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Early Entry Strategies for DL/DCA?

Hello!

My kids (12, 7) and I will have early entry on Friday to DCA, Saturday to DL, and Sunday to DCA again. We also have multi LL and hoppers all three days. Would appreciate insight on how best to manage/maximize our days at the parks.

1. EE DCA: WOC FP, Soarin, then head to Carsland for Mater’s while we wait for RSR to open and then head there to be one of the firsts in line?

2. EE DL: PP and all the dark rides then head to ROTR to be one of the firsts OR Space Mountain then ROTR?

3. Use our last EE day at DCA to do anything we missed or rope drop DL, and just hop to DCA later?

Thank you!

Maximizing Early Entry (EE) at Disneyland Resort takes a bit of planning, especially with kids aged 7 and 12. Since you have early entry at DCA twice and DL once, and also have multi-day Genie+ and Park Hopper access, you can leverage these for the best strategy.

1. Early Entry DCA (Friday)

  • Arrive early, ideally 15–20 minutes before EE starts. You’ll get a head start before general park opening.
  • Consider heading straight to popular attractions that don’t offer Lightning Lane (LL) or are high demand:
    • Soarin’ Around the World: Popular and worth hitting first to avoid long waits.
    • World of Color FP: If using a virtual FP or dining package, reserve it early in the day.
  • After Soarin’, head to Cars Land to ride Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree while waiting for Radiator Springs Racers (RSR) to open.
  • RSR is your priority — be among the first in line when EE access opens for that attraction to minimize wait times.

2. Early Entry Disneyland (Saturday)

  • Prioritize dark rides and Fantasyland attractions first, as they have consistently long lines.
  • Decide on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (ROTR) strategy:
    • If your goal is to ride ROTR early, consider hitting Space Mountain or other thrill rides first if your kids are up for it.
    • Then head to ROTR to be among the first in line; using Genie+ for other rides helps avoid wasting time.
  • Use Genie+ to secure LL for high-demand rides while doing the early-entry strategy.

3. Second Early Entry DCA (Sunday)

  • You have flexibility:
    • Option 1: Revisit anything missed on your first DCA day.
    • Option 2: Rope drop Disneyland first for any must-do attractions you didn’t cover on Saturday, then hop to DCA later in the morning for lighter crowds.
  • Plan based on which park has higher priority rides for your group.
  • Keep in mind, Park Hopping after 1 PM (or as per current park rules) allows you to maximize both parks efficiently.

Additional Tips:

  • Use the Disneyland app to monitor wait times and adjust plans in real time.
  • Factor in breaks and meal times, especially with younger kids.
  • Leverage LL/Genie+ for mid-day popular rides to reduce standing in line.
  • Early Entry is particularly useful for high-demand rides (RSR, ROTR, Soarin’, Space Mountain).

With this approach, you can hit most major attractions early, minimize wait times, and have flexibility to revisit favorites with Park Hopping and Genie+.

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