Hi Guys!!
I really need some help.
I'm from the UK and a resident WDW expert but haven't been to
Disneyland since I was 5 and me and my bf are going for a day on the 14th June, and then perhaps for 3.5 hours on the 15th June... so I really need some help and a 'plan of action' for the day so to speak. BUT there are a few, fairly serious variables...
- We won't be able to get to the park until about 12pm as we're driving from Vegas that morning...
- 14th June, as I'm sure most of you know, is the day that California Adventure is closed so I'm expecting Disneyland to be twice as busy.
- We've booked an ADR at the Blue Bayou at 6pm.
- I would like to see Fantasmic.
- We can go back into the park on the 15th June for 3 hours. But the England game is on at 11.45 so we have to be out by then. Men lol.
-Do we need to book at the ESPN bar if we want to eat there?
I would desperately like to do:
-Splash Mountain
-Indiana Jones
-Space Mountain
-Haunted Mansion
-Storybook Canal Boats
-POTC
-Peter Pan's Flight
-It's Tough to Be a Bug
And potentially catch the parade.
Is this doable?
Please help all you DL experts!!
Tracey x
Actually I was a bit confused at first when I thought you wanted to do all of that in 3.5 hours and I was going to tell you NO way lol. Not on a busy day anyway, which is when you will be there.
But then I realized you are going to be there an entire day basically and trying to stretch these rides for two days even if the second day is very short, so SURE!
Really, even if June 14th will be packed with DCA down, you get there at noon time you still got TWELVE HOURS from when you get there to closing. Its not going to be hard at all. YES, there will definitely be lines, but if you are prepared to stand in them you will see everything on that list and then some. And there will probably still be FPs for a few of those if not all. They will probably be later in the day, but you can easily do it.
This would be my plan of attack for both days.
June 14th:
Get FPs for Indy and Splash, PROBABLY Splash first because if its hot and BUSY those usually goes first. Indy sticks around for awhile unless its REALLY busy, you guys shouldnt have a problem getting any of them.
BUT, lets say its really dooms day that day and all FPs are just gone and its a madhouse. My thing is do Indy when you get in the park. 1-2 hour waits, get in line and get it out of the way. As for Splash HONESTLY, its going to be a nice day most likely, do it after 9 pm! Lines shrivel to a pea by then (Californians lol). After 10 pm, its usually a 10 min wait at best. Really you dont get that wet and the warm weather will you dry you up in 10 mins even at that hour. I know, I havent done Splash Mountain at DL before 9 pm in a decade now lol. Now if its REALLY busy it could be longer, like 20-30 mins but it will still be better than the 90+ wait in the afternoon. And those waits is really the only way I can see FPs gone that early. But dont worry, NEITHER FPs should be gone if you get there early afternoon. If they are, it tells you the park is a madhouse lol.
I didnt forget to mention SM, same thing, if you can pick up a FP, then do it! But I would say if you cant, then either A. Leave this open to your FINAL ride like say 11:30 p.m.-12 so you dont feel like you are waisting your time in another huge line when it could be for something else or B. Just do it the next day! Of course that can apply to Indy and Splash as well!
Fantasyland rides: Peter Pan, Storybook, etc, you shouldnt have a problem doing these at all. Peter Pan on AVERAGE is 40 mins (but if you go to DLP, then you know this is a short wait compared to Paris lol). But yes, just give yourself 45 mins for both assuming the day is packed and you will have no problems. OR the other option is you can wait until after the fireworks and then do Peter Pan! They shut down FL about 40 mins before the fireworks and then reopen it 30 mins later or within that time. So if you get to the rope during or after the fireworks, you guys can tackle that ride in 10-15 mins just be there at rope drop! I would normally suggest that, but if you want to do Fantasmic, this option will probably be out. But just hit them in the afternoon or after Blue Bayou!
Parade: I say see the second show! As the other poster said, the area in FL is the least crowded. BUT, if you want to see it at Main Street, then you should see it by the fire station. There is a standing area there and you can get there 10 mins before showtime and still get a GREAT view! YOu dont have to find a decent seat 30 mins before show time. And the second show comes from Main Street so you dont have to spend a lot of time waiting for it either.
POTC and HM will be no more than 30 mins average even in the busiest days so shouldnt be a problem at all! But if its like 45 mins during the afternoon, then just wait until later. In fact if you go during the first Fantasmic for both of them, it will be a complete walk on basically.
Fantasmic: See the second show!!! The first show will be jammed! I know at WDW they have the stadium obviously but here it is more a meat packing mentality. This is what you do for the second show. The minute the FIRST show is over, simply grab a spot and you will get a decent view and its a 40 min wait tops. AND after Fantasmic if you didnt already do POTC or HM during the first show, just go after the second one! It will be a complete walk on. And THEN you can head on over to Splash Mountain if you couldnt get a FP since that thing will be a ghost town lol!
June 15th:
Go to DL first and either A. Grab a FP for SM or the other two and come back later OR if the ride is under 40 min wait, which I'm guessing it will, then just stand in line. If you have lots of time, ride something else as well.
After that head to DCA! And thank god you only want to see Its Tough to be a Bug because its going to be a mad house for nearly everything else lol. Honetly, everyone is going to be at Carsland and BVS so I dont think its going to be more than a 10 min wait at best...which it usually is. IF its busy as the other poster suggested, its maybe 20 min at most, but I wouldnt worry.
And if the excitement of Carsland doesnt keep you guys around, then head back to DL and do SM FP! And you should have time to do a few other things before the big game!
So, in short:
June 14th:
-Hit the park and grab SM, Splash and/or Indy FP. Pick the one that has latest return time since that will obviously go first. As said, you will be able to get at least two. BUT you could get all three! But if all gone, stand in the one you really want to do and just wait in line for Splash after 9 or 10 or Fantasmic. And/or do a midnight jaunt for one of the others.
-FL attractions, have lots of time do after Blue Bayou! Even if they are long lines, you will have plenty of time.
-POTC and HM shouldnt be a problem at all if you wait in the evenings. But should be a walk on or 10 mins during Fantasmic and most of the night.
-Parade do second show and either at the end of the FL OR near the fire station on MS with less of a wait.
-Fantasmic also the second show, just grab a spot after the first show ends!
June 15th:
-DL first, hit either one of the FP attractions to get one or just stand in line if not too busy.
-DCA, do ITTBAB and either go back to DL for your FP ride or just hang out in DCA until kick off time! (Oh wait, wrong football lol)
And thats how you do it! Honestly follow that advice you will be able to do all those things and a whole lot more even on a really busy day. Just get there ASAP, grab FPs, do the lines for whatever you can and do the other rides later at night as directed and it will be easy sailing!
As for ESPN, no reservations, but it CAN be a wait in the afternoon and evenings although since this is the morning time, I really doubt it! Should be a 20 min wait tops at that time if not a complete walk in, but head down 30 mins if you want to be safe! Have fun!
Opps, I was on another site and found out you CAN make reservations for ESPN like all the major restaurants in DTD, but no, not neccessary if you want to eat there. I would say make a reservation just to be on the safe side, but should be fine!
). 
but that's just me. 
