First Thing You Do/Ride in Each Park?

[run.minnie.miles]

I am visiting Disneyland next week and am curious...

After the rope drops.... what happens next? Where do you go? What do you ride?
What should I do first in each park?

 

[Jedi Mouse]

In DCA we head straight for Guardians and then RSR.

In Disneyland we usually make a left and knock out Indy, Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder, Pirates and Haunted Mansion using a mix of FP and standby. We always find we can get a lot done there early and we love just about every single attraction over in that area of the park.

 

[BrianL]

Well, the beat the crowds, Peter Pan is a good first one at DL. Space Mountain is also a good choice. These get longer lines after a while.

At DCA, Radiator Springs Racers is the go-to for rope drop, or maybe GotG Mission Breakout now.

 

[mpadilla89]

DD always wants to ride dumbo first during MM if not MM then HM, Pirates, Jungle.
at DCA it is either run to RSR or go to Soaring and get FP for RSR

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

My LO always wants to ride Dumbo first so we start in Fantasyland but only if crowds are reasonable, which is less and less these days. On a low crowd day with good wait times we would prefer to ride in this order: Dumbo, Alice, Casey Junior Train, Storybookland Canal Boats, Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White, Carousel (we never even consider Peter Pan unless it's a weird day and there is a line less than 20 minutes), then head over to Small World. This usually puts us around the time Toontown opens (one hour after regular park opening) so we head in there to meet Mickey and Minnie (and often Pluto or Goofy too), and ride Gadget's Go Coaster and Roger Rabbit.

On days that Fantasyland is too crowded we skip it entirely and hit Pirates, HM and Jungle Cruise, then go over to ride Winnie the Pooh and meet Pooh and Friends.

 

[SteveMP]

Whatever the app says is shortest

 

[corrie563]

Splash Mountain, on our last trip on the last day we did it 4 times before there was any queue...

 

[tarheelalum]

Get a fast pass for Space Mountain then we ride Star Tours. In DCA its straight to Toy Story Midway Mania for 3 to 5 rides in a row depending on how bad my wife beats me the first 2 or 3 rides.

 

[WonkaKid]

I always do Peter Pan -- only because if I don't do it at rope-drop, I won't do it at all. Everything else is either available via Fast Pass, single-rider lines or standby.

Incidentally, I've been first in line for it the past two Sundays. In both cases I gave up my spot, though, to either some kids that really wanted to be first or, last week, to a friend who's never been first. Until then ;-).

I just added MaxPass to my AP recently. As soon as I hit the rope, I get a FP for either Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion. After that, I'll get several for Buzz. I'm addicted to that game/ride, as silly as that sounds.

 

[Indiana Scott]

We always head towards Adventure Land first and then on to Frontier Land. To me it's quintessential Disney and going through the attractions, even the stores, gets me in the zone faster than anyplace else.

 

[chickapin parterre]

after sailing above london, I head to the west, and 50% of the time, the only attraction open is Jungle cruise so I wad up my 8x5 note card, throw it in the garbage can, after all, who wants a wet wad of paper in their pocket after riding splash over and over and over in the same log

 

[SteveMP]

Its funny how we are all so different. I go on Splash Mountain an Peter Pan about once every 5 or 10 years cause i don't care too much for them, and we've been APs for 15 years pr so

 

[Fishmango]

Going tomorrow!

Such a tough call. Indy is closed. Disney opens at 8 and California 9. Debating Star wars / space then booking it California early to knock out cars / mission break out then returning for Thunder, Pirates, Haunted. It looks like Cars / mission break out are the longest wait of both parks.

Thoughts?

 

[karen1987]

Strategically, we should head to Peter Pan in DL first, but we love the Jungle Cruise and try and make this our first ride, or at least second!

In DCA, RSRs or Soarin', and then grab a FP for the other one.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Going tomorrow!

Such a tough call. Indy is closed. Disney opens at 8 and California 9. Debating Star wars / space then booking it California early to knock out cars / mission break out then returning for Thunder, Pirates, Haunted. It looks like Cars / mission break out are the longest wait of both parks.

Thoughts?

Yes, those seem to be the longest waits but HM fastpasses are going faster than you might expect and standby is ridiculous so don't wait too long on that if you want to ride HM.

 

[DizFan13]

Our philosophy has always been to focus first on rides that don't have fastpass, rides that will develop lines that we are unwilling to wait in later in the day, or a ride that is known to run out of FPs. With four mornings, we always do two in each park: DL=Peter Pan and Matterhorn. DCA=Toy Story and Radiator Racers. I think MaxPass is going to significantly change things, not to mention GoG, but PP is a family tradition, so I'm sure we'll still open one morning that way.

 

[22Tink]

DL we head straight for Space or Big Thunder because they're our favourites. DCA used to be Soarin and RSR but now it's Guardians. Last trip we got in line for standby at RD and booked a MP for later! We don't care for the new Soarin so it's not really a priority anymore.

 

[daniele_ut]

We just got back last night. This trip was just me and my youngest meeting one of my best friends there. It was all about him so we let him choose and he always picks "Jack's House", his name for Haunted Mansion. That's usually followed by Splash, Pirates, BTMRR, and Jungle Cruise. We need DAS for him so we usually don't worry too much about getting fast passes. I know we could leverage the system and use FP with DAS but we take it easy when we are with him.

 

[tarheelalum]

DL we head straight for Space or Big Thunder because they're our favourites. DCA used to be Soarin and RSR but now it's Guardians. Last trip we got in line for standby at RD and booked a MP for later! We don't care for the new Soarin so it's not really a priority anymore.

Sad but true. The new Soaring really is a disappointment. If they just would have updated the old Soaring over California to 4k that would have made the attraction perfect. Disney screwed up big time. They should bring back the old Soaring over California in 4k on the other side. That would be wonderful.

 

[22Tink]

Sad but true. The new Soaring really is a disappointment. If they just would have updated the old Soaring over California to 4k that would have made the attraction perfect. Disney screwed up big time.

Yes they did. Even my 9 year old daughter says Disney ruined Soarin. She doesn't even care to ride it anymore. I'm so hoping they'll bring back the original.