?? from DL newbie-please help

[Simba's Mom]

I've never been to DL before, going solo in July, staying at HoJos. Got some questions:
1. DL is scheduled to be open at 8:00. What time would you suggest I leave HoJos to be there for opening (without having thousands of people in front of me). And are there lots of people at opening when it's that early, or will I have some relatively crowd-free touring time?
2. I'm trying to get my courage up to do Matterhorn. ToT, RnR, and SM are too scary for me in WDW, but I love Splash and BTMRR. So what do you think? Too scary or not? And if I'm going to do it, I read somewhere that there's one line that's much shorter than the other. Anyone know about this?
3. My return flight is at 8:05 from LAX. Ease of getting transportation back at that hour will determine which transportation I take-I know there are several options (but rental car is out-I'm not driving by myself in a strange city!)
Thanks for all your help. And I'm sure I'll have more questions as the time gets closer.

 

[disneychrista]

I would leave the HoJo's no later then 7:15. My rule of thumb is to get there 30 mins before park opening. My guess is that HoJo's is about 15 mins. from the park.

If you can do Thunder then the Matterhorn is NOTHING. Just look at the hieght requirements for a clue. Matterhorn is 35" & Thunder is 40". If you get the chance try both sides, they are totally different experiences.

 

[HaleyB]

1. If Disney opens at 8am, Main Street will open at 7:30. Crowds are atypical this year but I have always found the crowds slowly build, and that even on busy days it is not bad until 11am (except for Fantasyland). Part of the reason is if you start at 8 you are done with the big rides everyone goes on first, so you are ahead of the crowd. They are all standing in line for Indian Jones, but you have already done that so you are way back at the haunted mansion .
2. It is a nice ride, but I love all of them so maybe someone else would give better advice. The shorter line, it is the inside line. It is all one line until you get to the covered area where it splits into two. I am 99% sure it is the inside line, only thing is I think that is also the line that loads to the inner track of the ride. The outside track is smoother and seems less scary to my kids. I always eyeball it when I get there, so I might have it backwards. If you watch the ride load (and you have plenty of time for that ) you will be able to see. Also much faster is an over statement- the lines move at different rates and one seems to move faster, but one line is longer than the other too. Either way the whole line looks much worse than it is. We have gotten in it when it was way around the back almost in Tomorrowland and the wait was under an hour. Straight long lines look worse than they are and curvey switch back hidden lines are often worse than the look .
3. Super Shuttle (my parents like them best, they live in the area) or any of the many airport shuttles will get you there. If you are just doing Disney there is no need for a car rental, if you want to venture out into the great unknown a car would be handy and LA is one of the easiest cities to drive in. Very well posted signs. Easy, but sometimes slow.

 

[CalGal]

I think Matterhorn is close to BTMRR in "scaryness", or perhaps "queasiess" is a better way of putting it. However, I find Matterhorn a little bumpier. Now I can do ToT, RnR, and SM, but am getting to the point where I can't do them repeatedly; I still can do Matterhorn and BTMRR over and over again. Matterhorn is fun; you should try it.
The shorter line is typically the side that queues toward Tomorrowland as opposed to the one that is on the Fantasyland side. The reason, I believe, is guests tends to hit the Fantasyland side coming from the hub or Fantasyland. The other side is more out of the way. So, if coming from the hub, go to the right around the Matterhorn rather than the left as you approach the rear of Matterhorn. This doesn't apply around parade times since the Fantasyland side queue will be closed before and during parades. However, both tracks of the ride will be operating, so the line moves twice as fast.

 

[LucyKate]

Hojo's is 10 minutes walk, and if the parks open at 8, then that means they let you into main Street at 7:30.

So the advice above about leaving around 7:15 seems right on the money to me.

I found Matterhorn pretty tame, and even my kids (who were scared witless by Splash Mountain) didn't seem too troubled by it.

To catch an 8:05 flight from LA you'd probably need a shuttle pick up around 5AM.

 

[iceskatejen]

Uh, if the park opens at 8, them Main Street doesn't open until 8. Main Street opening 30 minutes prior to park opening only applies what DL opens at 9 or later, not to 8am openings. I've been there for 8am openings more times than I can count--I've never been let on to Main Street prior to 8am.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes, this is what I understand too. They do not open the gates until park opening when the park is scheduled to open at 8am. But still be there 30 mins early.

 

[Dobie]

Dear Simba's mom:

You should be in line at 7:30 or so. It should take you just a few minutes to get through the line at that time.

I hate rollercoasters, as a rule, but I don't think Matterhorn is too scary.

You didn't mention how long you were staying. For a one day stay, start in Adventure/Frontierland/NOS, then head over for Autopia/Buzz in Tomorrowland. Use fastpass.

There are rarely lines in the park until 11 or 11:30, so without little eater/pee-ers with you, you should be able to avoid lines altogether for hours.

Have fun!

 

[HaleyB]

You guys are right about the 8am open, no early walk down Main Street. I forgot about that I am more of an off season visitor... and my extended family slows me down so I miss opening more than not

Dear Simba's mom:

There are rarely lines in the park until 11 or 11:30, so without little eater/pee-ers with you, you should be able to avoid lines altogether for hours.

Have fun!

lol, little eater/pee-ers That is so true