DCA Opening Procedure / GCH entrance / Toy Story Mania

[pixarmom]

I've read bits about this on several threads, and want to confirm that I understand correctly! We're an experienced rope drop TSM family at WDW - (we're right behind the CMs walking the rope back!) but have no idea how to do this at DCA.

It sounds like DCA may open as early as 9am for resort guests, and then Soarin might open at 9:30. TSM is our first priority - what does everyone recommend we do to ride TSM with minimal wait? What time should we arrive at the GCH entrance to DCA? Would we have time to ride Soarin first, or grab FPs for Soarin before getting to TSM?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!

 

[Homemom]

I can't really answer this, I just wanted to say I hope you're not going to be there when the TSM is closed Aug 30 - Oct 10.

 

[mrswh]

DCA officially opens at 10 (most of the time). However, they let you in the front gates at 9:30. Soarin' opens at 9:30 and I think GRR does now too.

On our last trip (pre-WOC), we did this several times, since there is no FP for TSMM. (Grrr.) We arrived at the main entrance (not the GCH entrance) at 9:29 a.m. Walked directly to Soarin'. DD and I rode Soarin' while DH and DS grabbed Soarin' FPs for later. (DS was too short to ride, but if he had ridden we'd still have had time to get FPs when we were done riding.)

We then went directly to rope drop at Sunshine Plaza (once at GRR, though that was slower, we thought). Got there a few minutes before 10. There is a decent sized crowd at that time. When the rope dropped, went directly to TSMM, where the line was about 10 minutes. (Most of the time is spent just winding your way through all the switchbacks - you're not really ever standing around doing nothing.) By the time we came out, the line was up to 45 minutes.

I understand you're going to be entering via GCH, but my point is that you're really going to be fine even if you show up at DCA just a few minutes before 10. No, you won't be the first one on TSMM, but you are still going to have a very short wait. I count waiting at rope drop as time in line, so it makes no sense to me to be first in line at the rope for 30 minutes, when I can be in the mob at rope drop and still get on TSMM within 10-15 minutes.

I will say that all of my experience with this (over several trips) was pre-WOC . . . so I don't know what impact that has had on the morning rope drop (i.e., if there are zillions more people now waiting to run down to TSMM) - though it sounds like most people who are in the park early are waiting in line for WOC FPs anyway.

 

[Tyr23]

I've read bits about this on several threads, and want to confirm that I understand correctly! We're an experienced rope drop TSM family at WDW - (we're right behind the CMs walking the rope back!) but have no idea how to do this at DCA.

It sounds like DCA may open as early as 9am for resort guests, and then Soarin might open at 9:30. TSM is our first priority - what does everyone recommend we do to ride TSM with minimal wait? What time should we arrive at the GCH entrance to DCA? Would we have time to ride Soarin first, or grab FPs for Soarin before getting to TSM?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!

The GCH gates open at 9 for resort guests. We were there last week and got WOC FPs at about 9:20 then rode Soarin at 9:30. We got in line at rope drop to ride TSMM but by the time we made it back there, it was about a 20 min wait. I'd line up by GRR instead!

 

[mdsd8700]

Just there two weeks ago. We rode Soarin' the night before and had dinner reservations for WOC so our early entry through GCH was specifically for Toy Story. After entry into DCA we went to the right past the FP machines for WOC and past GRR to the holding area for RD. We got there about 9:40. There were about 50-60 people there. In WDW at rope drop a CM walks with everyone to the ride so everyone doesn't go running and head crazily toward the ride. At DCA both mornings we did the RD, this was NOT the case. Once the CM's dropped the rope everyone went running like crazy people. Not walking with purpose....running!! Like I said there were 50-60 people ahead of us by the time we made it to the ride there were easily 100 people in front of us. I thought it was a bit crazy that no CM's walked with the crowd. There were plenty of CM's telling people to slow down and not run, but that didn't really do much. With that being said, we didn't run, but walked quickly and even with all the people ahead of us we were off the ride within 15/20 minutes.

 

[pixarmom]

This is great information - really helpful - thanks to everyone!

Homemom - Thanks! We'll be there before TSM is closed. We were lucky to avoid closures at both DL and WDW, which is great news for our pre-schooler!

Mrswh - Great details - thanks! Funny that you mention the time spent waiting at rope drop - we were laughing at ourselves and everyone around us at WDW last month about how we are so excited to be there so early and ready to go "so that we don't have to wait in lines." We may not have been in a line at rope drop, but we were certainly waiting! We had some fun discussions with other families around us about the "sport" of rope drop!

Tyr23 - We'll definitely line up at GRR - thanks for the specific timing and tips!

mdsd8700 - Really appreciate the warning about the differences in rope drop procedures that you saw. We really love having the CM bring the rope back slowly at WDW - makes it (relatively) orderly! And after getting there early and being ready to go, it's not fun for our kids to be trampled. I think we'll try to do Soarin on an earlier day like you did, or grab FPs so that we can get ready near GRR for TSM. We'll now know to expect the runnners, but do our quick walking to TSM! We'll get there!

 

[gatorfreud]

We are also TSM experienced RDers on both coasts!

So looks like you are going in the GCH entrance - you are hotel guests right?

Last weekend twice, here is what we did- super easy. Get to the GCH entrance abotu 9:20 - no reason at all to get there earlier. Send family to the rope - it is up very close to Paradise Park - which is SO much easier than when it used to be back by GRR.

You (or whoever is getting your FPs) - go to get the WoC FP - both days right before they let in the mobs from the front gate, there was no wait for FP about 9:20-9:25. After you get that, go down to Soarin' and get those FP. One day they did not turn on the machines until 9:30 - the other day I was able to get them at 9:25. So it depends.

After that, walk up and easily meet your family who is at the front of the rope. Really easy - it was not very crowded at the rope (it got crowded later though of course) so you won't be pushing past a lot of folks to get to your family.

Walk easily to TSM - don't worry about all the crazies practically running past you. Our kids walked this time (ages 5 and 7) and so we were a little slower than we are with strollers, but we made it just fine. We were off the ride about 10:15-10:20.

If you have a stroller, the parking is on the right.

Do not ride Soarin' first - we did that one year and we had a really long wait at TSM due to being behind the crowds at the rope.

It was so easy- you really do not need to be at the entrance at 9am, and please do not go there earlier than 9! Not at all necessary. 9:20 is fine. You just have to beat the front gate folks in.

Good luck!
Kim

 

[HydroGuy]

After our trip a couple weeks ago I still do not have a clear idea about TSMM. I rode it once. Arrived at the BugsLand rope at 9:45AM and got on the ride at 10:20. That requried 35 minutes of waiting - plus the loss of key early morning time at DL.

In retrospect I would have just done the wait mid-day in the 45 minute line on a different day. I kept thinking we could catch it late at night - we tried and it did not work - then early morning - which finally happened but was the value was questionable.

I think TSMM is going to remain a tough ride to do - no FP, no SR - until some of the other new things at DCA open to take off the pressure. That would be Little Mermaid and CarsLand. And maybe some of the Toy Story 3 re-energized hoopla dies down - and World of Color excitement starts to die down - which will not happen until summer 2011 - if then - maybe 2012.

Back to your question, I was at DHS on the day TSMM opened in 2008 and rode it several times. The bonus you get there with early arrival is you can get a FP then ride standby. So you effectively get two TSMM rides for the early arrival effort. Plus you are not sacrificing time from other parks while you arrive at DHS early because they all open at the same time (except for EMH). I am not convinced the TSMM morning dash at DCA is the best use of time. The only things that could swing my opinion is if you have a late start morning and ar enot missing DL time - and you are there already to get WOC FPs. Otherwise I just do not think it is worth it.

HTH

 

[gatorfreud]

Or if you are completely addicted to it.

I think DH and little DS could skip it. Big DS and I would just stand in line hour after hour all day if we could.

Well, he might need a short break for Screamin'. Not me. I'll stay in line.

Kim

 

[mrswh]

Back to your question, I was at DHS on the day TSMM opened in 2008 and rode it several times. The bonus you get there with early arrival is you can get a FP then ride standby. So you effectively get two TSMM rides for the early arrival effort. Plus you are not sacrificing time from other parks while you arrive at DHS early because they all open at the same time (except for EMH). I am not convinced the TSMM morning dash at DCA is the best use of time. The only things that could swing my opinion is if you have a late start morning and ar enot missing DL time - and you are there already to get WOC FPs. Otherwise I just do not think it is worth it.

HTH

I totally agree about DHS - even though the FPs for TSM there were gone by midday, if you showed up right at rope drop you could ride it twice. I wish they'd have FP for it at DCA.

However, I still think it's worth it to go to rope drop at DCA. The reason is that usually by 10 a.m., especially on a MM, the DL lines are long. I think you can still get a lot done spending a couple of hours at DL with short lines and collecting FPs for later. You really only have to leave DL a few minutes before 10 to get to Sunshine Plaza or GRR for rope drop at 10, and even if you walk up right as they drop the rope, you're not (in my experience) going to wait more than 15 minutes to ride TSM. (You can also grab a Soarin' FP if you have 2 minutes to spare on the way to the GRR rope drop.) So that's a 15 minute wait for TSM - a good 30 minutes shorter than you will spend in line at any other time of the day - and you have a much better chance of getting the day's high score to boot!

If you can get in through the GCH entrance, all the better. You can spend your 35 minutes between 9:25 and 10:00 getting FPs for WOC and Soarin' (or even riding Soarin', which is what I would do - I'd be willing to have another 100 people in front of me for TSMM in order to ride Soarin' with no line), and you'll only wait 15 minutes for TSMM. I think that's a pretty good use of time! In that hour or so you'll have gotten FPs for WOC and Soarin', ridden Soarin' and ridden TSMM. I feel like for an hour at DL at that time of day, you might have ridden Matterhorn once. (Or ridden IASW 3 times in a row, but who wants to do that?)

 

[mrswh]

Last weekend twice, here is what we did- super easy. Get to the GCH entrance abotu 9:20 - no reason at all to get there earlier. Send family to the rope - it is up very close to Paradise Park - which is SO much easier than when it used to be back by GRR.

Are the people in line at this rope drop (near Paradise Park) only from the GCH entrance or can anyone who arrives at the park before 10 line up there like they used to at GRR? (I can't recall whether the GCH entrance was closer to TSM than the GRR line or if those folks lined up at the same rope near GRR as those who entered from the front gates.) Are the rest of the guests still lined up all the way back at Sunshine Plaza?

 

[pixarmom]

More thanks!

Gatorfreud - yes, we are staying at GCH! This is more great information - I got it and we're working this all into plans. We aren't getting WOC FPs, so we can just get the FPs at Soarin (but not ride then) and be ready for the rope to drop. I love the info about stroller parking, as that has long been a key factor for us. Although we may go stroller-free at DL - at WDW we've been pushing around an empty stroller for most of the day.

Hydroguy - Thank you! Wish TSM were easier, too. If it weren't for our youngest (a pre-schooler) I don't think this would be at the top of our list, either. He loves this ride and talks about it constantly. Although at WDW a few weeks ago, my husband yelled out his score at the end of the ride (assuming it was the highest of the 5 of us) and when the high score for our vehicle appeared on the screen, it was higher than his. For the first time, one of our boys beat him - they were all gleeful, and so I think the TSM challenge may increase everyone's interest. Anyway, how fun for you to be at WDW when TSM opened!

By the way, our WDW TSM strategy is to arrive at least 1/2 hour before rope drop. We go directly to the TSM standby line and ride, and then get FPs after riding. At WDW your entire party is supposed to be together when you enter the standby line (certainly not always the case, but CMs seem to be enforcing more lately.) And the FP distribution line has been crazy for our last two trips (March and July of this year) right at rope drop but calms down 20-30 minutes later. So by getting FPs after we ride, we can usually get a 12noon or 12:30 return time and we don't have anyone standing in a long FP distribution line. (We only get 2 FPs for our youngest to ride later with one of us while the other is using ToT or RnR FPs with our older boys.) Hope that might help someone!

 

[pixarmom]

I totally agree about DHS - even though the FPs for TSM there were gone byI think you can still get a lot done spending a couple of hours at DL with short lines and collecting FPs for later. You really only have to leave DL a few minutes before 10 to get to Sunshine Plaza or GRR for rope drop at 10, and even if you walk up right as they drop the rope, you're not (in my experience) going to wait more than 15 minutes to ride TSM.

OK - glad I saw this. I was feeling like a crazy DL novice thinking that we could get over to DL for an 8am opening, ride one ride and collect a set of FPs before going to DCA rope drop. But everything seems so close at DLR, so I thought we could give it a try. Glad to hear it may be doable!

 

[HydroGuy]

I totally agree about DHS - even though the FPs for TSM there were gone by midday, if you showed up right at rope drop you could ride it twice. I wish they'd have FP for it at DCA.

However, I still think it's worth it to go to rope drop at DCA. The reason is that usually by 10 a.m., especially on a MM, the DL lines are long. I think you can still get a lot done spending a couple of hours at DL with short lines and collecting FPs for later. You really only have to leave DL a few minutes before 10 to get to Sunshine Plaza or GRR for rope drop at 10, and even if you walk up right as they drop the rope, you're not (in my experience) going to wait more than 15 minutes to ride TSM. (You can also grab a Soarin' FP if you have 2 minutes to spare on the way to the GRR rope drop.) So that's a 15 minute wait for TSM - a good 30 minutes shorter than you will spend in line at any other time of the day - and you have a much better chance of getting the day's high score to boot!

If you can get in through the GCH entrance, all the better. You can spend your 35 minutes between 9:25 and 10:00 getting FPs for WOC and Soarin' (or even riding Soarin', which is what I would do - I'd be willing to have another 100 people in front of me for TSMM in order to ride Soarin' with no line), and you'll only wait 15 minutes for TSMM. I think that's a pretty good use of time! In that hour or so you'll have gotten FPs for WOC and Soarin', ridden Soarin' and ridden TSMM. I feel like for an hour at DL at that time of day, you might have ridden Matterhorn once. (Or ridden IASW 3 times in a row, but who wants to do that?)

Yes, TSMM remains a topic without any consensus here. As I said, I think it will all be a moot point by 2011 or 2012. When the TSMM line dies down a bit and the morning rush there dies down too, it just will not be a big issue anymore. For some people it does make sense - and if you are getting the added bonus of Soarin FP, etc., and especially if you are a Disney hotel guest and can get in before 9:30AM (not sure how long that will last) it gives additional advantages. Still kind of grey for me though.

 

[Lewdannie]

Are there any updates on this?
Is early entry through CGH still happening ?
At 9:30?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Are there any updates on this?
Is early entry through CGH still happening ?
At 9:30?

Wondering this too. Are TSMM lines still as long? Soarin' still opening at 9:30?

 

[HydroGuy]

Are there any updates on this?
Is early entry through CGH still happening ?
At 9:30?

Yes to B and C. Not sure what updates you are referring to on A.

See "The Official Scoop on DCA's Unofficial Morning Opening Hours" - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2680309

 

[HydroGuy]

Wondering this too. Are TSMM lines still as long? Soarin' still opening at 9:30?

Yes to Soarin'. And TSMM line lenghts and patterns have not changed from what they were over the say the last two years.

What is rumored to be different starting around June (and cars Land opening inside DCA) is DCA opening hours changed from 10AM to 8AM and possibly Magic Mornings at DCA.

If that happens then everything we know about line lengths and patterns at DCA will be obsolete and a whole new pattern will emerge.

 

[keishashadow]

The GCH gates open at 9 for resort guests. We were there last week and got WOC FPs at about 9:20 then rode Soarin at 9:30. We got in line at rope drop to ride TSMM but by the time we made it back there, it was about a 20 min wait. I'd line up by GRR instead!

Last trip we did enter @ 9:00 am, rode Soarin, then lined up @ GRR, and were promptly passed by everybody behind us since i'm slow lol. Is there another place to line up for the rope walk/drop back to TSMM?

I'm sure they're marked well, but can anybody clarify where the WOC FP machines are located (after exiting the GC entrance), since we need to put that on the list this time.

 

[HydroGuy]

Last trip we did enter @ 9:00 am, rode Soarin, then lined up @ GRR, and were promptly passed by everybody behind us since i'm slow lol. Is there another place to line up for the rope walk/drop back to TSMM?

I'm sure they're marked well, but can anybody clarify where the WOC FP machines are located (after exiting the GC entrance), since we need to put that on the list this time.

From the GCH make a right turn and then walk about 50 ft (100 ft at most) and turn into the GRR FP machines. The WOC FPs share with GRR.