Need touring advice for kids who can't start riding rides until about 11:15 am-UPDATE

[missypie]

Two of my kids will be at DLR next Saturday. Their choir is singing there at 10:30 but they aren't being allowed to ride anything on arrival...they will just be checked in at the entertainment desk or whatever. I figure that by the time they perform and change clothes, it will be 11:15 or so before they can start riding rides....all that great first thing in the moring time will be gone.

Any advice? I told them to get a fast pass for whatever was closest to where they sing, then head to Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain.

 

[DLR29]

I would actually have them run and get a FP for Space because those will be the closest to being gone by 11:15. I don't know what time they will be leaving, but have them ride the rides in Tomorrowland if their Space FP is within 2-3 hours away. Then they should grab FPs for Splash/Indy and Stand-by the other. Later, I would FP BTMRR because its line is completely outdoors and it will make the stand-by line seem twice as long in the heat. PotC and HM are good rides for the afternoon because they are AC'd and have high capacities.

Remember, they can get a FP for RRCtS whenever because it is disconnected from the system. Lines for Fantasyland rides (mainly Dumbo, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, Alice, Matterhorn) will stay long all day and I'm not sure I would even bother with Nemo. It will probably have a line already 2+ hours long at 11:15.

 

[missypie]

I'm rusty on my DLR lingo - what is RRCtS?

 

[bumbershoot]

roger rabbit's car toon spin?

 

[missypie]

Thanks. Then I must be remembering correctly that the perfomance stage is in Tomorrowland, right?

My original advice to my kids was to grab FP for Space Mountain first, then to get to the other mountains...What I am thinking now is that if Space Mountain is near the performance stage, they could all walk there via the Space Mountain FP line, and grab FP BEFORE they sing. If they are unwilling to do that, I had thought of begging one of the adult chaperones to grab the the tickets of everyone who wants to ride space Mountain and get FPs for them during the singer check-in time. They could put their names on their tickets as soon as they got them (they probalby already have them) so the chaperone could keep the tickets straight. It wouldn't really matter who got what FP.

We'll see how it works!

And I'll definitely tell them about Roger Rabbit. We haven't been to DLR since 2004 and I've lost track of what FP machines were disconnected.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

cant they all get fast passes befor they sing and then you hold them and after there done singing then you take them there.. fast passes work all day. they could use the morrnign just grabing them??

 

[missypie]

cant they all get fast passes befor they sing and then you hold them and after there done singing then you take them there.. fast passes work all day. they could use the morrnign just grabing them??

I'm hoping that the chaperones will at least let them walk by the SM FP line so they can get them if they want them first thing. One of the chaperones is a real disney enthusiast, so I'll try to talk to him later in the week (they left for LA this morning).

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I agree with getting fastpasses as soon as they can. Other then that they'll probably just have to wing it. That's around the time when the lines start to really pick up (especially on a weekend). They may not be able to hit everything they want, but I'm sure they'll see plenty!

 

[alohaliilo]

There is plenty of shopping or they could attack one of the characters.

 

[bumbershoot]

So they will have the whole rest of the day? Are they on their own, will you be with them, are they with chaperones? I dno't knwo why I ask, but if they are with scads of people, it'll likely just be a matter of following the herd. But if they can tour with the Disney enthusiast chaperone, then s/he could help them optimize their time.

As for a plan...we've done two one-day trips, and because we were driving from San Diego that morning AND were held up by my sleepy SIL, we've pretty much gotten to the parks later (although I've just realized it was in the Fall so the hours started later). I scoured the Birnbaum book and the Unofficial guide, looked at their touring plans (in the books!), and then tried to use that info once we got to the park. It generally worked out pretty well (then again, it was during the Fall). Maybe a version of that would work for the kids?

 

[missypie]

The kids are back-had a great time. The other kids sort of chuckled at them having a "plan" but they got to do so much! I am so proud of them!

Anyway, what I didn't know is that they didn't enter through the main entrance. They went in around Toon Town....I guess that is where the dressing rooms were. So there was no walking past a Fass Pass machine on the way to check in. Anyway, while they were waiting to sing, the Disney enthusiast chaperone - who was still holding all their tickets - got Space Mountain FPs for everyone who wanted one.

They didn't get to start touring until 11:30 am, and their Space Mountain FP return time was 2 pm. Each of my kids used the great tip about Roger Rabbit not being tied to the other machines.

DS16 had it a bit easier. He was touring with a good friend of his who had never been to a Disney park and agreed to let him be the "ride dictator."

DD14 had it a bit harder. One of the two girls she was with didn't want to ride any roller coasters or Indiana Jones. She would sit on a bench while they rode, then complain about how bored she was. They were finally able to gently "dump" her with a couple of the older girls who were "too cool" to ride rides. A good outcome for all....the 14 year old non-rider was flattered to be hanging out with the older girls, and my DD and her other friends could finally ride a lot of stuff without guilt. The one bummer for DD was that when she was about 6 people away from riding, Space Mountain went down and never came back up!

I think my kids are each glad that we are going to WDW in November-so they can enjoy Fantasyland! Even though they are teenagers, they both still love the Fantasyland rides....of course, when you are with teen peers, Fantasyland rides are so "uncool." DS was able to ride Small World, and DD was able to ride Peter Pan. Other than that they couldn't get their friends on those rides.

Other than that, a terrific time. Thanks everyone!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

oh cool im glade they had a good time and glad it worked out for them. have fun in nov.

 

[missypie]

One more thing: Each kid got a light green t-shirt, that says something like "Disney Magic Music Days." They were all wearing them when they got off the plane last night. Pretty neat.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I'm so glad it all worked out and they had a good time. I (well our HS choir) did Disney Magic Music Days......13 years ago. Wow, I feel old. LOL.

 

[missypie]

I'm so glad it all worked out and they had a good time. I (well our HS choir) did Disney Magic Music Days......13 years ago. Wow, I feel old. LOL.

DD said that hardly anyone stopped to listen to them - we expected that due to the early hour. I told them that if it was the late afternoon when people were tired and lines were long, more people would have stopped to listen.

DD said that it was totally worth it, just to hear the announcer announce them in that "Disney way."