Some basic questions from a WDW vet

[shelemm]

WDW vet needs to ask a few 'dumb' questions about DLR for an upcoming summer midweek trip:

Is the ticket window outside the park entrance open at night, until park closing? Can I buy all ticket options right there? Is there one central ticket booth for both parks? Where is it located?

Where does the Parade of Dreams in DL make its stops?

Fireworks viewing sites? We are not normally ones to line up much in advance for anything. Let's say EP in DCA is 8:45pm, RDCT at DL is at 9:25pm and Fantasmic is at 10:30pm... will we be able to go from one to the other and still see and hear something?

At Paradise Pier, can you walk from Maliboomer directly to Mulhlland Madness or do you have to go the long way around? From the map on the website, it looks life the rollercoaster track stops you.

Is Autopia as boring and uncomfortabe for adults as it looks? So far have successfully avoided its counterpart at WDW.

Heimlich's Chew-Chew train w/ a 9 and 13 year old? 13 yeard old enjoys the Fantasyland dark rides at WDW.

What makes POTC at least 5 minutes longer at DL than WDW?

Any word if the new Toy Story will be FP?

Any opinions on the show at the Golden Horsehoe, Bill and the Hillbillies?

What will replace BPB? When is it supposed to be ready? And is it a parade or a show or a combination of both?
TIA!

 

[DangerMouse]

That was a lot of questions, and I answered the ones I could.

Is the ticket window outside the park entrance open at night, until park closing? Can I buy all ticket options right there? Is there one central ticket booth for both parks? Where is it located?

It is open at night, but I'm not sure if it is open until park closing. There are several different ticket booths in the esplanade, and they all sell the hoppers for both parks. I would HIGHLY recommend not purchasing your tickets at DLR, though. You can get them much cheaper by even pre-purchasing off their website and printing at home, or even cheaper than that through ARES travel or other discount ticket brokers. Check mousesavers.com for best prices on hoppers during your visit.

Fireworks viewing sites? We are not normally ones to line up much in advance for anything. Let's say EP in DCA is 8:45pm, RDCT at DL is at 9:25pm and Fantasmic is at 10:30pm... will we be able to go from one to the other and still see and hear something?

You want to do all three in one night? Well, that my friend, is the ultimate DLR entertainment trifecta and while it can be done, it will be quite difficult to accomplish mid-summer during peak crowds. I would recommend splitting them up if you can, or just choosing two.

At Paradise Pier, can you walk from Maliboomer directly to Mulhlland Madness or do you have to go the long way around? From the map on the website, it looks life the rollercoaster track stops you.

You can walk right to it. The pier curves around and you will pass the Sun Wheel and Orange Stinger on your right before you see Mulholland on your left.

Is Autopia as boring and uncomfortabe for adults as it looks? So far have successfully avoided its counterpart at WDW.

IMO yes, not a fan of Autopia.

Heimlich's Chew-Chew train w/ a 9 and 13 year old? 13 yeard old enjoys the Fantasyland dark rides at WDW.

It's cute, but incredibly short. I'd only do it if you have less than a 5 minute wait. I think you can enjoy it just as much watching other people go on it.

Any opinions on the show at the Golden Horsehoe, Bill and the Hillbillies?

Yes, see it. Especially if Kirk Wall (aka Elvis Billy) is performing. Try to get there early enough to get seats near the front so you can get the full benefit of his expressions. Oh, and make sure you empty your bladder before the show (if ya KWIM?)

What will replace BPB? When is it supposed to be ready? And is it a parade or a show or a combination of both?

The Pixar Play parade is scheduled to start running in March. It's just a parade, but hopefully a high energy one like BPB was.

HTH.

 

[DLR29]

I'll try to answer some as well, although DangerMouse's answers were all good.

Is the ticket window outside the park entrance open at night, until park closing? Can I buy all ticket options right there? Is there one central ticket booth for both parks? Where is it located?

I'm going to have to reinforce what DangerMouse said. BUY YOUR TICKETS ANYWHERE ELSE. You can get tons of discounts from online sources or even AAA. Here's the link DangerMouse was talking about. http://www.mousesavers.com/dltickets.html

Fireworks viewing sites? We are not normally ones to line up much in advance for anything. Let's say EP in DCA is 8:45pm, RDCT at DL is at 9:25pm and Fantasmic is at 10:30pm... will we be able to go from one to the other and still see and hear something?

I'd split it up into at least 2 nights. One for EP and Fantasmic and one for RDCT. It's extremely hard to go to all 3 in one night. And I guarantee you that you won't get decent seats at RCDT or Fantasmic with that strategy.

At Paradise Pier, can you walk from Maliboomer directly to Mulhlland Madness or do you have to go the long way around? From the map on the website, it looks life the rollercoaster track stops you.

You can, you just walk under California Screamin's track.

Is Autopia as boring and uncomfortabe for adults as it looks? So far have successfully avoided its counterpart at WDW.

It's definitely better than the one at WDW. The one at WDW has nothing to look at and the four tracks travel together through the entire course. DL has scenery to see, it weaves through plants, the tracks separate so you aren't next to another car the entire time, and you even go off roading. It's not a must see if you have limited time, but it's better than its counterpart.

Heimlich's Chew-Chew train w/ a 9 and 13 year old? 13 yeard old enjoys the Fantasyland dark rides at WDW.

Being 15, I would say your 13 year old would be bored and feel like too much of a child. And yes, I like the Fantasyland dark rides at DLR and WDW.

What makes POTC at least 5 minutes longer at DL than WDW?

There is an extra drop, there is a couple minutes of skeleton pirates, there's a couple minutes of cave scenes, and the opening bayou scene. Just in general also the scenes that are in both, are longer at DL.

Any word if the new Toy Story will be FP?

I have heard no, so run there ASAP when DCA opens.

 

[DangerMouse]

Being 15, I would say your 13 year old would be bored and feel like too much of a child. And yes, I like the Fantasyland dark rides at DLR and WDW.

Off topic . . .

DLR29 -- You're 15??!!! I had no idea you were so young. I've always really admired your DLR knowledge and incredibly well-written posts. Wow.

 

[DLR29]

Off topic . . .

DLR29 -- You're 15??!!! I had no idea you were so young. I've always really admired your DLR knowledge and incredibly well-written posts. Wow.

Surprised?

Thanks for the compliment, though a lot of the stuff I get is from the more experienced adults on here such as yourself. I like these boards way better than the teen board.

 

[shelemm]

Thanks so far for all you advice!

My problem with buying tickets in advance is that I will not be sure if I need two or three day tickets before I get there. 3 is the maximum we can stay. The question will be the day of our arrival, i don't know when we arrive until that day or if we will even have the energy to do anything. So I don't want to waste money by buying a day I don't need. or I don't want to pay full price for the third day if I don't have to. Does that make sense?

 

[toocherie]

WDW vet needs to ask a few 'dumb' questions about DLR for an upcoming summer midweek trip:

Is the ticket window outside the park entrance open at night, until park closing? Can I buy all ticket options right there? Is there one central ticket booth for both parks? Where is it located?

I have to echo the previous comments--get your tickets before getting there. Today the lines to buy tickets were extremely long . . . . probably longer than most of the ride lines . . . . it makes no sense to spend precious DL time waiting to buy the ticket when you can even just buy them off the DL website and print out a page to take directly to the turnstile. Do Not Wait to Buy Them When You are There!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tinkermell]

Thanks so far for all you advice!

My problem with buying tickets in advance is that I will not be sure if I need two or three day tickets before I get there. 3 is the maximum we can stay. The question will be the day of our arrival, i don't know when we arrive until that day or if we will even have the energy to do anything. So I don't want to waste money by buying a day I don't need. or I don't want to pay full price for the third day if I don't have to. Does that make sense?

I think you can wait almost until the day before you leave if you buy the e-ticket ones. They're really easy too. If I remember correctly, I bought a 3 day hopper on line, and within 20 minutes I had the ticket waiting for me in my e-mail box. Go to the official Disneyland site, and it will give you more specifics.

OR wait until you are there, and still buy on-line, and have whatever hotel you are at print it up for you!!

Have so much fun!!

 

[bumbershoot]

"It's cute, but incredibly short. I'd only do it if you have less than a 5 minute wait. I think you can enjoy it just as much watching other people go on it."

But if you don't go on it at least three times in a row, you don't hear Heimlich run through the different spiels (main difference is he burps different numbers of times), and don't get to smell the different smells.

I have a 3 year old. I've been on it many, many times.

But really, it's short enough so if you hate it there's not much 'til you're done.



Experts, could the OP buy the 2 day and upgrade to the 3 day?


I like Autopia, always have, but your kids would probably be tall enough to go and drive on their own, I think, if you really don't want to go. The uncomfortable part for me is to be sitting in the passenger seat while my kiddo drives, and yet have to put the accelerator b/c he, of course, can't. Leg cramps galore!

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Bumbershoot...I had to giggle when I read your post about being the passenger when your son drives. Last year mine wasn't the leg cramps, it was the whiplash I think I ended up with when my son was driving. Even the CM that stands at the half way point through the ride said "that looks brutal mom"....he wasn't kidding. hahahahah
I don't remember there being so much space on the track for him to whip us around like he did. LOL

 

[HydroGuy]

Any opinions on the show at the Golden Horsehoe, Bill and the Hillbillies?

It may be blasphemy, but we had high hopes for BHH and carefully checked which BHH groups performed on which days and then chose a day to see the best group and found the show to be disappointing. Not as in terrible or anything. It just did not live up to the hype one sees on forums. Just an opinion.

 

[DangerMouse]

It may be blasphemy, but we had high hopes for BHH and carefully checked which BHH groups performed on which days and then chose a day to see the best group and found the show to be disappointing. Not as in terrible or anything. It just did not live up to the hype one sees on forums. Just an opinion.

Take into account this advice is coming from someone who isn't a fan of the Electrical Parade!

Yep -- BLASPHEMY!!!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

WDW vet needs to ask a few 'dumb' questions about DLR for an upcoming summer midweek trip:

Is the ticket window outside the park entrance open at night, until park closing? Can I buy all ticket options right there? Is there one central ticket booth for both parks? Where is it located?

There is another place where you can buy your tickets at a discounted price in Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney Travel Company. It's right around the corner from Compass Books.

 

[HydroGuy]

Take into account this advice is coming from someone who isn't a fan of the Electrical Parade!

Yep -- BLASPHEMY!!!

To be fair (to me), I would not say I am not a fan of DEP. Hey, I went out by my lonesome to see it last June while the rest of my family said they would rather head back to the hotel. I just rate it lower than some of the more recent entertainment like RDCT, PoD, BPB and Fantasmic.

Now to say that I and my family are not fans of BHH, that would be correct.