DCA Strategy for Non EMH Day

[luvsmickey1968]

First of all, have tried to read all threads related to RSR!

Have been to Disneyland many times but not since Carsland opened!

Have friends that are coming for the first time and I am trying to give them a good plan.

They are going to DCA on Thursday, October 4th. It is a non-EMH day.
So my plan is:

-arrive at gates no later than 8:30
-do "Wide Right Technique" and hopefully get on early

The question is what should they do next?

They want to do all the rides in Carsland, would like to ride RSR again but don't want to do Single Rider, need to get World of Color fastpasses and would like to do TSMM without too long of a wait.

What are your suggestions for the order in which they should do this?

 

[ArchOwl]

If they are among the first group to enter RSR, and they send their fastest person to RSR FP, they might get a FP for a return ride. This also assumes that RSR is up and running. Otherwise, they will be stuck using standby.

After the runner comes back from RSR FP, ride Luigi's and then go to TSMM, picking up a Screamin' FP for later (it is disconnected). Head over to Soarin' and pick up a FP and also grab your WOC FPs (if they want the first show).

Ride Mater's when you return for your RSR FP.

 

[c4riley]

I am confused...
I haven't been to Disneyland in 8 years, and will be heading down in less than 2 weeks.
What is this wide right technique that everyone is talking about?
We plan to hit Cars Land on Friday October 12...

 

[luvsmickey1968]

So ArchOwl you are saying that on a weekday in October at 10:00 in the morning, when DCA officially opened up at 9:00 am that all the fastpasses for RSR will be gone?

 

[ArchOwl]

So ArchOwl you are saying that on a weekday in October at 10:00 in the morning, when DCA officially opened up at 9:00 am that all the fastpasses for RSR will be gone?

I was there this past Monday and my DH got in line for RSR FPs at opening and at about 10:15 or so (DCA opened at 10am), he got return FPs for 2:45pm.

If you are in the first wave of people to get on RSR and everything goes well, you should be okay in getting FPs. But if you get held back for any reason, like the ride doesn't start right away, or you aren't in the first wave of people, you do run the chance of not getting a RSR FP.

I believe on the Monday I was there, RSR FPs ran out about one hour after park opening. That was also because DCA closed at 8pm, so there weren't very many FPs to give out and it was busy. But you would have had to have been in line way before 11am to get to those FPs. You probably would have had to have been in line by 10:30am or so to get RSR FPs for that day.

For the day in October you were talking about, since DCA is opening at 9am, Disney is expecting it to be busier than the Monday I was there (since they didn't open DCA until 10am). Of course, they probably have the park open later as well, so there may be more FPs to give out. So you should be aware that not getting RSR FPs is a possibility.

 

[ArchOwl]

I am confused...
I haven't been to Disneyland in 8 years, and will be heading down in less than 2 weeks.
What is this wide right technique that everyone is talking about?
We plan to hit Cars Land on Friday October 12...

Wide right technique is when they allow folks into the parks at DCA and you stay all the way to the right the entire way to Carsland. This should get you in the first wave of people on RSR (if that is your goal). This is basically because they funnel a giant crowd of people further and further down until you entire the queue in single file. They do this through several crowd control measures that push the crowd over to the right. If you stay on the right the entire time, it should help you be among the first group on the ride.

 

[c4riley]

Thanks for the info!

 

[kkgunn]

Wide right technique is when they allow folks into the parks at DCA and you stay all the way to the right the entire way to Carsland. This should get you in the first wave of people on RSR (if that is your goal). This is basically because they funnel a giant crowd of people further and further down until you entire the queue in single file. They do this through several crowd control measures that push the crowd over to the right. If you stay on the right the entire time, it should help you be among the first group on the ride.

Can you please explain this "wide right" technique? From the maps it looks like you have to go straight down that main road to get to RSR at the end.

Are you talking about entering Carsland from the wharf area?

 

[ArchOwl]

Can you please explain this "wide right" technique? From the maps it looks like you have to go straight down that main road to get to RSR at the end.

Are you talking about entering Carsland from the wharf area?

It just means that you need to stay on the right hand side of the crowd as it moves from the front gates to RSR. The reason for that is because of the funneling effect Disney puts on the crowd. They will squeeze the crowd down to a single file by moving everyone to the right. If you are already on the right, you will stay in front. If you are on the left, you will get moved back as the crowd squishes down. Don't enter anywhere else, you will be behind the crowds.

 

[luvsmickey1968]

Thanks for the advice Archowl!

If it were my family, I would follow your plan. However, they don't want to send a runner as they don't want to split up at all being that it is their first time at Disneyland or any large theme park for that matter. They are not walkers or early birds so I know that they are already going to be tired after a day before at Disneyland and getting up early to get to DCA and they want to experience all the attractions at Paradise Pier. So keeping that in mind I think I will advise them of the following:

-RSR-using wide right technique
-Luigi's
-see if they can get a RSR fastpass but don't depend on it
-Get a WOC fastpass
-TSMM-I know it will be a wait but it is only going to get longer as the
day goes on
-Get a Screamin fastpass (disconnected)

 

[ArchOwl]

Thanks for the advice Archowl!

If it were my family, I would follow your plan. However, they don't want to send a runner as they don't want to split up at all being that it is their first time at Disneyland or any large theme park for that matter. They are not walkers or early birds so I know that they are already going to be tired after a day before at Disneyland and getting up early to get to DCA and they want to experience all the attractions at Paradise Pier. So keeping that in mind I think I will advise them of the following:

-RSR-using wide right technique
-Luigi's
-see if they can get a RSR fastpass but don't depend on it
-Get a WOC fastpass
-TSMM-I know it will be a wait but it is only going to get longer as the
day goes on
-Get a Screamin fastpass (disconnected)

Ok, I understand about not wanting to split up. But be advised that the cast members will often tell people not to have the whole family get in the RSR FP line. They tell people to give one person all the tickets because it allows the line to move faster. There are CMs at the FP booths and they take your tickets and get the FPs for you. So it is easier if you just hand them all your tickets in one stack.

I wouldn't worry about WOC FPs. Skip this and go straight from RSR (or RSR FP) to TSMM. Use the back way from RSR, through the the Wharf area, and over to Paradise Pier. Do TSMM, get a Screamin' FP, and then head over to get WOC FPs and a Soarin' FP.

With this strategy they should have minimal waits for Luigi's and TSMM and already be setup with a couple of FPs for the day.

 

[Blue32]

Ok, I understand about not wanting to split up. But be advised that the cast members will often tell people not to have the whole family get in the RSR FP line. They tell people to give one person all the tickets because it allows the line to move faster. There are CMs at the FP booths and they take your tickets and get the FPs for you. So it is easier if you just hand them all your tickets in one stack.

I wouldn't worry about WOC FPs. Skip this and go straight from RSR (or RSR FP) to TSMM. Use the back way from RSR, through the the Wharf area, and over to Paradise Pier. Do TSMM, get a Screamin' FP, and then head over to get WOC FPs and a Soarin' FP.

With this strategy they should have minimal waits for Luigi's and TSMM and already be setup with a couple of FPs for the day.

Are you suggesting to ride TSMM before Luigis, or after?

 

[ArchOwl]

Are you suggesting to ride TSMM before Luigis, or after?

Sorry, left Luigi's out by accident. I would do RSR then Luigi's then TSMM. I would not divert to WOC FP before TSMM. No need.