Who has successfully done RnR/TOT 1st, then FP TSM @ RD?

[Goofy'sFriend]

With all that I'm reading of the craze to TSM, it just doesn't sound like fun to me. After being in a herd going to Fantasmic one night, I never want to do that again

Has anyone been this summer to HS at RD and gone to RnR, then TOT....and then still able to secure FPs for TSM? We are okay with only riding once.

I'm sure we will be close to an hour into park hours by doing this....do you think that will negatively affect our touring since we won't be getting our first FP until after RnR and TOT?

[DisneyAngie]

What we did during our last trip was send one person with all the tickets ahead to weave through the crowd at rope drop to get fast passes for TSM, while the rest of us waited outside RnR. When she returned, we rode RnR twice, ToT twice, and then headed over to TSM to see what the stand-by line was like. Stand-by was over an hour already, and the fast passes they were giving out were for 11:30-12:30. We decided the stand-by wait was too long, and went to do something else sense we already had FPs.

If you want to ride TSM before lunch, I would recommend that you either head there first or send one person ahead for FPs. An hour in.... I think you'd probably be looking at a mid-day return time. If that works with your touring plan, great. Just a heads up - when we were there, TSM FPs were all given out around lunchtime.

[MKandy]

Originally Posted by Goofy'sFriend

With all that I'm reading of the craze to TSM, it just doesn't sound like fun to me. After being in a herd going to Fantasmic one night, I never want to do that again

Has anyone been this summer to HS at RD and gone to RnR, then TOT....and then still able to secure FPs for TSM? We are okay with only riding once.

I'm sure we will be close to an hour into park hours by doing this....do you think that will negatively affect our touring since we won't be getting our first FP until after RnR and TOT?

If you get to DHS by rope drop, head straight to RnR then ToT, then walk quickly to TSM you should still be able to get a FP with a decent return time. I would really do that all very quickly though to make sure you secure your FP.

Have a magical day.

[rotlex]

Last trip, in June, we did exactly that. My daughter and I headed to RnR and TOT, while my wife picked up fast passes for TSM. By the time we got there, maybe we got lucky, but there was only a 20 minute stand by line. We did stand by, and went back with our fast pass tickets later in the day. (I think the return time was like 11 or so).

To be honest, I didn't think the wait or "crowds" for it were any more than anything else. We wandered back there later in the day again, and there was still only a 30 minute or so stand by.

[MKandy]

Originally Posted by rotlex

To be honest, I didn't think the wait or "crowds" for it were any more than anything else. We wandered back there later in the day again, and there was still only a 30 minute or so stand by.

Must have been a slow day for TSM. Thats pretty rare.

[mysparky]

I think you'd be ok with this approach as long as you think you'd only want to ride it once, and you plan on being in the park for a while.

IMO, the benefits to this are: 1) your wait for RnRC and ToT will be short, 2) by the time you get over to the FP line, the craziness will have died down (although you could still end up waiting 10 mins or so to get a FP) and 3) you can avoid the TSM crush.

I think the disadvantages to this approach are: 1) If you end up getting over to the TSM FP machines by 10, you'll likely be looking at a very late return time, 2) you'll likely only be able to ride once (which you said you're ok with), and 3) you won't be able to get another FP until your TSM time is up, or 2 hours after you get that FP (whichever comes first). Since you'll be riding ToT and RnRC, I don't think this is a big deal, though.

If you were to stick with your plan, I'd probably do this as follows:

Get a FP for either RnRC or ToT (whichever you definitely want to ride twice - RnRC is more popular)
Ride RnRC
Ride ToT
Use the FP you grabbed first thing in the morning and ride again
Go over to TSM (approximately 10:00am) and get a FP

[Mysteria]

We did exactly that in May. Worked fine for us then.

[JackTwo]

On a related note, on a day with moderate crowds, what time do fastpasses usually run out for TSM, ToT and RnR? If we went to EPCOT in the morning, went back to the hotel for a nap and then headed to DHS during the late afternoon (around 4:30 - 5:00), is it generally still possible to get fastpasses for any of those attractions?

[TheWog]

May 1, the 20th anniversary day we did this. We went to RnR first, rode first ride of the day, went to ToT next, went back to RnR and rode again and were done all three rides in 35 mins. I can't speak for true summer crowds, but the Anniversary day it was pretty busy. We then headed over to TSM and got FPs for later in the day 1:40 I believe and then jumped on the the TSM and waited about 30-40 mins I think. We can did it, but again, wasn't true summer crowds, but a busier than average day as well.

[lauris87]

Originally Posted by JackTwo

On a related note, on a day with moderate crowds, what time do fastpasses usually run out for TSM, ToT and RnR? If we went to EPCOT in the morning, went back to the hotel for a nap and then headed to DHS during the late afternoon (around 4:30 - 5:00), is it generally still possible to get fastpasses for any of those attractions?

I just got back last week, and was very surprised to see how quickly the fast passes ran out! I think TSMM fast passes were gone by like noon.

I would recommend going to TSMM first... that's what I did... then TOT and RRC. It worked out pretty good.

TSMM was a madhouse, especially during evening EMH... it was like 10pm and the wait was 2 hours! But I will say this... after riding it for the first time last week.... it was one of my absolute FAVORITE rides at disney. So much fun. And I loved that all 11 members of my family (including infants) could go on it together.

[JackTwo]

Originally Posted by lauris87

I just got back last week, and was very surprised to see how quickly the fast passes ran out! I think TSMM fast passes were gone by like noon.

I would recommend going to TSMM first... that's what I did... then TOT and RRC. It worked out pretty good.

TSMM was a madhouse, especially during evening EMH... it was like 10pm and the wait was 2 hours! But I will say this... after riding it for the first time last week.... it was one of my absolute FAVORITE rides at disney. So much fun. And I loved that all 11 members of my family (including infants) could go on it together.

Just curious...what were the lines for the other major attractions (ToT and RnR) like during evening EMH?

[Smile4Me]

This is an interesting strategy that we'll have to consider when we get there in 2 weeks!

[Goofy'sFriend]

Thanks everyone. I don't know what to do....I have both options in my head so I think I am going to make that last minute decision at RD and go with my gut.

It is just my DS and myself this time so I don't have anyone to run ahead and secure the set of FPs. Usually that person is me when we all travel together.

[PIRATEGIRL007]

As a PP stated your strategy should work out just fine, lets say it takes u 30 min-1 into park opening time to get RnR, TOT and walk to TSM and get your FP. Your return time will probably be around lunch time/early afternoon. This is a guestimate based on the time you are going. We were there Auguts 30 last year and did this very thing our FP time for TSM was like 4pm, so not bad considering it was a year newer last year.

[Mysteria]

I'll add that we did the ToT/RnR first strategy not only to avoid the rush to FP's at TSM. If you go to TSM and then ToT/RnR you end up with lines at ToT and RnR because that's what most other people did too.

I would say go get TSM fp's first only if you are right at the rope, you have a serious speed walker in your group and you aren't spending the day at DHS.