Help with 12/28 MK plans!! Am I making a mistake?

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

Our MK day is 12/28. Me, DH and our 3 daughters 6,8,13. 4th time for all of us as a family going to the MK. First time at Christmas.

My original plan was:
Rope drop at 7am, head to 7DMT (couldn't get FP).

Then head to Space and Buzz. Then back to Fantasy Land to do a few more rides then head to Jungle Cruise and do that side of the park until around 11am.

I am guessing the park will start getting crowded around 10am. I have a FP for POTC at 9:55-10:55 (must do for my kids). After the FP we were going to find a spot on MS for the parade at 12:00.

I have a PP FP for 1:15-2:15

CRT at 2:40

Splash FP at 4:00-5:00 (want to do after CRT in case we get wet).

After all of that we were going to go back to SOG for a few hours and go back to MK around 10pm when it's less crowded. My kids are fine staying up late.

In my mind the above seemed like a solid plan until tonight when I found a CRT breakfast reservation for 7am.

I booked it while it was available. Now I need to decide on the above plan or eating at 7am. is it a huge mistake eating that first hour MK is open.

The pros to eating at 7am are that we may possibly get into MK before the masses and get amazing family castle photos. And we should be out by 8:15ish. The breakfast food is more appealing to us than the lunch. CRT is a must do for us. My kids have never been.

Right now I can schedule our 3 FP after 10am. If we skip the 12:00 parade maybe we could do 7DMT without a huge wait?? Or other rides without a huge wait. Ugggh decisions decisions.

 

[melanielll]

I have been at that time of year (even a few times on Christmas Day), and I would not miss rope drop. It is critical to get in as early as possible and to do as much as possible. Things get ugly fast with the lines. Also - the later CRT reservation would be a nice break from the crush of the crowds. I agree that the breakfast food (and the price) is more appealing, but I think a large part of what you pay for with that one is the experience - which is unchanged throughout the day.

Just my opinion.

Edited to add - Even through the crowds are bad, we always enjoy going at that time of year. Have fun!

 

[happiest place]

I think I would get there for rope drop and get in as many rides as you can before the park is crazy busy. So It might be best to keep CRT at 2:40. You will want to take a break and relax for a bit. Have a great trip!!

 

[Anniefrances]

I agree with the previous poster - early morning is precious touring time - drop the morning ADR. You will be able to do many more rides by getting the early start and your ADR will be a very welcome break later in the day. As this is your first time there during the Dec holiday week, prepare for crowds that may surpass your wildest imagination. The first time we experienced this it was a surreal, simultaneous mix of chaos and inertia (I know this is an oxymoron, but it's the only way I know how to describe it).

 

[Disneylover99]

Yes. Your first plan sounded good. Keep the 2:40pm CRT. But what are your plans for breakfast if you don't do CRT at 7am?

 

[cassie58]

I would not miss the first hour, as it is very crowded during Christmas week all day, and the first few hrs. are the most productive. I would be at the park by 6:30, so you can get through security, and hopefully they'll open a few minutes early. Definitely do 7DMT first thing, as it will be the shortest line you will see. You should still be able to get some good castle pics as not everyone is willing to get there at that time. I would keep trying to get a late CRT brft. around 10:30, so you can tour during the early time, and then have more of brunch, since you prefer that food and it is cheaper if you are paying OOP. Since you know how to navigate the parks and have a good plan, you will be fine, do as much as you can, and take in the Christmas decor - very magical!

I know you are planning to go back to SOG for break, but might want to see the castle lighting around 6:15, and could take the monorail to GF to see the giant gingerbread house and buy a shingle to taste! If you don't have CRT lunch, maybe you could move FP and take an earlier break around 2, and be back for lighting. I would also try to see the new projection show on the castle, Once Upon a Time - the old one, CtM, added a Christmas portion which was really cool, not sure if it is added into this one too.

 

[melanielll]

As far as other eating that day - I would have pop tarts in my purse and just keep people moving. As Anniefrances said - the crowds surpass what you can imagine. Every line - even for a coke and a churro - will be long.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

For breakfast we would just bring food into the park with us and snack between rides. My kids aren't huge eaters to begin with. They're perfectly content with a granola bar and a bag of goldfish.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

I have been at Christmas before just not with all 3 kids. I know what to expect crowd wise and it doesn't really scare me as long as I have a solid plan. As much as we prefer the bfast food I think that I will stick with my original plan. I was just excited to find one!

My kids aren't really wait an hour for a show or parade kinda kids so I'm not sure that we would watch the castle lighting or any of the stage shows. I was going to bribe them with popcorn buckets and snacks while waiting for the 12:00 parade. I think they will love to watch it just not the sitting on the curb for an hour waiting.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with the others. Drop the morning ADR. We were in MK on 12/29 last year, got there just after rope drop (the bus from BWI took MUCH longer than normal because of holiday traffic), the park was PACKED by 9:30/10:00 am. We left around 1 pm and didn't go back because we could barely walk around. I would go at RD and get as much done as you can before your lunch ADR.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

I would not miss the first hour, as it is very crowded during Christmas week all day, and the first few hrs. are the most productive. I would be at the park by 6:30, so you can get through security, and hopefully they'll open a few minutes early. Definitely do 7DMT first thing, as it will be the shortest line you will see. You should still be able to get some good castle pics as not everyone is willing to get there at that time. I would keep trying to get a late CRT brft. around 10:30, so you can tour during the early time, and then have more of brunch, since you prefer that food and it is cheaper if you are paying OOP. Since you know how to navigate the parks and have a good plan, you will be fine, do as much as you can, and take in the Christmas decor - very magical!

I know you are planning to go back to SOG for break, but might want to see the castle lighting around 6:15, and could take the monorail to GF to see the giant gingerbread house and buy a shingle to taste! If you don't have CRT lunch, maybe you could move FP and take an earlier break around 2, and be back for lighting. I would also try to see the new projection show on the castle, Once Upon a Time - the old one, CtM, added a Christmas portion which was really cool, not sure if it is added into this one too.

We plan to go to the GF on 12/29. I have a bfast ADR for 1900 PF. Then we're going to DS for the evening.

My kids don't know that we're going yet so I don't have their input on shows/parades. In the past they weren't interested in camping out for an hour or so to watch a show or parade. Our afternoon is pretty much free after we use that 3rd FP. I was thinking if we didn't go back to SOG we could split up if one kid wanted to watch a show/parade and the others wanted to ride rides.

 

[Nicoleclaw]

I have to agree. We have done xmas week, and after doing a CRAZY Jersey week, those early morning hours are worth it!

 

[BaseballMoM2007]

We are planning a trip for next Christmas and planning rope drop mornings and then breakfast at like 1030 in sit down restaurants for a break. If there is anyway you could find a later breakfast reservation.

 

[Mousetopia]

Our MK day is 12/28. Me, DH and our 3 daughters 6,8,13. 4th time for all of us as a family going to the MK. First time at Christmas.

My original plan was:
Rope drop at 7am, head to 7DMT (couldn't get FP).

Then head to Space and Buzz. Then back to Fantasy Land to do a few more rides then head to Jungle Cruise and do that side of the park until around 11am.

I am guessing the park will start getting crowded around 10am. I have a FP for POTC at 9:55-10:55 (must do for my kids). After the FP we were going to find a spot on MS for the parade at 12:00.

I have a PP FP for 1:15-2:15

CRT at 2:40

Splash FP at 4:00-5:00 (want to do after CRT in case we get wet).

After all of that we were going to go back to SOG for a few hours and go back to MK around 10pm when it's less crowded. My kids are fine staying up late.

In my mind the above seemed like a solid plan until tonight when I found a CRT breakfast reservation for 7am.

I booked it while it was available. Now I need to decide on the above plan or eating at 7am. is it a huge mistake eating that first hour MK is open.

The pros to eating at 7am are that we may possibly get into MK before the masses and get amazing family castle photos. And we should be out by 8:15ish. The breakfast food is more appealing to us than the lunch. CRT is a must do for us. My kids have never been.

Right now I can schedule our 3 FP after 10am. If we skip the 12:00 parade maybe we could do 7DMT without a huge wait?? Or other rides without a huge wait. Ugggh decisions decisions.

MK is a big park. Be mindful of that in plans that take you back and forth from one side to the other. We use a strategy of one side one day and the other a separate day to avoid this exhaustion. I would do the breakfast, head to dwarfs, Pooh and Pan while there ... you should be able to manage easy without fastpass if you are prompt....and work on changing fastpasses to use later on buzz, etc. Derfinitely look at the time and energy for back and forth and try to avoid.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

MK is a big park. Be mindful of that in plans that take you back and forth from one side to the other. We use a strategy of one side one day and the other a separate day to avoid this exhaustion. I would do the breakfast, head to dwarfs, Pooh and Pan while there ... you should be able to manage easy without fastpass if you are prompt....and work on changing fastpasses to use later on buzz, etc. Derfinitely look at the time and energy for back and forth and try to avoid.

We typically would start to the left and do Adventureland and Frontierland but it's not open during EMH. So I wanted to get 7DMT, Space and Buzz done from 7am-8am before the lines were long.

I just scored a FP for 7DMT from 8:55-9:55 am (30 days out nothing was available before 10:15pm). So I think we will start with Space and Buzz then Pooh. Keep doing FL until 9:45ish then get in the FP line for 7DMT. I dropped my POTC FP for the 7DMT one.

I'm wondering if I should change the Peter Pan FP and try to do it after Space and Buzz. Right now I have the Peter Pan FP as a time filler between the 12:00 parade and our 2:40 CRT reservation. Thoughts? Can we do Space, Buzz, Peter Pan and Pooh between 7-8am? I'm sure that I'm over thinking this.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

I've been trying to get a late breakfast. That would be ideal! we decided at the end of October to go to Disney so I am thrilled to have any time that I could get for CRT.

 

[Mainemama]

Have you tried using Touring Plans to check timing? I find it so helpful evaluating questions like you have. The only think I wanted to add is that I think you are going to be lucky to avoid long lines after 9:00. We were there last Xmas, and MK lines were not worth waiting in with our 3 kids by 10:00. We did 3 hours and got out. When people mover has a 20 minute wait, you know it's crowded! That said, we are going back! We will be at MK for rope drop on 12/27. Here's hoping we both have great line luck!