WDW Vet ..1 day at DLR

[jondee]

I have 1 day to visit both parks. Can you get a FP at CA while you have active FP's at DL? We are trying to park hop and hit the big rides mostly. Any tips would be great.

 

[Winnowill]

I have 1 day to visit both parks. Can you get a FP at CA while you have active FP's at DL? We are trying to park hop and hit the big rides mostly. Any tips would be great.

Not any more. Not until either your return window opens or two hours later, whichever comes earlier. The reminder slip you get when you get your FP tells you when you can get another. The parks were disconnected until a few months ago, but no longer.

 

[Nevada Jen]

If you are ready for a long day and your day is a day when dca does not have early entry you should be able to pull it off. If you say has early entry for dca it will be much harder because you can't rice gotg standby without a huge wait and tour fastpass return is likely to throw the whole thing off. On a non dca early entry day. Do gotg standby at rope drop. Grab tsmm fastpass and ride screamin. Grab soarin fp (toy story fp window should be open) Ride toy story. Soarin window should be open. Grab rsr fastpass. Ride soarin. Head to dl. Grab Matterhorn Fp and ride. Grab star tours or buzz fastpass and ride the other stand by. Window for fp for buzz or star tours should be open. Grab space. Ride buzz or star tours. Ride pirates and btmrr. Maybe grab hm fastpass if it is immediate return time. Grab Indy fp or ride single rider. Ride HM if you got it. Back to dca for cars land and rsr fastpass. Back to dl for space and Indy.
My priorities would be RSR at night, gotg, and Indy. Those and space are the only ones likely to have significant waits for FP returns assuming you are going soon.

 

[DLRExpert]

What day are you going?
How many in your party?
Are you willing to use Single Rider?

 

[jondee]

If you are ready for a long day and your day is a day when dca does not have early entry you should be able to pull it off. If you say has early entry for dca it will be much harder because you can't rice gotg standby without a huge wait and tour fastpass return is likely to throw the whole thing off. On a non dca early entry day. Do gotg standby at rope drop. Grab tsmm fastpass and ride screamin. Grab soarin fp (toy story fp window should be open) Ride toy story. Soarin window should be open. Grab rsr fastpass. Ride soarin. Head to dl. Grab Matterhorn Fp and ride. Grab star tours or buzz fastpass and ride the other stand by. Window for fp for buzz or star tours should be open. Grab space. Ride buzz or star tours. Ride pirates and btmrr. Maybe grab hm fastpass if it is immediate return time. Grab Indy fp or ride single rider. Ride HM if you got it. Back to dca for cars land and rsr fastpass. Back to dl for space and Indy.
My priorities would be RSR at night, gotg, and Indy. Those and space are the only ones likely to have significant waits for FP returns assuming you are going soon.

It is early morning hours DCA But better than nothing, we are from Louisiana..long trip.

 

[jondee]

What day are you going?
How many in your party?
Are you willing to use Single Rider?

July 16 Sunday
2 adults
maybe

 

[DLRExpert]

July 16 Sunday
2 adults
maybe

Here you go.. The first thing you have to make sure you do is GET TO THE PARK EARLY!!! If you cannot get to the park early, it would better to visit only one park. Keep in mind that it can take 30-40 minutes to get from parking lots and through security to the main entrance.

730am: Arrive at the entrance to Disney California Adventure. Head down Buena Vista Street and make a right towards Soarin Around the World and take the path towards the Little Mermaid Adventure, they will have a rope set up until 8am. Grab a World of Color FP if you want to see the show later that night.

8am-930am: When the park opens head to Toy Story Midway Mania and grab FP, then grab FP for California Screamin, then head to Radiator Springs Racers and use the Single Rider Line. Then use FP for Toy Story Midway Mania, and then use FP for California Screamin. Grab FP for Goofy Sky School, ride Mickey's Fun Wheel, then Symphony Swings, use FP for Goofy, ride Little Mermaid.

930-1030am: Grab FP for Grizzly River Run, grab FP for Soarin Around the World, grab FP for Guardians. Use FP for Grizzly, use FP for Soarin. Head to Disneyland

1030am-1pm: At Disneyland ride Pirates of the Caribbean, then grab FP for Haunted Mansion, grab FP for Splash Mountain, use FP for Haunted Mansion, Grab FP for Big Thunder Mountain, grab FP for Indiana Jones Adventure, use FP for Splash Mountain. use FP for Big Thunder, use FP for Indiana Jones

1pm: Grab FP for Matterhorn, grab FP for Star Tours, then Lunch

2pm-4pm: Use FP for Matterhorn, grab FP for Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters, then grab FP for Space Mountain, use FP for Star Tours.

Remember you can use FP 5 minutes before the start time and 20 minutes after the end time.

 

[Winnowill]

930-1030am: Grab FP for Grizzly River Run, grab FP for Soarin Around the World, grab FP for Guardians. Use FP for Grizzly, use FP for Soarin. Head to Disneyland

1030am-1pm: At Disneyland ride grab FP for Splash Mountain, then grab FP for Haunted Mansion, ride Pirates of the Caribbean, Grab FP for Big Thunder Mountain, grab FP for Indiana Jones Adventure, use FP for Haunted Mansion, use FP for Splash Mountain. use FP for Big Thunder, use FP for Indiana Jones.

Just be aware that you will not be able to pull a Fastpass for Splash until two hours after you pull the one for Guardians since its return time will be more than two hours after you pull it. Take a look at wait times during this time - standby may still be pretty light for HM. Or it may not. It depends. Just make sure you use your FPs within their expiration window!

 

[Nevada Jen]

Download the app and watch it on a DCA EMH day for return times. To see the return times, click the ride itself. Right now its 10 am and GOTG on a DCA EMH day is distributing for 12:55 to 1:55 and Soarin and Toystory have instant fastpasses and RSR broke down while I was typing this I really think you will be fine. The instant fastpasses make it possible. If you want to see WOC, I would book the dessert party.

 

[Sagginit]

If you are a WDW vet another thing to consider is the rides that are basically duplicates can be skipped. Soarin is the same exact thing and Splash is pretty much the same from what I remember. Peter Pan has huge lines, but again to me it was basically the same thing. Some of the smaller DL originals are nice to work in instead like Mr. Toad and the waits wont be as log so they can fill time between FPs.

Keep in mind the App is your best friend. In my experience based on crowds and their touring patterns there can be huge fluctuations. One day HM and Pirates had huge waits (60min +) in the morning but dropped around 11:30 to just 15 min, I'm guessing people went to lunch and went off to use FPs.

 

[jondee]

Here you go.. The first thing you have to make sure you do is GET TO THE PARK EARLY!!! If you cannot get to the park early, it would better to visit only one park. Keep in mind that it can take 30-40 minutes to get from parking lots and through security to the main entrance.

730am: Arrive at the entrance to Disney California Adventure. Head down Buena Vista Street and make a right towards Soarin Around the World and take the path towards the Little Mermaid Adventure, they will have a rope set up until 8am. Grab a World of Color FP if you want to see the show later that night.

8am-930am: When the park opens head to Toy Story Midway Mania and grab FP, then grab FP for California Screamin, then head to Radiator Springs Racers and use the Single Rider Line. Then use FP for Toy Story Midway Mania, and then use FP for California Screamin. Grab FP for Goofy Sky School, ride Mickey's Fun Wheel, then Symphony Swings, use FP for Goofy, ride Little Mermaid.

930-1030am: Grab FP for Grizzly River Run, grab FP for Soarin Around the World, grab FP for Guardians. Use FP for Grizzly, use FP for Soarin. Head to Disneyland

1030am-1pm: At Disneyland ride Pirates of the Caribbean, then grab FP for Haunted Mansion, grab FP for Splash Mountain, use FP for Haunted Mansion, Grab FP for Big Thunder Mountain, grab FP for Indiana Jones Adventure, use FP for Splash Mountain. use FP for Big Thunder, use FP for Indiana Jones

1pm: Grab FP for Matterhorn, grab FP for Star Tours, then Lunch

2pm-4pm: Use FP for Matterhorn, grab FP for Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters, then grab FP for Space Mountain, use FP for Star Tours.

Remember you can use FP 5 minutes before the start time and 20 minutes after the end time.

DCA has early magic hours that day

 

[jondee]

If you are a WDW vet another thing to consider is the rides that are basically duplicates can be skipped. Soarin is the same exact thing and Splash is pretty much the same from what I remember. Peter Pan has huge lines, but again to me it was basically the same thing. Some of the smaller DL originals are nice to work in instead like Mr. Toad and the waits wont be as log so they can fill time between FPs.

Keep in mind the App is your best friend. In my experience based on crowds and their touring patterns there can be huge fluctuations. One day HM and Pirates had huge waits (60min +) in the morning but dropped around 11:30 to just 15 min, I'm guessing people went to lunch and went off to use FPs.

I am considering that! We love the so at WDW!

 

[PiratesMansion]

Splash is actually fairly different between the two resorts, but most would agree DL's is inferior.

Peter Pan is different but easy to skip because you have to be there at rope drop and very, very lucky to have a short wait.

Exact duplicate attractions are TSMM, Mermaid, Star Tours, ITTBAB, and all but the last scene for Soarin'. All other attractions vary from a little different to extremely different.

 

[DLRExpert]

DCA has early magic hours that day

Doesn't matter. You can be done with FP and most of the attractions by 11 if you follow my plan. You will only need to come back to DCA to use your Guardians FP and see WOC if that interests you.

With quick FP plus the amount of FP available at Disneyland it's better to visit that park second.

 

[Princess_Kirky]

Keep in mind that the weather could be hot and might slow you down. There isn't as many air conditioned queues at there are in WDW. There aren't even really many fans or misters to keep you cool.

I'd pick one park and make that park Disneyland. But that's just me. You can easily pack a full day there. Start with breakfast at Minnie's and take a more leisurely pace to take in the details of the original park. Catch the Soundsational parade and night parade (which currently is Mainstreet Electrical). Not all duplicate rides are exactly the same - don't miss Pirates, HM, IASW.

Either way, you'll have a wonderful time!

 

[jondee]

Doesn't matter. You can be done with FP and most of the attractions by 11 if you follow my plan. You will only need to come back to DCA to use your Guardians FP and see WOC if that interests you.

With quick FP plus the amount of FP available at Disneyland it's better to visit that park second.

Ok so even though the park will be open an hour before we can enter, go there first? We are not staying on site.

 

[jondee]

Keep in mind that the weather could be hot and might slow you down. There isn't as many air conditioned queues at there are in WDW. There aren't even really many fans or misters to keep you cool.

I'd pick one park and make that park Disneyland. But that's just me. You can easily pack a full day there. Start with breakfast at Minnie's and take a more leisurely pace to take in the details of the original park. Catch the Soundsational parade and night parade (which currently is Mainstreet Electrical). Not all duplicate rides are exactly the same - don't miss Pirates, HM, IASW.

Either way, you'll have a wonderful time!

Thanks we are going to try our best! From Louisiana so the heat is nothing like home or WDW. I have been to DLR twice but my husband has not. But that was 14 & 21 years ago! We will have to relearn the fp system because it has changed at WDW .We go to WDW every year pretty much because we are DVC Owners.

 

[DLRExpert]

Ok so even though the park will be open an hour before we can enter, go there first? We are not staying on site.

Yes

 

[Princess_Kirky]

Thanks we are going to try our best! From Louisiana so the heat is nothing like home or WDW. I have been to DLR twice but my husband has not. But that was 14 & 21 years ago! We will have to relearn the fp system because it has changed at WDW .We go to WDW every year pretty much because we are DVC Owners.

Then do not miss Guardians of the Galaxy or RSR! The Frozen show is wonderful if you need a rest in AC. You may not want to take the time if you are more of a ride person but it's wonderful and waaaaay better than Beauty and the Beast at HS. That one, I love but needs an update badly.

Skip Monsters Inc. (not worth it unless you like super basic dark rides) - Little Mermaid (exact same as WDW without the cool queue) - Soarin' (exact same except they have kept the ending at DL rather than EP)

Another tip - look up where to pull FP's prior to getting there as they are not always right by the ride itself. For example RSR is near It's Tough to be a Bug and not the actual ride... It can be a hunt to figure it out and a waste of time if you are in a time crunch.

For some reason the heat in FL in August was not as bad as the heat in CA in July... The intensity of the sun is crazy as there are NO clouds and very little shade or AC. Bring a hat or umbrella.

 

[mom2rtk]

For some reason the heat in FL in August was not as bad as the heat in CA in July... The intensity of the sun is crazy as there are NO clouds and very little shade or AC. Bring a hat or umbrella.

At least you have a decent chance of it cooling off in the evening in CA. No chance of that in FL in August. I'll take my chances with CA's summer heat any day over FL summer humidity.