Please Talk to my Girlfriend

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

Alright, here is the deal. I am a working class guy and I am taking my children and girlfriend/partner to Disneyland. This is a big deal. We are going to Disneyland! I've been telling my kids about this place since they were born and they finally get to go. I want it to go good. Who knows when we will get to go again. Being that I am a working class guy, the trip has to be mostly on the weekend (this October).

I think we should have a good plan and really figure out what to do when, maybe use this RideMax thing I've been reading about. And, of course, my girlfriend says she doesn't want to do that. "I just want to have a good relaxing time. I don't want to be running around." She thinks the waits will not be to bad.

Well, if you would kindly write to her on this forum about what you think about this matter - I would be grateful. Say....

Dear S.B.

My name is ---- and this is what I think about this situation. I believe this because ------- and ------.

This is assuming that you agree with me - and I am sure you do.
If you don't agree with me feel free to express that too.

 

[Raindown]

How many days you will be at DLR and the ages of your children might help you get more informed responses.

 

[Foxhound3857]

Obviously going on a Weekend means both parks are going to be more active. This means denser gatherings of tourists, less room to maneuver, and of course, bigger lines. Summer is a bad time to go if you dislike waits, even on a Weekday, because that's when families actually have time to bring their kids to the parks without compromising their school agenda. Lines can easily get as long as three hours for the major attractions like Space Mountain, and finding a suitable spot to watch parades and firework shows in large crowds can be difficult.

-Plan it out with your wife and children. Set up a schedule of where you're going to go and what you're going to do each day, and try to stick to it. I realize that being spontaneous and playing it by ear is often more fun (and in some cases, far more rational), but if you only have a limited amount of time to spend in the parks then you need to plan carefully if you want to experience everything and make the most of it.

-Many will disagree with me, but I say to largely ignore Fastpass for the most part. Fastpass basically forces you to bite the bullet immediately for a marginally shorter wait later, and it won't really get you on a major ride any faster. You basically get in line now so you can get in line later. Just ride out the normal lines; they tend to go faster than you think. And you get to see the full sights as you make your way towards the actual shuttles. Disney puts a lot of detail into those large winding paths; you'll definitely want to see them.

-If time (and money) is an issue, I would suggest packing your own lunch. 12PM-1PM can be a really hard time to get food in the parks; there will be a mad rush practically everywhere you go. By bringing your own lunch, you can eat at your own convenience and save a lot of money.

Edit: Just read that you're planning for October which is a good month, nice weather and not too populated. Try to pick a day that won't be more crowded because of a day off from school.

 

[femommy]

Utahn's will invade Anaheim on October 14 and 15. This is a long weekend for schools and is usually a BUSY weekend.

 

[lulubelle]

All of the Halloween stuff will make DL & DCA very busy in October. The last two seasons have been crazy. Trust me.
And the weekends are the worst. But, you can make the most of your stay by utilizing FP, getting in at rope drop and proper planning. The weather is usually quite nice, too. Chilly at night. Have a great trip.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

October used to be considered off season but no more since the Halloween offerings began. We went October weekends last year and 2 years before that and had a blast, but having goals and a plan really helped.

I heard also that Friday nights in October were crazy busy last year, and we did experience the insane street traffic in the resort area even though we didn't go to the parks on our Friday night. So I would say if your trip is going to be a weekend + a day or two more, pick the Monday-Tuesday side of the week rather than the Thursday-Friday side if you can. Monday, October 11 is Columbus day though so it might be busier than other October Mondays and perhaps should be avoided.

 

[mom4princesses]

I have to say my family is a huge fan of Ride Max. The 1st trip we ever used it we were at DL for 5 days. I made plans , with RM, for every other day (big mistake). The first day we used it the kids where complaining, no I want to go on this ride next....... Well after about the 3rd ride when the kids realized we had minimal wait times (unlike most of the families we saw with unhappy children) they where asking, whats next. So the next day without RM we were lost, didn't know what to go and did maybe half of what we did the day before. We got to ride all the rides we wanted and even got to go back for a afternoon nap, usually 4 hrs or more of a break. Wishing I had a laptop so I could plan the other days. With that said, we will not got to DL without Ride Max.

As for Fast Passes I say they are a must. I know that there are times on the passes but you can use them anytime after the time given and it will be honored. Example if it tells you to return between 12:00 - 3:00, you can use it any time after 12, yes any time, so you can still use it at 8pm if you want. It just has to be used the day you get it, can't be used the next day. We do this every time we go and have never had a problem.

We are going in Oct also and it is my girls fall break. So depending on what your exact dates are you may be going during AZ (and I think Utah also but not sure) Fall break, which means more people and longer lines. Just one more reason for RM.

 

[jernysgirl]

I definitely think later in the month you would be better with the crowds. October includes Gay Days, the Utah (and other school) breaks, Columbus Day, CHOC walk, Halloween festivities, among other things. We were there from the 5th-11th last year and there were days that the park was only allowing a return entry into the park w/ hand stamps (no new admissions for the day) due to the high crowds.

IMO, you need to know what you want to do in situations like that and where you are trying to get to, because otherwise you will end up overwhelmed and disappointed in the experience. If you have a plan of attack and research (use the DIS boards, consider RideMax, etc.) you will have a better idea of what you should be doing when.

But don't get discouraged, October is still a really fun time to go! We had a blast last year, especially at MTOTP (Mickey's Trick or Treat Party) and would definitely consider going in Oct again, but I would definitely not go at the beginning of the month and would aim more for the second half of the month.

HTH!

 

[bumbershoot]

You basically get in line now so you can get in line later.

But you're not IN a line when you have a FP, that's the point. It's a placeholder for you later on, and you can do something else while it is waiting in line for you.

That's not to say I use it all the time; I've been scrapbooking and the number of FPs we get then don't need to use is pretty crazy...but to just bypass a FP machine for something you want to ride, maybe twice, maybe later, etc etc, is shooting yourself in the foot, IMO.



OP, if you want to use ridemax it's not that much money, so I would go for it if you can at all. A trick I developed with my brother and, to some extent, my husband is to have a Plan, and then when they stop to look at a map, just put your input (from your secret Plan). Usually when people stop to look at a map, or say "hmm, what next", they just want someone to decide for them...so just decide! With my family, I notice they just say "OK" and we move along! But if they do have an opinion and they are using that moment as a way to state it, then that's good too!

So if you want to plan, as long as you aren't taking significant time away from the family, go for it! If your girlfriend doesn't want to, she doesn't have to. If she wants to stroll along, sleep in, etc etc, she can. While you guys go off and play!


...though get that settled before your trip, definitely...it took me 2 or 3 trips for my hubby to understand that I was NOT being passive aggressive when I would say "OK I'm going to go now by myself, since no one else is near ready". I really meant it and was happy with it! They thought I was being p-a, and then would tell me to wait "just a minute", get ready, and then I would end up being later than I wanted while they were earlier than they wanted! That's not fun!

 

[LuLusApple]

If you don't have a bunch of days and don't go often, then you need a strategy.
Get there early, utilize FP have an idea of what you want to accomplish. You can "plan lite" or "full throttle" lol
but geeez don't just go and wander around, stand in standby lines, and be miserable
you asked I told

 

[Foxhound3857]

Bumbershoot: Actually acquiring a FP has its own line, some almost as long as the line for the actual ride itself. Last time I tried to get FP for Indiana Jones, it was an hour wait just to get up to the machine. And when we used it, it only got us about halfway through the Indiana Jones main line. Same thing for Space Mountain. So it helps bypass some of the line, not all of it. There's still a significant wait involved.

To me, it's just more trouble than benefit. It's only useful if you want to use the time gaps to do something else, but to make efficient use of it requires a lot of meticulous planning that can cause more stress than intended.

 

[jernysgirl]

Bumbershoot: Actually acquiring a FP has its own line, some almost as long as the line for the actual ride itself. Last time I tried to get FP for Indiana Jones, it was an hour wait just to get up to the machine. And when we used it, it only got us about halfway through the Indiana Jones main line. Same thing for Space Mountain. So it helps bypass some of the line, not all of it. There's still a significant wait involved.

To me, it's just more trouble than benefit. It's only useful if you want to use the time gaps to do something else, but to make efficient use of it requires a lot of meticulous planning that can cause more stress than intended.

For me, I have NEVER waited that long to get a fast pass, maybe 5 minutes at the most, and that was for SM w/ the Ghost Galaxy overlay last Halloween. If the FP line was that busy I wouldn't even bother with the ride in general, standby or FP. Sometimes you can get caught up waiting in a line for a particular FP distribution machine because people don't always pay attention to ALL the FP machines and only wait for one.

And from my experience, the IJ FP machines are hard to maneuver through so that may confuse people. Maybe that's why you waited so long?

 

[Foxhound3857]

For me, I have NEVER waited that long to get a fast pass, maybe 5 minutes at the most, and that was for SM w/ the Ghost Galaxy overlay last Halloween. If the FP line was that busy I wouldn't even bother with the ride in general, standby or FP. Sometimes you can get caught up waiting in a line for a particular FP distribution machine because people don't always pay attention to ALL the FP machines and only wait for one.

And from my experience, the IJ FP machines are hard to maneuver through so that may confuse people. Maybe that's why you waited so long?

Perhaps it was just a busy day. The line really was that long to get a FP, on more than one occasion.

 

[LuLusApple]

Bumbershoot: Actually acquiring a FP has its own line, some almost as long as the line for the actual ride itself. Last time I tried to get FP for Indiana Jones, it was an hour wait just to get up to the machine. And when we used it, it only got us about halfway through the Indiana Jones main line. Same thing for Space Mountain. So it helps bypass some of the line, not all of it. There's still a significant wait involved.

To me, it's just more trouble than benefit. It's only useful if you want to use the time gaps to do something else, but to make efficient use of it requires a lot of meticulous planning that can cause more stress than intended.

I think maybe you havnt studied up on FP but you don't have to plan once you get them and you don't have to use them in the time specified, just after the start time and on same day. hopefully you'll enjoy some better touring of DL

 

[Foxhound3857]

I think maybe you havnt studied up on FP but you don't have to plan once you get them and you don't have to use them in the time specified, just after the start time and on same day. hopefully you'll enjoy some better touring of DL

Ah, see, I was always under the impression if you weren't there to turn in your FP on time, it was void. Bah, so many wasted opportunities.

 

[LuLusApple]

Ah, see, I was always under the impression if you weren't there to turn in your FP on time, it was void. Bah, so many wasted opportunities.

Been there but once I realized I was wasting a beautiful thing tossing them out cause I didn't use them in the time slot. My visits became glorious!

 

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

Hey, I didn't start this thread to get people to debate fastpass! I want you guys to help me convince my partner that we need to plan our visit to Disneyland well.

So, please give her some objective logical reasons.

Thank You!

 

[Foxhound3857]

Hey, I didn't start this thread to get people to debate fastpass! I want you guys to help me convince my partner that we need to plan our visit to Disneyland well.

So, please give her some objective logical reasons.

Thank You!

Sorry, the fault lies with me on that one.

See my first post though.

 

[Rosanne]

I don't see anything wrong with having Ridemax. I would use it as a resource but not a dictator. I personally like to have a bit of a general plan but in my work life there is such constant specific scheduling that when at Disney I am pretty laid back. Of course, if I had only one day then planning would be more important. I think that number one is enjoying the day together and number two is trying to getting ride what you want to ride.

 

[sonnyjane]

I personally like to have a bit of a general plan but in my work life there is such constant specific scheduling that when at Disney I am pretty laid back. Of course, if I had only one day then planning would be more important. I think that number one is enjoying the day together and number two is trying to getting ride what you want to ride.

I agree with this. Use FastPass and research the best times to do certain things, but I don't think you need a rigid plan like those that RideMax offers. I have had DL trips where I had to be at X by _:__ and Y by _:__, but I've also had trips where I meandered, collected FP's, and just rode things that had short lines in the meantime, and the more laid-back trips were far more enjoyable.