Touchdowns Epic Fourth of July Weekend at DLR:
After hearing for years that the 4th of July is crazy busy at DL and not worth it, as I was making out my schedule I realized I was either going to have my summer trip the 4th, the actual 70th or too late for HM. The latter was a definite no, and as I weighed my options I deduced that I was making a choice between hoards of tourists (4th) or hoards of park nerds (70th) and figured I could leverage my knowledge of the park better against tourists then nerds.
I was rewarded by an absolutely perfect weather week and the lightest crowds I’ve seen at DL since June 2019. There was one significant exception, the evening of July 4th, while the morning was amazing there are clearly plenty of my fellow Imagine MK holders who choose to come for the fireworks that evening and stayed till Midnight, because things got packed. I’m glad I nailed down my spot on MSUSA 90 min before PTN as it was a great spot in the second row. MSUSA was full less then 20 min later. I loved the 4th show, definitely the largest fireworks show I’ve seen at DL and the finale was great.
Anyways, as a proof of how dead it was on the 4th I started recording my ride record midday Friday and decided to keep doing it throughout the weekend. So long as they restrict MKs and jack the price on day tickets I can’t recommend July 4th enough! While I didn’t keep track of the waits the numbers speak for themselves, I think I waited for Soarin for about 40 min once, and other then that I don’t think I waited more then 30 mins for anything and rarely waited more then 15 min. Everyone was talking about the lack of crowds. Ok here is the nitty gritty, if I didn’t use the standby queue I noted it too:
Fri July 4 (28 attractions, 3 night shows)
DCA Early Entry (2):
-Guardians (x2)
DCA morning (16):
-TSMM(x2)
-TSMM (LL)
-Incridicoaster
-Mickey’s Wheel of Death (swinging)
-Goofy’s Sky School
-Zepher
-Mermaid
-RSR x2 (SRL)
-Luigi’s
-Mater
-Web Slingers (SRL)
-Monsters Inc
-Soarin (LL)
-Grizzly River Rapids x2 (SRL)
2:30-3:00 Break to get out of wet clothes, shower
DL Afternoon (8):
-Monorail
-Space (LL)
-Rise(18 min wait!)
-Tiki Room
Dinner break 5:00-5:45 (Carniation Cafe)
-Jungle Cruise
-Storybook Cruise
-iasw
-Runaway Railroad
7:30-10:50 Night Show Break. Secured one of the last spots on MSUSA, got a caramel apple and saw PTN, Celebrate America and WOC
The (not so) Golden Hour (2 rides):
-Indy (LL) 30 min delay in sight of unloading due to ride malfunction
-Pirates
Saturday July 5th (33 attractions, 3.25 night shows):
Early Entry (5):
-Peter Pan
-Toad
-Pinocchio
-Snow White
-Alice
DL Morning 8:00-12:00 (12):
-Buzz
-Space
-Rodger Rabbit
-Runaway Railroad
-iasw
-Big Thunder
-HM
-Tianna (x2)
-Pooh
-Rise (20 min)
-Falcon
Lunch Break (Plaza Inn)
DCA Afternoon 12:30-3:30 (8):
-Horse-drawn Trolley (had to go the fancy way down MSUSA)
-Guardians (LL)
-Monsters Inc (Buddy Pass)
-Web Slingers (SRL)
-RSR x2 (SRL)
-Grizzly x2 (SRL)
Break to change, dinner at Cathay Circle
DCA Early Evening 6:15-8:10 (4):
-TSMM (LL)
-Incredicoaster
-Mermaid
-Soarin (LL)
Night Show Break, grabbed a MSUSA spot for PTN, Wonderous, WOC, and Malnificent vs Mickey and the finale of Fantasmic!
Golden Hour (4)
-Indy (LL)
-Big Thunder (LL)
-Pirates
-HM
Sunday July 5th (29 attractions, 3.33 Night Shows)
Early Entry (2):
-Guardians
-Web Slingers
DCA Morning 8:00-12:15 (15):
-TSMM x3
-Incridicoaster x3
-Mickey’s Wheel of Death (swinging)
-Golden Zepher
-Mermaid
-RSR x3 (SRL)
-Guardians (LL)
-Monsters Inc (Buddy Pass)
-Soarin (LL)
Lunch break
DL Afternoon 1:00-3:00 (3)
-Rise (16 min wait)
-Tiana (LL)
-Indy (LL)
Break, and Dinner at Hearthstone Lounge
DL Evening 6:20-8:00 (5):
-Monorail
-Space (LL)
-MMRR (LL)
-Train to NO Sq
-HM (LL)
Night Show Break, PTN, Wonderous, WOC, End of Princess Medley-Conclusion of Fantasmic!
Golden Hour (4):
-Pirates
-BTMRR
-HM
-Sweeper Train
Final Average, 30 attractions per day, >3 night shows a night (12.4 miles a day.) Twas a wonderful trip
After hearing for years that the 4th of July is crazy busy at DL and not worth it, as I was making out my schedule I realized I was either going to have my summer trip the 4th, the actual 70th or too late for HM. The latter was a definite no, and as I weighed my options I deduced that I was making a choice between hoards of tourists (4th) or hoards of park nerds (70th) and figured I could leverage my knowledge of the park better against tourists then nerds.
I was rewarded by an absolutely perfect weather week and the lightest crowds I’ve seen at DL since June 2019. There was one significant exception, the evening of July 4th, while the morning was amazing there are clearly plenty of my fellow Imagine MK holders who choose to come for the fireworks that evening and stayed till Midnight, because things got packed. I’m glad I nailed down my spot on MSUSA 90 min before PTN as it was a great spot in the second row. MSUSA was full less then 20 min later. I loved the 4th show, definitely the largest fireworks show I’ve seen at DL and the finale was great.
Anyways, as a proof of how dead it was on the 4th I started recording my ride record midday Friday and decided to keep doing it throughout the weekend. So long as they restrict MKs and jack the price on day tickets I can’t recommend July 4th enough! While I didn’t keep track of the waits the numbers speak for themselves, I think I waited for Soarin for about 40 min once, and other then that I don’t think I waited more then 30 mins for anything and rarely waited more then 15 min. Everyone was talking about the lack of crowds. Ok here is the nitty gritty, if I didn’t use the standby queue I noted it too:
Fri July 4 (28 attractions, 3 night shows)
DCA Early Entry (2):
-Guardians (x2)
DCA morning (16):
-TSMM(x2)
-TSMM (LL)
-Incridicoaster
-Mickey’s Wheel of Death (swinging)
-Goofy’s Sky School
-Zepher
-Mermaid
-RSR x2 (SRL)
-Luigi’s
-Mater
-Web Slingers (SRL)
-Monsters Inc
-Soarin (LL)
-Grizzly River Rapids x2 (SRL)
2:30-3:00 Break to get out of wet clothes, shower
DL Afternoon (8):
-Monorail
-Space (LL)
-Rise(18 min wait!)
-Tiki Room
Dinner break 5:00-5:45 (Carniation Cafe)
-Jungle Cruise
-Storybook Cruise
-iasw
-Runaway Railroad
7:30-10:50 Night Show Break. Secured one of the last spots on MSUSA, got a caramel apple and saw PTN, Celebrate America and WOC
The (not so) Golden Hour (2 rides):
-Indy (LL) 30 min delay in sight of unloading due to ride malfunction
-Pirates
Saturday July 5th (33 attractions, 3.25 night shows):
Early Entry (5):
-Peter Pan
-Toad
-Pinocchio
-Snow White
-Alice
DL Morning 8:00-12:00 (12):
-Buzz
-Space
-Rodger Rabbit
-Runaway Railroad
-iasw
-Big Thunder
-HM
-Tianna (x2)
-Pooh
-Rise (20 min)
-Falcon
Lunch Break (Plaza Inn)
DCA Afternoon 12:30-3:30 (8):
-Horse-drawn Trolley (had to go the fancy way down MSUSA)
-Guardians (LL)
-Monsters Inc (Buddy Pass)
-Web Slingers (SRL)
-RSR x2 (SRL)
-Grizzly x2 (SRL)
Break to change, dinner at Cathay Circle
DCA Early Evening 6:15-8:10 (4):
-TSMM (LL)
-Incredicoaster
-Mermaid
-Soarin (LL)
Night Show Break, grabbed a MSUSA spot for PTN, Wonderous, WOC, and Malnificent vs Mickey and the finale of Fantasmic!
Golden Hour (4)
-Indy (LL)
-Big Thunder (LL)
-Pirates
-HM
Sunday July 5th (29 attractions, 3.33 Night Shows)
Early Entry (2):
-Guardians
-Web Slingers
DCA Morning 8:00-12:15 (15):
-TSMM x3
-Incridicoaster x3
-Mickey’s Wheel of Death (swinging)
-Golden Zepher
-Mermaid
-RSR x3 (SRL)
-Guardians (LL)
-Monsters Inc (Buddy Pass)
-Soarin (LL)
Lunch break
DL Afternoon 1:00-3:00 (3)
-Rise (16 min wait)
-Tiana (LL)
-Indy (LL)
Break, and Dinner at Hearthstone Lounge
DL Evening 6:20-8:00 (5):
-Monorail
-Space (LL)
-MMRR (LL)
-Train to NO Sq
-HM (LL)
Night Show Break, PTN, Wonderous, WOC, End of Princess Medley-Conclusion of Fantasmic!
Golden Hour (4):
-Pirates
-BTMRR
-HM
-Sweeper Train
Final Average, 30 attractions per day, >3 night shows a night (12.4 miles a day.) Twas a wonderful trip
