Thursday, April 12?

[Pirate-Emery]

I dare ask what the lines are like that day...


Granted, the past two times I went to the park were in the beginning of August ('01) and the Holiday Season (October 20ish, 2005). Any similarity?

 

[PrincessSitka]

It might be spring break. And that will be nuts. I have gone in Arpil and the lines are bad. But if no spring break try and go during the week

 

[abookworm]

Easter is the Sunday before and everything I've read says the week before and after Easter is peak time...and yes,there will definintely be some spring breaks then too.

 

[cinderella_mom]

We're in So Cal and my DD5 has Spring Break 4/7-4/15, but my friends in the neighboring school district are out the 1st week of April.

 

[Pirate-Emery]

We're in So Cal and my DD5 has Spring Break 4/7-4/15, but my friends in the neighboring school district are out the 1st week of April.

Yeah, my high school is out the first week of April, and, since this is my second semester of my senior year, I'm taking an extended weekend to "look at colleges" in Southern California. Really, my sister and her volleyball team have a tournament at the American Sports Center, a couple blocks away, and I'll be let loose with the car and a 4-day Hopper pass.

We're driving down on Wednesday night, staying at the Radisson, then have Thursday for the Parks. Friday, Saturday, Sunday I'll be on my own.


So what I really want to ask: how bad are the lines for a single-rider?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Get there early! Right now Thursday's are Early Entry days, meaning the park will open one hour early for select attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. If you have a park hopper or are staying onsite you will be elgible if they have EE. If EE is not happening or you don't have that perk wirh your ticket and aren't staying onsite, still make very sure you get there at the official park opening. In fact be in line about a half hour before that. Even on the busiest days during the busiest seasons, the first two to three hours of the day are the best. Use fastpass wisely and you will get a lot done. Have fun, a crowded day at Disneyland can be a challenge but still a hoot!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Get there early! Right now Thursday's are Early Entry days, meaning the park will open one hour early for select attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. If you have a park hopper or are staying onsite you will be elgible if they have EE. If EE is not happening or you don't have that perk wirh your ticket and aren't staying onsite, still make very sure you get there at the official park opening. In fact be in line about a half hour before that. Even on the busiest days during the busiest seasons, the first two to three hours of the day are the best. Use fastpass wisely and you will get a lot done. Have fun, a crowded day at Disneyland can be a challenge but still a hoot!

Should I... RideMax?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Should I... RideMax?

It never hurts. What is ridemax now, something like $15? It can be money very well spent if it helps you maximize your rides and minimize your waits. I can give you a couple of good tips for free however!

Do Fantasyland first (whether you are doing EE or not). None of the rides in FL have fastpass. They all, Peter Pan, Dumbo and Matterhorn in particular build quickly and stay that way. Even though Tomorrowland is open for EE I would not suggest doing that since you can fp everything in there except Astro Obitor. So those can be ridden later in the day.

Head to DCA late morning or early afternoon when DL begins to fill. But make sure you fp somethng first. The fp machines at the two parks are not linked so you can hold some for both. Then after you have done stuff at DCA head back to DL, ride your fp's and then get more fp's and possibly return to DCA to repeat the process again!

I think you can get a lot done. Just arrive early and eat at off times so that you arent' waiting in long lines for food too! And do think about ridemax. Hope you have fun, I think you will!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Also check out this link and and the other links on it:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199860&referrerid=&highlight=

 

[Pirate-Emery]

It never hurts. What is ridemax now, something like $15? It can be money very well spent if it helps you maximize your rides and minimize your waits. I can give you a couple of good tips for free however!

Do Fantasyland first (whether you are doing EE or not). None of the rides in FL have fastpass. They all, Peter Pan, Dumbo and Matterhorn in particular build quickly and stay that way. Even though Tomorrowland is open for EE I would not suggest doing that since you can fp everything in there except Astro Obitor. So those can be ridden later in the day.

Head to DCA late morning or early afternoon when DL begins to fill. But make sure you fp somethng first. The fp machines at the two parks are not linked so you can hold some for both. Then after you have done stuff at DCA head back to DL, ride your fp's and then get more fp's and possibly return to DCA to repeat the process again!

I think you can get a lot done. Just arrive early and eat at off times so that you arent' waiting in long lines for food too! And do think about ridemax. Hope you have fun, I think you will!

You are of immense help!

I will probably buy RideMax once I get my regular laptop back (it's at the "mechanic").

The second I get there (EE), I'll probably do Matterhorn three or so times. Then head off to the Fantasyland rides. Usually, I'd bypass these, but I've hit a Disney Classics rush. I realized I have never gone on Pan or Dumbo since I was five.

When I went on Space Mountain back in November 2005, I don't remember being "thrilled." This is one that I can easily bypass and go on later.

The rides that I must go on are as follows:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
Big Thunder Mountain
(Splash is closed right?)
Finding Nemo (old Submarine memories)
And all the Fantasyland Kid rides (Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Teacups, Storybook)

On the Cali side:
California Screamin'
Soarin' over California
Tower of Terror
Grizzly Rapids (Cali River Rapids )
Monsters Inc


=========================================

Food is never my problem. I can always find a quick bite to eat on the way through DowntownDisney, at the Crack of Dawn. Lunch should be relatively straight-forward: go to the Corn Dog place over in Paradise Pier. Lines aren't that bad over there.

 

[Amy&Dan]

You are of immense help!

I will probably buy RideMax once I get my regular laptop back (it's at the "mechanic").

The second I get there (EE), I'll probably do Matterhorn three or so times. Then head off to the Fantasyland rides. Usually, I'd bypass these, but I've hit a Disney Classics rush. I realized I have never gone on Pan or Dumbo since I was five.

When I went on Space Mountain back in November 2005, I don't remember being "thrilled." This is one that I can easily bypass and go on later.

The rides that I must go on are as follows:

Pirates of the Caribbean
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
Big Thunder Mountain
(Splash is closed right?)
Finding Nemo (old Submarine memories)
And all the Fantasyland Kid rides (Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Teacups, Storybook)

On the Cali side:
California Screamin'
Soarin' over California
Tower of Terror
Grizzly Rapids (Cali River Rapids )
Monsters Inc

Finding Nemo doens't open until June at the earliest . It has been backed up from its orginial spring opening. I hate to the bearer of bad news but might as well tell you now. There's always a next visit! We always do Matterhorn first or second, usually second as its line doesn't build up quite as fast as Peter Pan's does. That one is usually at 15 minutes within a few minutes after opening then just gets worse. But its worth it. I hope you have a really great day there and that maybe the crowds won't be so much of a factor. And getting a quick corn dog is my kind of meal!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Oh right! I forgot about the "Lagoon Leak Eek Week"!

I just remember the last time I was there it said March 2007. Must have been that mindset that told me that Nemo would be open.

So... Pan first, then hit Matterhorn with all I've got until the line gets too unbearable. Head over and FastPass Indy, before going to Pirates of the Caribbean. I then go on wildest ride through the 'Widderness.' I then return to the Temple of the Forbidden Eye with my fedora and trusty whip. On my way out, I can FP Space Mountain (good Cross Country legs, don't let me down!) and go over to California Adventure.

Fastpass Soarin' and ride Screamin' until the line gets too long. I then go on either Space or Soarin', depending on what the times were (if I am outside of my given time, I can always do Tower of Terror).

Once my Fastpasses are complete, I can eat lunch in DCA/shop in DL, then return to Fantasyland and "enjoy the atmosphere." Translation: wait in the lines. If Peter Pan is as bad as you say, then getting it out of the way in the morning would be for the best.

Question: How bad do the lines get for the other Classic Fantasyland rides?

 

[AskTheChief]

Generally, there will be people, one after another. Standing in a "line", if you will. Various sizes and shapes of people. That's my experience, anyway.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Oh right! I forgot about the "Lagoon Leak Eek Week"!

I just remember the last time I was there it said March 2007. Must have been that mindset that told me that Nemo would be open.

Question: How bad do the lines get for the other Classic Fantasyland rides?

Yeah, I wish they had been able to stick with that March opening. I might miss it too when we go in June and we'll be disappointed as well. The other Fantasyland rides are not always bad. In particular Snow White, Pinnochio and Small World (that one is such a fast/large loader it moves quicky even with a large line). Storybookland Canal Boats and the Casey Jr. Circus Train can get long lines but not as bad as Peter Pan. And Mr. Toad is also popular but again, not as bad as PP or Dumbo. Teacups are generally good but Alice in Wonderland can get long lines. But if you do this whole section early on, you can do each one, plus Matterhorn in about an hour to an hour and half. The rest of your plan sounds really good and just about how we do things when we go. I think you are going to be amazed at how much you accomplish!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Another bout of good news!

So, I'm going down with the Volleyball team, right? They all (parents included) have Three Day Park Hoppers, while I have a Four Day.

Well, my parents said that I could use their tickets while they are doing the volleyball thing.

So... more fastpasses?

 

[chanchiluv]

I don't think your FASTPASS idea will work. The park hopper tickets can only be used to generate PASTPASSES when they have already been used to get in the park. Since the guy at the gate is not going to let you shoot all those passes in the turnstile for just you, I'm pretty sure you won't be able to use the tix to get more FASTPASSES. Would be cool if you could, though!