Suggested touring plans for 3 days DL/DCA

[bryiank]

We will be doing DL and DCA Fathers Day and the Monday and Tuesday following. I have been told that we should do the Magic Morning on Sunday and then we were planning on DCA on Monday and then DL again on Tuesday. If that plan makes sense then can you give me suggestions as to what order we should do the first two days as far as ride order? We have not ridden Nemo, Space Mountain (retracked) Monsters or the DCA Midway Mania ( although we did ride it at WDW and want some more). If you were going for a couple of days how would you veterans attack it?? I appreciate your suggestions. Thanks, b

 

[S. S. Columbia]

For the Magic Morning on Sunday, June 21:

"Critique of MM/EE" by Hound 109
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392671

"Magic Morning (Early Entry) Super Thread" by DLR29
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

It would be best to watch the fireworks on your first night:

"HydroGuy's Fireworks Rule"
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199851

If you start your Monday at DCA at 10:00am, then you will miss the first two hours in DL. Parkhopping at DLR is much easier than WDW. The distance from the DL turnstiles to the DCA turnstiles is 100 yards -- you can walk between the parks in less than two minutes.

"Why I ParkHop at DLR" by Hound 109
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1491961

One option for seeing Finding Nemo would be to see it first thing on Monday morning. I would get in line at the DL entrance at least 30 minutes early.

The wait for Monsters Inc. usually isn’t too bad, although the lines should be shortest shortly after DCA opens.

Although DCA opens at 10:00am, they open the DCA gates at 9:30am. Soarin’ usually opens at 9:30am.

Riding Space Mtn is easy, since it has FastPass.

The HydroGuy Tips Compilation has some excellent threads about FastPass:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

HTH

 

[avalon451]

Agree with SS Columbia Also, you don't say how old your kids are, or if you want to do all of Fantasyland. We do, because we love those rides even if they are a bit cheesy-- they're classic! So we do Peter Pan, Dumbo, teacups, Alice, Pinocchio, etc. I'd suggest using your MM to do all of Fantasyland. Then, as SS suggested, do Nemo on Monday before you go to CA for opening.

Also keep your options open for parkhopping. You don't have to devote just one day to DCA and 2 to DL. Hop to DCA when DL gets busy.

Read all of Hydroguy's tips! Especially the "DL for WDW vets" ones.

Have a great time!

 

[Judy from Boise]

Hop hop hop like Thumper over to DCA every day!

 

[S. S. Columbia]

We will be doing DL and DCA Fathers Day and the Monday and Tuesday following. I have been told that we should do the Magic Morning on Sunday and then we were planning on DCA on Monday and then DL again on Tuesday. If that plan makes sense then can you give me suggestions as to what order we should do the first two days as far as ride order? We have not ridden Nemo, Space Mountain (retracked) Monsters or the DCA Midway Mania ( although we did ride it at WDW and want some more). If you were going for a couple of days how would you veterans attack it?? I appreciate your suggestions. Thanks, b

Here are some recent threads about Toy Story Mania:

Lines for Toy Story Mania
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2137910

Still lining up by GRR for TSM?
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2147931

No FastPass for TSM?
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2153800

 

[AlabamaPrincesses]

We're going to the same parks on the same days as you! This is our first visit to DL. I've been reading The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and it has great advice on Touring plans based on your preferences. This book is considered the "bible" for many Disney visitors. I highly recommend picking up a 2009 guide.

 

[Hound 109]

We're going to the same parks on the same days as you! This is our first visit to DL. I've been reading The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and it has great advice on Touring plans based on your preferences. This book is considered the "bible" for many Disney visitors. I highly recommend picking up a 2009 guide.

The UG gives good general info on DLR.

But....the "bible" for DLR visitors (particularly multiday visitors from out of town) is/are HydroGuy tip threads.

Read the UG for decent background info.....then read HG's tips

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

& then scroll around here on the Disboard DL board for the detailed, up to date, & inside info.


& I agree with everyone above....for the most effecient touring, one should parkhop (in some manner) every day.

 

[AlabamaPrincesses]

But....the "bible" for DLR visitor's (particularly multiday visitors from out of town) is/are HydroGuy tip threads.

Read the UG for decent background info.....then read HG's tips & scroll around here on the Disboard DL board for the detailed, up to date, & inside info. .

Thanks for the tip. I checked out some of the links to HydroGuys info and a lot of the posts are really old (2006 and 2007). Is this still relevant? So much changes at WDW from year to year...I don't know about DL???

 

[DisneyMomma81]

You bet it's relevant, it'd be updated if things were different. We hop each day we visit DLR. Have a good time.

 

[Saskiwi]

HydroGuy and Hound's tips are still totally relevant and must reads! We just visited DL/DCA and despite having bought the Unofficial Guide AND RideMax software, we found their tips (in the threads mentioned above) by far the most valuable. We ended up not using RideMax really - but it wasn't a huge investment - the UG is good for background and restaurant reviews, but we didn't use their plans at all.

I was the organising commandant on this trip, and crammed those tips - but also printed out HydroGuy's Rules on maximising FastPass for DH to read on the plane, (so he wouldn't look at me like I was mad when I said "It's 8am - you need to get over to Space Mountain and get a Fast Pass NOW"!) Once you grasp the basics of maximising Fastpass you can really come up with your own plan and hop back and forth between the parks easily.

We found Toy Story Midway Mania was one of the trickiest rides to get on without a long wait We would visit DL early in the morning, then around 9.15am head to DCA to line up before opening. They open the gates at 9.30 but Soarin' is the only ride that's open until 10am. As soon as the gates open, bear right and hustle round to Soarin'. Be among the first to ride that (try and get in the front row so you don't see everyone else's feet - the effect is much better!) then immediately head around to GRR where there is a rope by the entrance to the GCH.

There is a separate queue at the rope for people heading to ToyStory. CMs escort the queue over about 9.50am - BEFORE the rest of the park opens. We did this 2 mornings and only had to wait about 10-15mins for Toy Story - as long as you are among the first 50 or so in that separate TSMM queue. If that queue is already huge by the time you get to GRR, you know you're in for a wait at TSMM anyway!

Nemo seemed busy all the times we checked during the day - we rode it at 11.30pm with only a 5 minute wait, and frankly it wasn't really a lot to write home about - I loved the movie and think the ride could be a lot better - so don't stress if you don't get to ride it!

Have fun! - and do read HydroGuy and Hound's tips!

 

[Hound 109]

You bet it's relevant, it'd be updated if things we're different. We hop each day we visit DLR. Have a good time.

1000% agree that HG's threads are relevant.

All the tip threads were started a couple of years ago, but all have been edited (& added to) as things change.

For me, the DLR for WDW vets thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

& his Getting the most out of FP & how to tour DLR on a crowded day thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=885132

are two threads that have saved me hours of touring time (at DLR) & saved me tens of hours of research time prior to my first visit (in 40 years. )

Bama Princess, have a great time planning a visit to Walt's Park.

(Is it "Roll Tide"! ....or is it "War Eagle"! )

 

[S. S. Columbia]

We're going to the same parks on the same days as you! This is our first visit to DL. I've been reading The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and it has great advice on Touring plans based on your preferences. This book is considered the "bible" for many Disney visitors. I highly recommend picking up a 2009 guide.

The Unofficial Guide is a good starting point, but I agree with the other posters -- HydroGuy's FastPass advice is better than the UG's.

The UG hardly mentions ParkHopping.

Here's a thread that lists the outdated information in the Unofficial Guide 2009:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2156831

RideMax (www.ridemax.com) has some great touring information.

A fun, excellent Disneyland book is The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, and Event in the Original Magic Kingdom by Chris Strodder.

Sorry for the threadjack.

 

[bryiank]

Thanks for the links. I knew someone had better search powers than I. I don't mind hopping but I have one in my party who has foot problems so I am trying to keep the walking down. I am trying to make one loop in each park each day but I will see if we if we can hop based on how the foot holds out. I just got my reservation for Blue Bayou today for Fathers Day. Thanks, B

 

[AlabamaPrincesses]

Here's a thread that lists the outdated information in the Unofficial Guide 2009:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2156831

Thank you so much for posting this information!!! I really appreciate your expertise!

 

[AlabamaPrincesses]

I just got my reservation for Blue Bayou today for Fathers Day.

We're eating there for Father's Day dinner too! It's also my birthday! Our reservation is for 3:30.
Michelle

 

[mechurchlady]

Thank you SS Columbia for that link as I knew you had a long list and could not remember where.

 

[bryiank]

So, I was looking at the info in the links and it looks like we should spend our Magic Mourning in Fantasyland? Then should we head to Space Mountain and Indy?

 

[Saskiwi]

Yes- get to the gates about half an hour before they are due to open for your MM and you'll be amongst the first into Fantasyland.

Ride Peter Pan first as it gets backed up fastest. You should be able to do all the other FL rides you want in that first hour then at 8am send your runner around to Space Mountain to get your Fastpasses, while the rest of the group head to Indy.

You should be able to walk straight on at that time of day. then do other rides nearby and get another FP (for Indy maybe?) at 8.40am or whenever your FP window opens.


You should be able to fit in all the rides you want, as well as DCA, if you follow the tips on these boards.

have fun!

 

[bryiank]

Thanks for the confirmation on the plan. Initially i wasn't thinking on concentrating my MM on fantasyland so the on the ground feedback is appreciated. Since we have one member with a bum foot we will not be able to race to Nemo first anyway. We will try to do Nemo later in the day. The fastpass info in good info too. Thanks, b