NicholeB630
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2014
Have no fear! You're going to have an amazing time. We have often gone to DL at times of year when regular park opening is 8 am, so EMH/MM entry is 7-8 am. Here's a typical DL itinerary/plan that our family has done a few times now using Magic Morning (MM) on a Tues, Thurs, or Sat...when I was planning our first family trip to DL, I found info like this very helpful.
You'll be done with that by about 1:00 pm assuming you enter at 7 am EMH. 17-18 attractions by 1-2 pm.
- 6:45 am - be in line, tickets in hand, at DL main gate
- 7:00 am - DL opens. Give high 5's to all of the CMs lining Main Street wearing their big Mickey gloves. This is my favorite part of the day. Shake hands with the maintenance CMs who are ending their work day and going home.
- 7:00 - 8:00 am - go on rides in Fantasyland in about this order: Matterhorn (skip if you don't want to go on it), Dumbo, Alice, Mad Tea Party, Mr. Toad, Snow White, Pinocchio
- ~ 8:15 am --> Storybookland Canal Boats (if that's a 'nice to have' ride for your trip, this is a very slow loader). While waiting to load, use MP (Max Pass) to get FP for Space Mtn, Star Tours, or Indiana Jones. Then go on King Arthur's Carousel.
- 8:30-8:45 AM-ish --> After King Arthur's Carousel, look at wait times for Autopia & Buzz Lightyear. If the FP you got first was for Space Mtn or Star Tours, go to Tomorrowland next and go on Autopia or Buzz Lightyear. Probably Autopia first. Then go on Buzz. After that, if FP return window has opened up, go on Space Mtn or Star Tours.
- After you've scanned your ticket at the FP entrance thingy for Space Mtn or Star Tours, while you're shuffling to actually enter/get on the ride itself, go on the app & get another FP for another ride. I'd probably pick Indiana Jones.
- After Space Mtn or Star Tours, walk across the hub to Adventureland. If lines for Photopass photographers aren't too bad, stop to take a family photo on your way to Adventureland. If anybody needs the bathroom, use the bathroom just to the left of the Plaza Inn...it's very close to the entrance to Tomorrowland.
- As you're walking over, check Jungle Cruise & Tiki Room wait times. Probably do Jungle Cruise first. Then Tiki Room.
- Now check return time for IJ. If that return window has opened up, go on IJ. And do the same thing as before...after you scan your ticket the 1st time, go get another FP for another ride. I'd probably pick either Space Mtn, Star Tours (whichever of the 2 you didn't do previously) or BTMRR.
- After IJ, do a hunger check on everybody. Anybody need a snack? Tiki Room is a good time to get a Dole Whip & eat while watching the show, by the way.
- Ok, so after IJ (Indiana Jones), leave Adventureland and head over to New Orleans Square. Go on HM or Pirates. Then go on the other one (HM or Pirates) that you didn't go on first.
- NOW your BTMRR return time has probably opened up. Or your Space Mtn or Star Tours return time. If you're going on BTMRR, go on that ride. Same routine as before...get another FP using Max Pass...Space Mtn or Star Tours, but the return time might be around 2 pm by this point, so consider that if you're taking an afternoon break at your hotel.
- After BTMRR, it's probably about 11:30 am. Time to stop for lunch. Go eat somewhere in Critter Country (Hungry Bear...2nd floor right overlooking the water!), New Orleans Square (French Market - my favorite!) or Rancho del Zocalo.
- After lunch, you could ride the Mark Twain or the Columbia Sailing Ship if that's not under refurbishment. Or take a boat over to Tom Sawyer's Island.
- Then walk over to the train station at New Orleans Square. Take the train to Main Street station. Exit the park & go back to hotel for a break. (that's what we do anyway).
Figure out what time you want to return to the parks...and then monitor FP return times on the app...and then pick the ride you want to FP while you're lounging around at your hotel (using Max Pass). So let's say that you decide that you want to have dinner in DCA and ride RSR. Here's how that would work...
- Once you've gone on BTMRR around 11:30am-12:00 pm, check FP return times for RSR. Let's say you pick the FP when return window is at 5:30-6:30 pm.
- Assuming you're staying w/in easy walking distance (i.e., on site hotel or off site on Harbor Blvd), plan on being in line about 5 pm at the DCA main gate.
- Enter DCA & walk to Carsland. If any of the "streetmosphere" people are walking around on Buena Vista Street (Officer Blue, Molly Messenger), say hi to them. They're a lot of fun!
- Check wait times for Luigi's & MAter's. If it's 20 min or less, get in line and go on it. Then get on RSR using your FP. Then have dinner at Flo's V-8 Café. If the weather is nice, sit outside so you can watch the cars race by. If you'd prefer to sit inside, 1 of the rooms has a huge window looking out over the RSR ride. I love that room.
- After you go on RSR, get a FP for another attraction. Something at DCA or do a repeat of a favorite at DL. By this time of day, Space Mtn & Star Tours might be out of FP or their return times might be really late (like 10-11 pm).
- At DCA after dinner, you could go to Animation Academy, Turtle Talk, and Ariel's. Check FP times for Toy Story Mania. Go on some rides on Paradise Pier (we usually skip most of Paradise Pier because we don't like many of those rides).
- Hop back to DL if you're going to make a late night of it. I don't think the train or monorail runs during fireworks.
What time would you recommend booking your first Fast pass? From this it looks like you didn't get on and get one right away? What would be the ideal first hour time window? To then have enough time to ride all those rides prior to using the first FP