Balanced approach for first-timer WDW vets?

We are central time zone WDW vets as well. I won't call us DLR vets because there are so many locals that go there regularly, but we have been there every summer for the last 7 years. Being from the central time zone, rope drop will be no problem for you, especially your first day. (DL is often open until midnight in the summer, so if you take advantage of the late hours, it might not be as easy later in your trip!). The first 2 hours of the day at DL/CA are wonderful- the parks are so much less crowded than WDW at rope drop. So many people are local and they don't show up until 10 or later, and DL/CA often open at 8:00 a.m. in the summer. You can get a ton done in the first 2 hours and I would take advantage of it every day.

As far as your question about maybe going to RSR and then over to DL, hopping like that is not a waste of an early morning. Seems like the last couple of years, both the parks have opened at the same time, but before that one of them would often open before the other, and we often would go to the one that opened first for an hour and then hop to the other park. To a WDW vet, DL/CA is basically just one big park. With hoppers, there is no need to think in terms of the parks as separate. Hopping takes 5 minutes. It is a short walk across a plaza and there is no bag check to hop between parks (the bag check is on the outskirts to get into the plaza). We always hit both parks every day, and often go back and forth more than once. One thing I will say though, if your plan is to hit RSR at rope drop, then you probably want to get there extra early, and not go in through the GCH entrance. If you go in the GCH entrance you will likely be behind the rope drop crowd from the main entrance that is rushing to RSR. You could always FP RSR if you don't want to try the morning rush, and it does have a single rider line too (although for your very first time, you might want to experience it together- it is amazing).

I don't know how bad security will be this July, but last July the security lines were crazy. We were staying at DLH. After the first time, we started waiting until about 10 or 15 minutes after rope drop and going in the GCH entrance- and then if we were going to DL, we would just hop over. The GCH entrance can have long lines right at rope drop, but shortly thereafter they drop to almost nothing. I know we never had more than 5 families in front of us, and I really don't think it was ever more than 3 when we waited a few minutes. For us, it was a trade off-- we missed a few minutes of that prime empty park time, but we also avoided long security lines. That is just something to think about if you get caught in an awful line your first morning. The security lines we experienced last summer is also why I recommended that if you want to do RSR at rope drop that you go to the main entrance really early.

I would highly recommend the World of Color Dessert party. WOC is standing only during the show, unless you book the dessert party where you get to watch the show from a chair at a table. Also, it keeps you from having to spend long waits to get a good spot where your view is not blocked by some tall person standing right in front of you (which even the dinner package requires). WOC, your wait is spent sitting at a table drinking and eating and relaxing. We love WOC - we think it is a great show.

I would say run the first day and then slow down. If you take it easy the first day and then speed up, you might find yourself panicking that you have not seen everything you wanted to see. We like to go fast and get things done at the beginning and then we can relax and slow down to get the less important things and the repeats done. I usually keep one map of each park that I write on and the first night before bed I put a line through all the attractions we have completed and then circle everything we absolutely don't want to miss - then I keep crossing things off the rest of the trip (not after each ride- just maybe while sitting waiting for a show or meal or at night again). Sometimes, I even make a list of the circled things on a piece of paper so I can pull it out and easily see what we still absolutely must do before our time runs out!

Have fun!!! Don't count on that once in a lifetime thing. Our plan was a one time family trip to DLR so that DD could see the live Aladdin show (we were catching it before its first announced closing- it wound up being extended for a few years before it closed). DH and I had spent 1 day at DLR/CA a couple of years before when I was on a business trip and had seen that Aladdin show, and we knew DD would love it. As you can see, that one time family trip has turned into an annual vacation. We have been going to both DL and WDW every year for the past several years. DLR is easy to fall in love with- everything is close and easy and quick to walk to--- you can be flexible as you don't have to deal with FP+--- dining reservations are easier to get--- and it just has its own special brand of magic. We love DLR!
 
We really like going to the Alfresco Tasting Terrace in DCA for a late afternoon light meal. It's rarely busy, has wine flights and enough small plates to tempt us. Another option for a light afternoon meal is the Carthay Circle Lounge. No reservations so if it is busy you will have to wait but the food and drinks are lovely and the AC is perfect on a hot afternoon!

If you are foodies, I recommend going to Napa Rose and if you can swing it, I would do the chef's counter there. We've done it twice and loved it both times. We just ate there in the regular dining room on our last trip and it was very nice.
Yes, yes, yes to all of these!!!
 
We are central time zone WDW vets as well....

Thank you so much! That covers so much of what I was wondering about! I know part of my nerves is not being able to "visualize" everything like I do with WDW now and thinking that WDW has influenced my thoughts on strategies. I do think it will help if I consider it all one big park, esp. staying at GCH. Hopping back and forth definitely seems doable in the morning. I'm really a morning person, so it's actually the late nights that I'm more worried over than the mornings as far as handling it without giving up and going to crash at the hotel.

I'll definitely look more into the WoC offerings and weigh standing vs. sitting...
 

Don't skip the dca early morning hour. Its wonderful and you feel like you have the park all to yourself! The woc dessert party is another great way of taking it easy. You need to make reservations for that.
 




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