Random thoughts about day 1 2/18

[Disney Lvr of Old]

hi all! Random observations before I take my afternoon nap. I haven’t been since August 2016 so this is about changes I’ve noticed. Or I’m crazy and am remembering things wrong.

Indiana Jones- way looser; got tossed about more than I remember

POTC- don’t remember the female pirate and the random item auction. And the Davy Jones smoke screen is gone. A few other new animatronic pirates.

Splash mountain- holy crow you get soaked in the front. Maybe because I’m cold today but sure felt a lot wetter.

Maxpass- took some getting used to and had to refresh a lot to get the app to allow me to get my next pass. Currently stacking for our evening return.

Arrived at security at 810am for 9am RD at DL. Through and in line by 820. At Tomorrowland’s rope drop area 840. Straight to Buzz, all the way to ride and it’s closed. Hit star tours and pulled SM FP for 830 return. Back to Buzz after SM - all 3 done by 845am.

Blue Bayou- 1130am ressie, seated by water by 1110am. Accepted quite a few walk ins but they were seated in the back of the room from what I saw while waiting. Pirates has been down all day today so it’s a different feel in the restaurant.

Parks are so busy we were denied single rider on SM, Matterhorn and IJ.

Good day so far- we were in the parks 9am- 230p with 1 hour lunch and rode SMx2, ST, Buzz, HMx2, toad, and IASW. We aren’t hurrying and I’m figuring out MP. We also have 6 more days so plenty of time.

Lastly- destroyed my son at Buzz and have been smugly smiling whenever he exclaims “but I should have beat you”, which is often. Thanks Wonkakid aka Rob!

 

[midnight star]

My friends and I now refer to Splash Mountain as Drench Mountain!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

hi all! Random observations before I take my afternoon nap. I haven’t been since August 2016 so this is about changes I’ve noticed. Or I’m crazy and am remembering things wrong.

Indiana Jones- way looser; got tossed about more than I remember

POTC- don’t remember the female pirate and the random item auction. And the Davy Jones smoke screen is gone. A few other new animatronic pirates.

Splash mountain- holy crow you get soaked in the front. Maybe because I’m cold today but sure felt a lot wetter.

Maxpass- took some getting used to and had to refresh a lot to get the app to allow me to get my next pass. Currently stacking for our evening return.

Arrived at security at 810am for 9am RD at DL. Through and in line by 820. At Tomorrowland’s rope drop area 840. Straight to Buzz, all the way to ride and it’s closed. Hit star tours and pulled SM FP for 830 return. Back to Buzz after SM - all 3 done by 845am.

Blue Bayou- 1130am ressie, seated by water by 1110am. Accepted quite a few walk ins but they were seated in the back of the room from what I saw while waiting. Pirates has been down all day today so it’s a different feel in the restaurant.

Parks are so busy we were denied single rider on SM, Matterhorn and IJ.

Good day so far- we were in the parks 9am- 230p with 1 hour lunch and rode SMx2, ST, Buzz, HMx2, toad, and IASW. We aren’t hurrying and I’m figuring out MP. We also have 6 more days so plenty of time.

Lastly- destroyed my son at Buzz and have been smugly smiling whenever he exclaims “but I should have beat you”, which is often. Thanks Wonkakid aka Rob!

Some thoughts on your thoughts:
So glad you're trip is off to a great start! Really glad security went quickly for you -- there have been reports of nightmare lines this past weekend, so you really had great timing this morning!
IJA -- the older I get, the more I notice the bouncing!
POTC -- you're seeing the changes that happened with the last refurb. We miss the redhead! But we love the new octopus! And we like BB when the boats aren't running -- the bayou feels more rustic, more peaceful -- no flash photos and no one yelling, "Throw me a roll!"
Splash -- ever since the last refurb, we've had consistent comments here about people getting soaked!
MP -- by the end of your trip, you're going to be an ace!
BLAB -- LOL!
Here's hoping your evening gets even better and that tomorrow is great, too!

 

[chickapin parterre]

hi all! Random observations before I take my afternoon nap. r

POTC- don’t remember the female pirate and the random item auction. And the Davy Jones smoke screen is gone. A few other new animatronic pirates.

!

June 2018 the french not only give us the Lady Liberty to look over NYC harbor to protect our freedoms , but now they have also given us lady Pirate to look over our Caribbean experience of political freedom . French objected to the politically incorrectness of the auction scene, so she became a pirate march 2017 in Paris, a prate at WDW in March of 2018 and June of 2018 at Disneyland, where it all started.

.....on a brighter note, George Washington Irving wrote a famous story about a fellow who took an afternoon nap....taught it to my juniors in high school during the study of American literature.

 

[chickapin parterre]

.....as for your remaining six days and Indy......he has six different responses to you being at the drivers wheel with the boulder....try to catch all six phrases!!!!

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

I believe security went as well for me because of the reports here- I knew we needed to be there before the park opened.

I knew that octopus was new! I kept staring at it and wondering.....

 

[BrianL]

I don't get why Single Rider would be denied because it is busy. Isn't the intent to fill all empty seats? You would never be taking up a seat that would've gone to someone in standby. It's possible to wait a long time in single-rider theoretically anyway, so I don't really see the point in closing the line.

 

[amyg1975]

I had them deny me single rider on Indiana once for the same reason.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don't get why Single Rider would be denied because it is busy...

Not all guests know about SR lines, just like not all guests know about FP. On very busy days, there probably are many single guests or, at least, odd numbered groups in lines for the rides that have SR. So a potentially long wait in a SR line can get much longer as single guests in the standby line take up those spots and don't leave many gaps to fill.

 

[BrianL]

Not all guests know about SR lines, just like not all guests know about FP. On very busy days, there probably are many single guests or, at least, odd numbered groups in lines for the rides that have SR. So a potentially long wait in a SR line can get much longer as single guests in the standby line take up those spots and don't leave many gaps to fill.

Well, right, but that's always the risk of the Single Rider line. Theortetically you could wait longer than standby. It's not really any different than any time as there will always be odd-numbered parties funnelling through.

 

[dina444444]

I don't get why Single Rider would be denied because it is busy. Isn't the intent to fill all empty seats? You would never be taking up a seat that would've gone to someone in standby. It's possible to wait a long time in single-rider theoretically anyway, so I don't really see the point in closing the line.

The Indy single rider line can bottle neck the exit so they sometimes don’t offer it when there is a back up.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

About the SR refusal...I have been on Matterhorn when they've denied entry and it's for a similar reason to Indy. If the SR line is full, they can't really accommodate anyone and at that point, it's usually faster to go to the standby line.

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

I’m sure it was capacity for SR denial; which was fine. Tonight we did RSR SR x3, Matterhorn and IJ without an issue. We love it for 2nds but will FastPass firsts to ride together.

So tonight FP with Max- RSR, GOTG (once and done; my son was wrecked by it), Soarin, BMTR, Buzz, Star Tours. Walked on Pinocchio, Snow White and Mad Tea Party at 1030p.

After one full day of MP use: amazing what you can get done but I felt almost rushed. Like, “what can I get next” instead of wandering. We still have 5 1/2 days left in the park and I don’t think I will purchase MP every day. But it is really beneficial for people who go commando or only have a couple days.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I’m sure it was capacity for SR denial; which was fine...

After one full day of MP use: amazing what you can get done but I felt almost rushed. Like, “what can I get next” instead of wandering. We still have 5 1/2 days left in the park and I don’t think I will purchase MP every day. But it is really beneficial for people who go commando or only have a couple days.

It really has been a very busy weekend in the parks. A few days ago, the SR line for SM was longer than I'd ever seen it. When I asked a CM why, she said that they were filling gaps with singles from the standby line, so there just weren't enough spaces for everyone. I think I read that it was a combination of holiday weekend, Rodeo Week for Tucson, Ski Week for northern CA, a dance competition at the ACC -- that's the makings of a very crowded time at DLR! You really did well on your first day!
I agree with you about MP being very beneficial for certain situations, but also creating pressure to go, go, go -- which is why we don't encourage everyone here to prepurchase MP with their tickets, but to play things by ear and purchase day of, if needed. Some days you need it, some days you don't. And if you only want PP, then don't purchase for everyone in your party. If you decide not to purchase MP one day, but do want to get a FP or two, you can always use free FP at the machines. It's very flexible -- which takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders. For a holiday Monday, I think MP paid off in spades for you.

 

[BrianL]

About the SR refusal...I have been on Matterhorn when they've denied entry and it's for a similar reason to Indy. If the SR line is full, they can't really accommodate anyone and at that point, it's usually faster to go to the standby line.

Okay, that makes more sense to me - if the SR line is full I can see them turning people away.

 

[sherilaine]

My son used single rider some this weekend but he said it was not the same as other times when he's used it. He likes using it for Space because honestly a lot of people simply don't know where it is - in fact I'd say most people in the park don't even know you can do single rider never mind how for each ride.

He also found that for Space and Incredicoaster - the CMs use it very sparingly as honestly their obligation is to the fast pass and standby line before single rider.

The best use of single rider is RSR and Indy in my opinion - due to the 3 and 4 per row seating, more so than 2 per row in other rides.

 

[dina444444]

My son used single rider some this weekend but he said it was not the same as other times when he's used it. He likes using it for Space because honestly a lot of people simply don't know where it is - in fact I'd say most people in the park don't even know you can do single rider never mind how for each ride.

He also found that for Space and Incredicoaster - the CMs use it very sparingly as honestly their obligation is to the fast pass and standby line before single rider.

The best use of single rider is RSR and Indy in my opinion - due to the 3 and 4 per row seating, more so than 2 per row in other rides.

For space it’s also a weight distribution situation. So if another person puts to much weight on the car they don’t always take a single rider.