New Year's Day Park Hopper Help and Thoughts on my plan

[ChrisBB-8]

Howdy All!

We will be visiting on New Year's Day and attempting to hit highlights for our family at both parks. I'm usually great with a 1 park plan, but this is our first park hopping plan and it's been 4 years since we were at the park's last. Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated. I've been searching the boards for info and feel comfotable with MP which we will use, but trying to figure out how to use it effectively is another problem. My families must rides are:
AT DL
The Millenium Falcon Ride
Haunted Mansion
Indiana Jones
The Tiki Room
with rides we'd like but could miss being
POTC
Star Tours
Matterhorn
Hyperspace Mountain

At DCA
GOTG
RSR
Incredicoaster
with rides we'd like but could miss being
TSMM

We will be there at RD. My plan is to head right to SWGE, ride immediately. Then questions arise. Should I get our first FP for Indiana Jones and do that and HM, then grab a midafternoon RSR as soon as my next FP is available so we get mid afternoon time and then head to Hyperspace Mountain and Star Tours? My thought was to then head to DCA, grab a fast pass for GOTG 1st then try for TSMM and Incredicoaster, but be prepared to stand in those lines. Then after walking around in DCA we would head back to DL. Hit the Tiki Room (my DS loves it even at 15!), and then go back to walk around SWGE, soak up the ambiance and maybe ride the Falcon one more time. Does this sound feasible/reasonable? Are there other thoughts or compelling reasons to approach this differently? Just to make it clear I will try to grab FP's as soon as available but I'm open to changes in order.

Alternately, I wondered if I should just do standby for Indiana and Hm and grab a first FP for Hyperspace Mountain followed by RSR and whatever other FP's I need in order.

Thank you so much for your help!
ChrisBB-8

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Will you be driving in or walking from a local hotel? If you'll be driving, allow plenty of time to park and get through security. The bag check locations changed in 2017, so make sure you're familiar with that. (Do a search on this board for information and check the DLR website.) If you'll be walking, allow some extra time for the Harbor bag check, too. Will you be the only one handling MP? If so, bring battery backup for your phone, just in case, Have a credit card on file so that you can use Mobile Ordering and look over the menus on the DLR website to familiarize yourself with what will work for your family and where to find it. With only one day, saving time is important! Be familiar with the entertainment schedule, too -- if you want to see something, know where it is and what time. If you want to avoid massive crowds, know where they'll be and when. Is everyone in your family tall enough for all the rides? If everyone is old enough to use the Single Rider lines, don't forget to use those for the rides that have it. You can get extra rides using MP/FP and SR together.

 

[ChrisBB-8]

Thanks for your reply and your thoughts! We will be parking at a hotel on harbor and then walking. I have it on good authority that Santa will be bringing me a portable charger for my phone and I will be managingthe FP. Preloading the credit card is a great idea! Everyone is tall enough to ride everything. I will definitely check out the any updated info on park entry too! Any thoughts about FP order with the two park plan?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

So, rope-dropping MFSR may not be the most efficient move; HOWEVER, if it’s your top priority, I can see why you’d want to do it first. If that’s the case, here’s what I’d plan: I’d book HMH when you get in, which should be an 8:30 return time. At 8:30, book Indiana Jones (I’d estimate that you’d be looking at a 9:30ish return time - if it’s a lot later, it may be because the ride is down, so be careful with that). When you’re done with Millenium Falcon, head to HMH and then IJ, with POTC either before or after IJ, depending on timing.

When you’re eligible to book your next FP after IJ, check on RSR return times. If they’re getting late, book that. If not, I’d book Hyperspace Mountain or Star Tours and try to fit those in before RSR. Then, book RSR, followed by GOTG. Then I’d try for TSMM if it’s still available (long shot), or just look for cancellations.

HAVING SAID THAT, I’d be sure to “refresh” the FP screen a couple of times and check for cancellations each time you select a FP. On mornings if busy days, there can be a ton of FP movement, so you might score a quick return on something like Indiana Jones or the Tomorrowland rides. If you do, go and ride it so you can grab another FP right away.

If you guys are able to do single riders, that can be a great plan for Space Mountain and/or Incredicoaster. I also hit Smuggler’s Run over and over at 11pm the other night with zero single rider line. I wouldn’t single rider that the first time because it’s fun to do with people you know, but keep it in mind for repeats.

 

[ChrisBB-8]

Thank you! I realize that we are chewing up some valuable time by using RD for MFSR, but it's our biggest priority. Does it change anything that the Park opens at 9am that day in terms of timing?

 

[midnight star]

Thank you! I realize that we are chewing up some valuable time by using RD for MFSR, but it's our biggest priority. Does it change anything that the Park opens at 9am that day in terms of timing?

It might be a little bit more crowded in the morning, but once everyone disperses it should be ok. New Years day doesn't have Magic morning or EMH, so both parks will open at the same time for everyone. And at 9 am every is awake.

 

[twodogs]

So, rope-dropping MFSR may not be the most efficient move; HOWEVER, if it’s your top priority, I can see why you’d want to do it first. If that’s the case, here’s what I’d plan: I’d book HMH when you get in, which should be an 8:30 return time. At 8:30, book Indiana Jones (I’d estimate that you’d be looking at a 9:30ish return time - if it’s a lot later, it may be because the ride is down, so be careful with that). When you’re done with Millenium Falcon, head to HMH and then IJ, with POTC either before or after IJ, depending on timing.

When you’re eligible to book your next FP after IJ, check on RSR return times. If they’re getting late, book that. If not, I’d book Hyperspace Mountain or Star Tours and try to fit those in before RSR. Then, book RSR, followed by GOTG. Then I’d try for TSMM if it’s still available (long shot), or just look for cancellations.

HAVING SAID THAT, I’d be sure to “refresh” the FP screen a couple of times and check for cancellations each time you select a FP. On mornings if busy days, there can be a ton of FP movement, so you might score a quick return on something like Indiana Jones or the Tomorrowland rides. If you do, go and ride it so you can grab another FP right away.

If you guys are able to do single riders, that can be a great plan for Space Mountain and/or Incredicoaster. I also hit Smuggler’s Run over and over at 11pm the other night with zero single rider line. I wouldn’t single rider that the first time because it’s fun to do with people you know, but keep it in mind for repeats.

As usual, I agree with @Skyegirl1999! This is all very good advice. It would be great to finish up all the big must-dos at DL before you hop over to do RSR and DCA. Refresh for those FPs!!! You can see on the wait time part of the app what the current FP window is for the ride you are trying to book. If you request a FP and that is the time that comes up, don't take it, and try again. Often you will get a time hours earlier! But don't hesitate if you see that, just book it. Don't even spend two seconds to ask your family if they want it. Grab it and confirm or it may disappear. Then you can talk to everyone and cancel it if the time doesn't work.

Also I can not stress enough how much Mobile Ordering saves you time on a busy day like you will be having. You can use it just to order a beer or a beverage if that is all you want. Read the threads on here about how to use it and you can even practice it in the app before your trip (just don't confirm of course!).

We have been on 1/2 this year and it was crazy but we did really well with MP and Mobile ordering and getting there early. Have fun!!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Thank you! I realize that we are chewing up some valuable time by using RD for MFSR, but it's our biggest priority. Does it change anything that the Park opens at 9am that day in terms of timing?

Oh, whoops, I didn’t think to check the hours with it being a holiday... I guess they’re open super late on NYE, so that makes sense. It will be more crowded when the park opens and FPs will move more quickly, but I’d probably give the same basic advice. Just keep an eye on RSR and also try to score cancellations. @twodogs makes a good point to snap on those, then ask and cancel if needed - I had several cancellations disappear before I could confirm them a few weeks ago (crowded park=slower cell service).

 

[socaldisneylover]

The hardest FP to get is definitely RSR. It will become unavailable by late morning, if not sooner. You could get lucky and get a cancellation later, but it's much more difficult if you're trying to get for more than 1 person. If you're willing to do Single Rider, you would not have a problem. Otherwise, you definitely want to watch the return times so you don't miss out on getting one.