MK day strategy...help?

[dizneyno1fan]

Ok, I need some strategic help for my MK day later this month lol. MK will have EMH, so we'll start at 8am (and ends at 8pm). This is our fastpass/dining schedule so far:

9:30am - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
10:30am - Breakfast at The Crystal Palace
1:30pm - Peter Pan's Flight
5:30pm - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
6pm - Be Our Guest Dinner
8pm - Happily Ever After

Any tips on what rides we should hit up first in the morning (before they get crowded)? These are some of the rides we want to do:
Buzz Lightyear
Haunted Mansion
Small World
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Speedway
Little Mermaid

-----------------------

And just for fun, here's my Epcot schedule. We're planning on doing rope drop for Test Track and Soarin' (since we're using our FP on FEA).

7:30am - Ale & Compass Breakfast
9:45am - Living with the Land
11am - RELAUNCHED! Mission: SPACE
2:30pm - Frozen Ever After

 

[DisneyHomework]

Because of your 9:30 big thunder, I’d do haunted mansion, Pirates, jungle cruise before big thunder and then you’re right by CP for your breakfast. If you have extra time you knock out space mountain as well. Have fun!

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Ok, I need some strategic help for my MK day later this month lol. MK will have EMH, so we'll start at 8am (and ends at 8pm). This is our fastpass/dining schedule so far:

9:30am - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
10:30am - Breakfast at The Crystal Palace
1:30pm - Peter Pan's Flight
5:30pm - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
6pm - Be Our Guest Dinner
8pm - Happily Ever After

Any tips on what rides we should hit up first in the morning (before they get crowded)? These are some of the rides we want to do:
Buzz Lightyear
Haunted Mansion
Small World
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Speedway
Little Mermaid

-----------------------

And just for fun, here's my Epcot schedule. We're planning on doing rope drop for Test Track and Soarin' (since we're using our FP on FEA).

7:30am - Ale & Compass Breakfast
9:45am - Living with the Land
11am - RELAUNCHED! Mission: SPACE
2:30pm - Frozen Ever After

You will probably get many different responses here. Here’s my $.02:

While I realize you weren’t asking about this specifically, I thought I might briefly comment. The first thing I noticed was the 4-hour gap between your MK FPs. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I would just point out that your SDMT FP being at 5:30pm will prohibit you from grabbing a 4th, 5th, etc. FP until late in the day. I have found (for me) it’s better to book FPs back-to-back starting in the late morning hours. Then after the first 3 have been used, book additional FPs one at a time. Obviously the earlier you start booking these additional same-day FPs, the more choices you will have. At 5:30 pm it will start to be “slim pickings”. As it turns out, 7DMT is one of the few attractions at MK that is harder to come by as a same-day FP.

My best advice (worth only what you paid for it) would be to try to modify your Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs FPs to an earlier time. Maybe do those back-to-back right after Crystal Palace breakfast. After that, all the other rides you listed should be available as additional FPs that you can book one at a time. Truthfully, if you chose to move up your Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs FPs there’s no reason why you couldn’t ride every one of the attractions on your MK list using FPs you booked one after the other throughout the day.

 

[dizneyno1fan]

Darn it! That was the earliest we could get Seven Dwarfs . I appreciate the tip tho! I just wish I could do something haha. I guess I'll keep checking for an earlier FP, I hadn't thought to do that. Thanks for the advice!

You will probably get many different responses here. Here’s my $.02:

While I realize you weren’t asking about this specifically, I thought might briefly comment. The first thing I noticed was the 4-hour gap between your MK FPs. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I would just point out that your SDMT FP being at 5:30pm will prohibit you from grabbing a 4th, 5th, etc. FP until late in the day. I have found (for me) it’s better to book FPs back-to-back starting in the late morning hours. Then after the first 3 have been used, book additional FPs one at a time. Obviously the earlier you start booking these additional same-day FPs, the more choices you will have. At 5:30 pm it will start to be “slim pickings”. As it turns out, 7DMT is one of the few attractions at MK that is harder to come by as a same-day FP.

My best advice (worth only what you paid for it) would be to try to modify your Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs FPs to an earlier time. Maybe do those back-to-back right after Crystal Palace breakfast. After that, all the other rides you listed should be available as additional FPs that you can book one at a time. Truthfully, if you chose to move up your Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs FPs there’s no reason why you couldn’t ride every one of the attractions on your MK list using FPs you booked one after the other throughout the day.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Darn it! That was the earliest we could get Seven Dwarfs . I appreciate the tip tho! I just wish I could do something haha. I guess I'll keep checking for an earlier FP, I hadn't thought to do that. Thanks for the advice!

I hear ya. Seven Dwarfs can be a tough one. With a month to go, I would bet if you check frequently, you will find earlier times for both PP and 7DMT.

I know it wasn’t exactly what you were asking. I sincerely hope my post didn’t come of as being too critical. If it did I apologize. Have a great trip!!!

 

[dizneyno1fan]

No, not critical at all! It was super helpful. Plus, it gives me something to look forward to getting haha. Once I got all my dining ressies, I had nothing else to research. :-D

I hear ya. Seven Dwarfs can be a tough one. With a month to go, I would bet if you check frequently, you will find earlier times for both PP and 7DMT.

I know it wasn’t exactly what you were asking. I sincerely hope my post didn’t come of as being too critical. If it did I apologize. Have a great trip!!!

 

[Haley R]

I think you could almost get rid of both or one of those FPs (7dmt and/or pp). We did morning emh and easily got both of those done along with the rest of fantasyland before emh was even over. Then we headed over to Frontierland.

 

[sharonabe]

Because of your 9:30 big thunder, I’d do haunted mansion, Pirates, jungle cruise before big thunder and then you’re right by CP for your breakfast. If you have extra time you knock out space mountain as well. Have fun!

Doubt they could get all those done in 30 min.

OP EMH attractions are only in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, so that's where you need to head when you get there. I'd do Space, Speedway, and Buzz then walk up through "old" Fantasyland and hit a couple of those, depending on the time. Be as close to Haunted Mansion as you can get at 9:00 and do that. Then you'll be close to your BTMRR FP time.

We LOVE Astro Orbiter and did that first on our EMH morning. First ones on the ride and had it all to ourselves. It was great!

 

[hsmamato2]

Ok, I need some strategic help for my MK day later this month lol. MK will have EMH, so we'll start at 8am (and ends at 8pm). This is our fastpass/dining schedule so far:

9:30am - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
10:30am - Breakfast at The Crystal Palace
1:30pm - Peter Pan's Flight
5:30pm - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
6pm - Be Our Guest Dinner
8pm - Happily Ever After

Any tips on what rides we should hit up first in the morning (before they get crowded)? These are some of the rides we want to do:
Buzz Lightyear
Haunted Mansion
Small World
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Speedway
Little Mermaid

-----------------------

And just for fun, here's my Epcot schedule. We're planning on doing rope drop for Test Track and Soarin' (since we're using our FP on FEA).

7:30am - Ale & Compass Breakfast
9:45am - Living with the Land
11am - RELAUNCHED! Mission: SPACE
2:30pm - Frozen Ever After

I'm going to comment on Epcot.....IDK where the breakfast is that day but I wouldn't make a special run over to Living with the land at 9:45- It's rarely got much of a line ,and at that time of day it's a throwaway...IMHO of course. I'd go to Test track or soarin instead that early to avoid some lines there.

 

[dizneyno1fan]

Epcot was difficult since we got such a late FEA fastpass, which means we can't get a FP for Test Track or Soarin until 2:30pm :\ So we just picked two random rides haha. We're doing an early bfast at the Yacht Club...but you're suggesting maybe we should wait and eat in the park later that morning? That could work!

I'm going to comment on Epcot.....IDK where the breakfast is that day but I wouldn't make a special run over to Living with the land at 9:45- It's rarely got much of a line ,and at that time of day it's a throwaway...IMHO of course. I'd go to Test track or soarin instead that early to avoid some lines there.

 

[dizneyno1fan]

Ooooh, I didn't realize it was just those two areas! Ok, that helps with my planning for sure. Thanks!

Doubt they could get all those done in 30 min.

OP EMH attractions are only in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, so that's where you need to head when you get there. I'd do Space, Speedway, and Buzz then walk up through "old" Fantasyland and hit a couple of those, depending on the time. Be as close to Haunted Mansion as you can get at 9:00 and do that. Then you'll be close to your BTMRR FP time.

We LOVE Astro Orbiter and did that first on our EMH morning. First ones on the ride and had it all to ourselves. It was great!

 

[dizneyno1fan]

This is what I'm hoping for haha. To do these rides early and maybe switch the FP that morning.

I think you could almost get rid of both or one of those FPs (7dmt and/or pp). We did morning emh and easily got both of those done along with the rest of fantasyland before emh was even over. Then we headed over to Frontierland.

 

[ChristineOH]

We prefer to do Peter Pan in standby, because the queue is so neat. You don't want to be the very first people on, otherwise you'll just walk through the queue without getting to enjoy Tink flying and the shadow features. That works well, because we can stroll in to the Hub right before the opening show, join at the back of the crowd, and be just fine. A lot of people successfully RD 7DMT and then go to PP. That's a good plan touring wise, but you have to be at RD earlier and make sure you're at the head of the pack. I don't like being in that "stampede" feeling crowd. I'd rather just use a FP. The crowd going to PP feels more low key.

ETA: Just saw there's EMH, so my previous suggestion doesn't apply.

 

[Haley R]

This is what I'm hoping for haha. To do these rides early and maybe switch the FP that morning.

I think that's a good plan. I've heard that the que for PP is cool, but I would still rather save time and get there first thing. We walked right onto it with no wait.

 

[wdw&sonny]

My 2c. Agree with others that first option should be to keep checking for earlier FPs, in general. Second option: Get there before 8am opening. Go directly to SDMT then PP. If both of those are short waits (done by 8:40), go to Winnie Pooh (all 3 of these are short rides and near each other). In late January, you should get these 3 done by 9a. Then go to Tomorrow Land and ride Speedway and/or Buzz if waits are still short (less than 20') posted. Perhaps get a Space Mt. FP for 9:15. I know it's not on your list. Then head over to Jungle Cruise and Pirates. Get a FP for 10:15 for one of those. You "might" get those 8 attractions done by your 10:30 ADR. Have 3rd FP for BTMRR or HM for 11:30. Look at options for 4th FP after using the 3rd. Spend the rest of the day picking up a FP for the near future. You will get on everything with this strategy.

 

[dizneyno1fan]

Fantastic suggestions! Thank youu!

My 2c. Agree with others that first option should be to keep checking for earlier FPs, in general. Second option: Get there before 8am opening. Go directly to SDMT then PP. If both of those are short waits (done by 8:40), go to Winnie Pooh (all 3 of these are short rides and near each other). In late January, you should get these 3 done by 9a. Then go to Tomorrow Land and ride Speedway and/or Buzz if waits are still short (less than 20') posted. Perhaps get a Space Mt. FP for 9:15. I know it's not on your list. Then head over to Jungle Cruise and Pirates. Get a FP for 10:15 for one of those. You "might" get those 8 attractions done by your 10:30 ADR. Have 3rd FP for BTMRR or HM for 11:30. Look at options for 4th FP after using the 3rd. Spend the rest of the day picking up a FP for the near future. You will get on everything with this strategy.

 

[dizneyno1fan]

I still liked your schedule, I'll just apply it to my times. Thanks!

We prefer to do Peter Pan in standby, because the queue is so neat. You don't want to be the very first people on, otherwise you'll just walk through the queue without getting to enjoy Tink flying and the shadow features. That works well, because we can stroll in to the Hub right before the opening show, join at the back of the crowd, and be just fine. A lot of people successfully RD 7DMT and then go to PP. That's a good plan touring wise, but you have to be at RD earlier and make sure you're at the head of the pack. I don't like being in that "stampede" feeling crowd. I'd rather just use a FP. The crowd going to PP feels more low key.

ETA: Just saw there's EMH, so my previous suggestion doesn't apply.