Most Popular Fantasyland Rides at DL

[damaris13]

Which rides seem to be the most popular rides in Fantasyland at DL? Peter Pan and Dumbo often have extremely long lines at WDW starting reasonably early in the morning.

We're using MM our first morning in the park and focusing on the FL rides for DD. I'm figuring we'll hit PP and Dumbo first, but what follows that?

Here's the list of the rides we definitely want to hit in FL:
Alice
Casey Jr. (I have a picture from this ride when I was about 6. I MUST get one of my daughter on this ride).
Mad Tea Party (if we miss this...no problem. We'll get it next year at WDW)
Mr. Toad
Storybook Canal
It's a Small World

We'll probably skip Pinocchio and Snow White as they are a little scarier, and we can always hit SW next year at WDW.

Thank you!

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

peter pan
dumbo
mr toad
storybook

 

[JH87]

peter pan
dumbo
mr toad
storybook

^^ exactly the list I was gonna write

 

[ktlm]

Definitely hit PP early. Be aware that PP does not have fastpasses at DL. That was a big surprise for us! PP is DD's (5) favorite, so when we are at MK, we almost always have a fast pass in our pockets for our next PP ride of the day. At DL, we only rode it once because the lines were always really long.

Also, I noted you said you can hit Snow White next year at WDW. Be aware that they are closing down Snow White at WDW and turning the spot into a Princess meet and greet. (Something my DD is not going to be happy about as it is one of her favorite rides and she rides it over and over). The rumor is that the close down will happen sometime near the beginning of next year. However, the Snow White ride at DL, is not the same as the WDW and (sorry DL people), in our opinion is not nearly as good. While the Snow White ride at WDW is one of DD's favorites and we have to impose a 5 time a day limit, she does not care for the Snow White ride at DL.

Another one you want to hit early in the morning at DL is the Nemo ride. Unlike WDW where Nemo is usually walk on, there are long lines for Nemo at DL (they use subs so it is not a continuous loader like the clamshells at WDW). Because they use the old 20,000 league subs, it is a much better ride at DL than it is at WDW-- WDW missed a great opportunity with that one!!!

 

[damaris13]

Thank you KTLM! Definitely taking note of that. I'll pass the SW info on to DH. It never was one of our favorites, and DD hasn't taken to the movie, so we probably won't ever really miss it.

Bizarre that they would do that to a ride that almost always has a long line at WDW.

 

[the donut]

I would do

PP
Dumbo
Casey Jr.
Alice
Storybook Canals
Tea cups
Mr. Toad (though if you think Snow White is scary, my daughter thought Mr. Toad was scarier when she was little)
IASW (doesn't open until park opening)

But if you do not get to Peter Pan with less than a 5 minute wait, I would consider skipping it and going ahead to the next ride on the list, depending on how busy the park is and go to PP after the tea cups. If you end up with a 20 minute wait at PP, all the other lines will be long and you'll eat up the entire MM with only 2 or 3 rides, whereas if you skip it and double back for it, you may get through more rides. The line for PP at the middle or towards the end of MM can be around 20 minutes. Just be sure to get to it before the rest of the park is open.

You do need to be a bit flexible. On a recent MM for us, Dumbo, Nemo, and Alice were closed. The good thing is that FL is so geographically tiny, it's pretty easy to see what's closed without using up too much time.

 

[damaris13]

I know Mr. Toad is scary...both DH and I love that ride, though, and I boycotted Pooh at WDW until this past year when we took DD on it. It's like the Matterhorn...I have to ride it at least once to get my fix. Unfortunately...no Matterhorn fix for this time around.

 

[Hound 109]

What time zone will you be coming from? (& when is MM that first day?....7am?, 8am?)

The reason i ask is that if from the Central or Eastern zone, it will be easy to get up & you want to be AT THE SECURITY TENT at :20 & one of the first families at the turnstiles.

I agree with the other poster who said if you can't be one of the first few families on PP...then save it for a day that you CAN be one of the first few families on. PP first.....ALWAYS first.

Here's an MM critique that might be helpful:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392671

Other comments below:

Which rides seem to be the most popular rides in Fantasyland at DL? Peter Pan and Dumbo often have extremely long lines at WDW starting reasonably early in the morning.

We're using MM our first morning in the park and focusing on the FL rides for DD. I'm figuring we'll hit PP and Dumbo first, but what follows that?

Here's the list of the rides we definitely want to hit in FL:
Alice
Casey Jr. (I have a picture from this ride when I was about 6. I MUST get one of my daughter on this ride).
Mad Tea Party (if we miss this...no problem. We'll get it next year at WDW)
Mr. Toad
Storybook Canal
It's a Small World

Correct me if i'm wrong....but i didn't think that Casey Jr, Storybookland or IASW are open during MM.

Assuming they aren't, I would do:

- PP (first....always first.....but only if one of the first on.)
- Dumbo
- Alice (note bathroom next to Alice if needed)
- Toady or Teacups (if teacups are loading...hop on)
- Teacups or Toady.
- Carousel or Pinocchio....or head over to BLAB for a couple of quick rides prior to your first FP pickup at SM or Indy at :00.

- Then at :00 do Casey Jr.
- Storybookland
- IASW

or start your day at those 3 on another non MM day. (but if any of those 3 are open during MM, I'd plug them in after Toady.)

We'll probably skip Pinocchio and Snow White as they are a little scarier, and we can always hit SW next year at WDW.

You'll walk right by Pinocchio a half dozen times those two days. There is rarely more than a 2 minute line. To me....it's a MUST do even if you do a quick baby swap & ride individually some late morning or afternoon. (FL is very pretty right there & there is lots to occupy a child and parent for 5 min.)Same strategy applies for SW next door....but Pinocchio is one of my faves.
Thank you!

No Matterhorn?? Why not do a teacup swap with kiddo & ride the Matterhorn?

 

[damaris13]

I found out a few days ago that Matterhorn will be down for refurb the week before and the week of my trip to DL. Absolutely kills me, but I've accepted skipping my favorite ride this time around. We have no qualms about swapping, although we definitely can't wait for DD to be old enough to join us on our favorite rides. I can be a little shy at times, so sitting by strangers isn't the easiest for me. On the other hand, I did get a front row seat on Aerosmith last year because the girl who was sitting up there freaked at the last moment and wanted to trade with me.

 

[Hound 109]

I probably shouldn't have said "swap".

I'm suggesting that Pinocchio is a must do for the adults (& kids over say 6 y/o).....since:

- it's a 3 min. ride
- it's a 3 min. line.
- Pinocchio is in the heart of FL & a few steps from the entrance is LOTS to keep an adult & 2 y/o distracted while the adults (one at a time) enjoy this scary & sweet dark ride. (& Walt's finest movie ever....imo.)
- Pinocchio is not at WDW.

Too bad about the Matterhorn.....but you can ride it when she's older.

 

[damaris13]

I probably shouldn't have said "swap".

I'm suggesting that Pinocchio is a must do for the adults (& kids over say 6 y/o).....since:

- it's a 3 min. ride
- it's a 3 min. line.
- a few steps from the entrance is LOTS to keep an adult & 2 y/o distracted while the adults (one at a time) enjoy this scary & sweet dark ride.
(& Walt's finest movie ever....imo.)
- It's not at WDW.

Too bad about the Matterhorn.....but you can ride it when she's older.

We will definitely ride Matterhorn when she's older. I'm anticipating 10 years before we head back that direction again. I've put Snow White into our tentative itinerary...we'll see. It's been so long since I've been on it, I probably won't miss it one bit. Could also see how she does on Mr. Toad and may take her on Snow White.

 

[shockpirate]

Go on Peter Pan FIRST! Get there early and make a dash for it. It is very popular. Next head right over to Dumbo cause that line packs in fast too. After I would do them in this order...

Matterhorn Mountain
Storybook Land
Alice in Wonderland
Mad Tea Party
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Casey Jr. Rail Road
King Artur's Carousel
It's a Small World
Pinocchio' Daring Adventure
Snow White's Scary Adventure

 

[Hound 109]

I just looked at DLR 29's Superthread & it indicates that Casey Jr, Storybookland & IASW are NOT open during MM.

Can i get double confirmation on this?

(it makes a difference for folks making an MM plan.)

Thanks.

 

[kiwitravel]

I don't know how many days you have but we have found the best time to do FL is first thing on a normal opening day...

We were there in early August and found most of FL a walk on in the first hour of opening on a normal day, with MM there are still a lot of people in the park all concentrated into a smaller area and rides and a lot of people plan around doing FL ONLY on their MM day... We managed to ride all FL (except Dumbo) in one hour.

 

[damaris13]

I don't know how many days you have but we have found the best time to do FL is first thing on a normal opening day...

We were there in early August and found most of FL a walk on in the first hour of opening on a normal day, with MM there are still a lot of people in the park all concentrated into a smaller area and rides and a lot of people plan around doing FL ONLY on their MM day... We managed to ride all FL (except Dumbo) in one hour.

This makes sense; however MM is the only day we will have to do FL ahead of massive crowds. Wednesday we have MTTMM, which is our way to see Mickey and the Gang without the massively long lines (so many corners in the now demolished MK TT made it seem like we only had a little bit more to go...waited close to an hour and a half!!)

If we finish at MTTMM early, we'll swing into FL for the remaining rides. TY!

 

[kiwitravel]

The quickest way to do Micky and Minnies houses is on a non madness day opening right at opening. They are usually outside their houses with only a handful of people in the queue...Mickey goes inside pretty quick so do Minnie first then Mickey the wait is typically no more than 10 minutes for both that way...

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

Is the peter pan ride the same as WDW?

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Another tip for PP if you want to do it more than once in a day is to hit FL right after it re-opens when the fireworks end. Most of the families with little ones are long gone and in 1 hour we did more rids in FL than we did on our magic morning including PP with less than a 5 minute wait and Pinocchio, Snow white & Mr Toad walk on..also Storybookland Canal all lit up at night is wonderful! Luckily my 6 year old is a trooper and made it to midnight