Help with Ride Order

JJ2017

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Sep 6, 2017
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I will be going to DLR - both parks, on a day where DL opens at 7:00 am for MM and DCA opens at 8:00 am. I am staying offsite and traveling solo (woohoo!).

I will purchase Maxpass

I seem to have more ride priorities at DL. Should I start here? What time should I arrive?

Fantasyland:

Alice in Wonderland
Snow White
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Pinocchio
It's a Small World
Storybook Land Canal Boats - maybe

Tomorrowland:

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

New Orleans Square:

Pirates
Haunted Mansion

Adventureland:

Indiana Jones

DCA:

Radiator Springs
TSMM
Monsters Inc.

I have a Hungry Bear on the Go Package for the 2nd Fantasmic Show (guessing 10:30) and I would like to also see Paint the Night (guessing 8:50).
 
Fantasyland is definitely where you want to start since the line build, loading is slow, and most of the rides do not have FastPass/MaxPass. Peter Pan is number one, followed by Alice in Wonderland.

For Maxpass, you'll want to start booking immediately and try to always be getting a new one. The ones that will be pushed back later in the day faster will be Guardians, Radiator Springs, and probably now Incredicoaster. They are all in DCA, so I'd plan to hop over there earlier rather than later. The great thing about DLR is that you can hop easily between the parks. I usually move between them several times per day.

Have fun!
 
You should start at DL, probably with Fantasyland. Unfortunately, since Disneyland will have been open for an hour for MM, you'll have lines there already when the park opens... but it will be better than any time later on, so I'd just bite the bullet and wait then.

I'd book Indiana Jones as soon as you scan in, and then I'd plan for this route in Fantasyland (assuming no breakdowns or anything like that): Alice, Mr. Toad, Storybook (if you're doing it - this one can be a time suck because they don't run a bunch of boats right away), Snow White, Pinocchio.

When your IJ window opens, book Small World and hopefully you can do that one after the rest of Fantasyland. Keep in mind that your IJ FP will let you use it up to 15 minutes late. If you don't do Storybook, I'd say you have a good chance of being able to do the rest of the above rides, then Small World, then head to IJ, but that will depend a ton on timing and FPs and whatnot.

After IJ, I'd do Pirates and HM with a fastpass (book after Small World). After the HM fastpass, book Radiator Springs. Finish up Fantasyland if you need to, do Nemo, and then head over to DCA at some point. Book TSMM when your next FP slot opens up.

Have fun! This is a very doable agenda.
 
Thank you! This is super helpful as DLR is brand new territory for me and I'm still confused about Maxpass, but will just learn as I go. One of my questions was can I book DCA rides while in DL - so I guess the answer is yes. I have to avoid rides that might cause motion sickness and certain coasters and motion simulators def do that. So slow rides are more my style. Can't wait! 4 weeks to go!
 

As for when you should arrive, what day of the week are you going, and where are you parking? MM days can have longer waits at security, especially on the Harbor side, so I'd aim to arrive by 7 if possible.
 
As for when you should arrive, what day of the week are you going, and where are you parking? MM days can have longer waits at security, especially on the Harbor side, so I'd aim to arrive by 7 if possible.
I'm going on a Thursday. I'm walking over from my hotel.
 
Thank you! This is super helpful as DLR is brand new territory for me and I'm still confused about Maxpass, but will just learn as I go. One of my questions was can I book DCA rides while in DL - so I guess the answer is yes. I have to avoid rides that might cause motion sickness and certain coasters and motion simulators def do that. So slow rides are more my style. Can't wait! 4 weeks to go!

Yes, you can book MaxPass for DCA from DL and vice-versa. MaxPass is very easy to use and totally worth it (though if you are avoiding a lot of the coasters and intense rides it may not be - not every ride has FastPass options at DLR like they do at WDW, and it's mostly for the bigger, more intense rides). You can start making a MaxPass selection as soon as your ticket is scanned at the gates. The sooner you make one, the sooner you can make your next one, so go nuts! You'll want to be making your next selection as soon as you are eligible to. It works very easily and you'll get the hang of it very quickly.
 
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Another question. I just made a Plaza Inn breakfast reservation for 7:20 am. Park opens at 7 for MM. if staying offsite, can I still go? Could I be seated earlier than 7:20 maybe? Is there any advantage to a PPO breakfast like there is at WDW? If I’m done early, am I held somewhere? Or could I explore Main Street or start walking around the park?
 
Another question. I just made a Plaza Inn breakfast reservation for 7:20 am. Park opens at 7 for MM. if staying offsite, can I still go? Could I be seated earlier than 7:20 maybe? Is there any advantage to a PPO breakfast like there is at WDW? If I’m done early, am I held somewhere? Or could I explore Main Street or start walking around the park?
Yes. You can enter through a different line. You’ll be able to start maxpass booking right away!
 
Yes. You can enter through a different line. You’ll be able to start maxpass booking right away!
Oh wow. That’s cool. I’m still so confused with maxpass. Like should I just choose the rode that is first available (that I want to ride) or choose something that’s very hard to get, like RSR?
 
Oh wow. That’s cool. I’m still so confused with maxpass. Like should I just choose the rode that is first available (that I want to ride) or choose something that’s very hard to get, like RSR?
Book Indiana Jones first. You want something in-park and something that's popular (so you get the most bang for your buck booking it early, since later in the day you'd incur a FP wait if you booked it). Based on the rides you listed, IJ should be your first FP. If you're in the parks before 7:20, you're going to get a return time of 8:00 or shortly after, so I actually change my above advice based on that information. I'd book IJ, followed by Haunted Mansion, followed by It's a Small World, followed by RSR. If they add FP to Pirates before you get there, I'd do that before Haunted Mansion.
 
Book Indiana Jones first. You want something in-park and something that's popular (so you get the most bang for your buck booking it early, since later in the day you'd incur a FP wait if you booked it). Based on the rides you listed, IJ should be your first FP. If you're in the parks before 7:20, you're going to get a return time of 8:00 or shortly after, so I actually change my above advice based on that information. I'd book IJ, followed by Haunted Mansion, followed by It's a Small World, followed by RSR. If they add FP to Pirates before you get there, I'd do that before Haunted Mansion.
Also, RSR isn't "very hard to get." It runs out earlier in the day than any other ride. But basically, even on a crowded day, anyone who's there before noon can get a RSR FP. We usually grab one mid-morning from DL and go over and ride mid-afternoon.
 
Basically, you book on FP as soon as you're in the park, and then you just want to book another one ASAP all day.

Here are the rules for when you can pull the next one: https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-answer-to-when-can-i-pull-my-next-fp.3634984/

This is a lot of info, but it gives you a sense of which FPs are more or less popular based on how fast they run out: https://www.disboards.com/threads/maxpass-availability-throughout-the-day.3683766/ Keep in mind that the day listed was less crowded than most summer days.

People often say you can only have "one FP at a time, but that's not correct. This scenario shows how you often have 2-3 at once:
1. I have a FP for 10:00-11:00 for Space Mountain. (Keep in mind I can use this anytime until 11:15; there's a 15 minute grace period afterward.)
2. At 10:00, I pull a 10:20-11:20 FP for Buzz.
3. At 10:30 (30 minutes after I pulled the Buzz one, which is a FP pull "minimum"), I pull an 11:20-12:20 Star Tours FP.

It's now 10:30 and I am now holding 3 FPs - Space Mountain, Buzz, and Star Tours - and I'm going to walk over to Tomorrowland and use all 3!

Obviously those times are hypothetical, but if I'm there in the morning, I almost ALWAYS pull those three in that order - Space, Buzz, and Star Tours - and I'm able to use them all in one Tomorrowland trip. Depending on timing, sometimes I pull Buzz and use it right away, then pull Star Tours, so I only actually hold two at a time.
 
Basically, you book on FP as soon as you're in the park, and then you just want to book another one ASAP all day.

Here are the rules for when you can pull the next one: https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-answer-to-when-can-i-pull-my-next-fp.3634984/

This is a lot of info, but it gives you a sense of which FPs are more or less popular based on how fast they run out: https://www.disboards.com/threads/maxpass-availability-throughout-the-day.3683766/ Keep in mind that the day listed was less crowded than most summer days.

People often say you can only have "one FP at a time, but that's not correct. This scenario shows how you often have 2-3 at once:
1. I have a FP for 10:00-11:00 for Space Mountain. (Keep in mind I can use this anytime until 11:15; there's a 15 minute grace period afterward.)
2. At 10:00, I pull a 10:20-11:20 FP for Buzz.
3. At 10:30 (30 minutes after I pulled the Buzz one, which is a FP pull "minimum"), I pull an 11:20-12:20 Star Tours FP.

It's now 10:30 and I am now holding 3 FPs - Space Mountain, Buzz, and Star Tours - and I'm going to walk over to Tomorrowland and use all 3!

Obviously those times are hypothetical, but if I'm there in the morning, I almost ALWAYS pull those three in that order - Space, Buzz, and Star Tours - and I'm able to use them all in one Tomorrowland trip. Depending on timing, sometimes I pull Buzz and use it right away, then pull Star Tours, so I only actually hold two at a time.
Oh my goodness - thank you SO much! I'm seriously going to write this all down. I do best with a list of notes and instructions. I'm going to keep my breakfast - why not. I will be able to walk in the park, instead of waiting outside the gates, get nice and full, and see some characters I've never seen before. I'll sit and take it in and plan out the day and get used to Maxpass while I eat. THANK EVERYONE!
 
You said you will be solo. Radiator Springs has a single rider line. We have ridden it with about a 10 minute wait in July multiple times--you may have to keep an eye on it because the times can fluctuate a lot-- also if the ride goes down for a while- the line can get crazy. (It does not look like you will have time to hit that one after dark, but I would recommend riding that one once in the daylight hours and once after dark if you can because it is a different experience- beautiful at night).

As far as the Plaza Inn, since you are staying offsite 7:20 isn't a bad idea since it will get you in the park and get you booking max pass. I highly doubt that you will be done before the park opens unless you don't care about seeing all the characters, or happen to be seated right as they are starting the rounds near the area of your table. It is usually at least an hour and sometimes an hour and half experience for us. Outside of that, I would consider a later reservation at 10:00 or so, to get those first couple of hours of less crowded park time in before stopping to eat.

As far as your specific list of items, and not thinking about other rides, I would move Nemo up. In the summer, the Nemo subs can get hot, stuffy and smelly in the afternoons. Also, I do not think Nemo uses max pass, and that line can build up. We have often seen that line hover at an hour or at least 45 minutes after the first couple of hours the park is open. If this is your must do list (no Peter Pan because that would change things up), then I would Max Pass Indiana Jones and then head to Nemo to start, then Alice from there (they are not too far apart). If your Indiana kicks in so fast that you are going straight from breakfast to there, then I would still go from Indiana to Nemo, then Alice- unless you can get max pass that kicks in right away for Pirates or Haunted Mansion (Is Max Pass up and runing for POTC yet?), then I might finish that side first before heading back to Fantasyland. I'm betting that by the time you have hit Nemo and Alice that your Indiana max pass will have kicked in. If so, and you go over there, then if the lines are still short, or if you can get Max Pass that kicks in quickly, I would hit POTC and Haunted Mansion while you are on that side of the park, then you can go back and hit the rest of the Fantasyland rides. As far as Fantasyland, Peter Pan's line builds up fast and is always long, and after that the Alice line is probably the one that gets the longest (often 30 to 45 minutes). After that Story Book and Small World would be the longer Fantasyland ones on your list. Snow White and Pinocchio are usually very short. I don't think we have ever waited more than 10 minutes for either one. So, I would not worry about making those a priority. I usually recommend doing full areas at a time instead of criss-crossing around, but you can always come back and pick those up later if you need to hit other areas or go to CA while the lines are shorter or max pass kicks in. There have been times that we have put off Snow White, Pinocchio and Toad trying to get to other things and have saved them for when the lines are long everywhere else. Also be aware, Indiana Jones usually has a single rider line. You go up the exit for that. It is not always open. We have seen small sign up that says single rider, and sometimes we have not seen that sign, but we have just asked the attendant standing at the entrance and they have sent us up the exit line as single riders.


Monsters usually isn't too bad. TSMM is probably going to be worse than normal with Pixar Pier being new. I would say that one might change your schedule. Knowing that I could single rider RSR, unless the app is showing the single rider really long--- I would probably be looking for a TSMM max pass fairly early to see what is coming up. If you need to, you can book that- cross to CA and then come back and finish up DL. Hopping is nothing at DLR. We have been from the back corner of DL to the back corner of CA in 10 minutes. The only thing to be aware of is that the Fantasyland rides do close around fireworks time-- that probably is not an issue for you because looks like you will be trying to see PTN and then run to the Fantasmic viewing area. Not sure of the logistics of that, but maybe someone else can help you. PTN is a fantastic parade- haven't seen it since it moved to CA yet, but DH doesn't usually like parades and he loves it. It looks like it is going to be really tight to catch both--- Definitely watch PTN from as close to the exit in CA as you can, so you don't get caught in the post parade rush out the gate over to DL.


Your list of rides is definitely all doable in one day, and I would not be surprised if you got alot more in as well.
 
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You said you will be solo. Radiator Springs has a single rider line. We have ridden it with about a 10 minute wait in July multiple times--you may have to keep an eye on it because the times can fluctuate a lot-- also if the ride goes down for a while- the line can get crazy. (It does not look like you will have time to hit that one after dark, but I would recommend riding that one once in the daylight hours and once after dark if you can because it is a different experience- beautiful at night).

As far as the Plaza Inn, since you are staying offsite 7:20 isn't a bad idea since it will get you in the park and get you booking max pass. I highly doubt that you will be done before the park opens unless you don't care about seeing all the characters, or happen to be seated right as they are starting the rounds near the area of your table. It is usually at least an hour and sometimes an hour and half experience for us. Outside of that, I would consider a later reservation at 10:00 or so, to get those first couple of hours of less crowded park time in before stopping to eat.

As far as your specific list of items, and not thinking about other rides, I would move Nemo up. In the summer, the Nemo subs can get hot, stuffy and smelly in the afternoons. Also, I do not think Nemo uses max pass, and that line can build up. We have often seen that line hover at an hour or at least 45 minutes after the first couple of hours the park is open. If this is your must do list (no Peter Pan because that would change things up), then I would Max Pass Indiana Jones and then head to Nemo to start, then Alice from there (they are not too far apart). If your Indiana kicks in so fast that you are going straight from breakfast to there, then I would still go from Indiana to Nemo, then Alice- unless you can get max pass that kicks in right away for Pirates or Haunted Mansion (Is Max Pass up and runing for POTC yet?), then I might finish that side first before heading back to Fantasyland. I'm betting that by the time you have hit Nemo and Alice that your Indiana max pass will have kicked in. If so, and you go over there, then if the lines are still short, or if you can get Max Pass that kicks in quickly (is Max pass up and running yet for POTC?), I would hit POTC and Haunted Mansion while you are on that side of the park, then you can go back and hit the rest of the Fantasyland rides. As far as Fantasyland, Peter Pan's line builds up fast and is always long, and after that the Alice line is probably the one that gets the longest (often 30 to 45 minutes). After that Story Book and Small World would be the longer Fantasyland ones on your list. Snow White and Pinocchio are usually very short. I don't think we have ever waited more than 10 minutes for either one. So, I would not worry about making those a priority. I usually recommend doing full areas at a time instead of criss-crossing around, but you can always come back and pick those up later if you need to hit other areas or go to CA while the lines or shorter or max pass kicks in. There have been times that we have put off Snow White, Pinocchio and Toad trying to get to other things and have saved them for when the lines are long everywhere else. Also be aware, Indiana Jones usually has a single rider line. You go up the exit for that. It is not always open. We have seen small sign up that says single rider, and sometimes we have not seen that sign, but we have just asked the attendant standing at the entrance and they have sent us up the line.


Monsters usually isn't too bad. TSMM is probably going to be worse than normal with Pixar Pier being new. I would say that one might change your schedule. Knowing that I could single rider RSR, unless the app is showing the single rider really long--- I would probably be looking for a TSMM max pass fairly early to see what is coming up. If you need to, you can book that- cross to CA and then come back and finish up DL. Hopping is nothing at CA. We have been from the back corner of DL to the back corner of CA in 10 minutes. The only thing to be aware of is that the Fantasyland rides do close around fireworks time-- that probably is not an issue for you because looks like you will be trying to see PTN and then run to the Fantasmic viewing area. Not sure of the logistics of that, but someone else can help you. PTN is a fantastic parade- haven't seen it since it moved to CA yet, but DH doesn't usually like parades and he loves it. That looks like it is going to be really tight to catch both--- Definitely watch PTN from as close to the exit in CA as you can, so you don't get caught in the post parade rush out the gate over to DL.


Your list of rides is definitely all doable in one day, and I would not be surprised if you got alot more in as well.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to put together such a detailed response! I was curious about single rider lines. I'm getting SO excited!
 
Honestly, I'd skip nemo. It's a screen... Just watch the movie again at home. LOL

Our experience at Minnie Mouse breakfast was different. We had the earliest reservation. I think it's 10 min after magic morning opening. We saw all of the characters *at least* once and were done before the park opened at 8. They let us in magic morning! We had 5 total including a baby and toddler.
 
Honestly, I'd skip nemo. It's a screen... Just watch the movie again at home. LOL
I agree with skipping Nemo. Last time I rode it, it was very hot inside and smelt like someone had let out a certain bodily function (if you know what I mean). On top of that, the line was long and the ride was very meh. Not worth the wait imho.

But, OP, if you really want to ride it, do so in the morning before it gets too packed.
 
Wow, you guys really sold Nemo! Ha. I’ll move it down on my priority list and see how my day is going.
 
I vote Nemo if you haven't done it. I'd skip the Storybook Canal Boats instead and just invest in Nemo. You have to do it once if you haven't already.
 


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