Disney can be a very busy place, especially during holidays or on the weekends. So here are 6 tips to be extra efficient with your time at the parks!
Rope Drop
For any newbies reading this, rope drop means getting to the parks before opening and being there for the moment the rope drops! This time is crucial, this is when you can hit up many of the bigger rides and have short wait times! You can also snag some awesome pictures with empty walkways.
Rider Switch
Rider switch is a life saver when at the parks with little ones! With Rider Swap, one adult (14 years or older) can wait with little ones while the rest of the party goes the ride. Then, they simply switch roles to allow the adult to experience the ride without waiting in the regular line again (this can sometimes be the fast pass line or sometimes a completely different line.)
To Use Rider Swap:
First, with your whole group, go to the cast member at the front of the ride and ask for a rider swap pass. The cast member will give you the rider swap pass, which is uploaded to your magic band or ticket on your phone! Part of the group goes on the ride while the other part waits with the little ones that cannot go on the ride.
Once the first group is done riding the ride the person waiting with the little ones can now go on the ride and take two additional people on the ride with them. They go to the cast member and show them the rider swap pass and the cast member will direct you what line to go to.
Rides that have rider swap:
Disneyland
-Autotopia
-Thunder Mountain
-Gadgets Go Coaster
-Goofy’s Sky school
-Grizzly River Run
-Rise of the Resistance
-Guardian’s of the Galaxy
-Space Mountain
-Splash Mountain
-Star Tours
-Matterhorn
California Adventure
-Incredicoaster
-Indiana Jones
-Luigi’s
-Maters
-Millennium Falcon
-Radiator Spring Racers
-Silly Symphony Swings
-Jumpin Jellyfish
-Soarin Around the World
Single Rider Line
Since Fast Pass is still not around single riding is a great way to squeeze some more rides into your day! The single rider line allows groups to split up and fill in seats where needed. This line tends to be quick (not guaranteed). Rides that offer single rider:
Disneyland
-Millennium Falcon
-Matterhorn
-Splash Mountain
California Adventure
-Grizzly River Run
-Radiator Spring Racers
-Incredicoaster
-Goofy’s Sky School
-Web Slingers
Buddy Pass
Buddy pass is offered at Monsters Inc. Ask a cast member for a buddy pass and you will skip the line and fill in the rows where needed!
Mobile Order
To mobile order use the Disneyland app! Click the plus sign at the bottom center, then click order food. When you are near the restaurant, hop back on the app and say “I’m here, prepare my order” then it will notify you when your food is ready. You get to skip the line and go directly to the window!
Genie+
Genie+ is the new fastpass system. You pay $20 and get “Lightening Lane” access to 12 rides at Disneyland and 7 rides at California Adventure. You also get photo pass with it, so make sure to snag a picture with any photo pass photographer you see!
Disneyland
-Autotopia
-Big Thunder Mountain
-Buzz Lightyear
-Haunted Mansion
-Indiana Jones
-it’s a small world
-Matterhorn
-Millennium Falcon
-Roger Rabbits Car Toon Spin
-Space Mountain
-Splash Mountain
-Star Tours
California Adventure
-Goofys Sky School
-Grizzly River Run
-Guardians of the Galaxy
-Incredicoaster
-Monster’s Inc
-Soarin Around the World
-Toy Story Mania