Lines for PPO ADRs & Son w/ ASD

[StirlingSilver83]

So we have been to Disney several times and have had minimal melt downs since we have been introduced to the DAS. Once we get into the park we seem to be fine and have no problems. But lately I am noticing some of our issues with line waiting has been getting worse with our local theme park that we go to. Their bag check takes FOREVER and my son doesn't seem to understand that it takes time for everyone to walk through the line thats in front of him. He also doesn't do large crowds very well either. Again once we get into the park we are usually ok, bc we can get away from large crowds by going to his "quiet" spots if we need to. I am doing PPO ADRs for pretty much all our park days except for 2 bc I figured the crowd would be smaller than a RD crowd. Now here's my question would it be better to send my hubby on ahead to have him get to the parks by 7:30 to stand in the lines and I will get there with my older son around 7:45 when they let us in so my older son won't have to wait in the line long or are there places that my older son and I can sit down around the parks to wait for the crowd to kind of feed through and then we can go through at the end. Also for the 2 days that we are not eating a PPO breakfast what time would you suggest we make our ADR to get to the park by to have a minimal crowd at bag check. Both days are at MK and we are eating at Kona and Ohana. Also is there a separate entrance for guests without bags? I could always take my son through that entrance and then wait for my hubby in a less crowded area. Just trying to have a plan so we have less meltdowns.

 

[MinnieMSue]

There is a separate entrance for guests without any bags and it would be good for you to take your son through that while husband takes any bags through bag check. You could find an out of way area to wait for him to get through bag check. You might have to go through metal detectors but that has not had any lines that I have ever seen. Sorry I cannot help you with timing as we have always done rope drop and had to wait at gate to get into the park (or another holding area inside the park).

 

[lizard1]

In my experience with PPO dining (at MK a couple of times last year), they hold everyone until at least a certain time (say 7:45) and then they let the entire line in. So if your ADR was for 8:30 and the park opened at 9, you could show up after the big rush of people when they open the gates for the PPO ressies. If your reservation is at 8, I don't know if there is a way to totally avoid the line to get in, especially since everyone with the PPO ressies are in it (they don't separate them by times, so you could show up for your 8:30 ressie and be let in with those who have reservations at 8). At that time the line for bag check isn't bad, and like the PP said, only those that have bags have to go through bag check, so your son could avoid that line.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

In my experience with PPO dining (at MK a couple of times last year), they hold everyone until at least a certain time (say 7:45) and then they let the entire line in. So if your ADR was for 8:30 and the park opened at 9, you could show up after the big rush of people when they open the gates for the PPO ressies. If your reservation is at 8, I don't know if there is a way to totally avoid the line to get in, especially since everyone with the PPO ressies are in it (they don't separate them by times, so you could show up for your 8:30 ressie and be let in with those who have reservations at 8). At that time the line for bag check isn't bad, and like the PP said, only those that have bags have to go through bag check, so your son could avoid that line.

Ok Thanks! Do you know if they stop at any point letting PPO ADRs in? So lets say the park opens at 9AM and we have an 8:30 ADR and I know theres that back up line for all the PPO ADRs at 7:45 and then open the park for that. If we get there around 8AM-8:15AM to get in for an 8:30AM ADR will there still be like a holding line or do they consistently let people in starting at 7:45AM for the PPO ADRs. I am trying to get an idea of what time I should make my ADRs. I usually try to go for the 8AM ADRs but my son this year is really starting to have a lot more issues with lines and I am not sure thats the best move. I am thinking if I make the ADR a little later like 8:15AM and get to MK around 7:45AM instead of 7:30AM like we would of before; then they would be letting people into the parks as we would be getting to bag check. That way once we get through bag check we can go right into the park instead of being put into another line for him to wait in before being let into the park.

 

[lizard1]

I would think they continuously let people in. My PPOs have been at 8, but they don't make multiple lines for people with reservations, they put everyone in the same line (at MK it was a roped off line to the left- they checked that you had a PPO reservation prior to letting you in line), so I would assume that if you would show up at 815 for an 830 they would just let you in and not make you wait. I think the only reasons they have the line area is because they can control who enters before open (they let others scan their bands but they are held behind the train station until the park opens). The only issue I might see is if they have something going on in MK and don't open MK until closer to 8 (they were filming or something the day we had a PPO at 8 and didn't let us in until 8, but that isn't a normal occurrence). I think your plan should work.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I would think they continuously let people in. My PPOs have been at 8, but they don't make multiple lines for people with reservations, they put everyone in the same line (at MK it was a roped off line to the left- they checked that you had a PPO reservation prior to letting you in line), so I would assume that if you would show up at 815 for an 830 they would just let you in and not make you wait. I think the only reasons they have the line area is because they can control who enters before open (they let others scan their bands but they are held behind the train station until the park opens). The only issue I might see is if they have something going on in MK and don't open MK until closer to 8 (they were filming or something the day we had a PPO at 8 and didn't let us in until 8, but that isn't a normal occurrence). I think your plan should work.

Ok perfect! Yeah I am not 1 of those crazy people that have to finish breakfast before the park officially opens so we can rush to get on the best rides, lol. We will have the DAS and with FPs so we don't need to rush through meals, lol. If we make our ADRs for 8:15AM if we get done by 9:15-9:30AM that should be plenty of time. The only day that might be a problem would be the day I was planning on doing our PPO ADR for Garden Grill so that my hubby and DS can RD Soarin so I don't need to get a FP for that. But I guess if we need to we can just use the DAS for Soarin. I don't really remember using the DAS for anything in Epcot bc there is hardly any rides in Epcot. I think the only thing we used our DAS for in Epcot was Test Track (thats 1 of my DS's Fav rides, lol) we had a FP for it and when we entered for FP we also got a return time so my DS could ride again when we got off, lol. Soarin shouldn't be that long of a line by like 9:30 that its going to hold up our DAS all day right?

 

[lizard1]

Ok perfect! Yeah I am not 1 of those crazy people that have to finish breakfast before the park officially opens so we can rush to get on the best rides, lol. We will have the DAS and with FPs so we don't need to rush through meals, lol. If we make our ADRs for 8:15AM if we get done by 9:15-9:30AM that should be plenty of time. The only day that might be a problem would be the day I was planning on doing our PPO ADR for Garden Grill so that my hubby and DS can RD Soarin so I don't need to get a FP for that. But I guess if we need to we can just use the DAS for Soarin. I don't really remember using the DAS for anything in Epcot bc there is hardly any rides in Epcot. I think the only thing we used our DAS for in Epcot was Test Track (thats 1 of my DS's Fav rides, lol) we had a FP for it and when we entered for FP we also got a return time so my DS could ride again when we got off, lol. Soarin shouldn't be that long of a line by like 9:30 that its going to hold up our DAS all day right?

I wouldn't think Soarin' should be that long by the time you're finished. If nothing else, it is right by Garden Grill. You could always get up at 9:15ish and try to get a return time for when you're done at 9:30.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I wouldn't think Soarin' should be that long by the time you're finished. If nothing else, it is right by Garden Grill. You could always get up at 9:15ish and try to get a return time for when you're done at 9:30.

Ok thats perfect! Thanks for your help in trying to help me sort all this out. I just want to have a plan when my ADR day comes so I know what time I need to plan for things. Now my only thing left is what time should I make my ADRs for Kona and Ohana for our 2 days that we aren't doing PPO ADRs. We don't really need to see the Opening show for MK and I want to avoid any larger type crowds. I have heard MK around 10AM at the entrance is totally insane so I want to arrive before that and I want to arrive probably a little after the opening show to let that opening show crowd sort of feed through the entrance before we attempt to go in...So I am thinking maybe arrive in MK around 9:15-9:30 so should I make my ADRs for Ohana and Kona around 8AM or a little earlier or later?

 

[lizard1]

Ok thats perfect! Thanks for your help in trying to help me sort all this out. I just want to have a plan when my ADR day comes so I know what time I need to plan for things. Now my only thing left is what time should I make my ADRs for Kona and Ohana for our 2 days that we aren't doing PPO ADRs. We don't really need to see the Opening show for MK and I want to avoid any larger type crowds. I have heard MK around 10AM at the entrance is totally insane so I want to arrive before that and I want to arrive probably a little after the opening show to let that opening show crowd sort of feed through the entrance before we attempt to go in...So I am thinking maybe arrive in MK around 9:15-9:30 so should I make my ADRs for Ohana and Kona around 8AM or a little earlier or later?

That one I don't know. However, only one of you would have to go through bag check. The other parent and your son could go directly to scan tickets and enter the park. The parent who went through bag check could meet the other two inside the park. One other thing to think about with ressies not inside the park is the transportation to the park because if you are intending to take the monorail, it might be very crowded with people from the TTC at that time. I would consider the one that is going the opposite way (coming from MK instead of TTC) to avoid some of the crowd getting on....may take longer to get to MK, but there may be more room.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

That one I don't know. However, only one of you would have to go through bag check. The other parent and your son could go directly to scan tickets and enter the park. The parent who went through bag check could meet the other two inside the park. One other thing to think about with ressies not inside the park is the transportation to the park because if you are intending to take the monorail, it might be very crowded with people from the TTC at that time. I would consider the one that is going the opposite way (coming from MK instead of TTC) to avoid some of the crowd getting on....may take longer to get to MK, but there may be more room.

Thanks! Never thought of that. We've always stayed monorail resorts before and never really have a problem with crowded monorails. Probably bc everyone rides the express monorail to MK and not the resort Monorail to MK. Anyways if it looks like it will be too busy to ride the monorail we can just board the boat. The other good thing about our party is we will have a scooter in our party and from what I can remember about the monorail and the scooter is people tend to board the sections of the monorails without the scooter first, lol. Also if the monorail looks busy (I'm not sure if the scooters are allowed on those smaller boats) so we can always split up, my hubby can go with my MIL and the scooter and I can take my DS and go on the boat, bc the boat is probably going to be less crowded. I think I will try to make my ADRs for 8AM on those days and just try and adjust it to arrive at MK around 9-9:15...if we finish eating early than we can always hang around the Poly for a bit before heading over to MK