During MM, Should I do Space now first over Peter Pan b/c of Ghost Galaxy?

[TigerLaw]

WDW vet, DL newbie with a question for the experts out there!

I know the rule on the boards for morning madness is peter pan first, always first, and so my plan for this sunday was:

1. peter pan
2-3 toad / alice
4 bobsleds (both sides)
5 space
6 buzz (if still time before 8am, otherwise get my first space FP at 8am)

NOW however, given the crowds ghost galaxy has been creating, my thought was to start w. space, THEN do the PP, toad, alice, bobsleds list and then get a FP and ride space a second time at 8am

any thoughts which way I should go?

and BTW, I leave tomorrow morning (have to get up at 3:30am sat. morning -yuck!), so I just wanted to thank everyone for all their insights during my many questions over the past month!

 

[HydroGuy]

Tiger, the thing about doing Space as a walk-on is that it takes so long. You think to yourself "I will just go right in and ride it and be off" and then you find out it has taken 20 minutes. By the time you walk to PP the PP line has ballooned to 20 or 30 minutes.

Since the introduction of FP my philosophy has always been "Morning time is precious - do not use it on FP rides when there are other rides without FP". With that said, when we are on multi-day trips we sometimes do the FP rides early when we have covered everything else on other days. This is usually at the urging of my kids - I personally would not do it that way.

In any case, if you grab your Space Mtn FP at 8AM you can easily get a second one later in the morning. So it might go something like this:

1. Grab Space FP at 8AM
2. Grab Indy FP at 8:45AM
3. Grab Splash FP at 9:30AM
4. Use Space FP at 10:00AM and grab 2nd Space FP at 10:20/10:30AM on the way out

OR

4b. Grab 2nd Space FP at 10:20/10:30AM and use 1st Space FP right then

5. Grab 5th FP at 12:20/12:30

Now that I think of it since you are going solo you should skip #3 because Splash has a single rider line and either get a BTMRR FP at #3 or bump up #4 Space Mtn to #3. For that matter I keep hearing about an Indy SR line too and if you can do Indy SR then you should skip #2 as well. Heck, you could get 3 Space Mtn FPs in the first couple hours.

I think you are aware that BTMRR is a popular ride at DL but not as much so as at MK. Usually you can BTMRR FPs late into the evening. And there is no SR for BTMRR.

HTH

 

[DLR29]

Agreeing completely with Hydroguy (I mean, who doesn't? ), I would still ride Peter Pan because:
a) It's line develops faster than Space, even during Ghost Galaxy
b) It has no FP

FP will be your friend for Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy. Manage your time correctly and if you are over at SM:GG at exactly official park opening (8? 9?), you can follow through with that plan that Hydroguy posted above. Managing your time at which you can get another FP is essential if you want to get a lot done.

 

[disneymum58]

We have alway found that it is best to ride Peter Pan first, then Matterhorn. My PLAN will be to do this, then go grab a FP for Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. Although I may have to do PP, Dumbo, then MH and SMGG. There is no way we will do SMGG without a FP.

 

[kkmcan]

Ok, this is interesting because I was going to go directly to SM at park opening, grab a fast pass, ride using the standby line and then head to Matterhorn, BUzz and then head across to left side of park to get Indy FP.

But now.... you say that it takes 20 min to actually ride SM even first thing in the morning. We would like to ride SM GG twice so maybe I should get the SM fp but skip riding it at this time?? And come back later to get a second fp?

What should I do here? Any help with this hydroguy?

 

[2wildchildzmom]

Just got back, yesterday was our MM day. We went to Peter Pan first and walked right on, then walked right on to Mr. Toad, Pinochio, carosel, tea cups and snow white. We did all of these in about 30 min. We did want to go on Alice, but didn't want to wait in the now long line.

When we got off of snow white we looked over to PP and it was PACKED! We were sure glad we rode it first thing. By then the bobsleds had a 30 min. wait, but we had ridden it earlier in the week so we skipped it, Ghost Galaxy was a 15 min wait, it was our 4th time riding it. WE LOVED Ghost Galaxy so much fun!

 

[VallCopen]

Please help - I am confused??? Hydroguy suggested that TigerLaw get all those fast passes in the morning approx. 45 minutes apart. (5 or so by noon) I thought you could only get fast passes every 2 hours? Are you saying that when you get fast passes early in the morning that their return times will be within 30-45 minutes there for allowing you to get another fast pass rather quickly? We are going next month and I just want to be sure I understand because obviously I haven't been using the fastpass to my advantage.

 

[HydroGuy]

Ok, this is interesting because I was going to go directly to SM at park opening, grab a fast pass, ride using the standby line and then head to Matterhorn, BUzz and then head across to left side of park to get Indy FP.

But now.... you say that it takes 20 min to actually ride SM even first thing in the morning. We would like to ride SM GG twice so maybe I should get the SM fp but skip riding it at this time?? And come back later to get a second fp?

What should I do here? Any help with this hydroguy?

It really depends on when you get there. If you are the absolute first person on the ride it will probably be faster than 20 minutes. Maybe 10 minutes. The ride itself takes about 3, you have to walk all the way up the ramp and to the loading area which is another 3 (?), and then you have to load on and off, etc. If you are not first then you have to wait in line. It can easy turn into 20 minutes. It is like walking up with a FP and thinking how you will cut to the front of the line and it will be a short experience and then the whole thing takes 30 minutes with FP.

My point is that it takes time to go on a ride, and during that time other lines with low capacity like PP can build a lot.

As for what you want to do, Buzz and Matterhorn have pretty short lines in the morning and so maybe doing SM first thing will work for you. But for those who also want to do PP, Dumbo, Nemo, etc. it may not be a good choice.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

Please help - I am confused??? Hydroguy suggested that TigerLaw get all those fast passes in the morning approx. 45 minutes apart. (5 or so by noon) I thought you could only get fast passes every 2 hours? Are you saying that when you get fast passes early in the morning that their return times will be within 30-45 minutes there for allowing you to get another fast pass rather quickly? We are going next month and I just want to be sure I understand because obviously I haven't been using the fastpass to my advantage.

The answer is YES you can collect many fp in the morning most of the time is 30 to 40 minutes before you can get another one.

 

[rentayenta]

What rides are open during MM?

 

[HydroGuy]

Please help - I am confused??? Hydroguy suggested that TigerLaw get all those fast passes in the morning approx. 45 minutes apart. (5 or so by noon) I thought you could only get fast passes every 2 hours? Are you saying that when you get fast passes early in the morning that their return times will be within 30-45 minutes there for allowing you to get another fast pass rather quickly? We are going next month and I just want to be sure I understand because obviously I haven't been using the fastpass to my advantage.

When you get a FP you can get your next one after 40-45 minutes minimum up to 2 hours maximum. It depends on your return window.

For example, if you get a Space FP at 8AM the return window will be like 8:45-9:45AM. As soon as 8:45 comes you can get another FP for anything.

Once it gets to be 10 or 11AM for a popular ride like Space Mtn, if you get a FP the return window will be for later in the day. Maybe 5-6PM? Since the window is more than two hours away then the two hour rule applies. You have to wait two hours to get a FP. Except for Space Mtn which will not give you another FP until 5PM or whenever the window opens. In the case of Space Mtn there will usually be no more FPs available at 5PM.

When you get a FP it tells you on the FP when you can get your next FP. See the pic below for a FP obtained at 11:01AM (see pic). Near the bottom it says you can your next FP "after 11:40AM".

For more info see "Getting the Most Out of FastPass During High Season" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

 

[VallCopen]

Thank you for the info Hydroguy I didn't realize that is how it worked in the morning, can't wait to try it out next month.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you for the info Hydroguy I didn't realize that is how it worked in the morning, can't wait to try it out next month.

To say "this is how it works in the morning" is misleading. This is how it always works. What is different about mornings is that the popular rides have FP return windows very close to the time of FP issue. That changes things. The less popular FP rides often have 45 minute delays all day - BTMRR, Buzz, Screamin, ToT.

 

[DangerMouse]

What rides are open during MM?

Jenny, typically the following:

Peter Pan
Dumbo
Toad
Teacups
Alice
Pinocchio
Snow White Scary Adventures
Carousel
Buzz
Astro Orbitor
Space
Nemo

Sometimes, but no always, IASW and Star Tours are also open during MM.

 

[rentayenta]

Jenny, typically the following:

Peter Pan
Dumbo
Toad
Teacups
Alice
Pinocchio
Snow White Scary Adventures
Carousel
Buzz
Astro Orbitor
Space
Nemo

Sometimes, but no always, IASW and Star Tours are also open during MM.

Sweet Callie to the rescue!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Jenny, typically the following:

Peter Pan
Dumbo
Toad
Teacups
Alice
Pinocchio
Snow White Scary Adventures
Carousel
Buzz
Astro Orbitor
Space
Nemo

Sometimes, but no always, IASW and Star Tours are also open during MM.

In the future the PP can also check "Magic Morning (Early Entry) Super Thread" by DLR29 www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

 

[disneynerd420]

Out of the three magic mornings I had on my Sept 25th -30th trip, SPGG never had more than a ten minute wait. Once the park opened to the public is when it started getting busy. Enjoy FL first and then head over to space. It will not be busy.

 

[Hound 109]

Just got back, yesterday was our MM day. We went to Peter Pan first and walked right on, then walked right on to Mr. Toad, Pinochio, carosel, tea cups and snow white. We did all of these in about 30 min. We did want to go on Alice, but didn't want to wait in the now long line.

When we got off of snow white we looked over to PP and it was PACKED! We were sure glad we rode it first thing. By then the bobsleds had a 30 min. wait, but we had ridden it earlier in the week so we skipped it, Ghost Galaxy was a 15 min wait, it was our 4th time riding it. WE LOVED Ghost Galaxy so much fun!

Thanks for posting this, 2wildchildzmom. Your post & disneynerd's post (about SM not being crowded until park opening) confirms what i was thinking while i was reading this thread.

It has been discussed many times, but with MM (imo):

- PP first...always first (& the post above illustrates why).
- Dumbo next (if the elephant is on your list)
- Alice or Matterhorn (both are the next to fill up...if doing BOTH sides of Matterhorn, I'd do Alice first...if only doing ONE side of Matterhorn, I'd do Matterhorn first then Alice next).
- Toady or Teacups (if Teacups are ready to load...hop on, if not, do Toady then the Teacups).
- Carousel - Pinocchio - SnowWhite (any order....if the Carousel is loading hop on, otherwise any order).

But....say Dumbo, Carousel & the Teacups aren't on your list....& you want to postpone Pinocchio & Snow White til later (which is ok to do since they seldom have much of a line). Then after riding (in order) PP, Materhorn, Alice & Toady....& it's :35 after.....then it's A-OK to hop on Buzz once (no line) & SM once, THEN pick up your first FP at SM at :00.

 

[PHXscuba]

Thanks for the Halloween-specific advice, everyone.

I figure we'll probably be through with our Fantasyland MM stuff by about :40 after, so maybe we'll go ride SM:GG. We'll have to do parent-swap anyways, and make sure whoever isn't riding is stationed at the FP machines when they open right on the hour.

...Of course that begs the Q, if they aren't using the FP return line yet, how does parent swap work during MM? Never thought about that wrinkle ... Anyone do parent swap on a MM?

PHXscuba

 

[Chris420]

Out of the three magic mornings I had on my Sept 25th -30th trip, SPGG never had more than a ten minute wait. Once the park opened to the public is when it started getting busy. Enjoy FL first and then head over to space. It will not be busy.

agreed, even if you get to space at 8am exactly everyone else still has to walk all the way over there, it still had walk on lines till about 30 min to an hour after the park opened the week we were just there and that was opening weekend.

Do FL first end at space, grab a FP, walk on and save your FP for another ride later