Fantasyland Strategy Help

[HeidiHeartsMickey]

Looking for some feedback from your experience... we will be in Magic Kingdom on January 21st which is a typical level 2 crowd day (2 adults, 3 kids). We have an 8 AM reservation at BoG and the park opens at 9. I wasn't able to get FP for Elsa and Anna and the 7DMT FP times available are not what I was hoping for. As we will be in Fantasyland early is it plausible to get to both the ride and meet and greet with short wait times? Or are we blowing the chance to do multiple other things early in day with low waits by making those two priorities? We do have two days in MK... Thanks for any feedback!

 

[LSUfan4444]

As we will be in Fantasyland early is it plausible to get to both the ride and meet and greet with short wait times?

No, not really.

With the park opening at 8:45 and having no FP+ for A&E or 7DMTI would expect to wait at least an hour for both attractions combined.

Drop the breakfast ADR and take advantage of early morning low crowd times. Either move it to much later in the morning when crowds and wait times start to build or move it to lunch/dinner.

 

[glassslippergirl]

In addition to PP's suggestions, keep trying for FP. I've been able to get decent times for 7DMT two weeks out.

 

[jpessa]

Here's a great post from Josh on having a pre opening ADR and then doing 7DMT or A&E. http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/be...gdom-morning-touring-over-spring-break-32715/

you'll be able to do one, not both with low waits. However, in this post he recommends doing A&E in the afternoon of you can't get a FP or go first thing, as waits are looking steady around 50 minutes.: http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/

Or, comme to DL! Waits for A&E are less than 10 minutes these days. Good luck!

 

[heybravo626]

I do not agree with dropping an 8AM ADR at BOG. You should be able to eat and be done by 8:45 at BOG so you would still be ahead of the park opening crowd since it's a non-EMH day. Plus. you will miss out on being on a near empty Main St USA.

 

[queenofharts]

I say keep the reservation, ride SDMT first thing, and then hit A & E. While still very popular, A & E wait times are not freakishly high like they were when they first came (300 minutes...wow) and I actually saw Cinderella's wait time slightly higher than theirs last time I passed by. While their wait time won't be low, it won't be unbearable, and you'll have knocked the Mine Train out already!

 

[poppj44]

We did the 8am BOG Breakfast on 12/15 and it worked out perfectly. I was unable to get FP+ for A&E for our party of 7. We finished eating around 8:45am and got into the queue for A&E. We were about the third party in line. I did notice that SDMT was already running with people on it when we were walking to the A&E line which was still being held near the carousel. There is a chance, if you eat fast enough, that you could do SDMT and get in the A&E line before the RD crowd shows up but I wouldn't count on it. Our crowd was rated a 4/10 that day and I did notice that A&E wait times were, for the most part, lower than SDMT throughout the day. If you have to choose one, SDMT is the better bet.

As far as dropping the breakfast, I have to say we all really enjoyed walking through the mostly empty park before opening and we were able to get a nice shot of our group in front of the castle without a ton of people behind us. Between that, the pretty good (if over-priced) breakfast and the early access to A&E, we all agreed it was well worth it.

 

[amylevan]

If you have two days at MK, why not hit 1 at rope drop each day? On your BOG breakfast day, enjoy breakfast and then hit 7DMT. If you are near the front of that line and get off quickly, go over and check A&E status. If the line has already built, enjoy the rest of your day and on your other MK day, head straight to A&E at rope drop.

 

[poppj44]

RD is a good strategy too. Just be prepared to get there VERY early. We showed up to the MK gates around 8:25 and the area inside of the turn-styles was nearly full. We decided to hang back to watch the opening show. By the time we made it back to Fantasyland, Peter Pan was at 50min.

 

[d-train]

I'd keep the BOG breakfast at 8 am. You should be able to be done by 8:30 or 8:40, get in line for either A&E or 7DMT with very little wait time, then hit the other with shorter to moderate wait times and get both by 9:40. Probably the best chance of getting both without FPs and the shortest wait possible. Plus you still get to walk Mainstreet and see the Castle with very few people around! Love those moments! Makes getting up that early worth it every time!

 

[Muskegon78]

RD is a good strategy too. Just be prepared to get there VERY early. We showed up to the MK gates around 8:25 and the area inside of the turn-styles was nearly full. We decided to hang back to watch the opening show. By the time we made it back to Fantasyland, Peter Pan was at 50min.

When was that? I read you did BOG on 12/15, but what date was the wait area almost full at 8:25