DHS Touring Plan...Thoughts?

[Chumpson]

Okay so I have three teens and four adults on this trip. We will be spending the day on June 20th. Our plan will be to be there plenty early for rope drop. Take break for lunch, naps and pool time during the day and come back for evening touring. Here is my plan, let me know what will/won't work.

Rockin Roller Coaster
TOT (will we have time to do one of these again?) Figure I have two hours to get to Toy Story if I can get that spot.

Little Mermaid
TSMM with FP+ 10-11
Great Movie Ride FP+11-12
Star Tours (depending on line)

Break

We will be doing Fantasmic, probably the later show.
TOT FP+ in the evening, one of my favorite rides at DL.
Would like to see Beauty and Beast, but only show is 5:30, not sure we will be back by then.

Other things not to be missed? Areas the touring needs improving? How long will it take to do that morning plan? (there is a Beauty/Beast at 11:45am, could we make it?)

 

[wareagle57]

If you're there before Rope Drop you should be able to do RnR and ToT in plenty of time to get to your TSMM FP. If you're truly there before RD you can probably do them both before 10 and have plenty of time to do Star Tours with about a 10-15 minute wait and still get to TSMM before 11:00.

You most likely could NOT make Beauty and the Beast if you are trying to do Star Tours after TGM ride, even if you went at 10:55. But I think you should easily be abel to do ST either before or after TSMM easily.

*edit* just noticed you said you were doing Little Mermaid too. I've never seen it and don't know how long it is, so my answer might be completely worthless now.

 

[Chumpson]

Your answer isn't worthless, thanks for responding. Perhaps I skip the Mermaid until later. Not sure what that is, but I do know it isn't a top priority for us.

 

[msupulski]

I believe VotLM is 17 minutes or something of that sort. I think you can probably work in RnRC and ToT along with VotLM if you are there are RD and go directly to Sunset Boulv.

The first VotLM is at 9:30, then 10:00, and then 10:25. If you catch any of these shows you should be able to make it over to TSMM before your FP+ window is up because VotLM is really close to TSMM. If needed, you do have the 15 minute grace period as well, giving you until 11:15. Seeing the 10:25 VotLM will put you out of it by 10:45 with anywhere from 15-20 minutes to get to TSMM. That should be plenty of time. Literally the only thing between the two attractions is One Man's Dream and that Captain Jack thing which is a very short walk.

Edit: Oh, and I highly recommend BatB! It's been one of my favorite shows since I was a kid. Judging by your schedule, you could easily break around 1 (Star Tours rarely has a line over 20 minutes with the exception of SWW, but it's been a while since I've been in June so who knows), be back to see BatB at 5:30 and then head over to ToT for another FP+. Then hang around and do whatever until the second showing of Fantasmic, or even move ST until after BatB to give you more time for a break.

 

[Day-Day]

fyi if you are at the gates and they open early:

We have been at DHS when the gates opened 30 minutes before scheduled opening time (scheduled for 9am but opened at 8:30am). RnR and TOT did not operate until close to scheduled park opening. We went directly to TSM when the gates opened (we were near the front) and rode standby then went to RnR and waited a few minutes before it opened.

I have heard since then that this is normal when DHS opens much earlier than scheduled.

One poor family right in front of us asked the CM when the parked opened and she replied "9am" and maybe a wink-wink. Either there was no wink-wink or the guest missed it because he sent his kids away for something they wanted to do thinking they had plenty of time before the gates opened; the gates opened about 2 minutes after they left.

Last week we were at DHS and the gates opened 10 minutes early. I think the chances of 30-minute early opening increases during busy times of the year (i.e. when you will be there).

 

[Chumpson]

Well, based on the above comment that TSMM will likely be the only thing you can do before 9, I would think I should go to that, then head over to TOT and RnRc. I can't imagine having to do TSMM twice, I think the kids would rather do the Roller Coaster twice instead. Have to figure out the order because of the tiering. If I don't do TSMM first thing, we will miss it as I am NOT waiting in those lines without a FP+.

 

[sbrost13]

We were at HS in April over spring break. My DD and I were first in line at RD. THey only opened a few minutes before 9:00. We headed right to RnRC and were in the first ride of the day. Then we went straight to TOT and had a 5 minute wait. When we got off, we got right back in line for TOT and had a 15 minute wait. By that time it wasn't even 10:00. Hope that helps!

 

[Chumpson]

Egads...if it wasn't for FP+ I would go on the fly...if open at 8:30ish head to TSMM, if open at closer to 9 head to RnRc/TOT. With FP+ I have to make this decision ahead of time. ARGH.... I would prefer to only do TSMM once and the coaster/TOT twice.

 

[msupulski]

I have never seen TSMM with a shorter wait than RnRC or ToT. A lot of kiddies are scared to go near ToT or RnRC and they love TSMM, so it's no surprise a lot of families will go to that at the beginning as well. I would definitely use the FP for TSMM with the tiering system, as the standby line for RnRC is usually at least 30 minutes shorter and I would never ever wait in that TSMM without a FP (85 minutes for essentially the same thing as Buzz Lightyear at MK? No thank you).

 

[Chumpson]

It is better than Buzz, but I hear what you are saying. Someone posted on another thread saying.....It is playing bad wii games while someone pushes you around on your couch. I thought, that nails it. I did like it when I did it and I nobody else in my family has done it, so it would be nice, I just don't think we will need to do it twice and my kids love coasters.

Still trying to decide if I should get a FP for TSMM or rush to it first thing. Sucks that I have to choose now. If I could choose day of at the gate when they actually let us in, I would make a better choice.