Planning visit and a BIT overwhelmed..lol

[I<3DL]

OK, SO- CA local here but haven't been to DL in 15+ years. We will be going on Tuesday for DS5 birthday. Have GAD tickets for hubbie and I. Close friend who used to work for security can get us all into DCA.

To put it mildly, I am COMPLETELY overwhelmed!! LOL
Obviously I would like to plan the best time possible, but there's so much to figure out.

This is what I have surmised so far:

1. We need to head to Grizzly River Run for WOC FP.
2. Then:
Peter Pan
Dumbo
Alice (closed?)
Matterhorn
Teacups
Mr. Toad
Snow White
Pinocchio

I guess my first question is when do we get FP for Nemo? Or does Nemo have them? I understand this is a super popular ride so when is the best time to ride? I assume the earlier the better.

Well, any and all info is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[marcemc]

OK, SO- CA local here but haven't been to DL in 15+ years. We will be going on Tuesday for DS5 birthday. Have GAD tickets for hubbie and I. Close friend who used to work for security can get us all into DCA.

To put it mildly, I am COMPLETELY overwhelmed!! LOL
Obviously I would like to plan the best time possible, but there's so much to figure out.

This is what I have surmised so far:

1. We need to head to Grizzly River Run for WOC FP.
2. Then:
Peter Pan
Dumbo
Alice (closed?)
Matterhorn
Teacups
Mr. Toad
Snow White
Pinocchio

I guess my first question is when do we get FP for Nemo? Or does Nemo have them? I understand this is a super popular ride so when is the best time to ride? I assume the earlier the better.

Well, any and all info is greatly appreciated!!!

Nemo doesn't have a FP. You should go there first for sure and then move to Peter Pan, it gets crowded in there too.

Since you are stopping at DCA you might want to get some FP for Soarin', it is an amazing ride and I'm sure your son will enjoy it.

Don't be overwhelmed, just go with the flow and have fun

 

[Lissame]

Some things that might make your wait times a bit longer than you think:

Tuesday is a Magic Morning. So even if you get there when the park opens, the Fantasyland rides are going to be swamped with people who got there an hour before you. Just be prepared for that.

Nemo does not have a FP, so if that one is important to you, then I'd head over there right after you do PP and Dumbo.

I have a feeling that waiting for the WOC fastpasses is going to eat up a lot of your time. If one of you was ok with missing a couple of the FL rides, then you could hop back and forth with the tickets and you and DS go on PP while DH waited in line for the WOC FP. You will have to do a bit of scrambling with the tickets though to make that work if it's what you want to do.

 

[Funball]

Hey trip planners!!!!

I still have park maps for Disneyland and DCA !!

 

[Disney Dreams]

I am not the Fantasyland, hit-the-Parks-first-thing expert, so I'll let someone else attack that one for you.

There is no FP for Nemo and the line gets long pretty quickly - and stays long throughout the entire day. Honestly. The best time to ride Nemo (if "best" means "short line" ) is either VERY first thing in the morning or the very very last thing as the Park closes at night.

Why?
The first thing is probably obvious. As for the last, here's why:
The rule at DLR is: If you are in line when the Park closes, you can ride. So, if the Park closes at midnight and you get in line at 11:55pm, you WILL ride, no matter how long the wait. So why wait until the end of the night? Well, I go on the theory of, no reason to stand in line while there are a million other things I can be doing when I can wait in line while the only thing I'm missing out on is shopping on Main Street.

Hope this helps,
Dreams

 

[whimsy87]

I'm not sure how early DCA is opening to be able to get fastpasses for WoC. DCA usually doesn't open till 10. Depending on what time DCA opens, you should hit Fantasyland first (Nemo very first, if that's a priority), then head over to Peter Pan from there.

Just FYI, we got the WoC picnics and it was great to not have to worry about standing in line for the fastpasses! We just went over to pick up our food and they handed us fastpasses.

 

[CaseyK]

Why?
The first thing is probably obvious. As for the last, here's why:
The rule at DLR is: If you are in line when the Park closes, you can ride. So, if the Park closes at midnight and you get in line at 11:55pm, you WILL ride, no matter how long the wait. So why wait until the end of the night? Well, I go on the theory of, no reason to stand in line while there are a million other things I can be doing when I can wait in line while the only thing I'm missing out on is shopping on Main Street.

Hope this helps,
Dreams[/QUOTE]

Had no idea about this line thing- good to know!!

 

[Funball]

There is no FP for Nemo and the line gets long pretty quickly - and stays long throughout the entire day. Honestly. The best time to ride Nemo (if "best" means "short line" ) is either VERY first thing in the morning or the very very last thing as the Park closes at night

Honestly what Dreams said above is true with nemo! That line is the pits during the day. Best do that one with a MM (if you can) or as soon as the rope drops!!

 

[I<3DL]

THANKS everyone for the very helpful replies.

So-Lissame,

Some things that might make your wait times a bit longer than you think:

Tuesday is a Magic Morning. So even if you get there when the park opens, the Fantasyland rides are going to be swamped with people who got there an hour before you. Just be prepared for that.

Nemo does not have a FP, so if that one is important to you, then I'd head over there right after you do PP and Dumbo.

I have a feeling that waiting for the WOC fastpasses is going to eat up a lot of your time. If one of you was ok with missing a couple of the FL rides, then you could hop back and forth with the tickets and you and DS go on PP while DH waited in line for the WOC FP. You will have to do a bit of scrambling with the tickets though to make that work if it's what you want to do.

I'm thinking your suggestion fits our plan, but I need help understanding it a little better. As far as the WOC FP go, is this hypothetical what you are suggesting?... ie: hubby and DS ride a few rides while I get FP for me, hubby, and son? OR, I get my FP while hubby and DS ride rides, then we switch and hubby gets his FP while DS and I ride rides?

ugh. sorry if this is confusing.

I guess the ultimate question is can I get the FP for all of us while they ride rides?

Thanks bunches again.

 

[I<3DL]

Hey trip planners!!!!

I still have park maps for Disneyland and DCA !!

FUNBALL!!! I could use all the help you have!! Is it too late to get a map etc before Tuesday?

Also, regarding Nemo, we will be there at rope drop but not sure if I should go to WOC for FP first or do Nemo first. OR does DCA open at 10am? yikes, more confusion LOL

We are trying to avoid the picnic thing b/c we are bringing some food and will be snacking some and won't really need the meal.

 

[I<3DL]

oh and I don't think MM is an option for us cuz we are not staying at the hotel. We'll be driving in from Valencia (45 min drive)

 

[princess lovers mom]

you all have to be in the same park for one of you to get FP's with the others tickets....they cannot go over to DL while you are in DCA with their tickets...

make sense...

 

[princess lovers mom]

DCA opens at 10 am on thue 8/3....DL opens at 8, but many will be in at 7 with MM passes....

 

[Funball]

FUNBALL!!! I could use all the help you have!! Is it too late to get a map etc before Tuesday?

Also, regarding Nemo, we will be there at rope drop but not sure if I should go to WOC for FP first or do Nemo first. OR does DCA open at 10am? yikes, more confusion LOL

We are trying to avoid the picnic thing b/c we are bringing some food and will be snacking some and won't really need the meal.

You want a map before next Tuesday???

I can try and make it happen—send me your address via pm system.. and I will get it out today before the mail man comes—and he comes like in an hour! I will send one of each park! Nice crisp, clean never been used!

DCA opens at 10 ususally disneyland opens at 8 am.. i think you will have time between rope dropping at disneyland to ride nemo and then get your WOC Fp!

 

[princess lovers mom]

BTW are you sure you are going to have park hoppers? or are your tickets only for one park?????

 

[I<3DL]

you all have to be in the same park for one of you to get FP's with the others tickets....they cannot go over to DL while you are in DCA with their tickets...

make sense...

ahhh ok. This is VERY helpful to know.

And if I understand correctly, DCA doesn't open until 10am, right?

So our plan now becomes:

FL including Nemo, and get FP for rides there, then to DCA @ 10am for WOC FP, etc... is this sounding right?

thanks!!!!!!

 

[I<3DL]

You want a map before next Tuesday???

I can try and make it happen—send me your address via pm system.. and I will get it out today before the mail man comes—and he comes like in an hour! I will send one of each park! Nice crisp, clean never been used!

DCA opens at 10 ususally disneyland opens at 8 am.. i think you will have time between rope dropping at disneyland to ride nemo and then get your WOC Fp!

FUNBALL , sent you a PM! THANK YOU AGAIN for your kind efforts!! I SUPER appreciate it!!!

 

[I<3DL]

BTW are you sure you are going to have park hoppers? or are your tickets only for one park?????

wellllllllllll, this is the mystery at this point.

DH and I have GAD vouchers. We will be buying DS DLR ticket.

THEN, when we are in DLR we will be meeting friends old DLR boss to get entrance to DCA. Not sure what that consists of but messaging to find out. But, the idea is that we will get entrance to both.

 

[Lissame]

Your plan sounds good...if you don't all want to wait in line for the WOC FP, one of you could wait with all of your tickets (I think this is true, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and two of you could go to Bug's Land and ride some rides (which will be appealing to your son, but probably not much to the adults). It would help to pass the time.

 

[Lissame]

THEN, when we are in DLR we will be meeting friends old DLR boss to get entrance to DCA. Not sure what that consists of but messaging to find out. But, the idea is that we will get entrance to both.

That might be tricky for the WOC Fastpasses. I don't know how that works if you don't have a ticket initialized at DCA. If you want to see WOC and the FP thing doesn't work, you could get the picnic for the second showing.