Tell me how to tour

[diskids2]

Two days - Two parks - Staying Onsite at HRH - love all rides - prepared to get up early and leave late - 4 people - 2 adults - 17 and 13 year old.

Give me your advice on what rides to hit and how to handle the touring plan....thank you thank you thank you!

 

[Katies Dad]

We are doing the same as you, not really going to plan as with the room key get front of line passes so hopefully queues will be quite small.

 

[danacath]

We just got back from our trip. We only spent one day at IOA, but here's my 2 cents' of tips, FWIW.

Park officially opens at 9, but we arrived at the gate by 8 AM. They opened at 8:30.

We did Hulk, then Spiderman, Dudley, Popeye, Dueling Dragons, then back to Jurassic River Adventure. Then on to Seuss Landing. Cat in the Hat is fun. Hit anything else with short lines and you've covered most of the park. (We chose to skip Sinbad and Poseidon because of time constraints and mediocre reviews that we had read.)

Prepare to be soaked to the bone! We wore flip flops for the water rides, and left our running shoes with a non-rider.

Let me know if you have other questions. Have a great trip!

 

[bubba's mom]

Give me your advice on what rides to hit and how to handle the touring plan....thank you thank you thank you!

With your room key, you will have the FOTL and be able to do whatever you feel like, WHENEVER you feel like! Start and just make the rounds...doing "whatever is next". If you plan to stay in the parks ALL day (like we usually do), you will be able to do every ride and see every show!

Just have fun!!

 

[diskids2]

Maybe I should add that we will be there the week before Easter on Saturday and Sunday.....also what do you think about doing Hulk, Spiderman, then all of the WET rides....going back to HRH to change and then do the rest of the dry rides?

 

[danacath]

That will involve a lot of extra walking, since JP is at the very back of the park. Your idea is possible, but keep the extra mileage in mind. Also, Dueling Dragons does get a long line. Even the Express line was long (20-30 min.) when we were there, so you may want to ride Dragons before your hotel break, if you decide to take one.

Just be sure you have some extra footwear on your trip. Several kids in our group wore their running shoes on Popeye, and the shoes didn't dry out for 2 days! Next time around I would probably don a wimpy rain poncho for the wet rides. It was fun getting soaked in 90 degree heat, but not so fun having a wet rear end for the rest of the day! Happy planning!

 

[diskids2]

That will involve a lot of extra walking, since JP is at the very back of the park. Your idea is possible, but keep the extra mileage in mind. Also, Dueling Dragons does get a long line. Even the Express line was long (20-30 min.) when we were there, so you may want to ride Dragons before your hotel break, if you decide to take one.

Just be sure you have some extra footwear on your trip. Several kids in our group wore their running shoes on Popeye, and the shoes didn't dry out for 2 days! Next time around I would probably don a wimpy rain poncho for the wet rides. It was fun getting soaked in 90 degree heat, but not so fun having a wet rear end for the rest of the day! Happy planning!

Ok not for anything but I HATE walking around in wet anything.....especially when those inner thighs start rubbing together.... So point well taken.
I have no problem being a wimpy rain poncho wearing Mom!

Ok I'm thinking I need to rethink this.

 

[bubba's mom]

fyi....there are lockers for $2 for the first hour across the exit of Popeyes...you could stash some dry duds in there and do all the water rides and then change..... OR, take your "to get wet clothes/bathing suit", stow your "dry duds", ride, and then change into your dry duds. (make sure to bring a ziploc to store your wet stuff in while walking around...)

not many people know there are lockers next to Wimpy's...but they are NOT free

 

[TommyTutone]

I just got back from a 6 day trip today (weep), and would suggest that if it interests you at all, go to the Pteradon Flyers first thing when you arrive to IOA. It is the only ride where ExpressPass does not work, and during this busy time of year, can take up to 60+ minutes to ride a 4-minute ride.

Our first day at IOA, we did not do this and ended up skipping it. For my son though, we went back yesterday and went there very first thing and the load time was less than 10 minutes.

For all of the other rides, before noon, with your hotel key, expect to wait no more than 5 minutes, and after noon, 10 minutes tops (that was the wait for me for The Hulk and Dragons, nothing else came close to that long).

 

[damo]

Ok not for anything but I HATE walking around in wet anything.....especially when those inner thighs start rubbing together.... So point well taken.
I have no problem being a wimpy rain poncho wearing Mom!

Ok I'm thinking I need to rethink this.

A rain poncho doesn't help much when the water comes rushing over the sides, over your butt, legs and feet.

 

[Miss_Nellie]

A rain poncho doesn't help much when the water comes rushing over the sides, over your butt, legs and feet.

Okay ... I wasn't even planning on taking rain ponchos. Sounds like I'd better be thinking on how I want to handle the wetter rides.

Dry duds in a locker, spare shoes, let the kids wear their swim trunks ......

 

[diskids2]

A rain poncho doesn't help much when the water comes rushing over the sides, over your butt, legs and feet.

How about a Hefty Cinch Sak tied at both ends

OK OK....I know I'm leaning towards the locker

 

[diskids2]

I just got back from a 6 day trip today (weep), and would suggest that if it interests you at all, go to the Pteradon Flyers first thing when you arrive to IOA. It is the only ride where ExpressPass does not work, and during this busy time of year, can take up to 60+ minutes to ride a 4-minute ride.

Our first day at IOA, we did not do this and ended up skipping it. For my son though, we went back yesterday and went there very first thing and the load time was less than 10 minutes.

For all of the other rides, before noon, with your hotel key, expect to wait no more than 5 minutes, and after noon, 10 minutes tops (that was the wait for me for The Hulk and Dragons, nothing else came close to that long).

This is exceptionally good news!

 

[unixadm]

We're going between Christmas and New Years (26th-1st)

We are staying off site at a Disney DVC villa, but did book RPR for the 28th so we can use EP for the 28th and 29th.

Even with EP, I am expecting that there will be some longer waits because of the time of year.

I wanted to make a "touring plan" of sorts....basically, list out each "section" of IOA and which rides in each section we wanted to hit.....then decide which sections we would hit in which order. Also wanted to make a list of the rides/shows we wanted to see in US.

The main info I need is which lines get longest quickest....from reading here, the longer the standby line, the longer the EP line...especially at peak times.

I would consider hitting a ride in one section, then leaving that section to hit another ride that gets long lines quickly...that way we hopefully will only have 10-15 minute waits all the way around.

I refuse to wait in line for an hour for a ride......that is a big portion of our day. When I do touring plans in Disney, I make sure that unless there is something special going on, we hit the park at opening, and are leaving the park by about 2pm-3pm. We go back to the villa, change, relax, then go to dinner. We may go back to a park at night for a parade, fireworks or show, but it is about having a good time, and tired cranky kids and even more cranky adults doesn't make for a good time! I've used TGM, the info here, and my own experience to come up with my own personalized touring plans for the parks at WDW... and over the past 2 years, haven't waited in line longer than 20 minutes for anything...and have hit pretty much every ride.

So any info anyone has that would help me prioritize the order of rides would be great.

FYI....my kids will be 5 and 7.....the 7 yo is about 49", the 5 yo is 42", so they wouldn't be doing Incredible Hulk, Dueling Dragons, etc...although I probably will on my own.

 

[Bigbluebear]

Our plan is normally get to the park for opening. there is lockers right next to the entrance, so dry clothes are put in the locker by a non rider whist everybody else heads to the hulk. come off of the hulk then head straight for spiderman. After spiderman, straight through toon lagoon to jurassic park, then to dudley doo right, and then straight to pop eye. do it this way, as this is the order of how wet you will get!

after popeye its a short wet walk back to the locker to get changed into the previously stored dry clothes. by this time its normally about 11ish.

after that you can take your time and do as you please. i have never seen any sort of queue at duelling dragons, and ive only ever been in july. queues dont matter to you as you have FOTL passes anyway.

 

[rpbert1]

There are lockers [$]2 at Dudleys as well, rather than have to go back to the entrance.
Peteradon flyers,we did not even bother with, DD and myself done it last year ,and it was a waste of energy walking up to ride it, for about a 30secs ride over JP area

 

[Spidey7]

Did not read every post so sorry if someone has already mentioned this, only thing I would suggest since you will have fast passes and lines will for the most part not be an issue, you may want to get to IOA first thing, haul it to Pteradon Flyers to get in line in Jurassic Park. This is the only ride that fast pass does not work on and you may want to check it out. First thing in the morning is the only time to ride it. Its not the greatest ride in the park, but especially for kids, its worth checking out. It would be a great ride if it was longer, but its pretty short.

 

[diskids2]

This is really great info...thanks to everyone....what about Universal....how do you usually attack...lol....that park?

 

[mseg16222]

Wondering the same thing since we are leaving on Thursday

 

[bubba's mom]

If staying onsite, you don't "need" a plan of attack.

If NOT staying onsite, go early...that is the best plan of attack! Be there by 8am to get in early. You will have most of the park to yourself prior to appx. 10:30am....starts to get crowded about 11am!