One of the problems Disney had at DCA early on was that there was no traffic to create patterns. Attendance figures were far lower than projected, though guests on hand did stack up daily at Soarin' over California and Grizzly River Run. On the relatively few crowded days (mostly weekends), the park didn’t handle crowds particularly well. If Disney’s gate projections had panned out, the park would have been in gridlock much of the time.
If you happen to hit DCA on a day of high attendance, here's what to expect. A high percentage of the early-morning arrivals will beat feet directly to Toy Story Midway Mania! and/or Soarin' over California and then continue to The Little Mermaid and (on warmer days) Grizzly River Run. (Another reason why guests head to Grizzly River Run is to get Fastpasses for World of Color.) Once Cars Land opens in 2012, it should draw the lion’s share of early-morning crowds. Other than The Tower of Terror and Monsters, Inc., the Hollywood Pictures Backlot is deserted, as are Golden Vine Winery, Pacific Wharf, and a bug's land until midmorning. As the lines build at Tower, Soarin', and Grizzly, and as guests begin opting for Fastpasses at these attractions, the crowd begins working its way into Paradise Pier. The super-headliner attraction Toy Story Midway Mania! has doubled the drawing power of Paradise Pier, and this has only increased since The Little Mermaid ride came online. California Screamin' sees its share of traffic, as locals in the know arrive to beat the crowd at the coaster and at the slow-loading cycle rides at Paradise Pier. By late morning on a busy day, you’ll find sizable lines at most of DCA’s rides. By noon or earlier, the ride queues are substantial and the crowds redistribute to the park’s shows. Disney Junior, Muppet*Vision 3D, and Aladdin each draw good-size crowds. By 2 p.m., the whole park is fairly socked in with guests, and even minor attractions and displays such as the sourdough-bread- and chocolate-making demonstrations build lines. Park departures increase significantly after 3 p.m., with lots of Park Hopper and Annual Passport holders heading over to Disneyland Park. By the dinner hour, crowds at DCA have thinned appreciably. As closing time approaches, long lines are found only at premier attractions. Guests with World of Color Fastpasses will begin queuing in the Golden State and Paradise Pier walkways an hour or more before showtime. The largest wave of departing guests occur at the end of World of Color. Just before closing, crowd levels are thin except, of course, at Soarin' Over California, The Tower of Terror, and The Little Mermaid; Radiator Springs Racers should be similar when it opens.
Get Current and Future Wait Times with Lines
To get a complete view of the actual traffic patterns while you're in the park, use our mobile application, Lines. The app gives you current wait times and future estimates in half-hour increments for today and tomorrow. A quick glance shows how traffic patterns affect wait times throughout the day.
