How to Deal with the Cars Land Crowds

If you have ever been to the Disneyland Resort around a holiday, you definitely know how long lines can get.  But if you are planning to visit Cars Land this summer, be prepared for some serious gridlock.

With the hot sun, long lines, and waining patience it can be tough for any family to wait in the extra long lines for Disney’s newest rides. While we can’t make the crowds go away, we can offer some tips for making the wait more bearable.

Attraction Queues

Tip #1 – Make sure everyone goes potty before you begin your road trip. While this sounds simple, it is the most important tip to remember for any parent with young children. Cars Land only has one set of restrooms in the entire area and the rides won’t be the only part of Cars Land with a queue. Making a quick pit stop might not be an option. Drain that radiator hose before you hit the road.

If you do need to get out of line for a potty break, you would be surprised how empathetic and how quickly people are when you shout “excuse me, potty emergency!” We had to do this a few times with our youngest child, just as we reached the last few feet of the line. If possible, have someone in your party stay in line while another takes the child to the restroom. It is usually pretty easy to travel through the exit of the ride and meet up with your family again at the loading platform. The Disney employees see this kind of thing all day.

If you’re a single parent, try to grab the attention of a Disney employee on your way out of the line. If they remember your face, odds are that they will help you get back to your place in line (or will walk you to the front of the queue) if there is no one to hold your place in line. Again, they see this kind of thing every day so don’t be embarrassed to ask an employee for help.

Tip #2 – Bring along a refillable water bottle. Drinking fountains will be hard to find in Cars Land and most of the concession stands will have long lines. The most reliable way to quench your thirst is to keep a water bottle with you. This is also a great way to cool down your children if they get too hot in line. Just squirt their heads with a little water and it will be more fun than Splash Mountain (not really, but it will help keep them cool).

Another thing to know is that Disney is testing a new outdoor vending approach by having snack vendors wander through the queue.  Besides being a brilliant merchandising idea, this will give you an easy way to get a quick snack. Of course, this is a test and might not always be available. But keep an eye out for the Disney employees dressed as 1930s deliverymen (think milkmen all dressed in white uniforms) if you want a quick popcorn, ice cream, or drink.

Tip #3 – Don’t forget about Fastpass and the child swap pass. While many people are aware of the Fastpass, quite a few have never heard about the child swap pass. To do this, just go up to the “employee greeter” at the front of the ride and ask for the child swap pass. One person will wait with your child outside while the other goes through the queue like normal. After they go on the ride, you “swap” places. While the first person now waits with the child, the other can use the pass to go through the exit and get on the ride without a wait. This way, everyone who meets the height requirement still gets to ride, you only have to wait in line once, and someone is always able to stay with the child.

You can usually bring someone with you when using the swap pass, which is great if you have an older child. They get to ride the attraction once with dad and then cut to the front of the line with mom when she uses the pass. What kid wouldn’t want to get two rides out of the deal?

Tip #4 – Radiator Springs Racers has a new Fastpass location that is outside Cars Land and near Bugs Land. Considering how popular the Fastpasses will be for this attraction, it is a safe bet that you’ll need to grab one within an hour or two of the park opening. Expect to see a mad rush of people at “rope drop” (when the park opens for the day) and then be prepared to fight your way to the Fastpass machines.

If you have the luxury of breaking your group into single riders, Disney often will give out single rider passes to fill empty seats. With the expected popularity of Radiator Springs Racers, they might not offer the single rider pass at all times. But it is worth asking about if you’re willing to break up your party in exchange for getting to bypass the standard queue.

Tip #5 – Play iSpy while in line. The queues for the new Cars Land attractions are loaded with details, which can make it easy for an impromptu game of spotting items. In the Radiator Springs queue, there are historical road markers, visuals, such as antiques radiator caps, store signage, western cactus plantings, and even the building made from bottles. Luigi’s Flying Tires and Tow-Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree also have lots of details in the queue, but the Radiator Springs Racers line has the most visual items to keep your children interested.

Tip #6 – The queue for Luigi’s Flying Tires is slow moving. This ride has a very limited capacity of only a few hundred riders per hour (similar to the Mad Tea Party at Disneyland). Usually the lines are easier to bear if they keep moving. But you are almost guaranteed to stand in one place for long periods of time in this queue. Our pro tip is to try getting on this ride early in the morning or late in the evening when the line will be shorter. Better yet, if we recommend optimizing your time for Radiator Springs Racers and saving Luigi’s tires for your next visit. The ride is fun, but it isn’t worth an hour wait and a cranky family.

Tip #7 – Be prepared for lines at the restaurants in Cars Land. While people expect lines for the new rides, they often can be surprised at long lines for the new restaurants.