Best Nemo strategy

[quiltymom]

We'll be going to Disneyland this summer, our first trip since the Nemo sub ride has opened. We will want to go on all of the Fantasyland rides, which we usually do first.

Since Nemo is not a fast pass ride, how would you suggest fitting it into the day? We'll only have one day at DL and we'll get there at rope drop. We pretty much go commando all day long, too! Gotta fit in everything that we can, ya know.

Thanks for your help!

 

[MickyamI]

Boy I'd like to know as well!

 

[DLR29]

There have been many discussions her on this subject. When I went in August, we didn't know better because the ride had just been open. We went first thing in the morning (and so did everyone else). We only waited 30-45 minutes (including a "minor breakdown"), but the line behind us (and we were at the front of the pack in the morning) was sooooo long.

Going through the offseason, the line reports have been more positive. The basic consensus here is that the best time to ride Nemo is in the late afternoon/evening (or during parades/fireworks). Several people have reported waiting only 20-30 minutes during those times.

 

[LindaOwl1]

If it is not an early entry day, or if it IS EE & you are eligible for EE, I would suggest doing Nemo first thing. And by this I mean be the first one at the gate, (one hour ahead of opening) power walk around the Matterhorn to Nemo. We did this twice last week and got on the first sub. However, people who were just a few families back in line at the gate were waitong 30min by the time they got to Nemo. Even with this strategy & being on the first sub, it is 20-30 min. before you are OFF the ride. If it is an EE day & you are NOT eligible for EE I would try later in the day or during parade, fireworks. Last week the lines seemed really long all day!

 

[Husker Mickey]

If you are set on riding that ride, my suggestion is go, go, go as fast as your little feet will carry you at rope drop. Is it a MM that day? If not, you will have a minimal wait. If it is, the wait time will probably be significant. Good luck!

 

[Judy from Boise]

If you are truely commandos, and plan to close the park.....get in line 20 minutes prior to closing....when you come off enjoy strolling out of the park without the crowds.

of course if you want to make sure you get on you can bookend it. as your first and last ride.

 

[pixiewings71]

We have done Nemo quite a few times since July. When we went IN July (not knowing we were going to upgrade to AP's) we got in line one night at 11:50, we got off Nemo at about 1 am. So it was just over an hour, during the day we walked by several times and asked how long it was and we were told at one point it was "well over 2 hours". We were glad we waited. We did feel it was worth waiting an hour but not more than that.

In the off season, most recently the weekend of Jan we waited about 15 minutes. The first weekend of Jan we went and it was pouring rain.....we were drenched but we were at DL! LOL We walked right up to Nemo and got on, there were about 10 people on our sub.

If you don't think you'll have time to do it ask the CM at the front of the line where you can view the ride on screen. They have a viewing area for handicap people who can't climb down into the sub. I've heard it's usually pretty deserted in there.

 

[DoomBugger]

We always hit Nemo during the last 30 minutes of park time and we never wait more than 20 minutes. Hit it very early or very late or expect to stand in a long line for atleast an hour or more.

 

[Hound 109]

We'll be going to Disneyland this summer, our first trip since the Nemo sub ride has opened. We will want to go on all of the Fantasyland rides, which we usually do first.

Since Nemo is not a fast pass ride, how would you suggest fitting it into the day? We'll only have one day at DL and we'll get there at rope drop. We pretty much go commando all day long, too! Gotta fit in everything that we can, ya know.

Thanks for your help!

If only ONE day at DL, i would NOT do it first thing. Too much of a time waster during prime touring time. I agree with those who say late afternoon/during a parade/fireworks/ or just before closing.

A couple of thoughts:

- If only one day & wanting to do FL.....I would recommend a NON MM day (Mon/Wed/Fri) & do the FL "tour" first thing.

- Why only ONE day at DL?? (will you be visiting DCA as well?)

Have fun.

 

[quiltymom]

Thank you sooooo much for all of your tips! Your comments really help. I've been scratchin' my head on this one for a while now. My sister and her family were at DL on Jan 2 & waited 90 minutes, which was the shortest they had seen it all day. That scared me!

We'll be touring DL on a Monday, so it won't be an EE day (thankfully!). It'll be July when we go, so yes, it will be prime touring season. It's the only time we can go since we visit my family out in CA every year at that time. But I'm so familiar with our normal "routine", that I didn't want to devote too much time trying to see if and/or how Nemo would fit. I'm sure that my kids would want to see it, no matter what. But asking to see the viewing area is a fantastic option if it won't work.

- Why only ONE day at DL?? (will you be visiting DCA as well?)

Have fun.

Aaah - yes. My thoughts, exactly! First, it's all because DH doesn't like to spend more money than he has to. (He wasn't raised in a Disney Nut family like I was.) And since we do budget at least one amusement park day each year, we just save it for DL instead of visiting the sorry stuff around here. Disney has spoiled me.

Second, it's also because we just spent 8 days in Disney World this past October, and we have a Disney Cruise already on the calendar for '09. (DH likes to look at the big picture when it comes to vacation spending.)

But DH did enjoy himself so much at WDW this year that he actually suggested that we spend two days at DLR this summer so we could finally visit DCA, too! I'm still trying to figure out what happened to my husband....

I've never been to DCA before, so I'm psyched.

I do think that the Mouse is finally getting under his skin!

So, the plan is to hit drive down Sunday afternoon, swim & check out DTD. Do DL at rope drop on Mon. and stay until closing, doing DCA at rope drop the next day since it opens a bit later morning, then stay 'till closing and drive 1-1/2 hours back to my parent's house. Whew! Thankfully the kids have the stamina to do this sort of touring. I've trained them well.

I bet you're glad that you didn't ask me what we were planning to do, huh?


And thanks - we will have fun!.

 

[pixiewings71]

Get park hoppers, that way you can go between parks. CA closes earlier than DL does.......you can CA in a day or less and then go back to DL.

 

[bumbershoot]

Since it sounds like they'll be doing DL one day and DCA the next, they probably have hoppers (since her hubby probably wouldn't pay for two one-day tickets, LOL, and neither would I!).

OP, bet you'll end up hopping on that DCA day...I love DCA as much as anyone, but it's hard to spend ALL day there.

You could always go over at DL opening, go on Nemo (though that would be a MM day, so the line might be long already), then after Nemo go over for DCA opening.

 

[quiltymom]

Bumbershoot - yes, we'll have two-day hoppers. The other thing is that my sister and her family will be joining us for the DCA day, and they'll only have one day tickets. And since this may be the only time we visit DCA, we'll just make the most of it and do all that we can. I just know that next time we'll be back to only one day in Anaheim.

Oh well... But, trying to do Nemo before DCA does also sound like a good idea! I had never thought about that.

 

[bumbershoot]

Glad I could give you an idea.

Our first two DLR visits as adults were on the one-day one-park passes, and now I cringe at the relative waste of money. Back then we mocked DCA, thinking "why have a park celebrating the state you're currently in?" Of course, my brother and I grew up in northern CA, and my brother now lives in southern CA, so you can see we might have been a bit jaded (hubby didn't make his feelings known). Now I just ignore the CA part of DCA and enjoy it without thinking about the CA part.

We live in WA and got APs and I've been 3 times since September.

Sorry, went off on a tangent there!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We rode Nemo the first week it opened. So you can imagine the lines. But we did it on an EE day, rushed over there, and was on the first sub out that morning. In Oct the lines were too long for us to want to even bother.

I'm hoping in June we won't need too much of a plan! We like to do FL first, and I guess we'll try to work it in at some point during the day. Maybe at night before closing. It's a cool ride, but since we've already done it once I'm not going to plan too hard to see it again!

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

We have AP's ourselves, but have yet to ride it. The times we've been there it's been an hour wait or longer, and well, we're the AP's who go down for lunch and a few rides then leave. There's no way we'd wait over 20 minutes for anything.

So having said that, can anyone tell me how the ride compares to the one at EPCOT? We were on that one last week, and well, all I can say is if the one at DL is anything like it, our no waiting over an hour for anything might have turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

 

[KAYELIZ]

In October, we went on an EE day and arrived about 30-45 min. before the park opened and we were about 15-20th in line. When the gates opened (it seemed like our line was moving very slowly) but when we got through, we walked as fast as possible around the Matterhorn (don't take a right at the rockets - take the next path to the right) and we ended up on the second submarine.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Two great ideas!

bumbershoot - You could always go over at DL opening, go on Nemo (though that would be a MM day, so the line might be long already), then after Nemo go over for DCA opening.

Judy from Boise - If you are truly commandos, and plan to close the park.....get in line 20 minutes prior to closing....when you come off enjoy strolling out of the park without the crowds.

We are planning Sunday at DL with no MM then Mon at DCA. These are perfect ideas for us! Thanks!! Now I wont wait in a line thats to long.
Doesn't DCA close first? Is there usually time to goto DL after DCA closes?
Can you do that on the hoppers? We are going June 29 and 30.

Is Nemo worth all this? lol

TIA

 

[DLR29]

We are planning Sunday at DL with no MM then Mon at DCA. These are perfect ideas for us! Thanks!! Now I wont wait in a line thats to long.
Doesn't DCA close first? Is there usually time to goto DL after DCA closes?
Can you do that on the hoppers? We are going June 29 and 30.

Is Nemo worth all this? lol

TIA

Definitely go to DL after DCA closes. Actually I would recommend that you go to DL BEFORE DCA opens too. With your dates, the hours will be extended. In the past (which they will probably be again) it has been:
DL: 8AM-12AM
DCA: 10AM-9PM

So you have a good two (I recommend at least 4) hours in the morning at DL before DCA opens up and 3 after DCA closes.

 

[nutshell]

I'm sorry. I'm confused.

Is it better to get to Nemo when it IS EE/MM days or when it IS NOT EE/MM days?