Critique My Itinerary Please: Part 2

[bouncy54]

This is my tentative itinerary for our 1st day at the parks on Sat, Nov. 10th.

I used a mixture of Ridemax times and my own spreadsheet for the wait times and which attractions, and when, to grab FPs. (DH & DGD will be our runners for FP)

I know a lot of this itinerary, (maybe most of it ) will get changed when we're actually there, but because we're getting to the parks late and on a holiday weekend, I'd rather have some kind of plan than none at all. I know I'm pushing the time limits, but we can always drop an attraction or 2.

So what do ya all think? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.


Saturday -

Enter DCA at 12:00 PM
Grab fastpasses for Soarin' and Grizzly, get hands stamped & head over to DL

12:30 PM - Enter DL
Grab fastpass for Space Mountain

Ride Star Tours (45 min. wait) - We want this ride to be 5yo's 1st ride - He loves the Octopus so I think he can handle this one.
Next...watch "Honey, I Shrunk The Audience" (15 min. line)
Ride Pirate Ship (15 min. line) - DSIL has to do this one.
Ride Pirates of the Caribbean (35 min. line)

2:30 - 3:00 PM
Grab fastpass for Splash Mountain then hop the train in NOS and head back over to DCA

Use FP for Soarin'
Ride TOT (30 min. line)
Ride Grizzly
Go back to BWPPI to change clothes if we need to.

5:00 PM

Hop back over to DL
Ride train to NOS
Grab FP for HMH
Ride Pirates again (35 min. line)
Ride Big Thunder (35 min. line)

7:30 PM

Grab FP for Buzz
Stake out our spot for "Remember"
4 of us will stay in our spot at all times while the other 4 do whatever (the teens may want to do Indy at this time even though the standby line is 70 mins. )

10:00 PM

After "Remember", cut through Carnation Stage through tunnel of Mexican restaurant
Ride Big Thunder during Fantasmic (10 min. line)
Use our FP for Splash
Use our FP for HMH

11:00 PM

Use our FP for Space Mountain
Use our FP for Buzz

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

This is my tentative itinerary for our 1st day at the parks on Sat, Nov. 10th.

Enter DCA at 12:00 PM
Grab fastpasses for Soarin' and Grizzly, get hands stamped & head over to DL

**How are you going to get fast passes for both of these rides at the same time? Or is one not a linked ride - meaning you can get multiple fast passes?**

Other than that it looks good but very busy... Are you only there for Saturday? Or will you be there more than one day?

 

[bouncy54]

This is my tentative itinerary for our 1st day at the parks on Sat, Nov. 10th.

Enter DCA at 12:00 PM
Grab fastpasses for Soarin' and Grizzly, get hands stamped & head over to DL

**How are you going to get fast passes for both of these rides at the same time? Or is one not a linked ride - meaning you can get multiple fast passes?**

Other than that it looks good but very busy... Are you only there for Saturday? Or will you be there more than one day?

Grizzly and Soarin' are not linked so yes, you can get both at the same time.

I know it's a busy iternerary..and we probably won't do nearly half of it...but it makes me feel good.

We have 5 day passes for DL and DCA so we really will have plenty of time to experience everything. It's just that we've worked so hard earning the money and have waited over a year for this vacation to finally get here...now everyone wants to do everything the 1st day.

 

[InLoveWithTheBeast]

If it's chilly or cool on the day you're going you might not need those FPs for Grizzly. I was there a few weeks ago, and it was cool but not rainy and the line was 5 min. I wasn't looking to get soaked so I didn't ride, but something to keep in mind.

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

Grizzly and Soarin' are not linked so yes, you can get both at the same time.


***Wow - as a annual pass holder I didn't know this! Probably becasue with just me and the kids going we do single rider on both of these rides.. but now if we want to ride together I know we can get both fast passes together... I think your best day of your 5 days will be Tuesday or Wednesday if you go then... schools will be back in session (we get Monday off) and then with less people you might be able to walk on rides and take it slowly. Have a great trip.. I am sure we will see you in the crowds that weekend. We plan to go on Sunday or Monday...

 

[brergnat]

Here are my suggestions/tips:

1. You won't need a FP for Grizzly, but you WILL need a change of clothes!). It's going to be cool...no one rides Grizzly river run in the fall....

2. Fully expect Space Mountain to not have FP available until VERY late in the day if you don't get to the FP machine until after noon on a Saturday. You may be better off riding standby.

3. I would reconsider Star Tours at a first ride for a 5y/o. A motion simulator may be a bit much for a 5 y/o, even if he loves carnival style rides like the Octopus. It's a dark enclosed space with LOUD noises and honestly, it's a bit scary for younger kids. You don't want to scare him out of wanting to ride everything ELSE at DL by scaring him on the first ride.

4. What is the Pirate Ship Ride? Do you mean the Sailing Ship Columbia? If so, I'm not sure if it's currently running.


Your first day itinerary seems very busy, but fun! You mentioned that it's a 5 year old's first trip, but I didn't see room for any rides that would appeal to HIM so much. For example, It's a Small World Holiday will be up and running, and it's a FANTASTIC overlay, and really, would make a much better first ride for a 5 year old than Star Tours would. I'm just putting it out there. Sure, he may love the thrills, but why not let him be your guide, at least on the first day. To be honest with you, Saturdays are BRUTAL (year round). That is a LONG day, and if you spend it all waiting in looooong lines and just do thrill ride after thrill ride, you may all be too burned out and tired to really enjoy all that DL and DCA have to offer.

 

[samkj]

I think you are doing too much running around. 2 rides (I don't count the Columbia as a ride) and a show before heading back to DCA?? Then 3 rides (one of which is on the opposite end of the park)and jump back? The first day don't try to hit all the big rides. Get your fast passes, but don't knock yourself out trying to hit the big rides in both parks. My kids would literally revolt if I made them go into one park, grab passes and leave for the other, or if sent a runner then we would miss the chance to enter the park for the first time together.

So my advice, if it makes you feel better, make your lists and plans, then go to Disneyland and leave the list at home. Honestly if you try to stick to a schedule, you will loose the chance to relax and just enjoy being together at Disneyland.

 

[LittleWoodenHead]

My honest opinion? I agree with Amy: You are doing way too much running around -- bouncing from land to land and park to park. I'm completely exhausted from just reading your itinerary.

As this will be the Saturday of Veteran's Day Weekend, DL will undoubtedly be VERY BUSY. Walking from place to place will take longer than you expect (so will things like taking the train).

A few other suggestions:

I would get the FP for HMH before getting the one for Splash. The line for Splash typically lessens as the evening goes on, whereas HMH seems to get worse. Added benefit: Switching the order of getting those FPs also saves you more walking time/distance. (I'd also FP Indy instead of Buzz. Buzz shouldn't be too bad at 11:00PM.)

At DCA, the order should not be Soarin' then TOT then Grizzly. TOT is nowhere near the other two, so you should do that either first or last in the sequence. (I recommend first.)

If you really want to ride both POTC and BTRR twice in such a limited time frame, that's up to you. Personally, I'd use that time for some different rides, the Parade, whatever. [How about IASW Holiday or the Matterhorn after dark? ]

Staking out a spot for "Remember" two hours early seems excessive.

I also think you've underestimated the line for BTRR after "Remember". I did the exact same thing last March and it seemed like half the park had the same idea. It was one of the longest lines (~45 minutes) I encountered that whole day. Of course, YMMV.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I agree with the running around... I estimate it would have taken us almost a 1/2 hour to go from Grizzly River to NO Square walking quickly with our 3 year old...

Also I know you used ridemax to guess on wait times... we were there last week and walked by Star Tours often and never saw the line longer than 10 minutes... so that may save you time... it didn't seem to be very popular.

--Lisa

 

[bouncy54]

Ok...Ok...you convinced me.

Here's what we'll do instead.

Grab FP for whatever we can every couple of hours and then just play it by ear.

 

[samkj]

Ok...Ok...you convinced me.

Here's what we'll do instead.

Grab FP for whatever we can every couple of hours and then just play it by ear.

Good plan! However go ahead and play with your schedule for the next week. After all you need something to fill your time! I know I'll be obsessing over schedules for the next couple weeks too! I've learned though that I have MUCH more fun if I relax and leave my detailed schedules at home.

 

[bouncy54]

To tell you the truth, everyone's got me so about Veteran's Day weekend, I'm half tempted to just not go to the park next Saturday...period. (Yeah...like that would go over so well with my family.... )

Besides...I've never seen the "Remember" fireworks and I just gotta see em'. If "Remember" doesn't get cancelled on Saturday, then we're going to Universal on Sunday. We already purchased "front of the line passes" so even if it's crowded, we should still be able to do everything in a day.

Monday, we are going to DL and DCA again. There are no parades or fireworks scheduled for that day, so maybe some of the locals will stay home...no offense to you locals.

Tuesday is Knott's and Medievil Dinner Show.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday is DL/DCA.

We usually take a break mid-week when we go to DL, but DH wants to come home on Saturday so he can have a day of rest before heading back to work. What a wuss...is that a bad word these days? Sorry, hon, but I'd rather spend that Saturday with Mickey than sitting here at home with you. Oh well...

I could do without Universal and Knott's, but I was outvoted by 7 to 1 when I mentioned it to the family.

I'm taking next Friday off of work, so I officially have only 6 more days to wait.

 

[abby]

I am like you, plan plan plan, but I have learned on our last few trips my plans don't always make for a relaxing vacation.

My "plan" now is to figure out what thing we have to do when, ie fireworks and parades, that only show on some days, make sure we hit those, then have a general plan of what else to do each day, but not so set in stone we can't waiver from it.
I
have actually had more fun just watching my dd (now 7) stop and enjoy things that were not on my list. Last trip we spent 20 minutes playing with Push the talking trash can and it was great, if I was tied to my list we would have missed that.
I struggle between being a type A and trying to relax and have a good time.

good luck, you will have a great time.