Best Strategy for a Couple Morning Hours at MK?

[Elias1901]

Hello all,

On our upcoming trip, we’ll have a bit of time to squeeze in some extra fun at Magic Kingdom Park before heading out to ride the bus back to our resort and unfortunately head back to MCO to catch our return flight home. We will be at the park before rope-drop at 9 AM (this will be a Monday morning with no morning Extra Magic Hours) and we won’t have to leave until 11:30 AM. That’s 2 hours and 30 minutes.

I know that we will for sure have to rush to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train when they drop the rope, if we wish to ride that without wasting our morning hours up. My question is... what is the optimum strategy to get some of the headliners done from there? I’m talking about Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, The Haunted Mansion... things like that. Anything else on top of those would be gravy!

In your own personal experiences, what would you recommend as the best order in which to proceed so we can best use our precious fleeting time?

ALSO! Keep in mind that we will NOT be able to utilize FastPass+ for this day as I am a CM using my Guest Passes and will have already used up our quota of FP+ picks on days previously on our trip.

Thanks!

 

[sharonabe]

Personally, I'd skip 7DMT on that morning. That could easily take up 30 min of your precious time. I would hit Space first, then Splash, Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion last.

Be inside MK no later than 8:30 and lined up at the bridge over to Tomorrowland.

If your group insists on 7DMT, you need to be at MK by 7:30 and ready to be one of the first groups through the tunnels onto Main St. Line up at the rope heading to Fantasyland and keep your group together at the front of that mass. This should make your total 7DMT time around 15-20 min if you can stay toward the front of the people headed that way.

 

[YesterDark]

Space to Splash is the longest walk in the Park. Rope droppers typically run to Fantasyland for 7DMT and PP so it'll be crowded.

Personally I'd do Splash/Thunder, Mansion, Pirates, then jump on Space.

Or if you need some classics do PP, Small World, Mansion, Pirates

 

[DWillowBay]

I would choose 1 (possibly? 2) of the -Lands and concentrate your efforts there. There's no sense to losing time to criss-crossing the park. Like the PP, I'd skip 7 Dwarves that morning. Rope Drop your favorite -Land and plan for if you have a bit of time to include Land "B". I hope you have a great trip!

 

[gharter]

Given what you want to ride, ina short time, I agree skipping 7DMT. The crowds will be headed there.
I would do Space Mountain first, then walk to BTMRR (the line shouldn't be too long). followed by Splash, again usually a short line first thing in the morning. Unless the crowd is extremely large, I would expect you should be on Splash about 10 or earlier.
Then back to Haunted Mansion.
As soon as you get in the park, see what you can get for FPs for the rides you are looking at. Its surprising what you can find.

 

[Elias1901]

Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

[havoc315]

There is a hack to do 7DMT early: Have breakfast at BOG. Though it's a kinda expensive hack. But an 8:15 am breakfast at BOG... then you actually get in line for 7DMT before the rope droppers even get there.
Which sets you up to do Peter Pan just as the rope droppers are arriving, with still a low standby line.
You start hitting the big mountains by 9:30... They fortunately are such high capacity, that lines don't get too bad till a bit later. Splash Mountain lines are a bit shorter early also, because people see it as a "water ride" and wait till it gets hot.
Problem is Space Mountain is a bit far from the other top attractions.
Personally, I'd consider:
BOG breakfast
7DMT -- actually finishing around 9.
Then Peter Pan.
On Big Thunder Mountain by 9:30
Splash Mountain by 10:00
Haunted Mansion, still before 11.

And then you're pretty much done.