Plan of attack for Monday - October 13th, critique?

[Kilale]

Alright so I am looking for some feed back on this tight schedule, I am trying to fit in a lot for one day but we only have two total days at the park and day 2 is cut in half with a MHP.

We have two, two day park hopper tickets plus two MHP tickets for Oct 14th. We are staying at the DLH arriving late night Sunday October 12th and departing the morning of Wednesday October 15th.

The gaps in time are what I am approximating it will take us to walk from location to location and wait in line to get a good spot. Please correct if you see a major over or under estimation for this process.

One thing I haven't researched yet is the ideal spots to view the parade(s) and shows. I am quite tall, 6"3, and I hate obstructing the view of others, however my partner is on the south side of 5"5 so she needs to be in a clear line of sight.


8 AM to 12:45 PM

-Use EMH to get into the park early
-Using Ridemax to develop a plan to hit the essential rides (about 10 total)
-Should be able to knock out 90% of what we want

1 PM to 2:00 PM

-Make a reso for 1 at the wine restaurant
-Sit down, decompress and have some wine/cheese
-Enjoy the quiet for a bit and gather ourselves

2 PM to 3:30 PM
-Head over to the Aladdin stage, get a seat for the 2:20 show
-Grab a drink and snack on the way settle in to enjoy the show
-Will be a good way to spend the otherwise packed afternoon
-From what I have read there really isn't a bad seat for this show?

3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
-Got time to head over to DL maybe grab a FP or just enjoy
-Will be very busy there but this will be our first taste of it

5 PM to 5:30 PM
-Enjoy the Pixar parade back in DCA at 5:15 PM

5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
-Head back over to DL, grab a bite to eat somewhere quick
-Have time to use that fast pass or maybe hit another ride or two

7 PM to 7:30 PM
-Enjoy the Mickeys Soundsational Parade in DL at 7 PM

7:30 to 8:00 PM
-Can go on a ride in DL or just head straight back to DCA and do a ride/grab a snack there

8:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Enjoy the WOC in DCA at 9 PM

9:30 PM 10:00 PM
-Head back over to DL and enjoy the park for a bit maybe do a ride or two lines should be shorter at this time of night?

10:30 PM to 11:00 PM
-Fantasmic! Should be a good time and will take us right to close in DL

 

[ricardol]

Wow I was surprised to see there is a Fantasmic show that Monday....at first I thought you were confusing the whole schedule as for a weekend day.

Everything seems pretty good to me except the Transition from WOC to Fantasmic. You should consider that DCA is officially closed after the WOC show and everybody will be heading down to the exit and it can get crowded. Also expect some line to enter DLR as you won't be the only ones hopping to DLR.

Also you need to go straight to Fantasmic to get a spot, you have a better chance since is the second showing but don't underestimate this.

 

[BriannaRuth]

8 AM to 12:45 PM

-Use EMH to get into the park early
-Using Ridemax to develop a plan to hit the essential rides (about 10 total)
-Should be able to knock out 90% of what we want

Sounds good and I agree, you should.

1 PM to 2:00 PM

-Make a reso for 1 at the wine restaurant
-Sit down, decompress and have some wine/cheese
-Enjoy the quiet for a bit and gather ourselves

Yes, this is a great place for lunch!

2 PM to 3:30 PM
-Head over to the Aladdin stage, get a seat for the 2:20 show
-Grab a drink and snack on the way settle in to enjoy the show
-Will be a good way to spend the otherwise packed afternoon
-From what I have read there really isn't a bad seat for this show?

Leaving the restaurant at 2 may be cutting it just a tad close, especially if you want to grab a snack on the way. Do you really need one if you just had lunch? This is a good way to spend the afternoon. It's not true that there are no bad seats. You can't see the flying carpet effects if you're all the way in the back on the main floor. The balcony blocks your view. If you're sitting on the main floor, be sure you can look straight up and see the ceiling.

3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
-Got time to head over to DL maybe grab a FP or just enjoy
-Will be very busy there but this will be our first taste of it

5 PM to 5:30 PM
-Enjoy the Pixar parade back in DCA at 5:15 PM
Personally I would skip this and stay in DL. The Pixar Parade is just okay and this is a lot of trouble going back and forth just to see it. You don't have a lot of time allocated -- I think you will get off your schedule here with lines at the gates, trying to find a spot, etc.

5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
-Head back over to DL, grab a bite to eat somewhere quick
-Have time to use that fast pass or maybe hit another ride or two

7 PM to 7:30 PM
-Enjoy the Mickeys Soundsational Parade in DL at 7 PM
To see the parade starting at 7, you will need to be at Small World Plaza. You asked about trying to find a good spot for a short and tall person. There's a large, raised area in the plaza. It's two levels with railings. If you get lucky, you might be able to get a spot where you can both see at the railing on the second level. Don't try to get there right at 7 or it could be difficult. Keep in mind that the Frozen Pre-Parade will start from the same spot ... I can't remember at what time, like 6:30 or 6:45.

7:30 to 8:00 PM
-Can go on a ride in DL or just head straight back to DCA and do a ride/grab a snack there

8:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Enjoy the WOC in DCA at 9 PM

9:30 PM 10:00 PM
-Head back over to DL and enjoy the park for a bit maybe do a ride or two lines should be shorter at this time of night?

10:30 PM to 11:00 PM
-Fantasmic! Should be a good time and will take us right to close in DL
I think it's unlikely that you'll be able to ride anything between WOC and Fantasmic. Without FPs for Fantasmic, we had good luck finding a spot to stand right at show time just to the left of the ice cream cart in front of Haunted Mansion. You shouldn't block anyone because there won't be anyone behind you. My 4'11" daughter was able to see the show from here. Not a perfect view but it works for last minute.

 

[Kilale]

Interesting thanks very much for the review, good point about the snack before Aladdin, definitely will skip that part!

I think we may skip the Pixar Parade, she did not seem overly excited about it either.

Also that WOC to Fantasmic transition is a great point.. what if we cut the WOC show in half or 10 minutes short? Is it worth it to watch it for 15-20 minutes from somewhere in the back? I can see a lot of people getting upset with us if we are moving through the crowd mid show.. but I would like to experience as many shows as we can.

Obviously if we have to choose it is Fantasmic over WOC. I spend a lot of time at concerts and as a tall person I make a conceited effort to stand in the back or close to it, giving shorter people the opportunity to stand in front of me. I find that it doesn't matter how early you get somewhere, there will always be some jerk who jostles in front of you and quite possibly ruins the view of the person you are with. Do you find this happens often at DL? It would drive me up the wall and I would have a really hard time biting my tongue if we spent 1 hour waiting for Fantasmic just to have a large family crowd up against us last minute. I guess this was my biggest fear for allocating TO much time for waiting.

I pride myself on my politeness to others, and it boils my blood dealing with rude people. I know I know, I am heading to DL, with the biggest crowds in the world, be ready... I am trying

 

[BriannaRuth]

That's one reason I suggested standing at the railing for F! and the DL Parade. (Yes, that spot for F! by the ice cream cart is right at the railing.) No one will try to squeeze in front of you. And neither of those spots is in such a prime area that you will have people behind you. But you will be able to see. The F! spot is off to the side and there are much better views from the center, but it's an easy spot to grab at the last minute so you don't have to stand around and wait for an hour and you can still see everything. In the 5 days I was there in August, that F! spot was always available. (It looks like you won't be able to see some of the action on the far side of the river from there, but everything eventually goes right by that spot.)

I think your WOC idea is a good one. Standing at the back will allow you to get out MUCH quicker. I don't know about the views from back there because I've always had dinner reservations for WOC. I'm not sure about missing the last 10 minutes, though.

You should also try to grab a seat in the back for Aladdin so you can get out quicker. As long as you can see the ceiling.

 

[Kilale]

Haha, perfect, I will research these spots and get them into the plan. I am all for the least hassle/lowest chance of my crowd rage rearing its ugly head choice..