Please help me with adult touring in DCA!

[mickeymom629]

We will be staying at the Grand Cali and plan to go to DCA on Monday, Nov. 17 for EMH.

It will be DH, DS25 and DD22 and myself (DD and I are doing the Avenger's Half). We are WDW vets. DS has been to DCA several times, as he lives in the area. DD has never been to California! DH and I have only been to DCA once before Cars Land opened.

Please tell me how you would plan our day, so my DD22 can do most all the "adult" attractions. Everyone, except me, loves all the thrill rides, and I am usually the FP runner. (I'm even a little nervous about trying RSR)

I want time to see Animation Studios. DD will probably enjoy Aladdin. The last time we were there, I couldn't see WOC (too short for where we were standing), but DH is 5'9" and saw it. I'm not sure I care about seeing it at all because I don't want to have to wait for 2 hours and then stand again.

I'm looking for a plan that will let us see most everything adults would want to experience. We only have one day there with DD, so I want her to see as much as possible. The rest of us will be going again later in the week.

Thanks for any of your suggestions and help!!

 

[MouseEXP]

Get to the entrance to DCA for EMH 15-30 minutes before it starts. I heard the GCH entrance can take a lot longer to get through if you go that route.

Once in the park for EMH, head to Carsland and RSR first
then Luigi and Mater. Close with TSMM by the time the EMH is over. You want to ride TSMM as much as you can in the morning since there is no FP available.

Once the park opens...
Do Screamin, MFW, Goofy, Symphony Swings, Zephyr if you like, and Mermaid.
It should be around 11am-1130am by this time.

Grab a FP for RSR then one FP for WOC in case you decide to watch it.
Ride Grizzly without FP.
Should be 12pm
Have lunch... White Water Snacks would be a great idea
After lunch get a FP for Soarin.
Ride Tower of Terror no need for FP as the line does move fast
Hangout in Hollywood Land until it is time for Aladdin or use the FP for Soarin

After that you can hang out at the hotel or ride some attractions again.

Seeing WOC should be much easier.
Just get to the waiting area 15-30 minutes before it says on the WOC FP ticket. Once they let you in, grab an area near a railing then take a seat on the ground and wait for the show to start.
Once you have settled into a spot, this would be a great time for someone to get a nice dessert while you wait.
15 minutes before showtime they will tell you to stand and then you watch the show.

 

[mickeymom629]

Get to the entrance to DCA for EMH 15-30 minutes before it starts. I heard the GCH entrance can take a lot longer to get through if you go that route.

Once in the park for EMH, head to Carsland and RSR first
then Luigi and Mater. Close with TSMM by the time the EMH is over. You want to ride TSMM as much as you can in the morning since there is no FP available.

Once the park opens...
Do Screamin, MFW, Goofy, Symphony Swings, Zephyr if you like, and Mermaid.
It should be around 11am-1130am by this time.

Grab a FP for RSR then one FP for WOC in case you decide to watch it.
Ride Grizzly without FP.
Should be 12pm
Have lunch... White Water Snacks would be a great idea
After lunch get a FP for Soarin.
Ride Tower of Terror no need for FP as the line does move fast
Hangout in Hollywood Land until it is time for Aladdin or use the FP for Soarin

After that you can hang out at the hotel or ride some attractions again.

Seeing WOC should be much easier.
Just get to the waiting area 15-30 minutes before it says on the WOC FP ticket. Once they let you in, grab an area near a railing then take a seat on the ground and wait for the show to start.
Once you have settled into a spot, this would be a great time for someone to get a nice dessert while you wait.
15 minutes before showtime they will tell you to stand and then you watch the show.

Wow! Thanks for this!

 

[Pooh2]

We went to DCA two EMH mornings last month. The first day we headed right to RSRs. We got on the ride after about a 30 minute wait. It stopped near the finish line and we were stuck on the ride for about 15 min (they sent away all the people who had lined up at park opening). By the time we got to TSM, the line was about 40 minutes and the park had opened.

The 2nd EHM morning, we headed with the crowd to RSRs. It was down and they were not letting anyone line up. So we headed to TSM. That was down too! So we wandered around the park for a bit and had brk at Flo's V8 cafe then headed to Soarin.

So have a plan but have a back up plan in case the headliners are not working.

 

[debdreamsofdis]

Sounds like MouseEXp has it all planned out for you I was going to suggest maybe looking into some of the WOC dining packages. You'll get a nice meal and a preferred viewing area for WOC. You can also take advantage of the single rider lines. However, since you said even RSR makes you a little nervous, you might not want to try that route because you will mostly be separated from your group.

 

[pharmama]

I think Mouse EXP laid out an excellent plan. But I also have an alternate suggestion. Now, of course there is cost incurred but have you considered doing a tour? I did the Disney California Story tour in September and REALLY enjoyed it. You can read more about my experience on the tour here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3329942
But the short of it is that with the tour you will go on Soarin' and RSR and visit the Animation Academy along with a lot of other really neat information and stops (like 1901). Now, if your family aren't Walt fans or Disney history types then they might not be as interested.

I do not think the park will be especially busy on the day you plan to go and I really wouldn't stress about things. I do not think its necessary to use EMH on Luigi's or Mater. If you're not doing the tour, then maybe on RSR but I'd just get a fastpass-especially if you can time one for a night time ride since its really awesome after dark! Definitely use EMH for TSMM (multiple times even!). Might as well do Screamin' since you're in the area. It will probably be a walk on during EMH but the line won't be that bad later either. If you want to go on the Fun Wheel, I might try to do that early as the lines can build and move slowly.

 

[mickeymom629]

Sounds like MouseEXp has it all planned out for you I was going to suggest maybe looking into some of the WOC dining packages. You'll get a nice meal and a preferred viewing area for WOC. You can also take advantage of the single rider lines. However, since you said even RSR makes you a little nervous, you might not want to try that route because you will mostly be separated from your group.

Thanks. I'm still open to suggestions!

Pooh2, your experience sounds so disappointing!! Thanks for the heads up!!

Pharmama - I will look at your report regarding the tour. We do like learning about all things Disney!!

I am going to tell my family to do single rider lines if the wait is long.

I have been debating about WOC dining packages since I don't have any dining reservations. We tend to eat counter service, but we do start wanting "real" food after a few days . And we want to celebrate DD's 23rd birthday while we are together.

But the last time DH and I were there with 2 DSs (about 3 years ago), I couldn't get them to go wait for 2 hours for WOC. Believe me, I had read all the strategies here on the DIS and I couldn't get them to get up from the (counter service) table we were having dinner at. They are all over 6', so it didn't matter for them. I couldn't see a thing, and now I don't really have a desire to see it. But DD should have a chance...but she's 3 1/2 inches shorter than I am!