This is my 5th trip since 2014 using TPs to plan my park days. So I’ve somewhat successfully planned about 30 park days using TP and it’s all worked out somehow. But I cannot for the life of me schedule our 1 HS day. I think that is our problem: we have 2 days at E, 2 days at AK, 3 days at MK, but only 1 at HS.
I have made one million versions and can’t figure this one out. We have 2 adrs and 3 fpp booked already. All my generated TPs have about 2 hours of free time spread throughout the day so I don’t think it’s too much to do but it is certainly challenging to make a TP especially to account for RD, Jedi sign ups, an unknown Jedi show time, arriving early for said Jedi show. “Optimize” has been less than helpful because of these things.
Monday in March, predicted CL 6 (EMM event that day that we are not going to), will RD and stay for Fantasmic, 2 adults, 4 kids (17, 14, 9, 7)
ADRs 1155 Mama Melrose F! package, 630 Sci-Fi
FPPs RNRC 930, TOT 1030 (could change this one as only 2 of us want to ride), SDD 1130
In addition, we want SDD (2nd ride), ASS, TSMM, ST, Frozen, Indiana, Jedi training
(Extras: Muppets, meet Chewy/Kylo at Launch Bay, another RNRC to be added day of)
What would you do at RD (SDD or ASS+TSMM)? When to do Jedi Sign Ups (after first ride or later morning)? Shows back to back to back in afternoon seems like a bad idea? What about SD SDD drops? Suggestions?
I know this isn’t what you asked, but I do wonder why you don’t shift one of your MK days to HS? (Or, alternatively, shift one of your AK days to HS…although, I know some people on these forums might consider that a form of heresy…but AK is our least favorite of the parks.)
Anyhow, it seems like it would avoid the scheduling problems.
I would sign up for Jedi training at rope drop. When we were there this past May, then let everyone in around 7:50am. We signed up for Jedi training and then waited at the interior ropes for rope drop. I’m not sure how quickly it fills up at this point, but usually there aren’t too many available spots by late morning. Also, if you are at the front of the pack, you should get your choice of times.
Good point about MK. I considered. But not AK!! We love AK. HS is my least fave but now with TSL it’s not so bad
Kids currently don’t have hoppers but we have AP. So harder to squeeze in extra time at HS.
We have MK with CRT and HEA early in the week. We are then RDing EMH with the two younger kids while teens sleep in late in the trip so they may or may not even go to the park that day. Our third MK day was going to be our last day after our 1030 1900 breakfast. We could go to HS that day (have to be at resort for DME at 7) that evening and obv no SDD FPP at this point. Will consider that option tho. Back to TP
So @Alewis678 you would get there at 8ish, RD Jedi sign ups and then go to what next?
Since EMM is that day, what will lines be by the time I could get to TSL? EMM crowds don’t impact the lines but I thought maybe the not til exactly 9 opening may have crowds build faster. I don’t know.
I RD SDD in Oct so I know the no-EMM drill but not with EMM.
That’s an aggressive plan for HS. Will be tough to pull all of that off if crowds are high. For Jedi Training, sign up as early as possible. I showed up 15 minutes after rope drop on a CL 8 day and line was very, very long. I didn’t bother wait and when I returned later that morning all the slots were gone.
I would add another HS day or consider doing TSL EMM to knock out all the TSL rides early.
Honestly, I’m not sure with TSL, as it wasn’t open when we were there. My understanding is EMM shouldn’t have much of an effect since they would have already taken advantage of that area before RD crowds get there.
I found HS hard to plan, too. While there aren’t a ton of attractions, the shows are long and hard to schedule. We found it difficult to get one ADR plus all our rides/shows. I would suggest another half day at HS if possible.
If you want to ride all three TSL rides, I’d probably rd TSM, then ride Aliens, and then get in line for SDD. You’ll have to wait a bit for SDD either way unless you’re the very front of the line, so I think that’s the best way to get all 3 rides in.
Aliens is a very short ride, so it would feel like a waste to wait for. But SDD seems more worth the wait. Also since you have a SDD fp, worst case scenario you only ride it once.
That said, if you’re at the very front of the pack, then do SDD first.
Would you head straight to ASS before Jedi sign ups and then do signups after TSMM? Or do Jedi first if rd’ing ASS? Maybe I’ll just do 1 SDD ride with FPP (but it is so much fun-not really $500 for 6 for EMM fun).
I’m not really sure how to advise on the TSL vs. Jedi sign-ups question because we haven’t been since TSL opened, but I sure do remember how difficult it was to manage the unknown of the exact JTA time we would get so what I did was made 3 different plans that each included 1 of 3 showtimes that worked best with everything else we had scheduled (FPPs, ADRS). For us it was the last 3 shows that worked best. Seeing the 3 different schedules separated out definitely helped me plan each scenario & then based on what JTA time we got, we could go accordingly.
It also relieved a lot of pressure that we had a 2nd DHS day so in case the worst happened and we couldn’t secure any JTA time (which was our top priority at DHS) we would have a 2nd go at it. That day was totally unplanned save for our FPPs and one dinner ADR at WCC & much less stressful bc it was just a cleanup day from what we couldn’t sqeeze out of our first day.
That being said, I think you can totally get what you have set out done in 1 day, so I wouldn’t give up one of your 3 MK or 2 AK days just yet
I would do the Jedi Signup first thing, then head over to Toy Story land and try for the rides there.
Another thing to consider is that RNRC, look at not using a FP but use the single rider line if you can.
We were there last October on a EMM day, and it was busy (crowd level of 8, honestly felt like a 9-10). We signed up for Jedi Training at rope drop, and were among the first in line to sign up, so could pick a time (tip: look at the weather forecast, if there is rain they cancel the show). We then went to TSL and the line for SDD was long, but we were able to ride Alien Swirling Saucer with only a 5-10 min wait, and TSM with little wait as well. By about 9:15 am there were only a couple of slots available for Jedi Training, in the evening, and by 9:30am or so they were full for the day.
Yeah. Some love AK, others not as much. That’s fine.
Anyhow, I believe HS used to be a full day park, but then kind of dropped back to a half day park, but has returned, fully, to a full day park. The fact is, despite there being fewer rides, there is a lot to do/watch. Like, our last trip, I noticed something I’ve never noticed before. Along one of the main streets, there are cast members who are playing the part of movie producers or something who “narrate” the crowd as they pass by. They are quite hysterical to watch and listen to. Next trip, I’d like to actually spend more time watching these guys do their stuff. But within everything else there is to do, it is hard to justify cutting out time for it.
So, I think that HS is, more and more, starting to transform into a two-day (or 1 1/2 day at least) park, unless you are willing to skip a bunch of things.
By the same token, MK isn’t really much different from year to year. Same rides, perhaps a few refurbished, etc. And while it can take 2 days to ensure you do everything, adding a third day, to me, isn’t necessarily a better option when it means skipping things at another park. So, in the same situation, I’d swap one MK day for another HS day. On the second HS day, I might not fill up the day…but having some time to rest for 1/2 a day might be nice as well.
I agree with everything you said about HS @ryan1. We have 8 day tickets as well and will spend 2 days in each park including HS. I don’t think MK is worth 3 whole days, that seems like overkill if it means less time at HS. We are going on our first day (coming over from Universal in the afternoon) from 5:30-midnight (DAH 9-midnight) and then again on day 6 with a late start (maybe 11am) until whenever.
HS in my opinion is not a 2 day park, but a 1 1/2 day at best. I only have 3 day this trip so no AK this time we did 1 1/2 days last year and I can’t ride FOP or EE so it’s a no go. I too am having trouble fitting HS in with the shows. Last year IJ was rained out we missed BB and LM shut down half way through. DD name is Anna and she hates anything frozen so that show was not even thought of for that trip. We don’t ride ToT or RnR so that helps but the shows are not early in the AM or late in the PM. Why is muppets closing at 6pm? I’m going to try for TSM FP early then ST and BB in hopes to get AS2 SD. But remember there is always next time.
I’m thinking of a fly by the seat of my pants plan like this if I get a SDD FP - if I happen to be at front of pack will do SDD first as a bonus extra then the other two. And can then do second SDD with FP - and if I am at the back skip the bonus ride and just use FP later.
