Help--questions

[DumboFan82]

I'm a Disneyland newbie and my family will visit next week for 4 days...been to WDW many tmes...and I've done my research--read books, websites, have a touringplans.com subscription...but after all my research, I still have some questions I hope can be answered.

1)Exactly how early should we arrive for rope drop? I've read conflicting things. We're morning people, so we have no problem getting there as early as need be. I've read that the park lets you on Main Street before the park officially opens; is that true?

2)I read on one website that for California Adventure, you should get Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses first thing, and send someone else to go get World of Color Fastpasses first thing. But I'm confused how that would even work? I know the WOC and the RSR are not connected Fastpass wise; but don't you have to insert your park tickets to get Fastpasses?

3)We have a Fantasmic dining package at Blue Bayou. How early should we show up to see Fantasmic?

 

[figment_jii]

I'm a Disneyland newbie and my family will visit next week for 4 days...been to WDW many tmes...and I've done my research--read books, websites, have a touringplans.com subscription...but after all my research, I still have some questions I hope can be answered.

I also highly recommend taking a look at HydroGuy's DLR Guide for WDW Vets.

1)Exactly how early should we arrive for rope drop? I've read conflicting things. We're morning people, so we have no problem getting there as early as need be. I've read that the park lets you on Main Street before the park officially opens; is that true?

Yes and no. They do open the turnstiles early and let guests on to Main Street before the park opens on non-EMH/MM mornings. On EMH/MM mornings, the gates do not open until the start of EMH/MM.

2)I read on one website that for California Adventure, you should get Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses first thing, and send someone else to go get World of Color Fastpasses first thing. But I'm confused how that would even work? I know the WOC and the RSR are not connected Fastpass wise; but don't you have to insert your park tickets to get Fastpasses?

Yes, you need to have your park ticket to get an RSR and/or WoC FP. So that advice doesn't make sense. Although, this might be old advice from when they allowed guests to line up pre-park opening for RSR FP. With that system, if you were near the back of the line, it could take up to 30 minutes after park opening to get the RSR FP. Some folks might have tried to have a runner go and get WoC FP (when the park opens) and then meet back up with the person in the RSR FP line before they reached the front of the line. They don't allow guests to line up pre-park opening anymore, so I wouldn't try to send a runner to get WoC FP while someone else waited in the RSR FP line. At this, I don't think WoC is quite as high a priority as it used to be, so you can certainly wait until later to get that FP. If you're going to DCA on a non-EMH day, I would go TSMM first (no FP and the line gets long), then go back and get a RSR and WoC FP.

3)We have a Fantasmic dining package at Blue Bayou. How early should we show up to see Fantasmic?

Depends on whether you want a front row spot or not. Most reports indicate that everywhere in the BB dining package viewing area is excellent, so you don't need to show up super early. I would still plan on getting there when the FP suggests, which I think is about 45 minutes before the show time. There have been reports of folks arriving much closer to show time and still getting good spots in the dining package viewing areas.

 

[DumboFan82]

A few more questions.

1)we will be in California Adventure on a morning that they have EMH but we aren't staying on DL property. What can I expect for my morning there? How early should I get there? And since we're going on an EMH day, would you still recommend TSM first? Or get RSR FP first?

Thank you for your help!

 

[SMD]

1. They let you in 30 minutes early on non-EE days. Generally 30 minutes before the gates open will be fine. It's starting to get into Spring break crowds now, otherwise even 10 minutes probably would have been fine last week.

2. When RSR was disconnected, most people would have someone get that, then go to WOC and get Soarin when they passed it. Now Soarin is closed and RSR is connected. I'm not even sure where WOC are being distributed right now. You don't need to do WOC first, they last awhile now with the premium meals in place.

3. No idea, sorry.

 

[SMD]

A few more questions.

1)we will be in California Adventure on a morning that they have EMH but we aren't staying on DL property. What can I expect for my morning there? How early should I get there? And since we're going on an EMH day, would you still recommend TSM first? Or get RSR FP first?

Thank you for your help!

Is it an EMH Sunday or weekday? 20-30 minutes on a weekday, closer to 30 on a Sunday. You're really not at any disadvantage for an RSR FP. No one with EMH is going to hang out by the machines during their extra hour. And they don't do a pre-opening lineup for FP anymore. Have someone grab the RSR FPs and go to TSMM. Honestly, that line rarely goes above 40-45 minutes, but some people find even 30 unacceptable. If single rider is an option for your party on RSR you could use that for another ride on it later.

 

[HydroGuy]

1)Exactly how early should we arrive for rope drop? I've read conflicting things. We're morning people, so we have no problem getting there as early as need be. I've read that the park lets you on Main Street before the park officially opens; is that true?

With DLR shifting into high season you should arrive 20-30 minutes early for DL. If you want to be first at the turnstile then 40 minutes early. It is true that on many occasions DL opens Main Street early to get folks through the turnstiles more efficiently. But it does not happen every day.

Last I heard DCA was still openings its turnstiles early as well and letting guests up to Carthay Circle. As for how early for DCA, same thing as DL.

2)I read on one website that for California Adventure, you should get Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses first thing, and send someone else to go get World of Color Fastpasses first thing. But I'm confused how that would even work? I know the WOC and the RSR are not connected Fastpass wise; but don't you have to insert your park tickets to get Fastpasses?

RSR FP has been connected since last June. The RSR FP info you are reading about is outdated. Yes you need to get FPs ealry (within the first 2-3 hours) but it is not like it was 2-3 years ago.

As for WOC FP, no need to get that first. That info is really outdated. In fact I usually wait until 2-3 hours until the yellow section becomes available as I find that to have more good spots than blue.

3)We have a Fantasmic dining package at Blue Bayou. How early should we show up to see Fantasmic?

I have not been to DL since they implemented the Fantasmic! FP system so will let others help you with that one.

From what I understand everyone who dines at BB gets a spot in the sitting area and since there are no bad spots in the sitting area I would think you can arrive quite late for that.

 

[figment_jii]

1)we will be in California Adventure on a morning that they have EMH but we aren't staying on DL property. What can I expect for my morning there? How early should I get there? And since we're going on an EMH day, would you still recommend TSM first? Or get RSR FP first?

I would expect that RSR and TSMM will both already have lines by the time the park opens to the general public. It's won't necessarily make a huge difference for RSR FPs (I'd still aim to get one within the first hour of the day), because they don't start distributing them until after the park opens to everyone. In terms of TSMM, I guess I would probably get the RSR FP and then head over to TSMM. The line is going to be long anyway, so it might not make a huge difference. The other thing to consider is that while the queue is different, the ride itself is the same as at DHS, so you could skip TSMM if you wanted to or wait to see if you happen to walk by when the line is "short."

 

[Calliaz]

1)Exactly how early should we arrive for rope drop? I've read conflicting things. We're morning people, so we have no problem getting there as early as need be. I've read that the park lets you on Main Street before the park officially opens; is that true?

We went this last week and arrived around 15 minutes early to both parks and it was perfect. However, it will be busier next week. I'd say 30 mins.


2)I read on one website that for California Adventure, you should get Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses first thing, and send someone else to go get World of Color Fastpasses first thing. But I'm confused how that would even work? I know the WOC and the RSR are not connected Fastpass wise; but don't you have to insert your park tickets to get Fastpasses?

We went to Toy Story first thing and also rode the fun wheel and California screamin' and then sent our runner to get the Radiator Springs FPs. Our return time was 2:30 p.m. If it is busier, I would still probably ride Toy Story first and then go get your RSR FP. We didn't see WoC because it was closed. We used RideMax again this trip to plan and it was so helpful. We actually got through everything in California Adventure by 3:30 p.m. on our day there (we didn't go to the Frozen stuff).

 

[SMD]

RSR FP has been connected since lats June. The RSR FP info you are reading about is outdated. Yes you need to get FPs ealry (within the first 2-3 hours) but it is not like it was 2-3 years ago.

As for WOC FP, no need to get that first. That info is really outdated. In fact I usually wait until 2-3 hours until the yellow section becomes available as I find that to have more good spots than blue.

I think the OP meant that RSR and WOC are not connected to each other, which is still true. I would not wait 3 hours to get an RSR FP, especially as Spring break is starting. There are still days where they are gone within 2 hours.

I've never had an issue asking the CMs at the machines to trade a yellow section FP for my blue one. I haven't done it recently, but if the machines are still staffed by a CM, you might not have to wait to pull WOC FPs and get it over with.

 

[figment_jii]

I concur with SMD that I would not wait until 2 to 3 hours after the park opens to get an RSR FP at this point. With Spring Break crowds picking up and Soarin' down for refurb, it seems to have increased the demand for the RSR FPs. I haven't been monitoring it as closely lately, but in February it seems like FP were lasting 90 to 120 minutes after park opening, but it varied by day of the week. So I would aim to get there closer to opening to be safe.

 

[awinangie]

We always leave our hotel ONE HOUR before park opening.

We stay on Harbor and walk over. It works out FABULOUSLY. We're at or near the front of our line, get to enjoy the opening fanfare, and just plain have a delightful entry to the day. We even got to be one of the families "Opening" the park one day last summer. One day we were second in line for Anna & Elsa (when it was still at Disneyland), another day we were first in line for the Princesses, and a third day we were near the front for Peter Pan. At California Adventure, we always followed the "Wide Right Technique" (described in Hydroguy's thread??) for Radiator Springs Racers. One morning we were in the back seat of the first car, but only because the people in front pushed past us. (Wonder if that was embarrassing for them, to be in the same car???) Another time we were farther back, but had an easy wait.

I'm NOT a morning person, but LOVE the relaxing entry into the parks that an early arrival allows.

We always go first to the park that DOESN'T have early entry for the on-site hotel guests.

Have fun!!!!!

 

[MouseEXP]

I'm a Disneyland newbie and my family will visit next week for 4 days...been to WDW many tmes...and I've done my research--read books, websites, have a touringplans.com subscription...but after all my research, I still have some questions I hope can be answered.

1)Exactly how early should we arrive for rope drop? I've read conflicting things. We're morning people, so we have no problem getting there as early as need be. I've read that the park lets you on Main Street before the park officially opens; is that true?

2)I read on one website that for California Adventure, you should get Radiator Springs Racers Fastpasses first thing, and send someone else to go get World of Color Fastpasses first thing. But I'm confused how that would even work? I know the WOC and the RSR are not connected Fastpass wise; but don't you have to insert your park tickets to get Fastpasses?

3)We have a Fantasmic dining package at Blue Bayou. How early should we show up to see Fantasmic?

1. 30-15 minutes before the park opens and yes they will hold you at Main Street or Buena Vista Street
2. Get RSR FP first if you want to try and ride RSR twice. Either way TSMM should be next on your agenda. As long as you get your RSR FP by 10am-11am you will be good. World of Color FP can wait, but that advice could change one the 60th Anniversary WOC show starts.
3. 15 minutes before the time posted on your Fantasmic FP ticket

 

[MouseEXP]

A few more questions.

1)we will be in California Adventure on a morning that they have EMH but we aren't staying on DL property. What can I expect for my morning there? How early should I get there? And since we're going on an EMH day, would you still recommend TSM first? Or get RSR FP first?

Thank you for your help!

1. Have the same exact plan. RSR FP and the TSMM line may be a bit longer, but it is still the order you should go