Tomorrowland Strategy 1st Grad Nite event of the year. Please help?

[Mugglemama]

Our trip is next month. DH and our 3 youngest will be doing 9 days, and our oldest daughter and her boyfriend will be joining us for 5.5 of those days.

It is a very first trip for my daughter's boyfriend. He's 19. Evidently, he was promised Disneyland several times as a kid, but then nobody ever actually ended up taking him. Since we're such Disneyland freaks, it sound heartbreaking to us that a kid would face that kind of disappointment - repeatedly. That being the case, we'd all like to make this as special of a visit for him as possible - he's a great kid.

DD20 and DDBF19 will get to join us at the parks Thursday, May 10th, by about 2pm. We asked DDBF19 if he'd like to choose his very first ride, he (excitedly, lol) responded that he would like to ride Space Mountain first. So, DD10 (my co-planner) and I, think it would be wise to focus on Tomorrowland that entire afternoon/evening...one, because they won't be getting started until about 2pm (although the rest of us will be at the parks from opening that morning...) and two, because it's the 1st grad nite event with the new format, and we really don't know what to expect, crowd-wise.

I have no idea in which order to do the rides/attractions in Tomorrowland to make the best use of our time. Typically, we don't do a "land at a time"...we criss-cross the park, etc.

If any of you experts out there would be willing to throw in your 2 cents regarding which order to do rides in..which fast passes to go for when, etc. I would appreciate it tremendously! We have plenty of gluten-free offerings in Tomorrowland as well, so we will be staying in that area of the park for dinner.

The calendar currently says that Disneyland park is open until 10pm that night.

Okay....fire away!!!

And, THANK YOU.

 

[skiingfast]

The one thing that's dissapointing me now that we can see hours for a bunch of Grad Nites, is DCA. It's not open later. So from 8 to 10 all of the teen are going to be in DL.

The Grads are going to flock to the E Tickets just like they always have. In the evening I would stick to high capacty rides, BTMRR, Buzz, ST, Indy, POTC, HM, and have a handful of FPs saved up. Maybe to make sure DDBF can get on Space grab some FP for him and DD to take a ride.

While not perfect on nights like this, it's good to see WoC. The capacity is set at the shows, so irregarless of attendance patterns, Paradise Park does not get more or less crowded. Since DD and her DBF don't show up until later, just get your FPs early and ask for two more for them, it works fine in situations like yours.

 

[Mugglemama]

Thanks, SF...I think we will just plan to be done by 8pm and ready to go back to the hotel if it starts getting too crazy when DCA closes.

We are planning to gather as many Tomorrowland FP's earlier in the day (before DD and her bf get there) as possible. We're just going to stick to TL on that Thursday afternoon/evening. Unfortunately, 4 of our DLR days are also Grad Nite days...but fortunately, DH + 3 youngest and I will have 3 non grad days beforehand, and then our entire group (+ DD & bf) will have 2 days of the following week that are non grad days. So, hopefully, we'll get a LOT done on those days.

Thanks for the tip on WOC. I'm really trying to fit *everything* in on this trip for the bf who has never been there (okay, okay...I might let everyone skip Lincoln...)

Any suggestions for what order to do the Tomorrowland rides in would be great...if anybody out there has any! (it's only what...6 or 7 rides? we should definitely be able to do all of those in 6 hours, right?)

 

[skiingfast]

Any suggestions for what order to do the Tomorrowland rides in would be great...if anybody out there has any! (it's only what...6 or 7 rides? we should definitely be able to do all of those in 6 hours, right?)

TL isn't too bad, at miday there really isn't an order. You need FPs for ST, SM and Autopia. Buzz usually doesn't have a big line and when a lot of people are in line it moves quickly. These don't matter too much.

FNSV gets a little drop in its line during the parade. Of course Innoventions is whenever you want since it doesn't have a line, and the Xboxes will probably be busy. Captain EO, is best when you get in line right before the previous show ends, so it can be a few minute wait, with good timing. This leaves the Astro Orbiter which I would just hit when the line is low probably 10-20 minutes.

Then the Monorail, just try to avoid after the parade ends as people take it back to the DLH for naps. Make sure you ask to sit in the nose or tail.

 

[Pinocchio #1 Fan]

Mugglemama- Wadda ya mean you guys might skip Mr Lincoln? If someone has never been to Disneyland, that's a classic attraction that Walt himself had a hand in designing. I'd say make sure you hit the classic Disney tuff!

All kidding aside, make siure you guys see some of the street entertainment at both parks. That's the stuff which really seperates Disney parks from the others!

 

[Mugglemama]

Mugglemama- Wadda ya mean you guys might skip Mr Lincoln? If someone has never been to Disneyland, that's a classic attraction that Walt himself had a hand in designing. I'd say make sure you hit the classic Disney tuff!

All kidding aside, make siure you guys see some of the street entertainment at both parks. That's the stuff which really seperates Disney parks from the others!

I used to LOVE the Lincoln thing (the one where you wore the headphones and it integrated Brady into the presentation, etc.)...but ever since they changed it back after the Steve Martin thing, I really just hate it (it's different now and I personally just think it's not worth the time spent waiting for it, that's all). Last time we brought someone to the parks, it was the first time we'd seen the Lincoln thing since it was changed, and I felt like my relatives were like, "WHY did she think it was so important to see THAT?!" It was dull (and that's coming from someone who absolutely loves U.S. history...). I definitely don't think it's a "must-do"....if we have time, okay...but I'm not going to make any special arrangements for it. Honestly, I doubt any of my kids will want to do it (and they love history, too...we're homeschoolers, we eat history books for breakfast!).

That's great that your family still enjoys it, though!

We always take time to see bits and pieces of the street entertainment, but we don't make special plans for any of it aside from parades and fireworks. I'll have 5 kids/teens/young adults with me...they don't want to hang around and watch guys in straw hats play trombones for more than a couple of minutes at a time, lol...

Truth be told, I'm not overly sentimental about things Walt Disney "had a hand in himself". I realize a lot of people are, and that's very sweet.

TL isn't too bad, at miday there really isn't an order. You need FPs for ST, SM and Autopia. Buzz usually doesn't have a big line and when a lot of people are in line it moves quickly. These don't matter too much.

FNSV gets a little drop in its line during the parade. Of course Innoventions is whenever you want since it doesn't have a line, and the Xboxes will probably be busy. Captain EO, is best when you get in line right before the previous show ends, so it can be a few minute wait, with good timing. This leaves the Astro Orbiter which I would just hit when the line is low probably 10-20 minutes.

Then the Monorail, just try to avoid after the parade ends as people take it back to the DLH for naps. Make sure you ask to sit in the nose or tail.

Great information that I can really use!! THANKS!

 

[Mommy26]

TL isn't too bad, at miday there really isn't an order. You need FPs for ST, SM and Autopia. Buzz usually doesn't have a big line and when a lot of people are in line it moves quickly. These don't matter too much.

FNSV gets a little drop in its line during the parade. Of course Innoventions is whenever you want since it doesn't have a line, and the Xboxes will probably be busy. Captain EO, is best when you get in line right before the previous show ends, so it can be a few minute wait, with good timing. This leaves the Astro Orbiter which I would just hit when the line is low probably 10-20 minutes.

Then the Monorail, just try to avoid after the parade ends as people take it back to the DLH for naps. Make sure you ask to sit in the nose or tail.

Can you plan the entire trip for me, you are awesome!

 

[skiingfast]

Can you plan the entire trip for me, you are awesome!

Maybe, is there something you want to know?