RSR, TSMM, and Soarin, one day - shortest lines

[kwdw]

Okay - a little help - with only two park days - and probably only one at rope drop - how do I get in RSR, TSMM and Soarin in with the shortest waits? We aren't going to be on-site - so can't use EMH's.

I've only been to Disneyland once - and it was before Carsland opened and I skipped Soarin that trip.

 

[disneychrista]

Go to DCA on a day that it does not have early entry. Go to TSMM first thing. Then if you are able to use single rider for RsR then go to Soarin.

 

[Girimama33]

I would do TSMM first. Grab RSR FP, then ride Soarin.

 

[avalon451]

So you would be at the main entrance 30-45 minutes before opening on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, which are the non-EMH days for CA. I agree with the above posters, TSMM first, RSR FPs, then Soarin'. Also, if you have a smartphone app that shows FP return times, you might be able to time it to snag FPs later for RSR for the evening, which is beautiful at night.

 

[Winnowill]

Send one member of your party for your RSR FPs while the rest head toward TSMM. The person who ran for the FPs can join the rest of the party in line at TSMM. Ride as many times as you like till the line starts to build up a bit. Then hit Soarin'. (Actually, I'd advise getting Soarin' FPs first, before getting RSR ones, since the return times on Soarin' will be way earlier and you'll be able to grab another FP for RSR sooner than you'd be able to grab one for Soarin' if you get RSR FPs first. YMMV.)

 

[mgd]

depends when you are going, but keep in mind RSR fastpasses can run out anywhere from 2 to 4 hrs after opening. TSMM gets to about a 45 min wait very quickly in the morning, sometimes falls to 30 min, and has no FP option, so I agree with the advice to try to get that done first. Soarin line is not so bad sometimes and usually can get a fastpass with a not too long return time, and shouldn't run out of FP until very late. I would worry about soarin the least.

option 1)
Since Soarin is not far off the path to TSMM from the entrance, 1 person grabs soarin passes as everyone else goes to TSMM first thing, return time should be within an hour (or do they start return times later?), runner joins the rest in line at TSMM, 30-45 minutes has passed since opening.
Grab RSR FP right after TSMM as soon as your return time starts for soarin (eligible for 2nd FP), RSR should have an early afternoon return time at latest. Go to soarin to use FP, or else ride soarin before getting RSR FP if your eligibility will not come up for a while.

option 2)
Grab RSR FP on the way to TSMM, head back and do soarin while you wait for RSR return time, or wait to grab a soarin FP after you are eligible again if you are against riding it without a FP.

But honestly if you are at rope drop and go straight to RSR, then TSMM, then soarin with no FP for any of them, you'd probably be able to do them all within 2 hrs. That's not too bad, but waits can do weird things, RSR can go down, so options might have to change.

 

[agamble]

I would ride Toy Story first as the others said and FP the Racers. You can have one member grab the FP for the group and catch up, or you can all head to Toy Story and then send the runner to get FP for Racers. It won't make a big difference. I personally would wait and get FP for Soarin' after the Racers time comes and do some other rides in the morning that don't have FP.

 

[coasternut22]

One thing to understand, TS and Soarin don't get the insane waits or rope drop rushes that the same rides at WDW get. On an average weekday, you'll have a 10 minute or less wait for TS the first 30 mins. You'll probably have the same wait the first hour for Soarin. I agree with the TS, RS FP, then Soarin strategy, or get a FP for Soarin later in the day and use the early time for short waits for other attractions. You'll easily get those three done the first half of the day.

 

[kwdw]

Thanks for all the replies! It will be a Saturday in July - so sounds like TS, RSR FP or single rider, then Soarin. There will only be two of us - and one has never been to a Disney park - so I don't want to split us up that morning.

If we ride TS, can we single rider RSR, and then go get a FP for Soarin (or maybe wait 20-30 minutes)? Will there still be FP's for later in the day for Soarin? We could ride that later in the day maybe.

And it sounds like we should be hitting the DCA entrance about 30 minutes in advance of opening? We are both early-birds - so - a bit early isn't a problem - I just don't want it to be WAY too early.

 

[Girimama33]

Soarin FP's do not typically run out. You should be able to get on fairly easy the first hour w/o a FP.
The RSR FP queue is busy first thing. Granted, it does not take a lot of time to obtain a FP.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Just a note, since you are going in July, I would expect Soarin' to be more popular than it has lately. The new Soarin' movie should have started by then, and people are going to prioritize Soarin' higher than they have been.

If possible you want your DCA rope drop day to be Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday since there is no early entry. Here are some options.

1. Get a RSR fastpass first thing. When your window opens up, get a Soarin' fastpass. Ride Toy Story when timing permits. Sometimes Toy Story is only up to a 20-30 minute wait by the time you get down there after grabbing the RSR fastpass. Sometimes it's already up to the 40-45 minute mark. Often we will ride Toy Story in the late afternoon or early evening and wait the 35-50 minutes on the principle that everything else is a long wait anyway so at least we didn't use our precious morning time doing that. Toy Story lines usually top out at 60 minutes at DCA.

2. Head to Toy Story first thing. If the ride is up and running, you can probably get in two or three rides fairly quickly before the line builds up. Then you can head back and grab your RSR fastpass. That will push your wait time out further in the day, so you will have to wait 2 hours before you can get your Soarin' fastpass. I would expect RSR fastpasses to still run out sooner than Soarin' fastpasses.

3. Head to RSR first. Ride it standby. If you are near the front of rope drop, you stand a good chance of riding RSR with a 20 minute or less wait. Then go grab some Soarin' fastpasses and fit Toy Story in when you can.

4. Use single rider for RSR. Then you won't have locked up your fastpasses for RSR and can get Soarin' ones as early in the morning as you want. In this case, you would probably ride Toy Story first, head back for some Soarin' fastpasses, and fit in RSR single rider when you can. RSR single rider can be hit or miss, hard to predict. On a busy summer day, I once walked from Tower of Terror straight onto an RSR car through the single rider line without stopping! There was no line. On another trip around the same time of day, I stopped by RSR on a whim and heard CMs advising people that the single rider line was probably a 35-40 minute wait so I didn't bother to get into it.

Be flexible and have a few plans in mind. We have been to DCA on early morning when neither RSR nor Toy Story opened with the park. It helps to have a plan of what you want to do if this should unfortunately happen on your day.

I have also heard that single rider line for Soarin' isn't worth it. I haven't tried it to myself, but from what I have observed I would agree with those who advise against using it.

 

[Metalliman98]

Thanks for all the replies! It will be a Saturday in July - so sounds like TS, RSR FP or single rider, then Soarin. There will only be two of us - and one has never been to a Disney park - so I don't want to split us up that morning.

If we ride TS, can we single rider RSR, and then go get a FP for Soarin (or maybe wait 20-30 minutes)? Will there still be FP's for later in the day for Soarin? We could ride that later in the day maybe.

And it sounds like we should be hitting the DCA entrance about 30 minutes in advance of opening? We are both early-birds - so - a bit early isn't a problem - I just don't want it to be WAY too early.

I would aim to hit the security checkpoint no later than 45-60 minutes before park opening, especially on a Saturday, especially in July, and even earlier than that if park opening is later than 8 AM (though it likely won't be later than that). Ideally you would in line to get in 30-45 minutes before park opening at minimum.

And your trip being in July does change the calculus a bit, as others have said, due to the new Soarin movie. If you don't want to split up, I would say go right to Soarin and get FP, then go to TSMM and ride until FP time, go to RSR and get FP for that, then head to Soarin to ride that.

 

[agamble]

And your trip being in July does change the calculus a bit, as others have said, due to the new Soarin movie. If you don't want to split up, I would say go right to Soarin and get FP, then go to TSMM and ride until FP time, go to RSR and get FP for that, then head to Soarin to ride that.

I agree with this. It will be like Soarin' is a brand new ride and it may be just as busy as RSR. Soarin' is a long waiting ride even with a FP and there are only two theaters. You should check back in June after the new movie opens and see how the wait is. It may be that you should even ride it first thing in the morning with no FP.

A bit off topic, but this is why they really do need to build another major ride in the park. Think if Soarin' is new, plus RSR so popular, then throw in the supposed indoor Marvel coaster, you'd have three headliners spreading out the crowds. But, by the time they get around to another coaster Soarin' will be old again.

 

[ktlm]

Soarin will be your issue. Locals tend to come out en masse when a new or revamped ride first opens at DLR. We were there when Star Tours re-opened and the line was 6 hours long! We were there when TSM was new and the line was 4 hours long! Were it NOT for Soarin, I would say TSM, get RSR (FP), then Soarin. I think the new Soarin video changes that.

Historically neither TSM or Soarin have the type of lines they do at WDW. Even in July mid- afternoon, TSM is often 30 to 45 minutes (as opposed to the 90 to 120 minutes it would be at WDW) and we have ridden Soarin mid-afternoon with a 20 minute wait more than once. Last July, we were there anniversary week from Saturday through Wednesday (left before actual anniversary day), and we rode RSR probably at least 10 times in the single rider line throughout that trip. You should be able to find a time during the day when the wait is 20 minutes or less in the single rider line even in July and even on a Saturday. You just have to keep an eye on it. I think we waited about 10 minutes in the single rider line a couple of times the Saturday we were there.

Because of the "new" Soarin and the fact I expect its line may be huge, I would say either be at the front of rope drop and head straight to Soarin, or go get Soarin FPs (or send a runner there for them) first thing, then go ride TSM (TSM does not have FP in CA), and then go single rider line RSR (if the single rider line is long, then try again later). If you ride Soarin first thing and don't grab a FP for it, then you could send a runner for RSR FPs as you are on the way to TSM.

 

[kwdw]

I think we are just going to play it by ear on Soarin. TS and RSR are the priorities. I get sick on Soarin unless I close my eyes for part of the time, but I wanted to try to get all three in with the newbie I'll be traveling with. But it will all be new to her and we only have two days for both parks, so skipping a ride won't be a huge deal if it comes to that. I didn't realize the new film is due out by then, I'm sure that will cause huge lines

 

[PHXscuba]

1. Ride TSM
2. Grab FP for Soarin on your way by
3. Ride RSR single rider

If you can get a FP for RSR later in the day after the time for your Soarin FP comes due, then you could ride again together.

PHXscuba

 

[twodogs]

If you can get a FP for RSR later in the day after the time for your Soarin FP comes due, then you could ride again together.

RSR is so awesome, you will likely get off and immediately declare that you must ride it again, so get that FP!!

 

[mgd]

I know I'm the minority on this, but I think RSR is overrated with the lines it still demands. It has some cool detail and animatronics, and realistic mountain scenery on a pretty large scale, but after a few times got boring to me, although I still do it every trip.

 

[twodogs]

I think what makes it so enjoyable for us is that it one of the few rides we (me, husband, daughters 8 and 10 and my parents, one of whom gets motion sick on most everything) can all ride together. Most other rides. Someone can't ride for one reason or another. That really adds to it for us!

 

[IdahoMike]

When we went last June, we got RSR FP first, the wait was about 2 minutes (for fastpass) , then headed over to TSMM, and were able to ride it 3 times before the line got long. I know the wait for Soarin is going to be long after the new movie debuts, but honestly, you can get the whole park complete by about 6 pm if you plan it smartly.