Park strategy changes?

[savvy?71]

Hey guys, WDW/New Englander here. We went to DL 2 summers ago and had the best trip ever. We are coming again mid July. I was looking forward to the relaxing pace from last DL trip (something that WDW really doesn't have now with all the FP changes, advance prep, & upgrade options). But having just caught up on the boards, I see upcoming changes with DL's Fast pass as well as how 'instant fast pass' is affecting how one hits the parks.

Obviously, I will still need to have solid plan for RSS and of couse the new GoTG ride. I guess I'm a little uncertain how to approach the parks now. We are staying at DLH and will be using morning hour at both parks when available. Our first day, however, we will be arriving at park in afternoon (Wed July 12, DCA has EMH). We may just hit pool then try for evening stand by lines at that point (this is actually where WDW's FP system is good--having later afternoon or evening pre-planned fast passes).

Am I right in seeing that paper Fastpass is still the same but I will need park tickets at time of ride? Each person? I will not be using the Max Pass option, so I guess I need to know how that changes my FP process. We only have a couple of days (then doing D23 Sat & Sunday), so I want to maximize!

Thanks!

 

[hjgaus]

At the moment Max Pass has NOT officially begun BUT you say you won't be using it anyway so proceed the old way of pulling FP's .
You also mention staying onsite SO definitely take FULL advantage of EMH especially in CA park with GOTG & RSR!!! We paired our AP's with our DVC staycations
so the Extra Magic Hours seem to help out the most for us!!! Disneyland EMH is also MM for others which can usually get more crowded than usual so we sometimes do not get enough done there (not a big fan of Fantasyland) other than Space Mtn & Star Tours. I hear that the time between pulling the FP to come back time is pretty quick so sounds great for now but COULD change once MAX PASS is in FULL EFFECT!!

 

[disneychrista]

To answer about the "new" linked FP. You get the FP the same as you did before (walk up to the machine, insert ticket, get FP. The only difference is now when you enter the FP line they scan your PARK TICKET not the FP.

 

[camosun]

You will want to use your EMH to deal with RSR and GoTG rides. On Monday we went in early and grabbed RSR passes for 8:30 then did three cycles in Toy Story before heading over to GoTG, all before park opening at 8:00. Toy story was walk on and Guardians was only a couple minutes. Then we used our RSR passes and started on some other rides. That first hour is golden because only hotel guests. Disneyland is much more crowded during early entry.

 

[Winnowill]

Note that, as of March, the parks are connected, meaning you can no longer hold active FPs in each park at the same time. However, right now it's not that big a deal, given instant return times.

 

[savvy?71]

You will want to use your EMH to deal with RSR and GoTG rides. On Monday we went in early and grabbed RSR passes for 8:30 then did three cycles in Toy Story before heading over to GoTG, all before park opening at 8:00. Toy story was walk on and Guardians was only a couple minutes. Then we used our RSR passes and started on some other rides. That first hour is golden because only hotel guests. Disneyland is much more crowded during early entry.

Yes, I read your post about that in another thread! That worked out perfectly! I'm sure I'll be dealing with bigger crowds (mid summer, DL anniversary, D23 folks...) so I will use every tool in the shed for sure. We are rope droppers from way back ha, so that's not a problem. Having to have our tickets out and ready all the time sounds super annoying though. I think the big decision (for DCA) is whether to beeline straight to GotG or RSS -- OR-- grab FP for one and hope for fairly quick walk on the other. Then FP rest of day.

 

[savvy?71]

At the moment Max Pass has NOT officially begun BUT you say you won't be using it anyway so proceed the old way of pulling FP's .
You also mention staying onsite SO definitely take FULL advantage of EMH especially in CA park with GOTG & RSR!!! We paired our AP's with our DVC staycations
so the Extra Magic Hours seem to help out the most for us!!! Disneyland EMH is also MM for others which can usually get more crowded than usual so we sometimes do not get enough done there (not a big fan of Fantasyland) other than Space Mtn & Star Tours. I hear that the time between pulling the FP to come back time is pretty quick so sounds great for now but COULD change once MAX PASS is in FULL EFFECT!!

oh, absolutely we will use EMH. I know what you mean about DL's EMH. Since we love the differences between DL/WDW's shared rides (we found DL's Space much smoother, if I recall) and we don't have Alice, and DL's Small World is a whole other experience...we have an agenda there, let alone the rest of the lands' awesome differences (excluding Splash lol).
The crush for Carsland 2 summers ago during EMH was insane even then and we're used to the stampede made infamous when WDW opened Toy Story Mania. I will say the DL CMs handled the traffic very well. Since we ride TSM a lot in WDW that isn't on our 'must get to first thing' rides unless it just happens to work out. We are definitely up for as much RSS as possible and since my kids are huge GotG fans AND just tried ToT a few months ago (finally brave enough), they are ready to hit DL's revamped version. Figuring out which to hit first as walk on or FP will be a decision.

 

[choover2576]

You will want to use your EMH to deal with RSR and GoTG rides. On Monday we went in early and grabbed RSR passes for 8:30 then did three cycles in Toy Story before heading over to GoTG, all before park opening at 8:00. Toy story was walk on and Guardians was only a couple minutes. Then we used our RSR passes and started on some other rides. That first hour is golden because only hotel guests. Disneyland is much more crowded during early entry.

I was trying to figure out if you can grab a FP during Extra Magic Hours? Sounds like you can?

 

[wenrob]

Note that, as of March, the parks are connected, meaning you can no longer hold active FPs in each park at the same time. However, right now it's not that big a deal, given instant return times.

That's not quite right. Before you didn't have to wait for you FP time to open up before hopping over to the other park to grab another. Now you do, but as you say a lot of the FPs being so soon it doesn't really matter. We held FPs for both parks at the same time, no problem, just as long as our window was open to get another one. I think that's probably what you meant but I just wanted to clarify for the OP.

 

[Winnowill]

That's not quite right. Before you didn't have to wait for you FP time to open up before hopping over to the other park to grab another. Now you do, but as you say a lot of the FPs being so soon it doesn't really matter. We held FPs for both parks at the same time, no problem, just as long as our window was open to get another one. I think that's probably what you meant but I just wanted to clarify for the OP.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[trishakay84]

To answer about the "new" linked FP. You get the FP the same as you did before (walk up to the machine, insert ticket, get FP. The only difference is now when you enter the FP line they scan your PARK TICKET not the FP.

Can you clarify this a little more, please? Do you still get a paper FP print out that you don't use, since your ticket is scanned instead? Or is the paper FP eliminated altogether now? If so, how do you keep track of what time your FP is for? Thanks so much!

 

[3DisMunchkins]

Can you clarify this a little more, please? Do you still get a paper FP print out that you don't use, since your ticket is scanned instead? Or is the paper FP eliminated altogether now? If so, how do you keep track of what time your FP is for? Thanks so much!

You will still get a paper FP ticket with the return window, but it is not needed to check in...just your park ticket.

 

[Winnowill]

Can you clarify this a little more, please? Do you still get a paper FP print out that you don't use, since your ticket is scanned instead? Or is the paper FP eliminated altogether now? If so, how do you keep track of what time your FP is for? Thanks so much!

You still get a piece of paper - now it's considered the reminder of your FP return time. You don't need to do anything else with it.

 

[trishakay84]

Thank you both!