What would be your DHS plan of attack?!

[MarkyMouse]

I will be at DHS a week from today. This is kind of a last minute thing. I confess I have not been keeping up much with everything regarding visiting the parks. I’m aware of the process for getting a boarding pass for Rise. But my question is how would you attack the park if you were wanting to ride Mickey Minnie and slinky dog. We will be in the park when it opens.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Arrive 45 minutes prior to official opening. That is not easy as the parking lots don’t open until then and that is also when he Skyliner begins I believe. Walk if at an Epcot resort. Hey will start letting people in early. Get in line for MMRR as you may be able to finish that before you even have to get your RotR boarding pass at 10:00. Adjust based upon your boarding group but you might find SDD pretty long around 10:00, maybe do Midway Mania then head over to Slinky...

 

[queso2992]

Honestly, I don't think you'll have a problem getting everything in. We were at HS today. Didn't arrive until 1 and we had ridden everything except Star Tours by the time the park closed at 8. We saved MMRR to the end and got in line before closing. It was maybe a 15 minute wait then?
We luckily got a boarding group at the 2 pm distribution. (BG 68 which was a backup group, but it was good day for the ride and we got in). We also did rider swap on nearly every ride, so that added a bit more time.

 

[LizzyDragon]

Last time I was in HS, I did MMRR and Slinky before noon- didn't wait more than 30 min for either. And ended up doing pretty much all the attractions by the time the park closed (and that's with long leisurely beer breaks at Baseline).

The nice thing about the post-Covid state the parks are in is that you don't really need to plan out your day. Show up and do whatever you like in pretty much whatever order you want (besides the whole Rise BG thing).

 

[Patch'sD]

I was at HS on Wednesday last, Parking opens up at 9:10 AM. at 8:47 access to the parking toll gate was still blocked by Security. I would say don't approach the parking gate until 8:55 than you will wait in line until parking tolls open. Park is open so you can get on any line at that time. At 9:59 AM refresh your virtual queue to join. All rides with the exception of the New Runaway Railway were walks on for most of the day. I have no children so I could not tell you about slinky dog

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

So is the best plan to Uber/Lyft to an Epcot resort and then walk over to HS?

 

[DianaMB333]

I went yesterday.. got to Boardwalk resort at 830am, walked to the park (the parking lot and skyliner opens until 9am).. so I got there 840am, there were already some lines for the health screening..

Park turnstiles were open at 9am, I got into the Railway first, then I jumped into Slinky, Falcon and got an early boarding group for RoTR.. by 1130am all the top rides: done; I repeated Slinky and then hit Rock and roll and Terror Tower... everything has 30-40mins wait..

I even stayed at Hollywood blvd from 12 to 1 or so to capture the different cavalcades

From this, the only Must I would say is Railway first! The lines were crazy long during the day..

 

[Eldritch]

I went yesterday.. got to Boardwalk resort at 830am, walked to the park (the parking lot and skyliner opens until 9am).. so I got there 840am, there were already some lines for the health screening..

Park turnstiles were open at 9am, I got into the Railway first, then I jumped into Slinky, Falcon and got an early boarding group for RoTR.. by 1130am all the top rides: done; I repeated Slinky and then hit Rock and roll and Terror Tower... everything has 30-40mins wait..

I even stayed at Hollywood blvd from 12 to 1 or so to capture the different cavalcades

From this, the only Must I would say is Railway first! The lines were crazy long during the day..

Thanks for this. We are going next week and haven't been since before Slinky or Galaxy's Edge. I think I will do Railway first and then SDD like you suggest.

I also a really liking the idea of Ubering to Boardwalk and then walking. It's only about a 10 minute walk?

 

[DianaMB333]

Thanks for this. We are going next week and haven't been since before Slinky or Galaxy's Edge. I think I will do Railway first and then SDD like you suggest.

I also a really liking the idea of Ubering to Boardwalk and then walking. It's only about a 10 minute walk?

Yes.. it is short nice walk.. good luck!

 

[Amunet]

I have no children so I could not tell you about slinky dog

Oh, is Slinky more of a kids ride (like barnstormer)?

 

[dachsie]

Oh, is Slinky more of a kids ride (like barnstormer)?

Slinky is more like 7DMT but way more fun and smoother

 

[LizzyDragon]

So is the best plan to Uber/Lyft to an Epcot resort and then walk over to HS?

The gas station by HS is closer than the resorts, and avoids needing a reservation to get in the resorts. That said, you're really not saving a ton of time. Last time I went to HS, it took about 20-25 min from getting in line at the tollbooth to getting to a parking spot (during the morning rush). Walking will take at least 15 min from the gas station. If you're taking an Uber/Lyft, I'd just get dropped off at HS.

 

[Lumpy1106]

They start letting people into the park 30-45 min early and start running rides 15 minutes early. We walked onto TSMM, rode it, then waited just outside the building at the exit to get our ROTR Boarding Group. It's shady and cool there as you as you still have the AC from the building there - can't ask for more than that. There was one other family there - they got BG 7, we got BG 10, so I'd say that was a solid strategy. Lines for everything else were short enough that we did not even check listed wait times all day.

As for getting to the park;
We were at the bus stop at CR 1:15 before park open. That was not early enough. They started running buses about an hour before park open but run very few buses. If you are not on that first bus, all bet are off for getting to the park before 10a. We were not, so we took a Lyft. That went VERY smoothly! I've read more positive reviews of the buses since we returned so maybe they've been listening to the complaints and have made improvements. Be sure and ask around - nothing more frustrating than getting stuck at a bus stop.

 

[cindyfan]

So is the best plan to Uber/Lyft to an Epcot resort and then walk over to HS?

So why wouldn't you just Uber right to HS?

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

So why wouldn't you just Uber right to HS?

People have suggested that the ride share lane may not be open, and drivers are being held at the toll booths, so that you have to get it exactly right with timing your pick up. Maybe I have misunderstood what people have reported.

 

[karma459]

I thought that unless you were a guest at that resort OR had an ADR, you were not being allowed in (either your own vehicle or Uber/Lyft)? Based on your information, it seems enforcement of this 'rule' is hit or miss, which is kinda a bummer... I don't want to take a chance and then be turned away at the resort.. so confusing.

 

[LizzyDragon]

People have suggested that the ride share lane may not be open, and drivers are being held at the toll booths, so that you have to get it exactly right with timing your pick up. Maybe I have misunderstood what people have reported.

The tollbooths should be open by 9:15am, so just plan your Lyft/Uber accordingly. I've been driving in and planning to get to the booths by that time and so far no issues.

 

[DianaMB333]

Oh, is Slinky more of a kids ride (like barnstormer)?

Nope.. Slinky has more turns and speed than Barnstormer... it is stilll a kid

So why wouldn't you just Uber right to HS?

I couldn’t because the access was closed until 9am, so the Uber could not lined up .. so It took me to Boardwalk resort and I did the walk

 

[DianaMB333]

I thought that unless you were a guest at that resort OR had an ADR, you were not being allowed in (either your own vehicle or Uber/Lyft)? Based on your information, it seems enforcement of this 'rule' is hit or miss, which is kinda a bummer... I don't want to take a chance and then be turned away at the resort.. so confusing.

At the resort entrance I explained the situation to the guard and he allowed the car to drop me by the walkaway.. (I was staying at OKW)