Can I get help with a plan of action?

[DisneyLover111]

You know at WDW where you arrive at park opening and rush to get a Toy Story FP or a Soarin FP and then ride another ride?

What is the best plan of action at DL? where should we head to first?? also at CA?

Do you go through the park clockwise or counter clockwise?

[magicallyDisney001]

Head for the popular rides first, as always. Nemo subs often gets long lines, so try to do that one first thing in the morning or during parades. Splash mountain, though it has Fastpass, is very popular, especially if you go during the summer months. Try to go early in the morning for Splash. We once went on it first thing in the morning and it was a walk-on. Later on in the day, the lines got up to 2 hours long. Grab Fastpasses for Space and Indy; the stand-by lines fill up fast.

For DCA, RUN to TSMM. If you're staying at GCH, take advantage of the private entrance and get there early, about 15 min. before official opening. You'll line up near GRR and a CM will walk you over to TSMM, with little or no wait. Soarin' Fastpasses are a must, as in WDW, so try to get there early before they run out.

Usually, we just ride rides on impulse, except for the more popular ones, which we do first. Most people, however, go clockwise, so if you want to avoid crowds, go counter-clockwise.

Good luck!

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Toy Story Mania does not have a Fastpass at DLR. Sorry, can't help with the rest of the planning, we are planning our first trip as well!

[DisneyLover111]

What is TSMM again? we can't afford to stay at the GCH lol

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Originally Posted by DisneyLover111

What is TSMM again? we can't afford to stay at the GCH lol

Toy Story Midway Mania

[DLR29]

Originally Posted by DisneyLover111

What is TSMM again? we can't afford to stay at the GCH lol

That's ok, I've never stayed there. Still I would designate at least one morning to getting to DCA before its opening. DCA opens at 10, but opens its gates at 9:30. So arrive between 9:30 and 10 and join the huge crowd for TSMM. When I was there a couple weeks ago, the rope by the giant sun (you can't miss it) got to TSMM faster than where we were (by Grizzly River Run, like PP was talking about). As long as it doesn't break down (like it did on us twice), you should be able to ride with a 15min wait or shorter. Usually lines during the middle of the day are on average 30-45 min. Oh, also during that pre-30 minutes at DCA you can grab a Soarin FP for later. TSMM and Soarin are both popular at DLR, but definitely not like at WDW where mobs of people rush to their FP lines first thing in the morning.

For DL, none of the Fantasyland rides have FP, so another morning should focus on those rides. Especially Peter Pan, Matterhorn, Dumbo (if necessary), and Alice in Wonderland because those lines can get pretty long by late morning, early afternoon.

[DisneyLover111]

Thanks for your help, we will definitly stake out TSMM one morning. We are not into the fantasyland rides so that's good. Do they have a philharmagic there?

Is Tower of Terror the same as at WDW?

[DLR29]

Originally Posted by DisneyLover111

Thanks for your help, we will definitly stake out TSMM one morning. We are not into the fantasyland rides so that's good. Do they have a philharmagic there?

Is Tower of Terror the same as at WDW?

No Philharmagic. And ToT is similar. The preshow is the EXACT same, but the ride is different. For one thing, it doesn't have the 5th Dimension room.

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by DisneyLover111

What is TSMM again? we can't afford to stay at the GCH lol

WDW types tend to call it TSM - Toy Story Mania - even though the full name is Toy Story Midway Mania - TSMM. DLR types call it TSMM. I use TSMM and TSM interchangeably.

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by DisneyLover111

You know at WDW where you arrive at park opening and rush to get a Toy Story FP or a Soarin FP and then ride another ride?

What is the best plan of action at DL? where should we head to first?? also at CA?

Do you go through the park clockwise or counter clockwise?

That is such a broad question. DL is smaller than MK and hence criss-crossing is easier. So is parkhopping.

I think you might be able to better put together a plan of action once you have digested the overall lay of the land. Here are some things to digest that are likely different from WDW:

o Parkhopping - at DLR it is much easier than WDW. We personally never park hop at WDW and do it every day at DLR and sometimes several times a day

o Extra hours - called Magic Mornings (MM) at DLR they work differently from EMH. - We always skip EMH parks at WDW. At DLR we always do MM when we can.

o Hotel breaks - walking distance hotels make it much easier and faster to take breaks.

o Ride concentration - DLR's two parks have 90% of the rides that WDW's four parks have. They are more packed in at DLR.

This link is a good starting point:

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599