MM question regarding Nemo and Star Tours

[mermaidwannabe]

We are going to try to get most of the FL rides done on a different day, so on our MM day (Saturday, 6/25), I was going to have us ride Matterhorn, Space, Nemo, Buzz and Star Tours.

Should I skip Matterhorn that MM, and try to get to Nemo first then do Space, Buzz and Star Tours? Or should I get to Nemo and then go right to Star Tours and then Space and Buzz?

We have never ridden Nemo, but we've never been inclined to wait longer than 30 minutes, which we didn't see when we were there in 2009. We LOVE Space, but we can always get a FP. I assume Star Tours will be really busy that day since it's been revamped, and I think I read somewhere that there will be an unofficial Star Wars day that day? So maybe we should get to Star Tours first and then Nemo?

Thanks for anyone's thoughts on this!!

 

[skiingfast]

If it were me I would do Star Tours, Space, Nemo then Buzz. But really grab a Star Tours FP, right away because the FP machines will have a long wait too. Then Space, Buzz and Nemo.

Unfortunately though, Because Start Tours is going to draw a huge crowd, everything near it will be busier too. When people see multihour waits for Star Tours they are more likely to accept the 90 minute Space wait and get in that line. Matterhorn may not get much of a line because of this because it's even further from the main draw duing MM.

 

[DLR29]

I wouldn't do Star Tours during MM. Most likely, that's where a ton of people will spend their MM hour. My guess is that it'll be like Nemo where you might spend at least half of your MM hour for 1 ride. If you are there really really early for MM then you might be able to do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. You can always get a FP for Star Tours when the park officially opens.

Can I ask why you aren't doing the FL rides during MM? MM is one of the best times to get them all done, including the Matterhorn.

If you do Nemo first, you will probably be able to do Buzz and Space, but that might be it for your MM hour.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

If it were me I would do Star Tours, Space, Nemo then Buzz. But really grab a Star Tours FP, right away because the FP machines will have a long wait too. Then Space, Buzz and Nemo.

Unfortunately though, Because Start Tours is going to draw a huge crowd, everything near it will be busier too. When people see multihour waits for Star Tours they are more likely to accept the 90 minute Space wait and get in that line. Matterhorn may not get much of a line because of this because it's even further from the main draw duing MM.

Oh yeah, good point. Everyone will try to do what I'm doing for new rides. Think I will plan on FP for Star Tours on a non MM morning (that's a mouthful) and just try to get to Nemo. Thanks!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

I wouldn't do Star Tours during MM. Most likely, that's where a ton of people will spend their MM hour. My guess is that it'll be like Nemo where you might spend at least half of your MM hour for 1 ride. If you are there really really early for MM then you might be able to do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. You can always get a FP for Star Tours when the park officially opens.

Can I ask why you aren't doing the FL rides during MM? MM is one of the best times to get them all done, including the Matterhorn.

If you do Nemo first, you will probably be able to do Buzz and Space, but that might be it for your MM hour.

We weren't going to do all the FL rides this year. I know, it's sacrilige to me, but my girls just want to do a few of them like Tea Cups, the Carousel and Matterhorn, so I thought we should just do those the first day we are there (a Friday) and save our Saturday MM for Nemo or Star Tours (but I'll just get a FP for Star Tours now). We will only have 3 days and they want to focus on BTMRR, Splash (multiple times), POTC, HM, Space, Buzz, Soarin, GRR (multiple times lol), CA Screamin, TOT and a few others.

 

[cloudconnected1039]

I've always found that the best time to do Matterhorn is right after the fireworks are finished. They block off the area around it, but that just ensures that no one is essentially beating you to the entrance. And I've always liked doing Matterhorn at night

Edit: Also, Buzz is a continuous loading ride, so the line moves fairly fast no matter how long it is. I would save all of your continuous loading rides (POTC, Buzz, HM) for regular park hours. The length of the lines might be scary at first, but the wait shouldn't be more than 20 to 30 minutes normally.

 

[DahliaRW]

I would think (maybe I'm wrong) your best strategy for Star Tours would be to get to DL early and be at the front for rope drop on an non (for anyone) MM day. Run like the wind to ST, grab a FP, hop in line. Hopefully you can get in line before it builds up. Then you can go back later in the day and FP it if you want to go again.

 

[HydroGuy]

I would think (maybe I'm wrong) your best strategy for Star Tours would be to get to DL early and be at the front for rope drop on an non (for anyone) MM day. Run like the wind to ST, grab a FP, hop in line. Hopefully you can get in line before it builds up. Then you can go back later in the day and FP it if you want to go again.

That will be the best ST strategy at first. Finally take some heat off Space Mtn. After a year it will revert and Space Mtn FP will be king again.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thank you for all the advice. I think we will try to do the FP for Star Tours on a non MM day, and get to Nemo first thing on our MM day. And then Space. Then we will see how long Buzz is but will probably do that one since we will be over there already. This will be so fun because we went to DW last year, and while it was a blast, one of my favorite things about DL is how close everything is.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Since you've all been so helpful, any idea when or how long should I allot for TSMM? We've never ridden it, and I want my girls and hubby to ride it this year since every year we keep saying we are going to do something different for vacation the next year. I tried the search function because I'm sure someone has asked this but didn't see anything.

 

[DLR29]

Thank you for all the advice. I think we will try to do the FP for Star Tours on a non MM day, and get to Nemo first thing on our MM day. And then Space. Then we will see how long Buzz is but will probably do that one since we will be over there already. This will be so fun because we went to DW last year, and while it was a blast, one of my favorite things about DL is how close everything is.

If you are going to do Space and Nemo during MM, I would do Space and then Nemo. Nemo's line won't build that quickly; Space's might get a little longer.

Since you've all been so helpful, any idea when or how long should I allot for TSMM? We've never ridden it, and I want my girls and hubby to ride it this year since every year we keep saying we are going to do something different for vacation the next year. I tried the search function because I'm sure someone has asked this but didn't see anything.

Depends. If you are at DCA before its rope drop (you can unofficially enter DCA to ride Soarin and line up for rope drop at 9:30 every morning), and you "run" to TSMM, you can get on and off before 10:15, 10:30 easily. It depends on how long you wait at the rope usually. The rest of the day, however, TSMM has lines of about 30-40 min. Doesn't usually get any higher or any lower. So some people don't think it's worth it to get there at rope drop because you're "waiting" the same amount (just at the rope instead of in the queue).

 

[PHXscuba]

The problem with doing Nemo on a MM day is that unless you are at the very front of the pack and make it on the first sub, this ride is a slow loader/unloader, a long ride, and might not be running more than 2 subs at that time. Combine that, and I think you'll use up more than half of your MM.

If doing Nemo in a short line is a priority, it might still be worth it, but I'd personally do Space Mountain and maybe Buzz, then head over to Nemo. You might wait a tad longer, but you'd accomplish more total in the first hour than using it all on Nemo.

It will be interesting to see how much the new Star Tours draws the crowds away from Nemo as the "newer ride" in that area of the park.

PHXscuba

 

[Hound 109]

The problem with doing Nemo on a MM day is that unless you are at the very front of the pack and make it on the first sub, this ride is a slow loader/unloader, a long ride, and might not be running more than 2 subs at that time. Combine that, and I think you'll use up more than half of your MM.

If doing Nemo in a short line is a priority, it might still be worth it, but I'd personally do Space Mountain and maybe Buzz, then head over to Nemo. You might wait a tad longer, but you'd accomplish more total in the first hour than using it all on Nemo.

It will be interesting to see how much the new Star Tours draws the crowds away from Nemo as the "newer ride" in that area of the park.

PHXscuba

I agree with PHXscuba & DLR 29. If contemplating Nemo during MM, then I'd do it later (after doing 3-5 other attractions)....maybe at the :40 mark of MM. Then hop off & pick up your first FP at :00

I AM interested in how Star Tours affects one's MM touring strategy going forward though. I hope everyone posts their thoughts & experiences on this. (Once it's up & running.)

Also how it affects FP collecting strategy.

 

[Hound 109]

Since you've all been so helpful, any idea when or how long should I allot for TSMM? We've never ridden it, and I want my girls and hubby to ride it this year since every year we keep saying we are going to do something different for vacation the next year. I tried the search function because I'm sure someone has asked this but didn't see anything.

I've ridden twice between 12:30 - 2pm with about a 30 min. wait. Good ride to do after lunch (& after the morning crush).

 

[DahliaRW]

Personally, I wouldn't waste MM on Nemo unless you don't want to do other things. I've found the Nemo line shortest at the end of the night near park close. Last trip I think we waited 5 minutes, maybe 10, at 11pm.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thank you, fellow itinerary helpers!
All of you pretty much said the same thing, so I am going to do what you say!! Really appreciate your comments because in years past, we've accomplished so much with MM that it would be a shame to "waste" it on a ride that will have approximately the same wait times throughout the day.

SO, I will save Star Tours to do as a FP on a non MM day, save Nemo for possibly the end of the MM hour or maybe even try to catch it on the day before if it's only a 30 min wait. And for TSMM, I may wait and do closer to EP or WoC because my DD8 LOVES Soarin', so we would run to do that and then we are all always itching to get to GRR, which we usually do 2-3 times in a row before getting a FP for later.

 

[PHXscuba]

Adding to my previous comments on NOT rushing to Nemo first on a MM, I will admit I had read the very same advice on this board before my trip, decided "I knew better" and ignored it, and used my entire MM in line and on the Nemo subs. I think they were only running two and we didn't get on the first (or maybe even the second) sub. I remember DH and my two older kids rushing off to Space Mountain just in time to beat the regular rope drop crowd, which caught us just after we reached the FP machines at Space Mountain. So a whole hour for one ride ... a ride I consider to be only moderately good.

I never want to spend an hour (especially a valuable MM hour) for a single ride. Even if I used a whole hour later it would have been a better use of time then.

So moral of the story, unless your situation is vastly different due to mobility, Nemo-maniacs, no desire for Star Tours, Space Mountain, etc., I'd tell anyone to give the advice here a lot of weight.

PHXscuba

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Adding to my previous comments on NOT rushing to Nemo first on a MM, I will admit I had read the very same advice on this board before my trip, decided "I knew better" and ignored it, and used my entire MM in line and on the Nemo subs. I think they were only running two and we didn't get on the first (or maybe even the second) sub. I remember DH and my two older kids rushing off to Space Mountain just in time to beat the regular rope drop crowd, which caught us just after we reached the FP machines at Space Mountain. So a whole hour for one ride ... a ride I consider to be only moderately good.

I never want to spend an hour (especially a valuable MM hour) for a single ride. Even if I used a whole hour later it would have been a better use of time then.

So moral of the story, unless your situation is vastly different due to mobility, Nemo-maniacs, no desire for Star Tours, Space Mountain, etc., I'd tell anyone to give the advice here a lot of weight.

PHXscuba

Thanks. I definitely do because I really can't think of one time on these boards where I've been steered wrong. But good to hear from you in case I had a little doubt that morning.