Strategy when NOT doing early admission

[ep4169]

My family is doing DL and DCA this Thursday/Friday; one day, one park tickets on each day. We do NOT have access to early park admission.

Looking at the schedule, I notice that early admission is available for DL on Thursday but not on Friday, and early admission is available for DCA on Friday but not on Thursday.

My question is: as park-goers who do not have access to the early admission, would we be better off attending the park that does NOT have early admission available at all that day? Or would we be better off attending the park that does have early admission and just start one hour later than the privileged few?

This may seem like a strange question: go with the one without early admission, right? But on the other hand, the park's overall capacity on a given day is higher when there is early admission. I can see arguments either way. So I am wondering what the experts in the forum think.

[CMHusband]

Its pretty dang quiet at the parks this week. I don't think any of this will really make a difference right now. Don't over think F. U. N. !!!

[WoC 95]

It all depends what you are looking to do when you get there and in which park. In DCA if you want to do Cars Land when you get to the park, then just get to the entrance at least 30 minutes before the park opens. But if you don't want to do Cars Land first then the early entry is not really necessary. And in Disneyland only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland is only open during early entry.

[ohmyjustin]

I think it depends on what you want to do. I would definitely go to DCA on Thursday since there isn't early entry for that park that day. Cars Land will have a fresh start, so-to-speak, and so lines might be a bit shorter.

If this isn't on your agenda, consider your other plans. If you have a lunch/dinner reservation one day, do you want to be jumping between the parks to make the reservation or do you want to be able to settle in?

[DrFink]

I would do the parks on the days where there is no early admission, especially for DCA because of Cars Land. Get in line for DCA as early as you possibly can so you can try and be some of the first people headed toward that area of the park. I went to DCA with a magic morning in October and just 20-30min into the MM the line at Radiator Springs Racers was already 45min long so you have to use some strategy for DCA.

As far as Disneyland goes I don't think it makes that much of a difference, but bear in mind that Disneyland will be busier on a Friday no matter what. The only difference is if you go on a day where the MM is being utilized there will be more of a crunch in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland because those are the only two areas of the park people are allowed in. In all my previous trips I would get to the gates at least 30min before they open to the public and run straight to Indiana Jones because that always gets the longest line.

[Malcon10t]

What are your goals?

[ep4169]

Thanks guys, lots of good ideas here. Our goals are pretty simple: hit the biggest rides on each park. On DCA I would say our highest priorities are Radiator Springs, California Dreamin'/Screamin', and World of Color. At DL we want to hit Autopia and Indy Jones. Other than that we can be flexible and decide as we go.

[MikkiandtheMouse]

Personally, I always go straight to Peter Pan's flight first, this isn't my favorite ride but it does get a long queue quickly and doesn't offer FP.
My morning typically goes:
Peter Pan's Flight
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Mr Toad's Wild Ride
Alice in Wonderland
Matterhorn
I like the Fantasyland rides, if that isn't for you, then I recommend getting a FP for Space Mountain and then riding Star Tours and Astro Blasters while you wait for your time to come up.

As for DCA. Get your Radiator Springs Racers FP first thing, the crowd will be crazy but I hear they are still running out within the first hour or so.