So Much For All That Planning (Bye G+)

Walt Disney World
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Well, everyone here was wonderful in helping to plan our next visit on July 29th. I read everything, took notes, watched countless videos, took more notes and finally got a firm plan down on how to attack our trip only to now have to scrap a lot of that given the changeover.

My BIG question – which I don’t think anyone here can answer, is since our first day is on 7/29 and we’re staying in AKL, when will we be able to book our LL-M and LL-S rides? Will we get advanced access on 7/22 or get a shortened window starting 7/24? I guess we’re going to find out!

On the plus side I guess we can better think through how to plan our LLs.

Our first day (7/30) is at HS with the following hit list:

Rock n’ Roller Coaster (Tier 1)
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Tier 1)
Smuggler’s Run (Tier 1)
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Tier 2)
MuppetVision 3D (Tier 2)

LL-S for Rise of the Resistance

The tier system now seems to make doing HS a real nightmare as our preferences include three Tier 1 attractions so two of those will likely become extremely hard to get on.

It looks like we’ll do Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror and Muppets 3D for our three and really have to roll the dice for the Runaway Railway and Smuggler’s Run.

Day 2 we’re at MK so our hit list is as follows:

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (T1)
Peter Pan’s Flight (T1)
Space Mountain (T1)

Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid (T2)
Haunted Mansion (T2)
Pirates of the Caribbean (T2)

TRON: Lightcycle Run (LL-S)
Seven Dwarves Mine Train Ride (LL-S)

Here we’re actually a bit better, sort of. We can really want Tiana’s so that’s our T1, then we’ll grab Under the Sea and Haunted Mansion and spin the rest. On the plus side, we can get both LL-S rides from what I see so far, plus we can set Tron for dark if so desired.

Day 3 is a real bear. Had been planning to do AK in the morning end EPCOT in the afternoon, but now it appears we can only book LL-M’s for one park. We do have an open day on Day 4, but it appears now I’ll have to GUESS that EPCOT will be our tough day and LL-M for those rides right away and adjust as needed in case that doesn’t happen. That hit list will be a mess now:

Na’vi River Journey
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
It’s Tough to be a Bug
Tree of Life

Frozen Ever After (T1)
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (T1)
Gran Fiesta Tour (Mexico)
The American Adventure (America)
Spaceship Earth (T2)
Mission: SPACE (T2)

Avatar Flight of Passage (LL-S)
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (LL-S if possible)

No idea how this will work with AK in that mix.

If I followed all the news, ONCE IN THE PARKS, the tiers go away and we can LL any of the rides we can get. It also sounds like we might want to consider picking Tier 2 attractions for our first selection of each morning so that we can quickly get through it so that we MIGHT be able to book another Tier 1 attraction assuming it doesn’t sell out.

Here’s to good luck and hoping the system has the bugs out by our visit.

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Bookings will start on 24th even for people arriving on 24th, no advance booking.

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As I was reading through your plans I was thinking, "If they rope drop, they can book their Tier 2s first and conceivable get everything.

The biggest challenge for HS and EPCOT is that the times may be pretty late in the day. But if you are willing to play the refresh game, you may be able to bump them earlier.

If you rope drop AK, you can hit allnof these with little wait. Navi, EE, Dino, ITTBAB.in that order at rope drop (even if you skip EE) should have reasonable waits.

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If you are willing to rope drop AK, you can hit all these with little to no wait. Even with a 7:30 early entry and showing up at 7:40, we could ride Navi with less than a 20 minute wait. Arriving at 6:50 for a 7:30 early entry we were able to ride Navi twice and could have ridden a third time but we went on to line up for Safari.

You’ll be able to book your whole stay on 7/24. The good/bad about that is that it is the first booking day. That’s bad because no one wants to be the guinea pig. That’s also good because you have the first crack at booking the week before anyone has yet to book.

Will Rockin Roller Coaster be open when you are there? It’s currently closed for refurb. I don’t remember if I’ve seen an opening day.

As far as DHS, I wouldn’t waste an LL on Muppets. It’s not needed. Do you not plan to ride Toy Story Mania?

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Peter Pan’s Flight will be closed for refurbishment July 8-Aug 20. That news was publicized late yesterday. I’m sorry for adding one more problem.

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I had not really heard of that one somehow. Looks like I need to add that too.

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Well, that’s “good” news, sort of, as it frees up a slot, but that also means more pressure elsewhere.

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Toy Story Mania is the BEST attraction in all of DHS. I noticed you don’t have Slinky Dog Dash or Alien Swirling Saucers on your DHS list either. Is there a reason you omitted all of Toy Story Land?

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No kids. Just two adults going. Slinky Dog Dash I was on years ago and it was … eh. Plus standing in the sun the whole time in July sounds brutal.

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I was going to say, either rope drop or last 2 hours of AK being open are the best times to get on rides quickly.

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The goal, unfortunately, would be to try to get clear of AK by like 1pm so that we can knock off much of EPCOT in the afternoon/evening. We do have breakfast reserved for AK that morning.

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What time is your breakfast, that may put a small wrinkle in burning through your list and jumping…I still think it is doable, but will need to play into the plan.

Day 1: HS - Very Doable if your getting there at RD.

MP wish list:
RNRC
ToT
TSMania (don’t need if for muppets
Grab a LL-S for RoR

Since you are willing to pay for RoR, this will free up time to zig while others are zagging. Try to get times close together for RnRC and Tot if possible, likely early

Hit up MFSR first, with others running to RoR, SDD, and RnRC, this should be wide open.
For TSM, aim for a very early LL time. after falcon, look to burn your 1st LL on TSM. With an open slot, get MMRR.

From here you should be set up with RnRC, ToT, and MMRR at MP and RoR as SP. Roll through it, hit Muppets when you want, enjoy the day with little stress.

If you are not a RDer…I still think this plan will work, just going to have to eat a line at MFSR and you are rolling the dice on how long MMRR LL will be available. That said, still a lot of time to get them in, even if that is a stand by as well.

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I think your plan is solid here and similar to what I think I am planning in Aug. Depending on your arrival time, I think I would aim for LL time for as early as you can for your T1 and T2. If you RD or near too it, you could even go directly to Space, then head to Mermaid to burn the LL and rebook something else. If you arrive a little later, set up mermaid first, followed by HM so you can burn them and grab Space and PoC.

With a little luck of getting return times set up in a decent order, you can breeze through this one, especially with PP being closed now.

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Apparently RNRC is closed currently for refurbishment and it appears it likely won’t be open while we’re there. That’s a huge bummer, but maybe makes it easier, though one less ride in the park means more traffic elsewhere.

Word on recent videos is attendance has been down so maybe that also continues.

Breakfast at AK is at 8:05 and I think I’m going to cancel that as I THOUGHT that was before the park officially opened, but I don’t think that’s right now.

Where is Mermaid in relation to Space Mountain?

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I’d cancel that. You would be using valuable touring time when lines are shortest.

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Yeah, done.

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Just a FYI, times for your dates look to be 9:00 AK opening unless they change it. Per MDE, it has not yet.

If they don’t, and you are staying onsite (forget if you shared that detail of not) you may be able to make this work. Early strategy tips will be key for park hoping I believe.

With what is being reported now, you make all selection for 1 park, then rebooks can be in another. Unless some advanced strategies emerge early, here is how I think I’d attack it since you appear to be willing to pay for SPLL and would like to be out of AK early.

Buy a SP for FoP with a late morning return time.
MPLL - EE, Bug, Dinosaur - As early as possible for all of them.
*This will be very unconventional and not sure you need it for them, but will allow you to burn them and rebook at Epcot early. I thought about just saying book at Epcot, but you will only get 1 T1. With this, you may be able to get multiples with open spot you create with the LL uses at AK.

Rope drop: If you are not on site, scratch Bug above and try to get Navi around same time as FoP.
Arrive pre-rope drop. While the masses go to FoP, split off and do Navi. Line are very low if you arrive with FoP crowd but go here 1st.
After this, go to EE or Dino, which ever you have the earlier LL for. I’d suggest EE if you can, and I would ride it twice. first stand by, then use your LL (you could flip and gain 5 min or so rebooking the LL). Which ever one you burn first, rebook to Epcot, try to get Remy or FEA.

After this, head to Bug and burn another LL, rebooking to Epcot. If you get lucky, you can snag your other headliner there, but my guess is you won’t find it. If not, grab Soaring (not on list, if interested) or Mission Space.

Finish up your LL’s at AK with Dino or EE, spending on how you go them lined up. If you have not booked remy or FEA, yet, I’d leave it open and try for a drop time on the one you need. Leaving it open gives you the max flexibility to do this.

Once done with LL’s, head to FoP when it is your time (and Navi if you used a LL here due to being off site).
This leaves you with time to spare at AK IMO. you could catch a show, take in tree of life, grab food, do a trail, etc and be on way around noon/1 pm I think.

Once you use FoP SP, book GGCR SP at Epcot. My guess is you will be set up with the following:
Frozen MP
Mission Space MP
Free Slot MP - wait for Remy Drop
GGCR - SP

If the drop time are known and you have some time, book your 3rd slot for SE for when you arrive and have it close to Mission Space time. You could go to those 2 and use them. Frees up a spot quickly for Remy drop. If your SP for GGCR is close in time too, you can knock out all 3 early into your Epcot time and move to World Showcase. Everything back there can be done with limited waits except Remy. If you got lucky and snagged Remy at a drop, your perfect. If not, you can always eat a 45-60 min standby line for it.

Based on what we know today, this is doable I believe!

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5 min walk. Tomorrow land is adjacent to Fantasy land where Mermaid is.

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Looks like this has been moved up to July 1, so keep it in your plans, looks like it will be running on your trip. Based on your hit list, I’d keep it as your T1.

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Staying at AKL so we’ll be close. Does that mean 9am for us or 8am? I have an 8am breakfast there, but was about to cancel it. The idea was to do a quick breakfast there and get to the rope after about 40 minutes of breakfast. I assumed that would get us to RD for those on-property.