need expert strategy for DCA rope drop

[KatieCharlotte]

I keep reading very different things about which attractions have single rider lines. Is there a reliable, up-to-date list? I didn't see Matterhorn listed as single rider even on the DL website, but maybe I missed it. Single rider lines will be important to my DL touring strategy because Splash and Matterhorn are must-dos for me, and no one else in my family wants to ride them. The other mountains don't have single rider, correct? But, since DL uses the old FP system, I can use fastpasses obtained on my kids' tickets if they change their mind about riding, right? Or hand them out to random strangers?

Also, on a really busy day, what does the TSMM line look like after first thing in the morning? Would our wait-and-come-back time with a DAS card be around an hour or more like three hours? It's not as bad as Hollywood Studios, right? I'm trying to guess how many rides on TSMM we can realistically fit into the day for DS who will probably only like a few attractions at DCA and much prefer DL.

 

[DLRExpert]

Single Rider lines are...
@ Disneyland
Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, and Splash Mountain

@ California Adventure
Screamin, RSR, Goofy Sky School, Grizzly, and Soarin
Note: Goofy Sky School can be a bit awkward since your sitting so close to the other rider. I would NEVER use the Soarin Single Rider because I tend to wait quite a while to get a seat. For RSR if the Single Rider Line is under the bridge, skip it and come back later.

On a busy day, the TSMM wait at the opening, Early morning or not, is about 15 - 20 minutes. Even possible to do it twice in a row with a low wait.
Not sure about the DAS card

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Single Rider lines are...

@ California Adventure
Screamin, RSR, Goofy Sky School, Grizzly, and Soarin
Note: Goofy Sky School can be a bit awkward since your sitting so close to the other rider. I would NEVER use the Soarin Single Rider because I tend to wait quite a while to get a seat. For RSR if the Single Rider Line is under the bridge, skip it and come back later.

I believe they discontinued Soarin' single rider when they switched over to the new movie.

 

[DLRExpert]

I believe they discontinued Soarin' single rider when they switched over to the new movie.

Even better reason to not use it

 

[BriannaRuth]

Also, on a really busy day, what does the TSMM line look like after first thing in the morning? Would our wait-and-come-back time with a DAS card be around an hour or more like three hours? It's not as bad as Hollywood Studios, right? I'm trying to guess how many rides on TSMM we can realistically fit into the day for DS who will probably only like a few attractions at DCA and much prefer DL.

I've never seen TSMM two to three hours. It can get up to an hour later in the day, but in the morning you'll be under an hour for sure, and probably under 30 minutes -- unless something unusual happens like it's down for the first hour. Waits can build earlier when it's down first thing, which does happen sometimes. If you get there early and its not down you can ride it twice without much wait.

 

[TashK]

Single Rider lines are...
@ Disneyland
Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, and Splash Mountain

@ California Adventure
Screamin, RSR, Goofy Sky School, Grizzly, and Soarin
Note: Goofy Sky School can be a bit awkward since your sitting so close to the other rider. I would NEVER use the Soarin Single Rider because I tend to wait quite a while to get a seat. For RSR if the Single Rider Line is under the bridge, skip it and come back later.

On a busy day, the TSMM wait at the opening, Early morning or not, is about 15 - 20 minutes. Even possible to do it twice in a row with a low wait.
Not sure about the DAS card

Last night was our first night so we were not really sure what we were doing. We lined up for SR Screamin but the line just grew as they just kept leaving the single seats empty?

 

[lilmissfoodie]

We do it slightly different (and adjusted for TZToT ending soon) with 11year old DD, we go
TZToT (you'll be first to ride we were about 20 back for EE). Avoids slow loading problem later
RSR, line is only 10 mins max
TSMM (we ride this twice, it's DD's favorite)
Then get either RSR or Soarin FP as park opens, another option is Fun Wheel as that's an extremely slow loading ride
Screaming you can do anytime, lines are short for quite a while except on busiest days

 

[dorchrislen]

Last night was our first night so we were not really sure what we were doing. We lined up for SR Screamin but the line just grew as they just kept leaving the single seats empty?

Wow, I can't believe this happened. That sucks!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Thanks in advance for your help! I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around this, so thank you! We are not planning on Frozen, Wheel or WOC. We will have early entrance. We love RSR but our family LOVES to ride TSMM a couple times in a row if possible which is what we did the last time we were there. We would like RSR both day and night, TOT, Soarin, Screamin, Grizzly. We are stayin at GCH and usually ride Grizzly the last thing at night and then go right to our room, but we will want to ride during the day also (Dec...Brrrr!).

I am not sure how I feel about single rider as our girls are ages 16 and 12 and would prefer them to ride with us.

Thank you!!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Thanks in advance for your help! I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around this, so thank you! We are not planning on Frozen, Wheel or WOC. We will have early entrance. We love RSR but our family LOVES to ride TSMM a couple times in a row if possible which is what we did the last time we were there. We would like RSR both day and night, TOT, Soarin, Screamin, Grizzly. We are stayin at GCH and usually ride Grizzly the last thing at night and then go right to our room, but we will want to ride during the day also (Dec...Brrrr!).

I am not sure how I feel about single rider as our girls are ages 16 and 12 and would prefer them to ride with us.

Thank you!!

My girls were exactly the same age when we were there in August. They'd never done Single Rider before but they did use it on this trip. They had no trouble. They did SR on Matterhorn several times when DH and I were elsewhere and the line was really long. Our rule was that the older one rode first and was required to wait at the exit for the younger one. Plus they both had their cell phones with them at all times. (This was also the first year that we let them spend some time in the parks separate from us.)

Most of the time they rode with us, but there were definitely a few times when they wanted to ride some things we didn't that SR came in really handy.

 

[DLRExpert]

Thanks in advance for your help! I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around this, so thank you! We are not planning on Frozen, Wheel or WOC. We will have early entrance. We love RSR but our family LOVES to ride TSMM a couple times in a row if possible which is what we did the last time we were there. We would like RSR both day and night, TOT, Soarin, Screamin, Grizzly. We are stayin at GCH and usually ride Grizzly the last thing at night and then go right to our room, but we will want to ride during the day also (Dec...Brrrr!).

I am not sure how I feel about single rider as our girls are ages 16 and 12 and would prefer them to ride with us.

Thank you!!

#1 DO NOT enter DCA through the Grand California Hotel for Early Entry. Arrive at the main entrance to DCA 15-30 minutes before Early Entry starts.
- As soon as the Early Entry opens, head to RSR first.
- Then Tower of Terror, try to fit in Luigi's Dance Ride before you head to TSMM. You want to be at TSMM at least 15 minutes before the park officially opens
That way you can do one TSMM ride during Early Entry and fit one more ride as the park is opening.
- Then do the remainder of the Paradise Pier attractions in this order. Screamin, Goofy, and the Symphony Swings.
Save Mermaid for later.
- Next ride Soarin without FP, then Grizzly without FP. Perhaps go back to the hotel to dry off and have lunch.
- Keep an eye on the official Disneyland App for RSR FP Return times.
- It should be around 1130am and 12pm when the RSR night FPs are available
- If you're at the hotel you can have one of your guests enter the park and grab those RSR FPs then come back to the hotel.

ME

 

[Carrie in AZ]

#1 DO NOT enter DCA through the Grand California Hotel for Early Entry. Arrive at the main entrance to DCA 15-30 minutes before Early Entry starts.
- As soon as the Early Entry opens, head to RSR first.
- Then Tower of Terror, try to fit in Luigi's Dance Ride before you head to TSMM. You want to be at TSMM at least 15 minutes before the park officially opens
That way you can do one TSMM ride during Early Entry and fit one more ride as the park is opening.
- Then do the remainder of the Paradise Pier attractions in this order. Screamin, Goofy, and the Symphony Swings.
Save Mermaid for later.
- Next ride Soarin without FP, then Grizzly without FP. Perhaps go back to the hotel to dry off and have lunch.
- Keep an eye on the official Disneyland App for RSR FP Return times.
- It should be around 1130am and 12pm when the RSR night FPs are available
- If you're at the hotel you can have one of your guests enter the park and grab those RSR FPs then come back to the hotel.

Thank you!

We always do enter through the main entrance....I am usually in line at the gate about an hour before EE and my family joins me closer to opening. It's an early start for Mom but it has worked well for us in the past. What should I pull a FP for upon first chance? How long do you think the wait will be for Soarin after doing the PP attractions?

Thanks again!

 

[DLRExpert]

Thank you!

We always do enter through the main entrance....I am usually in line at the gate about an hour before EE and my family joins me closer to opening. It's an early start for Mom but it has worked well for us in the past. What should I pull a FP for upon first chance? How long do you think the wait will be for Soarin after doing the PP attractions?

Thanks again!

The first FP should be the night ride on RSR.
Soarin will probably have a wait less than 20 minutes. If the Soarin wait is longer then get the Soarin FP once the RSR FP window is over.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Thank you!!

 

[BriannaRuth]

When we were there in August, by the time we went to Soarin' after riding TSMM, GSS twice and Screamin twice (with very little wait), the wait for Soarin' was already at 40 minutes. This was in August so maybe when you're going it won't be as busy, but the park was not terribly crowded.

And if you're pulling RSR as your *first* FP and want it to be for a night ride, you'll be pulling it fairly late.

We pulled Soarin' on our way into the park, then did the four rides above at PP, then pulled RSR for a daytime ride on our way back to use Soarin' FPs. Then on to GRR with no FP. We didn't pull RSR night time FPs until after 1. This was at a 10 AM DCA regular opening -- but it didn't get dark until about 8:45, so that may change a little based on the time of year you go. We pulled ToT FPs last and were still able to ride GRR one more time during the day as well with no FPs.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

When we were there in August, by the time we went to Soarin' after riding TSMM, GSS twice and Screamin twice (with very little wait), the wait for Soarin' was already at 40 minutes. This was in August so maybe when you're going it won't be as busy, but the park was not terribly crowded.

And if you're pulling RSR as your *first* FP and want it to be for a night ride, you'll be pulling it fairly late.

We pulled Soarin' on our way into the park, then did the four rides above at PP, then pulled RSR for a daytime ride on our way back to use Soarin' FPs. Then on to GRR with no FP. We didn't pull RSR night time FPs until after 1. This was at a 10 AM DCA regular opening -- but it didn't get dark until about 8:45, so that may change a little based on the time of year you go. We pulled ToT FPs last and were still able to ride GRR one more time during the day as well with no FPs.

Thank you! And thanks for sharing about your girls doing SR. I talked to mine last night and they both said "no way Mom"!

We should be good. I've been at the gate at 6am before for a 7am early entry, not sure what the hours will be in December, but I will be there! We always start early and are able to do and see all we want. It works for us! I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and thanks to the OP for starting this thread!