Need ride order plan strategy for one day at DCA ?

[DanieB]

The most important thing for both parks is to be at the entrance 30 minutes early, especially for Disneyland since the line to get in can build up quite quickly.

For Disneyland, I would recommend this at an 8am opening no EMH/MM...
8am-850am: Use MP and grab FP for Matterhorn, ride Peter Pan only if you are able to be near the front of rope drop, otherwise skip it. Then ride the attractions in this order. Alice, Dumbo, Casey Jr., Toad, Pinocchio, and Snow White. Your goal should be to be out of Fantasyland by 9am. (If the park opens at 9am use MP and grab FP for Matterhorn and use Standby for Star Tours)
9am-930am: Use MP and grab FP for Star Tours. Now you have to make a decision. Would you rather ride Nemo Submarines or experience all of Toontown? If you decide on Toontown (opens an hour after park opening), Mickey or Minnies house are first or second, Gadget Go Coaster, and Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin. Use MP and grab FP for Indiana Jones
930am-10am: Use FP for Matterhorn, use FP for Star Tours
10am-11am: Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Use MP and grab FP for Splash Mountain, use FP for Indiana Jones.
11am-12pm: use MP and grab FP for Space Mountain, use FP for Splash Mountain
12pm: Lunch use MP and grab FP for Haunted Mansion (should have a quick return time)
1pm-3pm: Use MP and grab FP for Big Thunder Mountain, use FP for Haunted Mansion, use FP for Space Mountain, use MP and grab FP for Buzz (quick return time), use FP for Buzz, use FP for Big Thunder.
Attractions like Autopia, Nemo if you go to Toontown instead, Small World can all be done later in the day.

For Two Park E or D tickets only I would...
Start at Disneyland first on a non-EMH/MM day.
8am-11am: Use MP for Indiana Jones FP, ride Star Tours Stand By (only currently choosing Star Tours first because they limiting the simulators and FPs), then Big Thunder Mountain Stand By, then Splash Mountain Stand By, Mansion Stand By, Pirates, Use MP and grab FP for Space, use FP for Indiana Jones.
11am-12pm: Use MP and grab FP for Racers, use Single Rider for Matterhorn, use FP for Space Mountain
12pm: Lunch and head to California Adventure.
After Racers the FP order should be, TSMM, Guardians, Incredicoaster, Soarin, Grizzly, and Goofy.
Remember the MP FP Return Time Refresh Trick. Guardians and Incredicoaster will be easier to get due to the "scary/thrilling/height requirement" of the attraction.

ME

Wow these schedules are so helpful! If we are going during off season and the parks don't open until 10 am would you recommend the same ride order? I know we won't get as much done but would we still shoot for the same rides?

 

[DLRExpert]

Wow these schedules are so helpful! If we are going during off season and the parks don't open until 10 am would you recommend the same ride order? I know we won't get as much done but would we still shoot for the same rides?

10am opening show up to the entrance 45 minutes early. Alot of people will already be there. Dont go to the park that has EMH if you do not have access to it.

At DL get FP for Indy, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Grab FP for Thunder, Stand By Splash, Stand by Mansion, use FP for Indy, Grab FP for Space, use FP for Indy, use FP for for Thunder.
Lunch time grab FP for Star Tours, watch Tiki Room, Use FP for Space, grab FP for Mattehorn, use FP for Star Tours, waste time, next FP is for Small World, FP after that is for Buzz.
Keep an eye on wait times. Anything 20 minutes or less is worth the wait.

DCA
Grab FP for Racers, TSMM Stand By, Pal Around, Goofy, Jellyfish, Symphony, and Zephyr. Grab FP for Guardians, waste time on 20 minute or less attractions, FP order should be Incredicoaster, Soarin, Grizzly.

ME

 

[DanieB]

10am opening show up to the entrance 45 minutes early. Alot of people will already be there. Dont go to the park that has EMH if you do not have access to it.

At DL get FP for Indy, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Grab FP for Thunder, Stand By Splash, Stand by Mansion, use FP for Indy, Grab FP for Space, use FP for Indy, use FP for for Thunder.
Lunch time grab FP for Star Tours, watch Tiki Room, grab FP for Mattehorn, use FP for Star Tours, waste time, next FP is for Small World, FP after that is for Buzz.
Keep an eye on wait times. Anything 20 minutes or less is worth the wait.

DCA
Grab FP for Racers, TSMM Stand By, Pal Around, Goofy, Jellyfish, Symphony, and Zephyr. Grab FP for Guardians, waste time on 20 minute or less attractions, FP order should be Incredicoaster, Soarin, Grizzly.

ME

Thanks so much!!

 

[ebharris]

Omg you are a wizard!
This was totally what I was looking for!
Is it really possible to get that much of the pier done from 9:30-10:30?? Because that would be awesome!
Thank you for this!

We did it today, it’s possible! Getting there at opening is key.

 

[NorthernCalMom]

ride Star Tours Stand By (only currently choosing Star Tours first because they limiting the simulators and FPs)

Thank you so much for all the great tips! What is going on with the Star Tours simulators/FPs? I’ve been looking at return times in the app & noticed Star Tours FPs running out faster than usual. What’s the story behind this?

 

[DLRExpert]

Thank you so much for all the great tips! What is going on with the Star Tours simulators/FPs? I’ve been looking at return times in the app & noticed Star Tours FPs running out faster than usual. What’s the story behind this?

Heard two things...
Avoiding full attraction rehab and concentrating on one simulator at a time
or
They are testing its replacement once Star Wars Land opens.

 

[CharleneTheDM]

We did it today, it’s possible! Getting there at opening is key.

Thanks, @ebharris! I'm feeling optimistic because I'm a rope drop kind of person too!
Did you end up doing Disneyland Daily's plan? And the Pier was easy to clear in the morning?
Would you recommend doing the Pier first or Cars Land?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Heard two things...
Avoiding full attraction rehab and concentrating on one simulator at a time
or
They are testing its replacement once Star Wars Land opens.

I have a former student who's a CM there, and he says it's refurb, but I know the frontline CMs aren't always in the "real" know, so I take that with a grain of salt.

 

[ebharris]

Thanks, @ebharris! I'm feeling optimistic because I'm a rope drop kind of person too!
Did you end up doing Disneyland Daily's plan? And the Pier was easy to clear in the morning?
Would you recommend doing the Pier first or Cars Land?

Rope drop is huge..we walked in at 8:22 on this DCA day, but it was successful! I followed the plan except we didn’t do Guardians and I realized whrn I looked again that we didn’t do monsters inc. see below. I would do the Pier first because everybody seemed to go to Cars land, we walked on to every ride on the pier including Toy story.

Our day...

Walked onto Soarin’

Walked onto Ariel

Got Incredicoaster FASTPASS

Walked onto Toy Story Midway Mania

Rode Goofy’s Sky School...twice

Rode Pixar’s Pal-A-Round

Rode Jumpin’ Jellyfish standby (my kids declared this “lame” - only ride in the park that they didn’t like)

Silly Symphony Swings

Golden Zephyr

Rode Incredicoaster with FASTPASS

Grabbed Radiator Springs Racers FASTPASS as soon as we went into cars land

Did Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree standby

Rode Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters standby

Ate lunch at Flo’s (club sandwich was good!)

Ride Radiator Springs Racers with FASTPASS

Grab Grizzly River Rapids FASTPASS

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, etc. (It was HOT... but my kids did do the trail)

Rode GRR

Before we left the park I ran and got fastpasses for RSR with a return time of 8:30pm.

Hope that helps!

 

[NorthernCalMom]

Heard two things...
Avoiding full attraction rehab and concentrating on one simulator at a time
or
They are testing its replacement once Star Wars Land opens.

Thank you (& Skyegirl1999, too) for the heads up. Good to know!

 

[LilyJC]

Casey (Disneyland Daily) just tested/posted her DCA strategy today:

​

This was with an 8am park opening and being able to ride Soarin’ before opening. Casey shares more about her day on her FB page.

 

[DLRExpert]

Not sure why Disneyland Daily would do something like Soarin first at opening when you can practically walk onto Mater's, Luigi's, and all of the Bugs Land ride in 45 minutes.

I'm more inclined to use FP on FP rides and focus time for the first hour and a half on non FP rides.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Not sure why Disneyland Daily would do something like Soarin first at opening when you can practically walk onto Mater's, Luigi's, and all of the Bugs Land ride in 45 minutes.

I'm more inclined to use FP on FP rides and focus time for the first hour and a half on non FP rides.

Soarin’ is often open to all guests during EMH. So she didn’t ride it at park opening; she rode it 15 minutes before the park opened...