Please suggest improvements for this plan

[sonpok]

We are a part of two adults. We are staying at a Disney Resort. We will be park hopping. We will start our day with early access at Animal Kingdom. We will travel between parks using our car. Here is the list of rides we want to ride:

1. Avatar Flight of Passage
2. Expedition Everest
3. Rise of the Resistance
4. Slinky Dog Dash
5. Smugglers Run
6. Star Tours
7. Tower of Terror
8. TRON
9. Space Mountain
10. 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
11. Mission Space
12. Guardians of the Galaxy

Seven days prior we will purchase Individual Lightning Lane reservations for Rise of the Resistance and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. We will also buy the Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Multi Pass and try to reserve Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours and Tower of Terror with return times before 2 PM, then during the week leading up to our visit, modify the Lightning Lane reservations as necessary/if possible to optimize the time slots. Star Tours will be our "burner" ride

On the day of our visit we plan to early access/rope drop Avatar Flight of Passage at 7:30 AM, then rush over to the standby line for Expedition Everest. With some luck we will depart Animal Kingdom before 9 AM and head to Hollywood Studios. As soon as we tap in for our first Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation at Hollywood Studios (Probably Star Tours) I will start trying to get a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Smugglers Run. After I get Smugglers Run or we tap into our next reservation I will try to snag a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Space Mountain and if necessary try to get the times adjusted to fit our schedule based upon how things are progressing.

At Magic Kingdom we will use our Individual Lightning Lane reservation for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and hopefully a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Space Mountain. Then because Magic Kingdom is closing at 6 PM on the day of our visit, we will get into the TRON line before 6 PM and that should guarantee us a ride on TRON.

Our last park will be EPCOT. I think it is probably unnecessary but I will get a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Mission Space if I can and after that we just need to make sure will get into line for Guardians before EPCOT closes at 9:30 PM.

Do you see any issues with that plan?

 

[hardcorestitch]

One thing I would suggest for the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT portion if time permits is to take monorail service from there to the TTC and then connect to EPCOT from there instead of parking at the EPCOT parking lot.

 

[sonpok]

I suppose that is an option, I am curious what the advantage would be. I suppose if the last ride gets us out well after 6 the closing time crowd may have dissipated. EPCOT is truly the park I am least concerned about, we will have around two hours there before closing and only one less popular ride to complete before jumping in the line for Guardians just before 9:30 closing time

 

[Disturbia]

Ok so as I see it:

You will have a LLSP for FOP 8-9 am (not sure if it will be available)

LLMP (you get to book 3 rides 7 days before at 7 am est):

9-10 MFSR (has single rider btw so could book RnRC which is also a tier1) (ride then snag Space Mtn)
10-11 Star Tours (ride then snag an Epcot ride - Test Track)
11-12 TOT (ride then snag Epcot ride - Mission Space)
Lunch and go through ROTR single rider (through exit)?

LLSP 2-3 pm SDMT
Early dinner at 4:30?
Then get in line for TRON 6 pm

Ride Epcot rides, get in line for GOTG at park close.

Sounds like a plan but will require lot of modifying to get times that are within range. Waiting for SDMT is mostly outdoors and hot and availability is better for SDMT (7 days before your trip) vs GOTG (queue is mostly indoors).

 

[sonpok]

We only get two LLSP so we are planning to rope drop FoP and save the LLSPs for RoTR and 7DMT. The unique part of our plan is buying the HS LL but start the day at AK

 

[gottalovepluto]

How far in advance are you booking? If it’s 7-8 days you’re probably not getting a SDD until evening. Might end up having to switch MK and DHS and just do SM standby.

 

[sonpok]

I will be booking 8 days out which is this coming Monday at 7 AM. Once I see how that goes I will update this thread and see if anyone want to congratulate me or help me salvage my plan.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I will be booking 8 days out which is this coming Monday at 7 AM. Once I see how that goes I will update this thread and see if anyone want to congratulate me or help me salvage my plan.

We’re pretty good about both things around here so you’re in the right place

 

[Disturbia]

SDD might not be available but MFSR is also a tier 1 and might have availability the second day of your trip. There was some testing allowing 2 single riders on MFSR. We didn’t personally try it, so maybe book RnRC (also tier 1 but has a single rider as well).

Update: double rider at MFSR was tested but not permanently added

https://blogmickey.com/2025/01/double-rider-queue-millennium-falcon-smugglers-run/

 

[Disturbia]

FOP will take about 30+ mins to ride even with a LL (about 15-20 mins to walk back there as well) and it takes time to go between parks. I would book the HS passes 10 am+ The park to park bus starts at 10 am, we’ve never taken a car so not sure how fast you can go between parks.

 

[msmayor]

IMO you need a lot to break your way with LL schedules. I would expect more than usual competition for LL's because of the holiday crowds.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

 

[erinch]

FOP will take about 30+ mins to ride even with a LL (about 15-20 mins to walk back there as well) and it takes time to go between parks. I would book the HS passes 10 am+ The park to park bus starts at 10 am, we’ve never taken a car so not sure how fast you can go between parks.

But with the grace period a 9 am Star Tours would let you tap in until 11:59 am

 

[Disturbia]

We’ve encountered CMs asking for proof at HS. We try to stay as close as possible to the window expiration.

They have improved the system but I still don’t trust it. I take screen shots of the anytime recovery pass showing the party as well (it can be used if you’re scanning in the grace period of another LL).

 

[sonpok]

Here is the update:

We are staying at a Disney Resort. We will be park hopping. We will start our day at 7:30 with early access at Animal Kingdom. Eight days prior we purchased Individual Lightning Lane reservations for Rise of the Resistance and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. We also bought the Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Multi Pass and reserved Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours and Tower of Terror with return times before 2 PM. We also have 7DMT just after 4 PM over at MK.

Here is the list of rides we want to ride and the return times we have so far:

1. Avatar Flight of Passage
2. Expedition Everest
3. Star Tours 0900-1000
4. Tower of Terror 1045-1145
5. Rise of the Resistance 1145-1245
6. Slinky Dog Dash 1305-1405
7. Smugglers Run
8. Space Mountain
9. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 1610-1710
10. TRON
11. Mission Space
12. Guardians of the Galaxy

On the day of our visit we plan to early access/rope drop Avatar Flight of Passage at 7:30 AM, and then rush over to the standby line for Expedition Everest. With some luck we will depart Animal Kingdom before 9 AM and head to Hollywood Studios. (With a lot of luck we will get to HS before 9 AM) After we tap in for Star Tours, Should I prioritize Space Mountain or Smugglers Run?

At Magic Kingdom we will use our Individual Lightning Lane reservation for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and hopefully a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Space Mountain. Then because Magic Kingdom is closing at 6 PM on the day of our visit, we will get into the TRON line before 6 PM and that should guarantee us a ride on TRON.

Our last park will be EPCOT. I think it is probably unnecessary but I will get a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for Mission Space if I can and after that we just need to make sure will get into line for Guardians before EPCOT closes at 9:30 PM.

With the return times we have, do you see any issues with that plan? Any tweaks you might suggest? Is there any reason to even think about adjusting any of the return times? I was thinking we might need a longer window of free time if we end up in the standby line for Smugglers Run. I would prefer not to test the limits of the return times. Perhaps we should just go straight to the Smugglers Run standby line immediately after Star Tours.

 

[Miffy]

I think your plan is quite optimistic, but that's no reason it won't work out. I'll be interested to see your actual results.

The main problem--if it will turn out to be a problem--I see is getting out of DAK by 9 a.m. If you're at the front of the ETPE line at DAK and you and your group are sprinters, then it's probably going to work out, assuming FoP is in working order, which, lately, it usually is.

RotR, though, is still unreliable. This could delay or interrupt your other plans.

But I think you'll be okay. I feel optimistic for you! Remember that the buffer after the stated expiration on the LLs is 119 minutes--so you have a lot of flexibility. Siva ko!

 

[sonpok]

I think your plan is quite optimistic, but that's no reason it won't work out. I'll be interested to see your actual results.

The main problem--if it will turn out to be a problem--I see is getting out of DAK by 9 a.m. If you're at the front of the ETPE line at DAK and you and your group are sprinters, then it's probably going to work out, assuming FoP is in working order, which, lately, it usually is.

RotR, though, is still unreliable. This could delay or interrupt your other plans.

But I think you'll be okay. I feel optimistic for you! Remember that the buffer after the stated expiration on the LLs is 119 minutes--so you have a lot of flexibility. Siva ko!

Space Mountain or Smugglers Run?

 

[WWhitehead]

Hi. Sorry, I just saw this thread, or I would have commented sooner. My daughter and I often park hop and tackle ride lists like yours. You can do all of that. I planned a similar day for my husband and me on July 4th.

Honestly, I would make a couple of tweaks to this if you can. First, you can rope drop FOP and make it over to EE and leave the park by 9 AM. If you are heading to Hollywood Studios next, I would consider Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler's Run through the single rider line. They have both been short every time we have used them. If you have never been on those rides before, that may not be your choice, but it will save you time. That way, you could get a LLSP for Guardians in the evening or even TRON because those rides will have long return times by late afternoon. As soon as you tap into Star Tours, try to grab Smugglers Run if you want to for sure be drivers and not gunners or engineers. Otherwise, grab Space Mountain.

Here are my notes from my day with my husband on July 4th, so you can see what we did. For what it is worth, my husband does not love rides and was ready to drink at Epcot. My daughter and I would have kept going until park close. Haha. We stayed at Pop Century on the night of 7/3. We got up and got an Uber at 6:45 to Animal Kingdom for rope drop.

1. FOP (had a delayed start that morning) but off ride by 8:15 AM
2. 8:25 AM LLMP - Expedition Everest. Booked Tiana's Bayou Adventure
3. 8:50 AM LLMP Navi River Journey. Booked Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin
4. 9:20 AM LLMP Kilimanjaro Safari. Booked Tower of Terror
5. Headed to Hollywood Studios
6. Rode Tower of Terror. Booked Mickey & Minnie
7. 11 AM ate at Docking Bay
8. Rise of the Resistance Single Ride Line
9. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway - got stuck a few minutes
10. Bus to MK
11. Peoplemover
12. Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin
13. LLSP Tron
14. Tiana's Bayou Adventure
15. Monorail to Epcot
16. 4:40 PM Guardians LLSP

I had soarin and spaceship earth, but my husband said no more. We ate and drank in Epcot and watched the fireworks. It was a really fun day. I didn't feel like we overdid it. These rides were focused on ones he had never been on before. Hopefully that helps you get some ideas about what is possible in a day. I did feel like the Tron and Guardians LLSPs for later in the day were clutch.

Hope this helps. Have the best time!
Whitney

 

[Miffy]

Space Mountain or Smugglers Run?

I am prejudiced against Smugglers Run, so I can't leave an unbiased opinion, because I did it once and would never do it again. So of course I'd pick Space Mountain over it! But that's just me. You have to decide for yourself.

Regarding the PP's advice to do the single-rider line for RotR: I do this sometimes, but I've done RotR many times. Even so, I did the single-rider line a few days ago and it took 30 minutes before I actually got on the ride, at which point I felt like I would've been better off in the standby queue.

If you've never done RotR, do not do the single-rider line. It skips the first two scenes and they are not to be missed. These are NOT like the 2 preshows before FoP, which, even if you never saw them, you really wouldn't be missing much. Here, you'd be missing a lot and it really takes away from the experience.

And please report back with your success. I'm rooting for you!

 

[WWhitehead]

I am prejudiced against Smugglers Run, so I can't leave an unbiased opinion, because I did it once and would never do it again. So of course I'd pick Space Mountain over it! But that's just me. You have to decide for yourself.

Regarding the PP's advice to do the single-rider line for RotR: I do this sometimes, but I've done RotR many times. Even so, I did the single-rider line a few days ago and it took 30 minutes before I actually got on the ride, at which point I felt like I would've been better off in the standby queue.

If you've never done RotR, do not do the single-rider line. It skips the first two scenes and they are not to be missed. These are NOT like the 2 preshows before FoP, which, even if you never saw them, you really wouldn't be missing much. Here, you'd be missing a lot and it really takes away from the experience.

And please report back with your success. I'm rooting for you!

I am totally with you about Rise of the Resistance. If you have never ridden it, you should definitely enjoy the whole experience. I can't believe your single rider line took 30 minutes. I think I have never waited more than 15 minutes. I've been on it several times. My husband had been on it before too. That is why I opted to use the LLSP for Tron & Guardians. I was just trying to give feedback on different ways to set up the day.

 

[Gurkensalat]

Space Mountain or Smugglers Run?

If you never did it, Smugglers Run all the way, it is a brilliant attraction, the evolution of Star Tours. If you do not want to, you do not have to "play", you can just be "engineer" on the back seats and watch what happens. Space Mountain is just old and very uncomfortable; nothing there except the nostalgia factor.