DCA Touring Plan

[gowensby]

I've looked around the internet and cannot seem to find a good Touring Plan. Many are biased in that the person does not like certain attractions, so they skip it. This will be my first trip to DCA after many to WDW, so I would like to explore and experience everything I can.

Any recommendations on a Touring Plan? All I know is get to TSM first thing!

I'll be there the first week of May. Adults only.

Thanks.

 

[ArielAdventurer]

I have no experience with Touring plans of DCA..it is a smaller park than DLR..I can't imagine needing a tour guide..especially if you are a WDW veteran...Does Disney have tour guides for DCA? I don't think I have ever seen one..(but..this is coming from a blonde..lol) you might try calling the 800 number and if they don't..I am sure they can lead you in the right direction

 

[Ottilie]

There is a good DCA plan in the "Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009".

 

[HydroGuy]

RideMax will create a custom touring plan for you. www.ridemax.com

 

[Mike_M]

I don't think that DCA is big / popular enough to need a touring plan. The only long lines I have seen over there are Screamin', Soarin', GRR and TSMM. Nearly everything else over there averages around 15 min max from my experience (Even ToT which for some reason has shorter lines than you'd expect). The Aladdin show and the Electrical parade may need some planning but DCA just hasn't made it yet to that level.

 

[avalon451]

For a pre-done plan if you don't want to fool around with your own research and planning, the Unofficial Guide has a pretty good one-day plan. If you like to do your own tweaking, Ridemax ($15 for a 3-month online subscription) is a lot of fun to play around with, and includes some great tips.

 

[HydroGuy]

I don't think that DCA is big / popular enough to need a touring plan. The only long lines I have seen over there are Screamin', Soarin', GRR and TSMM. Nearly everything else over there averages around 15 min max from my experience (Even ToT which for some reason has shorter lines than you'd expect). The Aladdin show and the Electrical parade may need some planning but DCA just hasn't made it yet to that level.

I agree. And disagree. When I went to WDW for the first time in 2006 I had no idea how lines built up. BTMRR is much more popular there than at DL for instance. I just felt better having some idea. I used RideMax for WDW to "test drive" different touring scenarios to get a feel for how lines built. And then once we went on the trip I never actually used a RideMax touring plan! I just used it to get a feel. One thing I learned, for example, was that I was trying to cram too much into a day at Epcot. That allowed me ahead of time to scale back what we would try to do and get my expectations in line with reality.

Some people feel better having a plan printed up and in their hand even if they choose to not follow it. Other people do not want to be bothered. Different strokes...etc.

 

[TinkSassy]

I just got back from my first DCA run and am a WDW vet. I would say to plan DCA very carefull - especially if you are short on time. I was told it was a one day park - we ended up going back over for a couple of hours on another day (still didn't see everything). Lines at this park got long and stayed that way.

We found that sending a runner to cross the park for FP was the only way to avoid the lines. Monsters Inc also posts long wait times and has no FP so hit this one early (at open we waited 5 minutes - by the time we got off the line was at 40 min).

We didn't waste time at DL waiting for TSMM - you need to be there at 9:30 to get in line and then are walked back at 10am to wait in that line. We went mid day and did single rider, took about 30 minutes total to get all 4 of us through that way.

Don't miss Aladdin (amazing) and Animation (very cool). I like the Bugs area - it's very little kid but we had fun with all adults. My only complaint is I wished Heimlich's train ride was longer

RideMax helped a lot with this park - but keep in mind that like Animal Kingdom when the parade is going on it is near impossible to change areas of the park and the HSM3 show gums up the whole center hub.