Strategy help for 2-day hopper with MP

[Smrtalec33]

Hello,

Will be coming to DLR/DCA on January 28-29 (Mon-Tue) with our 5 1/2 year old and our 11-month old, and am looking for help with strategy. Have done DLR several times but not since MaxPass debuted, and not since our older daughter was 3. We did WDW last January and she loved Thunder Mountain and is excited to do all the Mountains this time around as well as dad's favorite: Indiana Jones (She should be tall enough now).

We are staying at Disneyland Hotel so have Extra Magic Hours at DCA the first day and DLR the 2nd day.

Here is our plan - would very much appreciate any thoughts on what to do differently, or if it's unrealistic, etc. We can do rider switch for some things, and my wife can also leave with the baby and leave me with our older daughter (or vice versa), so not concerned with the fact that the baby won't be able to do virtually any of this except Dumbo and the meet and greets. Was planning on skipping Star Tours and Goofy Sky School because of motion sickness for me (am doing Soarin even if I have to close my eyes, bc my daughter will love it and we didn't get to do it at Epcot).

Priorities are: RSR, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Matterhorn, Soarin, Monsters Inc, and meeting characters (Incredibles, Mike/Sulley if they're around, Anna/Elsa, Tinker Bell & Friends, Aladdin, various princesses)

Day 1:
Start at DCA - do Radiator Springs Racers, get a FP for TSMM, FP for Soarin. Daughter really wants to see the Frozen show, so would plan on seeing the 12 PM show. Would also like to meet the Incredibles and Anna/Elsa/Olaf, and do Monsters Inc. If there is any more time before the noon Frozen show, would do Little Mermaid and Turtle Talk w/ Crush. Then lunch, then head to DLR around 2.
Hopefully we'll get to DLR with a FP or two in hand, for Indiana Jones and Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain. Fill out the rest of the afternoon/evening with things like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Winnie the Pooh, and the new parade at 6.

Day 2:
Start at DLR - grab FP for Space Mountain; start with Peter Pan, Matterhorn, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Alice, ride Space Mountain, fp for Roger Rabbit, Buzz, Finding Nemo, meet Tinkerbell, Minnie's House, Gadget go Coaster, ride Roger Rabbit, fp for Thunder Mountain or Splash, break for lunch; after lunch, play it by ear, trying to get another FP for Indiana Jones and the other Mountain, meeting characters, and hitting any other key rides we've missed or that she wants to do again.

Any advice or tips would be very much appreciated!
Anything critical I'm missing? I know (and so does our daughter) that we won't be able to do absolutely everything and that a lot of the fun is doing some things without planning, but I would like to have the broad strokes planned out just as far as what is realistic on what should be a lower crowd day.
I know a lot of people might start at DLR on the first day, but my thinking was that we could start an hour earlier at DCA, do everything we wanted to do there, and then hop to DLR after lunch, and then spend all of day 2 at DLR (unless she's dying to get back to DCA to do something she missed or wants to do again).

Thanks so much!!

 

[ironband74]

Without getting into details, I think you're going to do just fine. The crowds will be small and the early entry is powerful if you take full advantage. Get in line half an hour before EMH/MM starts, and you'll do more in that first hour than you can imagine. Take a break at the hotel in the afternoon to recharge and give the kiddos a nap and keep picking up fast passes using max pass.

Have a magical time.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Did your daughter have any problems being measured at rides at WDW? Sometimes CMs can be really strict at DLR. Teach her not to go up on tip toes, not to jump up to the stick, and not to bend down from it. Some kids cower from the stick. The different rides have different looking measuring sticks -- sometimes this freaks little ones out -- so being prepared can help. At 5 1/2, this shouldn't be a problem. But it's interesting what can unsettle kids sometimes, especially when they're super excited or tired.
POTC at DL has 2 drops -- be prepared if this will cause a problem. Sometimes adults are thrown by this!
IASW will be down until 1/31 -- better to know in advance. The castle will be behind a tarp for repairs/refurb. But the new projections show should still go on.
If your daughter likes to draw, do Animation Academy! That is really fun and you'll get a great souvenir from her drawing.
You'll be visiting during the Lunar New Year Festival in DCA. Stop by for fun food, displays, and a M&G with Mulan!
For your 11 month old, there are two Baby Care Centers (DL: just off Main Street, opposite Plaza Inn and the Little Red Wagon, before you get to First Aid; DCA: between Cars Land and Ghirardelli's). Great resources, super friendly CMs, good to know about in advance.

 

[Smrtalec33]

I don't think she had to get measured for anything at WDW because we didn't do Space Mountain, and she was easily tall enough for Thunder Mountain and the Mine Train. I'll tell her, but she'll be fine with the measuring, and she'll love the drops on POTC - she's a daredevil.

I did tell her about IASW and the castle already, so she's prepared for that. Adding Animation Academy to the list - thanks!

 

[Becca1007]

Also don't forget to take advantage of rider swap so your big kid should get to go on everything twice.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Adding Animation Academy to the list - thanks!

Bring a small poster tube with you to protect her drawings -- makes it much easier to keep it safe during the day and to pack it up to take home.