WonkaKid
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2009
I've been to DL about 160 times and have always parked at M&F. But to show that I was amenable to experimentation, I once tried to park at the Toy Story lot. Unfortunately, that day there was a marathon going on and the streets were a nightmare. I gave up and went with my usual M&F.
Now: last Sunday some friends were in Anaheim with their daughter, whom I adore. She had a volleyball game early on Sunday morning so I changed my plans so I could see all of them. I left the arena about 10:30 to make for the park. I thought it would take 20 minutes or so. I was wrong. Ordinarily that might be true. But not on this day.
Long story short, there was a very long line for the M&F structure. In fact, well before I could reach the front of it, the police closed it off, presumably because it was full. That was at around 11:15. My only other option was to head for TS.
Traffic was also very heavy in Anaheim because, I was later told, there were four conventions going on that morning. Also, I believe we're right at the start of spring break season.
Getting into TS took about 30 minutes. The line was backed up around the corner. I couldn't even bring myself to think what security and gate lines would look like. Fortunately, and to my great relief, they were both very short. Still, it took me nearly 90 minutes to go from their hotel about two miles away to Buzz Lightyear. Ouch. Yes, most of that was due to Anaheim congestion and spring break, but at least now I've tried Toy Story.
I've always been told that it's faster and easier than M&F. I question that. The queue for the park busses was long and I didn't care for driving the non-Disney route to get to the park. Moreover -- and this was my fault and also a lesson learned -- I didn't know that TS lots were named differently. I thought there was simply the "Toy Story" lot. It's when I boarded the park shuttle at the end of the day that I learned that Toy Story is actually a parking area and has named lots and not one simply called "Toy Story." Or at least that's how it was explained to me. After a longish day in the park, the last thing I wanted to face was a prolonged search for my car. Fortunately, I found it with relative ease.
Overall, I'm not a fan and will stick with M&F. I've tried TS twice -- true, under less than ideal circumstances -- but I'm done with it.
It was strange to arrive at the park at noon. I'm nearly always there for rope drop. In fact, several friends who also arrive early were already gone or on the point of leaving when I arrived. I didn't get to do nearly as many rides, of course. For an 8:00 opening, we'll do at least four FL attractions by or before 8:30. I rode Buzz several times with FPs but that option faded quickly. But about my fifth one, FPs were then issued for 60-90 minutes out.
I did ride POTC once. At 1:30, the standby line was shown as 45 minutes. However, as many of us know, official estimates are almost always high. I timed it from the time I got in line until I stepped into the boat. Only 30 minutes
.
Just a few pics from that day.
I performed reasonably on Buzz. Didn't get much of a chance to do any further damage. Jim, the guy in fourth place, is a friend and that was one of his highest scores ever. Also, several of the CMs I'm acquainted with that work the ride weren't there. It made the day feel even stranger.
Looks like some small refurb/construction was going on near HM.
This sign is always up at the head of the path to the castle's left (as you look at it from the hub). It's useless and misleading, essentially, since it almost never seems to be true. Most days at rope drop we see dozens of guests flow into FL via this path even after assurances from CMs that it's closed. Certainly I and hundreds of other guests took this shortcut from Fantasyland to the hub later in the day.
Around 2:30, the line for PP was the shortest I've ever seen it on a day like Sunday. It was hot and the park was crowded. Not sure how this happened. I didn't check the official wait time but I'd guess around 20 minutes.
More ducklings.
Now: last Sunday some friends were in Anaheim with their daughter, whom I adore. She had a volleyball game early on Sunday morning so I changed my plans so I could see all of them. I left the arena about 10:30 to make for the park. I thought it would take 20 minutes or so. I was wrong. Ordinarily that might be true. But not on this day.
Long story short, there was a very long line for the M&F structure. In fact, well before I could reach the front of it, the police closed it off, presumably because it was full. That was at around 11:15. My only other option was to head for TS.
Traffic was also very heavy in Anaheim because, I was later told, there were four conventions going on that morning. Also, I believe we're right at the start of spring break season.
Getting into TS took about 30 minutes. The line was backed up around the corner. I couldn't even bring myself to think what security and gate lines would look like. Fortunately, and to my great relief, they were both very short. Still, it took me nearly 90 minutes to go from their hotel about two miles away to Buzz Lightyear. Ouch. Yes, most of that was due to Anaheim congestion and spring break, but at least now I've tried Toy Story.
I've always been told that it's faster and easier than M&F. I question that. The queue for the park busses was long and I didn't care for driving the non-Disney route to get to the park. Moreover -- and this was my fault and also a lesson learned -- I didn't know that TS lots were named differently. I thought there was simply the "Toy Story" lot. It's when I boarded the park shuttle at the end of the day that I learned that Toy Story is actually a parking area and has named lots and not one simply called "Toy Story." Or at least that's how it was explained to me. After a longish day in the park, the last thing I wanted to face was a prolonged search for my car. Fortunately, I found it with relative ease.
Overall, I'm not a fan and will stick with M&F. I've tried TS twice -- true, under less than ideal circumstances -- but I'm done with it.
It was strange to arrive at the park at noon. I'm nearly always there for rope drop. In fact, several friends who also arrive early were already gone or on the point of leaving when I arrived. I didn't get to do nearly as many rides, of course. For an 8:00 opening, we'll do at least four FL attractions by or before 8:30. I rode Buzz several times with FPs but that option faded quickly. But about my fifth one, FPs were then issued for 60-90 minutes out.
I did ride POTC once. At 1:30, the standby line was shown as 45 minutes. However, as many of us know, official estimates are almost always high. I timed it from the time I got in line until I stepped into the boat. Only 30 minutes
.Just a few pics from that day.
I performed reasonably on Buzz. Didn't get much of a chance to do any further damage. Jim, the guy in fourth place, is a friend and that was one of his highest scores ever. Also, several of the CMs I'm acquainted with that work the ride weren't there. It made the day feel even stranger.
Looks like some small refurb/construction was going on near HM.
This sign is always up at the head of the path to the castle's left (as you look at it from the hub). It's useless and misleading, essentially, since it almost never seems to be true. Most days at rope drop we see dozens of guests flow into FL via this path even after assurances from CMs that it's closed. Certainly I and hundreds of other guests took this shortcut from Fantasyland to the hub later in the day.
Around 2:30, the line for PP was the shortest I've ever seen it on a day like Sunday. It was hot and the park was crowded. Not sure how this happened. I didn't check the official wait time but I'd guess around 20 minutes.
More ducklings.
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