Opinions on doing "opposite park" strategy ... or not

[BriannaRuth]

Normally we stay on site, so I'm used to always doing EMH every day. The one time recently we haven't stayed on site, we did "opposite parks" in the morning, which worked out well. However, on this trip I'm questioning my strategy because if we do opposite parks *and* use our one MM at DL, we will open every day at DL.

We have 5-day hoppers in early August, so we have one EMH. We arrive at SNA about 9:30 AM on Saturday so we won't be there for rope drop that day. Our remaining park days are Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ... three out of four of those days are DCA EMH. So if I do opposite parks on every day and use our one MM on Tuesday (which I really want to do because it's a 7am MM) that puts at DL for opening every day!

We definitely prefer DL over DCA, but I would still like to be at DCA in the AM at least one day. So I'm thinking maybe on Monday we could do DCA even though we'll be in the park "late" (after EMH). Should we try to do Soarin' first since they let non-EMH guests on early (if I understand correctly)?

Opinions?

 

[katyringo]

I do like to use my one magic morning at DL to book fastpasses for DCA and then move over there. I can easily line up all the big rides at DCA via maxpass quickly that way. I then make sure to start at DL on a non MM day and then your only competing with the small amount of hotel guests who had EMH( and able to use maxpass) since DCA doesn’t have MM. if that make sense....


My other “trick” is once I’ve used my MM I book breakfast at Minnie’s during MM hours on another day. Gets us in early and able to use maxpass while we have breakfast and it doesn’t count against our MM.

 

[PoohBearFriends]

First time using Max Pass coming up. Can you start booking FastPasses on Max pass during EMH?

 

[palmtreelover08]

Just got back. At WDW we always stay on site and use morning EMH. When at Disneyland, we used our EMM. We started getting FP’s for DCA as soon as we walked thru DL’s
Gate. We rode Alice, Matterhorn, Toad, Snow White, Pinocchio by 8:45. (Maybe Buzz too- not positive). We then hopped right on Indy when it opened. We then went to DCA (about 9:20-ish) and went right in cars - as I had secured a FP for 9:30am. The other days, I made sure to start at DL when there were NOT EMM nor EMH- as I could not get in early and didn’t want to be behind the crowd. I tried to avoid the EMH at DCA- but DCA has them two days in a row- so we had no choice but to start at that park behind that crowd- but it really wasn’t a crowd. We were in line before they let the EMH people in- and it is not even remotely close to the number of people that go to EMH at WDW. Really didn’t have an impact on crowd. My sister and daughter went right to Gaurdians of the galaxy and had 20 minute wait. No different if we had been in back of the regular herd during opening. Plan worked great. Used our EMM- and starting making FP’s for DCA before those poor unfortunate souls even got in the gate. Then went over there with FP’s I’m hand. Avoid parks with EMH if you can, especially at DL when they also have the EMM- that will add to crowd if you can’t get in early. If it is only EMH at DCA- not too big of a deal, but obviously better to avoid if you can work it into your schedule.

Thing to note: only fantasyland and tomorrowland are open during EMM and EMH at DL. Most people go to Peter Pan, Matterhorn or Space Mt. we went right to Matterhorn, then did walk on to Alice (which has a line that builds up quick)- then Toad, Snow White and Pinocchio. We did Peter Pan first thing on a different morning. Good luck!

 

[Winnowill]

This past Saturday, we used our MM to get into DL at 8:00. We rode Peter Pan and Mr Toad, then moved over to DCA, where we already had an FP booked for...I forget what. RSR, probably.

Monday, we started at DCA. Even though the hotel guests had EMH, we rope-dropped GotG which had a five-minute posted wait. In other words, starting at DCA with an 8:00 opening won't make a huge difference in your wait times even though the EMH people have been there. Later park opening times could make a bigger difference.

 

[katyringo]

First time using Max Pass coming up. Can you start booking FastPasses on Max pass during EMH?

Yes.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Ok thanks everyone -- Can anyone confirm that Soarin' is available to non-EMH guests on EMH mornings? And if so, how does that work? I'm assuming they let non EMH guests into that area for rope drop at xx time and you can just board Soarin' from there? How early do they usually let the non-EMH guests into that plaza for rope drop?

 

[smartlabelprint]

Personally I’d be fine opening at dL every day. We usually spend every afternoon at dca when do gets crowded.