Recent Disneyland Visit - Quick Tips

[RobertR]

As a long time stalker...um...viewer of the forums I always come back prior to my visits to see what new tips are available. So, first off...thank you to everyone that post as it's always quite helpful!

Family just got back from 3-days at the Grand Californian so here are my tips - all of which are most likely covered multiple times through multiple posts but from this day forth they will now be called RobertR tips (copyright pending).

RSR was a mess. Not the ride or the visuals...just the line. Anywhere from 90 minutes plus! Yuck. Luckily my family has long embraced the single rider line.

• The single rider line shortens around parade time. We saw waits of 20 minutes during this time (other times as much as 60 minutes).
• If going first thing in the morning, do not get trapped in the right hand side (where you will be herded) but go left and around for the single rider line. It will be a walk on (pretty much).
• The cast members were unsure if single rider was operating in the morning but it was (asked three different people).

Space Mountain was breaking down every other hour while we were there. One cast member indicated it was because there is a certain amount of time to load the cars before the software shuts down. I'm not sure I believe this but something was up.

• We had 4 Fast Passes but the ride closed during our window. Went back later in the day and it closed while in line. We finally gave up. Next day went to customer service and explained the situation and they presented us with a Fast Pass for up to 6 people.
• Make sure to grab whomever is at the end of the standby line to fill out your party of 6. (Pay the magic forward.)

If staying at the Grand Californian, make use of the private entrance.

• The rope drops prevent general admission crowds from getting to Soarin' so you can actually line up for either the ride or Fast Passes early.
• Same is true for Grizzly River Run.

Cast Members indicated that Big Thunder would open Monday (March 17th).

I guess my last comment was how it seemed that a number of Disneyland Park rides were "breaking down" during our visit. Space Mountain (as I mentioned) was very sick. Pirates and Matterhorn were others that had problems. I'm missing one more but I'm old so forgive me.

 

[SanDiegoGirl]

I know when my sister worked there, most rides were timed. Her first day working Peter Pan, it broke down when a lady couldn't get off in time.

 

[cagirl4life]

The timing thing is right. Space mountain and other rides only have so much room for cars waiting to unload. So if they hit a certain number of cars the system has an automatic shut down. We were on once when the timing was off and it was about to shutdown so to get through fast enough they sent us on the ride again without letting us off (we really had no choice). The busier they are the more it happens because there is more cars on the track.

 

[sherilaine]

We returned on March 10th - we did not see RSR lines such as you are describing and the longest we waited for single rider was 15 minutes. We walked on from the single rider line about an hour and a half after park opening one day even. Other than using our fast pass one day we went single rider all the way - it was wonderful. We got to race each other and one time my DH and DS were beside each other in the back seat even! The shortest we saw the standby line was 45 minutes, and we opted for single rider then still.

I have to wonder once BTMRR opens if it will take some of the new car smell off RSR?

We did not see Space down a lot but we saw Soarin and Indy down quite a number of times. A few rides were down when it was wet weather but that likely was simply due to the weather.

 

[Blue32]

I have to wonder once BTMRR opens if it will take some of the new car smell off RSR?

I have wondered this too. There for sure has been some pent up demand for this ride to open. And with the changes they have made, I think it will draw some crowds.

 

[superrach]

We were there last night, our final night. My daughter wanted to make Indy her last ride. Thought it worked out perfect as we got fast passes for 10:40-11:40pm. Got over there about 11:30 and it was broken down for the night not long before we got there. :0(
We loved, loved the single rider lines for RSR and Matterhorn. Don't understand why people would wait in that huge long line especially for Matterhorn when you ride single file and no pics are taken!?!?!?