henrylovespooh
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 28, 2003
- Messages
- 1,568
Just got back from WDW with DH and DS-3yo and DD-2yo. We are early risers and were at the parks first thing in the morning most days. I cannot tell you how wonderful each morning was in the parks. No crowds, no lines, and plenty of access to characters. So relaxing!
For those who love seeing the characters and hate waiting in lines, we had great luck seeing characters at MGM and Epcot at park opening. At MGM, the kids got pictures with Minnie and Goofy together, Mickey and Pluto together, and Pooh and Tigger together. Around 10 a.m. they got group pictures with Woody, Jesse and Buzz Lightyear in Al's Toy Barn, and Jojo and Goliath and Donald and Daisy by the trailers. Short lines or no lines at all. At Epcot, we got pictures with Pinocchio, Meeko, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Mr. Smee, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Again, no lines.
On our first MK morning, we went straight to Fantasyland to ride Pooh, Peter Pan and Dumbo. Then we did other must-do rides like Buzz, the race cars (for the kids), Philharmagic, the jungle cruise and Aladdin's Flying Carpets (DD's favorite). DH used Fastpasses for rollercoasters in the late morning and afternoon. So on our second morning at MK, we focused on characters. We visited each one at the park entrance (about 10 or so, including Lilo, Pinocchio & Gepetto, and characters from Tarzan, Robin Hood and Jungle Book), and then found Alice and the Mad Hatter in the circle in front of the castle. After 10 a.m., we found Aladdin and Jasmine in Adventureland, Wendy by POC, Stitch and Buzz in Tomorrowland and the princesses and Pooh characters in Toontown throughout the morning. If you look for the spot by where the portrait people are in Liberty Square, you will find Meeko and Pocahontas together and sometimes Peter Pan there as well. We caught Captain Hook and Mr. Smee on the far end of POC later in the day.
In Epcot around dinnertime, we found the Genie hanging out in Morocco, the Beast in France, Snow White in Germany and Pooh in the toy store in the UK section.
My son was thrilled that he saw Mickey about five times on the trip, not just at Chef Mickey's. If I had known we would see so many characters in the parks, we might have had less character meals and tried some new places instead. The interaction at character greeting places was much better than in the restaurants.
To make up for some of the early mornings, we took afternoon rests and went back out in the late afternoon. Being able to be in the parks with fewer people was an added bonus to our trip. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to avoid crowds.
For those who love seeing the characters and hate waiting in lines, we had great luck seeing characters at MGM and Epcot at park opening. At MGM, the kids got pictures with Minnie and Goofy together, Mickey and Pluto together, and Pooh and Tigger together. Around 10 a.m. they got group pictures with Woody, Jesse and Buzz Lightyear in Al's Toy Barn, and Jojo and Goliath and Donald and Daisy by the trailers. Short lines or no lines at all. At Epcot, we got pictures with Pinocchio, Meeko, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Mr. Smee, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Again, no lines.
On our first MK morning, we went straight to Fantasyland to ride Pooh, Peter Pan and Dumbo. Then we did other must-do rides like Buzz, the race cars (for the kids), Philharmagic, the jungle cruise and Aladdin's Flying Carpets (DD's favorite). DH used Fastpasses for rollercoasters in the late morning and afternoon. So on our second morning at MK, we focused on characters. We visited each one at the park entrance (about 10 or so, including Lilo, Pinocchio & Gepetto, and characters from Tarzan, Robin Hood and Jungle Book), and then found Alice and the Mad Hatter in the circle in front of the castle. After 10 a.m., we found Aladdin and Jasmine in Adventureland, Wendy by POC, Stitch and Buzz in Tomorrowland and the princesses and Pooh characters in Toontown throughout the morning. If you look for the spot by where the portrait people are in Liberty Square, you will find Meeko and Pocahontas together and sometimes Peter Pan there as well. We caught Captain Hook and Mr. Smee on the far end of POC later in the day.
In Epcot around dinnertime, we found the Genie hanging out in Morocco, the Beast in France, Snow White in Germany and Pooh in the toy store in the UK section.
My son was thrilled that he saw Mickey about five times on the trip, not just at Chef Mickey's. If I had known we would see so many characters in the parks, we might have had less character meals and tried some new places instead. The interaction at character greeting places was much better than in the restaurants.
To make up for some of the early mornings, we took afternoon rests and went back out in the late afternoon. Being able to be in the parks with fewer people was an added bonus to our trip. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to avoid crowds.
