Use magic morning pass or avoid it and go to DCA?

[DSNY4ever]

So I haven't been to DL in 2 years. How are the Magic Mornings lately? Is it worth getting the kids up extra early or has it turned into WDW extra magic hours where it's almost better to avoid it and go to the other park? We are not staying on property so we only have the MM with our 3 day park hopper (so only the Disneyland Tuesday morning option). We are going next week, so it won't be summer crowds yet.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Use it! (But don't waste it on Peter Pan imho.) We love DL EMH and last Nov was just as great as the years before, we got so much done in FL in the morning (and Matterhorn!). Not at all like my 1 experience with WDW EMH! (OHMYGOSH THAT WAS SO BAD! I did it at Epcot- had NO idea what I was in for! WDW EMH = Never. Again.)

 

[DSNY4ever]

Good to know! I am just nervous because I keep hearing how the crowds have gotten worse and worse . We do have a a park hopper so we can hop over to DCA if the crowds get too big due to the EMH and MM being grouped together.

 

[DLRExpert]

Avoid it unless you have limited days at the park or if the park opens at 9 or later.

If you go you MUST get to the entrance 30-40 minutes before if starts.

Avoid all FP (Space Mountain, Star tours etc) and long ride attractions (Nemo Subs)

My recommendation is to stay in Fantasyland since there are no FP attractions there (Matterhorn excluded).

If you are able to be the first 100 in line for Peter Peter Pan ride it. If not skip it and come back when you have done everything else much later in the day. Keep an eye on the Disneyland App. If the line gets to 35 minutes or lower, ride it then.

2nd attraction to ride is Dumbo, then follow this order

Alice, Toad, Pinocchio, and Snow White.

As the park opens ride Casey Jr, then Tea Cups, get FP for Matterhorn, ride Big Thunder, ride Jungle Cruise, get FP for Indiana Jones, ride Pirates, use FP for Matterhorn, ride Splash, Pooh, Mansion, get FP for Space, use FP for Indy, then break for lunch.

The next FP should be for Star tours, next FP after that is up to you.

Save Nemo, Autopia, Small World and Toontown for later in the day at night.

See the shows and Characters in between using FP and before it becomes dark. Or head back to the hotel to rest.


ME

 

[DisTXMom]

Echo thoughts above- use it for sure, but not on Peter Pan.

 

[HydroGuy]

So I haven't been to DL in 2 years. How are the Magic Mornings lately? Is it worth getting the kids up extra early or has it turned into WDW extra magic hours where it's almost better to avoid it and go to the other park? We are not staying on property so we only have the MM with our 3 day park hopper (so only the Disneyland Tuesday morning option). We are going next week, so it won't be summer crowds yet.

I just wrote this 2 days ago on another thread:

I think I can speak for just about everyone that it is a no brainer to do MM/EMH at DLR. At DL most (including me) would suggest focusing on FantasyLand where you can make your way through 6-9 rides in an hour that would take 4 hours later in the day.

Expanding on this, for those staying at a DLR hotel and have EMH every day, when you are there during high season and the parks open at 8AM, doing a 7AM EMH every day is very difficult. The last time we tried I think we made it 2 of the 4 mornings, with a third morning we made it to DCA EMH about 30 minutes after it began.

When you are there and the parks open at 9AM or 10AM, then the (8AM or 9AM) EMH is a lot easier to make for mere mortals and perhaps more valuable.

For those not staying at a DLR hotel, but who have a MM, my advice again is similar to others: use it on the first possible day you can - preferably on day 1 - especially when it is a 7AM MM. If you put MM off to later in your trip, you may find out you are too tired to get up that early and the MM gets wasted. If you can get to DLR the day before MM and get to bed at a reasonable time, your best chance to really enjoy the MM is on Day 1 when you are fresh.

Additionally, for rope drop folks who do not have MM, it is also a no brainer to go to the park without EMH each day so you are on a level playing field with everyone else. EMH/MM affects wait times for rides mostly in the first hour (or two) of each day so if you are a late arriver then do not worry about which park has EMH/MM because EMH/MM effect will be diluted by the time you arrive.

Finally, since DL only has FantasyLand and TomorrowLand rides open during EMH/MM, then it will be fine to rope drop DL without you having EMH/MM as long as you "turn left" when you get to the hub. In other words, the rides in AdventureLand/FrontierLand/New Orleans Square/Critter Country are all closed during EMH/MM so if you start there at rope drop you are on a level playing field with all the EMH/MM folks already in the park. Focus on the "left side" for the first hour or two and you will be fine in this case.

DCA essentially has all headliners and all lands open during EMH so the same trick will not work there as normal rope drop arrivers will find lines built up (to some degree) for every major ride when they finally get into the park.

Note for WDW vets - the EMH/MM effect on park attendance at DLR is not nearly as pronounced as at WDW because there are just not that many people using EMH/MM at DLR compared to WDW EMH. I personally almost always avoid WDW parks with AM or PM EMH even if I have EMH privileges - which I always have. The WDW hotel guests pack into the EMH parks and skew crowds. It is not like that at DLR, so no need to totally avoid the EMH/MM park.

 

[mom2rtk]

The earlier the time, the more valuable the MM/EMH is. That's because fewer people will be able to get up and out and be there.

Definitely concur with not doing Peter Pan unless you are at the very front of the line. And honestly, I never want to fight the crowd to do that. To me, being in Fantasyland with room to breathe is a more valuable experience.

Also agree on not doing Nemo Subs because it takes so much time even with no line.

 

[gsrieff]

Well this is the opposite of what I had planned for next week. We have 3 days. Sunday and Monday DCA has EMH. Tuesday DCA does not. Tuesday is the MM at 7am for DL, along with DL EMH. We were planning to rope drop DL Sunday and Monday. Then we were going to skip MM on Tuesday, and go to DCA because it was our only morning onsite guests weren't in first. Is this not a good idea?

Our mornings at DCA look like this: FP Soarin, FP WOC, walk to TSMM, use Soarin FP, Pull RSR FP. Is this possible starting at DCA after an EMH?

Edited to say: I was mistaken, MM is at 8am. Also, I have an AP (no MM for me) BUT in October a CM told me if I'm with a group who all has MM, they will let me in with them. Does anyone have experience with this, or was it just that one CM?

 

[DLRExpert]

Well this is the opposite of what I had planned for next week. We have 3 days. Sunday and Monday DCA has EMH. Tuesday DCA does not. Tuesday is the MM at 7am for DL, along with DL EMH. We were planning to rope drop DL Sunday and Monday. Then we were going to skip MM on Tuesday, and go to DCA because it was our only morning onsite guests weren't in first. Is this not a good idea?

Our mornings at DCA look like this: FP Soarin, FP WOC, walk to TSMM, use Soarin FP, Pull RSR FP. Is this possible starting at DCA after an EMH?

Edited to say: I was mistaken, MM is at 8am. Also, I have an AP (no MM for me) BUT in October a CM told me if I'm with a group who all has MM, they will let me in with them. Does anyone have experience with this, or was it just that one CM?

I would just stick with your plan and avoid all MM and EMH days.

Most important thing is to be at the entrance gates 30 minutes before the park officially opens.

For DCA day I would recommend this...

Get to the entrance gates 30 minutes before opening and once in head to the rope drop closest to the Little Mermaid. The WOC FP machines are near this area and open.

When the park opens head toward TSMM and grab FP, then ride Screamin, Funwheel, Symphony Swings, Goofy Sky school, Jumpin Jellyfish, and Zephyr.

Now head to Soarin and grab FP, then ride Grizzly, use FP for TSMM, ride Mermaid, ride Monsters Inc, hang out in Bugs Land until it's time to get FP for RSR. Then use FP for Soarin.

Note: use the official app to see where the FP return for RSR is at. If it's about to sell out or at a time you want to ride, skip FP for Soarin and get FP for RSR instead. You can always get FP for Soarin later.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Okay, thanks guys. Good info. I feel like the Peter Pan line is always so long we never end up getting to go on it. I guess we'll be getting up bright and early!

 

[dshimel]

1) It depends on how crowded the day is expected to be. Really crowded days, everyone goes to Magic Morning, and you can spend most of that extra hour just trying to get into the park. On days that won't be "that bad", then people sleep in and MM can be great.
2) You don't have to decide until day of. Show up half hour before the start of MM. If crowds are insane, then go line up to be first into DCA. If lines are short for DL, then use the MM.

 

[Claireywalsh]

I'm getting nervous about not knowing a strategy yet. We don't go until September, first timers, WDW previously visited so have been enjoying the lack of required planning but now I feel under prepared!!