Park hopping?

[Mommy26]

I've never done it before and I was wondering what time do you do it?

Do you leave Disney in time to be one of the first in line at DCA opening or do you go an hour after DCA has opened and the line to the entrance has died down or do you go later in the afternoon?

Also, if you leave DCA when it closes and go to Disney, do you leave a half hour before it closes so you don't have a line to get into Disney?

 

[Huff]

We have no set schedule. We often go to DL early, then head to CA late morning, early afternoon and then return to DL shortly before CA closes.

If its off season then you can stay late at CA, the line for DL won't be bad. Even on peak season the wait to get into DL around CA closing isn't bad. The crowds are large at DL gates and look a mess but they always seem to move quickly, 10-15 mins tops and we're in.

 

[starshine514]

It depends. Assuming 8:00 - midnight DL hours and 10:00 - 9:00 DCA hours, we usually:

Get to DL for opening, hop to CA around 10:30.
Leave DCA around 2:00, head back to the hotel
Re-enter DCA around 7:00, stay until closing.
Hop back to DL, stay until closing.

I think the biggest evening lines for DL happen about an hour before the fireworks - fireworks time. When we were there last time, fireworks were at 8:40, so hopping earlier would have resulted in longer lines. I'm not sure about when fireworks happen at 9:30.

 

[CMHusband]

Everything is so close together, it doesn't really matter. We go back and forth all day long.

 

[HydroGuy]

I've never done it before and I was wondering what time do you do it?

Do you leave Disney in time to be one of the first in line at DCA opening or do you go an hour after DCA has opened and the line to the entrance has died down or do you go later in the afternoon?

Also, if you leave DCA when it closes and go to Disney, do you leave a half hour before it closes so you don't have a line to get into Disney?

In general there is not a good answer to this question. It is sort of like asking "what time do you leave Tomorrowland and and go to Fantasyland". It changes every day.

Here are some broad principles:

1. Since park hopping is so easy, just treat DL and DCA like one big park - sort of like Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and - with DCA - CaliforniaLand.

2. Since the FP systems are not connected, you can more efficiently use FP by hopping.

3. Based on which shows you want to see on which days, that will influence hopping. Want to catch Aladdin? It usually shows afternoons and not every day. So you may need to hop to see it. Need to get WOC FP in the morning? Then hop over to get that. Soundsational Parade at DL in the afternoon? Hop over to DL to catch that.

4. We tend to visit DLR in summer and tend to take afternoon breaks. So we tend to hop around times of leaving one of the parks and returning. For example, we may spend the morning at DL, leave at 1PM for a break - and hop into DCA real quick to get a Soarin Over California FP to use after the break. Then we leave DCA for the hotel. After our break we may come back at 5PM and go straight into DCA and spend the evening there and use our DCA FPs. And then after DCA closes hop back to DL at 9 or 10PM.

5. When DL opens at 8AM and DCA at 10AM, then some folks like to hop to DCA and get in line for TSMM and get their WOC and Soarin FPs.

6. All of the above will change to some degree if the rumored park hour changes happen at DCA this summer. The rumor is that DCA will have Magic Mornings and have regular park hours of 8AM-11PM.

 

[Mommy26]

Thank you for all of your answers!

I will be working with ridemax, but it doesn't describe what the entrance lines would be like getting into DL and DCA, after it has opened.

I am guessing that the entrance lines aren't that big of a deal if it is not just opening (or fireworks).

 

[CMHusband]

Thank you for all of your answers!

I will be working with ridemax, but it doesn't describe what the entrance lines would be like getting into DL and DCA, after it has opened.

I am guessing that the entrance lines aren't that big of a deal if it is not just opening (or fireworks).

entrance lines are almost no existent unless there is some sort of special event. I mean 1 minute or less after the park is already open.

 

[mrswh]

I agree with everyone else who says just hop over when you feel like it!

Generally speaking (and especially on the weekends), DL tends to get painfully crowded by lunchtime. While DCA may also be crowded, it has much wider walkways and more open space, so it feels less crowded than DL. You won't often catch me at DL after noon, other than to stand on the back of Main Street (near the entrance) for fireworks and then bolting out as soon as they are over.