Opening day strategies?

[Mathmagicland]

Has anyone seen any YT or IG videos of the preview days from people who entered on the Harbor side?

ETA: Check out what these guys are saying about parking / arrival (they start discussing it at the 7:00 minute mark in the video).

(link to Five Fires)

They also said that the DLR had a hard close at 3:00 pm, and even people who were already in line were turned away.

Hopefully the arrival mess will settle down after the first few days, similar to DTD.

Also, I took DLR to mean Disneyland resort, thinking they stopped letting people in, rather than the Disneyland Railroad...LOL

 

[mistyinca]

Haven't decided yet, but mostlikely 6am. I am SO eager to get there in order to ride as many rides as possible. Given the shorter hours and possible longer lines I'm thinking the earlier the better.

I was thinking leaving home at 6a headed to Mickey and friends. I live in riverside so figured that would get me there about 7:30.

 

[frechley]

I just got a chat response re: Harbor Entrance. "Good afternoon! The Harbor Blvd side will be open at 6am" (on opening day!)

When you say a "chat" response, where do you find the chat options? I only see options to call or email. I just sent an email because the call queue is shutdown currently.

 

[amyg1975]

When you say a "chat" response, where do you find the chat options? I only see options to call or email. I just sent an email because the call queue is shutdown currently.

Chat is in the app- click the 3 lines at the bottom right and you will see chat there.

 

[ycsteves]

Haven't decided yet, but mostlikely 6am

I was thinking leaving home at 6a headed to Mickey and friends. I live in riverside so figured that would get me there about 7:30.

Honestly, if it weren't for staying at a hotel close by I would not be leaving my home until about that time as well! I used to live in Corona, so I get leaving as early as possible. The 91 is never smooth sailing during the weekdays!

 

[mlggator22]

Question, when we went to WDW in November, it was easy to get ROTR boarding passes because your reservations were linked on the app.
I haven't figured out how to link the reservations on the app. My tickets are linked. Does that mean that my reservations are too?

 

[edhmom]

Honestly, if it weren't for staying at a hotel close by I would not be leaving my home until about that time as well! I used to live in Corona, so I get leaving as early as possible. The 91 is never smooth sailing during the weekdays!

It's "funny" you say this. My daughter drove from Redlands to Long Beach yesterday morning and said 91 was horrible! It wasn't much better going home in the afternoon.

 

[Malcon10t]

That's what I would do... Pirates isn't too bad so far on the app but I imagine it will get longer as they increase the amount of people. Not filling the boats up will slow it down. And in the videos I watched a CM holds guests before they enter the building, waits for the other CM to radio them, then allow guests inside in spurts. That will also slow it down.

They are holding at the entry door, and then send enough for 2 boats. If it is smaller parties, they put 2 rows in front and 2 in back. A larger party takes an entire boat. It is actually flowing pretty well today.

 

[Kender]

Question, when we went to WDW in November, it was easy to get ROTR boarding passes because your reservations were linked on the app.
I haven't figured out how to link the reservations on the app. My tickets are linked. Does that mean that my reservations are too?

Check the main page of the app. That's where I see my reservations:



It's not under My Plans or anything. It just shows you whatever your next reservation is and a link to manage or make changes. Link will direct you to the website. There, you can have the reservation QR code resent to your email or cancel your reservation.

 

[mlggator22]

Check the main page of the app. That's where I see my reservations:

View attachment 571140

It's not under My Plans or anything. It just shows you whatever your next reservation is and a link to manage or make changes. Link will direct you to the website. There, you can have the reservation QR code resent to your email or cancel your reservation.

Yes, thank you. Everything is in a different place. But yes, it is on the front page.

 

[midnight star]

DL has the Cinderella carriage popcorn buckets! They are so cute! Gothic Rosie post a picture of it.

 

[amyg1975]

DL has the Cinderella carriage popcorn buckets! They are so cute! Gothic Rosie post a picture of it.

It is so cute, but do I need this one when I already have the blue carriage? Hmmmm....

 

[frechley]

has anyone yet heard if downtown disney will have lines to enter or if you can enter freely? my intent is to eat most meals there, as disneyland's options are very limited and reservations filled up very quickly.

 

[ycsteves]

I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the longer wait times combined with the heat on Friday I really wish the wait times would be the same as they were yesterday and are today, it would make the heat and waiting more bearable.

 

[V & S]

I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the longer wait times combined with the heat on Friday I really wish the wait times would be the same as they were yesterday and are today, it would make the heat and waiting more bearable.

Agree. Forecast seems to be moving around a bit. Right now, it says 88 tomorrow and Friday and 75 on Saturday. Right direction!

 

[ycsteves]

Agree. Forecast seems to be moving around a bit. Right now, it says 88 tomorrow and Friday and 75 on Saturday. Right direction!

Not terrible! I will be looking at the hourly forecast tomorrow night.

 

[Malcon10t]

So, not sure how this is going to compare to Friday, but yesterday I was able to join a preview. We walked over to the Harbor side entrance and joined the line at 845a. The queue entered and snaked thru the entire tram lot. They were slowly letting people thru as the lines in the esplanade would go down. It was about 30 mins from joining the line to actual entering the park. Our party had our tickets, QR codes, and ID handy when we approached the gate, and it was a fairly quick process. There were CMs lining the street welcoming us, the street cars were running, characters were on the train platform and very interactive. There were character handlers at street level that if you had someone trying to get their attention, would yell up to which ever to let them know to look your way if needed. We never made it to Tomorrowland area, but most rides we encountered were running fairly quickly. Lines in Fantasyland did not use the queues in the wood sections, it was mainly outside. BTMRR was 1 group per train segment. Rise one group per row, or if you were a group larger than 4, you got the whole row. The time from the time we entered the rise queue to walking off was 25 mins. Pirates was one small group in front, one in back, or 1 large group per boat. HM was 5 groups per elevator, then groups were loaded into carts with it appeared to be 2 empty carts between groups. Into DCA, we didSoaring, 2 groups per row plexiglass in the middle. Cars, 1 group per car. Maters, no real change.

 

[DLRExpert]

Not sure how many Cast Members were in the park during this preview. Is it even close to the 15% threshold?
I am going to guess that it is not.

From previewing the wait times the past three days, the most popular attractions with the longest wait times have been Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and to a lesser extent Snow White.

I expect Snow White and Splash Mountain to be busier when the park opens to regular guests.

So if you are in the park at opening, I would do Indiana Jones first, then Pirates, then Mansion, get on Splash Mountain before 1030am. If the wait time for for Splash Mountain is building, I would skip Mansion and do Splash Mountain first.

I expect Snow White to have a long line from opening + 2 hours, but start to dwindle down to 30 minutes or less as the day goes on.

Side Note: Rise of the Resistance seems to be selling out in seconds. Make sure you practice getting your boarding group before your visiting date.

At California Adventure the first attraction should be Racers then Soarin. With less attractions than DL, the DCA wait times tend to average 20-40 minutes.

ME

 

[DisneylandMommy]

I’m trying to figure out the best way to have the QR code for my reservation handy, since it’s not directly on the app. Suggestions? I’m thinking of a screen shot maybe.

 

[midnight star]

I’m trying to figure out the best way to have the QR code for my reservation handy, since it’s not directly on the app. Suggestions? I’m thinking of a screen shot maybe.

Screen shot !