New Al Lutz: Tons of Cars Land and BVS Updates - Soft Openings & Magic Mornings

[disneegrl4eva]

LM closing on the first week of May? my dates exactly!!
But... I just saw the Park Hours and it's not mentioned, will it be added then in a very near future?
I know it's a slow ride, but I enjoy Nemo in the Living Seas at WDW, and I was hopping for something similar.

Yes Nemo (WDW) is just like LM at DL. I've never experienced a line at LM ever, even on the busiest days. It is usually a walk up.

While my family enjoys it, it needs some tweaking. I think the lighting is too bright. A dark ride should feel dark. The rooms are too bright. I don't want to see painted walls under the sea.

The ride is surprisingly short. The story is chopped to bits, but many scenes are pretty.

I can't wait to see the new version.


Now they just need to fix my other pet peeve...the standing situation at WOC.

does anybody know how long the refurb is going to be for? will they have it reopened back up by the time they open carsland?

 

[SarafinaPink]

I love the idea of AP MM. I'm not a morning person, but the chance of me going to these knowing how crazy this summer will be is huge.

Ugh I need a countdown to June 15th, all this info and I am beyond excited.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Wonder when they will put out menus for Cathay? I think that's at the top of our list for August.

 

[MrsSpfaff]

Maybe I missed it but Will DCA keep the extended hours for good? If on-site guests get MM then will off-site guests still get in 30 minutes earlier than posted times? I am new to DL/DCA so I was under the impression that there was not a rope drop for DCA. Where is the best place for rope drop in DCA? We are doing DCA on the 14th of November but I am trying to get the itinerary straight and if off-site guests can get in 30 mins early even if its just for soarin then be in the park near LM or TSMM that changes the whole days schedule. Thanks

 

[HydroGuy]

Maybe I missed it but Will DCA keep the extended hours for good? If on-site guests get MM then will off-site guests still get in 30 minutes earlier than posted times? I am new to DL/DCA so I was under the impression that there was not a rope drop for DCA. Where is the best place for rope drop in DCA? We are doing DCA on the 14th of November but I am trying to get the itinerary straight and if off-site guests can get in 30 mins early even if its just for soarin then be in the park near LM or TSMM that changes the whole days schedule. Thanks

I doubt even Disney knows the answer to your questions. What Al Lutz is discussing are first and foremost rumors - so talking about what happens in the long run is very premature. If what Al Lutz is saying turns out to be correct - and I suspect most of it will be correct - then I think Disney will use what happens this summer as a gauge on what they will do later. In other words, if the early opening and extended hours draws crowds, they will keep it. If crowds are lower than expected they may reduce it.

Regarding November touring plans for DCA, you pretty much can take any touring plan that exists today and throw it in the trash. Everything will change starting June 15. Well, not everything. But so much will change about what we know about how to tour DCA that we will have to start over again. Obviously for the rest of the year Cars Land will be a huge draw - especially in the morning - partly because two of the rides there will be new and slow loaders and folks will try and gte there first. That would be Luigi's FT and Mater's JJ. That will take pressure off of Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin, GRR, and everything else. However, it will also bring in substantially more crowds. So maybe in the end TSMM, Soarin, GRR will see a crowd increase. The only thing we really know is that we really do not know.

Pay attention to forums like this and other sources (maybe RideMax or TouringPlans) and then you can make a strategy.

 

[MrsSpfaff]

You are so great HydroGuy-I am sure the question will be asked again before November when we know a little more i just dont want to run from one side of the park to the other. And I feel like with CL opening that is what is going to end up happening even if we don't hit CL 1st thing in the morning.

 

[elaw]

Where is the best place for rope drop in DCA?

Just before the bridge to Paradise Pier ... it's right near the Little Mermaid ride.

 

[kelmac284]

Thank you SO much for this. I sure hope this comes to fruition because we had a trip to So Cal planned for summer ANYWAY and since we are all AP holders this summer we decided to throw in 2 days. We only have 1 day at DL and 1 day at DCA so I figured we would go to DL on the grad night day and since it is MM and then DCA on that wed. Which NOW if they have MM that is awesome!! We are staying at PP and were hoping they would do something for the hotel guests like they did last year with LM. We are also AP's so either way we should get some type of MM so that is good.

I am truly hoping that we can get the three rides in CL done during the MM so that by the time the park opens for the public we can move on!!

Oh and we are going to be there the 19th and 20th so the very next week after it opens. EEK! Sure hope it is doable!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Didn't they pretty much have to do this because of the flooding?

Maybe I missed it but Will DCA keep the extended hours for good? If on-site guests get MM then will off-site guests still get in 30 minutes earlier than posted times? I am new to DL/DCA so I was under the impression that there was not a rope drop for DCA. Where is the best place for rope drop in DCA? We are doing DCA on the 14th of November but I am trying to get the itinerary straight and if off-site guests can get in 30 mins early even if its just for soarin then be in the park near LM or TSMM that changes the whole days schedule. Thanks

I hope they keep they longer hours!!! But then we've always loved DCA so we've always wanted longer hours.

Thank you SO much for this. I sure hope this comes to fruition because we had a trip to So Cal planned for summer ANYWAY and since we are all AP holders this summer we decided to throw in 2 days. We only have 1 day at DL and 1 day at DCA so I figured we would go to DL on the grad night day and since it is MM and then DCA on that wed. Which NOW if they have MM that is awesome!! We are staying at PP and were hoping they would do something for the hotel guests like they did last year with LM. We are also AP's so either way we should get some type of MM so that is good.

I am truly hoping that we can get the three rides in CL done during the MM so that by the time the park opens for the public we can move on!!

Oh and we are going to be there the 19th and 20th so the very next week after it opens. EEK! Sure hope it is doable!!

I'm excited for you!! I hope it goes exactly as planned!

 

[brenda1966]

I'm looking forward to longer park hours at DCA, but it's not clear to me if I'll have any morning that I'm on even footing with the AP holders and the onsite hotel guests? Will DCA already be full of people when I get there at opening? Each and every morning?

 

[taaren]

o DL Magic Mornings (MM) to stay the same
o DCA MM on opposite days as DL to be for DLR hotel guests only (3 days a week) at 7AM
o On days that DL has MM, DCA will have MM at 7AM for AP holders only
o No DCA MM for regular guests unless they stay at DLR hotels

Thanks for posting HydroGuy, I have trouble sorting through MiceAge ... its site is much less navigable than this one so it's great to have you post the important stuff over here!

I'm not sure that I care for the DCA AP MMs, even as an AP holder. Kinda feels like it makes my GCH stays less valuable since that's something AP holders will have access to that on-site hotel people won't. Seems like an odd move to me since the exclusivity of staying on-site and having those MMs is kind of the point of paying extra, and now one gets to cede that privilege for 4 days a week to 900K+ AP holders? I really like the DCA rope-drop for hotel guests as it is now ... I guess it will make people want to pay the ridiculous prices for the AP's again ...

Really hoping my W-Th-Fri waitlist comes through for June so I can go then instead of Sun-M-Tues like we currently have, so I could get two days of the hotel DCA MMs rather than competing with the other AP holders for MMs on the regular MM days.

Also wish DLR would announce this stuff further out so one could put together a decent plan ...

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm looking forward to longer park hours at DCA, but it's not clear to me if I'll have any morning that I'm on even footing with the AP holders and the onsite hotel guests? Will DCA already be full of people when I get there at opening? Each and every morning?

OK, I will take a stab at this. If what the OP says turns out to be true, and if you want to arrive at DCA rope drop, the best day to visit DCA this summer will be Saturdays. Why?

1. Saturday is an MM day at DL - that means no MM for DCA for hotel guests

2. Saturdays will be MM days for AP holders only. However, Saturdays are blocked for Deluxe AP holders (I have a DAP) but unblocked for Premium AP holders (who have zero blockouts).

Hence the only people who can get into a DCA MM on a Saturday are PAPs. And there are fewer of those. That would be your best day for DCA IMHO.



If you are not going to arrive at or near park opening, then the day does not matter this summer. They will all be very busy.

 

[Butterfly123]

If I have this right, the park guest who doesn't go often enough to have an AP, and can't really afford the extra $ to stay onsite will not get a chance at DCA's MM. Is this right? Having no chance at a MM just doesn't seem quite right to me. At least with a 3 day park hopper (or more) you get one MM day at DL. Hmmm. I get not having as many chances at a MM, but don't really like having no chance at one. Sigh. I guess I shouldn't grumble because at least I get a chance to go this summer!

 

[DLR29]

If I have this right, the park guest who doesn't go often enough to have an AP, and can't really afford the extra $ to stay onsite will not get a chance at DCA's MM. Is this right? Having no chance at a MM just doesn't seem quite right to me. At least with a 3 day park hopper (or more) you get one MM day at DL. Hmmm. I get not having as many chances at a MM, but don't really like having no chance at one. Sigh. I guess I shouldn't grumble because at least I get a chance to go this summer!

That's the way it is at WDW. Actually, I'm kinda surprised that:
a) They haven't made MM an onsite only perk because they don't have very many onsite-specific perks in general

b) They are thinking of allowing APs to have a MM to DCA

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

That's the way it is at WDW. Actually, I'm kinda surprised that:
a) They haven't made MM an onsite only perk because they don't have very many onsite-specific perks in general

b) They are thinking of allowing APs to have a MM to DCA

In response to (a), with only three hotels that are so-called "on-site," I don't think it would be worth the effort and money to open the park early if only guests from those three hotels could come. There would not be enough people coming to justify the staffing needs. WDW has so many more hotels, so it's a different ball game.

 

[PinkBudgie]

If I have this right, the park guest who doesn't go often enough to have an AP, and can't really afford the extra $ to stay onsite will not get a chance at DCA's MM. Is this right? Having no chance at a MM just doesn't seem quite right to me. At least with a 3 day park hopper (or more) you get one MM day at DL. Hmmm. I get not having as many chances at a MM, but don't really like having no chance at one. Sigh. I guess I shouldn't grumble because at least I get a chance to go this summer!

Just want to point out that it looks like you pretty much go every year. It might be worth it to get an AP as long as your second trip the next year is taken just before your AP expires. If you stay off site, you can stay more days for less. This is what we do. We get two week long summer trips out of one AP. We also tend to take a quick trip mid year between the two. When it expires after the second trip, we let it go until the next summer. So do the math and see if it works out for you!

I am certainly hoping they do offer the AP MMs because that has been the downside of APs, not getting to have any MMs (since we never stay onsite).

 

[Butterfly123]

That is a good idea, Pinkbudgie. But now that my kids are getting older (oldest in college, youngest two in high school) we probably won't be going every year. This year we were going to skip, but our plans changed, and we were able to fit in a four day trip. Maybe someday when it's just me and my hubby we'll get those AP's, and make several visits!

 

[brenda1966]

Thanks for the analysis Hydroguy. And I agree Butterfly. I'm not liking the limitations of MM's for DCA. WDW is a different beast to me becase I can get a budget onsite hotel room there. The Onsite hotels at DL are much higher priced and I can't justify the cost. I guess I'll just plan to spend a lot of time standing in line in Carsland.

 

[Armadillo4]

Thanks for the analysis Hydroguy. And I agree Butterfly. I'm not liking the limitations of MM's for DCA. WDW is a different beast to me becase I can get a budget onsite hotel room there. The Onsite hotels at DL are much higher priced and I can't justify the cost.

Magic Mornings are also available with vacation packages booked at Good Neighbor hotels. MM's are also available with the special 3-6 day park hoppers that you can buy on the DL website now--although you only get one MM admission per park-hopper. So the qualifications for MM's aren't as restrictive as we might think.

Good luck to everyone with their trip planning for this summer!

 

[HydroGuy]

Magic Mornings are also available with vacation packages booked at Good Neighbor hotels. MM's are also available with the special 3-6 day park hoppers that you can buy on the DL website now--although you only get one MM admission per park-hopper. So the qualifications for MM's aren't as restrictive as we might think.

Good luck to everyone with their trip planning for this summer!

Brenda is talking MMs for DCA, not DL. The special PHs you reference are for DL. Did you read the OP?