Did DCA on an EE day, but we're not resort guests so we had to wait for park officially open. Resort guests got in at 7am. We arrived at turnstiles at 6:55. Resort guests filled the turnstile lines. Once turnstiles opened at 7am, they kept the turnstiles as EE only (except one line) for about 15 minutes. Then the turnstile signs were changed to simply "Entry". We loitered outside an EE gate until the sign flip so were about 4 families back from the front when non-EE guests could queue.
Our turnstiles opened at about 7:30. People rushed forward down Buena Vista. I quickly found the RSR fp line and ended up standing at the corner of Cathay Circle restaurant where it turns the corner towards Hollywood Land. The line is to the left on the sidewalk at Cathay Circle then extending into HL. There was a CM holding a large sign saying "RSR FP line" or the like yelling about where to line up. It was obvious fortunately as I've never been to DCA and was nervous that I'd miss the line. So look for people lining the sidewalk on your left as you enter the roundabout. My family wandered around the area despite my telling them to stand at the rope drop further down the park to wait to be let inside.
I had a newly-made line friend hold my place at 7:45 so I could visit the restroom down HL street near down by Disney Junior Live theater. The end of the line was in front of what looks like Animation Academy on my map.
Line began to move at 8am park opening. I can't tell you how many people came from inside the park back to get fp's and were shocked at the length of the line even as far forward as I was. I had my fp's at 8:25am for a 2:30-3:30pm return time. RSR wasn't running yet at opening so that may have contributed to the longer lines at Luigis. By the time I hit Luigis at 8:31, my family was just walking to the tires so I got to watch them ride. Looked fun.
I saw fps were gone at 9:30am. RSR was open finally by 9:30 and was open for about 90 mins when it shut down again. Wait times for non-fp people was 120 mins. (I was tracking it on Mousewait and by calling Ask Otto.). We had lunch at Club 33 in DL scheduled for 12:30. Sometime between my 12:24 and 2:15 call, RSR opened again with 120 min waits for non-fp folks.
We wanted to get the kids home for a nap, but I was afraid RSR would close again before we came back to the park so we headed to Carsland. Got in line at 2:48. It took about 10 mins until we were in a car.
DS, DH, and I loved the ride and were glad we went through what we did to get fp's. After DH really understood the wait times and how I worked our strategy to get passes (thanks to DISboards!!), he thanked me for dragging us to the park do early and for doing so much advance planning.
Tomorrow is our EE day at DL! Cant imagine how much the kids will like leaving the hotel at 6:15 in the morning!! Especially after a late night of WOC in DCA.
