RoA attractions and Ridemax questions

[gethane]

I'm trying to schedule in our trip in May (23-25) and I'm having difficulty.

1. Do the Davy Crockett Canoes not open until 11 am? Ridemax won't stick them in until then.

2. Neither the Columbia or Steamboat will fit in no matter what. Are they very long?

3. If I'm only doing 1 RoA water attraction, should I pick Canoes, Columbia or Steamboat? I was hoping to do 2 of 3, but they just will not fit in.

4. Does Tom Sawyer island really take 1 hour? Instead of doing it in the morning, is there a downside to doing it from say 7:15 - 8:15 (after we eat and watch the parade?)

5. If I have "free time" near 9 am (8 am opening) would it be reasonable to do Pixie Hollow and/or Princess Faire?

6. Would it be better to try to do PH and PFF in on Tuesday morning rather than Sunday morning? Will it make a difference on crowds the week before Mem Day?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dobie]

1. The canoes do not open until 11.

2. As far as the Columbia vs. the Mark Twain, these are good afternoon break attractions. I would take whichever one was boarding at the time I thought I wanted to go.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm trying to schedule in our trip in May (23-25) and I'm having difficulty.

1. Do the Davy Crockett Canoes not open until 11 am? Ridemax won't stick them in until then.

They do open later normal park opening and close earlier too. So that seems reasonable.

2. Neither the Columbia or Steamboat will fit in no matter what. Are they very long?

Maybe 30 minutes for the whole thing (wait in line and do the ride)? They should fit in if you have time. Youc an test it by trying to add them in mid-day with only a few other rides to see if RM will schedule it. If not you can contact RM.

3. If I'm only doing 1 RoA water attraction, should I pick Canoes, Columbia or Steamboat? I was hoping to do 2 of 3, but they just will not fit in.

MT Steamship IMO.

4. Does Tom Sawyer island really take 1 hour? Instead of doing it in the morning, is there a downside to doing it from say 7:15 - 8:15 (after we eat and watch the parade?)

It takes as long as you want to explore. You can do it 10-15 minutes if you want. But if you have kids there are lots of things to see and do and RM has to make an estimate and uses I guess 60 minutes.

5. If I have "free time" near 9 am (8 am opening) would it be reasonable to do Pixie Hollow and/or Princess Faire?

Depends on how much time you have. Those can get really busy.

6. Would it be better to try to do PH and PFF in on Tuesday morning rather than Sunday morning? Will it make a difference on crowds the week before Mem Day?

IMO yes.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

4. Does Tom Sawyer island really take 1 hour? Instead of doing it in the morning, is there a downside to doing it from say 7:15 - 8:15 (after we eat and watch the parade?)

Just to be on the safe side, I would double-check the closing time of Tom Sawyer Island (Pirates Lair on TSI). I think PLoTSI closes around dusk.

There's a sign near the raft loading platform that shows the closing time.

Hope this helps.

 

[gethane]

Thanks!

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Just to be on the safe side, I would double-check the closing time of Tom Sawyer Island (Pirates Lair on TSI). I think PLoTSI closes around dusk.

There's a sign near the raft loading platform that shows the closing time.

Yeah, it usually closes around the same time as Toontown (which is 5 or 6 around May), with canoes closing about an hour before that. You can do TSI in less than an hour, it just depends on how much time you want to allocate to running around.

Columbia and Mark Twain are nearly always walk-on, so if you see them unloading, that's the time to walk over and wait to get on.

I personally would say do canoes if you can only do one because you get a closer (the canoe can get really close to the island)/longer look at the island and other stuff. However, it is human-powered, so you will be expected to paddle.

Like a pp said, Tuesday is the better day for PFF and PH because you'll have fewer daytrippers.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

O.K., I am new around here, but I thought I had learned that everything related to the water area and Fantasmic was shut down until May 28, and that may be why Ridemax won't put the Columbia in.

Or am I talking about the wrong water.

 

[HydroGuy]

O.K., I am new around here, but I thought I had learned that everything related to the water area and Fantasmic was shut down until May 28, and that may be why Ridemax won't put the Columbia in.

Or am I talking about the wrong water.

You are half right. Some of the attractions will re-open May 14 while Fantsmic will not re-open until May 27.

See MousePlanet's park update this week (they have been reporting these dates for many weeks now) -http://www.mouseplanet.com/9226/Disneyland_Resort_Update#Rehabs

Rivers of America – closed through May 6 for major refurbishment. This also closes all attractions requiring use of the river: Sailing Ship Columbia, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, Mark Twain Riverboat (closed until May 14), as well as the Fantasmic! nighttime show (closed until May 27).

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Glad I was wrong. At least not everything will be shut down when we are there the end of May also.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

O.K., I am new around here, but I thought I had learned that everything related to the water area and Fantasmic was shut down until May 28, and that may be why Ridemax won't put the Columbia in.

Or am I talking about the wrong water.

Oh man, that made me panic for a hot minute, since I'm going on the 15th.

The refurb. list on the Disneyland official calendar is 99% accurate.

 

[Rivewin]

Is Rivers of America always closed through late May?

I mainly ask because (I know it's early but) my significant other and I are planning on going to Disneyland next year (May 12-16 of 2011) and we really want to see Fantasmic. We went to WDW last year (May of 2009) and Fantasmic got rained out every night we were there.

Neither of us has ever seen Fantasmic, and it will be a shame if we don't get to see it again

 

[HydroGuy]

Is Rivers of America always closed through late May?

I mainly ask because (I know it's early but) my significant other and I are planning on going to Disneyland next year (May 12-16 of 2011) and we really want to see Fantasmic. We went to WDW last year (May of 2009) and Fantasmic got rained out every night we were there.

Neither of us has ever seen Fantasmic, and it will be a shame if we don't get to see it again

No, it has been a long time since they took ROA down for refurb. Usually May is a good time to visit DLR for limited refurbs.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Is Rivers of America always closed through late May?

I mainly ask because (I know it's early but) my significant other and I are planning on going to Disneyland next year (May 12-16 of 2011) and we really want to see Fantasmic.

TSI, Fantasmic, and RoA have had some major refurbs/additions in the last four years.

IMO I would be cautiously optimistic that Fantasmic will be showing on weekends in May 2011.

FWIW, here's some recent history.

2007: Fantasmic was dark from Feb. 16 - June 14.
2009: Fantasmic was dark from March 29 - June 11.
2010: Fantasmic was dark from early-January; expected to return on May 28.

(In '07, Pirates Lair was added to TSI.)

(In '09, they were in the process of adding a new dragon to the show. They also added Flotsam, Jetsam, etc.)

(In '10, the RoA is being drained, etc.)

 

[HydroGuy]

TSI, Fantasmic, and RoA have had some major refurbs/additions in the last four years.

IMO I would be cautiously optimistic that Fantasmic will be showing on weekends in May 2011.

FWIW, here's some recent history.

2007: Fantasmic was dark from Feb. 16 - June 14.
2009: Fantasmic was dark from March 29 - June 11.
2010: Fantasmic was dark from early-January; expected to return on May 28.

(In '07, Pirates Lair was added to TSI.)

(In '09, they were in the process of adding a new dragon to the show. They also added Flotsam, Jetsam, etc.)

(In '10, the RoA is being drained, etc.)

As you know SSC, those were "one time" events not regularly scheduled.

2007 was the POTC movie mania and addition of PLATSI which took TSI down and Fantasmic as a result

2009 was the refurb on Fantasmic itself - new projectors and Murphy's addition

2010 was the actual ROA refurb

Yes, it has happened in 3 of the last 4 years. But it was really a sequence of one time events. I agree that the PP should be cautiously optimistic.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Columbia and Mark Twain are nearly always walk-on, so if you see them unloading, that's the time to walk over and wait to get on.

The last several trips I've made only one was sailing each day (and Columbia only sailed one day out of 6). So you may not have the option to do both...

 

[gethane]

I appreciate all the input. I think we may have to miss the canoes this trip. My first priority on Sunday is getting to Aladdin for the first show.