Where to Start the Day??

[lindyv321]

My boyfriend and I are taking a very quick trip and will be in the parks on Saturday. It’s the first time ever we will be there on a Saturday and it looks like crowds are expected to be high. We have a park hopper with Maxpass to help us utilize our time and also test out the system. My question is which park would you start your day in? I know that on Saturday Disneyland has early-morning entry which means crowds will already be a bit higher so should we go to DCA first or utilize those morning hours where crowds tend to be a bit lower and knock out some of our Disneyland favorites?

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'd probably get there really early to Disneyland. Start in a one of the lands that isn't opened yet. Get a fp for Indy (or mansion if you ride it) first thing. Then get a GOTG fp on deck and hop over to that mid morning.

I just feel DL gets much busier in the afternoon and we prefer to be in DCA part of the time.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I'd start at Disneyland but go left at rope drop - since only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open for MM, you still enter an "empty" park if you veer into Adventureland or Frontierland.

What we did a few Saturdays ago was this: booked HMH before the park opened (8:30 return time), did Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, Big Thunder, booked Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy at 8:30, did Pirates, went to HMH with the FP, did a couple Fantasyland things on the way to SM, booked Star Tours as soon as our SM FPs got scanned in, did Buzz and then Star Tours. By then the park was PACKED, we booked Splash and did that, and then we started booking for DCA - booked RSR, made sure we had FP available to pull at 3 to get Guardians: MAD, etc.

 

[mpadilla89]

I personally can not start anywhere but Disneyland. If i start my vacation at DCA it just doesn't feel the same. Disneyland is so much more magical. Plus you will have MP which will help out with the crowds.

 

[lindyv321]

Thank you for the input! Makes sense! We usually hit Tomorrowland first but that either when we have EME or when DCA has it. With everything I’ve read about MP it sounds like things will be manageable even with crowds.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Thank you for the input! Makes sense! We usually hit Tomorrowland first but that either when we have EME or when DCA has it. With everything I’ve read about MP it sounds like things will be manageable even with crowds.

One way Maxpass really helps in the morning is that you can book the Tomorrowland rides without actually being in Tomorrowland! So you can go knock out an "emptier" area while still getting the harder-to-get FPs.

Keep in mind that the FPs have a 5-minute before and 15-minute-after "grace period" - that can benefit you if you're in another area and don't have to rush quite so much to get over there.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

One more thing: if you want to see Fantasmic!, grab FP early. If you don't want to see Fantasmic!, AVOID NOS/Frontierland and that whole section of the park after about 6pm! It gets impossible to navigate over there. So that's another benefit to doing that area early.

 

[az4boys]

Does anyone have suggestions on what FP to get first? We'll be in the same situation. Coming on a Thursday with MM, but we don't have MM. I think we need to pick between Haunted Mansion and Indy just based on family preferences. We do have MP. Or, will both Haunted Mansion and Indy have short lines first thing so we can do those stand-by and get FP for Matterhorn instead?

 

[lindyv321]

One more thing: if you want to see Fantasmic!, grab FP early. If you don't want to see Fantasmic!, AVOID NOS/Frontierland and that whole section of the park after about 6pm! It gets impossible to navigate over there. So that's another benefit to doing that area early.

We aren’t overly interested in the nighttime shows so we will avoid the area! Might be a good time to get som FL rides done.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Does anyone have suggestions on what FP to get first? We'll be in the same situation. Coming on a Thursday with MM, but we don't have MM. I think we need to pick between Haunted Mansion and Indy just based on family preferences. We do have MP. Or, will both Haunted Mansion and Indy have short lines first thing so we can do those stand-by and get FP for Matterhorn instead?

Will you have maxpass? If so you can get one before park opening. I'd get one of the 2 u mention. Should go quick. Longer lines already at space.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Does anyone have suggestions on what FP to get first? We'll be in the same situation. Coming on a Thursday with MM, but we don't have MM. I think we need to pick between Haunted Mansion and Indy just based on family preferences. We do have MP. Or, will both Haunted Mansion and Indy have short lines first thing so we can do those stand-by and get FP for Matterhorn instead?

I'd get HMH and then ride Indy on the way.

 

[Radgirl80]

We just got back from Disneyland. We started in adventureland, as others suggested on this board. We also had maxpass (life saver) and no MM. I scheduled our first fast pass for Indy at 7:30am for an 8:00 am opening. It was for 8:30a. We then went to haunted mansion (no wait). We then did Splash (no wait), Winnie the Pooh (no wait), pirates (5 min wait), and went on Indy at 9:15a. We had a second fast pass scheduled for our next land, tomorrowland, at 10am for space mountain. Crowds are very low 8-10am. You will get a ton done. Have fun!

 

[audrianna890]

We aways start in NOS and work our way back to Fantasyland. Splash Mountain, Pirates, HM, and Big Thunder are aways walk on for us. For the most part.