Epcot/DHS/Flying Fish--Making Time for All 3!--Making Changes and Need Help!--Update Post #7

[DisneyStarWisher]

I posted on the transportation forum, and it has led to some questions concerning theme park strategies. On Monday, December 21, here's the plan:
Epcot for 11:30 ADR at Tutto Italia
Tour WS
Attend 5:00 CP without dinner package
Take boat to DHS hoping to get there by 6:30
TSM FP (6:05-7:05)
Osborne Lights (would like to spend some quality time here since this is the last year)
Flying Fish ADR 8:25
So I'm wondering if I would have time to move my car which will be parked at DHS to the Boardwalk so that when dinner is finished we will have transportation back to our resort. I realize I can valet park at the Boardwalk for the day, but I'm just wondering if parking our car at DHS for the day would be possible considering my planned touring times. Would this mess up our touring plans?

 

[Robo]

I posted on the transportation forum, and it has led to some questions concerning theme park strategies. On Monday, December 21, here's the plan:
1. Epcot for 11:30 ADR at Tutto Italia
2. Tour WS
3. Attend 5:00 CP without dinner package
4. Take boat to DHS hoping to get there by 6:30
5. TSM FP (6:05-7:05)
6. Osborne Lights (would like to spend some quality time here since this is the last year)
Flying Fish ADR 8:25
7. So I'm wondering if I would have time to move my car which will be parked at DHS to the Boardwalk so that when dinner is finished we will have transportation back to our resort. I realize I can valet park at the Boardwalk for the day, but I'm just wondering if parking our car at DHS for the day would be possible considering my planned touring times. Would this mess up our touring plans?

1. OK
2. OK
3. That may be problematic.
4. If the boat is boarding, fine. If not, just walk.
5. OK
6. OK
7. That'll work.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

1. OK
2. OK
3. That may be problematic.
4. If the boat is boarding, fine. If not, just walk.
5. OK
6. OK
7. That'll work.

I will be fine if I just have to stand outside the theater and hear the CP. Plus it will allow us to sneak out early if we want to.
I'm mainly worried about having enough time for the Osborne Lights. What time do you think we would have to leave the lights to get to our car, pull it around to the Boardwalk, and check in to Flying Fish by 8:25 (or 15 minutes early like they recommend)?

 

[Robo]

What time do you think we would have to leave the lights to get to our car, pull it around to the Boardwalk, and check in to Flying Fish by 8:25 (or 15 minutes early like they recommend)?

Exit the O-Lights area about 7:15.
You'll reach the DHS front gates exit by 7:25.
You can get to your car by 7:40.
You can exit DHS lot and drive to Boardwalk and park by 8:00.
You can walk to the Flying Fish by 8:15, or so.

If I'm off, it would be by about 10-15 minutes, so you'd still be A-OK.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you really want to spend time looking at the lights, I would drop TSM. Even if you get to DHS by 6:30 pm, you need to head back to the ride and stand in the FP+ line which could be another 5 - 15 minute wait plus ride time. That won't give you much time to see the lights.

I would really recommend valet parking at BWI. I know it will cost extra, but it will save you the drive time after the lights and transport time in the am.

 

[AngiTN]

What about just walking from DHS to Boardwalk to eat and then walk back to DHS to get the car? That is probably faster than driving

One other issue that is not accounted for... there are waits to even get in to see the lights this year. You are not going to have much control over when you get in to the lights. Robo's timing is great but you may not get in the light area much before 7:15 if you do TSMM. I simply don't think you are going to have time to do everything on your list.

This is from a recent article on HS and the Lights. As you may have read here elsewhere, they are closing the lots due to capacity about 5 or so most days.

Though your immediate problem when trying to see the Osborne Lights this winter will be transportation, once you are able to get inside the park, a whole other issue will present itself. Because of the volume of guests seeing the lights this year (even on non-peak days), Disney has been occasionally implementing a queue system that may delay your entrance into the display area, as Disney waits for crowds to thin out before letting other guests in.

Once you do get in, be aware that you probably won’t have a lot of room to move around or take pictures. Though Disney is regulating the amount of people going in to the display area, they are getting as many people in as safety allows, and considering guests tend to congregate in a few areas (like by the trees or in the light canopy side street) it can be tough to move once you're actually in the display area, and tempers have been known to flare as guests are sandwiched together like sardines.

Unfortunately, there's no real way to circumvent this issue, as there are no more "slow" periods left when it comes to this event, and guest levels are only expected to grow as this annual tradition's time runs out. Which brings us to our last piece of advice...

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

What about just walking from DHS to Boardwalk to eat and then walk back to DHS to get the car? That is probably faster than driving

One other issue that is not accounted for... there are waits to even get in to see the lights this year. You are not going to have much control over when you get in to the lights. Robo's timing is great but you may not get in the light area much before 7:15 if you do TSMM. I simply don't think you are going to have time to do everything on your list.

This is from a recent article on HS and the Lights. As you may have read here elsewhere, they are closing the lots due to capacity about 5 or so most days.

Though your immediate problem when trying to see the Osborne Lights this winter will be transportation, once you are able to get inside the park, a whole other issue will present itself. Because of the volume of guests seeing the lights this year (even on non-peak days), Disney has been occasionally implementing a queue system that may delay your entrance into the display area, as Disney waits for crowds to thin out before letting other guests in.

Once you do get in, be aware that you probably won’t have a lot of room to move around or take pictures. Though Disney is regulating the amount of people going in to the display area, they are getting as many people in as safety allows, and considering guests tend to congregate in a few areas (like by the trees or in the light canopy side street) it can be tough to move once you're actually in the display area, and tempers have been known to flare as guests are sandwiched together like sardines.

Unfortunately, there's no real way to circumvent this issue, as there are no more "slow" periods left when it comes to this event, and guest levels are only expected to grow as this annual tradition's time runs out. Which brings us to our last piece of advice...

Wow. This is great information. I hadn't read this. I had actually thought about just walking back to DHS after dinner, but I wondered about it being so late. Well, I just checked out the calendar and noticed that DHS closes at 11 that night. Originally, they closed at 8. Then they changed it to 9. I had no idea that they had moved it back to 11! If I headed there to see the lights after dinner, that still wouldn't give me much time. I know they say they keep them on for an hour after closing, but I don't want to chance that. I tried moving dinner up to like 6:30, but no reservations. I can do that plan the next night since I would be losing TSM FP anyway, but I would lose my lunch ADR at Tutto. So confusing!!! What to do???

ETA: I don't want to change it to the next night due to Epcot having Morning EMH that day. I'm afraid that will make it super crowded.

How would this work? We switch our Shula's and Flying Fish ADRs, so that we eat at Shula's between Epcot and DHS, say at 6:30. There are several reservations available. That should allow us to arrive at DHS around 8:30-8:45, which is when Fantastic will be happening. That would maybe make for less crowds at the Osborne Lights, correct? Then maybe try to catch TSM stand-by before closing if we are still there?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Wow. This is great information. I hadn't read this. I had actually thought about just walking back to DHS after dinner, but I wondered about it being so late. Well, I just checked out the calendar and noticed that DHS closes at 11 that night. Originally, they closed at 8. Then they changed it to 9. I had no idea that they had moved it back to 11! If I headed there to see the lights after dinner, that still wouldn't give me much time. I know they say they keep them on for an hour after closing, but I don't want to chance that. I tried moving dinner up to like 6:30, but no reservations. I can do that plan the next night since I would be losing TSM FP anyway, but I would lose my lunch ADR at Tutto. So confusing!!! What to do???

ETA: I don't want to change it to the next night due to Epcot having Morning EMH that day. I'm afraid that will make it super crowded.

How would this work? We switch our Shula's and Flying Fish ADRs, so that we eat at Shula's between Epcot and DHS, say at 6:30. There are several reservations available. That should allow us to arrive at DHS around 8:30-8:45, which is when Fantastic will be happening. That would maybe make for less crowds at the Osborne Lights, correct? Then maybe try to catch TSM stand-by before closing if we are still there?

I think eating in between visiting EP and DHS is a good idea. It will save on transport time as you won't be zig zagging back and forth. Can you switch your TSM FP+ to later that evening? Honestly, no matter how you slice this, Osborne Lights are going to be crowded, but at least by eating first, you won't be rushing around and you are giving yourself more time to see them.