Advice for first trip 7/5-7/7

Disneyland
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Preparing for a 2+ year delayed trip next week (7/5-7/7) with the wife and kids (11m and 7f). We’re staying nearby at the Howard Johnson to make it easier to arrive early and take breaks during busier/hotter times if needed.

After many ride video watching sessions with the kids, we have plan/strategy with priority well known. We purchased 3 day park hopper tickets with Genie+ and then were advised by a friend to request DAS for our son. We were approved through the video pre-registration including the two preselected rides a day (IJA and MFSR on 7/5, TSMM and Soarin on 7/6, SM and ST on 7/7).

Looking at the DL app, it appears that DAS returns will allow us to avoid the ILL purchases I was grudgingly willing to do at the expense of locking up the DAS queue until we go to that ride. Considering we will still have G+ to use LL during that window, I’m willing to accept that as all three ILL rides are high priority for us. Does anyone have experience with DAS that can confirm this?

With DAS cutting our anticipated wait times more than expected, the plan I originally worked up has us getting to all the rides we had planned before noon each day. Therefore, I find that we have a plan that has more free time than I bargained for. My initial thought once a plan is complete for the day is to ride things scheduled for future days via a mix of LL and DAS returns as a hedge against downtime spoiling plans. Of course, that has the knock on effect of creating more unplanned time on later days.

At this point, I see that as time to do a mix of these things:

  1. Check out rides outside the priority list
  2. Watch some more shows
  3. Repeat rides that we liked the first time

For item 3, I was wondering what rides benefit the most from going again. I know Star Tours has a plethora of combinations and GOTG has multiple songs (though I’m the only one in my family willing to ride it). Also, the kids already requested multiple rides on MFSR to try different roles. Are there other rides that have varying experiences that I’m missing? Or maybe that have a different feel at different times of day, e.g. after dark?

On a side note, does anyone have any feedback on the single rider wait for IC? I really want to ride it but the kids want nothing to do with it. My hope was to let the wife and kids see some Pixar characters while I ride and that it won’t take too long.

In fact, there will be a few times I anticipate a split group due to different interests so if anyone has some good strategies, I would appreciate it. My wife and I both have the DL app installed and the kids will always be with one of us so coordination should be straightforward.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

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There’s a good WDW/DL thread on WDW Lines chat right now- but I’m sure someone can chime in here as well.

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I don’t have experience with DAS so I can’t confirm, but I can try to tackle a bunch of your other questions.

The only one I can think of is Luigi’s has random different songs. It’s not an LL attraction though (but I’m fairly certain can be used as a DAS ride…).

Radiator Springs Racers most definitely is a whole other experience and amazing at night. Incredi-coaster is also much improved at night as you can see the visual elements in the tunnels a lot better at night (as in you can actually see them instead of silhouettes of it all because it’s just too bright with the sun up to see anything more).

Over in DL, I like all of Fantasyland at night, the teacups are beautiful, especially the view of them you get riding Alice in Wonderland. I also much prefer Autopia at night because the retro lighting they have all over the queue improves it for me.

Also doing dark rides at night makes it easier on the eyes to adjust, so Haunted Mansion, the Fantasyland dark rides are all much easier transition and you might see better/more details.

The line that runs outside on the walkway is just one part of 3 & if it’s spilling out there then it’s ~30 min. You can do it early in the day using the regular line as usually it takes awhile for it to build up a long wait or use an LL for it.

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