How do you do DHS?

[Dyanna]

The last time we went to DHS we arrived at approx 2pm on a EMH evening day. What we did not know is that only a select few rides in the front of the park are open during this time. Needless to say we never got to ride/attend many of the attractions (Backlot Tour, Muppetvision 3D etc) in the back of the park. We were all quite upset. This year we plan on starting in the back of the park & working forward. Would this be the best plan? How do you normally navigate DHS?

2nd ?

We are going in Nov. We despretely want to have photos taken with the Cars characters. (This too we missed) Are they there at specific times & are the lines usually long? We dont need any photos of Buzz Lighyear as he is always found at the MK but also spotted during our last trip in DHS.

[ISLE39]

Well, i usually get there at rope drop and quickly get a fp for rnrc n hop on tot once then navigate thru the rest of the park. actually in my experience dhs is the easiest park to navigate thru and complete in a day if you can get there by rope drop and follow the map. everything for dhs is one right after teh other with a few turns. with toy story mania now open and i hear its a very long wait i would definitly hit that first do not pass go do not collect 100 bucks. and then start from the back of the park since your closer to it. pay attention to the shows you dont want to miss. if your there at the end of the night you can always get on tot and rnrc as the last 2 rides bc the lines tend to be very short just before close. good luck

[ibrowse17]

Agreed. DHS is a moring park for us. We get there at rope drop, hit all the big attractions, maybe have lunch and usually are heading back to our resort by the early afternoon.:thumbsup:

[dixielandings]

First thing in the morning is the best time to visit any Park - we LOVE AMs at WDW. I suggest getting a FP for something big first (RnRC or ToT), then jumping on a couple of the other big attractions before the crowd hits and the lines get long. Save the "less popular" stuff (Backlot Tour, for example) and shows that seat a lot of guests (B&the B, Indiana Jones) for the heat of the afternoon, and try to schedule your meals at "off" times to beat the rush. Be SURE to make time for Fantasmic - you need to be there a good 45 minutes to an hour ahead of time to get the best seats.

Ask at Guest Services about Cars characters - I've only seen them a few times since the movie came out.

A free FastPass tip: before you return for your current FP time, get a 2nd FP for another attraction. This helps you make the most of the FP system and your time.

[MrPeetrie]

We usually hit that park fairly early and grab a donut at Starring Rolls. After we've hit the main attractions (we have a little girl, so there's no TOT or RnRC for us right now), we'll take the boat ride to either the Boardwalk or Epcot for dinner. Later, we may return for Fantasmic. (DD4 LOVES this!)

Since we've had our little girl, this park usually gets only one visit each vacation. There doesn't seem to be that much for her. After Playhouse Disney, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast on Stage, and the Muppets, she didn't enjoy too much else. TGMR was ok for her, as was Indiana Jones. LMA was TOO LOUD for her. (It hurt her ears.) She's not old enough for much else, so we don't spend much time there.

But wait until next year.....

[Figment52]

I agree in that DHS can be done in a day. We usually have difficulty filling the day in in order to stay for fantasmic, actually. Typically, we only visit DHS once a trip, too. Unless we hop a bus just to ride ToT or RnRC.

The biggest problem, we've found, is trying to plan how to fit in all the shows & attractions that have specific times. It's so hard to gauge a traditional ride line wait, at times, so we've missed a show time we wanted.

If you don't have small children, than I would suggest hitting RnRC and ToT first. We usually get a FP for one, than go do the other. If the crowds are low, sometimes we do both a few times. Then we usually hit the great movie ride, and after that? Wherever we feel like going. We did the stunt show last time, but weren't overly impressed, so we'll skip it this time. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was once a must see for us, but they've gotten rid of it. :( It was a fantastic show.

[FromKnoxvilleto Disney]

I agree DHS is a one day park. We generally split it into two half days and swim and relax the other half day. We do a modified version of the suggestions above. We do mornings one day and evenings the other. We try to do the FP rides in the morning and maybe catch a show and lunch before heading back to the hotel. The other day we arrive early afternoon and eat an early dinner on the fantasmic package with the intentions of doing the lesser attractions and maybe a show. Then we cruise around to the side entrance for fantasmic and get in our reserved seats. Are these seats better than the others no but you do not have to line up an hour early for them either. Then we go out the side entrance and to the bus stop before most people get there.