Need quick DCA strategy help

[momtotwolittleones]

We're heading there tomorrow am for the first time. Her's what I've gathered but could use some help:
get fp for woc at 9am - we are staying at dlh
get grizzly fp at the same time if available
get fp or ride soaring at 9:30 - I'm a bit confused by this
head to toy story at 10 am
then what should we do next to avoid crowds? We will not be going on tower or screaming. What rides typically have the longest waits? What about monsters Inc?

Also - how scary is grizzly? My kids are pretty tame and I don't want to freak them out. Is there a way to avoid getting soaked?

Thanks! (please excuse typos and bad grammar - I'm on an iPod)

 

[skiingfast]

It sound like you will have to come back late in the morning to get a GRR FP I wait until 10:45 maybe 11.


GRR is not so bad. 50/50 chance you will be a tiny bit wet or totally soaked.

I would get the soarin FP while you are over there.

Then get to TSMM swiftly as the line may already be about 45 minutes long and will stay that way.

Other than these everything else has similar waits.

Don't forget the Alladin show and enjoy glowfest.


FYI during WoC TSMM and Mullholland Madness will be open but the rest of the peir attractions will not.

 

[mouselike-harrier]

You will have to wait awhile for Grizzly FPs. They do not give them out until WOC is completely sold out. It didn't make sense for us to wait for them, so we just got in line. It wasn't too bad. My kids did fine on it, there is one drop that might be a little bit scary. If you don't want to get soaked, do not sit near the openings, stay in the middle. Expect to wait for TSMM. I would get a FP for Soarin' Have fun!

 

[HydroGuy]

I second the Aladdin recommendation. Go see that. Show up at least 30 minutes before the show starts to get decent seats. We like Mezzanine section, center if possible.

Absolutely, positively go to Disney Animation. I challenge you to get your kids out of there within one hour. 90 minutes may be tough too. Kids and parents love the place. See the Zeotrope. If you have never seen Turtle Talk with Crush, it is a Must Do. Send your kids down front to sit with the other kids.

Disney Animation is kind of easy to miss although it is a huge place. It is in Hollywood Pictures Backlot on the right. You can go anytime of day - it is a great afternoon filler as it is air conditioned and crowds are fairly light.

Last week GRR FPs were not given out until about 1PM. Before that only WOC FPs were given out.

You can get Soarin FPs starting at 9:30 and/or you can ride it.

If you line up for TSMM before 10AM I would recommend you do it on the right side of Grizzly Peak on Route 66 and not in front of BugsLand. They seem to let the right side go first.

Other things to do with kids:

Its Tough To Be a Bug - any time of day, the line is never long

Monsters Inc ride in Hollywood Picture Backlot

Silly Symphony Swings

Mickey's Fun Wheel - the swinging gondolas are more fun but deceptively, uhhh, unnerving

 

[Lissame]

GRR is not terribly scary, but my nephew (age 8) got very freaked out because the vehicle kept spinning and he did NOT like going backward when he couldn't see where he was going.

There's no way to avoid getting soaked--it's all luck--but if you really want to avoid being wet you can always get a poncho from the store right outside GRR.

I usually ride GRR once per trip, especially if it's hot, and my kids ride over and over using the Single Rider line.

 

[DisMike]

Forget the FP for Soarin. They open the park 1/2 hour early with Soarin being the only ride open. Go on it then. Almost no line. You'll get off before the rest of the park opens. Wait and then go get the WOC FP and hit Toy Story.

After that, you can do what you want at a leisurely pace.

 

[Funball]

**as found on mousesavers.com ..this is a good tip!!

Check Out Portion Sizes to Cut Costs
Many of the entrees and combo meals served at Disneyland Resort counter-service restaurants include a large amount of food. For instance, I can say from experience that the entrees at Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland can be HUGE.
However, some food stands serve rather small portions for the money. In general I think the stands in DCA's Paradise Pier area provide a fairly poor value for the cost.
A good trick at the counter-service restaurants and snack stands is to stand to one side for a minute and watch as people leave with their orders, so you can see how the portions look. If the portions are big and you are not big eaters, consider splitting an entree or combo meal between two people and possibly ordering an extra side dish or appetizer to share.
Adults looking for a smaller portion at the counter-service restaurants should not hesitate to order from the kids' menu. No one will know you're ordering the kids meal for an adult! This is not allowed at full-service restaurants, however.
A good option at sit-down restaurants, and one that works well for someone dining alone, is to substitute an appetizer for your entree. For instance, order two appetizers instead of an appetizer and an entree, or order an appetizer instead of an entree, thus leaving yourself room for dessert. Be sure to inquire about the portion size first -- some appetizers are substantial and filling, but some aren't.

Best Bets
Generally speaking you'll save a lot of money by sticking with counter-service restaurants, which are substantially cheaper than table-service restaurants. Unfortunately Disneyland and DCA don't offer as much variety as one might wish, but if you look around you can find some decent options besides corn dogs, hamburgers and fries.
Some places that are relative bargains within the resort are the above-mentioned Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland; plus the Jazz Kitchen takeout window and the Tortilla Jo's takeout window in Downtown Disney. Both the Jazz Kitchen and Tortilla Jo's have pricey full-service restaurants, but check out the takeout window at each of these locations, where you can get something a little different at a reasonable price. There is seating nearby where you can enjoy your meal.
· At the Jazz Kitchen, try the beignets (New Orleans-style doughnuts), red beans and rice, or a po-boy (overstuffed sandwich), which comes with a hearty side dish. Fountain drinks are fairly expensive here, but there are free refills.
· At Tortilla Jo's taqueria, try the tacos, which are quite a bargain considering the quality. The nachos are good and reasonably priced, too. The burritos are large and filling enough to be split by two people who aren't starving. Fountain drinks are ridiculously overpriced here: order water or consider "aguas frescas" (fresh Mexican juices), which are cheaper and healthier!

 

[gatorfreud]

We're heading there tomorrow am for the first time. Her's what I've gathered but could use some help:
get fp for woc at 9am - we are staying at dlh
get grizzly fp at the same time if available
get fp or ride soaring at 9:30 - I'm a bit confused by this
head to toy story at 10 am
then what should we do next to avoid crowds? We will not be going on tower or screaming. What rides typically have the longest waits? What about monsters Inc?

Also - how scary is grizzly? My kids are pretty tame and I don't want to freak them out. Is there a way to avoid getting soaked?

Thanks! (please excuse typos and bad grammar - I'm on an iPod)

I meant to write a whole thread on this but I can't remember if I did...

I was hotel guest 2 mornings at DCA - both mornings (a sunday and monday - 8/1-2) - you could easily walk in at 9:20, get your WoC FP right away, then walk down to Soarin' and get that FP (one day open by 9:25, the other day not until 9:30). Then get up to the rope and easily be in the front of the pack for TSM. No need to get there by 9, and definitely not any earlier than that. Very easy to do it all without waiting at 9:20 or 9:25. At least that's how it was the 2 days I did it - I would have to imagine it doesn't change much.

I personally would FP Soarin' and get to the front of the rope to wait. If you end up behind the mob of people (which happened to us a few trips ago when we rode Soarin' at 9:30), you will be looking at a long wait at RD for TSM. Both days we were at the front of the rope, and were off TSM by 10:15. Everything else was pretty walk-on until about 11ish... we did not do Tower though.

You will get soaked on Grizzly - you can bring a poncho.

Kim

 

[gatorfreud]

Here's where I wrote it... should be about the same as what I told you, but has WoC info too.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2524590

Kim