UPDATED 6/13
This covers both a Early Entry (EE) and Non-EE plan.
The HUB (Rope Drop Area)
AL= Adventureland
GF= Galaxy's Edge and Frontierland
FL= Fantasyland
FTL= Fantasyland and Tomorrowland
EE= Early Entry path
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Park Entrance for Early Entry
THERE IS NO EE entrance
MAKE SURE that if you are attending EE that you show up to the main entrances early. They are allowing both EE Disney hotel guests and Normal guests into the park at the same time. If you arrive late you are going to be far back in line.
Ruining your 30 minutes of EE time.
SPECIAL NOTE - Disneyland and EE
The amount of EE guests at all attractions is quite low at the official park opening.
So if you are not a EE guest and you are close to the rope, you should be able to still get on Pan rather quickly.
Same goes with a non-EE guest and Space Mountain as the first attraction.
If non-EE guests are far back from rope then follow the plans listed.
Disneyland:
Fantasyland Plan (with Early Entry)
7am: Arrive at the main entrance to Disneyland. You need to arrive early as regular guests and EE entry guests are allowed into the park at the same time. If you are later than 7am the line and wait to get in can eat into your 30 minute EE time.
Note: At normal walking speed and security check points it takes about 5-35 minutes to get from Disney Hotels (depends on hotel).
730am-740am: Head down Main Street and make Peter Pan your first choice.
Note: While in line purchase your Genie+, and IMMEDIATELY book LL for Indiana Jones Adventure. You are not planning to use a LL for IJA but FISHING for a Multiple Experience Pass if IJA is closed during the early return window. Keep an eye out for a return time for Rise of the Resistance after 11am.
740am-8am: Second ride will be Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo next as park is about to open.
8am-820am: Next Mr. Toad, Snow White, and now Pinocchio.
820am-9am: Head to Toontown and ride Gadgets Go Coaster first, then Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin, close with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.
9am-930am: Ride the Jungle Cruise
Note: Book your first LL, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, you are looking for a return time after 1030am.
930am-1030am: Ride Pirates, then the Haunted Mansion, close with Winnie the Pooh.
After 1030am you are going to use the LL for Falcon, and then ILL for Rise. Mix in
Lightning Lane attractions with non-LL attractions.
REMEMBER get your next LL as soon as you scan your current LL ticket. You can use your LL 5 minutes before and up 15 minute after your posted return time.
EE Rise of the Resistance Plan
There is a Rope Drop (Gate) area that the EE guests will gather so that they have a slight head start on the Rope Drop guests coming from Frontierland.
If Rise of the Resistance at park opening is a priority, you want to line up at this gate as close to 750am as you can.
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The two main attractions you want to experience are Peter Pan and Space Mountain.
- If you are using LL then Pan should be your primary EE attraction and then stay in Fantasyland until it is close to 750am.
- If you are into thrill rides or just want a chance to ride Space without and with LL, then ride Space first during EE.
- While experiencing both attractions is doable, it is going to cut things close depending on when you enter the park and the EE wait for Pan or Space. For example, if you get into the park at 740am, you probably have time for one attraction before you line up for Rise.
- Note that it is common for Rise to not be open when the park opens.
The Plan with Rise...
8am-830am: When gate opens head to Rise of the Resistance. If closed at opening, I would stay in the area for a short while, to see if it opens up by 815am.
830am-9am: Ride Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run.
Note: Grab LL for Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin
9am-930am: Head to Toontown and ride Gadgets Go Coaster first, then Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.
Note: second LL, Indiana Jones Adventure
930am-11am: Ride Pirates, then the Haunted Mansion, close with Winnie the Pooh. Use LL for IJA.
Fantasyland Plan (without Early Entry)
730am: Arrive at the main entrance to Disneyland.
Note: It takes about 20-30 minutes to get from Disney parking areas to the main entrance (Disney parking areas open an hour before park opening).
730am-745am: They will start to let guests into Main Street between this time. The goal is get as close to the rope as you can. There is a left, middle, and right of the hub rope area. I usually choose the Tomorrowland side as the Frontierland side can be crowded due to guests going to Rise of the Resistance.
Note: While settled and waiting rope drop purchase your Genie+, and IMMEDIATELY book LL for Indiana Jones Adventure. You are not planning to use a LL for IJA but FISHING for a Multiple Experience Pass if IJA is closed during the early return window. Keep an eye out for a return time for Rise of the Resistance after 11am.
8am-810am: Once the rope drops walk to the right side of the castle and follow the path towards the Matterhorn but stay to your left and ride Alice in Wonderland first.
810am-830am: Second ride will be Dumbo, then Mr. Toad, finally choose between Snow White or Pinocchio. GOAL is to be out of Fantasyland before 835am.
830am-915am: Head to Toontown and ride Gadgets Go Coaster first, then Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin, close with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.
915am-945am: Ride the Jungle Cruise
Note: Book your first LL, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, you are looking for a return time after 11am.
945am-11am: Ride Pirates, then the Haunted Mansion, close with Winnie the Pooh.
After 11am you are going to use the LL for Falcon, and then ILL for Rise. Mix in Lightning Lane attractions with non-LL attractions.
REMEMBER get your next LL as soon as you scan your current LL ticket. You can use your LL 5 minutes before and up 15 minute after your posted return time.
Thrill Ride Plan aka Experiencing Top LL attractions more than once (with Early Entry)
7am: Arrive at the main entrance to Disneyland.
Note: At normal walking speed and security check points it takes about 5-35 minutes to get from Disney Hotels (depends on hotel).
730am-740am: Head down Main Street and make Space Mountain your first choice.
Note: While in line purchase your Genie+, and IMMEDIATELY book LL for Indiana Jones Adventure. You are not planning to use a LL for IJA but FISHING for a Multiple Experience Pass if IJA is closed during the early return window. Keep an eye out for a return time for Rise of the Resistance after 11am.
740am-8am: Second ride is kind of up to you. I would recommend Astro Orbitor, Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters, Alice in Wonderland or Dumbo. The GOAL is to be move to the Matterhorn by park opening
8am-815am: Park opens ride the Matterhorn, can even do it twice on both sides if available.
815am-835am: Ride Big Thunder Mountain, then Indiana Jones Adventure
835am-945am: Ride the Jungle Cruise, then Pirates of the Caribbean
Note: Book your first LL, Haunted Mansion Holiday, you are looking for a return time after 10am.
945am-1015am: Ride Winnie the Pooh use LL for Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Note: Book LL for Falcon next.
After 10am you are going to use the LL for Falcon, and then ILL for Rise. Mix in Lightning Lane attractions with non-LL attractions.
Thrill Ride Plan aka Experiencing Top LL attractions more than once (without Early Entry)
Space Mountain first (RECOMMENDED)
730am: Arrive at the main entrance to Disneyland.
Note: It takes about 20-30 minutes to get from Disney parking areas to the main entrance (Disney parking areas open an hour before park opening).
730am-745am: They will start to let guests into Main Street between this time. The goal is get as close to the rope as you can. Go to the rope closest to the Tomorrowland Entrance.
Note: While settled and waiting rope drop purchase your Genie+, and IMMEDIATELY book LL for Indiana Jones Adventure. You are not planning to use a LL for IJA but FISHING for a Multiple Experience Pass if IJA is closed during the early return window. Keep an eye out for a return time for Rise of the Resistance after 11am.
8am-820am: Once the rope drops walk briskly through Tomorrowland to Space Mountain.
815am-830am: Next ride the Matterhorn.
830am-9am: Ride Big Thunder Mountain, then Indiana Jones Adventure.
Note: Book your first LL, for Falcon, you are looking for a return time after 10am.
9am-945am: Ride Pirates of the Caribbean
945am-1015am: Ride Winnie the Pooh use LL for Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Note: Book LL for Falcon next.
Indiana Jones Adventure first
730am: Arrive at the main entrance to Disneyland.
Note: It takes about 20-30 minutes to get from Disney parking areas to the main entrance (Disney parking areas open an hour before park opening).
730am-745am: They will start to let guests into Main Street between this time. The goal is get as close to the rope as you can. Go to the rope closest to the Adventureland Entrance.
Note: Once settled near the rope, purchase Genie+ on the Disneyland App. No need to get a Lightning Lane at this time. Keep an eye out for a return time for Rise of the Resistance after 11am.
8am-815am: Once the rope drops walk briskly through Adventureland to the Indiana Jones Adventure.
815am-830am: Next ride Big Thunder Mountain.
830am-930am: Ride the Matterhorn and then Space Mountain.
Note: Space Mountain will probably have a 30-40 minute wait
Note2: Book your first LL, Haunted Mansion Holiday, you are looking for a return time after 10am.
930am-10am: Ride Pirates of the Caribbean
Note: REMEMBER to keep an eye on that Rise of the Resistance ILL return time, again you want a return time after 11am (aka after lunch)
Lightning Lane Tiers
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Space Mountain
- Matterhorn
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Haunted Mansion (If Mansion Holiday season that moves to #3 or #4)
- Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run (try to get a LL return time around the same time as your ROTR ILL return time)
- Star Tours
- Autopia
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- It's a Small World (If Holiday version this moves to #5 or #6)
REMEMBER get your next LL as soon as you scan your current LL ticket. You can use your LL 5 minutes before and up 15 minute after your posted return time.
SPECIAL NOTE about the plans above
- This plan also works if you arrive after ROPE DROP. For example, say you arrive at Disneyland just before 850am. Skip everything listed before 9am and start at what is listed for 9am. So that would be the Jungle Cruise and Pirates.
Modifying Lightning Lane - REFRESH TRICK
Always book a LL ASAP to start the 2 hours window and use the Modify option when Refreshing the app for a different return time on any LL attraction.
Example
- After you select a LL attraction go to the Tip Board and select the 3 dots next to the return time shown. Select Modify.
- You will then be taken to the Modify screen. You can refresh this screen (pull down on the screen) to possibly change the return time for the LL you are holding or modify it to the attraction you want to experience instead.
- Recommendation: List a couple of attractions as priority on your tip board so when you go the Modify Screen those priority attractions will be listed near the top.
PLEASE be sure to CANCEL any LLs you may not be using as it may help other guests that are doing the LL refresh trick.
Rise of the Resistance Stand By
- The Stand By line for this attraction does lower and rise throughout the day. The issue is when guests see that the line at 60 minutes or less they head to the attraction which will raise the wait time. So the trick and with a bit of luck it is better to get in line for the attraction when it is slightly higher than 60 minutes. I have done this attraction twice at a posted 75 or 70 minute wait time and the wait was 60-50 minutes.
- My go to time is after 6pm, as people are having dinner and have already ridden the attraction. The issue here is that the attraction closes around 8pm or 9pm. If the ride breaks down, they may force you out of the line and close the attraction for the day.
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway Stand By
- The Individual Lightning Lane is not needed for this attraction. The waits are heavily inflated. A 40 minute wait shown on the app can easily be a 20-30 minute wait in reality. Once you enter the theater lobby you are looking at 20-30 minutes from there.
- The best times to get in line for this attraction is before 915am, during lunch/dinner time, and after the firework show.
Park Opening Attraction Closures
Wait times and temp closures do not show up until park opening, but can be delayed as you may see a - instead of a time or temp closure text.
However, most of the time, if there is a park opening closure it is due to the attraction not being signed off on time of the park opening. If you see the vehicles cycling, it may be best to stay near the attraction and wait for it to open up.
For example, you get to Peter Pan and the CM says that it is closed and they do not know when it will be open. Yet you see that the vehicles are cycling through. Ignore the CM and stay near the entrance of the queue. Give it 5-10 minutes (the time you would have probably waited anyways) and see if the line opens up. 90% of the time it will open up rather quickly
