To NEMO or Not to NEMO. . .???

[sweetmonkey]

Here's the players Me (4 months pregnant), DH, DD (3.5 and very cooperative).

We are going to DLR Aug 5-7(8th?). We fly out of Texas at 6 am (CDT) into SNA on Tuesday, Aug 5th at 11 am (PST). We are staying at HoJo and have 3 day PH passes. We have 3 nights booked at HoJo and check out on the 8th to head to San Diego to visit our friends.

I was planning to head to DL on Tuesday after we get in (before our room is ready, praying that DD will nap on the plane!) but that means we miss out on morning touring.

So if we do not go on Tuesday we can go on Friday morning but we would have to be out of our room by noon or before heading out to the park. . . Hmmm.

So back to the question, if I have only 2 mornings - one MM and one regular- should I sacrifice precious first thing in the morning time by running over to Nemo on the MM or should we just sacrifice it so we can hit more FL rides.

Or should we burn off the first day in town and go in the morning on Friday???

I have emailed ARES travel where I purchased the 3 day to see about upgrading to 4 day for the pre-purchased rate rather than the park upgrade rate. Here's hoping!


OK Thanks!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh good you're already thinking of adding a day.

HoJo has a locked luggage room where they will keep all your luggage for you while you run off to the parks, on check in day (if your room isn't ready) and checkout day if you wish to go to the parks before really leaving. They do appreciate a tip, of course. (I will be dreadfully honest and tell you that both times we've stayed at HJ we've had a car, and the first time we just packed up the trunk (massive Grand Marquis) then moved the car as if we were leaving, then parked elsewhere...the second time we had a laptop with us so we put that into the storage room, but packed the car we were using in the same way as before....you shouldn't do that, they tell you NOT to do that, but we did it)

Since you have a kiddo who likely loves Nemo and Fantasyland, I would do whichever one she wants to do more. Does she want Dumbo and Alice and teacups and all the rest (since Peter Pan, the FIRST ride you should do on a MM Fantasyland day, is inside, it's hard for a first-timer kid to know they really do want to ride, but oh they do) more than the one Nemo ride? If so, then Fantasyland is your better bet. If Nemo wins out, then do that!

Remember, the days without MM, if you get there well before park opening, you'll be one of the first in, and you can get to Nemo or Fantasyland by walking briskly and with purpose, and it's nearly the same as going on a MM (just some more people).



I have read that people have been able to upgrade from 3 days to more days while at the parks.

 

[jjames]

Will you be there in the evenings? When we went in April we got in line for Nemo during the fireworks and only had a fifteen minute wait.

 

[sweetmonkey]

Oh good you're already thinking of adding a day.

HoJo has a locked luggage room where they will keep all your luggage for you while you run off to the parks, on check in day (if your room isn't ready) and checkout day if you wish to go to the parks before really leaving. They do appreciate a tip, of course. (I will be dreadfully honest and tell you that both times we've stayed at HJ we've had a car, and the first time we just packed up the trunk (massive Grand Marquis) then moved the car as if we were leaving, then parked elsewhere...the second time we had a laptop with us so we put that into the storage room, but packed the car we were using in the same way as before....you shouldn't do that, they tell you NOT to do that, but we did it)

Since you have a kiddo who likely loves Nemo and Fantasyland, I would do whichever one she wants to do more. Does she want Dumbo and Alice and teacups and all the rest (since Peter Pan, the FIRST ride you should do on a MM Fantasyland day, is inside, it's hard for a first-timer kid to know they really do want to ride, but oh they do) more than the one Nemo ride? If so, then Fantasyland is your better bet. If Nemo wins out, then do that!

Remember, the days without MM, if you get there well before park opening, you'll be one of the first in, and you can get to Nemo or Fantasyland by walking briskly and with purpose, and it's nearly the same as going on a MM (just some more people).

I have read that people have been able to upgrade from 3 days to more days while at the parks.

We will have a car so that may be the plan If we can add a day, we will and do all of it! The question is if you have pre-purchased the park hoppers at the reduced price, do you have to pay the FULL price to upgrade. Which means instead of the $15/ticket difference for prepaid tickets, if we have to pay the additional $25/ticket (so $40 x 3 vs $45 TOTAL). . .Still I suppose that is cheaper than adding a night at the hotel.


Thanks for input. So, all in all, would you do Nemo during the MM or just do it a regular opening morning???


OT, Bumbershoot, thanks for the input about the food allergies. Funny thing, we had her retested and she is cleared for eggs and so now we just have to watch out for milk!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I'm pretty sure you don't have to pay for upgrading your ticket. I know that is not the case for WDW, so I'm sure the policy is the same. As far as they are concerned, you have a ticket that is "valued" at $X.XX. They will only charge you the difference between $X.XX and $Y.YY.

I don't think you need to stress over how fast you'll get to Nemo. Key is that you will be there during weekdays. This makes this plan doable. It'll probably be the same either way - MM or not. Just head there first thing on one of your full days or go late in the day during a fireworks, like Bumbershoot advised. It really empties at the end of the day.

The main point is to enjoy your vacation - if need be, the rest of the party can join on the subs when you are closer to the front of the line. There is a good cut in point in the line (a point of no return, if you will). I did that for my hubby and 3 yr old when it opened. Keep in mind that the ride follows the movie and you are viewing things through small portholes - your vision is focused into the things they want you to see. Make sure your 3 yr old is good with the big toothy angler fish in the dark... My 3 yr old was scared and cried the first time she rode it.

Have fun.
Nancy

 

[camouseketeer]

We were just at the parks last week. We stayed at Hojo's and had 3 day tix.

If I were you I would:

-Not go in Tues pm. Lines will be 15-45 min for everything fun by then. We spent the pm's only doing FP rides and parades. (We left by 7pm each night, as my young DD's could not stay out late AND make it to opening the next morning). I guess you just need to figure out what your goals are for going in then. It will be hot and crowded and lines will be long (for me and my DD's, a long line is 15 min or more - on our trip we hit almost all the rides in both parks except Space Mt, Screamin, and TOT and only once 15 minutes for a ride - everything else was 10 min or less.) If you just have to get the Disney feel right away, try going to dinner at Chef Goofy's that first night.

-Use your Wed non-MM morning for FL. You can knock out all of FL, including Casey Jr. and Storybook Canal which are NOT open for MM, in about an hour. I love FL on non-MM days because it's even emptier than MM days!

-Use your Thurs MM day for Nemo. Be there 45 before opening. We were at the security tables at 6:15 for a 7:00 am MM opening. They didn't open security until 6:30, but the line was 10-20 people long by then. We were the first in line in the park and on the first sub of the day. We were off by 7:30 and were able to do other FL rides before 8:00 regular opening. It was a fun ride and worth getting up early for (but not worth using 45+ min of park time for).

-Pack most of your belongings Thursday night.

-Go into the park on at opening on Fri. It's a non-MM day, so you can hit whatever you haven't done very easily at that time. Leave the park by 11:00ish (that's 3 hours of touring) to get back to Hojo's to check out at 12. This is what we did and it worked perfectly. I kept my DD's bathing suits out and they played in Castaway Cove our last pm there.

-If you want to see the new Toy Story ride, leave DL around 9:15 on whatever day works best for you. Get in line for DCA. They will open the gates at 9:30 and they will direct you to the Toy Story ride line. Slowly the CM's will guide you to the ride at the back of the park. We were off the ride by 10:15. It was a great ride! So it was an hour wait, but we were constantly moving in the line and we only used up 15 min of the actual park time. It was totally worth it! Plus the line goes right by Soarin, so I grabbed a FP for it for later.

However it works for you, have a great time!

 

[sweetmonkey]

camouseketeer and Bumbershoot, I think you both had great suggestions! Instead of adding the extra day, I think we may run over to Downtown Disney and perhaps Goofy's or Storyteller's on the first day as well as running to the store for soy milk and snacks and playing at HoJo's new pool.

I am now planning to do FL on the non-MM and Nemo on Thursday, followed by Buzz Matterhorn, and Space for Hubby while DD and I get Ariel's autograph (or he can FP it and return when DD and I go to nap), walk through Innoventions, maybe take the monorail around to DTD and walk to DCA for the opening there instead of fighting the upstream of people coming in to DL. Do you have any suggestions on the order for either FL or doing Nemo, then Space or Buzz? (I know I had read one somewhere.)

All in all, we are planning to take naps in the afternoons (leave from 12-5) and be back in the parks until 9:30 or 10. DD and I are now good nap partners- though I am gaining more energy back every day! That first trimester really zapped me this time around (I was teaching high school and DH just finished PhD and we are in the process of moving 300 miles away . . ) DL will be a great reward for us!

 

[bumbershoot]

OT, Bumbershoot, thanks for the input about the food allergies. Funny thing, we had her retested and she is cleared for eggs and so now we just have to watch out for milk!

You're welcome. Is it just plain old milk she needs to watch for, or is it even down to dairy-derived things?

I'm pretty sure you don't have to pay for upgrading your ticket. I know that is not the case for WDW, so I'm sure the policy is the same. As far as they are concerned, you have a ticket that is "valued" at $X.XX. They will only charge you the difference between $X.XX and $Y.YY.

I'm actually not sure that's right. WDW and DLR do things differently with upgrades. At WDW you can upgrade things within 14 days, even if the tickets are used up. But after 14 days you're out of luck. At DLR you can upgrade a ticket only while a ticket is still valid; while there is "use" on it and within 14 days. But then once you have an AP, if you wish to upgrade that you pay the difference between the AP you have and the AP you want, no pro-rating, and you get until your expiration date at that level.

So I'm not sure the discount will remain there. It doesn't for APs; any discount you had on the ticket is wiped out, b/c you will pay the full cost of the AP.

I'm just saying that they don't do things the same already with upgrades and such between the parks, so I'm not sure the WDW "use it at least once and it sets the price at the current rate" thing works at DLR.

 

[Hound 109]

camouseketeer and Bumbershoot, I think you both had great suggestions! Instead of adding the extra day, I think we may run over to Downtown Disney and perhaps Goofy's or Storyteller's on the first day as well as running to the store for soy milk and snacks and playing at HoJo's new pool.

fwiw....If i was DH, & you all were arriving at noon & were walking thru the crosswalk area towards DTD.....I would be stopping at the ticket booth....paying for the upgrade for DD & myself & telling you to enjoy your visit in DTD & for your search for soy milk......because DD & I would be going to Disneyland (that first day)...Baby!!

Seriously. Get the extra day upgrade....you can enjoy DL for 8+ hours that day....& take a late afternoon swim/nap break.


I am now planning to do FL on the non-MM and Nemo on Thursday, followed by Buzz Matterhorn, and Space for Hubby while DD and I get Ariel's autograph (or he can FP it and return when DD and I go to nap), walk through Innoventions, maybe take the monorail around to DTD and walk to DCA for the opening there instead of fighting the upstream of people coming in to DL. Do you have any suggestions on the order for either FL or doing Nemo, then Space or Buzz? (I know I had read one somewhere.)

If you do Nemo during MM, might want to do Matterhorn next then Buzz & you do your Ariels while he does SM. (Might want to have one of you get a Buzz or Indy or BTMRR FP at that point as well).



All in all, we are planning to take naps in the afternoons (leave from 12-5) and be back in the parks until 9:30 or 10. DD and I are now good nap partners- though I am gaining more energy back every day!

Great Idea!


That first trimester really zapped me this time around (I was teaching high school and DH just finished PhD and we are in the process of moving 300 miles away . . ) DL will be a great reward for us!

Have a great time visiting Walt's park.

 

[sweetmonkey]

Hey Hound, We are in Austin too. Well for the next two days.
Then we move on to the booming metropolis of Abilene. .

Hubby is just finishing his PhD from UT. He is the one who does not want to spend more money. . . So if we happen to pass the gates and DD throws a fit and I say "Well honey, what do you think?" He may acquiesce!

After all, paying the upgrade is about the same price as dinner out and we would have all that time to explore (First trip to DLR!). And DD is really convincing with her big eyes.

We may just play it by ear and see how we are feeling!

 

[Hound 109]

Hey Hound, We are in Austin too.

Howdy Neighbor.


Well for the next two days.
Then we move on to the booming metropolis of Abilene. .

Best thing about the move.....3 hours closer to Colorado & 3 hours closer to DL.


Hubby is just finishing his PhD from UT. He is the one who does not want to spend more money. . .

Don't tell him....just do it. Seriously....you'll spend more $$ in two hours of poking around DTD ... than you will on the upgrade. & you'll be walking to DTD just a few steps from the entrance to DL....you'll see the train....the gate....& maybe even mickey out there.


So if we happen to pass the gates and DD throws a fit and I say "Well honey, what do you think?" He may acquiesce!

I think the DD AND the pregnant wife should throw the fit.


After all, paying the upgrade is about the same price as dinner out and we would have all that time to explore (First trip to DLR!). And DD is really convincing with her big eyes.

Kids are really good that way. & if this is your first trip to DLR, you can use the first day to get your bearings....check out FP.....identify landmarks.....take pics......you know, stuff.

We may just play it by ear and see how we are feeling!

hound <----getting out his dictionary to look up "acquiesce".

(but suspects it means that hubby will be shelling out for the extra day )

 

[DangerMouse]

hound <----getting out his dictionary to look up "acquiesce".

(but suspects it means that hubby will be shelling out for the extra day )

Hound, dust off your Pirates of the Caribbean DVD:

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. . ." Captain Hector Barbossa

 

[Hound 109]

Hound, dust off your Pirates of the Caribbean DVD:

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. . ." Captain Hector Barbossa

DM....do you have a Dis Dictionary??

Or do you have the dialogue of all Disney films commited to memory?

 

[DangerMouse]

DM....do you have a Dis Dictionary??

Or do you have the dialogue of all Disney films commited to memory?

Ummm, that would be the latter.

 

[motherofallfans]

Forgive me if this has already been suggested, I only skimmed the thread.

You can skip the long lines at Nemo by simply claiming to be a bit claustrophobic and going into the handicapped viewing room (I think it's called the Marine Observation Lab/Station.) It is a film of what you see out the submarine's porthole but in spacious private comfort.

True, you don't get the full effect but it is an excellent compromise that saves you a lot of time.

PS. go Friday am instead of Tue pm.

 

[tink2dw]

I take 2 anti-nausea pills, I have very bad car sickness, every day at DL and I never get sick on anything. But Nemo in the sub, watching out of those "coke bottle" glass windows by the end I was icky. I wish I had gone to the handicapped viewing room!! If you think you will have any problems just ask they will show to the movie room.