Yet another DCA touring plan question!

[mcjingles]

Our only day at DCA will be Sunday 10/26. We have never been before. I will be traveling with DD4. She isn't much afraid of anything but from what I can tell we would skip screamin, tot, GRR. Do pretty much everything else. She is not a napper and came through 12 hour days at wdw last year beautifully. I assume this day will be open for EMH. We are staying OFFsite.
My quandary mainly is for RSR, TSMM and Goofy Sky. I can imagine we would want to ride each twice if possible. What would your plan be? We will be there at RD for regular park open.

 

[figment_jii]

If there is an EMH that morning, I don't really think there is a way to avoid the lines for RSR and TSMM. I would get to DCA at rope drop and get a FP for RSR. Then (assuming there is enough time) head over to TSMM. After that, it's probably just a matter of being willing to wait in line. I would try to do as much as possible in the first couple of hours before the majority of the crowds arrive.

 

[Filipina]

Sundays are always crowded as all annual passes are not blocked that day. Locals usually go a little later so I would get there at rope drop if you want to try and ride everything twice. Plus you may like riding Maters and Luigis tires and there is no FP for that. And it's near Halloween so people who aren't going to the Halloween Party are going to flock to DCA.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Be there at least 30 minutes before rope drop and head straight for TSMM. You may or may not be able to ride it without a long wait. Then do GSS. Then get your RSR FPs, which these days usually last at least 2-3 hours after park opening.

If riding RSR twice is more important to you than not waiting in line for TSMM, get your RSR FP first, then head to TSMM. If you do it that way, you may be able to ride RSR using FPs twice. However, you risk having an hour plus wait at TSMM if you don't head straight there. Without EMH, you may even have the wait if you DO go straight there.

TSMM is the hardest attraction to ride without a wait IMO. Good luck with being able to ride it twice on an EMH day without EMH and without an hour wait. I'd be very surprised if that happens.

If you do TSMM and GSS first, periodically check with Otto, 714-520-7090, about the FP return times for RSR.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/07/got-a-disneyland-resort-question-just-ask-otto/

 

[superlarz]

Locals dont show up until 11-12. The park will be relatively dead until then. The only rides that will have lines of any significance are TSMM and RSR. If you are there first thing, I would ride get a FP for RSR and then go ride TSMM. It might have about a 30 minute wait. Then GSS, which will have a 5 minute wait. After that, you can pretty much have free reign with minimal wait times for a few hours. You can decide to spend that time waiting for TSMM, but i wouldnt. that line will be between 30-45 minutes all day. I would go on things that will build a line later but will be mostly dead in the morning, like Mater, A Bugs Land attractions, Mickeys Fun Wheel, and Monsters Inc.

 

[mcjingles]

Locals dont show up until 11-12. The park will be relatively dead until then. The only rides that will have lines of any significance are TSMM and RSR. If you are there first thing, I would ride get a FP for RSR and then go ride TSMM. It might have about a 30 minute wait. Then GSS, which will have a 5 minute wait. After that, you can pretty much have free reign with minimal wait times for a few hours. You can decide to spend that time waiting for TSMM, but i wouldnt. that line will be between 30-45 minutes all day. I would go on things that will build a line later but will be mostly dead in the morning, like Mater, A Bugs Land attractions, Mickeys Fun Wheel, and Monsters Inc.

This is what I was hoping...thinking.

 

[abminer]

I would go on things that will build a line later but will be mostly dead in the morning, like Mater, A Bugs Land attractions, Mickeys Fun Wheel, and Monsters Inc.

We really want to ride Mickeys Fun Wheel at night. In the stationary cars! Are the lines usually bad in the evening for those?

 

[mcjingles]

Are lines noticeably shorter during WOC?

 

[Eeee-va]

Many Paradise Pier rides (including Mickey's Fun Wheel) close before World of Color, so if anyone wants to ride any of those rides at/near nighttime, you may need to watch your timing. I understand that TSMM, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, and Goofy's Sky School are still open during World of Color, though.

In my very limited experience, the non-thrill-rides that are still open seem to get shorter lines during World of Color, though that could partly be people going home as the day winds down. (And if you can stay until park close, then lucky for you, locals who have work on Monday may be leaving before then on Sunday. )

I wouldn't count on the lines going down for RSR during WoC. But it worked out for me at TSMM several years ago, though, getting in line maybe 10? minutes before the park closed; the line was fairly short. I think you can hear World of Color from part of Toy Story Midway Mania's queue so that would be kind of neat. (If I recall correctly, I happened to get off the ride in time to see most of the show from the wrong side.)

Around the time of World of Color on a Spring Break Saturday in 2012, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was practically a walk-on. (And I could see a few of Disneyland's fireworks from the ride too!)

I personally would NOT make it a priority to do Mater's Junkyard Jamboree early in the day (and probably not Luigi's Flying Tires either). At least in the past, those lines started out long in the morning from Early Entries and actually got a bit shorter in the afternoon and evening too. If you like Mater and/or his kind of music, you may get a kick out of his queue too...I find a 15-minute wait enjoyable. So I would not be too scared of a wait there.

Have a great trip!

 

[brocklesnar69]

Many Paradise Pier rides (including Mickey's Fun Wheel) close before World of Color

Man, I hate that they do that! They should just turn the lights off to those rides but keep them going. So what if there are a few screams heard here and there. WoC is loud enough to overcome them.

 

[Eeee-va]

Man, I hate that they do that! They should just turn the lights off to those rides but keep them going. So what if there are a few screams heard here and there. WoC is loud enough to overcome them.

And the Fun Wheel would be SO GREAT during World of Color! I guess there could be technical reasons why they couldn't do that, but still. California Screamin' could be great too...think of the view!