Ok, this is really starting to freak me out...

[AwfullyBigAdventures]

We'll be going in January with my brothers family. I'm sure my kids will be just fine doing the stand by line- we learned that trick when we went to Disney World and we LOVED it. (We straight onto Expedition Everest three times in a row while everyone else was in a line with an hour wait)

However, it's a different story with my brother's kids. They would not want to sit with any strangers. They have a hard time even being left at a family members house for babysitting!

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you for all the great info. in this thread! I have been SO STRESSED about this same issue. I am taking my 9yo DD by myself in mid-Nov. Since it is just the two of us, we don't have a FP runner. This will likely by our only trip to DL and Carsland is all my DD has been talking about. I was so worried about disappointing her by not being able to ride RSR. But, I think we can pull it off. Hopefully more than once. I plan to get FPs first thing and then maybe try the standby line right at park closing to experience it at night. We will be at DL for 3 days, so I am feeling better about our plans.

If your daughter is brave enough (and if you are brave enough), after maybe one time through standby, you can consider doing the single rider line. Kids 7 and older can ride alone, so the single rider line is lovely if everyone is comfy. When I traveled alone with my son and used the SR line for RSR, he went in front of me so I could make sure he was doing what the CM said. We had a spot to meet back up picked out (the exit is long, and he had the choice to meet me along the path, or just at the statue of Stanley, making sure to not get in the way of picture-takers!) ahead of time. He went, then I went whenever the CM seated me. When DH was along, DS went in between us so he was flanked, LOL.

Of course, every time there are SO many single spots in cars (people in groups do the funniest things, which is great for the SR line!) that we were almost always getting out of our various cars at around the same time. And on this recent trip we had Photopass Plus so we were meeting up at the photo room.

Anyway, it's a great option for groups like that where everyone is old enough and brave enough, and you don't mind not sharing the exact same ride!

 

[DisneyMommy403]

No suggestions, but your post made me smile! Exactly our position...last trip, Oct. 07, large family in tow (me, DH, MIL, FIL, 4YO, 3YO, 1YO), one double stroller and one single, and I, too, have been trying to read up on every aspect of our trip in hopes that all the planning will make it go smoothly. Our trip is next week.

Just wishing you a great trip! And I do agree with the PP who said that at some point, we just need to step away from the planning and realize that we can't map out every single detail....as difficult as that may be! Good luck and have fun!

Thank you for all the great info. in this thread! I have been SO STRESSED about this same issue. I am taking my 9yo DD by myself in mid-Nov. Since it is just the two of us, we don't have a FP runner. This will likely by our only trip to DL and Carsland is all my DD has been talking about. I was so worried about disappointing her by not being able to ride RSR. But, I think we can pull it off. Hopefully more than once. I plan to get FPs first thing and then maybe try the standby line right at park closing to experience it at night. We will be at DL for 3 days, so I am feeling better about our plans.

I'm very glad that my anxieties were not just me! I'm glad that my post helped you both by generating such great responses! Wishing you both a great trip!!

That doesn't even make sense. I think she misunderstood what was happening.




Why not send them in for Luigi's and Maters while you wait for the FP? My family has the option of the single rider line, so we can wait for RSR, and one morning we were the FIRST for Luigi's. They welcomed us with a big hurrah and walked us through the line and we were almost the only people on the ride! Very fun.

Mater's tends to be around 20 minutes typically, and it's a relatively fast moving line since there are two sides to it.

If you don't mind missing out on their first time on it, they could easily get those in while you head to FPs.

But in my uneducated mind (b/c we do single rider I haven't yet done standby or FP for RSR) I don't know why people head to wait in the FP line when they coudl just go to the standby line at rope drop. But what do I know?




That's the only way I've seen it, too. I saw the "back side of rope drop", too, when we were heading out after the early hour just as proper opening time was happening. Scads of people walking slowly, held back by a big rope being walked forward by CMs.

She may have misunderstood, but after hearing that, I'm sure you'd understand why I'd wince and freak out a bit.

aaaand in regards to my family heading to Mater's and Luigi's while I wait for FP's... call me a selfish disney obsessed mom, but I don't want any of my family walking down the road into carsland without me next to them. I want us to see it all together, and I want to witness my children's faces when they see how amazing it is.

Thank You all again for your suggestions, and kind words!

 

[lorieintucson]

we were just there oct 12-14 and also wanted to get as much RSR time in, but not wanting to sacrifice the other parts of the park. on our first day, we had EE to DL and stayed there all day knocking out most of our favorite rides and attractions (including Jedi training with both boys getting picked!) We had dinner back at the hotel and came back that night to check out Carsland. We had very short waits (no more than 15 min) to ride Mater and the tires, and we had snacks at the cones. The neon was amazing and we had some photopass pics done by the waterfall and bridge.

The next morning was devoted to DCA even though it was EMH for DLR guests. We got in line early and was there for rope drop, but the FP line was already so far down the street, we just went for it and went right to RSR. The street at the end past Flo's was closed because RSR 'didn't open with the park' and they weren't letting people into the queue. Told us to come back later. Enough of the mob dispersed that we were in the third row of people and saw one, then two cars testing. I figured that waiting for it to open was best when my kids were fresh in the morning, and besides, the FP surely would be gone anyway. It opened in an hour and everyone orderly walked the line to the racers. It was about 20 min once we walked in. It was awesome, and we would have ridden it again, but the boys didn't want to do the line again.

We hit DCA early on Sat (our last day) as well, but not early enough because we were out late at the halloween party the night before We got though the gates at :10 after opening and the FP were already gone. Oh well! we had a great time doing other things while CL was mobbed.

If we weren't successful on Friday with riding RSR (it was a mess on Thurs breaking down twice for long periods) we would have modified the plan to be there an hour before opening to be in line. It was crazy for EE to DL because the lines were all the way to the DCA gates, but then there were DCA lines forming that went halfway across the plaza to the DL gates. Quite crowded for sure!

So just one ride on RSR even though we visited Carsland almost every day. Just being there was a blast, so we were okay with it

 

[Tenuviel]

I trying to breathe and stay calm as well. For me, it is kind of serious issue since I have actual social anxieties in crowds that I take meds for. We tried to pick this time of the year to avoid crowds so I don't have a panic attack...so if you she a crazy girl hyperventilating Nov 5th-8th its probably me

 

[todzwife]

I trying to breathe and stay calm as well. For me, it is kind of serious issue since I have actual social anxieties in crowds that I take meds for. We tried to pick this time of the year to avoid crowds so I don't have a panic attack...so if you she a crazy girl hyperventilating Nov 5th-8th its probably me

We'll be there at the same time and I'm PRAYING that it's not quite as crowded once everyone's fall breaks are out of the way.

DH is like you and will be running and hiding if it's super busy.

 

[Tenuviel]

We'll be there at the same time and I'm PRAYING that it's not quite as crowded once everyone's fall breaks are out of the way.

DH is like you and will be running and hiding if it's super busy.

Maybe we will luck on the crowds....we can hope at least! I wouldn't be so worried about CL and would just avoid that area, but I have a 5 YO boy who is so excited to ride all the CL rides, especially RSR, so I don't think avoidance will be possible...