Are we going to HAVE to do MVMCP to avoid crowds?

[RMulieri]

As it should be everyone has different opinions on every topic (that is what makes discussion boards great). We (Myself, DH, DS8, DS7 DD5) only travel duing peak dates so we handle and manage crowds well.

On the last SOLD OUT MVMCP of 2010 we entered the MK at 4pm.
Rode rides until 6:30pm
Got in line for the seven dwarfts - were done my 7:15
Got some hot chocolate and cookies
Went to the jessie &woody dance party - fun
Got a front row seat for the first parade - sat in front of the shotting gallary
Saw the parade (it is nice it starts in Frountier land so that was quick)
Went to the Chip and Dale dance party - fun again
Got more cookies
Saw the holiday firework from in front of the plaza
Rode some rides and left about 11:15pm.
It was snowing on mainstreet when we left - magical

It was a wonderful night - sold out - but managable if you have a plan. Maybe we just deal with crowds better than most.

and that is your experience.I have been doing parties since 2000 pretty much every year( stopped doing the christmas one completely a few years ago).Each year I have seen a BIG difference in prior years.I am glad that you enjoyed the party, and I am glad the crowds do not bother you.For us , we don't find the high cost worth it anymore.

 

[nicki.momof3]

and I am glad the crowds do not bother you..

I think that is one of the big diefferences between each individual family.

We can only travel during Easter Week and Christmas week. I am a teacher so school days are out of the question (I do not work in one of those school where you can take personal days for vacations) and DH can not take off in the summer.

We are very used to huge crowds and manage them very well. Our 3 children started going to WDW when they were ages 2,3,4 and now at 6,7,8 they have no problems with everyone.

We are also great at planning our time. We expect large crowds and from our experience if you plan your time well you can do everything you want.

 

[StEpHandMiKe<3Disney]

Just posted on the other Christmas Party thread.....

...no longer much difference. Last year they sold up to 40,000 Christmas Party tickets per night vs. maximum of 50,000 tickets maximum for daytime guests.

What are some other Christmas threads going on right now?

 

[mom2rtk]

We are also great at planning our time. We expect large crowds and from our experience if you plan your time well you can do everything you want.

Doesn't matter how well you plan your time. At a sold out party it is impossible to do it all. You can pick your top priorities and do those, but you will definitely be walking out of the park with things left on the table. And that drives me nuts. I always want to experience as much of it as possible.

And the 40,000 attendance numbers might be accurate. There's no way to know. But I've always believed the reason they don't announce the numbers is so they can change it whenever they want.

 

[mousireid]

I know many people over here an hour away, who just purchase tickets to the Halloween and Christmas Parties instead of a full day at the park for more money - from 4pm onward they can get their fix.
I would do the same, actually!

 

[mom2rtk]

I know many people over here an hour away, who just purchase tickets to the Halloween and Christmas Parties instead of a full day at the park for more money - from 4pm onward they can get their fix.
I would do the same, actually!

We were if FL in June 08 for a family vacation at Sanibel. I was dying for a Disney fix. We used a hard ticketed party (the Pirate & Princess Party) for a one evening stop at the park. It was awesome, and a good bargain to boot. PERFECT for a quick dose of Disney!

Too bad that turned out to be the last ever P & PP ever!

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

My family went that time last year and it was lovely. We usually go one of the first 2 weeks in Dec but my parents were going to join us and that was their dates. We arrived the Sat after T-Day(this was the only crazy busy day). Every year has been busier, we've been doing this for years, so I expected that. The weather was great, the hours were good, we went to MVMCP on Tue night. It was busy but manageble. We did pretty much of what my parents really wanted to see and do with no problems. We found a spot to watch the parade in Liberty square about 15 min ahead, and that was with 2 scooters. I really LOVE the photo I have from the bottom of main street with the toy soldiers and x-mas trees and the castle and main strret behind...it is my mouse pad right now..I am thinking of booking same week this year as well. We really enjoyed it.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Just posted on the other Christmas Party thread.....

...no longer much difference. Last year they sold up to 40,000 Christmas Party tickets per night vs. maximum of 50,000 tickets maximum for daytime guests.

Capacity at Magic Kingdom is 100,000 people. I've always read here on the DIS that when the hard ticket parties first started that they sold about 25,000 tickets - 1/4 MK capacity. Now, with the popularity of the parties, and the huge amount of money they are making, I believe some CMs have reported that Disney now sells 40,000 tickets to the hard ticket parties. I believe those numbers would be about right, it keeps the hard ticket sales just under half for MK capacity.

http://www.disneybythenumbers.com/wdw/wdw.html

 

[sumsmommy03]

We went the week before Thanksgiving last year and did the MVMCP. It was miserably busy. We had MUCH less crowds during the days at the park!

 

[mom2rtk]

I believe those numbers would be about right, it keeps the hard ticket sales just under half for MK capacity.

http://www.disneybythenumbers.com/wdw/wdw.html

On paper, just under half capacity sounds reasonable. But during a regular day in the MK, that crowd is pretty evenly dispersed throughout the park. Most people willing to plunk down more than $60 for a party ticket does it because they want to see the special parade and fireworks. That means everyone is on Main Street at the same time. THAT is why a sold out party feels sooooooo jam packed.

 

[nytimez]

In reality, the park rarely approaches capacity -- only on the big holidays. I seem to recall reading that the first parties were something like 17,000 tickets... but in recent years, it's somewhere around 25K. I could be wrong, that's my recollection...

But I do know that MK attendance last year was 17 million, that's an average of 46K a day -- just to put the numbers in perspective.

 

[nicki.momof3]

That means everyone is on Main Street at the same time. THAT is why a sold out party feels sooooooo jam packed.

Maybe this is why so many people have such a hard time. They don't know how to "work the party". People are under the impression that all the special attraction are on main street only.

You don't have to stand on main street to watch the parade. The parade actually starts in frountier land. You can easily watch it from there and be done quicky because you are at the beginning of the route.

The dance party with woody and jesse is also not on main street. It is also in frountier land.

The seven dwarf are right in front of its a small world. Again not on main street.

There is a stage show in tomorrow land - not on main street

The chip and dale dance party is also not on main street and accessable from tomorrow land area.

The fireworks are a hour+ after the parade so it is not hard to enter main street from the side and see them.

Cookies and hot chocoloate are all over the MK - no just on main street.

The prinesses and princes were in toon town again no need to be on main street. Not sure where they will be located this year.

The only 2 "big" special attractions on main street are the stage show in front of the castle and the snow. It does snow all night so you can experience it as you leave.

If you enter the park around 4pm you can position youself in frountier land.

MVMCP are great events. It is all in the planning. If you go in at 7pm and try to sit on main street - yes - it is going to be very busy. But if you plan your time you can hit a ton of special events and still be able to deal with the crowds.

Will you see everything - NO. Do you see everything on a normal day at the MK - NO. For us it is just another reason to go again.

 

[RMulieri]

On paper, just under half capacity sounds reasonable. But during a regular day in the MK, that crowd is pretty evenly dispersed throughout the park. Most people willing to plunk down more than $60 for a party ticket does it because they want to see the special parade and fireworks. That means everyone is on Main Street at the same time. THAT is why a sold out party feels sooooooo jam packed.

Agree...and FWIW at our last attempt at MVMCP we watched the parade from Frontierland and it was equally crowded and required lining up almost as early,since Main St was already clogged up.Couldn't get near the castle for the fireworks or stage show.

 

[mom2rtk]

Maybe this is why so many people have such a hard time. They don't know how to "work the party". People are under the impression that all the special attraction are on main street only.

Depends on your priorities. In my book, the view has to have a castle in the background!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

On paper, just under half capacity sounds reasonable. But during a regular day in the MK, that crowd is pretty evenly dispersed throughout the park. Most people willing to plunk down more than $60 for a party ticket does it because they want to see the special parade and fireworks. That means everyone is on Main Street at the same time. THAT is why a sold out party feels sooooooo jam packed.

Actually, I meant that I thought those figures were accurate, not reasonable. I think they are WAY overselling the hard-ticket parties now. But, we will most likely keep going. I love the special fireworks and the parades.

 

[StEpHandMiKe<3Disney]

Depends on your priorities. In my book, the view has to have a castle in the background!

OMG, your photos are amazing. How did you take them? What type of camera, tripod?

 

[mom2rtk]

OMG, your photos are amazing. How did you take them? What type of camera, tripod?

Hi! Many thanks for the nice comment. I have a Canon T2i. There's a lot of photography talk in my trip report linked below if you'd like to join us!

The approach is pretty different for parades versus fireworks. A tripod is a must for fireworks. You want a low ISO and long shutter speed too. For the parade, a fast lens and high ISO help out a lot.

It's the photo ops like this that keep me coming back for the hard-ticketed parties, despite the crowds!