Just Back: Early Entry, Buses, and Millionaire!

[Saphire]

We had a few surprises on our trip this past week. One was how many people show up for early entry! By the time we got to an attraction a few minutes past 8 am, there was already a 15 minute wait! Make sure you grab a fast pass FIRST, before riding anything. When you come out of the first ride, you will have a fast pass waiting, because by then the waits could be up to 20 minutes, and this was before 8:30! I am sure the crowds are only this heavy during the summer months.
We found the bus drivers to be the friendliest, nicest CM's throughout the World. They all are pleasant, and turn to say "good-bye, have a great day" when you get off... every one of them! We were on our way to the Animal Kingdom when we passed a bus that had broken down, our bus driver pulled over, spoke to the other driver, then came back and asked us to welcome the stranded guests, "lets all be good neighbors and make room for them"... got to love it.
My daughter made it to the 'hot seat' at MGM! They now offer a cruise if you make it to a million. We had been to the shows several times during the week, and each time my husband was #1 when they post the top ten list at the end of the show. We begged him to go back one last time, so he could win us that cruise! He agreed. The first question was to put some presidents in order of when they served. They posted the top ten to see who would make it to the hot seat...and it wasn't my husband but my 14 year old daughter! She eventually made it to 32,000 and won a polo shirt, hat, and ten pins. But we had the biggest laugh and will always remember how surprised we all were when we thought it would be my husband, not our daughter! By the way, when we left that show, guess who was number one on the top ten list? Yes, my DH. Got to get him back there soon!

 

[TerryU.]

Sounds like you had a great time! Those bus drivers are very nice. I can't wait to go!

 

[Princess Michelle]

I'm glad you had such a great trip, Saphire! I have had some really fun bus drivers. i love talking to them.

 

[dlaushey]

We just went too. MK on 7/24 and DS on 7/25. We thought the crowds were unusally light for this time of year. We made sure we avoided EE since we were not on site. Also MK had E-Ticket on 7/23 so we figured the crowd might be lighter the next day. We never spent more than 15 minutes in line at either MK or DS (except TGMR 20+).

 

[LoveMickey]

Great time at WDW.

Can't wait to be there.

 

[swilphil]

We were at EE on Sunday, July 11th, and we were able to do Dumbo with about a 3 minute wait (at the most), and Pooh had no wait at all. We weren't even there early like lots of other people. We walked into the main entrance of the park a couple minutes past 8. If you're going during the hot months, I do think EE at MK is worth it because you can get a lot done before it gets soooo hot. Sunday EE may be better than Thursday EE at MK since Sunday is a travel day for lots of people.

 

[Daxx]

Saphire - did your DD get into the hot seat w/the question about put the baseball teams in geographical order?!!? We went and there was a darling girl w/her Dad that were answering questions. Wondering if that was her?!

Anyway, I we just got back yesterday and I have to agree that the CM's (esp. bus drivers) were super nice. Agree about the fast pass thing, too. I was amazed that some of the rides ran out of fast passes early in the afternoon!

Most of our waits were 20 mins. in line ... no more than 1/2 hour. At MGM/DS there were up to 70 min. waits on R&RC and ToT but we fast passed those, anyway. And, by 8 pm, you have about a 10 min. wait for ToT b/c everyone's heading to Fantasmic! We did a lot of park hopping each day. We went to EPCOT on Sun. morning and it was dead. You could have shot a cannon off in the middle of world showcase and not hit a soul. It was overcast and a tiny bit drizzly, but still ... dead. We hopped right onto Test Track and Misson: Space.

 

[zurgswife]

Saphire...our family is completely addicted to that show...we have managed to get 5 out of 6 family member in the hot seat over the past 2 visits...actually 4 people each visit...but this time my son got in the hot seat and not my 7 dd...Glad your dd did so well, it can be unnerving....

Daxx....if the girl was with her dad then it couldn't have been Saphire's dd as any body over 9 must go it alone...

 

[Saphire]

Hi Daxx, no that wasn't my DD with the baseball question, though she is darling As a 14 yo she was on her own in the hot seat.
Wow, Zurgswife, I am impressed! Have you or any of your family members ever tried for the national show? The show is very addicting, I could have gone back all day!

 

[zurgswife]

I keep thinking about trying to do the national show..just haven't gotten up the never to try out yet..


dd13 wants to try to make it to the 1,000,000pt question in dec (our next trip)..the youngest winner by themselves was 14 LOL...the problem is my dd keeps getting 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000 point questions that are really difficult for kids...twice in the hot seat and twice she had to use 2-3 life lines during these questions....