Help Need Touring Advice?

[shaycamp21]

I have spent months creating a folder of DL tips/ info and my hard drive crashes. Now I am back to square one. Dh is trying to recover the info but I am not holding my breath. ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

We (Dh, myself and dd's 8 & 9) will be at DLR in August staying at the Candy Cane Inn for three nights before we fly off to Honolulu for our cruise. We will not be park hopping for budget reasons (as the Hawaii portion of our trip is the main part--though I am just as excited to go back to DL again). We have one day WDW non-hopper tickets left (I emailed DL guest relations who said they could be used). So we'll do a full day at DL and a full day at DCA. I am the only one in my family who have been to DL though we've been to WDW several times (will go again soon) so we'd like to focus on the attractions at DRL that are unique and possible the same attractions that are better. I know I'll be reading Hydro -Guys great tips but if there are any touring plans / advice you seasoned DL Disers can offer I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[DLR29]

Arrive early early early! It's the best way to tour the parks, especially DL. I would recommend going to DL on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday if you can because on all other days people with special Magic Morning (entrance into the park an hour early) privilege will be already in the park and in lines for Fantasyland and some Tomorrowland attractions. Since you aren't staying onsite and you are using WDW tickets, you are not eligible for MM, so it's best to go to DL on a day where everyone enters at the same time.

Try and hit these rides early because they generate long lines: Peter Pan, Space Mountain (way different from MK's), Indiana Jones (like Dinosaur at AK, but a gazillion times better), Matterhorn (unique to DLR), Alice in Wonderland (also unique), and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (or try it at the end of the day).

Ride these rides during the middle of the day because they have fast moving usually short lines: Pirates (way better than MK's), Haunted Mansion, Winnie-the-Pooh, Pinocchio (unique), Snow White, Jungle Cruise, and any show type attractions.

It's good to get FastPasses for these attractions especially: Space, Indy, and Splash especially during August when the weather is warm.

For DCA, you don't really need that much of a touring plan because it doesn't get that crowded. One thing I do recommend is going to Toy Story Midway Mania first thing! It is opening in June, so it'll be relatively new and will have long lines and no FP.

One tip is that Roger Rabbit at DL and Grizzly River Run at DCA have disconnected FPs which means that their FP system is not connected to their park's main system. That means you can obtain a FP for one of these rides even if you are already holding onto another ride's FP. It's really helpful for short trips, especially GRR on a hot summer day.

 

[Cruiser1969]

Arrive early early early! It's the best way to tour the parks, especially DL. I would recommend going to DL on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday if you can because on all other days people with special Magic Morning (entrance into the park an hour early) privilege will be already in the park and in lines for Fantasyland and some Tomorrowland attractions. Since you aren't staying onsite and you are using WDW tickets, you are not eligible for MM, so it's best to go to DL on a day where everyone enters at the same time.

Try and hit these rides early because they generate long lines: Peter Pan, Space Mountain (way different from MK's), Indiana Jones (like Dinosaur at AK, but a gazillion times better), Matterhorn (unique to DLR), Alice in Wonderland (also unique), and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (or try it at the end of the day).

Ride these rides during the middle of the day because they have fast moving usually short lines: Pirates (way better than MK's), Haunted Mansion, Winnie-the-Pooh, Pinocchio (unique), Snow White, Jungle Cruise, and any show type attractions.

It's good to get FastPasses for these attractions especially: Space, Indy, and Splash especially during August when the weather is warm.

For DCA, you don't really need that much of a touring plan because it doesn't get that crowded. One thing I do recommend is going to Toy Story Midway Mania first thing! It is opening in June, so it'll be relatively new and will have long lines and no FP.

One tip is that Roger Rabbit at DL and Grizzly River Run at DCA have disconnected FPs which means that their FP system is not connected to their park's main system. That means you can obtain a FP for one of these rides even if you are already holding onto another ride's FP. It's really helpful for short trips, especially GRR on a hot summer day.

Great advice . . . please keep the comments coming

 

[S. S. Columbia]

DLR29's advice is excellent. I would just add...

If I only had one day in DL, I would try to see the RDCT fireworks (Remember... Dreams Come True), followed by the 10:30 pm Fantasmic. I would also recommend the parade (Parade of Dreams).

The Storybook Land Canal Boats in Fantasyland is a DL original (it was first called Canal Boats of the World), and it is unique to DL. I have heard that seeing it at dusk is very nice.

Most people say that Buzz Lightyear (BLAB) is better than the MK's version. (The laser guns on BLAB aren't locked in a fixed position.) BLAB has FastPass.

DL's Enchanted Tiki Room isn't under new management , and many prefer DL's version. Also, I think the Tiki Room was refurbished in the last couple of years, so it's really in nice condition.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride isn't a major attraction, but it is also a DL original, and it is no longer at MK.

DCA almost always seems to open at 9:30 a.m., and the front area and Soarin' are open. Even though Epcot has Soarin', it's still a great ride, and at DCA it's much easier to see than at Epcot. If you want to ride Soarin' again (using FastPass), I have heard that you can get a FastPass for Soarin' before 10 a.m.

In DCA, I would also recommend Monsters, Inc (say "Hi" to Roz ), the Aladdin Musical (it's not shown on Monday or Tuesday), Turtle Talk with Crush, the Electrical Parade, the Pixar Play Parade (it looks to be much better than the Block Party Bash), and in the Animation Building I've heard that the Toy Story Zoetrope is interesting to look at. There's a princess lunch and dinner at Ariel's Grotto. When we went last October we saw Ariel (with fin), Princess Minnie, Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White.

Here is the entertainment calendar from August 2007:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200708.asp

Aloha