Later Morning Start Planning with G+

[roctavia]

We will be at Disneyland in May around Memorial day, but I will be attending a conference. the conference is 1/2 days in the morning, so trying to come up with a plan so we can enjoy our evenings. Without me getting everyone up, I suspect hubby and the kids won't go to rope drop on those days (we do have 1 full day prior to the conference that we will surely power through a lot).

But it sounds like G+ works differently at Disneyland compared to WDW. We can't reserve anything until everyone has scanned in to the park, correct? Will there be anything left to book if they don't get to the park until a little later? I've been going through the G+ threads, but didn't see a lot mentioning how quickly things move out through the day/sell out.

I will probably run to the park before my meeting starts and enter, so once the rest of the family makes it over there, I can start booking things for the afternoon if possible.

Just looking for any tips when we can't do the normal rope drop stuff!

 

[starlite_]

I've been able to book Space Mountain at like 8pm. Genie+ at DLR works just fine

 

[roctavia]

Do things slow down in the evenings at DLR? In a perfect world we'd rather close down the parks than get up at rope drop.

 

[foolish_mortals]

Around Memorial Day things pick up and get crowded in the afternoons after people get off from work. Then a minor slowdown after fireworks but things don’t really slow down to walk on until after the second Fantasmic.

 

[Imdboss]

We never do rope drop. Usually get to the park around 10-10:30. We utilize genie+, do about 4-5 hours then go back for any afternoon break which usually takes about 2-2.5 hours from the time we leave until return. During this time I’m still getting any genie+ I can and we close down the park. After the evening shows are done the parks clear out and you can get on several things. Just make sure to be strategically placed so you don’t get caught in the one-way traffic leaving the park. One time we stopped to watch the fireworks near the Red Wagon and then wanted to go on BTMRR amd Pirates but we couldn’t go straight across, with the swarm of people leaving we decided to also. Swimming upstream would’ve taken forever!

 

[Aurora0427]

Do things slow down in the evenings at DLR? In a perfect world we'd rather close down the parks than get up at rope drop.

No. We’re locals. I feel like the evenings are very busy nowadays at Disneyland. We’ve been there until midnight and I’ve been shocked at how long some of the wait times are that late at night.

Our experience has been that Genie plus is most efficient when the crowds are lower… we were there yesterday, and immediate return times for most of the rides were gone by 10am. But if you’re ok closing down the park, you’ll definitely be able to utilize genie plus… we left at 6pm yesterday and Space still had availability for 11pm return.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Is your trip on the actual holiday weekend? LL do tend to go faster on very crowded days.

 

[roctavia]

Is your trip on the actually holiday weekend? LL do tend to go faster on very crowded days.

Yes, unfortunately the conference is for the holiday weekend. We will have a full day the thursday before, but Friday/Saturday/Sunday I will have meetings until 12. I'm hoping we can get all of the must do stuff done thursday and then the other days we can be more choosy to just do what we really love.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Yes, unfortunately the conference is for the holiday weekend. We will have a full day the thursday before, but Friday/Saturday/Sunday I will have meetings until 12. I'm hoping we can get all of the must do stuff done thursday and then the other days we can be more choosy to just do what we really love.

If I were in your position I would make an effort to tap in before your conference so you can at least collect a few LL for later in the day. Your family doesn’t have to rope drop but if they could scan in within the first hour or two of park opening it would help you guys get some good LL for later.

I was in the parks on Veterans Day and by late afternoon/early evening a bunch of LL ran out in DCA.

 

[chezcurrie]

G+ has still been advantageous for us arriving around 10am. Even yesterday when it was bananas crowded. The recent change that you can modify your LL and not lose the ”reset” time when you booked it has been a game changer for me. Example: Yesterday had a Guardians LL for 2:30. Was able to refresh and move it back to 11:30 - I was still was able to book another LL at my original 2 hr mark (hope this makes sense.) Similarly was able to push out a Smugglers Run LL for later in the day, even though I had booked it earlier in the day. It doesn’t reset the whole “when you can book” clock. This also works switching your attraction.

In your case, if it’s not a horrible hassle for you to scan in in the AM this could be very beneficial - its *very* easy to bump a LL later (not as easy refreshing for earlier times.) So you could essentially stack 2-3 rides to start your evening (depending on when your conference day ends.) You would need to be diligent about modifying the times before your original booking window expires, however. So depending on how interesting your conference is this might be a no-go.

In the case that you do not want to scan in in the AM I suggest on your full day prioritizing the LL that tend to get later return times. Things like Space, Indiana (if its running), Guardians and Webslingers at GCA. That way you won’t feel the “pressure” to do so on your half days. If you are able to score one, bonus! But you would have already knocked those off the proverbial list.

One caveat I always like to mention: while it is totally possible to ride 6,9 or more rides with G+ it all depends on how early you get to the park and how crowded it is. If you can get immediate return times in the am and are not a re-ride person, for example, you’re gonna ride a lot. This is *not* how I view G+. I see it as a 3-ride FastPass. I focus on those 3 priorities and everything else is gravy.

 

[ballarinamom]

G+ has still been advantageous for us arriving around 10am. Even yesterday when it was bananas crowded. The recent change that you can modify your LL and not lose the ”reset” time when you booked it has been a game changer for me. Example: Yesterday had a Guardians LL for 2:30. Was able to refresh and move it back to 11:30 - I was still was able to book another LL at my original 2 hr mark (hope this makes sense.) Similarly was able to push out a Smugglers Run LL for later in the day, even though I had booked it earlier in the day. It doesn’t reset the whole “when you can book” clock. This also works switching your attraction.

In your case, if it’s not a horrible hassle for you to scan in in the AM this could be very beneficial - its *very* easy to bump a LL later (not as easy refreshing for earlier times.) So you could essentially stack 2-3 rides to start your evening (depending on when your conference day ends.) You would need to be diligent about modifying the times before your original booking window expires, however. So depending on how interesting your conference is this might be a no-go.

In the case that you do not want to scan in in the AM I suggest on your full day prioritizing the LL that tend to get later return times. Things like Space, Indiana (if its running), Guardians and Webslingers at GCA. That way you won’t feel the “pressure” to do so on your half days. If you are able to score one, bonus! But you would have already knocked those off the proverbial list.

One caveat I always like to mention: while it is totally possible to ride 6,9 or more rides with G+ it all depends on how early you get to the park and how crowded it is. If you can get immediate return times in the am and are not a re-ride person, for example, you’re gonna ride a lot. This is *not* how I view G+. I see it as a 3-ride FastPass. I focus on those 3 priorities and everything else is gravy.

Thanks for this! I want to see if I understand what you said about modifying. If at 8:00am I grab an LL for 11:00am, my 2 hour clock to book another LL starts. If I move that 11:00 return time out to 2:00pm it does not change that I originally grabbed it at 8:00am and can get another at 10:00am? Am I understanding that correctly? Will moving the LL to 2:00pm, will I be able to get any time that is available at 10:00am as long as it isn't the same ride? Im familiar with genie+ at WDW and did the fastpass+ last time we were at DL. Just trying to figure out the ins and outs of genie+ at DL

 

[chezcurrie]

Thanks for this! I want to see if I understand what you said about modifying. If at 8:00am I grab an LL for 11:00am, my 2 hour clock to book another LL starts. If I move that 11:00 return time out to 2:00pm it does not change that I originally grabbed it at 8:00am and can get another at 10:00am?

Yes, that is correct. It is based off your original “booking time” for lack of a better term. That booking time is not negated if you push your time or change your attraction. You can only change your attraction if it is not one you have already redeemed.
Note: you need to use the modify feature for this, not cancel.

Will moving the LL to 2:00pm, will I be able to get any time that is available at 10:00am as long as it isn't the same ride? Im familiar with genie+ at WDW and did the fastpass+ last time we were at DL. Just trying to figure out the ins and outs of genie+ at DL

Yes, you will be able to book your next LL as normal - whatever is available.

Remember also, that once you scan into your LL you can immediately book your next one. If you redeem your LL before your next booking window it backs up to your scan in time. So it works in your favor. Thankfully G+ now has a “you can book your next LL at XX:XX” so its not as confusing as it seems.

 

[chezcurrie]

Also, if like me yesterday you forgot you had overlapping LL you can still modify it to a later time if you are in your “redemption window” - so if you had a LL for 5-6pm you can still modify it up to 6pm.

 

[roctavia]

Also, if like me yesterday you forgot you had overlapping LL you can still modify it to a later time if you are in your “redemption window” - so if you had a LL for 5-6pm you can still modify it up to 6pm.

Great tips! Thanks for them all! I have the WDW stuff down, but DLR is such a different animal, and then having time restrictions makes it harder. I will definitely make a point to run over and scan in before my meetings start.

Do you still get cards to scan if you don't have a magic band? (Our other hurdle is I'm the only one with a smart phone.. hubby's flip phone won't works so well when it comes to apps ) We have enough from WDW that I don't want to buy MB + for this.

Anyone with suggestions for which park to have as your first park? We have hoppers, so I just sort of alternated days when I booked our park reservations, but I wasn't sure if it really mattered. We are staying at the GCH, so I know there is the extra entrance to California Adventure... but if we are starting our day a couple hours late anyway, I didn't know if it mattered. Can you book G+ for either park if you have a hopper?

 

[ballarinamom]

Also, if like me yesterday you forgot you had overlapping LL you can still modify it to a later time if you are in your “redemption window” - so if you had a LL for 5-6pm you can still modify it up to 6pm.

So you're saying you can have two LLs at the same window?

 

[chezcurrie]

So you're saying you can have two LLs at the same window?

Yes.

 

[ballarinamom]

Yes.

Great news! Thanks!

 

[ballarinamom]

Yes.

Also, we are too far out to see anything really in the app in regards to the LL stuff. Where is the modify button? Im assuming after we book an LL there will be a cancel and a modify button?

 

[chezcurrie]

Great tips! Thanks for them all! I have the WDW stuff down, but DLR is such a different animal, and then having time restrictions makes it harder. I will definitely make a point to run over and scan in before my meetings start.

Do you still get cards to scan if you don't have a magic band? (Our other hurdle is I'm the only one with a smart phone.. hubby's flip phone won't works so well when it comes to apps ) We have enough from WDW that I don't want to buy MB + for this.

Anyone with suggestions for which park to have as your first park? We have hoppers, so I just sort of alternated days when I booked our park reservations, but I wasn't sure if it really mattered. We are staying at the GCH, so I know there is the extra entrance to California Adventure... but if we are starting our day a couple hours late anyway, I didn't know if it mattered. Can you book G+ for either park if you have a hopper?

You can still get paper tickets - as a guest of the GCH go to the guest services desk and they will print them. There have been hit or miss reports on getting them at turnstiles lately, but this should not be an issue at the hotel.

Since you are staying at the GCH it makes it sooooo easy to scan in to DCA in the morning. Like that is a game changer. I would start your first full day at DL, then change your remaining days to start at DCA so you can easily scan in (make sure there is availability before switching any reservations.) Since park hopping starts at 11 it would only affect what your hubby and kids do in the am.

Yes, you can book G+ for both parks with a hopper.

 

[chezcurrie]

Also, we are too far out to see anything really in the app in regards to the LL stuff. Where is the modify button? Im assuming after we book an LL there will be a cancel and a modify button?

I’ll try and take a screenshot the next time I’m in the park for you, but you can modify from your Tip Board or by searching for the attraction and clicking on your LL. If memory serves you cliick on the three dots and can choose modify experience. Then a new screen pops up showing you your current selection and what else is available. You can pull down to refresh the times, and then if its a time you want you have to select the new time. It’s actually pretty intuitive.