Minor complaint about the exit route after Wishes on 11/22

[yaddo121]

We were there that night also, and were routed thru the back way for our exit. I had been back there before on the KTTK tour, but my husband and kids thought it was super cool to be behind the scenes at the MK.

We had pretty much the same reaction. I had been backstage before (KTTK tour) but Dh thought it was pretty cool and we were both really grateful that we didn't have to fight the crowds on Main Street. DS didn't even notice that we were backstage (it was dark and he's only 4). We ended up leaving while Wishes was still going on, took the backstage exit, and grabbed the first bus back to the resort.

 

[RMulieri]

I prefer this to being stuck in a mob for 40 mins not moving anywhere

 

[Feralpeg]

While I agree with the OP that the backstage area is less than magical, I'd much rather they use these routes and keep the guests safe. I remember last Christmas. I was with my DD and her boyfriend at MK. After Wishes, we were literally body to body on Main Street. All I could think of is what would happen if a stampede started. So many people would be hurt. As it was, I had to hold my daughter's hand and she held her boyfriend's hand just to keep us anywhere close to each other. We had to walk like penguins, taking little tiny steps, to move toward the front exit. We wanted to go into one of the shops, but had no possible way of moving from the center of the crowd to the sidewalk area. I really felt sorry for those with small children. It must have been terrible trying to keep them with them.

I would have gladly taken a CM exit.

 

[marius97]

Your other option is to simply wait. After the fireworks, just find a place to stand and wait for 20 min until the crowds ease, and you can just walk up Main Street without being pushed and shoved.

Disney isn't forcing anyone backstage, nor are they making families with kids spoil the magic against their will. The Guest still has the choice -- they can be smushed in the hoards, discover the unmagical backstage, or take 20 min longer to get back to their resort. None of those choices may be ideal, but they are still yours to make!

I didn't find this to be completely true in our experience. On our second time at MK we were shuttered to the backstage exit after wishes. The cm working Main St didn't make it sound like we had the option to go down the street. She wanted everyone going backstage. She may have let people go down main st if they asked, but it being our second trip we didn't think that was even an option.

 

[WDSearcher]

I didn't find this to be completely true in our experience. On our second time at MK we were shuttered to the backstage exit after wishes. The cm working Main St didn't make it sound like we had the option to go down the street. She wanted everyone going backstage. She may have let people go down main st if they asked, but it being our second trip we didn't think that was even an option.

The CM's job is to keep the crowd moving and get people out of there -- the assumption being that everyone wants to leave. But if you ask (or if you simply move back and let the crowd move around you), you certainly don't HAVE to go that way.

 

[Feralpeg]

Your other option is to simply wait. After the fireworks, just find a place to stand and wait for 20 min until the crowds ease, and you can just walk up Main Street without being pushed and shoved.

Disney isn't forcing anyone backstage, nor are they making families with kids spoil the magic against their will. The Guest still has the choice -- they can be smushed in the hoards, discover the unmagical backstage, or take 20 min longer to get back to their resort. None of those choices may be ideal, but they are still yours to make!

Our problem was that we couldn't get out of the main push of the crowd. We were literally body to body and there was no alternative but to keep moving with the crowd. Granted, it was extremely busy that night.

 

[squirrel]

After our dinner at 'Ohana, we made it back to the MK just around the time Wishes was starting. The CM's opened the backstage area to let us through so we could get to Tommorowland. It was kind of neat seeing the backstage area. I didn't have any small children with me -just my neighbours oldest son who was 10yrs. The fireworks were going off as we walked through the backstage area.

 

[kissthemouse]

I'm in the "sit it out and wait" camp. It's like trying to get out of an ampitheater parking lot right after the show...you may as well sit and wait in your lawn chairs for the line to start moving before you jump in line to get out.

 

[wdwtweets]

I do understand what the OP is saying and I also understand safety concerns. I think, though, that Disney could still use this route for safety reasons and keep it magical with just a small amount of theming. So, I guess I'm more with the OP than the other camp. It wouldn't be that difficult for Disney to make this alternate route more magical.

 

[knieriem]

I have been backstage at MK on the KTTK tour, however a few weeks ago was the first time I had been backstage while exiting the MK. I will have to say I welcomed it. I hate being shoulder to shoulder with strangers on Main Street, yes I know very un Disney like of me.

My husband said it could have saved us the cost of the tour, jokingly of course.

I don't think this part of the backstage area really ruins the feel of the MK. Now other parts of our KTTK tour I wanted to clothes my eyes when I saw certain things

 

[Tomh]

I am very much with the wait it out crowd. I use that time to take some pictures of the park after dark, sit and eat an ice cream with the kids, or just wander about the shops looking at stuff until the crowds thin out. When things have calmed down in the park, we make our way out the gate, and look at the lines for the bus stop. If the lines there are still very long, then we will find a bench and sit down for a while, waiting for the line at the bus stop to calm down a bit. Might as well wait sitting down, instead of standing in line.