pre-opening/opening DCA

jkh1978

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
863
I thought I read somewhere that Soarin was open early if you go through the GCH entrance into DCA. Then I thought I read that anyone can get to Soarin before official park opening. Then I read that you want to go through GCH entrance and get in line for TSMM at the rope drop, since that line walks you down to the ride before the main gate people can get to the ride.

So what is the real strategy to use early at DCA?
 
DCA normally opens at 9:30 (both main entrance and GCH private entrance). The only ride open during this first 30 minutes is Soarin (FP machine is turned on as well). The rest of the park opens at 10 am. I'm not sure if they are still doing the line up for TSMM by GRR every day, or just on weekends and busy periods.

Are you staying at a DLR hotel? If so, you can use the GCH private entrance at 9:30, otherwise you'll need to use the main entrance in the esplanade.
 
We just did the GCH entrance in the morning for TSMM. If you do this, be advised, that you get to go to a rope drop area... but PLEASE line up on the left, there will be a line that forms on the left and that is the only group that is allowed in early to TSMM. The other people they hold back. We were on the ride by 9:55. it was awesome!
 

We just did the GCH entrance in the morning for TSMM. If you do this, be advised, that you get to go to a rope drop area... but PLEASE line up on the left, there will be a line that forms on the left and that is the only group that is allowed in early to TSMM. The other people they hold back. We were on the ride by 9:55. it was awesome!

Do you have to show a room key? What rope drop area? We will be there in a month and I am curious if I can take advantage of this.
 
Do you have to show a room key? What rope drop area? We will be there in a month and I am curious if I can take advantage of this.

In order to use the GCH entrance first thing in the morning, you need to show a DLR hotel room key, or a receipt from breakfast at Storyteller's.

The rope drop is right across the pathway near the GRR que.
 
Thanks for the info, DangerMouse. It will definitely come in handy in about a month.
 
We did this last week. We entered thru gch and were 2nd in the toy story line. I left dd in line and got soarin fp's. We were on the ride by 10:00.

We did toy story 2 more times in the single rider line. The first time we waited about 20-25 minutes. She was a few minutes behind me. We got lucky the second time. There was a party of 6 and no parties of 2 near the front of the line so we got to ride together. We only waited about 5 minutes and the standby line was 40 minutes long.

It is such a fun ride. Definitely one of my favorites.
 


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