MGM 3/4 day touring plan

[FishNette]

I found this touring plan on Allearsnet, but would like some additional input since it doesn't seem to take advantage of FASTPASSES. Plus, I believe this was a plan for a night with Fantasmic at 8:30 and we will attend the 10pm show so we'll have a bit more time.

Here goes:

1. Arrive around 1pm and get map & Daily Entertainment Schedule
2. Great Movie Ride
3. Playhouse Disney or Beauty & The Beast (depending upon show times)
4. Get FASTPASS for R & R Coaster
5. See other show (in point 3)
6. See Indiana Jones (without FASTPASS????)
7. Take Backlot tour & meet The Incredibles
8. Muppetvision 3D
9. 5:30 pm Stars & Motor Cars Parade
10. Voyage of Little Mermaid (without FASTPASS????)
11. Ride R & R Coaster using FASTPASS
12. Tower of Terror (without FASTPASS????)
13. Grab a bite to eat before Fantasmic (which they thought was at 8:30)
SO we should have some extra time here? Maybe eat after the Parade?

BTW, my DD is 8 and DS is 4. We will also be there with my parents, who are up for whatever I plan!

April 19th is also MGM EMH morning, so we'll be at Epcot to avoid the EMH at MGM, but it still might be busy in the afternoon? What do all you experts think of this???

 

[Bob P]

Hi Fishnette,

A few thoughts:

Arriving at the Studios at 1 on an EMH morning is probably not a good idea, especially in a week where a lot of schools in the Northeast (and probably elsewhere) are closed.

I am skeptical that you could get #1-8 done before the parade.

I also think that if you want to eat right after the parade you will have huge lines at counter service restaurants and it will be impossible to get into Prime Time, Sci-Fi, BD, or MM.

I wouldn't be surprised if the wait for TOT at #12 is at least an hour.

So all in all, I'd have to say I'd use a completely different plan!

Good luck,

Bob

 

[FishNette]

Bob,

Thanks for your comments. I, too, was skeptical about this strategy after seeing it on allearsnet which is why I'm asking for help.

But, I do feel I could accomplish all of the above attractions in some order from 1 - 9 pm (with a counter service dinner). I guess I need suggestions on how to attack this. I think managing FASTPASSES in a different order & putting some things AFTER the parade would work.

I completely agree with you that I should get a FASTPASS for TOT.

How would you rearrange this plan? Anybody else?????

 

[Bob P]

One thing I would do differently is get a FP as soon as you arrive. You need to decide what it should be for...what do you want to see the most? Because if you wait until 4:00 or 5:00 to get a FP for R&RC or TOT they will probably be gone for the day. Then as soon as you can get a second FP, get it for the thing you want to see the "second most!"

I'd have to assume that Great Movie Ride at that point will kill at least 45 minutes (including the time on the ride itself). Indy, Backlot, B&TB and Playhouse are also very time consuming. The shows themselves are long, and so are the waits.

Maybe someone else will have better ideas...but to be honest, I'd blow that whole plan up and start over. I would get to the Studios at the EMH opening and then you will no doubt be able to accomplish all that and more!

Bob

 

[Disney Gator]

My two cents. The things you need a FP for ar ToT and RocknRollerCoaster. The other FP you could use at one of the shows so you don't have to wait in line so long. Don't get one for Indy though, the theater seats so many people you won't need one to guarantee a seat. You could probably just get in line at some point before the show and still get in without waiting too long. There aren't any bad seats.

Also I second what everyone else is saying, get there early!

 

[FishNette]

Also I second what everyone else is saying, get there early!

Thanks everyone for your advice. I especially agree with the idea that I need to use more FASTPASSES. I'll probably start my entire plan over (so much for following allearsnet's plan!) to do so.

As far as getting there early, I've heard that I don't need a FULL day at MGM, so I was hoping to spend a few hours at Epcot that morning. We want to see Fantasmic at 10pm, so I figured getting to MGM in the afternoon would be the best way to accomplish this.

Do you all think that I should just spend the WHOLE day at MGM (9 am to 10 pm)? Or, should I go to MGM, then Epcot mid-day and then back to MGM? However, I believe it's EMH night at Epcot so I thought that park would be busy in the afternoon.

See my dilemna? Help!!!!

 

[Disney Gator]

You don't really need a full day at MGM but it's probably better if you do the first half of the day, morning instead of afternoon.

 

[FishNette]

So, I should really compete with the EMH crowds (even though I am offsite) on this day, rather than come in the afternoon? I had heard that since MGM wasn't a 'full-day' park, that most of the morning crowds left around 3pm. I was hoping this would be the case on April 19th as well.

??????????

 

[Disney Gator]

The only thing is if you want to get fastpasses you need to get there earlier in the day. From my experience with EMH crowds, the crowd tends to stay at the same level all day instead of starting out less crowded and building up throughout the day like normal days. I think the crowd level will stay the same during the day, but FPs will go a lot more quickly.

If it's possible for you, you might want to try MGM on a non-EMH day. I usually stay away from parks on their morning EMH days. If you do go in the afternoon on this day, head straight to ToT and RnRCoaster and get FPs first thing, then depending on what time they are for you can plan the rest of your day around them.

 

[Bob P]

A-HA!!! Now we're getting somewhere!

My recommendation if you are staying offsite is to completely avoid the EMH park. Maybe you should try the Studios a different day, so a few thousand people don't get a jump on you.

Since it's a school vacation week I think the Studios will likely be crowded all day. Coming in at mid-day means you will probably miss out on FP for R&RC and TOT.

Just my opinion, no empirical evidence to offer...

 

[FishNette]

Thanks Bob & Disney Gator for your Fastpass tips as well as your suggestions about avoiding the EMH park. The reason I picked this day was to take advantage of the 10 pm Fantasmic which I thought would be easier to get into than one show at 8:30.

I still think that this strategy gives me an extra 1 1/2-2 hours in the park.

Rather than waiting for Fantasmic beginning at 7 or 7:30, I now can line up at 9pm. I've tried getting Fantasmic dinner packages for other days this week, but they are sold out (at least they were when I called a week ago -- suppose I could try again).

So, I'm expecting to fight crowds, but also expecting to have an extra 1 1/2 hours in the park. Fair trade off, or not?????

 

[Bob P]

It's your call...personally, I'd rather have fewer people to go up against! I don't think you'll be able to accomplish that much in the 90 minutes you are gaining compared to what you could do in 90 minutes earlier in the day.

Just my opinion, you need to do what feels right for you!

Bob