PDA

View Full Version : Schedule for a late start on a busy day?



BCmomof3
05-22-2006, 10:28 PM
I am hoping to be at DL at about 10:00 am on our first day on Sat.May 26.
The children all want to see Indy so I thought I would head over and get a fast pass. Then see other things in adventureland (Tiki room, tarzan). Go to haunted mansion and then take train to fantasyland. Maybe ride Its a smallworld and ? Then check out tomorrowland and try to see star tours (or get a fast pass).
Then at some point go over to CA to see the EP and then back again for Fantasmic late show.

What would you change? Add? Delete?
Where should we have dinner?

Niwel
05-22-2006, 10:58 PM
How many days will you be at the park total? Saturdays in the summer the park opens at 8-- by 10 it starst to get pretty crowded. Get an FP for Indy as soon as you get there. Then finish out New Orleans. Take the train and enjoy Fantasyland. There is no more FP for Star Tours (but you should get one for Buzz when you can).

Frogberto
05-23-2006, 12:48 AM
As someone else mentioned, Star Tours no longer offers Fast Pass. Space Mountain is the Fastpass that is most likely to run out early, so if you don't mind walking, I'd get fastpass for either Buzz Lightyear, or Space Mountain, and then go over to Adventureland, making sure to collect another Fastpass for Indy after two hours.

The park will be busy, so Tom Sawyer's Island, the Mark Twain, the Tiki Room, Tarzan's Treehouse, and the Golden Horseshoe are good places to explore the hours between 11am and 3pm. I prefer to ride the monorail to Downtown Disney and have lunch there. It's nice and quiet compared to the parks, and the value you get for the food is much, much better. It's faster than you think if you either walk or take the Monorail.

Fantasyland has the oldest rides and the lowest capacity for guests on busy days, so if you can't get there right at 8am, it's best to leave this for the last two hours of the park - 10pm or later. Peter Pan and Dumbo can be especially busy.

Some rides, like the Haunted Mansion, and It's a Small World, have an amazing capacity when measured by riders per hour. You may find these have small lines at all times of the day.

Note that for fireworks reasons, that Toontown closes at 8:30 some nights, and Fantasyland closes, and then re-opens, during fireworks, which are at 9:25 p.m.

BCmomof3
05-23-2006, 09:31 AM
Niwel we will be at the park on May 27th!!!! Or May 28th and we have a 4 day hopper!!!
Frogberto, you are wonderful! Thank-you!
Does the monorail have a drop off at downtown disney? I like the idea of having a meal there on our way to CA. Where would you suggest?

Frogberto
05-23-2006, 10:30 AM
The monorail goes back and forth, one way each direction, from Tomorrowland (where it's next to the Submarine ride under construction), to Downtown Disney, where it drops you off right next to the Rainforest Cafe, ESPN Zone, and the Movie Theaters. From there it's a very short walk (less than half a block) to Tortilla Jo's, House of Blues, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, and Catal. You can walk back to the park, or take the Monorail right back to where you started.

Make sure to factor in breaks to see the parade, and the fireworks show, which are both excellent.

BCmomof3
05-23-2006, 11:57 AM
So you can get on the monorail from Downtown Disney? Is it a long line? I guess you show your pass and get on right? Or your hand stamp? Can you get into Disney park from the monorail first thing in the morning too? OOOO this opens options! I didn't know any ride went out of DL. That is great!

And how far is Downtown Disney from CA?

Frogberto
05-23-2006, 12:03 PM
See, you learn stuff every day. Another thing you should know is that you can enter California Adventure through the Grand Californian Hotel. The line for both the Monorail and through the Grand Californian is SUBSTANTIALLY shorter than the main entrance for both parks, with three warnings:

1. There is only two turnstiles at each location, so it can get backed up if a lot of people use this entrance;

2. Early mornings, during busy periods, the Monorail and the Grand Californian may be "Resort Guests Only" (and I'm not sure if you're staying at a resort hotel), so you may have to show a room key during the first hour or so of operation. I have never seen them do this, but others on the board have said that Disney reserves the right to do this during busy time periods. I have seen them do an "express line" in Tomorrowland to get back on the Monorail during the last hour the park is open, for people going back via Monorail, but even then, there is still a regular line. They just board resort guests first (and the Monorail fits a lot of people, so it's usually not a problem); and

3. For what it's worth, many people consider it part of the Disney "experience" to enter through the main gate, stroll through Main Street, or enter through the Golden Gate at California Adventure. You'll miss this atmosphere somewhat if you choose to enter from another route. The time you save, however, makes up for it.

hlbtimes2
05-23-2006, 12:07 PM
Downtown Disney is the same distance from DCA as it is from DL. The park enterances are directly accross from one another. However, you can ride the monorail to and from DL, and can't do so for DCA.

Yes, you can ride the monorail in to the park in the morning. Its really only an options if staying onsite, other wise you would probably be back tracking. And, for at least your first morning you should enter thru the main gates- nothing beats the feeling as you enter there.