Carsland Advice for 11/8 or 11/9

[BayAreaMom]

I need help planning an optimal time to hit Carsland and ride (hopefully) all 3 rides. RSR is at the top of our list, and I would love to do it at night (if anyone has any thoughts on if that is essential, please LMK). Another constraint is that our 3.5 year old cannot ride RSR, so I assume we can do rider switch and each parent can take our 6.5 year old.

We are heading to Disneyland 11/8 through 11/11 (4 days). We will arrive around 1pm on Th 11/8. The parks are open until 8pm on Thursday. Friday 11/9 they are open at 9am.

We are usually not late night people (our 6.5 year old may be able to last until 9pm, maybe 10pm but that's pushing it), and honestly not DCA fans (we usually spend a 1/2 day there over the course of our typical 4 day trips. We cannot hit DCA on Saturday because family are coming for 1 day and will only have DL passes. I doubt we'll want to do it Sunday as we will want to get in a bunch of rides at DL before heading home.

I am curious if we should:
1. Head to Carsland Fri am and get FPs right away, then come back in the pm? How long is the FP line? Should one parent take the 2 kids on the other 2 carsland rides while the other parent is getting the FPs?

2. Go thursday afternoon- is there any chance we would even get a FP? Perhaps the walk on line will be shorter on a Th afternoon?

Thanks for any tips.
Darcy

 

[ArchOwl]

I need help planning an optimal time to hit Carsland and ride (hopefully) all 3 rides. RSR is at the top of our list, and I would love to do it at night (if anyone has any thoughts on if that is essential, please LMK). Another constraint is that our 3.5 year old cannot ride RSR, so I assume we can do rider switch and each parent can take our 6.5 year old.

We are heading to Disneyland 11/8 through 11/11 (4 days). We will arrive around 1pm on Th 11/8. The parks are open until 8pm on Thursday. Friday 11/9 they are open at 9am.

We are usually not late night people (our 6.5 year old may be able to last until 9pm, maybe 10pm but that's pushing it), and honestly not DCA fans (we usually spend a 1/2 day there over the course of our typical 4 day trips. We cannot hit DCA on Saturday because family are coming for 1 day and will only have DL passes. I doubt we'll want to do it Sunday as we will want to get in a bunch of rides at DL before heading home.

I am curious if we should:
1. Head to Carsland Fri am and get FPs right away, then come back in the pm? How long is the FP line? Should one parent take the 2 kids on the other 2 carsland rides while the other parent is getting the FPs?

2. Go thursday afternoon- is there any chance we would even get a FP? Perhaps the walk on line will be shorter on a Th afternoon?

Thanks for any tips.
Darcy

First of all, I would say give DCA a chance! It is really a full-fledged park these days and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

There will be about a zero chance of RSR FPs on Thursday afternoons. I wouldn't plan on it at all. The standby line will be long.

I would devote Friday morning to DCA and Carsland. Get to the gates early (at least 30 minutes or so) and one parent takes all tickets and goes in the FP line. The other parent goes to Carsland to enjoy the rides (Luigi's first, then Mater's). Once you are done in Carsland, head to Toy Story.

When you want to ride, approach the CM at the front of RSR. Show them the younger child that isn't able to ride, they will give you a pass. One parent and the older child use their FPs (2) to ride. They return with a switch pass. This allows the other parent and the older child to ride again.

And you still have two FPs left so you can repeat the process for a total of two rides for each parent and four rides for the older child! Fun! Since you have two rides, you can do one in the day and one at night and compare. I like the nighttime better.

 

[bethyylovee]

I didn't even do FP this morning. Went in and waited until they let you walk in to Cars Land at 8 and walked right on to the ride, not even single rider. Waited maybe 15 minutes (part of that was walking to the ride.) By the time we were off it was a 40 minute wait and growing. And the FP was nuts. So I suggest just going getting to DCA around 7 30, they'll let you in. And then wait at the rope until 8 when everyone gets to walk to RSR.

Good luck!

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[Girimama33]

We got in the FP line 3 days last week during our trip, and it worked out great for us. I was hesitant to go for the sandby line right at opening in the event RSR was not up and running yet.
The FP line was easy and moved fast. We never waitied more than 10 minutes to ride the ride either.
I like Arch Owl's plan too that will give you additional rides if you get FP's.

 

[ArchOwl]

Yes, I should have explained that by getting FPs you eliminate the possibility of heading to RSR as standby and then having the ride not be operational. This happens frequently enough for me that I prefer to get FP.

Additionally, you will not be among the first on the ride if you have to stop and ask for a rider switch pass, park a stroller, etc. Getting on first thing in the morning, requires that you basically have no distractions at all.

And in the OPs particular situation, they will get more rides using FP and rider switch than if they do standby, since they will be using all four FPs in conjunction with rider switch to maximize their rides.

 

[BayAreaMom]

I didn't even do FP this morning. Went in and waited until they let you walk in to Cars Land at 8 and walked right on to the ride, not even single rider. Waited maybe 15 minutes (part of that was walking to the ride.) By the time we were off it was a 40 minute wait and growing. And the FP was nuts. So I suggest just going getting to DCA around 7 30, they'll let you in. And then wait at the rope until 8 when everyone gets to walk to RSR.

Good luck!

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I am not sure I understand this correctly- DCA is set to open at 9am on Friday. I do not have the 8am early entry as we are staying at HoJos and have APs. How will it work for me to get in?

 

[BayAreaMom]

First of all, I would say give DCA a chance! It is really a full-fledged park these days and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

There will be about a zero chance of RSR FPs on Thursday afternoons. I wouldn't plan on it at all. The standby line will be long.

I would devote Friday morning to DCA and Carsland. Get to the gates early (at least 30 minutes or so) and one parent takes all tickets and goes in the FP line. The other parent goes to Carsland to enjoy the rides (Luigi's first, then Mater's). Once you are done in Carsland, head to Toy Story.

When you want to ride, approach the CM at the front of RSR. Show them the younger child that isn't able to ride, they will give you a pass. One parent and the older child use their FPs (2) to ride. They return with a switch pass. This allows the other parent and the older child to ride again.

And you still have two FPs left so you can repeat the process for a total of two rides for each parent and four rides for the older child! Fun! Since you have two rides, you can do one in the day and one at night and compare. I like the nighttime better.

I think part of my issue with DCA is that I just prefer the rides at DL better. There seems more for my 3.5 year old and it also seems like when we do split up we aren't walking as much. We do like the Tough to Be a Bug video, and Little Mermaid, and eating at Boardwalk Pizza, but otherwise, I think the canned music, long walks, and lack of fantasyland-type rides just aren't our thing. We don't like Screamin', Soarin' or Alladin- those are cool, but just don't appeal to my kids right now.

I have experience turning 4 FPs into essentially 8 with the RS card- will def do that for RSR. If our FP return time is early enough, maybe our plan would be to ride RSR early in the day twice, then return again at night and ride again. Good idea!

How early are FPs running out? We don't have the early entry so we're an hour behind (see my pp).

 

[Girimama33]

I think part of my issue with DCA is that I just prefer the rides at DL better. There seems more for my 3.5 year old and it also seems like when we do split up we aren't walking as much. We do like the Tough to Be a Bug video, and Little Mermaid, and eating at Boardwalk Pizza, but otherwise, I think the canned music, long walks, and lack of fantasyland-type rides just aren't our thing. We don't like Screamin', Soarin' or Alladin- those are cool, but just don't appeal to my kids right now.

I have experience turning 4 FPs into essentially 8 with the RS card- will def do that for RSR. If our FP return time is early enough, maybe our plan would be to ride RSR early in the day twice, then return again at night and ride again. Good idea!

How early are FPs running out? We don't have the early entry so we're an hour behind (see my pp).

Typically, they are not lasting more than a few hours. Get there at least 30 minutes before the gate opens (especially if it is a non EMH day for DCA). Here is our FP experience from last week:
Tues - Non-EMH day. Park opened at 8. We were in line at turnstiles at 7:30. This is when they started letting people in. We got in FP line right at CCT. When we received our FP, the return time was 8:50 AM.
Wed - EMH Day. Park opened at 8AM. I was there at 7:30 waiting for family....who were late. We got through the gates about 8:10 and got in the FP line which was already moving. Got in it at CCT again and received a return time of 11:50 AM.
Thurs - Non-EMH day. Park opened at 9. We arrived shortly after opening and got in FP line around CCT again. This time, our return time was much later...4:50PM. I imagine they were going to run out much sooner on Thursday than the previous days.

Best word of advice is to get there early for opening to take advantage of the low lines. After we would get a FP, the other CL rides were pretty much a walk on...Love Maters and RSR is a blast! Can't wait to go back!

Also want to add that we find there is a lot for DD to do in DCA. She loves Bugs Land, TSMM, the midway games, Monsters Inc....the Paradise Pier rides, TLM, etc. This trip we actually didn't park hop our last day and stayed in DCA watching the Pixar Parade and Disney Jr. Live.

 

[ArchOwl]

I think part of my issue with DCA is that I just prefer the rides at DL better. There seems more for my 3.5 year old and it also seems like when we do split up we aren't walking as much. We do like the Tough to Be a Bug video, and Little Mermaid, and eating at Boardwalk Pizza, but otherwise, I think the canned music, long walks, and lack of fantasyland-type rides just aren't our thing. We don't like Screamin', Soarin' or Alladin- those are cool, but just don't appeal to my kids right now.

I have experience turning 4 FPs into essentially 8 with the RS card- will def do that for RSR. If our FP return time is early enough, maybe our plan would be to ride RSR early in the day twice, then return again at night and ride again. Good idea!

How early are FPs running out? We don't have the early entry so we're an hour behind (see my pp).

I understand about the rides and such. I hope you will head over and experience Monster's Inc and all the cool stuff in the Animation Building. These (in addition to the Bug's Land area) rate high on the list with the little ones in my group. Toy Story is also big with them. But yes, DL does have that special magic!

Yes the rider switch card used in conjunction with FPs is your best bet I think. Glad you are familiar with them, they work the same as other rides.

The FPs consistently run out about an hour to an hour and a half after park opening. It varies depending on hours, crowds, etc. The early entry folks do get to be in front of you for the RSR FPs, but they aren't distributed until park opening. If you are there early, you will be fine. The line for FPs is usually about 15-20 minutes or so. It looks bad, but it moves VERY quickly. Don't be dismayed.

Have fun!

 

[bethyylovee]

I am not sure I understand this correctly- DCA is set to open at 9am on Friday. I do not have the 8am early entry as we are staying at HoJos and have APs. How will it work for me to get in?

I'm not positive. We didn't even know DCA was open at 8 today. We weren't planning on going to RSR at all, it was a total last minute decision, and the way we did it seemed to work out great for us. We rode single rider yesterday, but it's just not the same riding without your friends and family. Just my opinion.



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[BayAreaMom]

Thanks- this is super duper helpful.
I think I will write off Thursday pm for a visit- I really only want to do RSR with FPs, not stanby. I can't handle lines and I think the FPs are the way to go. So our plan will be to get to DCA 30 min before they open on Friday, hopefully get in for the rope drop, then head to the FP system and get them. Then we will stay in DCA almost all day, since I know we won't be back on Sat and probably Sunday. Hopefully each parent can ride RSR in the daytime then again at night. That would be perfect!!

Thanks again for helping me develop a plan!

 

[LisaT91403]

Last Monday, DCA opened at 10:00, with EMH at 9:00. The fast passes ran out at 10:40AM...just 40 minutes after official park opening. How do I know? Because I was there at 10:41