Worth getting into DCA past 3pm?

[jordanfsl]

Trip in early November, would generally just start at Disneyland in the AM and then parkhop with DCA. Instead, thinking of buying two days tickets - Wednesday DCA for a half day then DL for the full 2nd day on Thursday.

• Entering the park at 3pm, am I going to have very limited Genie+ options for return times? Trying to hit Webslingers, GoG, Soarin', maybe start at Grizzly depending on weather.
• By 3pm for park entry, would the WOC virtual queue for the first show probably be gone?
• The WOC Dessert Party seems like a bit of a cash-grab, so we'd probably just do a dining package. If we do that, we can skip the need for a VQ?

thanks in advance!

 

[ParkHopper1]

huh... at 3pm we are just getting started!

Dessert Party has way more value than the dining package IMO...having a stable and a seat for the show without the cattle call of viewing areas is worth every penny IMO!

 

[pennym]

Or book Lamplight Lounge for dinner for a view of the show?

 

[mdmost]

I would think an early November trip shouldn't be too crowded at DCA and those 4 rides you mentioned probably will have good Genie+ return times.

Do they still do walk up viewing for WOC? We did the dessert party last summer and it was completely worth it.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I would say because you can walk around CarsLand at night when all of the neon lights come on and it is a wonderful sight. Also, it's a chance to do some of the rides that tend to have shorter wait times.

Quick Clarification Questions: Is the half day your only day in DCA this trip? Are the rides you listed the only ones you plan/want to ride in DCA?

 

[DLgal]

I would think an early November trip shouldn't be too crowded at DCA and those 4 rides you mentioned probably will have good Genie+ return times.

Do they still do walk up viewing for WOC? We did the dessert party last summer and it was completely worth it.

Yes, they usually offer walk up viewing for WOC, but it depends on the day.

If you can't get into the actual viewing area, they let people sit/stand over against the wall where the Little Mermaid ride is. They put tape down on the ground in certain areas and you can watch from behind the tape lines. You can actually see the show better from back there since there won't be people standing directly on front of you (a big problem in the viewing area, unless you are over 6ft tall).

OP, 3pm isn't too late to start at DCA. You may not get much out of Genie+, but you should still be able to get a handful of rides and can standby the rest. I would not book a sit down meal. That will just eat away at your time, plus the food at DCA is better than at Disneyland and there are SO many good counter service options there. I would do the dessert party before I'd do a WOC dining package, personally. Having a seat with an unobstructed view is worth way more than just getting entry into one of the "preferred" viewing areas.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

So If it's not too busy, you can get a Genie Plus reservation that has a return time within an hour or two.

So for sure you can get three rides without waiting long with that add on.

 

[starlite_]

I think you can def do al 4 with G+. The hardest one to get will probably be Webslingers, that one tends to sell out quicker, but you can try getting it first and do other rides in the mean time or get the other ones with an immediate return first and keep an eye out for Webslingers when it's return time is nearing 8ish pm so you don't miss it.

 

[chezcurrie]

the modify feature for G+ makes late arrivals totally doable, especially if you are a smaller party (<5 people.) Also Webslingers, Racers and Incredicoaster have a single rider so as long as you are ok not riding with the rest of your party that is also an option.

 

[gelatoni fan]

You can definitely get on all those rides without Genie+. If you want to do the first WOC, that cuts down on your ride time so the remaining Genie+ ride times may not be early enough for you to do that.

I'm not a fan of the Dessert Party. I prefer to be closer to the front and wouldn't even want to eat that much extra sugar. The dining package meals are more interesting to me and I prefer those spots. But you do have to arrive early and stand during the show for the dining package spots. If you do either of these, you won't have to worry about virtual queue.

 

[PHXscuba]

You can also play around with the app even now and check to see how long most rides are available. Of course it varies by day, but if you check sporadically over the next couple weeks you'll see most rides have availability well into the afternoon. It will be more the timing as the others have said.

PHXscuba

 

[jordanfsl]

I would say because you can walk around CarsLand at night when all of the neon lights come on and it is a wonderful sight. Also, it's a chance to do some of the rides that tend to have shorter wait times.

Quick Clarification Questions: Is the half day your only day in DCA this trip? Are the rides you listed the only ones you plan/want to ride in DCA?

this will be our only DCA time, correct. Will do DL all day the next day.

 

[jordanfsl]

Or book Lamplight Lounge for dinner for a view of the show?

do only certain tables get a view, I assume?

 

[jordanfsl]

You can definitely get on all those rides without Genie+. If you want to do the first WOC, that cuts down on your ride time so the remaining Genie+ ride times may not be early enough for you to do that.

I'm not a fan of the Dessert Party. I prefer to be closer to the front and wouldn't even want to eat that much extra sugar. The dining package meals are more interesting to me and I prefer those spots. But you do have to arrive early and stand during the show for the dining package spots. If you do either of these, you won't have to worry about virtual queue.

I have a tall 8 year old and a 5 year old….so in thinking about this, standing areas will probably block them from seeing anything.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I have a tall 8 year old and a 5 year old….so in thinking about this, standing areas will probably block them from seeing anything.

In your situation, the Dessert Party makes more sense unless you want to avoid too much sugar for the kids. I don't mind waiting for shows to get a decent spot in the front but most 5 year olds are probably not going to be happy with that.

 

[pennym]

do only certain tables get a view, I assume?

I think most tables would get a view, we were facing the Mickey Wheel and Incredicoaster, but still could see all the projections easily, we thought it was well worth it not having to stand, and cheaper than dessert party. Plus I don't want dessert, but a meal was needed!

 

[DLgal]

do only certain tables get a view, I assume?

The view from LL is sideways. You miss a lot of the story of the show. Plus LL also has indoor tables and seats that face away from the water. You are not guaranteed any type of view and they aren't good about accommodating seating requests.