Tell me about lining up for TSMM

[helenb]

We are going to DL last week of July and want to ride TSMM! We are hoping to ride it first thing in the morning on two days:

• Day #2 of our trip, when we have EE into DL. We plan on being at DL at 7 am, doing the FL rides, and then moving over to the DCA entrance by 9:30 am to be there for 10 am opening.
  
• Day #3 of our trip, when we are planning on being at DCA by 9:30 am for opening at 10 am. (Not a DL EE day.)

Is this viable? Is one plan better than another? Is 9:30 early enough to arrive at DCA gates, or should we be there at 9? Also, since we are staying at Paradise Pier, we have access to the Grand Californian entrance to DCA. Is it better to use this entrance if we are making the dash to TSMM first thing?

Lastly, what are the best directions to TSMM from either entrance?

TIA!!!!

 

[avalon451]

I'm not sure about some of your post, but I do know that usually, CA opens the gates at 9:30 a.m. and allows people to ride Soarin'. The rest of the areas are roped off until 10 a.m. official opening.

So by 9:30 a.m., there will already be a substantial line of people waiting to get in. I'd be there at 9 a.m., maybe earlier, to get to the front of rope drop. I'd be interested to hear how that strategy is working for people. I've read that it might actually be better to ride it after the initial opening rush...?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I would plan on being in front of DCA early on your non MM day. From what I understand, they open up DCA at 9:30 to ride Soarin. However, they have also been starting the queue for TSMM and then walking the line back to the attraction at 10:00 AM. So the line for the TSMM will start at 9:30.

Maybe somebody can confirm this.

 

[tenkaren]

I went on a Sat in June to DL for Nemo. I line up at around 6:30 to be the first in line at the gate. We were the first in line for Nemo. We finished the ride at around 7:45. Follow the instrustions on the CM because the start of the line is not from Tomorrowland but near Matahorn Bobsleds. I did not do TSMM the same day because we our kids are small and we want it simple. We end up spending our time in Fantasy land and the kids have 2 rounds of every ride by 9:30.

On the following day, Sunday, 1st Sunday after TSMM was opened to pubic, I tried to line up at the GCH gate at 9:30 but the lineup was very long - about 60 people in front of us. By the time we get into the park, the line up for TSMM is too long. We decided to quit

We tried again on Monday, and this time at the main entrance. We were there at around 9:25 and there were around 10-15 people in front of us. By 9:30, there were another 15-20 people behind us. Gates opened at 9:30, I rushed to the line-up first at the TSMM queue by the Grizzly River Run. On the right- past Soaring. They started to walk people to TSMM soon . The rest of the park has not opened yet. ( My family did not catch up that quickly and I have to wait for them right before the rope drop area.) However, we are still at the beggining of the line up. After ride officially opened at 10, we were riding at around 10:10.

So I am not sure whether there will be more people on Sat or has the line-up dies down a bit now or has the line up procedure change. I may try to line up at 9:15am at DCA gate on your EE day and spend some time at Fantasy land to enjoy the rest of EE. I may also want to ask the CM what is a good time to line up.

Have fun !!

 

[camouseketeer]

We rode TSMM last week at DCA opening. Here is what we did:

I left DL around 9:15 and was in line for DCA around 9:20. The line was not too long. THere were about 7 people ahead of me in line. I was shooting to be in line by 9:15 and that would have been perfect to be close to the front.

Around 9:25 they opening the gates. There were lots of CM's and signs saying where to go to line up for TSMM. It was very clear where to go.

You head into the park and turn right and head toward Soarin. The line begins around the entrance to GRR and just by the GC entrance. So yes, it may be worth it to try there. Keep in mind there is only one security checker there and everyone has to have their bags inspected. That will take extra time to get in that way.

While TSMM is all the way across the park, they start the line by GRR. (I stopped by Soarin and got a FP before I got in line and I still made it on TSMM very early). There were about 50-75 people in front of me by the time I got in line.

We stood in line about 5-10 minutes and then the line started to move. We could see CM's leading the line around the backside of the GRR ride. They stopped after a while and we stood around for another 5-10 minutes.

Then the line started again and we walked, by CM lead, across the park, by Ariel's Grotto, along the boardwalk, and into the official ride line. They do valet stroller parking, so you can keep your stroller until just before you enter the line by the ride.

Once we started that last walk, we never stopped until we were on the ride. I think we were off the ride by 10:15. So we were in line for about an hour, but we moved constantly, and we did not lose any park time. To me it was the best way to do it with small kids.

You plan is definitely doable. As long as you want to give up two mornings of low crowds in DL, it is worth doing the ride twice. It's a fabulous ride.

 

[pumpkin5156]

We rode TSMM last week at DCA opening. Here is what we did:

I left DL around 9:15 and was in line for DCA around 9:20. The line was not too long. THere were about 7 people ahead of me in line. I was shooting to be in line by 9:15 and that would have been perfect to be close to the front.

Around 9:25 they opening the gates. There were lots of CM's and signs saying where to go to line up for TSMM. It was very clear where to go.

You head into the park and turn right and head toward Soarin. The line begins around the entrance to GRR and just by the GC entrance. So yes, it may be worth it to try there. Keep in mind there is only one security checker there and everyone has to have their bags inspected. That will take extra time to get in that way.

While TSMM is all the way across the park, they start the line by GRR. (I stopped by Soarin and got a FP before I got in line and I still made it on TSMM very early). There were about 50-75 people in front of me by the time I got in line.

We stood in line about 5-10 minutes and then the line started to move. We could see CM's leading the line around the backside of the GRR ride. They stopped after a while and we stood around for another 5-10 minutes.

Then the line started again and we walked, by CM lead, across the park, by Ariel's Grotto, along the boardwalk, and into the official ride line. They do valet stroller parking, so you can keep your stroller until just before you enter the line by the ride.

Once we started that last walk, we never stopped until we were on the ride. I think we were off the ride by 10:15. So we were in line for about an hour, but we moved constantly, and we did not lose any park time. To me it was the best way to do it with small kids.

You plan is definitely doable. As long as you want to give up two mornings of low crowds in DL, it is worth doing the ride twice. It's a fabulous ride.

This is a very good report. We are hoping to do this in August and were wondering from people who experienced it the best way of going about it. We're just driving up for the day, so I think we may just go straight to the DCA entrance with a goal of 9:15am. We'll stay late at DL to do the stuff we missed in the morning.

Thanks!

 

[sydangel68]

Hi, just wondering if anyone that has stayed at the GCH has made use of the private entrance and found it an advantage to get onto TSMM?

Does that entrance open at the same time as the rest of the park?

Cheers
Angela

 

[helenb]

Thank you for the report! That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for!

I'm thinking that I might send DH to line up at the Grand California entry (no bag so no search) and I will line up at the main DCA entrance (with our bag). Then we can see who gets there first.

I like the idea of grabbing fastpasses to Soarin' Enroute. Thanks!

 

[LynnythePooh]

My son and I just returned from our Mom and Me trip on the 16th. We were at DCA at opening and saw everyone going toward TSMM line up area and decided to skip it - mind you this was a Monday morning. We hit Soarin right away, then headed over to line up for line drop near Bugs area. Lots of people came up and asked about TSMM - security recommended waiting until after the inital morning rush then getting in line.

We did some pin trading and rode screaming... when we went by the line the first time the wait was 2 hours, when we got in line the wait said 40 minutes - but DS had a watch and we were given a paper and asked to time our wait, it only ended up being 30 mins!

It's a great ride and my DS loved it! Be sure to ask Mr. Potato Head to pull off his ear!

 

[Dsnylndlvrs]

Here's another take on how to get in a few rides on Toy Story. I'd asked a CM for her recommendation and she said LATE was the best time. So, we rode it during the fireworks over at DL and until closing. We got to ride it several times in a row with relatively short lines and even when we were in line, we could see fireworks in the distance for a while! The ride empties into a little store and a CM there got to the point of recognizing us every time we came out!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Love all the good info!

I'm thinking if you spend all that time in line to get into the park and to the ride, it would be the same amount of time or maybe less later. Seems like either way, you are waiting in line. I think we will try the "late" idea just posted and see how that goes.

 

[DisneyJade]

wow, this thread has raised a couple questions for me!!!

1 - can you really get soarin' FPs at 9:30? i thought the FP machines didn't come on until official opening at 10.

2 - let's hear from some more people who rode TSMM at night! we plan to ride first thing in the morning, but i would love to ride it a second time with short waits at night. we're not willing to stand in long lines to ride it a second time, though.

3 - do you really have to be in line at 9 or 915? we were hoping, like the original poster, to spend an hour or so in DL before hopping to DCA at 9:30.

 

[cinderella_mom]

We went on Wednesday and arrived at 9:40. We entered DCA and got FPs for Soarin', then got in the TSMM line. When we got to where the line stopped moving, we were by the railing of the lake near Screamin'. At 10:00 they announced the ride was down due to technical difficulties so we went on Screamin instead. When we got off, TSMM still wasn't working. We walked by it 2-3 times during the day and the line was 45-75 minutes long. Then at 5:00, we walked by and the line said 15 minutes, so we got in line. Judging from how quickly we made it through the long and winding queue, I would say our morning wait would have been 15 minutes or less.

The ride is great. When we got off, we wanted to go again, but the wait time was back up to 45 minutes.

 

[kelmac284]

I just got back on Friday and we did the same as CAmouseketeer. We went in to DL early and then were over in the line for CA by 9ish. We got into the park at 9:30 and DSD got a FP for soaring while the rest of us lined up by GRR for TSMM. They told us though that it was down and that we were welcome to wait but they were not sure if it would be up by 10. They then also had us wait by the back of GRR and then walked us through the que by 10. Sure enough at park opening it wasn't up so my mom waited in the line and my daughters and I rode Screamin. We came back to the line and then had to wait some MORE but we didn't want to get out of the line since we had waited so long already.

I think this would be an ok plan IF the ride was working.

I think if all went off without a hitch you could get on the ride fairly quickly once the park opens.

However I CAN say that later in the day we wanted to ride again and the line was 40 mins long. Although it only seemed to take about 30 to get through the line and then as soon as we got off the wait time said 30. And this was midday, I would say around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. So if you want to wait till midday and don't mind a 30 or 40 min wait it is def doable. Now this was a wed so I don't know how it would be on a weekend.

But it was WELL worth the wait and LOTS of fun!

Can't wait till we go to Florida to have another try!

 

[ktlm]

I don't know what ages you have with you, but if you don't get to the line before it gets huge and don't mind not sitting next to each other, you might consider the single rider line. Last Sunday we hit Soarin the minute the gates opened and were in one of the first groups. From there we went straight to TSMM and the line was already 80 minutes long. We went to the single rider line and walked right on the ride- no wait at all! Basically- we had time to ask if it was the single rider line, and the guy said yes and to come through quick as there was space right then. Aside from TSMM, I think the longest lines we hit in either park last Sunday were only 45 minutes for Indiana Jones and 30 minutes for Space Mountain. Almost everything else was 5 to 15 minutes. From what I hear, nothing like the typical July crowds from past years.