Anti-clockwise around the parks??!!

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi again!!

I have just been looking through the Virgin brochure, and noticed one of their 'tips' is to go anti-clockwise around the parks to avoid the crowds.

We no longer do the parks military style (ie check off EVERY ride off the map as we go around!!) and just tend to wander around and do the few rides we love and enjoy the atmosphere, so its hard for me to remember having a 'strategy', but I don't think that anti-clockwise is the way to go for EVERY park, do you??

I can see it for MK - I guess a lot of people head straight through the castle or go left (clockwise) for Splash Mountain/BTMR, and also for IOA - I imagine the crowds head left for Spidey etc, but the rest????

Epcot - I would imagine the crowds naturally would go to the right of Spaceship Earth (especially since Soarin), and when we do DHS we always seem to vear right (anti-clockwise) as those are the first rides you tend to see (the left hand side of the park seems hidden almost).

I might be wrong, but do you think Virgin's advice is particularly helpful to first timers who are trying to do everything and want to avoid the crowds to get rides 'done'??? - It might be the case for a couple of parks, but not sure it works for all parks?? What do you think?

 

[jackieleanne]

I wouldn't say so as BTM and Splash get very long queue's later in the day especially Splash.

With Hollywood Studio's I would head for Toy Story Mania straight away.

With Epcot yes go and get fast passes for Soarin or ride it before the queue's start.

 

[madmumof2]

I agree, I don't think you should base your plan on which direction you go in. We will be heading for busiest rides first, either to ride or get a fastpass.

If you want to set a direction, I would suggest going straight to the back of the park and starting from there. No one will be there.

 

[Neoshoegal]

I found using a combination of TourGuide Mike and touringplans.com the most useful and most stress free of going around the parks. Never waited in line for more than 15 to 20 minutes*. We arrive early in the morning, do all the rides we want to and then just relax and take in the atmosphere at the park, go abck to our room for an afternoon nap or relax by the pool and come to the parks for the evening entertaiment. Really felt we made the most out of the parks that way.





*One exception was Toy Story Mania where we once waited 30 minutes, but we considered it worth waiting that long.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

This used to be standard response to avoiding the queue's , it may have worked and to be honest I am not sure if it still applies to any of the parks.
We tend to concentrate on Joshua's rides, in fact we only go on rides as a family now - that means we may miss out on some of the attractions we used to go on, not that we are that bothered though.

Many definitely go to the popular rides at park opening, such as Hulk/Spiderman or Test Track/Soarin.

You certainly couldn't use this plan effectively at Universal Studios first thing in the morning, you will probably find Woody/Barney/Curious George/Jaws and possibly Disaster too all closed as they won't open untIl at least 10 a lot of the time...which kind of defeats the object.
(really annoys me this by the way, park opens at 9 ALL rides should open too).

It's likely that the idea of fastpass/express pass was introduced to help with all this....again from our persepective we just tour at quieter times of the day and with Josh's disabilities have a Guest Assistance Card too.

At Magic Kingdom we head straight for Fantasyland, clockwise, anti-clockwise or anywise.

 

[Goofyish]

We tend to just head for the ride/attraction that we want to do first in each park. Never made any concious effort to go clockwise or anti-clockwise

 

[amystevekai&bump]

thanks every one for replying!!

As I thought, people are heading for specific rides these days aren't they -
Hopefully newcomers will find there way over to the Dis, rather than take too much notice of the rather outdated advice of Virgin Holidays!!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

thanks every one for replying!!

As I thought, people are heading for specific rides these days aren't they -
Hopefully newcomers will find there way over to the Dis, rather than take too much notice of the rather outdated advice of Virgin Holidays!!

It could well be Amy many still do this and it works for them.
To be honest I don't think we ever have, and some parks you couldn't realistically do it especially at park opening. Unless you want to stand and wait for attractions to open.

I know this Easter we went to EPCOT on 2 morning's and it seemed like the entire park population headed for Test Track and Soarin' - we know because we walked past the queue's with our GAC passes.

 

[Pegasus928]

Personally I remember reading this the first time we went to Florida, and my thoughts at the time were that this may work at opening time, but what about if you get to the park later on in the day when everyone that went clockwise had gone the whole way round.
We never used it at any of the parks we went to, but then we have never gone straight for a particular ride either.

 

[T16GEM]

I don't think we have ever followed a strategy like the Virgin one, but I know quite a few of my American friends have used Tour Guide Mike and found it to be invaluable.

We tend to just go for the things that we enjoy, and what the children like these days. We have been so many times that we don't really need to fit everything in.

 

[paulh]

as i an early riser,usaly around 6.30am both at home and on holidays(DW the same sure its her who wakes me up)So its usually rope drop for park days head for rides we want, then back for swim change for evening then a leurly walk round as we use our FP`s colected in mornning and have a nice meal.
Paulh

 

[kopitedor]

we go into the parks go to the back of the park and start from there