MGM itineraray help!! Please!!

[rjjr]

We're there for only 1 day, this Saturday (yes, the weather is looking rainy, oh well!), and I haven't done this park before.

I've looked at the websites for info and tips for touring, but basically all the things I want to do say "do this as soon as possible to park opening". It seems that that would be an impossibility.

It's an early entry day so we'll be there at 8am. Any better tips for being able to do most of the park, while minimizing waits. By the way, I do plan to do TOT, RNR and WWTBAM.

Thanks for any help you can give, I really appreciate all the info I get on this board. You guys are great!

 

[Grumpy92]

Utilize the FP as much as possible. I would also suggest not going on EE day, because it tends to be a little more crowded.

Went this past weekend with some visiting family. We had been in MK & EC and walked on most rides. But MGM on Sat. was the busiest of all the parks. It was an EE day and there was a dance championship going on. Needless to say there was a 45 min standby wait time for RNR so we FP and walked onto ST just to waste sometime. Returned to RNR waited in the FP line and then got inside where they were having some difficulties which meant about 15 min wait in the preshow area.

 

[fmed845]

IF YOUR THERE FOR EARLY ENTRY AND HEAD STRAIGHT FOR TOT AND RNR YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING THOSE TWO RIDES WITH LITTLE OR NO WAIT.

 

[CaseyJr]

FAST PASS!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Do RnR and ToT first thing. If you want to repeat either of them, this would be the time. Then hit the other things that are open early. Check out the show schedule and decide which you want to go to and when they are. And like others have said, use fastpass if it starts to get busy. I may end up at MGM this Saturday, too. I'm not too concerned about crowds at WDW except at MK.

T&B

 

[rjjr]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly everyone. I have a couple follow-up questions:

At 8am, do I need to get FP for ToT or RnR or should I save my first FP for something else after doing those two rides first?

Does it matter which one to ride first, as far as the lines getting longer faster at one of them?

Also, what time do the FP machines start working these days, I thought it wasn't until 10am?

Grumpy92, unfortunately we are only there 2 days this trip and Friday is our MK day. Were the crowds bad right away in the morning, say 8 to 11am? Your comments on the crowds are making me a little nervous!

Thanks all!

 

[old lost boy]

I agree with fmed. If you get there when the park opens and get to ToT right away you should have now problems. Dw and I usually don't do the shows but can do the rest of the park in about 6 hours without power walking. There is a lot less ground to cover than the other parks.

 

[stinkerbelle]

may I also suggest skipping the parade? it's a great time to do other rides...most people crowd around to watch the parada - DH and I can usually walk onto most rides (like Star Tours) during parades.

backlot tour is still down - so that will save you SOME time...i would attempt to do the 'rides' in this order:

TOT
RNR (both first thing - get them out of the way before 10am)
get a fast pass for WWTBAM (I think there is a show generally around the 11am hour)
go see beauty and the beast (around the noon hour)
head over to the great movie ride
then indiana jones stunt spectacular
star tours

that's usually our course of action on a day at MGM. If you can - get a PS for lunch or dinner at Sci-Fi or Primtime - both excellent places to eat! (hit up sci-fi if you want burgers - best in WDW if you ask me - hit Primetime for a FUN atmosphere with some good homecooked meal)

 

[rjjr]

I love all these suggestions, keep them coming! Congratulations on your recent wedding stinkerbelle!

 

[jeankeri]

After doing RNR & TOT here are my suggestions:
Great Movie Ride (if open/ if it's 9am by this point).
Star Tours
Muppet 3D
Indy Stunt Show (should make 1st show)
lunch (make PS- we LOVED Sci Fi- more for the atmosphere than the food LOL. You could save PS for Fantasmic dinner package at available restaurants- probable a help to save time- sounds like this is a busy night?.)
*get FP for WWWTAM before or after lunch, whichever return time works best for you.
I did not know Backlot tour was closed. Parts of it were taken out for the new show they're building, but the rest was there. We did this after lunch, waiting for FP time for WWTBAM.
See parade.
Fit in VOTLM ,B&B show , Animation tour between now and Fantasmic/ dinner PS if you have them. We did not do Fantasmic dinner- arrived 1hr prior to show time. Bought food @ Rosies and ate in our seats (we were not interested in the food they sell inside).
This plan worked great for us in December. We did not do EE because our DS 6&8 did not want to do the thrill rides. We started with this plan @ 9am opening time.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Unless they've changed it, they will open up the Fastpass machines before it gets busy. If there isn't much of a posted wait time ride standby. If there is more than 15 minute wait time then pull a fast pass for either RnR or ToT and go to the other ride. As soon as your fastpass window opens up (maybe 5 minutes into it from what I've read--they've changed this I know since I was last there) pull a fast pass for one of those two rides if you want to ride a second (or third time...). When I was last at MGM my sister and I rode ToT 13 times in the 2 days that we spent at MGM. Such a good ride and great theming!

T&B

 

[jeankeri]

The first available return time is 10am on a fastpass, regardless of what time the machines start running (8 or 9 am).

 

[rjjr]

Thanks again for all the detailed info, it's just what I was looking for.

 

[QuickGold]

For touring guides of the Studios, try http://www.mgmstudios.org/guide.html

 

[drogerstn]

The first available return time is 10am on a fastpass, regardless of what time the machines start running (8 or 9 am).

Our last visit to MGM was June, 2003, and the initial return times for FP for ToT and RnR were earlier than 10am. The initial return time for ToT started before the initial return time for RnR. You should check the return times first thing and see if they will benefit you, especially if you plan to ride multiple times on one or both rides. The standby lines move along at a pretty good clip until the FP return kicks in.

When its convenient, get a FP before using one you already have so that you always have a FP saving a spot for you on an attraction.

 

[jeankeri]

They changed the Fastpass system last Oct/Nov (anyone remember exactly?) to save $ on having CMs man the line to collect the tickets. So the first possible return time given is now 10am- when they have the CMs arrive.

 

[jcemom]

You can see the scheduled times for WWTBAM and the other shows here: Entertainment That may help to plan your day.

 

[rjjr]

If I get there at 8 for EE, will I be able to do all 4 rides once in that 1st hour? ToT, RnR, ST and Muppetvision 3D? Thanks!

 

[drogerstn]

They changed the Fastpass system last Oct/Nov (anyone remember exactly?) to save $ on having CMs man the line to collect the tickets. So the first possible return time given is now 10am- when they have the CMs arrive.

jeankeri, thanks for the update. It seems like every time I visit WDW, something in the FP process has changed from the previous visit. I wonder if this will change again; if not, I'd plan on EE at MGM and expect the standby lines to move fairly well for 2 hours instead of just 1 hour on a non-EE day...Then again, the crowds could be getting large between 9am and 10am on the EE day....

I'm getting a list of things to ask about FP just prior to our next visit to try to keep current with the process.

If I get there at 8 for EE, will I be able to do all 4 rides once in that 1st hour? ToT, RnR, ST and Muppetvision 3D? Thanks!

rjjr, I've never tried to get all 4 in the 1st hour because we ride RnR and ToT multiple times before going to the other attractions. I'd think you'd have a very good chance of doing RnR, ToT, and ST and be in Muppetvision 3D before 8am.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

If you can fit in any shows I'd reccomend both Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. Both are such well done productions and are so well... Disney. Even if you don't have small children hearing the oohs and aahs of the littlest child in Mermaid is just magical.

They might be good for an afternoon break.