NEW - DCA - Park Opening Strategy 4/6

[DLRExpert]

This is in reference to DCA opening at 8am (should work at a 9am opening as well) or on an Early Magic Hour Day.

730am: Get to the entrance gates 30 minutes before park opening. Once you are let onto Buena Vista Street you want to head toward the rope drop through Grizzly River Trail and near the Little Mermaid Adventure. Grab a WOC FP before the park opens. The FP machine is near the rope drop.
Note: If you have an EMH pass, I would still get to the entrance 30 minutes before EMH, and focus all of that time on Cars Land, with RSR first, then Luigi's, then Mater. Try to be at the TSMM FP machine before the park officially opens.

8am- 930am: When the park opens you want to head to Toy Story Midway Mania (TSMM) first and grab a Fastpass (FP). The return time should be around 930-1030am. Then ride California Screamin without FP, then ride Mickey's Fun Wheel, Symphony Swings, Goofy Sky School, Jumpin Jellyfish, and the Golden Zephyr, grab FP for Soarin Around the World. The FP return time for Soarin should be 1030am - 1130am.

930am-1030am: After you have the Soarin FP, you want ride Grizzly River without FP, then use FP for TSMM, then ride Little Mermaid Adventure, then Monsters Inc., and ride the Bugs Land attractions (Skip Tuck n Roll and save Tough to be a Bug for when you have nothing else to do) in this area, Grab FP for Radiator Springs Racers once the FP return time for Soarin is up, the return time should be around 6pm-8pm, use FP for Soarin Around the World.

11am: Lunch. If you can finish lunch by 1145am or hold off lunch until 130 you can visit see the first showing of the Frozen Musical at 1230pm. Just make sure you're in line by 1145am.

2pm - On: Head back to the hotel for a break, watch the available shows, visit the characters. California Screamin and Goofy Sky School FP should still be available for later in the day. Just make sure you come back later to use that RSR FP, experience the rest of Cars Land, and watch World of Color.

ME

 

[scrapshappen]

My only comment on this is that all the RSR FPs were gone before 11 am yesterday. So getting Soaring at 9:30 could lock you out of RSR.

Now it was the first day of the new FP policies so that could change as people adjust their strategies.

 

[DLRExpert]

My only comment on this is that all the RSR FPs were gone before 11 am yesterday. So getting Soaring at 9:30 could lock you out of RSR.

Now it was the first day of the new FP policies so that could change as people adjust their strategies.

Correct, word hasn't got out about TSMM offering FP.

I expect FP for RSR to last a bit longer than usual, around 1-2pm and even longer when Guardians MB opens.

 

[Winnowill]

I would totally not bother with FP for TSMM first thing. It's a walk-on. My first choice for FP would be Soarin'.

I'm noticing on the app that RSR is distributing FPs right now (8:40 am). Right now is EMH. Is this new? Nothing else at DCA is distributing FPs. This is...concerning.

 

[ErinF]

I'm noticing on the app that RSR is distributing FPs right now (8:40 am). Right now is EMH. Is this new? Nothing else at DCA is distributing FPs. This is...concerning.

I noticed that as well as I've been trying to check wait times and FP times in preparation for an upcoming trip. It's concerning to me as well!! Fingers crossed that it was a rare occurrence and not the trend.

 

[agamble]

I would totally not bother with FP for TSMM first thing. It's a walk-on. My first choice for FP would be Soarin'.

I'm noticing on the app that RSR is distributing FPs right now (8:40 am). Right now is EMH. Is this new? Nothing else at DCA is distributing FPs. This is...concerning.

Several people reported on this last week also. Sounds like another perk for hotel guests as it was only for RSR.

 

[agamble]

Having the ability to pull a FP for Toy Story may change our morning strategy. But not to the above suggested. In the past we would head straight to Toy Story. My husband would pull FP for RSR on our way or after we rode Toy Story. Then we would move on and do other things we wanted to do whether that was on the Pier or elsewhere. With Toy Story now having FP I imagine we will still pull FP for RSR first, but we may choose to do something else first. My kids love Mater's. So we may be in the crowd to go to Carsland instead grabbing a FP for RSR and then riding Mater's. And of course the new Guardians ride will mean that one morning we would either need to get a FP for Guardians or ride it at opening. I may prefer to do that in the morning after grabbing the FP for RSR and then hit Mater's. Of course on our first day visiting DCA I could still see us heading straight for Toy Story just because it's such a fun ride and I like doing it first.

 

[scrapshappen]

We could pull RSR FPs during EMH when we stayed on site in January. But don't think enough are distributed to really cause an issue. They are mostly for the first hour after EMH.

 

[scrapshappen]

So what we did on Thursday was pull Soarin' FP first at 8 am. Our return time was 9:15. Then we rode a few rides and pulled TSMM FP at 9:15 with a return time of 9:45. We rode Soarin and Grizzly and then pulled RSR FP at 9:45 with a return time of 6:10.

 

[redman96]

Be careful. Last week it was an early morning for Hotel Guests. We were regular folk. Did 9 am RD. Stopped for Soarin Fastpasses first. By the time we got to TSMM the sign said 20 minutes....actual wait time was closer to 60 for my wife & 9yo. Rode Cali Screaming with my 14YO & a 15-minute wait.

 

[DLRExpert]

In my opinion you should only pull RSR FP at park opening if you want the chance to ride it twice or you won't be staying at the park past 6pm.

I prefer to ride RSR at night, either before or after World of Color.

Other than that I would follow the strategy I posted above. Did this strategy twice in the past three days and worked like a charm.

Finished 90% of the park by 2pm. Took a nice break. Came back into park around 6pm. Rode RSR, had dinner, and watched WOC in a great spot.

Just keep an eye on the Disneyland app and if RSR is about to run out of FP by 10am then get that FP before Soarin. In my experience it's usually out between 11-12.

ME