How Early to arrive prior to CA's opening & what's the deal with DL Gates 13&20?

[chrisn]

I know to arrive at DL ideally 40 minutes prior to park opening. Should we also arrive early at CA or is it not necessary? If so how early?

Also, why do we want to line up at DL gates 13 or 20?

Thanks!

 

[DLR29]

It is not as necessary to get to DCA at its opening than it is for DL.

Also, I have not heard of lining up at specific gates.

 

[ter-moo]

One good reason to line up early for CA is that sometimes they open the gates a 1/2 hour early to let people go JUST on Soarin' Over CA. You can walk right onto the ride, and then get over to the rope by the Hollywood section and when they drop that, you can go on Tower of Terror with little or no line, too.

 

[imjen]

Speaking of the gates at DL, do they open all of them or the odd ones or...? How do you know which to get in line at if you're first?

 

[mikayla73]

I read some where ... not sure if it was here or the UG for DL, but gates 13 and 20 have a tree/planter/something in front of them so the lines are usually shorter at those two lines because poeple get in 12, 14, 19, or 21 when they veer around whatever is there. I meant to check it out when I was there last, but I forgot. I'll try to remember when I go in a couple of weeks..

 

[The Maughan's]

We did the gate 13 thing when we went last fall and it definately worked for us. Our line was much shorter/faster than the other lines.

When we went a few weekends ago.....we were one of the first ones at the gate and they only opened the odd number gates. Luckily we were at gate 13....but there were several people lined up at the even number gates that had to go to the end of the other lines.

 

[DangerMouse]

I always ask a CM behind the gates if they are using odd or even numbers, because they don't always have the signs above the gates in place that early. (I have this thing about being first in line)