Magic Kingdom Strategy - Go left or right?

[mousemamma]

Hello. So we are going to the Magic Kingdom for one day mid February (over school vacation - kids 8 & 6). We've been there before a few times but not to MK in several years.

The park will be open from 8am-midnight the day we are going and we will sadly be staying off property this time (just had to buy tires!)

I know it's going to be be incredibly crowded so I want to go in with a plan. Would you go left and start with Adventureland or go right and start with Tomorrowland? Clockwise or counterclockwise?

Also, I'm not sure when to arrive as we usually stay on property. If the park opens at 8am for non-Disney resort guests, what time should we get to the TTC?

Thank you. I would LOVE lots of advice.

 

[DisneyAngie45]

Honestly if you arrive before rope drop my advice is to go from Adventureland, left to right. I know everyone says the opposite but we did this during August 2011 (a busy time) and we pretty much got to go on whatever we wanted the whole day, and we wanted to do EVEYRTHING. While everybody was rushing to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, Adventureland and Frontierland were all for us!We got on Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Splash Mountain. BTMRR with no wait at all, and by the time we got to Tomorrowland, Space Mountains wait time was around 20 minutes.
Also remember you have the power of Fastpass, which you should do for Peter Pan's Flight if you're gonna take this way. That was the only ride we skipped because the line was so long by the time we got there, but we got to go the next day we went.
It really depends on your children's interests though. If they don't like the big rides, and want to do more Fantasyland stuff, go there first. Its up to them, but for the maximum attraction factor, going from left to right is the best to me. You get to have a relaxing lunch and dinner as well, and we didn't have to rush everything before Wishes at night.

 

[jujube]

I'm confused. Is your MK day scheduled for EMH? If so, avoid it at all costs. If it isn't, get to the TTC by 6:45 am. you will want to be in the park at the rope not later than 7:15.
If you ride Space Mountain, go right. If you don't, go left.
Also want to let you know Big Thunder Mountain is closed.

 

[Moodyzblu]

We go left. My 7yr olds are in LOVE with the Swiss Family Tree House and so that is always our first stop .. then it's over to Jungle Cruise and so on. It would be weird for me to go right .. but I know many others who swear by it.

 

[ddoconnell]

We always go left....it seems to work for us!

Have a magical time!

 

[matheke]

NEITHER, Go straight. I would hit what you can in Fantasyland with kids 6 and 8 first, then work your way around left or right. Just my opinion.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

We always go left, no matter what time of day it is! That is our favorite part of the park, so why not go straight for it?

 

[ShariVT]

With your kids ages I would go straight and then go right or left depending on your intrests. I would however not go to a park that had morning magic hours. It would really be so much better if you could pick a different day.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

We go straight and do all of Fantacyland, then on to tomorrow land. We get fast passes. We have lunch at Cosmic Rays, then finish that area. From there we cross the park to Adventure Land and work our way through those areas.

Don't forget to try a Dole Whip Float. Oh, and the jungle cruise at night is fantastic. I read that here and we tried it a few years ago, so we ride at night only now.

When coming back to the MK the second day, we start to the left and work back around.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We're left going people and after our noon park break, we return to the MK and go right.....as for people saying head to Fantasyland...we just returned last week from WDW and there's not much left in Fantasyland to see or do...until the opening of the new Fantasyland.....

From opening time and going left we do everything we come to and finish our morning at the HM...that's half the park for us...we exit out the castle and shop down Main Street and when we return in the evening, we start right doing Tomorrowland and ending up at the HM again and exit thru the castle...benn doing this route for many years..it works...we never bother with FP's...and are happy in our touring.....doesn't need a plan...

 

[Suellen]

We always go left no matter time of day, day of the week or time of year.

The only time we go right is when returning to the park on a day when we have already completed Adventureland.

 

[Mister Skellington]

Left and right....
We send FP runners to Space Mountain and have them meet the rest of the party back at Splash and BTM. We have done the reverse and it works well too.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We prefer to start on the left. I love walking in pirates.

 

[disneymom0104]

We always go straight, but I think *most* people (according to touring books) go right. I would say left would have the least amount of people.

 

[k^2]

Just go to whatever ride you want to do first

See information from Touring Plans which can be found at this link (bolding mine):

Which sections of the park and what attractions do guests visit first?

When visitors are admitted to the lands during summer and holiday periods, traffic to Tomorrowland and Frontierland is heaviest, followed by Fantasyland, Adventureland, and Liberty Square.

During the school year, when fewer young people are in the park, early-morning traffic is more evenly distributed but remains heaviest in Tomorrowland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. Our researchers tested the frequent claim that most people turn right into Tomorrowland and tour the Magic Kingdom in a counterclockwise sequence. We found it to be baseless. As the park fills, visitors head for the top attractions before lines get long. This, more than any other factor, determines morning traffic patterns.

 

[JoShan1719]

Another lefty here! I love starting in Adventureland and working my way around.

 

[SPAM]

I always go right to tomorrowland. I couldn't possibly go left it just wouldn't be right

 

[Arynrm1]

I'm a lefty so I always go left! I just drag the rightys along with me. I think the crowds are lighter so I stick with it.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

We usually spend at least two days in the MK. We always go straight to Fantasyland on our first day and go counter-clockwise from there. (Although sometimes DH will go ride Space Mountain while we're doing something else.) On our second day, we head to Tomorrowland first.

 

[W.E.D.]

NEITHER, Go straight. I would hit what you can in Fantasyland with kids 6 and 8 first, then work your way around left or right. Just my opinion.

THIS! Worked perfectly for us last November. Our kids are grown, but I have a DW who had never been on PPF!!