Fp + msep?

[cruisingmom1977]

Has anyone used FP+ for MSEP? Was it crowed? Is it located in the HUB in front of the castle? How early did you have to get there? Did you stay in the same spot for wishes? Were you able to see to fireworks and the castle ok or was it too close? Welcoming any/all comments and suggestions. We are traveling with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. The two year old will probably already be asleep in the stroller (and the four year old might be too) but I was thinking about using FP+ so we don't have to stake out our spot an hour in advance. My kids are too small for most of the headliners so I'll be using our FP+ for parades and Meet and Greets

 

[kgeary]

We tried to but the line to enter the fast pass area was hundreds of people long. It also developed nearly 30 minutes before they even started letting people in. We moved down and watched it from the town square area and the crowds were small and you could see them for longer.

Wouldn't waste a fast pass on it. Because it seems like you have to wait evening we just to be on the hub.

 

[Suellen]

We have had done it twice and love it. Not crowded at all and they even lower the rope when the parade starts. Plus get there early enough for the Castle show. Beautiful!

I would use a FP on it any day of the week.

 

[shyjade]

We used FP+ for MSEP back in October. We loved the location in the Hub. We arrived early and got a spot right at the curb, center of the castle. The area did get crowed around us by the time it started, but there was still plenty of room in the roped off area, just not along the curb. Everyone sat at the curb, so everyone could see great. However, tons of other guests kept trying to sneak into the area and the CM's did their best to keep them out. They rope off the area and remove the rope as soon as the parade starts.

We skipped using our FP+ for Wishes and just stayed in the same spot after the parade. We were almost a bit too close to get a full view of the fireworks, although it was neat to sit there once and see them so close. We had a very large group move in and stand in front of us for the fireworks...we're talking a good 20 people. They blocked everyone's view (who were sitting in the hub) so we ended up having to stand, which made the people sitting behind us mad. The group who squeezed in had no regard for "personal space" and I'm not a fan of strangers squeezing in to touch me, so I didn't enjoy it.

That being said, I would do the FP+ for MSEP again, but not stay there for Wishes. I would either try the FP+ for Wishes or just stand somewhere else. We were never "Main Street" fireworks people, so that isn't a priority for us.

 

[Happyjen27]

Has anyone used FP+ for MSEP? Was it crowed? Is it located in the HUB in front of the castle? How early did you have to get there? Did you stay in the same spot for wishes? Were you able to see to fireworks and the castle ok or was it too close? Welcoming any/all comments and suggestions. We are traveling with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. The two year old will probably already be asleep in the stroller (and the four year old might be too) but I was thinking about using FP+ so we don't have to stake out our spot an hour in advance. My kids are too small for most of the headliners so I'll be using our FP+ for parades and Meet and Greets

We did a FP+ for MSEP and it was great. We got there right when they were letting people in and didn't wait long (7 min?), but, we were not there during a busy time. It was early Dec. It was not crowded within the area. We did not stay for Wishes, we had another FP+ for that.

If I were going to the MK 3 days or more over a weeklong stay, I would say it's worth it to FP+. If you have fewer MK days, your FP+ will be better spent on rides and attractions. Even with those ages, a list of age appropriate FP+ rides/attractions is pretty long. Off the top of my head there's: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Buzz Lightyear's ride, Tomorrowland Speedway, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Aladdin's Carpets, Dumbo. All of them are great FP+ for kids 2 and 4.

 

[heybravo626]

We have used it an loved it. We will used it again (as soon as 2 weeks if they release them). We arrived 40 minutes before the start and were second in line. We had a spot on the rope right in front of the castle. They drop the rope when the parade starts. It was not crowded in the FP+ area and we had lots of room.
My kids were 6 and 7 and it was great for them.

We did not stay for Wishes because we had a Wishes FP+. The MSEP FP+ location is close to the castle so the castle could block some of the fireworks. This is especially true if it is windy since they set off the fireworks lower in the sky if it is too windy. You are better off moving to the back of the hub at the end of Main St. It's a better fireworks spot. But, everyone else will be trying to get there also.

Be ready at the end the parade for a rush of people. We were there New Year's week when it was crowded and it was insane. You experience that and you will understand why they are adding the additional walking space around the hub.

 

[morethananyonex]

We used one in early February and unlike what we had read here before (and what some people still report after us) it was very crowded in that area. We arrived at about 6:15, and there was a small line so we got in it. A few minutes later, so about 25 minutes or so before the window technically opened, they started letting people in. The area was pretty full near the start of the parade. I would have been extremely disappointed if we had walked up at 6:45 when the window technically opened to find a full area and having to stand 3 or 4 rows back. We actually did see a few families walk away and not use their FP because of this.

I don't know if it was a fluke or not, because most reports don't match what we experienced but IMO, it is not worth the FP. We still had to arrive what I consider early to stake out a curb spot, and the area felt squishy just like watching from anywhere else. Glad we tried it to know for ourselves, but in the future we will be watching the later parade or watching from somewhere in Frontierland where it's less crowded.

 

[BubblyTrip]

Did it last week during an 8-9 crowd night. It was fabulous. Entered around 35-40 minutes before just because it worked out that way. There was so, so, so much room. We sat at the rope, very spread out from neighbors. There was a second row of people standing against or sitting against a ledge with a big walkway between us. Tons of CMs patrolling. Wonderful view with the castle. I just can't say enough about how much we loved this FP. And we are big ride people, so using a FP for this was a jump.

Now Wishes I would not FP again. But MSEP on a crowded day, for sure.

 

[MarineVet]

PPs have mentioned they drop the rope when the parade begins. Does this open the area up to other people, who may then come and stand in front of you? For those who stayed for Wishes, did you still have any advantage to see, or did the crowd fill in around you and in front of you?

 

[11290]

PPs have mentioned they drop the rope when the parade begins. Does this open the area up to other people, who may then come and stand in front of you? For those who stayed for Wishes, did you still have any advantage to see, or did the crowd fill in around you and in front of you?

No.

 

[AmyB2006]

PPs have mentioned they drop the rope when the parade begins. Does this open the area up to other people, who may then come and stand in front of you? For those who stayed for Wishes, did you still have any advantage to see, or did the crowd fill in around you and in front of you?

No. They literally drop the rope right about 10 feet in front of the first float. And only on the street side. They don't drop the rope behind the FP+ section.

OP... We've done MSEP several times now with FP+ and I won't do it any other way. I've showed up 15 mins before and I've showed up as much as 30 mins before. Always had a front row spot right up against the rope. It's never crowded.

You can see the castle light show from there with an excellent view. Wishes, not so much. Some of the fireworks are blocked by the castle.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

Thanks for all of the replys. We are going in Sept when the crowds won't be so busy and we will have at least 3 days at MK but MK closes early half of our trip (hopefully for MNSSHP) so I want to make sure we have a good spot for the parade without having to line up an hour early...DH would probably be harder to keep happy with that than the kids...LOL Anyway, it sounds like FP+ will be the way to go for us 1 night. We also plan to rope drop since we are early risers so we probably won't fast pass too many rides. As far as wishes goes, I'm assuming if we move back down main street we should have a good view. Also, we are (hopefully) planning on doing Hallowishes so Wishes is not AS important to us as the parade.

 

[Kate and Family]

I do not know if we will take advantage of the FP+ for the parade next visit - probably not, unless it is offered as one of the FP that become available after you use 3.

Our tried and true method is to get a QS (Counter) meal to go and stake out our spot, really early (hour and half - 2 hours). We then eat our late lunch while waiting for the parade. In this way, time that would have been used eating is used in other pursuits and time that would have been idle time waiting is used to eat. We choose a spot that is good for the parade and wishes. Main Street not to far from Casey's.