First Family Trip-only one day-Spring Break

[JJ2017]

You guys are always so helpful! Didn’t think this trio would come together but we just booked yesterday!

The trip is primarily to visit family over Easter. But we fly home the Tuesday after Easter so Monday is our one full day for the parks.

We will check into the hotel on Easter and stay through Tuesday:

Fairfield Inn on Harbor or Spring Hill Suites on Katella? We would book any room that allows me and hubby to have one bed, DS 9 to have a bed and DD 7 to have a pull out. Thinking we will get a stroller for DD. I am looking at these two Bc it’s the best points value with Marriott.

We will do both parks. Kids are hustlers, they will be able to hang

We will get Maxpass.

We will reserve some sort of dining package for F! It’s my fave and I personally want them to see the DL version. But should I be booking some other dining package for a different unique nighttime show??

I believe Indiana Jones won’t be running and Snow White. Huge bummers. Anything else down?

Would we know the early open schedule? I forget what the strategy is when you aren’t eligible for early hours.

Crowds......we have def been in the thick of crowds at WDW but we have always had extra fast passes through pixie dust or through trial paid programs. Spring break crowds make me super nervous but not enough to not go. We went to SWGE in WDW in November but that was before Rise opened. I must learn Maxpass strategies and my son needs to go on Matterhorn after watching the Imagineering story.

Are there any discounts for one day hopper tix?

That might be it for now!!!

 

[ShoeCello]

Besides Matterhorn, any other must dos? There's quite a few unknowns right now for April:

• DL hasn't released any info on how entry to ROTR will work - if it's the same as WDW and it's by boarding group (and assuming it's still running this boarding group without standby queue by the time April comes), you'll want to make sure you're at the park at rope drop. At WDW the boarding groups have usually been exhausted by an hour after opening. Stay tuned to this board for updates once ROTR opens on 1/17!
• Besides F!, the other nighttime spectaculars are the fireworks at DLP (likely to be Mickey's Mix Magic) and World of Color at DCA. Depending on what time WOC is (the entertainment schedule isn't out yet for April, though I wouldn't be surprised to see two showings), you might be able to catch F! with your dining package, stay along the Rivers of America to watch the fireworks (they project the show on the same water screens in the area), and then make it to the second WOC showing, if there is one. This board seems to prefer the Dessert Party for WOC, which is pricey ($79/person) but is the only dining package with seats, and comes with a plate of desserts and adult (and non-adult) beverages. There's also dining packages at some DCA restaurants but those do not come with seats - you'll be standing in those sections, so your view may be blocked if you're standing behind someone taller.
• In terms of refurishments, there's a chance Haunted Mansion will still be down - it's only been announced that it will reopen in spring. I would think that it would be open by April (it's closing on Jan 7), but no official dates yet. Likewise, they haven't announced official Indy refurbishment dates besides saying it's closing in spring, so there's a chance it could still be open during your visit.

I would check with your family about what other shows and rides are "must-dos", and then we can come up with some suggestions! In one day it's unlikely you'll be able to do everything at both parks, so it would be helpful to rank some "must dos", "good to dos if time permits", and then "no interest to do" rides. Have you been to DLP and DCA before?

 

[JJ2017]

Besides Matterhorn, any other must dos? There's quite a few unknowns right now for April:

• DL hasn't released any info on how entry to ROTR will work - if it's the same as WDW and it's by boarding group (and assuming it's still running this boarding group without standby queue by the time April comes), you'll want to make sure you're at the park at rope drop. At WDW the boarding groups have usually been exhausted by an hour after opening. Stay tuned to this board for updates once ROTR opens on 1/17!
• Besides F!, the other nighttime spectaculars are the fireworks at DLP (likely to be Mickey's Mix Magic) and World of Color at DCA. Depending on what time WOC is (the entertainment schedule isn't out yet for April, though I wouldn't be surprised to see two showings), you might be able to catch F! with your dining package, stay along the Rivers of America to watch the fireworks (they project the show on the same water screens in the area), and then make it to the second WOC showing, if there is one. This board seems to prefer the Dessert Party for WOC, which is pricey ($79/person) but is the only dining package with seats, and comes with a plate of desserts and adult (and non-adult) beverages. There's also dining packages at some DCA restaurants but those do not come with seats - you'll be standing in those sections, so your view may be blocked if you're standing behind someone taller.
• In terms of refurishments, there's a chance Haunted Mansion will still be down - it's only been announced that it will reopen in spring. I would think that it would be open by April (it's closing on Jan 7), but no official dates yet. Likewise, they haven't announced official Indy refurbishment dates besides saying it's closing in spring, so there's a chance it could still be open during your visit.

I would check with your family about what other shows and rides are "must-dos", and then we can come up with some suggestions! In one day it's unlikely you'll be able to do everything at both parks, so it would be helpful to rank some "must dos", "good to dos if time permits", and then "no interest to do" rides. Have you been to DLP and DCA before?

I did DL/DCA last summer solo and got a good taste of how the two parks work with Maxpass.

The must dos would be:

RSR
California Screaming
Guardians
Small World
Pirates
Alice
F!
I guess SWGE for the very least green milk Bc we tried blue and ran out of time. Obv would love to ride Rise.

I’m sure there is a lot more. My kids looove WDW and would want to do as much as possible.

 

[twodogs]

According to the calendar, Haunted Mansion is going down 1/22/20 to remove the NMBC overlay. I don’t think it is going down as early as 1/7?? Unless I have the wrong info, which I surely hope I don’t since our trip is 1/17-1/20, and HMH is my DDs favorite ride!

 

[ShoeCello]

According to the calendar, Haunted Mansion is going down 1/22/20 to remove the NMBC overlay. I don’t think it is going down as early as 1/7?? Unless I have the wrong info, which I surely hope I don’t since our trip is 1/17-1/20, and HMH is my DDs favorite ride!

Sorry - got the date wrong! I grouped it in my head with the 1/7 refurbishments (the end of Christmastime at DLR) but it does look like it's going down late January (1/20 according to MiceChat)

 

[ShoeCello]

I did DL/DCA last summer solo and got a good taste of how the two parks work with Maxpass.

The must dos would be:

RSR
California Screaming
Guardians
Small World
Pirates
Alice
F!
I guess SWGE for the very least green milk Bc we tried blue and ran out of time. Obv would love to ride Rise.

I’m sure there is a lot more. My kids looove WDW and would want to do as much as possible.

That looks very doable for one day! I would recommend getting there at rope drop to maximize chances of getting onto ROTR (and again, check back after it opens in January to see how it's operating), get FPs for RSR, and maybe start with Alice, which doesn't have FP. Everything else (except Pirates) has FP, and Pirates has a huge capacity so wait times are usually lower than most of the other major rides. Pirates is also usually when F! is showing, so if you end up going to the first showing of F! and are still around after that it should get to walk on status during the second showing of F! (and be relatively empty even before then). California Screamin' is now Incredicoaster, FYI (same track, but now themed around the Incredibles). For SWGE, MF:SR does not have FP yet (though who knows if they'll add it by April), but if it still doesn't have FP by April I would recommend going there in the afternoon or evening - wait times tend to peak in the morning since most people rush to SWGE once the park opens. You can use mobile ordering for the milk stands if the line is long! And you should make a reservation for Oga's in advance if you want to check out the cantina (which does serve blue milk in a special drink called the Blue Banthu). Of your must dos, too, four of them (MFSR, RSR, Matterhorn, and Incredicoaster) have single rider lines so you can use that to ride again if you're comfortable splitting up your party. Your mileage may vary on the Incredicoaster single rider line - it sometimes moves incredibly (pun intended) slowly!