What's the strategy when you are offsite? MM or DCA when it doesn't have EMH?

[sharona]

We're staying off site and will have MM for one morning. The only day of our trip that we could take advantage of MM (Tuesday 8-9a) is also the only day of our trip that DCA does not have EMH. The other days DCA EMH is 7-8am or 8-9am depending on the day.

We want to be at rope drop at DCA at least one morning so we can ride TSM and RSR before the long waits start. Should we skip MM and hit DCA the only day when we have a chance of being in the park ahead of the pack or better to use MM access and go to DCA for a 8 or 9am opening when EMH started at 7 or 8am and there are already others in the park? If it makes a difference, Fantasyland is not our priority at DL. We're more interested in Space, Matterhorn (before it goes into refurb on day 3 of our trip), IJ and DD13's favorite ride is BTMRR...

We have 3 other mornings where we could be at rope drop for a 9am opening at DL when there is no MM or EMH ahead of us but only the one chance to be at DCA without running into EMH crowds ahead of us. I'm leaning toward skipping MM and being at DCA for rope drop on that day but wanted to ask the experts.

Advice please.

TIA!

 

[tlovesdis]

If Fantasyland isn't a priority then I would go to DCA the day it doesn't have EE. You will have a better shot at getting on RSR and TS. Even during EE lines can back up quickly and by the time you get in could be a long wait.

That's what I would do anyway! FL is not a priority for me either.

 

[agamble]

Because we had APs we didn't get a MM. We did as you described: rope drop at the non early entry park. It works well. We ride Toy Story and then get FP for RSR. The only downside is that MM is an actual extra hour you get in the parks.

 

[texasgingerbread]

I had this same exact discussion with myself before I left and now that I've been I would do TSMM on the even playing field with others at DCA (so not on EMH) and then do DL with even playing field and go straight to Space. If you're getting hoppers, go to DL and then then time RSR hop to grab FP for 10:45ish (you'll have to see for your park days) and ride RSR at night together with FP. It's worth the hop there and back. Then the morning you are there for TSMM just grab a FP for RSR after you ride TSMM or get in the single rider line. You can both "race" each other if you tell CM ahead of time so one of you in one car and the other in the other car at the same time. Super fun!

 

[lindyv321]

This! We are going in September and it's our first trip staying off site and not getting early entry every day so I've been going back and forth about this too! On our first trip I didn't buy park hoppers and so we skipped a day of early entry at DCA and went to DL instead and there was a definite difference in the crowd levels compared to the crowds on DL's early entry day.