Any suggestions for touring MGM in Sept.? New show crowded?

[crazymomof4]

I'm trying to figure out when to make our AR for lunch at 50's Prime Time but I'd like to have a rough touring plan first.
I've always found touring MGM tough with all of the scheduled shows.
I guess we should probably make the new Lights, Motors..... show a priority.
And we def. want to see Fantasmic.
We don't need to see the Backlot tour so that should open up a lot of time.
Has anyone been to MGM recently and had a plan that worked out well?

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

Hello,

It helps that you can hold a Fastpass for Lights, Moteurs, Action at the same time as another one.

On our trip last week, it was insanely crowded, but we managed to do the Sci Fi Drive-in for lunch, LMA, ToT twice and RnRC, between 12:30 and 6:30 p.m. Not bad for the most crowded I've ever seen that park! (It was a StarWars Weekend Sunday *and* an evening Extra Magic Hour day for the Studios -- never again!)

 

[crazymomof4]

It helps that you can hold a Fastpass for Lights, Moteurs, Action at the same time as another one.

Oh, thanks, I didn't know that! Well, that will make things a little more manageable bc. I was torn btwn getting FP for TOT or "Lights....."

Something I've come up with to save time: My DH and sons can go on TOT and possibly RRC while DD4 and I do the Beauty and the Beast show. The attractions are close-by to one another and neither group has any interest in the other attraction.

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

Something I've come up with to save time: My DH and sons can go on TOT and possibly RRC while DD4 and I do the Beauty and the Beast show. The attractions are close-by to one another and neither group has any interest in the other attraction.

Yes, that's a good idea. For some reason, the RnRC Fastpass return time always seems farther away, and the standby line is always longer, than ToT.
Maybe because ToT loads more guests, quicker.

On your way to things at the back of the park in the morning, check the tip board at the head of Sunset Blvd. for the RnRC Fastpass return time and maybe one of the guys can run up the street and get them for later. They should be able to ride RnRC with the fastpasses and do standby for ToT in September, no problem. I won't be crowded -- just hot!!!

Oh, by the way, did I warn you about Evening Extra Magic Hour days? Just don't go on that day!

 

[Bob P]

If you want to see LMA, you should be aware that there are only three shows a day, usually around 1, 4, and 6:30 (give or take 15 minutes). The show is about 35 minutes long and it will take you at least another 5-10 minutes to get out of the stadium.

Bob

 

[lbgraves]

Don't forget to get a FP for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. If they guys are still off doing those other rides, you can get the FP for LM and go across the courtyard to the Playhouse Disney show while waiting.

 

[lacy1101]

I have tried to post this question as a new thread on both the TPAS board and restaurant board, but for some reason it won't take it so I hope you won't mind if I post it on this thread. Would you do the Fantasmic Dining Package on an EMH night at MGM, or a non-EMH night? We will be there 09/30-10/08 and definitely want to include this in our itinerary, but am just not sure when to go. Would the EMH night be way too crowded?

 

[crazymomof4]

Thanks for all the great tips. I noted them on my itinerary.
Bumping this to keep them coming.

Bob P How do the FP's for LMA work? I'd imagine you just get a return time for one of the scheduled shows?

Buttercup Roberts Great tips! Yes, we planned to avoid EMH- thanks for the reassurance that we made the right choice.
BTW- we are huge Princess Bride fans. Our family is always tossing out lines from that movie......"inconcievable!"

 

[AngelEyes]

I'm trying to figure out when to make our AR for lunch at 50's Prime Time but I'd like to have a rough touring plan first.
I've always found touring MGM tough with all of the scheduled shows.
I guess we should probably make the new Lights, Motors..... show a priority.
And we def. want to see Fantasmic.
We don't need to see the Backlot tour so that should open up a lot of time.
Has anyone been to MGM recently and had a plan that worked out well?

What time in September? We have gone in the middle of September, and there are no real crowds to speak of. I just make our PS for the 50's Prime Time lunch when I get there in the morning. Haven't been there since the new show opened, but I would think that that time of year, it shouldn't be a big deal. As far as Fantasmic goes, it ALWAYS fills up, but we usually get there about an hour before showtime, and always get great seats. Just make sure the kids have something to do!

 

[Bob P]

Bob P How do the FP's for LMA work? I'd imagine you just get a return time for one of the scheduled shows?

I think that's correct, but I hope someone else can help you. We saw the 6:00 show on May 6 and just walked up at 5:55 and entered the stadium. But the Studios were pretty empty that day.

 

[Amirah95]

If you want to see LMA, you should be aware that there are only three shows a day, usually around 1, 4, and 6:30 (give or take 15 minutes). The show is about 35 minutes long and it will take you at least another 5-10 minutes to get out of the stadium.

Bob

I didn't know that. What time does the FP machines open for this?

 

[Bob P]

I didn't know that. What time does the FP machines open for this?

As I said above, we didn't use FP for this so I don't know the details. I hope someone else can help you though!

Bob

 

[crazymomof4]

What time in September? We have gone in the middle of September, and there are no real crowds to speak of. I just make our PS for the 50's Prime Time lunch when I get there in the morning. Haven't been there since the new show opened, but I would think that that time of year, it shouldn't be a big deal. As far as Fantasmic goes, it ALWAYS fills up, but we usually get there about an hour before showtime, and always get great seats. Just make sure the kids have something to do!

9/19/05. We planned this trip based on the low crowd volume usual for Sept. but then Disney offered free dining so it may be more crowded than usual.

 

[AngelEyes]

9/19/05. We planned this trip based on the low crowd volume usual for Sept. but then Disney offered free dining so it may be more crowded than usual.

Sounds perfect to me! The third week in September is when we usually go. The first time we went, I was so over ready. Once we got there, I realized that most of my plans went right out the window because of the light crowds. We still have a few "rules" we abide by:

1.Stay away from MK on Monday, though we have gone over in the afternoon.

2.Make advance PS's for Character Meals. We always do this with Chef Mickey's, just to be on the safe side.

3.We still get to the parks before they open, mainly because we are so excited

4.We usually go to the back of MK and work our way forward, partly because it's so dead back there first thing in the morning, but mainly because we ALWAYS do Haunted Mansion first. Kind of a family tradition.

5.We have a list of restaurants for every park that we eat at every year. We also go BEFORE the lunch crowd gets there. We eat a small breakfast so we'll be hungry earlier.

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. To make a long post short (too late) you've picked a perfect week to go, and the crowds should be non existant. I would, just to be certain, check out Mouseplanet and see if there is anything going on that week in any of the parks that COULD effect the crowds.

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Something I've come up with to save time: My DH and sons can go on TOT and possibly RRC while DD4 and I do the Beauty and the Beast show. The attractions are close-by to one another and neither group has any interest in the other attraction.

If memory serves me correct, this show does not start early in the morning. When we go, my husband always hits TOT and RRC first thing so it frees up the rest of the day, however, in all the times he has done this, Beauty and the Best is never showing yet. Your plan will work if your DH and sons hit those rides later on.

 

[crazymomof4]

you've picked a perfect week to go, and the crowds should be non existant.

I sure hope so. We've been there in Sept of 1994 and Sept of 2003 and the crowds were very light. As I said earlier, I'm just wondering how much impact the "Free Dining Offer" for Aug 24- Oct 2 will have of this year's Sept attendance.

 

[melissa5583]

We also made reservations for Primetime on 9/19/05....but we'll be there for supper!!! Last time we went we did things in this order (it was Early Entry):
1.FP RNRC
2.rode TOT
3.rode RNRC
4.FP Voyage of Little Mermaid
5.saw Muppets
6.did Star Tours
7.saw Voyage of Little Mermaid and the Great Movie Ride
8.FP Millionaire
9.ate lunch at Toy Story Pizza Planet
10. took pic w/Mickey
11.played Millionaire
12.saw parade
13.did the Drew Carey thing
14.saw Beauty and the Beast (almost didn't make it in time)
15.FP Indiana Jones
16.went through the animation studio part
17.saw Indiana Jones
18.tried to eat at Primetime but were turned away...ate at ABC commissary
19.looked in stores until 1 hr. til Fantasmic
20.stood in LONG line for Fantasmic
21.finally watched Fantasmic (my favorite)

We did not do Playhouse Disney...but I think we did everything else...ohh...the Backlot tours were closed when we went. I was sort of confused with all of the different show times...trying to plan what time to see each show.

 

[AngelEyes]

I sure hope so. We've been there in Sept of 1994 and Sept of 2003 and the crowds were very light. As I said earlier, I'm just wondering how much impact the "Free Dining Offer" for Aug 24- Oct 2 will have of this year's Sept attendance.

Pure speculation, but I wouldn't guess something like that is going to effect attendence one bit.

 

[crazymomof4]

We also made reservations for Primetime on 9/19/05....but we'll be there for supper!!! Last time we went we did things in this order (it was Early Entry):
1.FP RNRC
2.rode TOT
3.rode RNRC
4.FP Voyage of Little Mermaid
5.saw Muppets
6.did Star Tours
7.saw Voyage of Little Mermaid and the Great Movie Ride
8.FP Millionaire
9.ate lunch at Toy Story Pizza Planet
10. took pic w/Mickey
11.played Millionaire
12.saw parade
13.did the Drew Carey thing
14.saw Beauty and the Beast (almost didn't make it in time)
15.FP Indiana Jones
16.went through the animation studio part
17.saw Indiana Jones
18.tried to eat at Primetime but were turned away...ate at ABC commissary
19.looked in stores until 1 hr. til Fantasmic
20.stood in LONG line for Fantasmic
21.finally watched Fantasmic (my favorite)

We did not do Playhouse Disney...but I think we did everything else...ohh...the Backlot tours were closed when we went. I was sort of confused with all of the different show times...trying to plan what time to see each show.

WOW you did a lot!
I totally agree with what you said about the show times. I've never worried about seeing everything we want to at the other parks but MGM definitely takes some planning. I figured that I was not alone w/ this frustration, that's why I posted the question.

 

[crazymomof4]

Pure speculation, but I wouldn't guess something like that is going to effect attendence one bit.

Oh, it surely will effect it at least a "bit". Hop over to the restaurant board to see how popular the free dining is. Many persons who hadn't planned on going in Sept. booked a package bc. the free dining was just too good a deal to pass up. Disney would not run an offer like this unless they were rock-solid sure that it will draw persons into coming that would not have ordinarily taken a trip during that time period. Yes, it definitely will increase attendance, just how much is the question. I'm thinking that it will still not be anything like the summer crowds.