TSMM is worth the line!

[EnnEss]

This has been talked about a lot, what the line is, and so on, but I just was there and wow this ride is great! Waited through the 45 minute line on our 2nd day then rode it 3 or so times a day after that!

We got there for rope drop and that is not the time to go unless you want to run while the cms yell at you, which hundreds of people do, if you walk you'll be at about the 30 minute mark probably if you walk really fast, then you already spent time waiting at rope drop. The line is instantly up to 80 minutes if you're a slow walker. If you wait til the late morning it drops to about 45 minutes, and late evening maybe 30 minutes if you're lucky. Still worth it.

They also do a single rider line most of the time, although once they didn't have it going. The CMs doing the single rider line seem to do a pretty incosistent job. No matter when it was being done or by who, the times we used it you'd see them put one person in a seat and not add a single rider over and over and over. The line moves pretty slow for this reason. I'm not sure why, maybe it's just too much for the cm to do considering the fast rate of loading. Still, could be 15 minutes in a pretty short single rider line, a lot faster though.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I agree it is worth it! We loved it. Everytime we went it was a 40 or 45 min. line. If it was longer we waited. We never saw it less than that though.

 

[Sherry E]

I have not been on TSMM yet (that will be in October for me!) but I have a couple of friends who went on it several times - and they do not like standing in lines - and loved it. I knew it had to be great when they told me they had been on it more than once because no way they will stand in a super long line otherwise.

On the other hand, a friend of mine just went to DLR a couple of weeks ago. They almost were just going to take the tickets I gave them and go to DL only, but I INSISTED that my friend take her young 4-year-old son on TSMM, because they LOVE the Buzz Lightyear ride, so they agreed and upgraded the tickets to Hoppers when they got there. I warned her that it would be crowded and the line would be long - it is a brand new ride which is extremely popular. No way to avoid SOME kind of a line in mid-summer. I told her there were no Fast Passes for it. But, after studying many of the posts on this board about the best times to get on TSMM, I gave my friend tips as to how to avoid the longest lines somewhat! I knew once they got on it, they would want to ride it multiple times.

So, what happens but they get there and do all kinds of other stuff in DCA and avoid TSMM in the morning because "the line is too long." I told her the sign would probably say a one-hour wait, but that it would be worth it, and besides, unless you are in the Nemo line, it usually goes faster than what the signs say. They went back again to the the TSMM line in the afternoon. They didn't get on it because "the line was too long." (45 minutes) I am always amazed when people comment on the long lines as if this is unheard of. That is part of the package at DLR. I mean, sure, there are times you can go when it is less crowded, but we all know that going at certain times of year equals long lines throughout the park(s). In my opinion, I won't wait for two hours, and I won't wait for something I don't care about, but if the ride is something I really want to go on, I will wait for an hour if I have to. I just do it.

Finally, I get a call from my friend at about 8:45 that NIGHT. They finally had JUST made it on TSMM, right before the park was about to close, because the line "was not as long"! And they loved it so much (as I suspected) they were getting right back on it again! But because they waited until the LAST minute, they couldn't ride it multiple times like they would have if they had gone on earlier in the day! I said, "To think, you waited until the absolute last second. You almost missed going on it altogether, and you are only there for one day!"

My friend said, "Well, the line was STILL pretty long."

Arrrrrgggghhhhhhhh.........

 

[EnnEss]

I was affraid that'd happen to me Sherry, which is why we went on the 2nd day and just dealt with the line. I always go to WDW or DLR in off season, special circumstances meant we went in the summer this year as the trip was almost free except for the tickets. I really dont like lines but knew they'd be there at this point so I wasn't disapointed at all.

That TSMM time indicator is off too, its almost always shorter than it says, particularly if its lined across the walkway, which it almost always is, they overestimate how long that portion takes, they told us 30 minutes on that side, 30 on the other once, and it was more like 10 and 25. The line was routinely listed at 80 minutes long in the mornings, and that was a really really long line, up the walkway past screamin' around the corner. I never waited through that to see how long that was.

 

[Sherry E]

I was affraid that'd happen to me Sherry, which is why we went on the 2nd day and just dealt with the line. I always go to WDW or DLR in off season, special circumstances meant we went in the summer this year as the trip was almost free except for the tickets. I really dont like lines but knew they'd be there at this point so I wasn't disapointed at all.

That TSMM time indicator is off too, its almost always shorter than it says, particularly if its lined across the walkway, which it almost always is, they overestimate how long that portion takes, they told us 30 minutes on that side, 30 on the other once, and it was more like 10 and 25. The line was routinely listed at 80 minutes long in the mornings, and that was a really really long line, up the walkway past screamin' around the corner. I never waited through that to see how long that was.

The POTC line in DL always look really ominous and when you get in it, you are on the ride in 15 minutes, basically. They have found a way to get people on and off quickly. That seems to be the case with most lines except for Nemo, because there is really just no way to speed that line/ride up! My friend initially wanted me to go with her, her son and the other person with them. I only declined because of the heat. I used to be able to handle DLR in the heat back in my younger days, but not now. I can't take the heat. I prefer fall and winter. BUT I made sure to tell them everything to look for that is new to them since the last time they were there. Take ToonTown, for example, which her little boy would have loved. Since they only had one day to visit the parks, I inisisted they visit ToonTown and maybe skip a couple of the regular DLR rides that they just went on when they were in WDW in December. It is a miracle that they even made it on TSMM because they skipped ToonTown altogether for some reason! If I HAD gone with them, my game plan would have been entirely different!

 

[KayR]

Is TSMM not on the fastpass system?

-Kay

 

[EnnEss]

Is TSMM not on the fastpass system?

-Kay

No, neither is Nemo. I saw someone ask about that and the CM said fastpass is not good and makes lines really slow. Apparently there is a shift in thinking about it at Disney. The line really does move though, and I actually got more rides on it then I did other fast pass attractions because the line moved so fast and there was no time restriction and limits like with fastpass. I used to think I couldn't live without fastpass but after this trip I see that it'd probably be ok.

 

[weslovesauntmeg]

I'm so excited to ride it!! I have an AP pass but have been blocked out the entire summer and on August 27th me and my sis are finally going!! So you would recommend going 1st thing in the morn and then right when they are about to close?? I'm so excited..only 17 more days until we go!!

 

[EnnEss]

I'm so excited to ride it!! I have an AP pass but have been blocked out the entire summer and on August 27th me and my sis are finally going!! So you would recommend going 1st thing in the morn and then right when they are about to close?? I'm so excited..only 17 more days until we go!!

I would say definately do not go first thing in the morning. You spend more time waiting at the rope and then you have to literally run as a lot of people do, and the cms are yelling at them the entire way as you're not allowed to run. I walked very briskly and waited 30 minutes. I found right before closing it was actually worse than it was mid/late afternoon, it was usually 30 - 45 minutes then. Morning spikes to 80 literally instantly. I think a lot of people go to see the light parade hence the busy at closing time, but it may be slow if you skip the light parade.

 

[heatherleigh]

Very good tips. I look forward to more updates as our date gets closer. This happened last year on the Nemo ride (me reading about the lines prior to the trip.) They were super long, but I was adamant that we go on it at least ONCE. My husband and I took the boys late one night right before closing. It was definitely the longest wait on the trip, but not quite as long as I expected. The Toy Story ride looks like so much fun.

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

Will it be open for the mickey trick or treat party and what do you think the lines will be then ?

 

[Sherry E]

I would say definately do not go first thing in the morning. You spend more time waiting at the rope and then you have to literally run as a lot of people do, and the cms are yelling at them the entire way as you're not allowed to run. I walked very briskly and waited 30 minutes. I found right before closing it was actually worse than it was mid/late afternoon, it was usually 30 - 45 minutes then. Morning spikes to 80 literally instantly. I think a lot of people go to see the light parade hence the busy at closing time, but it may be slow if you skip the light parade.

I think it must depend on the day. From what you are saying, the lines for TSMM were worse at night and better in the mid afternoon. My friend that went on it at the last second of the day before closing said that the line was still long at night but that it was much better than it had been in the morning AND mid-day. She went on a Monday. So, that is why I said I will just get in the line, if it says one hour. I mean, if I go to DCA first thing in the morning when I am there in October and see a hideous line, and then wait until mid-day, thinking it will be better, it might turn out that it is NOT any better. Also, it may be inconvenient to come back to DCA mid-day if we are already over in DL then, so if we have to interrupt our day and come back to a line that is no better than it was in the morning, that would be a waste of time unless we are just going to get in the darn line! I am expecting long lines and will deal with it because I am dying to go on this ride!

 

[EnnEss]

Ya, I agree it could vary by the day a lot. Im pretty certain the morning will be among the busiest time though because of how many people wait for it at rope drop. Im sure in October the line will be much more manageable and you'll be in heaven getting to ride it over and over again if you like

 

[SANDIEGOFAN]

When I went for a week late last month, I never waited over 30 minutes and rode about 10 times. Not to say there weren't times when it was busy, I would just walk on by if the line was in the second shaded building and my family did wait for 45 minutes once while I rode California Screamin 4 times (single rider line).

 

[EnnEss]

When I went for a week late last month, I never waited over 30 minutes and rode about 10 times. Not to say there weren't times when it was busy, I would just walk on by if the line was in the second shaded building and my family did wait for 45 minutes once while I rode California Screamin 4 times (single rider line).

I wish I'd been there in july, all reports seem to indicate it was a quiet month.

 

[VegasDisney]

Not sure you were in the right spot for the early morning wait... We were there last week. CA opened at 10, and they opened gates at 9:30. We went into CA about 9:45, and followed signs back and around and they had a line back by the water ride. They were letting people get in line apart from the regular crowd. About 9:50 the line started to move and I believe cm were leading the line over, it seemed to us (from what we could see, we were pretty near the end of the line) the let people on right at 10. We were on and off the ride by about 10:30. We did that again on our 2nd day, but this time, I think we were the last people that were in the pre-line. After we had walked all the way around and were about to the section of line across the walkway, there were tons of people running to get in line. I guess they had waited at rope drop from some other location.

I do agree, worth the wait!!! I think it may be the best ride in the parks!

 

[wickesy]

Not sure you were in the right spot for the early morning wait... We were there last week. CA opened at 10, and they opened gates at 9:30. We went into CA about 9:45, and followed signs back and around and they had a line back by the water ride. They were letting people get in line apart from the regular crowd. About 9:50 the line started to move and I believe cm were leading the line over, it seemed to us (from what we could see, we were pretty near the end of the line) the let people on right at 10. We were on and off the ride by about 10:30. We did that again on our 2nd day, but this time, I think we were the last people that were in the pre-line. After we had walked all the way around and were about to the section of line across the walkway, there were tons of people running to get in line. I guess they had waited at rope drop from some other location.

I do agree, worth the wait!!! I think it may be the best ride in the parks!

We did the same last week. We were staying at the Grand Californian so entered DCA via their entrance and saw the line by Grizzly River Run. We were a way back but as far as I could tell everybody stayed pretty much in line order - there was quite a gap between me and the people in front of me at one point but nobody passed me.

 

[heatherleigh]

I talked to a friend who was in DL a week or two ago. She said Toy Story was the only ride she remembers having to really wait in line for, but that it was well worth it.