CarsLand Strategy with EMH?

[BensDaddy]

I know there are several threads on this topic, so please forgive yet another one. Hopefully i'm not the only one who looks at a 20+ page thread and gets a little overwhelmed. (the virtual equivalent of an RSR line??)

So here is my question. We are staying at GCH and will be eligible for Extra Magic Hours on Mon and Wed of the week we are staying.

I don't think we're going to want to do RSR more than once or twice, but we definitely want to do it. My original plan was to go to California Adventure during EMH and just pick up a fast pass and then go do something else and avoid Cars Land until our FP return time.

I just read, however, that Fast Passes aren't available until park opening time... so what do people typically do with that extra magic hour? I am guessing that at some point I will need to line up for a RSR fast-pass. Will that line begin to form immediately upon entry during EMH? Or can I spend time with the family and get to that line some time prior to normal park opening?

Also - quick second question - I notice that the Cars Land light up ceremony isn't on the schedule of events for the days we will be there. Anyone know what time that happens or if it is published somewhere?

Thanks in advance for all of the info!

 

[BensDaddy]

Just occurred to me too, that we are staying Monday through Thursday. So, since we will not have "checked in" on Monday morning we won't be eligible for EMH that day. So our one-shot deal with EMH will be on Wednesday. That adds to the pressure a bit... lol

 

[Blue32]

If I were you and only wanted to do RSR once, I would use your EMH to ride Luigis if you want and then TSMM.

Maters seems to have reports of reasonable waits thru the day... but Luigis line builds quickly and stays long because it's a slow loader. TSMM is also stilll very popular and the line for that will be long most of the day, so riding that early is a good idea.

I'd line up for RSR FP a little bit before regular park opening and you should be ahead of all the non EMH people and be in fine shape to get your FP quickly.

 

[BensDaddy]

Is there a FP for TOy Story?

 

[Rebekkap]

Is there a FP for TOy Story?

Nope, no fastpasses, and it's SO MUCH FUN!

 

[cari12]

Just occurred to me too, that we are staying Monday through Thursday. So, since we will not have "checked in" on Monday morning we won't be eligible for EMH that day. So our one-shot deal with EMH will be on Wednesday. That adds to the pressure a bit... lol

We were there Oct 15-19 and used EMH to ride RSR. What I would do (and it worked for us), is be at security at least 30 minutes prior to EMH start time. Once through, walk with purpose to the gates so you are not too far back then use the "wide right" technique as they walk you back to RSR. This means stay to the far right as possible as they walk you back and try to be as close to the front as you can get -basically you are on the road but right beside the sidewalk (CM's usually do not let people walk along the sidewalk for this). When you get to RSR, the queue is on the right so you will load into it faster than people in the middle or left so you should end up fairly close to the front of the line. We did this Mon/Wed of our trip and were on the ride by the 15 minute mark. When we got off the standby line was already 60 minutes.
And you can now ride Luigi and Mater as their lines will still be less than 5 minutes as most people are in the RSR standby line.
Then you can decide if you want to then get in the FP line to ride again later in the day but be sure to be in the FP line before regular opening (so at the 45-50 minute mark) so that you are in the line before the general public gets in.
This is provided RSR is running. On the Friday, RSR was down at EMH start but they didn't tell us until we were almost at the ride. We then went back and DH stood in the FP line for 45 minutes and we rode that that night instead.

 

[BensDaddy]

Thank you. Sounds exhausting, but very valuable info

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Just occurred to me too, that we are staying Monday through Thursday. So, since we will not have "checked in" on Monday morning we won't be eligible for EMH that day. So our one-shot deal with EMH will be on Wednesday. That adds to the pressure a bit... lol

Mmm... If you are staying Monday night, but there early enough for EMH, just check in before you go to the parks--you can check in crazy early, you just won't get your room yet. I know we've checked in at 6 am before... I have heard of earlier than that.

 

[Twinprincesses]

If you do get EMH then what we did was do Luigis Tires, Maters Junkyard then got in line for RSR before the park opened. Once we were off the ride DH went up and got FP for the ride.

 

[Twinprincesses]

Just wanted to add the FP line gets extremly long but once the line opens it moves fast. They said they cut off the line if it gets too long and they feel the person will not get a FP.

 

[BensDaddy]

If you do get EMH then what we did was do Luigis Tires, Maters Junkyard then got in line for RSR before the park opened. Once we were off the ride DH went up and got FP for the ride.

How long was the wait for RSR when you finally got to it?