Can anyone help with our Carsland plan for Oct?

[kkmcan]

I've been reading and studying all the threads and wait times for RSR and trying to make our plan for our Oct trip. Here's what I have so far... Am I doing this right??

Staying at GCH so we will get EE on Sun 10/7 and Mon 10/8. Check out Tues.

~EE will be at 7 am on both days so arrive at DCA gate at 6:30 to line up. Is that early enough? Or should we try to get there earlier?

~Stay right for rope drop (if they have one).

~If ride is up and running, ride. Then get in line for fastpasses when park opens.

~If ride is down, head to Luigis and Maters. Then TSMMM if time.

~Then line up for fastpasses at 7:40 before regular park goers enter.

That's our plan but I want to make sure I've got everything right. These 2 days are our only chances to ride as we won't be arriving until Sat afternoon so prob not much chance since we'll miss out on fastpasses. And....

this is our last trip on our AP's. and we won't be renewing.

Thanks for any input/advice!

 

[kkmcan]

bump

 

[tnd]

I think this will work, it is basically what we did this past week. One suggestion I would make is that one of your party get in line for the FPs so the others can keep riding. My husband was nice enough to do that with our baby so my son and I could ride a bunch of stuff. We rode TSMM a bunch of times, as well as the other Cars Land rides.

Also if RSR is down, just get FPs and leave Cars Land until later in the day. The other two rides get really bogged down when RSR is down and they are not fast loading rides. You will do better to ride them when RSR is up.

 

[cobbler]

This is what we did this weekend. We got to the bag check area about 40 minutes prior. Had 1 family in front of us & tried to bring as little as possible so we could get through bag check faster. Stood in line for the gates & again had 1 family in front of us. Did the wide right, ride - again 1 family in front. Then our whole family got in line for fast pass. Waited about 35 min for them to open fast pass & had a return time between 9-10 am

 

[marcemc]

Kkmcan, we would be at PPH and were planning on doing exactly this
I'm glad you got some positive reviews
Have fun!

I've been reading and studying all the threads and wait times for RSR and trying to make our plan for our Oct trip. Here's what I have so far... Am I doing this right??

Staying at GCH so we will get EE on Sun 10/7 and Mon 10/8. Check out Tues.

~EE will be at 7 am on both days so arrive at DCA gate at 6:30 to line up. Is that early enough? Or should we try to get there earlier?

~Stay right for rope drop (if they have one).

~If ride is up and running, ride. Then get in line for fastpasses when park opens.

~If ride is down, head to Luigis and Maters. Then TSMMM if time.

~Then line up for fastpasses at 7:40 before regular park goers enter.

That's our plan but I want to make sure I've got everything right. These 2 days are our only chances to ride as we won't be arriving until Sat afternoon so prob not much chance since we'll miss out on fastpasses. And....

this is our last trip on our AP's. and we won't be renewing.

Thanks for any input/advice!

 

[mrswh]

Based on our experience this weekend, you don't need to be at the gate that early. We showed up at 6:55 this morning for 7:00 EMH and we were within the first few hundred to get in. The people who go in though GCH have a longer walk so you don't have to worry about them.

We also got in line for FPs at 7:55 and it took 5 minutes - we had a return time of 9-10.

Of the three day weekend, today was by far the busiest day, and we still rode RSR several times with minimal wait (I felt kind of bad riding it twice in 25 minutes with a 155 minute standby line, but hey, i woke up at 6 am!) EMH is huge. I mean a really big advantage. Get there a little early but don't waste your time waiting at the gates bc you don't need to.

One other note - it's no joke that RSR breaks down. A LOT. If you ride it first thing in the morning and there is a short line when you're done, ride it again. Don't ever count on it being open for your FP later. And up until about 20 minutes after park opening (not EMH), you can pretty much walk on anything in DCA. My DH rode TSMM three times and Screamin' twice in an hour yesterday. We waited 15 minutes for TSMM this morning at 8:30 and there was no wait for Screamin'.

That's just based on my experience - but hope it helps some!

 

[kkmcan]

Wow, thanks for the advice. I'm loving this EE thing. So glad we are staying onsite so we can take advantage of this. Its our first on property stay ever!!!!

 

[clutter]

We also got in line for FPs at 7:55 and it took 5 minutes - we had a return time of 9-10.

Same happened to us. It was absolutely the best use of EMH.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you can, do the single riders line on RSR. It will cut waits down dramatically. Obviously that is not an option with small kids, but there were lots of tweens and teens in the singles line.

Yes, it breaks down a lot. It broke down with evacuation necessary on both Saturday night and Sunday morning.

On Sunday there was EE at 8, but they would not distribute fastpasses until 9. If that's happening when you get in, go and ride RSR. then come back for the fastpass.

All the other rides will be practically walk-ons for some time.

 

[Shellandscott]

We are going in Oct also, one additional question. We are staying at the Grand California. Is it better to enter the park for EMH thru the main entrance or the one for GCH? I did not think the main enterence would be open since EMH is for resort guests only. BTW kkmcan I will be using your plan too! Thanks!

 

[mrswh]

We are going in Oct also, one additional question. We are staying at the Grand California. Is it better to enter the park for EMH thru the main entrance or the one for GCH? I did not think the main enterence would be open since EMH is for resort guests only. BTW kkmcan I will be using your plan too! Thanks!

The main entrance is soooo much closer to CL if that's where you're headed, and on top of that it is much faster to get through. Not only are there many more turnstiles, but everyone is already through security when they get in the line, so it goes much faster.