First Thing, First Day: Toontown or Fantasyland?

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

We'll be traveling with our DD's for our December trip. Our youngest DD will be 3 1/2 and eldest DD will be turning 7 the first day of trip. We'll be arriving late the night before (where we will be checking into HOJO's Kid Suites ). I'm trying to put a rough outline together for the first day (Wednesday/DD's birthday and a non Magic Morning day) so I can make the appropriate PS when they become available in a few weeks (BBB and AG). I am torn between whether we should head first thing to Toontown or go on over to Fantasyland. (Now, mind you, if it were just myself and DH, we'd be heading straight toward MH, SM or IJ. ) I know both DDs will enjoy either TT and FL and we'll visit both multiple times during the trip, so experiencing the rides and fun in both areas is not an issue.

I'm leaning towards Toontown for the first activity simply because it seems like meeting up with Mickey Mouse first thing seems more in tune with the DL experience. Then I think back to my early memories of DL, and they don't include TT (not built yet!!! ). But, I definitely remember Dumbo and the other dark rides of FL. So, I'm just curious what others have decided in the past or are thinking for upcoming trips when you have younger kids. Thanks for your input!

[kailuagirl]

My suggestion is to go to Fantasyland first. Toontown in my opinion is fun, but it's just ok. As for Mickey, almost every day we were there in late June Mickey was at the entrance to Main Street in the morning as with some other characters. So grab that autograph book early, there is a stand right on the right after you walk thru the arch. We took my DD who juse turned 2 for the first time. She had such a great time. We did dumbo first. I had showed her different rides on youtube to get her familiar with things and that is the one she got most excited about so we hit that one first and it is such a classic. Whatever you decide I'm sure will be terrific. Have fun and take lots of pictures.

Oh yeah, the mac and cheese at cafe orleans is to die for off the kids menu. That was my DD's favorite meal in the parks, next would be anything at carnation cafe.

[DLR29]

Well do you have Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness? If not, you won't be able to access Toontown until it officially opens 1 hour after park opening. Might as well go to Fantasyland during that first hour, then head over to Toontown when that officially opens.

*You can only get Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness with the purchase of a package through Disney, AAA, etc. It's not the same as Magic Morning. It is basically "magic morning" for toontown only.

[bumbershoot]

Even if you got to the parks late and could go to TT first...you'd be walking through FL to get there, so you might as well have that planned.

And don't get there late; get there early, well before the gates open, so that you don't encounter LINES on your first day, child's birthday, etc etc. Get there well ahead of time, head on to Peter Pan, etc etc.


And you might very well see Mickey in the City Hall area of the park...he's often there before he heads back to open TT an hour after the rest of the park opens.

[Grim_Grinning_Girl]

Fantasyland will get a lot busier later in the day than Toontown, so I would suggest going to Fantasyland first. The rides with the longest lines are usually Nemo, Dumbo, Peter Pan and Alice and Wonderland so if those are calm in the morning maybe get those out of the way first. Oh I forgot about Autopia, long slow line .

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by Grim_Grinning_Girl

Fantasyland will get a lot busier later in the day than Toontown, so I would suggest going to Fantasyland first. The rides with the longest lines are usually Nemo, Dumbo, Peter Pan and Alice and Wonderland so if those are calm in the morning maybe get those out of the way first. Oh I forgot about Autopia, long slow line .

Not sure I agree with this. TT lines seem to get very long and stay there. Mickey's house, Gadget's Go Coaster, etc. Only Roger Rabbit seems manageable especially with FP.

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by 3TinksAndAnEeyore

We'll be traveling with our DD's for our December trip. Our youngest DD will be 3 1/2 and eldest DD will be turning 7 the first day of trip. We'll be arriving late the night before (where we will be checking into HOJO's Kid Suites ). I'm trying to put a rough outline together for the first day (Wednesday/DD's birthday and a non Magic Morning day) so I can make the appropriate PS when they become available in a few weeks (BBB and AG). I am torn between whether we should head first thing to Toontown or go on over to Fantasyland. (Now, mind you, if it were just myself and DH, we'd be heading straight toward MH, SM or IJ. ) I know both DDs will enjoy either TT and FL and we'll visit both multiple times during the trip, so experiencing the rides and fun in both areas is not an issue.

I'm leaning towards Toontown for the first activity simply because it seems like meeting up with Mickey Mouse first thing seems more in tune with the DL experience. Then I think back to my early memories of DL, and they don't include TT (not built yet!!! ). But, I definitely remember Dumbo and the other dark rides of FL. So, I'm just curious what others have decided in the past or are thinking for upcoming trips when you have younger kids. Thanks for your input!

You do remember that TT opens one hour after the park opens, right? If you are there at rope drop you could do FL first for an hour and then TT for an hour as well when it opens with the best of both. Also, is this a TTMM morning? If so, you might want to save TT for a morning without TTMM.

Have fun. Say hello to Eeyore for us!

[LavenderPeach]

Originally Posted by HydroGuy

Not sure I agree with this. TT lines seem to get very long and stay there. Mickey's house, Gadget's Go Coaster, etc. Only Roger Rabbit seems manageable especially with FP.

This is what I thought too but when we went a few weeks ago we went to FL first and did all the rides and then headed to TT when it opened an hour later. We walked on to the Go Coaster and rode it twice with no line at all. We could have gone several more times with no line but DS was freaking out about it even though he kept saying he wanted to go on. The line to see Mickey at his house was a little longer than I've seen in the evenings but it really wasn't bad at all. There was about 4 other families in front of us. I think it might have even been a TTMM day and we got there a few minutes after TT opened so i was pleasantly surprised about the short lines. Maybe it was just a fluke but this was our experience at the end of August on a wednesday.

Also, about seeing Mickey on Main Street vs. seeing him in TT. I actually prefer to go to TT to see him. Whenever we see him on MS there is already a long line and when I first enter the park I want to head straight to the rides, I don't want to linger on MS for too long. Also, the line at Mickey's house always seems more organized to me than most character lines so I never feel like someone is going to cut in front of me. And the other reason I like it better is that if Mickey is in his movie barn (and not at the front door) then you get to wait where it is nice and cool with AC instead of in the sun, although this probably won't be an issue in December.

[bethy]

Fantasyland for sure. Two reasons:

It's truly where the Magic is. Walking through the castle into FL is a great first memory and tradition to start.

The later in the day it gets the longer the lines in Fantasyland get and so the earlier you get there the better! Do Peter Pan first - right when the park opens, preferably during Early Morning Entry.

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Originally Posted by kailuagirl

Oh yeah, the mac and cheese at cafe orleans is to die for off the kids menu. That was my DD's favorite meal in the parks, next would be anything at carnation cafe.

I'm definitely noting this down on my "don't forget" list!

Originally Posted by DLR29

Well do you have Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness?

A very kind and generous soul is bequeathing their unused MTTMM tickets to us, so that part of the plan will work. We should be able to use them on Wednesday. Last time we were at DLR, we did MM and MTTMM on the same day and ended up feeling cheated out of some great short-line time in FL so we could get to TT on time. I was thinking that this time we would do MM on the second day (a Thursday). We will be staying off-site this time around, so we'll only have one morning of MM.

Originally Posted by bumbershoot

you'd be walking through FL to get there, so you might as well have that planned.

That's a good point and right where any planning I might do before hand goes right through the window when DDs both start clamoring to go on the carousel or Dumbo!

Originally Posted by bumbershoot

And don't get there late; get there early, well before the gates open, so that you don't encounter LINES on your first day, child's birthday, etc etc. Get there well ahead of time, head on to Peter Pan, etc etc.

Absolutely! In fact for my birthday (which will be the Friday of the visit), I'm going to insist on being at the line at least an hour before park opening! Even if I go by myself!

Originally Posted by HydroGuy

TT lines seem to get very long and stay there. Mickey's house, Gadget's Go Coaster, etc. Only Roger Rabbit seems manageable especially with FP.

This has always been our experience in the past, but so many of you are more frequent visitors it's interesting to hear the different perspectives.

Originally Posted by HydroGuy

You do remember that TT opens one hour after the park opens, right? If you are there at rope drop you could do FL first for an hour and then TT for an hour as well when it opens with the best of both. Also, is this a TTMM morning? If so, you might want to save TT for a morning without TTMM.

I was thinking that because we would have the TTMM tickets (fingers crossed, I think we will ), it would make sense to do TT on a TTMM morning. But, you've never steered us wrong. Do you think it would make sense save the TTMM for a morning later in the week and hit TT on our second day just after they open that section of the park? That would certainly work, too. Then we could save TTMM for Friday or Saturday morning.

Originally Posted by HydroGuy

Have fun. Say hello to Eeyore for us!

You know we will! And take lots of pictures, too! You should really talk your family into Christmas trip!

Originally Posted by LavenderPeach

Also, about seeing Mickey on Main Street vs. seeing him in TT. I actually prefer to go to TT to see him.

I also prefer to see Mickey at his house in TT, because I don't feel as rushed and crowded. Even if it's the same amount of time, somehow it feels like more, probably because it's more relaxed.

Originally Posted by bethy

Fantasyland for sure. It's truly where the Magic is. Walking through the castle into FL is a great first memory and tradition to start.

And that blend of magic and memories might be just what the decision ultimately boils down to!

[HydroGuy]

Originally Posted by 3TinksAndAnEeyore

I was thinking that because we would have the TTMM tickets (fingers crossed, I think we will ), it would make sense to do TT on a TTMM morning. But, you've never steered us wrong. Do you think it would make sense save the TTMM for a morning later in the week and hit TT on our second day just after they open that section of the park? That would certainly work, too. Then we could save TTMM for Friday or Saturday morning.

I do not like going to TT after a TTMM morning (unless I had TTMM tix which I have never had). With TTMM tix that changes everything for you, doesn't it? It makes sense to me to do TT during and right after TTMM if you get those tix. Will you have a Magic Morning to do FantasyLand?

Originally Posted by 3TinksAndAnEeyore

You know we will! And take lots of pictures, too! You should really talk your family into Christmas trip!

The closest we have ever gotten are day trips during Thanksgiving. We love the Rocky Mountains at Christmas and almost never travel at that time. Plus I just prefer the warmer summer months at DLR with longer days! Not sure if we will ever get out there at Christmas!

I do not particularly like HMH but IASWH is a real treat.