-minute tickets at the theme park entrance or through the My Disney Experience Mobile App.
I hope that this helped to decide your Disney dilemma, Eric! Be sure to check out the
official planDisney Instagram account for even more tips and tricks. And if you have any more Disneyland or Walt Disney World planning questions, We're All Ears!
~Kristen N.