Help with planning day

[newmouse2008]

Ok new friends, I need help. My sister is coming down the day after Christmas. The only full day we will have is Saturday and she wants to go to the Magic Kingdom. She is 50 and never been. Help me plan so we can get the most out of the day. You all are professionals at this. where do we start? what is my plan of action????

 

[jcb]

Is getting there for morning EMH a viable option? That has always made a huge difference in general and surely will at that time of year.

No one ever stood in a long line over-estimating the desire of WDW visitors to sleep in.

 

[auroralark]

I would definitely make a list of what attractions she really wants to see, since she will only have one day, and hit the most popular ones first thing in the morning. Save most of the shows and faster loading attractions for the crowded part of the day.

Your touring plan will really hinge on what she really wants to see.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Get there one hour before opening. That's key. MK opens usually VERY early that week...sometimes around 7:30, 7:45. Get a FastPass for the one attraction you do NOT want to miss, stand in line for all the others. Have a plan.

(My list of MK's don't miss....
Mickey's Philharmagic
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
TTA
Carousel of Progress
Jungle Cruise
Maybe Splash Mountain, if she doesn't mind getting a little wet)

By 10 a.m., the park will be crowded, maybe closed to admission by 10:30 or 11. I usually leave about this time, but since she's never been, just take it slow, relax, focus on the ambience. Have a snack or two, or maybe leave the park for lunch, tour the resorts. The park will probably clear out later in the day, so even if it closes for a while, it'll probably re-open around suppertime. The parks stay open later that week, so you will most likely have a few hours in the evening to enjoy the park. It'll be carnival-ape crazy, if past years are any indication...but you can still have loads of fun if you're prepared for it.

 

[klam_chowder]

I agree that having a plan is key, and it depends on what she wants to see. Don't expect to see all the highlights. Just choose a couple. Spend your time soaking in the ambiance of Mainstreet, the festivities, things happening around you.

I was at WDW the wk btwn Christmas & NY last year and it was a ZOO. But, it's a lot of fun if you remember to appreciate the theming, take part in the spontaneous things that happen around you. All of my best memories from that trip were not things that happened on my 'first time there, here's our commando micro-plan' but rather things that DH paused me/us to enjoy: watching Wishes from the Cali Grill deck, stopping to sing and dance to a lively band in AK that was belting out Xmas tunes - others joined in afterwards too and a lot of kids & parents were pretty happy to be dancing in the magic together.

cheers,

 

[robind]

Get there one hour before opening. That's key. MK opens usually VERY early that week...sometimes around 7:30, 7:45. Get a FastPass for the one attraction you do NOT want to miss, stand in line for all the others. Have a plan.

Don't forget to keep getting fast passes all day until they run out - you can get one at least every two hours. I would get fast passes to the most popular rides first because they will run out sooner.

I never understood why someone would get in a 60+ minute line when there were fast passes available. Get the fast pass for later and go do something else. Even the kids I travel w/ ask me why those people don't get a fast pass.