What's the quickest route to TSMM?

[hikingblondie]

And how early should we line up? We will be there Sept 13-20 when the parks are not open until 10 am (both parks I think). I think I read somewhere that there is a special holding line for TSMM - but I can't remember.

Planning EE at DL Sunday if that helps.

Any tips/tricks to be somewhere near the front of the line for TSMM?

Thanks!!

 

[DLR29]

Well nobody really knows what TSMM's line will be like during the off season because so far it's only been open during busy summer season. However, when I was there in August, there was no way around waiting less than 30-45 minutes at any time of day.

Before the park opened (remember DCA's gates open at 9:30, but the rides don't open until 10) there was a line that formed over by Grizzly Peak (by the entrance of GRR) and it was slowly led to TSMM just before park opening.

Either:
a) You showed up 30-45 min before DCA opening and stood in line outside of the park/by Grizzly River Run with a short wait in the actual line

or

b) You got in the actual ride line during DCA hours and waited 30-45 minutes.

It just depends on if you want to wait for it before or during park hours.

 

[Tink6666]

We skipped it last week due to the over 1 hour wait!!! We were even there mid week on a Tuesday!!! they were saying the wait was 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Not worth it for us.

 

[eduk8r26]

Depending on how many in your group, if you don't mind riding alone, single rider is the way to go. There were 2 of us this week and we rode single rider on Wednesday morning and waited 5 minutes the first time. The second time we were lucky enough to get in the same car because there was an empty one. Friday we waited about 20 minutes. We don't mind because it saves lots of time. We do it on Soarin', Mulholland Madness, and my niece goes on Screamin' by herself because I'm a chicken. LOL I just wish DL did single rider, but they don't.

 

[Sherry E]

I am really curious to see what people tell us about the line wait time as the next couple of months unfold into the 'off-peak' season...which is looking like it is not going to be so off-peak this year, after all. I am due to be in DCA on 10/3 & 10/4, but I may possibly try to go in on Thursday night (10/2) just to see if I can get a shorter line. In any case, I KNOW I will have to face a line - I am bracing myself for it - so as long as the line is not 3 hours, then I can deal. I figure it will probably move much faster than what they say anyway. So if it says One Hour, it will probably be less than that. It IS worth it for me because everyone I personally know who has gone on it recently says it is their new favorite and the best ride in the parks - and that includes the rides at DL. And these are people who have been going to DL for decades. And everyone on this board seems to agree that it is worth whatever wait there is to get on it because it is that good. So I am just going to hunker down and get in the line. I know I will not be disappointed.

 

[daneenm]

We were there last week and went to the GCH DCA entrance for the 9:30 opening. The line is right past Soarin' and before Grizzly River Run, you won't be able to miss it. The first day they were slow to open the GCH gates, so we had abut 60-75 people ahead of us in the TSMM line. Second day they opened right on time and we were no more than 30th in line. In my opinion, this is the way to go. Even though you do wind up waiting 1/2 hour, you are walking for at least 15 minutes of it (they walk quite slowly and besides walking from GRR to TSMM, you also have to wind through the whole queue area) which was much easier on our children than just standing still in line for the whole time. Both days we were off the ride by 10:05 and the line was over an hour at that point.

Hope that helps!
Daneen

 

[Sherry E]

We were there last week and went to the GCH DCA entrance for the 9:30 opening. The line is right past Soarin' and before Grizzly River Run, you won't be able to miss it. The first day they were slow to open the GCH gates, so we had abut 60-75 people ahead of us in the TSMM line. Second day they opened right on time and we were no more than 30th in line. In my opinion, this is the way to go. Even though you do wind up waiting 1/2 hour, you are walking for at least 15 minutes of it (they walk quite slowly and besides walking from GRR to TSMM, you also have to wind through the whole queue area) which was much easier on our children than just standing still in line for the whole time. Both days we were off the ride by 10:05 and the line was over an hour at that point.

Hope that helps!
Daneen

So you think the key is to use the GCH entrance (if you are staying at one of the three hotels) and line up there, when? Maybe at 9:00 a.m. or so? When did you get to the GCH line? Someone else said a while back that there was a lot of gridlock at the GCH entrance and that it actually worked out better waiting at the main entrance to DCA. In any case, wherever I wait, I am getting on that ride, come hell or high water! But I know my friend is not as keen on waiting so I want to make her as un-miserable as possible!

 

[daneenm]

So you think the key is to use the GCH entrance (if you are staying at one of the three hotels) and line up there, when? Maybe at 9:00 a.m. or so? When did you get to the GCH line? Someone else said a while back that there was a lot of gridlock at the GCH entrance and that it actually worked out better waiting at the main entrance to DCA. In any case, wherever I wait, I am getting on that ride, come hell or high water! But I know my friend is not as keen on waiting so I want to make her as un-miserable as possible!

We arrived at the GCH gate at about 9:25 the first morning and at about 9:15 the second. The second morning we were maybe 30 people closer to the beginning of the line than we were the first day. I think it depends how fast you can hustle from the front gate to the line and how prompt they are at opening the GCH entrance. Day 1, I think people from the front gates were lining up as we got through the GCH entrance...Day 2 we were lined up at least a couple of minutes before people came from the direction of the front gate. With two children it was much easier for us to do the GCH entrance. Either way, were rode the ride very quickly once it was opened.

 

[Sherry E]

We arrived at the GCH gate at about 9:25 the first morning and at about 9:15 the second. The second morning we were maybe 30 people closer to the beginning of the line than we were the first day. I think it depends how fast you can hustle from the front gate to the line and how prompt they are at opening the GCH entrance. Day 1, I think people from the front gates were lining up as we got through the GCH entrance...Day 2 we were lined up at least a couple of minutes before people came from the direction of the front gate. With two children it was much easier for us to do the GCH entrance. Either way, were rode the ride very quickly once it was opened.

I will make sure to wear my hustlin' shoes! Of course, I would have been wearing them anyway because sometimes you have to hustle in the parks, but I want to get right into that GCH ine because I know if we are even fifteen minutes late in getting into DCA after it opens, the TSMM line will already be an hour or more. We are staying at PPH, but to use the GCH entrance, all we have to do is show the room key along with our ticket, right?

 

[daneenm]

We are staying at PPH, but to use the GCH entrance, all we have to do is show the room key along with our ticket, right?

Yep. You show them your room key (or charge slip) at bag check and off you go. First thing in the morning they seemed to have an extra cast member doing bag check instead of having the ticket takers doing it.

 

[hikingblondie]

I'm staying off site...so I guess that won't work for me.

 

[splash5]

Then your best bet is to get to the front gates of DCA about 30-45 minutes before official opening time. (9:15-9:30 for a 10:00 opening.) As soon as you go through the gate, go to your right over by GRR. They will have a rope up and lines for regular park entry and one for TSMM. You have to go this way to ride it. The first day, we came in through the front gates and followed the crowd to the ride and waited about 30 minutes to ride (by the time we got off, the line was already well over an hour. The next day we rode, we came in through the GC entrance at about 9:30 and walked onto the ride as soon as it opened up. We tried to do the single rider line that day, but they didn't open it up for some reason.

It really is worth the wait- this ride is really great!!!