Wrong Order for Parks?

[freshstart19]

Hello. We'll be arriving at DLR in late August. I'm reviewing our plans and am wondering if I've scheduled the park days in the wrong order. We're staying at DGC. I planned on alternating the early morning rope drop days to be DCA on Mon; DL on Tues, DCA on Wed, DL on Thurs. Looks like the early entry for resorts guests and those based on their ticket type for DL occur on the same Tues and Thursdays. So, I guess there's no way to avoid the crowds on those days for DL, is that correct?

Do the rides for younger kids remain crowded even after 9 in the evenings? We might arrive on Sunday night and thought we'd pop in to DL to get oriented since it's our first time!

 

[teambeaman]

I used to live there, so DLR is my home resort. The rides geared toward younger kids shouldn't be that bad after 9pm, but keep in mind that since it is a locals park, you do get an influx of locals in the evenings that visit the parks after they get off of work.

 

[Dave2425]

Hello. We'll be arriving at DLR in late August. I'm reviewing our plans and am wondering if I've scheduled the park days in the wrong order. We're staying at DGC. I planned on alternating the early morning rope drop days to be DCA on Mon; DL on Tues, DCA on Wed, DL on Thurs. Looks like the early entry for resorts guests and those based on their ticket type for DL occur on the same Tues and Thursdays. So, I guess there's no way to avoid the crowds on those days for DL, is that correct?

Do the rides for younger kids remain crowded even after 9 in the evenings? We might arrive on Sunday night and thought we'd pop in to DL to get oriented since it's our first time!

That's exactly how we did it during our 5 day trip in June and it worked great.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

Hello. We'll be arriving at DLR in late August. I'm reviewing our plans and am wondering if I've scheduled the park days in the wrong order. We're staying at DGC. I planned on alternating the early morning rope drop days to be DCA on Mon; DL on Tues, DCA on Wed, DL on Thurs. Looks like the early entry for resorts guests and those based on their ticket type for DL occur on the same Tues and Thursdays. So, I guess there's no way to avoid the crowds on those days for DL, is that correct?

Do the rides for younger kids remain crowded even after 9 in the evenings? We might arrive on Sunday night and thought we'd pop in to DL to get oriented since it's our first time!

All of the Fantasyland rides (around the castle) close prior to the fireworks, and re-open after the show. Last week, I found those rides to be very crowded on Thursday and Friday nights after they re-opened. Peter Pan was 40mins, Mr. Toad was 20mins, Alice was 30mins. All of the rides had lines, even Small World. I just hopped on the train and went back over to Frontierland to catch the last F!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hello. We'll be arriving at DLR in late August. I'm reviewing our plans and am wondering if I've scheduled the park days in the wrong order. We're staying at DGC. I planned on alternating the early morning rope drop days to be DCA on Mon; DL on Tues, DCA on Wed, DL on Thurs. Looks like the early entry for resorts guests and those based on their ticket type for DL occur on the same Tues and Thursdays. So, I guess there's no way to avoid the crowds on those days for DL, is that correct?

I am not sure exactly what you mean. Are you saying you are planning to use the EMH at DCA and DL on those days? Because if you are then the crowds from EMH/MM at DL are not a big deal because you will be there at that time too. There is no way to avoid the MM (non-resort guest) crowds but frankly they are not really bad. Don't skip EMH just to avoid the MM guests. IMO that is not the right way to think about it.

Do the rides for younger kids remain crowded even after 9 in the evenings? We might arrive on Sunday night and thought we'd pop in to DL to get oriented since it's our first time!

With the caveat about fireworks - which do not occur every night once DL starts making the switch to off-season hours - yes, the wait times for rides and the Fantasyland rides (most of them anyways) do go down significantly as the evening goes on.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Caveats: Don't expect the line for Peter Pan to let up at all. There's usually a line right up until DL closes. That may or may not be the same thing for Alice now that the big refurb has completed, too.

 

[superlarz]

Last time I went to FL after 10ish, I had my own boat on IASW, and most of the rides had a 5-10 minute wait. Peter Pan was still 40 minutes though. Usually things arent that bad late at night. I find Fridays and Saturdays to remain a little busier, Sunday - Thursday dies down after the fireworks. This is even more true during the school year.

 

[freshstart19]

Thanks everyone! We will make sure to catch Peter Pan during our early entry hours. I am planning on taking advantage of the resort guest early entry hours. The park hours will be shorter during our stay. DL will be open until midnight on the night of our arrival but they will shorter for our 4 day stay. Still very worried about not maximizing the fastpasses and doing things in the wrong order!! DD11 really wants to see Ana and Elsa!

 

[sleepymouse]

Fireworks will occur every night but Fantasmic will only run Sunday night (I am assuming that you are arriving on 8/24, same as us). So Fantasyland will not really be an option in the late evening because fireworks are at 9:25 and park closes at 10pm. I think it is safe to assume that once Fantasyland closes down before fireworks, it is closed for the evening.

Try to do PP first thing in the morning during one of your EMH. If you do not get to the ride within the first few minutes of opening, it will be a long wait no matter what/when. I would then do Dumbo followed by Alice. This order worked great for us last week.

 

[freshstart19]

Thanks so much for the tip on the ride order! I"m cutting and pasting all of my notes!

 

[Melgar541]

If you do go to the parks on Sunday (8/24) you might want to go on HM and the Matterhorn as these are scheduled for refurbs beginning on Monday 8/25.

 

[freshstart19]

Thanks, Melgar541. We may not get there until late but I will let the girls know.