California Screamin's Single Rider Shortcut

DCA's California Screamin' is one of the park's most efficient crowd-movers. With the ability to run five trains on the track at once, the massive coaster's wait times remain reasonable even on the busiest days. If you're touring the park solo, however (or don't mind temporarily splitting your group), the Single Rider Entry can cut your wait to just a few minutes!

The Single Rider Entrance is to the left of the Standby Line. A cast member will direct you through to this area, which is actually the ride's unloading side. A moment later, you'll be directed to the right, where you'll take an elevator up to the queue's over-the-tracks bridge.

Tips For The Cars Land Rope Drop & Mini-Parade

If you're a Disney Park fan, you're probably familiar with the morning ritual known as the "Rope Drop", where early-bird guests are admitted to the park's entry area, but held at a temporary barrier (the "rope") until the official opening moment.

Today, we're at Disney California Adventure for one of the most well-organized and clever rope-drop variations I've ever encountered: The Cars Land Mini-Parade and Gasoline Hose March! There are a couple of tricks to it you might find helpful on your next visit...

First off, be sure to arrive early -- crazy early. The goal is to be near the front of one of the many entry lines before the park opens. After the morning greeting from the cast and a click through the turnstyle...

Move as quickly as possible (without running) down Buena Vista Street. There is a massive crowd flowing in behind you at this moment...

Continue around the right side of the Carthay Circle Restaurant. Don't look back!

You'll arrive at the "rope" (just below our view, here) and halt momentarily. The Cars Land entrance waits up ahead. You just might see Lightning McQueen and Mater driving about, getting into place for the Hose March (not Disney's official name for the event).

Unlike at Disneyland, where the rope-drop crowd splits off in different directions between three or four big attractions, almost every single person behind you is heading for Radiator Springs Racers. No worries: Prepare for a really clever bit of crowd control by the DCA cast.

Toy Story Midway Mania

The lively atmosphere of this loading station sets the mood for a terrific ride; Toy Story Midway Mania provides one of the most intensely entertaining sensory-overload experiences in all of Disneyland Resort.

It's also one of the trickiest rides to board without a hefty wait in line. Unlike its sister attraction in Florida, the DCA Toy Story ride has no Fastpass option. The good news: without Fastpass, the line moves fairly quickly, and an average afternoon wait hovers around the 45 minute mark.

The bad news: that  line remains consistent throughout most of the day. The only way to board quickly is to hurry over to Toy Story first thing in the morning (while everyone else is in Cars Land).

Or, there's Plan B...

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