DCA Early morning strategy

[momtoccc]

Hi all

I've read that DCA opens 30 minutes before stated time for Soarin'? Is this correct? Is it best to ride Soarin first and then go to Toy Story Mania? Or get FP for Soarin and go to TSM first? I will just be me and my 6yo dd. Thanks.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

We ride Soaring first, get a fastpass for it, then go wait for the rope drop near the California rapids water ride...whatever the name is for it....maybe Grizzly. The rope drop area is near the entrance for the Grand Californian. The last two times we were on and off Soaring and still had to wait 10 minutes or so for rope drop.

 

[HydroGuy]

You will find two camps around here each equally convinced. One says to arrive at 9:30 and go straight to the TSM line which I believe holds everyone at Sunshine Plaza until 10AM. Then do TSM with no line and maybe a second time if the line is still short.

The second school says that it is not worth lining up at 9:30AM for TSM and waiting 30 minutes until 10AM when the lines in the afternoon typically are at most 30 minutes anyways.

I fall into the second camp but there others around here whose opinion I value who swear by the first strategy.

If it was me I would start with a Soarin FP and then riding Soarin if you want to do it twice in one day.b Then do TSM in the afternoon or evening.

 

[DLR29]

However, according to the calendar, DCA is starting to open up at 9AM on the busier days this month and next month. DCA has never opened this early on a consistent basis, so opening procedures for those days are uncertain to everyone.

 

[Sherry E]

Because I have been on TSMM in the morning when DCA first opened, in the middle of the afternoon and at night, I can say that we had the most success with the least amount of line hassle/stress when we did the early morning route. I think this method was beneficial because many folks are still playing over in DL and will have been there for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours (depending on if it is a MM over in DL and when DCA opens) by the time DCA opens, therefore, not wanting to break their stride in DL to wander across the esplanade to DCA.

I always have to clarify that the way to do the early morning plan is not to arrive at DCA at 9:30 and just stand around until 10:00 a.m. That is the extreme scenario but it's not necessary, and you would be wasting too much time in one spot. I say just leave DL and start heading over to DCA around 9:40 a.m. or so, and by the time you get in the DCA gates and over to where the line is that will form to walk you back to TSMM, you won't be standing in that line for very long, if at all. In other words, most of your time will be spent walking from one point to another point, not just standing in place. The line that forms over by GRR will sometimes start moving (with the helpful guidance of a CM) as early as 9:45 a.m. or 9:50 a.m., putting you in the TSMM queue before 10:00 and sometimes even on the ride before 10:00 a.m. (Again, this is all working with the notion that DCA opens at 10:00 a.m. If it changes to 9:00 a.m., then it's a different ballgame!) In other cases, the GRR line may start heading back to the TSMM area five minutes later and you may get in the queue right at 10:00 a.m., which is still better than getting into after 10:00.

In any case, the line for TSMM builds so quickly that if you stop to do anything else first and then walk back there after DCA officially opens, you run the risk of having tons of people in front of you. When we did the early morning plan and lined up at GRR, then headed back to where TSMM is, we were shocked at the number of people who had lined up after us by the time we got off the ride.

HydroGuy is right that there are two camps. More people tend to agree with his thoughts on the subject, though. That's the more popular opinion. Now that I have read enough other posts from people who have had the same experience I had with the early morning plan, I feel confident that it is effective enough to recommend for those who want to try it. Of course, nothing is fool proof, and you may get a CM who is having a bad morning, and he/she may refuse to let the line budge one second before 10:00 a.m., in which case you may not 'beat' too many people to TSMM, but, again, I have seen enough other accounts of it working well that I think it is worth a shot.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have only experienced the line at Grizzly, with the security CMs who don't let people go beyond the rope until 10am (unless they have a reservation at Ariel's).

If I were coming in the main entrance with an opening time at 10am, I would get there at 9am so I'm among the first to enter the parks (not AS important as at DL, but from my experience watching the crowds grow behind me, it's still important), stand around until 9:30, go in, ride Soarin' if there's no line, leave Soarin', grab a FP (you come out the entrance and the person with the tickets turns LEFT to go back "into" the line to go the proper way to the FP entrance!), and continue up the hill to Grizzly.

Note: by doing that, you're further back in that line and the TSMM line won't be as pretty when you get to it.

If getting to TSMM while that line is mainly a moving line, no standing, is important, don't ride Soarin'. Instead, as you walk by, have the ticket-holder(s) go in the FP line, snag FPs for everyone, and then get up to the Grizzly line (or backtrack to the line on the other side) and be among the first at the rope.

It all depends on what is most important to you.

 

[momtoccc]

We will be there when DCA is opening at 9am instead of 10. We've never even been to DCA before, much less ridden TSM. (We have done Soarin' at Epcot before).

So... I was planning on getting to DCA by 8:30 that day (Monday). Is it easy to get a FP for Soarin before getting in line to go over to TSM? Perhaps we will do that....

THanks for all the input!

 

[Perdygirl]

If DCA opens at 10AM, what time can you get into the park from GCH?

 

[Albort]

However, according to the calendar, DCA is starting to open up at 9AM on the busier days this month and next month. DCA has never opened this early on a consistent basis, so opening procedures for those days are uncertain to everyone.

i do believe DCA is opening early due to a trial of early entry...

it is suppose to be for VONs 2fers only.

 

[PinkBudgie]

You will find two camps around here each equally convinced. One says to arrive at 9:30 and go straight to the TSM line which I believe holds everyone at Sunshine Plaza until 10AM. Then do TSM with no line and maybe a second time if the line is still short.

The second school says that it is not worth lining up at 9:30AM for TSM and waiting 30 minutes until 10AM when the lines in the afternoon typically are at most 30 minutes anyways.

I fall into the second camp but there others around here whose opinion I value who swear by the first strategy.

If it was me I would start with a Soarin FP and then riding Soarin if you want to do it twice in one day.b Then do TSM in the afternoon or evening.

I'm in the second camp too. I'm not going to waste Prime Time at DL to wait in a line to get in to DCA and then in a line to walk back to TSMM and then in the line there. Last summer we went in the afternoon around 2pm and had about a 30 min wait. I do have an exception to this: If you go during a time that is super packed, say just before Socal AP blockouts, and TSMM is a top priority to get on above anything in DL, then you might want to head over. On a super packed day TSMM is likely to never get less than 50 min.

We also get FPs for Soarin when we can because that line can be very long without them. And for Monsters we found the best time was after 6pm. It was almost walk on then when earlier in the day it was long.

 

[DLR29]

i do believe DCA is opening early due to a trial of early entry...

it is suppose to be for VONs 2fers only.

Ok, that would be better for my trip. Although, I wish they would say that instead of advertise it on the DLR calendar where everyone can see it.

 

[PoohBearFriends]

Is DCA unlike DLR in that you can get FP prior to the "official" opening time?

I noted Hydroguy stated to pickup FP for soaring prior to getting in line for 10 am opening.

Just checking.

 

[Had2stopLurking]

Our personal strategy resembles Hydroguy's.

We arrive at the gates at around 9:15 (even on the busiest days, we've always been first at one of the gates that will open). Walk in basically behind the family of the day, ride the 1st flight of Soarin, FP Soarin on our way to the rope drop near Grizzly, then walk directly to TSMM at rope drop. We usually have those two major attractions done by 10 or 10:15 on any morning (even Saturdays and Sundays).

I have a trick to knowing which number lines will be open so you're not waiting needlessly at a gate that won't have someone to scan your ticket and have to try to jump to an open line, but, if I tell ya, well, you know .

 

[Albort]

Ok, that would be better for my trip. Although, I wish they would say that instead of advertise it on the DLR calendar where everyone can see it.

Its only a test to see how popular its gonna be.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Well, I wish they would open the same time as DL. Then I would be there. I've always hated their shorter hours and I hope they change it as they fix up the park in the next few years.

 

[HydroGuy]

Is DCA unlike DLR in that you can get FP prior to the "official" opening time?

I noted Hydroguy stated to pickup FP for soaring prior to getting in line for 10 am opening.

Just checking.

For the last 5 years or so DCA has typically opened officially at 10AM but let folks in at 9:30AM to ride only Soarin. Somewhere along the way they started offering FPs only for Soarin at 9:30AM but they were linked with the 10AM opening time. That meant first windows were 10:40-11:40AM. That is still the case today. It has never been official, just something you find out about hanging around forums like this.

Now we are seeing some changes and we do not know yet what it all means. DCA opening at 9AM rather than 10AM? Possibly Early Entry or Magic Morning or something like that for DCA? Possible special passes like FP for shows for the new World of Color show at DCA? The next few months will be interesting and looks to have some changes at DCA which will make many of us happy even though it disrupts the fine tuned strategies we have developed over the last five years.

 

[DangerMouse]

Is DCA unlike DLR in that you can get FP prior to the "official" opening time?

I noted Hydroguy stated to pickup FP for soaring prior to getting in line for 10 am opening.

Just checking.

The only ride this works for is Soarin, as it is the only attraction that is open prior to the DCA official opening time of 10 am. They turn on their FP machines at 9:30.

 

[randyesue]

So am I to understand that all of us "non -SoCal" folks who don't have the Vons 2fer will end up getting into DCA an hour AFTER all those 2fer people? No Soarin' early or TSMM strategy for us?

 

[momtoccc]

I'm confused also..

Disney site says DCA is opening at 9am every day of our visit Mar 13-17. Is 9am for everyone? Will they still open Soarin at 8:30??

 

[Albort]

I'm confused also..

Disney site says DCA is opening at 9am every day of our visit Mar 13-17. Is 9am for everyone? Will they still open Soarin at 8:30??

i believe its for 2fer through Vons only, but i may be wrong. I believe only a select few rides will be opened as well.

As for World of Color Fastpass is a very interesting one. I had the chance to be explained why Disney is considering it, but weather or not that will work is unknown and in my opinion it wouldnt work, but in general, its a really good idea.

theres also the micechat rumor of Paradise Pier opening at 9AM due to its early close for world of color, however, thats also just a speculation.

Disney simply doesnt know how its gonna work and react. Talks about a 2nd WoC show if the demand is high @ current park closing would certainly be interesting to see if they will have DCA become like DL, being a 9:00-23:00 hours or even to 24:00.