The effect of TSM on other DHS rides

[DisneyTopper]

I am planning my first family trip to WDW in mid-June in five years and was going over some things that have changed since our last visit.

I am reading (through guide books and on Intercot) that TSM is a HUGE crowd draw. First off, I love TSM (rode in DL in '09 several times) but my absolute favorite ride in all of WDW is ToT. I was wondering if the upside to the huge TSM queue would be a lesser wait for ToT or even RnRC (another family fave). Or do they all three have huge queues all the time?

Just curious, thanks!

[jnfr2424]

Depending on what time of day you go
All 3 can be very busy
Our family plan of action has been
1. Get FP for TSM
2. Stand in line for ToT
3. Ride single rider on RnRC

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I agree! All 3 can (and do) still get busy, but the craziest rush in the AM seems to be for TSM.

In our family, we split up (since DD and I are wimps). DD and I get TSM FP's, hop into the standby line while DH rides ToT and RnR. Usually he can ride both while we wait and ride TSM.

[BugeyedMuggy]

If you get to the park @ opening and don't go to TSM you can ride R&R or ToT multiple times in a row with very little wait. Even the line to get a fastpass for TSM is about 20 mins long .

[DisneyTopper]

If you get to the park @ opening and don't go to TSM you can ride R&R or ToT multiple times in a row with very little wait. Even the line to get a fastpass for TSM is about 20 mins long .

This was what I was wondering about. Maybe that will be the plan, to go to ToT and RnRc and enjoy everyone else sprinting to TSM. As long as we can still get a FP a couple hours after opening.

I also remember that around 8pm on the nights that have Fantasmic! The park somewhat empties as the stadium fills. I am wondering if the same thing happens these days, especially with the limited Fantasmic! shows. Does this lighten the TSM queue at all?

[senderella]

We learned a quick trick while we were there is January. If you will be at the park all day, this is a great way to avoid the line. We caught the first showing of Fantasmic and then made our way thru the crowd to TSM. The standby line was about 30 minutes, so we opted for the GMR. When we left GMR, we had five minutes before park closing. My oldest DS wanted to try TSM again. I thought they would have already closed the line due to the time, but we tried again. I guess I just didn't realized...but they did not close the line until the exact moment the park closed. With three minutes left, we hopped in line. We walked straight thru, absolutely no wait. When we got off the ride, the Cast members were taking turns riding. The park was officially closed and we leisurely walked back to the buses. No one hurried us along. It was awesome. This will definitely be our tactic again.

[Janmac]

You don't say when you will be at DHS. We were there in late January, 2010. I don't ride ToT so I went to TSM. The queue for Fast Passes stretched back to the next building (forget what that is). When I got my Fast Passes they were for almost noon. This was at 9:30 in the morning.

Not sure at what time the FPs are all given out.

Perhaps your best bet is at the end of the day, as a previous poster said. That's our strategy for Soarin'. After 8:30 pm we have encountered waits of less than 20 minutes in Standby.

Jan

[rjmdds]

I have to agree with some of the previous posters. We headed for TSM right before park closing. The wait was posted outside as 60 minutes. We had no more plans so we figured we'd wait. The line ended up being about 20 minutes. It was great. It was a great way to end the day. We had resigned ourselves to not even riding it being as it was still so new We figured the lines would never be manageable. At the end of the day though, it worked out perfectly. It was a bonus for us.

[lovinmesomedisney]

Since you are going in mid June, I would say everything will definitely be crowded. We go every September and this year went the first week of February, (Which is going to be another annual thing from now on! ) and the TOT was pretty much a walk on every time we went over there. We love TOT and probably rode it about 7 times. Rock N Roller Coaster was down most of the day, so we actually gave up on that one. Normally though, during our visits, we can ride it also without a fast pass. TSM though, is always a go to first thing with us. We ride it and fast pass it.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We went during Christmas holidays in 2008. We were at the park at rope drop and went straight to TSM...there was already a 10 min. wait by the time we rode...then we doubled back and went down to TOT and RnRC...the waits were 5 min.s for both. My son went ahead and got Fast passes to use for later and but was able to ride to ride these two with little waits.....it was late morning before either had significant wait times but TSM was already out of Fastpasses by that time.

[azcavalier]

TSM FastPasses are gone within an hour or two. So, if you don't get FPs first thing, then you'll have to settle for the stand-by line.

What we usually do is I go at the rope drop and get FPs for TSM first thing. Everyone else goes and rides RnR. Since it's just me going, I can usually get up close to the front of the FP line and don't wait more than five minutes for the FPs. Admittedly, I hate adding to the already crazy rush to TSM. But if I don't, then we aren't going to ride it. Anyway, then I head back and ride RnR once or twice with the family before moving on.

[cer]

OK, I hate to throw in another factor, but the brand new and improved Star Tours will be open by then and I suspect that will be a pretty big draw as well. Truly, I do not know what direction to go first.

For some reason I am thinking hit Star Tours first?

Advice?

[Janmac]

OK, I hate to throw in another factor, but the brand new and improved Star Tours will be open by then and I suspect that will be a pretty big draw as well. Truly, I do not know what direction to go first.

For some reason I am thinking hit Star Tours first?

Advice?

Excellent point. My plan would be to do two mornings at DHS. One morning doing the TSM scurry for FPs followed by RRnC and other attractions in that area, possibly including GMR. Another morning doing the ST scurry and attractions in that area, like the Stunt shows, etc.

With a one day plan, you might do best to pick ST for the first thing and TSM for park closing. Be interesting to hear how it works out. If ST is good, it'll be crammed all day while TSM has been there awhile.
Jan

[Melanie]

If ST is good, it'll be crammed all day while TSM has been there awhile.

I'm actually looking forward to this and seeing some of the crowding eased off of TSM.

[RBrooksC]

The one thing the Star Tours may do is load balance the crowds to the different sides of the parks.

However, even if it does bring people over to that side of the park, Star Tours has a much larger ride capacity than does TSM. So, TSM will still have longer waits due alone to this fact.