Why do RSR before Toy Story?

[PHamrick]

I've read several touring plans about how to cover DCA in a day and get to see your main priorities, effectively use Fast Passes, etc. Many of them say to go to RSR first thing and do Toy Story later, but why? As of right now (I know it will change at some point this year), TSMM doesn't have Fast Pass. And, if you are doing EMH at DCA, does it make that much of a difference to do TSMM first and then RSR? I've never done either so any guidance/clarification/explanation is appreciated. I guess I was thinking it would make sense to do TSMM first, then RSR and hang out in CarsLand for a bit and then pick up FP as soon as the park opens to re-ride RSR and/or get Soarin' etc.

I don't know...I'm all over the map on this one!

Thanks!!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'd do TSMM first. Maybe most of those guides were written when RSR first came out? Those first couple months 4 hours was a totally possible wait time for RSR making that touring plan make sense. Nowadays it maxes out around 2 hours.
Is single rider an option for you? If so I can't recommend it enough, especially during EMH for RSR! We walked on RSR two times in a row on two separate EMH mornings our last trip.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh- I'd wait on RSR FP until they transition into nighttime return times! Go grab a Soarin FP when the park opens. (RSR is a different, and awesome, experience at night.)

 

[Winnowill]

Hmm. We typically get a first-thing FP for RSR, then ride TSMM (twice, if we want), then Screamin' (twice, or even three times) before getting a Soarin' FP and using our FP for RSR. Our plan is that we use our Soarin' FP before RSR FPs run out and then wait to get an RSR FP for after dark.

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

We usually head to TSMM first as well. Our rough plan for DCA is TSMM (often more than once), California Screamin', Mickey's Fun Wheel (not open for EMH, I think), and then get FP for RSR. Single rider is also a good option for RSR if it works for your group.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

It depends if we have EMH or not. If we do, we go to TSMM first and then get RSR fastpasses sometime after park opening. If we don't have EMH, we grab RSR FP on our way to TSMM.

That said, it's really hit and miss if TSMM is actually open during EMH. So many times it isn't.

 

[dshimel]

I do RSR first, because later in the day I do a screamin-tsmm double.

Get the Screamin FP with like 45 min return time. Wait stand-by for tsmm for the 45 min, then can ride screamin. Poof, done with the pier.

Also, I'd rather do rsr 2-3 times, more than tsmm 2 or 3 times. One tsmm is enough for me.

 

[agamble]

We ride Toy Story first. Typically we avoid the crunch of people heading towards Carsland and take the slightly longer route around Grizzly Peak and get to the pier that way. We meet up with the people who were rushing to the pier through the Carsland crowd, so I think it takes about the same amount of time but less crowded. Anyway, we go to Toy Story first and then go get FP for RSR. Alternatively you could get FP on your way to Toy Story (just have to deal with crowds) and then ride Toy Story. The only reason I could see to go to RSR first is if you want to ride it many times in one day and/or you really want it to be your first ride of the day. Some people like to ride RSR then get FP to ride again later.

 

[PHamrick]

This is all great advice! One question though, many of you are mentioning getting Fast Passes. I thought you couldn't get a FP during EMH? We will definitely be doing EMH.

 

[Winnowill]

This is all great advice! One question though, many of you are mentioning getting Fast Passes. I thought you couldn't get a FP during EMH? We will definitely be doing EMH.

We never stay on-site, so EMH is never a concern for us. But, no, you cannot get FPs during EMH.

 

[egritz]

We do RSR first. Actually we don't stay on property so what we tend to do is get the FP for RSR first thing, if the wait isn't already long, ride it once, then head to TSMM, ride it once or twice (depending on wait time) and then Mickey's Fun Wheel and head back to get Soarin' FP and use the RSR FP. But we stay flexible since we usually open DCA at least 2 days on our trip (and use one of those mornings to see Anna & Elsa with minimum wait).
Right now we travel with a child under 40" so we are able to get Rider Switch passes which is super helpful on getting to Ride RSR (and other rides) several times since our kids aren't old enough to do Single Rider.
Besides having the rider switch pass, we do that bc RSR standby times can easily get up to 2 hrs during the day while TSMM tends to top out around 40 minutes. And i refuse to wait 2 hours for ANYTHING after having to wait 2 hours for Anna & Elsa back in the fall of 2014 (even with the FastPass they were issuing, it was a nightmare!)

 

[DLRExpert]

For EMH at DCA
- Get to the main entrance 30 minutes before EMH starts. Avoid the GCH entrance if you are staying there
- Head straight to RSR, then Luigi, then TSMM before the park opens. You can save Mater since that line usually lowers the later it gets and like RSR it is better to ride at night in my opinion
- This will give you 20 minutes or so to ride TSMM before the park officially opens.
- When the park opens you can then experience Screamin, then Funwheel, and the rest of the attractions in Paradise Pier, minus Little Mermaid as that line is never too long.
- After Paradise Pier, I would get my FP for Soarin, then FP for World of Color, then ride Grizzly without FP, and visit Bugs Land.
- Then before I use FP for Soarin, I grab FP for Racers so I can get the night ride on that attraction.

Non-EMH at DCA
- Get to the main entrance 30 minutes before the park officially opens. Avoid the GCH entrance if you are staying there.
- Hang out near the Rope Drop closest to Soarin
- When the park opens grab FP for Soarin and take Grizzly Trail to Paradise Pier, ride TSMM first, then Screamin, Funwheel, and the rest of the attractions in Paradise Pier, minus Little Mermaid as that line is never too long.
- After Paradise Pier, I would get my FP for World of Color, then ride Grizzly without FP, and use FP for Soarin. Then visit Bugs Land until the FP time that I want for RSR is available.

Be sure to use the Disneyland App to help inform you what FP time is available for RSR.

ME

 

[sleepymouse]

TSMM a couple times, then Screamin', then RSR FPs some time after that.

 

[Sagginit]

DCA without EMH is totally different touring plan than with EMH. Many people like to do RSR more than once so they FP at park open and then get in stand by which means it quickly grows in those first 30 minutes to over an hour on some days. TSMM I have done at night and waited just 30 mins so that vs a 60+ min wait for RSR is why the guides tell you to do it first.

Even with EMH lots of people go to RSR first. This past trip I couldn't ride as I was pregnant and my husband was happy to skip it without me. We got over 8 rounds of a ride in during the first hour and half including 2-3 rounds of TSMM by not going to RSR. What we did was this:

- Head to Soarin at open for EMH (this worked well as Soarin has a longer load time, so we managed to get in the first group to load which went much faster than later in day when they were taking people off and then loading you on)
- Next go over to pier, husband rode screamin 2 times and I went on carasouel next door
- Headed to TSMM rode that 2-3 times (I don't believe it was open exactly at park open when we got in)
- Park was now open so we rode the rest of pier
- Headed into Grizzly area to get a FP for later, now at this point you could instead head over to RSR

Whatever you do get the App so you know what is going on as you tour the park and can adapt to any changes (ride closings, sudden increase in wait times, FP going fast).