Help! How do you be the family that opens the park?

[disneyfans4ever]

Do you have to do anything special to be able to be the family that can open Magic Kingdom? This is something my family would love to do be able to do, but I didn't know if there were any special "tricks" you had to do to be chosen. Do you have to arrive very early? Or is there really nothing you can do to be chosen? In anyone could let me know as soon as you can I would appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[zurgswife]

Get to the gate early and make friendly with the CM's. Kids in cute costumes also helps.

My family was fortunate enough to make friends with one of the main opening family pickers....so we have opened the MK 4 times over the past 5 years..

 

[disneyfans4ever]

how early should we arrive?

 

[zurgswife]

At least 1 hr....prior to scheduled opening

 

[momandseandodisney]

ok 1 hour early - then what?

what exactly is "opening the park" entail?

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

We happened to be the very first family to arrive at the gates. We went to the left hand side (facing the park). On the right hand side there were already some people. I was just so thrilled that we were first in line, that I was joyous and I think that showed. Soon a CM came out and asked if we wanted to be the magic family. It was purely magical and I wish you all the luck in the world that you get to do it. We were each handed pixie dust, DD got a wand with candy and the family got a certificate as the Magic Kingdom Gate Keepers... When the count down began, we were instructed to throw the pixie dust in the air when we got to zero. LOVED it! My Ds was so amazed that "we let all those people in" !

Good LUCK!

 

[disneyfans4ever]

Wow- what an incredible experience that must have been. I hope it can happen to us someday...we've always wanted to do that!

 

[liamandcaili]

When we were there last trip, a family rode in on the MK train with Mickey and friends to open the park. The father had recently returned from Iraq and the children had things that shot confetti all over the place. It was very cute.

 

[gshumaker]

We were just milling around AK waiting for the park to open and a CM came up to us and asked if we would be the AK Family of the Day. They took us into the office and took down some info and walked us out to where the opening parade starts and we got to "walk the rope" back and led the parade to the safari ride and got to be the first to ride it that day. We got priority seating to a couple of shows and some fast passes. When we exited the park we got a certificate.

 

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

The things you learn on the DIS board - I didn't even know that they did this! Cool!

 

[lisajl]

When we were there last trip, a family rode in on the MK train with Mickey and friends to open the park. The father had recently returned from Iraq and the children had things that shot confetti all over the place. It was very cute.

Hey! Was that in Dec? Cause that is who opened when we were there!

 

[Michelle2]

We were able to do this at Disneyland last time we were there, and it was a wonderful experience! I agree with the above posters...we were first at one of the gates, and I think our excitement showed. I am sure being a large group of 12 helped too!

 

[disneyfans4ever]

Thanks so much for the replies. One more question- since my kids are older (14, 16, 18) will we have a disadvantage since we don't have little kids or doesn't it matter?

 

[dlaushey]

I could tell you cause I know but then you might beat me to the park! Sorry but we want it more!!


However, some helpful hints are: You dress alike, You should dress with Disney clothes, and also get there a least 30min. before the park opens. Well that's how we were family of the day. We also got to be in Mickey's float for the Animal Kingdom prade!

 

[phisigprincess]

Hmmm.... must secure cute small children...... for some reason I don't think 2 twenty somethings are what they're looking for.

 

[myprinceandprincess]

Hey....we'll be at pretty much all the parks before opening because we have really early ADRs. But does that count?

 

[liamandcaili]

Hey! Was that in Dec? Cause that is who opened when we were there!

It was Dec. And at the time I was thinking...hmm, how do they pick people for this? Now I know.

 

[jmcdonnell04]

We were selected to be the opening family the night before just by talking with a cast member while we waited for a parade on Main Street. The best part was being on Main Street without a person in sight -- we have a great picture of DD (3) at the time alone in the middle of Main Street with her teddy bear with a slight morning fog. Getting a group shot with 20 characters before we got on the train and riding with Mickey was very special too.

 

[01Sweetpea]

We were lucky enough to be able to the "family of the day" at Epcot one day during our 2004 trip.

We were NOT the first ones at the rope, but there happened to be an opening at the rope and big enough for my 2 kids (then 8 & 10) to stand in front with DH & I behind them. There was a CM walking along the rope talking to the people and she was walking our way! Luckily from this board I knew what she was doing.

Wehn she was talking to the family next to us I was PRAYING she would move on... and she did. She started talking to my kids and asking them all sorts of questions, unfortunately my then 8yo is very shy and really didn't want to answer. But there I am with this HUGE grin on my face, talking, laughing, etc.

DH is looking at me like I am nuts, but I tell him to just let me do the talking, and follow along.

She asks my kids what one thing would make this trip very memorable, and both my kids shrug their shoulders, and there I am jumping up and down with my hand in the hair saying "pick me, pick me... I know the answer"

The CM, by this point, is laughing, and tells me to tell the kids the correct answer... to which I reply "Being able to be family of the day and open Epcot would be the HIGHLIGHT of this trip!" Both my kids & DH have this look on their faces like I am out of my mind.

So we were picked, and it was really fun. While we were waiting for the character bus to arrive, I had a chance to explain to DH & the kids what was going on, once they understood they thought it was very cool to be able to do this.

We got a certificate for being "family of the day" and a FP for 1 ride at Epcot.

 

[DISFANSHAN]

Is it true that they usually pick families of 4, with the children old enough to not be in strollers? I am taking DS7 (just me & him!) for his Bday in August, so I was wondering if they ever pick a "family" of 2?
Then we go back in November, with DH and my other DS, who is 2, and will be in a stroller.