Magic Mornings are truly magical!

[SFMommy]

We just returned from a 3-night stay, arriving the Friday after Thanksgiving and leaving early Monday morning. We had 2.5 days in the parks...Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and all day Sunday.

Because we stayed on-site at the PPH, we had Magic Mornings on both Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. (GULP!)

As I woke my DH and DD5 up at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday morning, I thought to myself..."What am I doing? This is CRAZY! This is supposed to be a vacation!" We left our room at 6:30, were waiting in line at security at 6:40 and very near the front of the gates when they opened at 7:00 a.m.

Saturday:

7-8:00 - Rode 6 rides (PP, Dumbo, Alice, Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White)
8-8:45 - Toontown Morning Madness, including Roger Rabbit
8:45-9:15 - Walked to GCH to use special DCA entrance, waited in line
9:25-11:00 - Rode Soarin', got fastpasses for Soarin', rode Toy Story, rode Soarin' again using fastpasses
11:00-11:45 - Walked back to DL, got fastpasses for Haunted Mansion
11:45-12:30 - Lunch at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ
12:30-1:15 - Rode Haunted Mansion, Mark Twain Riverboat
1:30-6:00 - back to PPH for a rest, pool
6:30 - Dinner at Rainforest Cafe
7:45 - Monorail from DTD to Tomorrowland
8:15 - Stood in the hub with a great view of the castle and waited
8:45 - Fireworks
9:30 - sleep!

Sunday:

7-8:00 - Nemo, Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours, Matterhorn
8-9:30 - IASW, Autopia, Pirates, Pooh (break for a Tigger Tail - yum!), Jungle Cruise
9:30 - 10:20 - photos in front of Castle, Castle walk-through 3 times, visit Snow White's wishing well and run into Snow White and Ariel
10:20 - Breakfast with Minnie & Friends
11:45 - Tarzan's Treehouse, Raft to Pirate's Lair Island
12:30 - Train around DL from NOS to Main Street
1:00 - Mickey ice cream break in that Plaza to the left of the hub (I can't remember the name of it) - watched Mary Poppins and band dance and play music from the movie
1:30 - called it a day, back to hotel to rest, pack-up
4:00 - DTD for Build a Bear and World of Disney shopping
5:00 - early dinner at Tortilla Jo's
7:00 - everyone asleep for our early flight tomorrow!

Both days were relatively easy in the morning. But Sunday was DESERTED!!! We were the only people on Nemo until 2 more small families came off the monorail and joined us. My DH and DD5 walked onto Star Tours at 7:40 and then I rode the Matterhorn by myself at 7:55 and just walked right into a bobsled. I have never done that before! Then at exactly 8:00 we were at IASW and the CM said we get a private cruise...we were the only ones on our entire boat! It was so strange (yet wonderful) to be in the park when it was so empty.

My DH (who is not a morning person and works sooooo hard and never gets to sleep in) was very very very happy that I made him wake-up at 5:45 and be at the gates so early. It was beyond worth it!

So I know that everyone says to go early...but I just want to say it again! It made our trip so great!

 

[marcemc]

I agree, those MM are one of the best perk of staying onsite

There is nothing better than walking around the park around 9:00a.m. after having being on 6 differenta rides, it gives you a sense of accomplishment.

 

[jemimabean]

That sounds awesome! I haven't done MM yet at Disneyland (but have at WDW), but I love how much you can accomplish in the early mornings. I'm not a morning person by nature, but when I'm there, I'll totally get up early without complaint.

 

[disneymom23]

I love MM. We always stay on-site and I feel compelled to do every MM that we are there. My DH doesn't always join us but he knows he needs to be in the parks by 8:00 or he doesn't get that first FP of the day!

We were there the weekend before T-giving. On Saturday, we did 24 rides and watched the fireworks (from Plaza Inn while eating fried chicken, yum!) We also took a 3 hour break/nap in the afternoon. I told a friend who was also in DL at the same time. She didn't believe me. She said they never do more than 12 rides. But they don't do MM or collect FP's.

I really think it's almost an obsession for us. We have so much fun staying one step ahead of the crowds and collecting FP's as soon as we can. We don't always use them. We also enjoy making someone's night when we give away unused FP's.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We never miss one and try to always stay on site. So less crowded and it really feels like it is our park.

Jack

 

[rramstad]

She said they never do more than 12 rides. But they don't do MM or collect FP's.

Bing bing bing!

I understand that people want to be on vacation and spontaneous and relaxed and all that, I really do. But would you rather spend four plus hours in line, or four plus hours at the pool?

That's the trade off when "choosing" to not deal with MM or FP.

I especially don't understand not using FP. It's the easiest thing in the world, even if you don't want to be too super logical about it, you can walk around the park in a direction, riding rides as they come up, and grabbing FP as they come up, and then make another circuit, using the FP for those rides and waiting in line for other ones, grabbing more FP as you go... it's just easy, and other than possibly requiring just a little bit more walking, it's not like getting up at 5:45 which I understand isn't for everyone.

Great trip report!