DL and DCA in 1 Day

[tuc48038]

Hi All!

Got a park hopper pass for this Saturday, May 30th! With all of the new things going on at Disney, we want to make sure we hit up all the highlights, but we only have the one day. Can any of you tell me if doing the following is feasible if we get there at 9 am and stay through the fireworks? Our priority is DCA since we went to DL a month ago.

Tower of Terror
RSR
Bugs Life
California Screamin
Grizzly River Run
Toy Story Mania
Soarin
World of Color (9 pm)
Aladdin Show
Indiana Jones
Star Tours
Pirates
Matterhorn
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Fireworks (9:30 pm)

Let me know and thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[tiffjoy]

Which rides are you planning on utilizing FP for? If you aren't using FP for RSR, or at least single rider line, I would make that your first stop. TSMM also should be earlier- these two rides should be done first. We usually get FP for RSR and rides TSMM very first thing.

WOC and the fireworks overlap, so you are going to have to choose one or the other, I think. If you really push and rush, you *might* make it into DLR for the fireworks, but it's cutting very, very close. And you'd still have to find a spot to see them.

 

[jammyjam25]

I agree I think trying to do WOC and Fireworks the same night might be extremely difficult. WOC starts at 9 (if it starts exactly on time) and runs approximately 20+ minutes, leaving you only ten minutes to get out of the WOC crowd, walk across DCA and the esplanade, and onto what will likely be a very crowded Main Street to try and squeeze into a fireworks viewing spot.

Other than that I think you could accomplish your other goals for the day by utilizing fast pass and single rider lines. Best of luck!

 

[carisa81]

That's a big day! You'll have so much fun and I think you can fit most of those things in. Have fun.

 

[IDreamofPoly]

I don't think this would be possible.

You should RD the headliners at DCA... RSR and TSMM.
Soarin' has just re-opened after a very long refurb. Expect longer than average wait times.
Aladdin is like a 40 min show.
ToT is reporting a 50 min wait right now... so I can't imagine it would be less on a Saturday.

But as far as Disneyland goes, these are all around a 45 min wait (or more) attractions on a Saturday during the busiest periods of the year...

Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Matterhorn (remember loooooong refurb just completed last weekend)
Indiana Jones
Star Tours

 

[SMD]

I did the 9pm WOC on Friday and the fireworks started before we had exited after the show. I'd do fireworks first, then the later WOC.

 

[tuc48038]

I did the 9pm WOC on Friday and the fireworks started before we had exited after the show. I'd do fireworks first, then the later WOC.

I wish there was a later one! Sadly there is only a 9 pm show

 

[SMD]

I wish there was a later one! Sadly there is only a 9 pm show

I think both of the new shows are online at this point, you might want to watch them both and pick one. On the one had, I didn't like the new WOC as much, but with fireworks coming right after the new parade, if you're not going to do both, it might be hard to find a spot for fireworks, whereas there's FP for WOC. Plus, you can still see the fireworks from outside the park.

 

[rentayenta]

I don't think you'll be able to swing WoC and fireworks from good vantage points. You'll most likely see the fireworks from the esplanade on the way out of DCA.

Are you staying on property and have access to EMH/MM?

 

[tuc48038]

I am not staying on property. I think we will just do WoC. It stinks because we saw the short (lame) fireworks show from last time and wanted to catch the new one after hearing rave things, but since my GF hasn't been to DCA and seen WoC before, it might make more sense to do that, especially with FP.

To answer another person's question about FP, we plan on using it as much as we can, but I think the goal is to do everything in DCA first since that's a priority, then move over to DL to do our favs. Indy, Star Tours, Matterhorn and Splash are the must's over there.

 

[rentayenta]

You can get a lot done in the last two hours at Disneyland. Are there 1 or 2 F! shows? That'll impact the late night crowds as well.

 

[tuc48038]

You can get a lot done in the last two hours at Disneyland. Are there 1 or 2 F! shows? That'll impact the late night crowds as well.

Just the one show at 9:30

 

[tiffjoy]

I am not staying on property. I think we will just do WoC. It stinks because we saw the short (lame) fireworks show from last time and wanted to catch the new one after hearing rave things, but since my GF hasn't been to DCA and seen WoC before, it might make more sense to do that, especially with FP.

To answer another person's question about FP, we plan on using it as much as we can, but I think the goal is to do everything in DCA first since that's a priority, then move over to DL to do our favs. Indy, Star Tours, Matterhorn and Splash are the must's over there.

I'm not a WOC fan (although haven't seen the new one and plan to) and absolutley love fireworks, so I'd personally skip WOC and watch the parade and fireworks. Two shows for one sitting. But that's just my bias.

This is how I would do it:

DCA at rope drop (9am you said?)

FP RSR
TSMM
California Screamin
GRR (be aware you can get very wet)
FP Soarin (should be possible based on times)
Ride RSR if window is open
Bug's Land- are you doing all the rides here? Could be about 45 min, depending on how crowded. Some are slow loaders.
Grab quick snack or lunch
See Aladdin first show at 12:40
Ride Soarin

Head over to DL - probably around 2:00 at the earliest.

I hesitate to map out your rides here as I have no experience with trying to only hit the big, FP rides all in the space of a few hours. Matterhorn especially will be long since it was just refurbed. I would use an app to check wait times and try to avoid crossing the park too much back and forth. You might consider utilizing single rider line for Indy and Splash in order to get them all done.

FP ST
Matterhorn
Single Rider line Indy
Pirates
Single Rider line Splash
FP SM
Ride ST
Dinner
Ride SM
Find spot for fireworks

I think it's pretty optimistic, but give the right day and the right crowds and no ride going down, you could do it.

 

[tuc48038]

I'm not a WOC fan (although haven't seen the new one and plan to) and absolutley love fireworks, so I'd personally skip WOC and watch the parade and fireworks. Two shows for one sitting. But that's just my bias.

This is how I would do it:

DCA at rope drop (9am you said?)

FP RSR
TSMM
California Screamin
GRR (be aware you can get very wet)
FP Soarin (should be possible based on times)
Ride RSR if window is open
Bug's Land- are you doing all the rides here? Could be about 45 min, depending on how crowded. Some are slow loaders.
Grab quick snack or lunch
See Aladdin first show at 12:40
Ride Soarin

Head over to DL - probably around 2:00 at the earliest.

I hesitate to map out your rides here as I have no experience with trying to only hit the big, FP rides all in the space of a few hours. Matterhorn especially will be long since it was just refurbed. I would use an app to check wait times and try to avoid crossing the park too much back and forth. You might consider utilizing single rider line for Indy and Splash in order to get them all done.

FP ST
Matterhorn
Single Rider line Indy
Pirates
Single Rider line Splash
FP SM
Ride ST
Dinner
Ride SM
Find spot for fireworks

I think it's pretty optimistic, but give the right day and the right crowds and no ride going down, you could do it.

I hope we don't have to do single rider and can get the fast passes whenever we can, but if we end up not getting on anything, it's not the end of the world. We want to have a fun time, but we don't want to be stressed. That's one of the issues with FP in my opinion. I hate the feeling of having to be back somewhere at a certain time and stressing out if we get caught in a line for another ride or what have you.

 

[Disney Kidd]

It's definitely doable. I took my now husband to Disneyland and California Adventure for the firs time and went on almost everything (in one day)!

I saw the fireworks last night and they were incredible! But if you don't want to be so stressed, the World of Color is more of a guarantee with fastpass. The fireworks filled up within seconds and were extremely crowded.

I agree with the other posters. Grab a FP for RSR first thing, then go to TSMM. Most of the lines at DCA move incredibly fast.

Once at Disneyland, I would get a FP for Space Mountain (these usually run out first at DL), and utilize Single Rider for Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones. I do this often, and mostly end up sitting with a person in my party anyways.

After WOC, head to DL and ride the rides you missed. The waits will be shorter.

 

[tuc48038]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I'm so excited!

 

[TechGuy]

Are you flying solo on this trip? If so, single rider any line you can and you may make it.

Either way, plan your FP pick-ups and pick up your next FP before going on your first FP's ride, after the window opens. Your ride window and "next" FP availability times are printed on the FP. Some people go into DCA first thing in the morning just to get RSR and WOC color FPs before going back across to start their day in DL. They return to DCA just before the RSR window. You can carry both RSR and WOC FP at the same time, as well as get 1 DL FP and the FP for F!, if you want. So, you can carry up to 4 FP at any one time.

 

[2boysmom1998]

May 30th is a Grad Night. I've been hearing a lot of horror stories about how bad the crowds on days there are Grad Nights. Hopefully you can do everything you want. Good luck!

 

[tuc48038]

May 30th is a Grad Night. I've been hearing a lot of horror stories about how bad the crowds on days there are Grad Nights. Hopefully you can do everything you want. Good luck!

Oh wow, did not know that! When do you think the crowds will pick up for that? Like 4 pm?

 

[2boysmom1998]

Oh wow, did not know that! When do you think the crowds will pick up for that? Like 4 pm?

Tonight is a Grad Night and I have been watching the wait times this afternoon. As of 4:00 today Mouseawaits had Disneyland at 92% capacity and DCA at 82%. The lines look pretty bad. I don't know how accurate it is but from the stories I've heard it gets pretty crazy from 3:00pm to 12:00am. It's bad. I have 3 Grad Nights next week when I'm there. I'm not very happy. I'm going to have to change my plans.