Is this plan to ambitious/aggressive?

[nkhan1]

We will be in Disneyland for one day with my little boy on his 4th birthday.
We'll be there on Friday, May 8. We plan to get to the park 30 minutes before it opens.

Do you think we can get a Birthday Button, do Finding Nemo, and most of Fantasyland before ToonTown opens?

If not, do you think
we can get a Birthday Button, do Finding Nemo, and most of Fantasyland and ToonTown before lines get too long?

Any opinions, experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[disneynerd420]

I might hold off on the birthday button until later... however, I think it can be done. Do nemo first, then Peter Pan and Dumbo. After that you can shake it up. Nemo is a slow loader, as well as peter pan and dumbo. You want to do these with as little people in line as possible. Good luck on your trip. I hope you DS enjoys himself.

 

[DLR29]

No, that would not be likely.

Assuming that you get the button first, you will not be one of the first ones on Nemo. Then Nemo's line might be a little wait, but while you wait in Nemo's line the lines for Fantasyland rides are always growing, especially Matterhorn, Peter Pan, Dumbo, and Alice. Here's how I would estimate your time:

Arrive at 8:30AM
-Get button at 9:00 (5 min to get in the park/get the button)
-Arrive at Nemo around 9:10 (15 min line, 15 min ride)
-Start Fantasyland around 9:40

By this time Peter Pan's line will be about 20-25 min (approx) and other rides will be 10-15 min. That'd be my guess.

 

[Escape2Disney]

When we were there for my b-day a few years ago, a CM on the monorail gave me my button. You may want to ask CMs you run into in line for the Fantasyland lines. It might save you from from standing in line @ city hall.

 

[MAH4546]

You will get your button when you pick-up up your ticket if you go to the guest services window to the left of the ticket booths.

You are going during one the absolute slowest times of the year. Not only is your plan possible during a dead period for crowds, but the line for Nemo will likely not exceed 30 minutes until the after-work crowd starts showing up. The only "if" is Peter Pan. The line is always long.

Just for reference, the Nemo line was 20 minutes at 5PM this past Wednesday.

Friday is busier than Wednesday, obviously, but the crowds do not show up until around 4PM.

The Fantasyland dark rides, except for Peter Pan, do not get lines more than 5-10 minutes until around one hour after opening.

Get your buttong before the park opens, and you can easily do Nemo --> Alice --> Mr. Toad --> Pinocchio --> Snow White --> Peter Pan in about 75 minutes.

 

[kandbp]

Unless something has changed, Peter Pan closes for refurbishment on May 4th (the day we arrive ).

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Peter Pan is closed... so I'd follow the PP advice...

Button before park open, straight to Nemo, then Dumbo, Alice, Teacups, Toad, Pinnochio, and Snow White (my 4 yr old LOVED Snow White--not all do.) We've done all those except Nemo (last year it was too new! We did Peter Pan 1st) in less than an hour...

 

[Misskitty3]

On Fridays, doesn't DL do a rope drop on Main street? If so, she could get the birthday button (and birthday phone call) at City Hall and then still get over to Nemo right when the park opens.

 

[ballarinamom]

If PP is closed, do Dumbo first. It is a MAJOR slow loader/ Then head over to Nemo. The Nemo ride holds so many more people than Dumbo. Then get the rest of Fantasyland done. We got our Bday Button at GCH before our Storytellers Breakfast.

I agree with the other poster. If they let you onto Main Street before the official rope drop, get your button and call. Then make rope drop and head to Dumbo

 

[bumbershoot]

While reading your post, something occurred to me. I went looking, and found that Friday means that Mickey's ToonTown Morning Madness is going on the hour before TT opens to the general public.

That means that if you go to enter TT when it opens to you, it will have people already in it. The lines won't be totally short. So getting there as it opens isn't as much of an advantage that day, and if you still want to get there then, make sure your son knows that there will already be lines. Especially if you were expecting emptiness.

I would NOT start the day with Nemo. It's loud, scary to be under the water like that, and overwhelming (Bruce, the angler fish). Trust me. If you do want to do it first, pack earplugs or something like that for him. I nearly ruined our last trip by doing Nemo first thing first morning. And DS has been there before! But every trip is new and different. He was 4.5 at that trip.

I would start with Dumbo. Dumbo is open, airy. You can see everything that's going to happen. I think that's one of the biggest reasons it's so popular with little kids!!!! There's nothing unexpected. So I would start with that and then move on, perhaps to Nemo if you want, or maybe the Teacups (another ride where you can see it all).

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My kids and I do not enjoy Nemo ~ we might not even waste our time if we could walk on!

Our MM plan for next month is ~

Matterhorn probably 1st, perhaps twice in a row! (it would be PP but it'll be closed)
*If not M 1st it'll be Dumbo, but M was closed for our visit last month.

*Teacups
*Alice
*Mr. Toad
*Space Mtn.

 

[abouley]

Don't forget Casey Jr and the storybook ride! My son is 5 and still loves them. He's not a fan of the dark rides though.

 

[lisah0711]

Whatever you end up doing, be sure and build plenty of break times and snack time and just time for your DS to wander around and check things out that might interest him -- it may not even be a ride -- and experience the park from his point of view. It will give you new perspective and possibly avoid that not so magical moment aka "a major meltdown!" Enjoy your visit!