Advise for mid-day arrival at Carsland....

[trampslady]

Hello! My husband and I will be arriving at Orange County airport at 10am with a Super Shuttle scheduled to Grand Californian next Saturday morning. I hope to be at the parks by noon.

It's just the one day because we leave on the Disney Wonder the next day. I HAVE to visit Carsland, so we've decided it's worth the $125 each to get a hopper and enjoy the parks for the hours available.

My plan is to possibly go ride Haunted Mansion first because it's opening weekend for the Halloween overlay. Then, focus our time in Carsland and California Adventure the rest of the day until after World of Color.

I know entering so late in the day means long lines. I have NO CLUE what strategy we should take to enjoy all the new rides. Advise?

 

[Stitch35]

It partly depends on park hours that day. However, since it's just you and DH, you can single rider RSR (takes 20-40 min on average). You may even get to ride in the same car, but no guarantees! From there, luigi's is around a 40 min wait daily and mater is 10-30min usually. The haunted mansion with the over lay does offer fast passes, which may still be available when you get there depending on the park hours. Otherwise I've seen it around an hour wait or so.

 

[TDC Nala]

Definitely do single rider on RSR. I know you probably won't get to ride together but you'll be waiting forever otherwise. Also note that it breaks down. A lot.

Luigi's ran about 40 minutes to an hour in late afternoon/evening, and Mater was down to about 15-20 minutes in the later hours. If you do the single rider for RSR you should be able to do all three rides.

 

[momrek06]

Definitely do single rider on RSR. I know you probably won't get to ride together but you'll be waiting forever otherwise. Also note that it breaks down. A lot.

Luigi's ran about 40 minutes to an hour in late afternoon/evening, and Mater was down to about 15-20 minutes in the later hours. If you do the single rider for RSR you should be able to do all three rides.

Absolutely THIS ^!

You will be with your DH in the single rider line right up until you board.

AND if you have time with your schedule … please go back again at night, maybe before WOC and ride RSR again. The lights are just so amazing at CARS LAND.

 

[Iceman93]

I would also recommend dinner at Carthay Circle or Wine Country Trattoria so that you can have the World of Color package. That show is not to be missed!

And don't worry about having time to see Cars Land--you'll have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere of the place. It's the rides that could suck up a lot of your time, but others have already posted the best strategies for those.

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

We'll also be arriving mid-day and plan to start with a late lunch at Carthay Circle. We'll probably be focusing on DL after that, but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about what time the RSR fastpasses tend to run out. It would be great if we could grab some before we head to lunch, to ride it later that night, but I imagine they'll already be gone by then.

 

[Missyk1124]

We got to the park around 9:30 this morning and fast passes were already gone. My husband and I each did the single rider line with about a 20 minute wait at 10am. The stand by line said 90 minutes at that time.

 

[momrek06]

We'll also be arriving mid-day and plan to start with a late lunch at Carthay Circle. We'll probably be focusing on DL after that, but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about what time the RSR fastpasses tend to run out. It would be great if we could grab some before we head to lunch, to ride it later that night, but I imagine they'll already be gone by then.

Oh gosh, they have been consistently gone by 9am most mornings.

EG, just do the single rider line. Really, it moves right along. You can wait with your group but just board (ride) separately.

 

[LisaT91403]

Oh gosh, they have been consistently gone by 9am most mornings.

I think it depends on what day of the week you are there. The parks didn't open until 9:00 today, and don't open until 10:00 tomorrow...so to say that they are gone by 9:00 most mornings really isn't true.

Rather than asking what time the FPs are gone by, a better question might be how long after park opening are the FPs gone by. And while this will vary, of course, I'd estimate that they are gone in about 1 - 1.5 hours. But that's my estimate. Does anyone else have a thought?

 

[AvidTraveller]

I think it depends on what day of the week you are there. The parks didn't open until 9:00 today, and don't open until 10:00 tomorrow...so to say that they are gone by 9:00 most mornings really isn't true.

Rather than asking what time the FPs are gone by, a better question might be how long after park opening are the FPs gone by. And while this will vary, of course, I'd estimate that they are gone in about 1 - 1.5 hours. But that's my estimate. Does anyone else have a thought?

I also am wondering about this. I am especially wondering how soon they run out after the general admission starts. We will not have access to early admission. I wonder if we'll even have a chance at them, when the park opens at 10am, but opens at 9am for onsite hotel guests. I wonder how long the wait is once you have a fast pass. We'll be there the last week of Sept.

 

[Eddygirl]

I also am wondering about this. I am especially wondering how soon they run out after the general admission starts. We will not have access to early admission. I wonder if we'll even have a chance at them, when the park opens at 10am, but opens at 9am for onsite hotel guests. I wonder how long the wait is once you have a fast pass. We'll be there the last week of Sept.

I am wondering this too now that summer is over. We are not staying at a resort hotel. RSR is on the kids "must-do list" so I know we will be waiting for it at some point.

We are in DL next Sunday through Saturday. We are planning on heading to Universal Tuesday. We get MM for one day, which is for DL not CA. Are the FP for RSR running out that quickly during the week right now? What are the stand-by line waits looking like weekdays right now? I kind of want to get this done early in our trip...then if we get to do it again it is a bonus..KWIM?

TIA or any help!!!!!

 

[jenn52]

We went on Saturday and got to RSR at about 2:30. The wait time said 80 mins, but it took us just under an hour. We didn't want to do Single Rider because we wanted to sit next to each other. It was a great ride! I think now that school is back in, waits will get better. Lines in the rest of both parks weren't bad, even on Saturday afternoon.

 

[momrek06]

I think it depends on what day of the week you are there. The parks didn't open until 9:00 today, and don't open until 10:00 tomorrow...so to say that they are gone by 9:00 most mornings really isn't true.

MANY AP holders have passes for EMH … (me for one) so if the Park opens at 10am … I can go in at 9am.

Not to mention, DL Hotel guests who can get into the PARK earlier.

So again to the OP, MOST mornings the RSR FP's are gone by 9am.



UNLESS, OP, you really want to ride with your DH, your best bet without a FP, would be single rider line!!!

 

[blyday]

MANY AP holders have passes for EMH … (me for one) so if the Park opens at 10am … I can go in at 9am.

Not to mention, DL Hotel guests who can get into the PARK earlier.

So again to the OP, MOST mornings the RSR FP's are gone by 9am.

This still doesn't make sense. Most mornings the park doesn't officially open until 10 AM now so EMH wouldn't even start until 9 AM....how could all of the FPs be out before that? And....it is my understanding that they don't allow you to start pulling FPs until the park officially opens so again....how are they gone by 9 AM?

I have been hearing they are gone by 1- 1.5 hours after the park opens and I've been doing a lot of reading since we are heading there next week. Could be that what I'm reading is wrong but that is what I have gathered.

 

[LisaT91403]

MANY AP holders have passes for EMH … (me for one) so if the Park opens at 10am … I can go in at 9am.

Not to mention, DL Hotel guests who can get into the PARK earlier.

So again to the OP, MOST mornings the RSR FP's are gone by 9am.



UNLESS, OP, you really want to ride with your DH, your best bet without a FP, would be single rider line!!!

I have to respectfully disagree with you. The FP machines don't operate until the park officially opens. The FP machines are *not* open during any kind of EMH, whether it be for AP holders, hotel guests, or otherwise. Even if the EMH people decide to spend their extra hour standing in the FP line, it doesn't matter...there are still FPs available for non-EMH people who are arriving at official park opening. They just tend to run out about 1 - 1.5 hours after official park opening (that's not a guarantee, but an estimate).

 

[momrek06]

I have to respectfully disagree with you. The FP machines don't operate until the park officially opens. The FP machines are *not* open during any kind of EMH, whether it be for AP holders, hotel guests, or otherwise. Even if the EMH people decide to spend their extra hour standing in the FP line, it doesn't matter...there are still FPs available for non-EMH people who are arriving at official park opening. They just tend to run out about 1 - 1.5 hours after official park opening (that's not a guarantee, but an estimate).

OBVIOUSLY, I am referring to those mornings that the Parks open by 9am .. like TODAY DCA opens at 8am … FP's will be gone by 9am.

 

[LisaT91403]

OBVIOUSLY, I am referring to those mornings that the Parks open by 9am .. like TODAY DCA opens at 8am … FP's will be gone by 9am.

Nope, they were not gone by 9:00. At 9:23 this morning, the FP return time was 6:45...and there were still more FPs available.