Dwarf Mine Train Fast Pass Question

[mlggator]

Hi,
We have a late in the day 3:55 to 4:55 fast pass for this ride. My original strategy was to try to get all my fast passes completed early in the day so I could collect more fast passes. This late fast pass time makes it hard to do that. So here is my question:
Are we better to keep this time and just enjoy what we have?
Or, if we get there at or near opening and go straight to Mine Train, will we have a long wait? Would this be a better option and we just drop the fast pass? How long of a wait is there at or near opening?

We are Disneyland pass holders. Since we don't have this ride, I do want to experience it.

Thanks!

 

[DWillowBay]

Since you don't indicate when you are going, it's difficult to give you an educated guess on the wait time. However, generally speaking, if you head straight to the Mine Train...with all the others who are heading straight to the Mine Train....you will have a moderate wait...not horrible, but not a walk-on. There are other options though... You can continue to check the for available fastpasses on MDE because sometimes, closer to the date you will be there, things open up and you might be able to change your fastpass to an earlier time. If you decide to head straight to the Mine Train and are able to ride it earlier in the day, you can THEN change your later fp to something else that is available. That way, you either get to ride early or still have the opportunity to ride it later, if need be.
There are some websites (www.touringplans.com for example) that do their best to estimate wait times for each ride in the parks on a particular day. You may want to consult that kind of resource to have a better sense of crowd levels for the times you are traveling.

No matter what, you have a fp for the Mine Train and surely you will enjoy it one way or the other. Have fun!

 

[mlggator]

I should have definitely said that day that we are going, because it is likely to make a difference. We are going on Saturday, Feb 14th - day of the 1/2 marathon I just found out, President's weekend, Mardi-gras and Valentine's Day. I know its a terrible day to go to MK, but its the only day that fits our schedule.

Suggestions on how to strategize this day would be greatly appreciated. We want to do the following rides:
Dwarf Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder (but prefer this at night)
Haunted Mansion (House here? - we're Disneyland people)
Mickey's Philharmagic

What does everyone suggest?

Right now I have Space (early), Splash (noon-ish) and Dwarf Mine Train (late afternoon). Currently Space and Splash are easily changed to an earlier time.

 

[mlggator]

We now have our friends coming with us. Their son is in a wheelchair and will be using a wheelchair pass.

We cannot get a fast pass for this ride for them at this time. Should we dump ours and then use the GAC to go on the Mine Train or should we keep it?

HELP! I just don't know what to do. This is a must do, but we now want to do it with our friends too.

So many decisions.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Robo]

As you can see, FP+ has made things MUCH EASIER* for guests.

(*sarcasm, of course.)



My only real suggestion on getting FP+ for the 7DMT is to
keep trying.
keep trying.
keep trying.

 

[dayvewc]

We now have our friends coming with us. Their son is in a wheelchair and will be using a wheelchair pass. We cannot get a fast pass for this ride for them at this time. Should we dump ours and then use the GAC to go on the Mine Train or should we keep it? HELP! I just don't know what to do. This is a must do, but we now want to do it with our friends too. So many decisions. Thanks for any suggestions.

If the wheelchair is the only modification he needs, your friends son will not get a GAC, so I wouldn't depend on being able to use that. On the positive side, he will be able to bypass portions of the lines on Splash and Haunted Mansion, and get a mobility return time for BTMRR.

 

[hiroMYhero]

The Princess 1/2 Marathon weekend is the following weekend - 20-22.

Can your group make it to rope drop? Last year we were there on Presidents' Day when the park opened at 7:00. At 8:30, rides were still walk-on. The Mine Train hadn't yet opened but there are low crowds when there is a very early park opening.

Check to see if they are opening up the park earlier and try to get there as close to rope drop as possible. But, also keep checking for FPs.

 

[mlggator]

I thought about rope drop. That may be the best solution.

My friends son has muscular dystrophy and tires very easy along with other difficulties. They are annual pass holders out here at Disneyland and are able to get a GAC for him. I am assuming that it would be the same at WDW.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I thought about rope drop. That may be the best solution.

My friends son has muscular dystrophy and tires very easy along with other difficulties. They are annual pass holders out here at Disneyland and are able to get a GAC for him. I am assuming that it would be the same at WDW.

I highly doubt, with his diagnosis, that he will be denied a GAC. Now, that does change your planning.

We also had DL APs for many years and were always rope drop people... even were chosen as the family of the day once and opened DL! So, I still recommend rope drop or as early as possible. Utilize the GAC while still holding the FPs in case some in your party want to ride Mine Train a second time - you can swap MagicBands so the chosen riders can ride.

If your group decides a 2nd ride isn't necessary, change the FPs as soon as you decide. Last year on Presidents Day, we went to a FP kiosk at 9:00 to see what was available and were able to schedule Buzz for immediate use, BTMRR and HM immediately following time-wise. Changing as early as possible will be best but do get in as many rides in the morning and use the GAC.

 

[littlejimmy]

personally, I would drop my fp to seven dwarfs. and go there at rope drop. 10 minute wait. then head to space fp. get an earlier splash fp, and do hm fast pass. as soon as possible then grab fp for thunder.

 

[edk35]

MY dd is there now. They went straight to Mine Train yesterday when park opened. Matter of fact they were at the entrance/line up area before 9:00. She texted me at 8:57. It still took them 30 min. Then they went to Peter Pan directly afterwards and that line from the time they got in the line and got on the ride was 40 min. Now this is a low crowd time of year. It is also the park that was suggested as a great MK day. I would fast pass Mine Train if you have little ones. She wished she had not even bothered with MT because it wasted time for the other rides in Fantasy Land. That first hour or two is crucial now with the new system.... in order to do the more popular rides via standby. We did the MT in Aug. and we never need to ride again. It was not worth giving up a coveted fast pass in our opinion however our youngest is 16 so younger kids will like it.

 

[Brian Noble]

You really need to be *at the rope* and stay near the front of the pack to avoid a long wait at 7DMT, even first thing in the morning. But, with an extra party member, you probably don't have much choice.

The new DAS system is going to be less helpful than the old GAC, but possibly still an option---I don't know if your friends have experienced that yet.

 

[Aquatic]

Utilize the GAC while still holding the FPs in case some in your party want to ride Mine Train a second time - you can swap MagicBands so the chosen riders can ride.

If your group decides a 2nd ride isn't necessary, change the FPs as soon as you decide. .

I agree with this. ^

We were at MK on Jan. 4, 6 and 7, 2015. We got there at RD on 2 days, and we're able to do at least 4 rides before 10:15 (stopping for pictures included). Of course, we had a 6-year-old and our choices will not be the same as yours. My husband stayed later one night to do the other rides my daughter didn't want to do. He was able to get a FP for Haunted Mansion and POTC. He rode BTMRR on standby with less than a 20-minute wait, and Space Mountain with a 25-minute wait (but you already have fastpasses for that).

 

[saturn5]

Since 7DMT is something you want to do with your other party, I would agree with everyone else here, and do rope drop. The Cm's walk you straight to the ride so as long as you stay at the front, you should be good to go. That way you could drop the FP if no one else wanted to ride it (not recommended). Being there that early in the morning could help with your party getting more rides done, just avoid the ones you have FP for.

 

[mlggator]

Thank you everyone for your very helpful advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[smitch425]

I would definitely hit 7DMT at rope drop and keep the FPs. It's a fun ride. Also, I highly suggest that you direct your friend to this thread if they are not familiar with the WDW DAS...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3178976