Anna/Elsa and Olaf at DCA Extra Magic Hour

[torchlight]

Hello-

Great resource here! Trying to plan the first day of our upcoming trip in September and had a few questions about meeting Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. (very important!) Hoping you can help. We are planning to do DCA on our first day and will be using Extra Magic Hour.

1) Is Elsa/Anna meet and greet open during EMH or only after official park open?

2) If not until park open, can Elsa/Anna fastpass be pulled during EMH.

3) If Elsa/Anna fastpass can be pulled during EMH, what approximate return time might be the result?

4) Is meet Olaf open during EMH or only after official park open?

5) No fastpass or pager for Olaf anymore, correct? Just a standard line?

Thanks!!!

 

[Girimama33]

1) at park opening
2) no
3) if you get there to pull a FP at park opening, they will take you directly to the M&G line
4) park opening
5) standby only

 

[mom2rtk]

So if you go there during EE, all you can really do is enter the standby A/E line? You would have to return later for Olaf?

How long are the lines during EE for A/E and at park open for Olaf. Does Olaf stay busy?

 

[Girimama33]

My answers reflect that it is not available during EMH.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ok.

If anyone else would like to help with the additional clarifications I asked for I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance for any additional help.

 

[jani3]

How long are the lines during EE for A/E and at park open for Olaf. Does Olaf stay busy?

My standby wait time for Olaf was less than 10 minutes yesterday, around 10am. He also takes a break but people still stay in line to wait for him. I'm not sure how long his break is and how often he takes it. I passed by that area today around lunch time and the line was shorter than my wait yesterday.

 

[mom2rtk]

My standby wait time for Olaf was less than 10 minutes yesterday, around 10am. He also takes a break but people still stay in line to wait for him. I'm not sure how long his break is and how often he takes it. I passed by that area today around lunch time and the line was shorter than my wait yesterday.

That is really helpful and puts my mind at ease. Thank you so much!

 

[ktlm]

So if you go there during EE, all you can really do is enter the standby A/E line? You would have to return later for Olaf?

How long are the lines during EE for A/E and at park open for Olaf. Does Olaf stay busy?

A&E and Olaf are not in the same place. A&E meet inside the building where the Animation Academy is, and Olaf meets over near the Monster's Inc. ride. We were there in July the first part of the anniversary week. We saw Olaf twice. The first time we waited about 20 minutes, and the second time it was 10 minutes or less. The first time was in the early afternoon, and the 2nd time was probably just before noon. I have heard that his line is long first thing in the morning from people running there, but that it dies down and is usually pretty short later. That was definitely our experience. My friend was there a couple of weeks before us, and they waited less than 5 minutes in the afternoon hours.

Also, it was very easy to get A&E FPs. It is nothing like having to make the morning run was when they were at DL, or the craziness of trying to get a FP+ for them at WDW. We had a reservation for Ariel's Grotto at 9:30 on an 8:00 a.m. park opening day. I went over at 9:20 to see if I could get A&E FPs. The machine was spitting out ones that started at 9:40, which obviously wouldn't work with breakfast. After breakfast at around 11:00 a.m., I went over to see if I could get FP for them, and it was still less than an hour before the FPS was got kicked in. I want to say it may have been 30 or 40 minutes. Do note that unlike traditional FPs where you have an hour, these give you a 20 minute window to get in line. Once we got in line for them, we waited about 10 minutes to see them. At least when we were there, there was NO standby line for A&E. Anyone who tried to get in line without a FP, was directed to go outside to the FP machine. One other thing to note, is that there is nothing on the machine showing what time the FP is going to be for when you get it- you will need to ask or see the ones the person in front of you gets (if there is a person in front of you), or ask the CM at the machine.

 

[mom2rtk]

A&E and Olaf are not in the same place. A&E meet inside the building where the Animation Academy is, and Olaf meets over near the Monster's Inc. ride. We were there in July the first part of the anniversary week. We saw Olaf twice. The first time we waited about 20 minutes, and the second time it was 10 minutes or less. The first time was in the early afternoon, and the 2nd time was probably just before noon. I have heard that his line is long first thing in the morning from people running there, but that it dies down and is usually pretty short later. That was definitely our experience. My friend was there a couple of weeks before us, and they waited less than 5 minutes in the afternoon hours.

Also, it was very easy to get A&E FPs. It is nothing like having to make the morning run was when they were at DL, or the craziness of trying to get a FP+ for them at WDW. We had a reservation for Ariel's Grotto at 9:30 on an 8:00 a.m. park opening day. I went over at 9:20 to see if I could get A&E FPs. The machine was spitting out ones that started at 9:40, which obviously wouldn't work with breakfast. After breakfast at around 11:00 a.m., I went over to see if I could get FP for them, and it was still less than an hour before the FPS was got kicked in. I want to say it may have been 30 or 40 minutes. Do note that unlike traditional FPs where you have an hour, these give you a 20 minute window to get in line. Once we got in line for them, we waited about 10 minutes to see them. At least when we were there, there was NO standby line for A&E. Anyone who tried to get in line without a FP, was directed to go outside to the FP machine. One other thing to note, is that there is nothing on the machine showing what time the FP is going to be for when you get it- you will need to ask or see the ones the person in front of you gets (if there is a person in front of you), or ask the CM at the machine.

That is all really helpful, just what I was looking for. Thanks so much! Looks like I don't need to devote one of our DCA rope drop days to this but can fit it in around other things.

Thank you!

 

[Girimama33]

Sorry mom2rtk, there is really no line during EMH since the Animation Academy is still closed.
A&E FPs are available most of the day with a return time 20-30 minutes from when you pull it. We did a makeover at the Frozen Boutique in DTD at 12:30, and went to DCA at 1:30 and went right to pick up a FP. Our return time was at 2pm. We probably had to wait 20 minutes one we got in line. This was July 1st. Olaf had 10-30 minute waits throughout the day.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sorry mom2rtk, there is really no line during EMH since the Animation Academy is still closed.
A&E FPs are available most of the day with a return time 20-30 minutes from when you pull it. We did a makeover at the Frozen Boutique in DTD at 12:30, and went to DCA at 1:30 and went right to pick up a FP. Our return time was at 2pm. We probably had to wait 20 minutes one we got in line. This was July 1st. Olaf had 10-30 minute waits throughout the day.

That's very helpful. Thank you!

 

[Girimama33]

That's very helpful. Thank you!

The process is so much easier now....less stressful and hectic. You certainly do not have to make it a priority first thing at opening anymore.