Back from our surprise trip!

[BryANDJessMom]

So, we are back from a fun filled few days from DL! We surprised the kids and gave them a "I'm going to disneyland" shirts...I thought they would be screaming excited. (my kids are so into DL and WDW they watch podcasts of the rides all year long). Well, my son just kept saying "huh? Ummmmmmm, ooooookay!" he said he thought we were kidding and was waioting for the punchline.

I subscribed to Ridemax like I have the last few times, but by now, I kinda got the flow down too...so I used it as a loose guideline.

First morning, we got there about 10 min before MM started, we were able to do like 6 or 7 rides in the first hour. I went over at 750 and waited to get FP for Star Tours. I was the fourth person in line. We did over 25 rides the first day, took a pool break for a couple hours and went to Napa Rose for dinner. We usually only stayed out to about 930 each night.

We stayed at HoJos ...great as usual. The water park had to be closed the first day.. A little boy poo'ed on the slide and they had to close it and get a special company to come in and throughly clean the Pirate ship. We went over to the other pool.

Anyway, other things we did...got to DL for opening the second day and got a ST FP and went on a couple of rides before heading over to California. We took a DL break in the middle of the day. Did the wine dinner again fr WOC. It was great...only lined up 30 min before and got railing standing area in the middle. The food at the winery was not as good as last time though. We did like resting with a bottle of wine though.

Last day was back to DL. Went to fantastic. We didnt get our spot until about 20 min before. It was great..behind the wheelchair section,..so it was a bit to the side but since my kids were at a railing, they got to see the whole thing. Then, my son and I went to main street and saw the fireworks. My dh and dd stayed in frontier land on a bench since he needed to rest his feet and my dd ended up falling asleep during the fireworks.

Great trip, busy but by getting there early and using FP at the only times we had to wait was 30 at TSM and 20 min at Astro orbiters.

I also used the Lines app from touring plans. It paid for itself the last day when star tours was closed first thing in the morning so I couldnt get FPs, I kept checking until it was posted as opened and was able to run over and the the FPs!

Sorry for any typos...on my iPad.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks to all for all the hints.

 

[Hound 109]

Lots of great info. Thanks for posting this.

You obviously have DLR touring down to a fine art. I have a couple of questions relating to peak season touring in your quote below:

.....I subscribed to Ridemax like I have the last few times, but by now, I kinda got the flow down too...so I used it as a loose guideline.

Do you think you'll subscribe next time?


First morning, we got there about 10 min before MM started, we were able to do like 6 or 7 rides in the first hour.

At 10 min. before MM (6:50am?)....how many familys back were you at the turnstile?

Did you do Peter Pan first? or did you notice what the line was like as you passed by PP? (given your line position at the turnstile)


I went over at 750 and waited to get FP for Star Tours. I was the fourth person in line.

This is great information. It sounds like 10 minutes before MM ends is the optimum time to get in line for ST FP.


We did over 25 rides the first day, took a pool break for a couple hours and went to Napa Rose for dinner. We usually only stayed out to about 930 each night.

Wow.....a productive day.


Great trip, busy but by getting there early and using FP at the only times we had to wait was 30 at TSM and 20 min at Astro orbiters.

I'm trying to remember. Is Astro orbiters open during MM? I'm wondering if it might be a great ride for the family to ride while the FP person is waiting in line at 7:48am for ST FP?


I also used the Lines app from touring plans. It paid for itself the last day when star tours was closed first thing in the morning so I couldnt get FPs, I kept checking until it was posted as opened and was able to run over and the the FPs!

Great info.


Sorry for any typos...on my iPad.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Thanks to all for all the hints.

Thanks again for the report & the info.

 

[BryANDJessMom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BryANDJessMom


HI!!

Do you think you'll subscribe next time? Yep. I think it is worth the $15 just to have a safety net/guideline to go by...

First morning, we got there about 10 min before MM started, we were able to do like 6 or 7 rides in the first hour.

At 10 min. before MM (6:50am?)....how many familys back were you at the turnstile?
Yep, 6:50 am...We were behind about 20 people...

Did you do Peter Pan first? or did you notice what the line was like as you passed by PP? (given your line position at the turnstile)

we went to PP first...took us less than 5 mins to go through the queue.

We then went on Alice, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Tea Cups, and I waited for Nemo but then I realized it was a 19 min ride...so my family rode that while I went to the line for Star Tours.[/B]

Great trip, busy but by getting there early and using FP at the only times we had to wait was 30 at TSM and 20 min at Astro orbiters.

I'm trying to remember. Is Astro orbiters open during MM? I'm wondering if it might be a great ride for the family to ride while the FP person is waiting in line at 7:48am for ST FP?

I checked online, yes, it is open during MM.

Have a great trip!!

 

[blabbermouth]

Thanks for the report! I'm trying to decide on the ridemax or not... hmm!

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Good to hear you value RideMax. We'll probably use it.
How old are the kids? I noticed you mentioned DD falling asleep for fireworks and wonder if any of my three will get too tired to stay up.

AJ

 

[BryANDJessMom]

Hi!! My DD is 7 (just started second grade today) and my DS just turned 9.

Interesting trip...while we did still do fantasyland we spent alot more time on the big kid rides..Space Mt. Etc...we kept getting FP whenever we could and went on Space Mt three times, autopia three times, splash Mt. Twice, star tours once and of course multiple times of POC and HM all in the last day. Big difference from last year where we went to IASW multiple times....still went to pooh two or three times...

 

[BryANDJessMom]

Oh, and I forgot to mention. This was the last night after 3 days in the park starting at 6 or 7 and going until about 930 each night....

 

[Hound 109]

Do you think you'll subscribe next time? Yep. I think it is worth the $15 just to have a safety net/guideline to go by...


At 10 min. before MM (6:50am?)....how many familys back were you at the turnstile?
Yep, 6:50 am...We were behind about 20 people...

Did you do Peter Pan first? or did you notice what the line was like as you passed by PP? (given your line position at the turnstile)

we went to PP first...took us less than 5 mins to go through the queue.

We then went on Alice, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Tea Cups, and I waited for Nemo but then I realized it was a 19 min ride...so my family rode that while I went to the line for Star Tours.[/B]

Great trip, busy but by getting there early and using FP at the only times we had to wait was 30 at TSM and 20 min at Astro orbiters.

.......

Great info. Interesting that even with being 20 people back (at the turnstile) it only took 5 min. to get thru the Peter Pan queue. (I would have guessed twice that).

I'm betting that ST is taking some of the pressure off of PP at MM opening...... & also on non MM days at rope drop.

Thanks again.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Great info. Interesting that even with being 20 people back (at the turnstile) it only took 5 min. to get thru the Peter Pan queue. (I would have guessed twice that).

I'm betting that ST is taking some of the pressure off of PP at MM opening...... & also on non MM days at rope drop.

Thanks again.

Hi Hound! To add a little to this theory...my parents didn't get through the turnstiles until 8:05 this past Saturday. They immediately walked to the line for Peter Pan and got in it. My dad was determined to wait since it was their last day, and they had missed it so far. The wait was only 10-15 minutes. He felt really lucky.

My family and I walked onto Toad at 8:45 last Friday morning. The CM doing ride loading leaned over and asked me if the rest of the park was so empty. I laughed and told her that I had seen the stampede running to Star Tours first thing (we got fastpasses and moved on), so maybe that was taking some of the pressure off Fantasyland.

 

[BryANDJessMom]

I'm curious too if there are less people using the MM on Saturdays vs. Sundays...I went on Saturday but was in the park by 8 am on sunday..Sunday seemed a lot more busy at 8 am than Saturday at the same time,,,