1 day for MK and overwhelmed

[Planogirl]

Big Thunder Mountain is awfully fun too but it sounds like you have plenty listed!

We also have just one day at MK and are staying offsite. Luckily we have no interest in characters. I plan to head to Peter Pan at rope drop. We'd like to see the new interactive queue and I understand that you skip that if you have FP+. Just something else to confuse you!

 

[reverie1729]

A word of advice since you are staying off site...check the date you will be in MK and make sure it isn't an EMH morning for on site resort guests. If it is, rearrange your schedule as the rides will already be crowded when you enter.

Please know that in order to maximize rope drop it means that you need to actually be in the front area of the park well before the 9 AM opening. It takes a lot more time than you think to park your car, get on the bus or monorail, go through bag check, go through the turnstiles, etc. We did rope drop last month and we were in line at the front of the drop one hour prior to opening ( we stayed on site so took the bus). There are bathrooms nearby that you can use while waiting for rope drop. We tell our party to use them as once inside we try to ride like crazy!!

Plan to see the rides that typically have long and/or slow moving lines first and see ones that are near each other. Try not to go back and forth across the park as this wastes valuable time.

Pack some of those one time use dollar store disposable ponchos, unless you want to buy the more expensive Disney ponchos. June often gets afternoon rain!

Thanks for the rope drop tips! I also wondered how much time to plan for being stuck in traffic trying to get in to park. It's been many years since the last time, but I seem to remember sitting in traffic for a long time. We weren't there for rope drop though.

Big Thunder Mountain is awfully fun too but it sounds like you have plenty listed!

We also have just one day at MK and are staying offsite. Luckily we have no interest in characters. I plan to head to Peter Pan at rope drop. We'd like to see the new interactive queue and I understand that you skip that if you have FP+. Just something else to confuse you!

I showed everyone the YouTube video of Big Thunder Mountain. DS has agreed to try it, so I told DH if our 7 year old can do it so can he! We're gonna plan to do that instead of Space Mountain. If there is time later in the evening or we can grab a fp for it after we've used our 3, DD and I might try to do it then. If not, no big deal. There will be plenty of big rides to take DD on at USO so I'd like to do more rides as a family while at Disney. DD loves Peter Pan so I had wondered if it would be worth it to wait in the regular line. So many decisions!

 

[ReneeA]

I would also really like too stress the use of rope drop, especially for only one day at the park. We've been able to watch the welcome show, be in for rope drop, and get many rides out of the way before 11. Based on your description of your family, I'd keep those plans for FP+, but really focus on fantasy land early in the am. Hit up Peter Pan first, then Pooh, Dumbo, and Barnstormer. You can probably slip in Under the Sea, too. Hit Haunted Mansion, then head towards big thunder, Pirates and Jungle Cruise.

I really think if I were only doing one day, I'd skip bog for lunch to save some time. There's no characters, this food is okay, but the castle is beautiful. I just don't know if I'd give up park time for it. Grab some quick snacks, then a late lunch (after 1pm to miss crowds).

Our last trip, I made the mistake of scheduling our FP for early, knowing we'd be in the parks early. Duh. There's no crowds to need them that early. I was lucky we were there during a low crowd time because it's pretty hard to change times once your there. Do everything you can in standby lines, schedule FP for late afternoon or evenings when crowd levels are high and its too hot to stand in long lines.

Of you have time, hit the jungle cruise both during the day and at night. It's got a totally different feel for both. We find that late evening,there's not a long line and everyone loves to do it again.

 

[ReneeA]

I would guess if you're staying off site, the latest you want to be driving through the gates no later than an hour prior to official opening time, especially at mk. It takes time to park, grab a tram and take the ferry or monorail in. It's also important (like someone else mentioned) that it's not emh for onsite guests that day. That puts you way behind the eight ball from the start.

 

[IBLarsen]

I too would pick the couple most important Meet and Greets, as you can spend an entire day doing this to fit them all in.
I am in the minority here, but if time is short and your DS isn't a huge Belle fan, I would cut out Enchanted Tales with Belle. My DS thought it was boring at age 8 (turned 8 on trip). It eats a lot of time. (But DD age 6 loved it). We always rope drop Fantasy land and start with Peter pan stand by, to free up that FP, which I think would be better used on 7D mine train and Splash Mtn, Big Thunder Mtn, if you plan on riding those later.
If you start at rope drop you will get a lot of rides in the first 2 hours, and then slow down and fit in some Meet and Greets.