Meeting Merida

[Hezzy04]

I have read that the best strategy for meeting Merida is to do rope drop and line up right away. However....what is the opinion on lining up at about 3:30 for her afternoon set (which starts at 3:45)? Would that be a decent plan, or would it somehow wind up being a pretty long wait?

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

I think that might work, but it depends on the crowd level. We saw her on 12/22. We got in line at 9:15 and were done by 9:40.

 

[alliecat523]

Agree that it depends on the crowd level. We saw her in September. I think it was late morning. Not a planned visit at all, but saw her and jumped in line. Waited maybe 20 minutes.

 

[Miskey]

I have read that the best strategy for meeting Merida is to do rope drop and line up right away. However....what is the opinion on lining up at about 3:30 for her afternoon set (which starts at 3:45)? Would that be a decent plan, or would it somehow wind up being a pretty long wait?

We met her for her afternoon set after watching the Festival of Fantasy parade. We watched the parade from where it was easy to go to her line after the parade ended. We were about the 5th family in line.

 

[Hezzy04]

We plan to meet her April 23. My info says she starts meeting again at 3:45, so we are hoping to line up no later than 3:30. By doing this, we will have a free morning to go on rides later in our trip.

My first plan was to meet her after BBB our first full day at the parks, but I doubt we would be out in time to line up at 9. So then I thought we would rope drop her our last morning at MK. However...I really prefer doing rides at rope drop, so thought being there before her afternoon meet might work out perfectly.

Ahh...I love the stress of planning out a Disney vacation It is like a puzzle I get to piece together! I am so weird!

 

[ArwenMarie]

That's a good plan especially in April because there is less of a chance of thunderstorms at that time (versus the summer where the morning would be safer if it is something you definitely want to do)

 

[Turtlesoup820]

The area where you wait to be let into her meeting area is kind of brutal when it's hot and sunny. We originally planned to meet her int he afternoon and were just going to wait it out but we lasted about 15 minutes in line before we bailed. The sun was just beating down on us! We ended up rope dropping her another and that worked pretty well.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Line up during the parade works like a charm every time for me.

 

[dalmatian7]

We met her in Nov. We really aren't character meet people but DD picked this over Rapunzel (that we had a fp for). We were at rope drop fairly near the tunnel and walked straight back, it wasn't open yet and no one was lined up so we went and rode Astro orbiters and the race cars (yes these are our priorities when we have a dd age 4), by the time we got back, (9:15) there was a line so we got in. We waited 10 min or so to get into the second waiting area and ended up being the second to last people to be seen before her break. All in all it killed 40 minutes. Not the best way to maximize the morning. In retrospect, I would have gotten in the line sooner and send DH and DD off to ride somewhere. The activities to keep the kids occupied during wait time in the second holding area are nice, coloring and a chance to shoot arrows. Merida was nice. When were were done there was still a long line out in the walkway and she was going on break, so it could be a long wait if you get in line around 10.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We make it a RD priority - go right there and wait for the 1st set. Merida is loads of fun to meet. FYI they will make you ditch your stroller before getting in line or before going inside (depending on the CM -some are more proactive)