Disneyland Newb and Rope Drop

[webcreatrix]

I've booked a last minute trip to Disneyland over the Labor Day weekend. We will be there Sunday night through Tuesday. We're staying at a Good Neighbor hotel (Candy Cane Inn), and so we will have Magic Morning at DLR on the Tuesday. Should we Rope Drop Disneyland that day and California Adventure on Monday, Labor Day? Here's the calendar for these days: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/five-day/2017-09-03/.

 

[HydroGuy]

I've booked a last minute trip to Disneyland over the Labor Day weekend. We will be there Sunday night through Tuesday. We're staying at a Good Neighbor hotel (Candy Cane Inn), and so we will have Magic Morning at DLR on the Tuesday. Should we Rope Drop Disneyland that day and California Adventure on Monday, Labor Day? Here's the calendar for these days: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/five-day/2017-09-03/.

Hard to say. Mondays are EMH for DCA. Tuesdays for DL. If you do rope drop at DCA Monday there will be a lot of people ahead of you. So it will come down to how important DCA is to you and whether getting there behind other folks is OK. On a holiday, Monday.

 

[webcreatrix]

Hard to say. Mondays are EMH for DCA. Tuesdays for DL. If you do rope drop at DCA Monday there will be a lot of people ahead of you. So it will come down to how important DCA is to you and whether getting there behind other folks is OK. On a holiday, Monday.

Most important for us at California Adventure will be RSR and Guardians. Third priority would be California Screaming, but we would ride that single rider if needed. We will also have Sunday night, when DLR is open until midnight, but we won't arrive until late.

 

[HydroGuy]

Most important for us at California Adventure will be RSR and Guardians. Third priority would be California Screaming, but we would ride that single rider if needed. We will also have Sunday night, when DLR is open until midnight, but we won't arrive until late.

Scremain is rarely difficult to ride. GOTG and RSR are the hard ones. Will you be doing MaxPass?

If it were me, I would rope drop DL Monday (no EMH) and use EMH/MM on Tuesday at DL.

If you did that, there would be no DCA rope drop for you on this trip. If you have MaxPass, you can book FPs for DCA from DL after you enter. So maximize your rope drop at DL and get late morning FPs at DCA and hop over there to ride your must do rides.

Tuesday after Labor Day the crowds will likely dramatically decrease.

 

[webcreatrix]

Scremain is rarely difficult to ride. GOTG and RSR are the hard ones. Will you be doing MaxPass?

If it were me, I would rope drop DL Monday (no EMH) and use EMH/MM on Tuesday at DL.

If you did that, there would be no DCA rope drop for you on this trip. If you have MaxPass, you can book FPs for DCA from DL after you enter. So maximize your rope drop at DL and get late morning FPs at DCA and hop over there to ride your must do rides.

Tuesday after Labor Day the crowds will likely dramatically decrease.

I am seriously considering Maxpass as we'd like Photopass and it doesn't seem to expensive for 2-3 days. Your recommendation definitely makes sense. If you had two DLR rope drops, would you split it between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland?

 

[smartlabelprint]

You have a magic morning because you have a 3 day ticket purchased prior to your trip. Not because you're at a good neighbor hotel. No perks from that.

 

[webcreatrix]

You have a magic morning because you have a 3 day ticket purchased prior to your trip. Not because you're at a good neighbor hotel. No perks from that.

Yes, you are correct.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'd rope drop DL both days. Mon DCA will be full of hotel guests so you lose the benefit of entering an empty park.

I've seen lots of recommendations to try MaxPass (haven't myself)- I'd totally do it in your shoes over Labor Day Weekend, especially given your desire to ride FP rides GOTG & RSR.

 

[webcreatrix]

I'd rope drop DL both days. Mon DCA will be full of hotel guests so you lose the benefit of entering an empty park.

I've seen lots of recommendations to try MaxPass (haven't myself)- I'd totally do it in your shoes over Labor Day Weekend, especially given your desire to ride FP rides GOTG & RSR.

Thank you for your advice. I think we will plan to RD DL both days and do the MaxPass.

 

[22Tink]

Thank you for your advice. I think we will plan to RD DL both days and do the MaxPass.

Definitely do MaxPass! We rode GOTG 3 times and RSR 2 times in 1 day this past week. We also walked onto CS countless times as it almost always has instant FP return times.

 

[HydroGuy]

I am seriously considering Maxpass as we'd like Photopass and it doesn't seem to expensive for 2-3 days. Your recommendation definitely makes sense. If you had two DLR rope drops, would you split it between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland?

Again, it depends on priorities, but if you have any desire to visit Fantasyland that is best to do during EMH IMO. So on Monday AM, avoid Fantasyland at DL and go elsewhere. Tuesday do DL's FL during EMH. Use MP to get DCA FPs and hop over there when you are ready either or both days. If it were me, I would hop Monday after I got a couple DCA FPs. Maybe get RSR first then GOTG, then hop at the end of the RSR window and ride, and then do GOTG w FP. Visit DCA little. Stay there or hop back to DL as you see fit.

 

[webcreatrix]

Again, it depends on priorities, but if you have any desire to visit Fantasyland that is best to do during EMH IMO. So on Monday AM, avoid Fantasyland at DL and go elsewhere. Tuesday do DL's FL during EMH. Use MP to get DCA FPs and hop over there when you are ready either or both days. If it were me, I would hop Monday after I got a couple DCA FPs. Maybe get RSR first then GOTG, then hop at the end of the RSR window and ride, and then do GOTG w FP. Visit DCA little. Stay there or hop back to DL as you see fit.

We plan to hit DL Sunday evening when they close at midnight - late arrival. I thought that might be a good time to hit Fantasyland early, but a west coast friend told me Fantasyland closes early? For Fantasyland we'd want to hit the non-WDW rides.

 

[webcreatrix]

@HydroGuy, I'm going to read your DL for WDW vets articles again re: Fantasyland rides, particularly Peter Pan which is my most favorite.

 

[HydroGuy]

We plan to hit DL Sunday evening when they close at midnight - late arrival. I thought that might be a good time to hit Fantasyland early, but a west coast friend told me Fantasyland closes early? For Fantasyland we'd want to hit the non-WDW rides.

FL closes during fireworks which will happen Sunday night and likely also Monday because it is a holiday.

Doing the non-WDW rides FL rides means doing everything but PP and Mad Tea Party. But I would do both anyways if I were you. MTP is different as there is no roof. and PP had some cool projection effects not at WDW.

I would not try to do FL on Sunday night. I would do other things if I were you.