Advice for TSMM

[WendyWhy]

Will be headed down for our first trip as a family to DLR during the Sunday through Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. This is the only time DH could get off, because I would have definitely liked to avoid high season with two little kids...

We will be staying at GCH (checking in Sunday mid-morning) and have 3 day park hoppers - we are using our friend's military discount (they are coming too).

Here's my dilemma - we plan on getting to the park early on Monday and Tuesday (MM) and hitting DL, saving the afternoon for pool or DCA, but with this strategy will we be in for a long line for TSMM? Any way to avoid this without giving up a morning in the park at DL?

I am not sure what we will be doing on Sunday - most likely hitting DL for jedi training and just soaking it in...

Thanks for any advice!

 

[kmedina]

It is very easy to park hop at DLR. You can enter DCA first thing one morning. Ride Toy Story and transfer back to Dl. I would not do it on the MM. Have fun.

 

[kmedina]

I forgot to mention that the front gates for both parks are about a football field's length apart, so you only have to walk a short distance to park hop. It is not unusual to park hop more than once in a day and is not that time consuming either.

 

[skiingfast]

You can enter DCA at 9:30 from the esplande coming from DL, or possibly the GCH entrance at 9am if they still do that and a rope drop will be set up at the edge of the bridge that goes to Ariels Grotto and further onto the pier. Sometimes if you are on the right side they let them in strait to TSMM. Ask a CM to make sure. If you aren't semi near the front of this Rope Drop the line will be the same most of the day anyway so don't hurry over if you won't make it. Expect something like 30-45 minutes wait after 10:10 until closing.

 

[HydroGuy]

Will be headed down for our first trip as a family to DLR during the Sunday through Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. This is the only time DH could get off, because I would have definitely liked to avoid high season with two little kids...

We will be staying at GCH (checking in Sunday mid-morning) and have 3 day park hoppers - we are using our friend's military discount (they are coming too).

Here's my dilemma - we plan on getting to the park early on Monday and Tuesday (MM) and hitting DL, saving the afternoon for pool or DCA, but with this strategy will we be in for a long line for TSMM? Any way to avoid this without giving up a morning in the park at DL?

I am not sure what we will be doing on Sunday - most likely hitting DL for jedi training and just soaking it in...

Thanks for any advice!

A long time for TSMM at DLR is whole different animal than a long time for TSMM at WDW. When we talk about 40-45 minute waits as "long" the WDW vets are amused with the TSMM waits in Florida often 80-120 minutes.

In answer to your question, there likely will be no way to avoid a line of 40+ minutes for TSMM in your case. You might be able to get a shorter line if you try rope drop but it is often not worth the hassle because you still end up waiting 25-30 minutes.

HTH

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

In answer to your question, there likely will be no way to avoid a line of 40+ minutes for TSMM in your case. You might be able to get a shorter line if you try rope drop but it is often not worth the hassle because you still end up waiting 25-30 minutes.

HTH

I agree. Your best bet at that time of year is probably to catch Toy Story sometime mid-afternoon, probably between 2 and 5 PM. Rope drop doesn't necessarily save you time, and you give up precious Disneyland morning time to do it. Plus, you are trapped in the masses with two little kids trying to race to Toy Story.

You're not likely to get a line of less than 40 minutes anytime during the day unless you are fortunate enough to happen upon the ride when it has been down and is just coming back up. Adjust your mindset to the idea that 40-45 minutes is good because at the time of year you are going I have also often seen 60-70 minute waits for Toy Story. The queue is fairly boring, so while you're waiting is a good time to have some snacks or distractions for the kids.

 

[WendyWhy]

You all are so helpful! Seriously...

 

[kmedina]

A long time for TSMM at DLR is whole different animal than a long time for TSMM at WDW. When we talk about 40-45 minute waits as "long" the WDW vets are amused with the TSMM waits in Florida often 80-120 minutes.

In answer to your question, there likely will be no way to avoid a line of 40+ minutes for TSMM in your case. You might be able to get a shorter line if you try rope drop but it is often not worth the hassle because you still end up waiting 25-30 minutes.

HTH

I agree. Your best bet at that time of year is probably to catch Toy Story sometime mid-afternoon, probably between 2 and 5 PM. Rope drop doesn't necessarily save you time, and you give up precious Disneyland morning time to do it. Plus, you are trapped in the masses with two little kids trying to race to Toy Story.

You're not likely to get a line of less than 40 minutes anytime during the day unless you are fortunate enough to happen upon the ride when it has been down and is just coming back up. Adjust your mindset to the idea that 40-45 minutes is good because at the time of year you are going I have also often seen 60-70 minute waits for Toy Story. The queue is fairly boring, so while you're waiting is a good time to have some snacks or distractions for the kids.

I would agree with the above comments if you did not have the MM in Disneyland. Since you do, I disagree. As a Mom with two young children myself, it is not the same standing in a long line as moving from one park to another. In the line, you barely have any room for kids to move, which makes them restless at times. If you are moving through the parks giving them things to look at as you are moving, it is more entertaining to them. It is more about the value of time than the actual time.

This does not mean I always avoid lone lines, but I would rather spend the same amount of time moving back and forth than standing in a long line (when I have a choice). Sometimes, it is easier just to get in the long line (like when we miss rope drop all together). The quoted difference in wait times at TSM is true from WDW to Dl. We did TSM standby (mid-day) at WDW once. Never again. If I do not have a fast pass or get there first thing in the morning, I would not ride. Since we usually go in the Summer, our DCA wait time is usually around an hour.