MK/Fantasyland “Early Morning Magic” (EMM) FAQ & Discussion

[GADisneyDad14]

We are staying at the Poly and purchased early morning magic at MK so we need to arrive by 7:30. MK doesn’t officially open until 9am and several sites have stated that the ferry and the monorail don’t start running until 30 minutes prior to park opening. Is this correct? I was looking forward to utilizing them since I’m staying at Poly for first time. Do I have to take a bus to get there? If so, how early am I going to need to leave my resort to make it on time?

We’ve done MK EMM from Poly several times. Someone new would never know this, but the stuff you see about boat/ferry/monorail starting 30 minutes prior to park opening is about the most inaccurate info Disney publishes, yet they put it in LOTS of places in different materials.

But anyways, monorail hours can change week to week, but generally speaking 7am is a common start time when MK has 9am openings. The weekly Times Guide has accurate monorail times. You can pick one up where there (front of park or often in resort lobbies) or this is a handy link: https://www.orlandoparksnews.com/p/weekly-walt-disney-world-times-guides.html

From Poly, we’d usually leave our room around 7am and head to the Grand Ceremonial House/monorail station. You do have to do a security check at the monorail station, but it’s usually pretty quick at that hour. If you’re nervous about transportation, you can always build in more time and just hang out in front of the MK early.

One big caveat and/or warning from experience - you do need to have a back-up plan in mind in the event the monorail is down. When that happens, buses are ‘supposed’ to be running from Poly to the MK... but it can be a bit confusing on the ground as to just what to do when/if this happens. Wait at the bus stop and hope one comes? Take the boat (it’s a bit early for a reliable boat)? Other options? Walk over to the MK Ferry from the TTC? All of a sudden the 30-45 mins you thought you had to make it to MK starts shrinking fast!

Fortunately, we’ve never experienced the monorail being down on an EMM morning, so we’ve had good transportation mojo and made it to MK each time with little stress.

I have had times where I’ve been trying to rope drop MK with similar timing to EMM and the monorail has been down. One time we grabbed a cab and took it to CR then walked to MK. Probably an overreaction on my part and I should have just waited for the bus, but I get nervous/antsy in this situations and like the control of a cab/Uber/etc.

Sorry, long-winded answer! I guess the point of story is for Plan B - just have something in mind (taxi, bus, etc) you can execute quickly in the unlikely (but possible) chance you need to.

 

[Andiquiz]

So we were assuming that we could do Fantasyland until around 8:50 and then walk over to Tomorrowland and line up for Space Mountain right at 9am in front of the rest of the crowd. Breakfast is served in that section of the park. Are the CMs going to keep us from getting into the area near Soace Mountain?

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

Two questions for people who have been (the first is the one I'm most on the fence about). Thanks in advance if you have thoughts on these!


- For the little kids in our group, EMM covers almost all of the rides we wanted to do that day without the need for a FastPass. Do you think it's better to:

A) Use the remaining FastPasses for something we're kind of "Meh, not something I would normally do, but since I have the chance, this might be kind of neat" on (right now I have them for Haunted Mansion, which we could probably ride without much of a line if timed correctly, but as the line can suddenly spike on that one it's a nice insurance policy; and meeting Mickey on Main Street, which might make for a cute picture but might not, depending on the kids mood.)

B) Use the remaining FastPasses to re-ride your favorite rides a second time later in the day?


- I am thinking about just ditching the breakfast since that's prime ride time, but the cheap part of me kind of hates the idea of turning down a prepaid meal, lol! We are not usually breakfast people anyways, a granola bar suffices most days, again, it's just the fact that it's prepaid. Do you think you'd have regrets about skipping it if you weren't particularly hungry?

 

[friendoffigment]

what strategy do you find best for when to eat breakfast.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

what strategy do you find best for when to eat breakfast.

Which park/EMM? MK/Fantasyland EMM or DHS/Toy Story Land EMM?

 

[friendoffigment]

Which park/EMM? MK/Fantasyland EMM or DHS/Toy Story Land EMM?

Sorry. MK emm

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Sorry. MK emm

With the caveat that I have not done the new/current version of MK EMM, historically we go hit a couple of rides at rope drop - BTMR & HM are favorites - then make our way to breakfast more like 9:40'ish. I like to take advantage of about 30 mins of quality rope drop time, then go eat.

 

[Alison S]

We are staying at the Poly and purchased early morning magic at MK so we need to arrive by 7:30. MK doesn’t officially open until 9am and several sites have stated that the ferry and the monorail don’t start running until 30 minutes prior to park opening. Is this correct? I was looking forward to utilizing them since I’m staying at Poly for first time. Do I have to take a bus to get there? If so, how early am I going to need to leave my resort to make it on time?

That is incorrect (though the sites really do say that- I asked the same question!). We were on the monorail at the poly by 7:10. I made sure to be early just in case it was down, and I had to do a backup form of transportation.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

am thinking about just ditching the breakfast since that's prime ride time, but the cheap part of me kind of hates the idea of turning down a prepaid meal, lol! We are not usually breakfast people anyways, a granola bar suffices most days, again, it's just the fact that it's prepaid. Do you think you'd have regrets about skipping it if you weren't particularly hungry?

We haven’t done the new format EMM, but in the past, we ended up skipping breakfast on two different occasions. I, too, really don’t like to turn down a prepaid meal, but we just aren’t big breakfast eaters. In the end, I found it didn’t matter to me. I still felt like it was a great experience and that the money was well spent. Our second time doing EMM we also ended up skipping the breakfast. Our most recent experience in November, my daughter and I were curious about the breakfast and felt that since we had done EMM in the past, we could skip out on a few more rides on SDMT and check out what was offered at breakfast. It was fun to see what was offered, but I think we only ended up with fruit, a few pastries, orange juice and coffee.

I am learning towards skipping breakfast entirely when we go in March. We would only want the continental breakfast items along with beverages, and I don’t want to stand in the hot food line only for beverages. I wish the beverages were still offered as they were in the past, as part of the continental set-up. If we go to breakfast at all, we’ll bring along our own beverages.

 

[minnie_erin]

How much can we get done during EMM (the $ event) and then before 9:45 when I’d like to run over to Tomorrowland and grab breakfast. Ideally, after 9:00, I’d like to get Big Thunder Mtn, Splash Mtn, pirates and jungle cruise- JC could be a Fastpass- done and then head to breakfast, possible? What has been your plan? Or do we just skip the breakfast and not waste that precious morning touring time?

Also, staying off site. Can we Uber to the contemporary and walk over? Or what time will the transportation from TTC start running

One last question. With Peter Pan closed, did they open up something else last week during EMM? (I can dream!)

 

[GADisneyDad14]

How much can we get done during EMM (the $ event) and then before 9:45 when I’d like to run over to Tomorrowland and grab breakfast. Ideally, after 9:00, I’d like to get Big Thunder Mtn, Splash Mtn, pirates and jungle cruise- JC could be a Fastpass- done and then head to breakfast, possible? What has been your plan? Or do we just skip the breakfast and not waste that precious morning touring time?

I've never flat out skipped breakfast, but I do try to take advantage of the 9am rope drop time to go hit a few other rides before circling back to breakfast. My memory is fading but I think one time we did BTMR, Splash, HM, and BARELY made it back. If not for the generous closing policy in the old Pinocchio Village House location, it would have been a bad idea. From then on we stuck to two rides, then back for breakfast. Splash and JC are decently long attractions, so keep that in mind. I find that time goes by fast, between walking over there, whatever rope drop crowds you encounter, etc. And now since you have to get all the way back to Cosmic Ray's for breakfast, that's even more time.

Also, staying off site. Can we Uber to the contemporary and walk over? Or what time will the transportation from TTC start running

I'd uber to CR and walk over. No need to mess with the TTC unless you are driving. If you are driving, the Ferry and (usually) the monorail are available to get guests to the MK.

One last question. With Peter Pan closed, did they open up something else last week during EMM? (I can dream!)

I have not seen any reports of a substitute ride.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Are they still allowing you to use the Fast Pass entrances during the EMM??

 

[Andiquiz]

After hitting up the Fantasyland attractions at EMM, Can I rope drop Space Mountain? I saw in another thread that they held you back from being able to get into Tomorrowland. However, now that breakfast is at Cosmic Rey’s, I thought I could be first in line on one of those rides.

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

We haven’t done the new format EMM, but in the past, we ended up skipping breakfast on two different occasions. I, too, really don’t like to turn down a prepaid meal, but we just aren’t big breakfast eaters. In the end, I found it didn’t matter to me. I still felt like it was a great experience and that the money was well spent. Our second time doing EMM we also ended up skipping the breakfast. Our most recent experience in November, my daughter and I were curious about the breakfast and felt that since we had done EMM in the past, we could skip out on a few more rides on SDMT and check out what was offered at breakfast. It was fun to see what was offered, but I think we only ended up with fruit, a few pastries, orange juice and coffee.

I am learning towards skipping breakfast entirely when we go in March. We would only want the continental breakfast items along with beverages, and I don’t want to stand in the hot food line only for beverages. I wish the beverages were still offered as they were in the past, as part of the continental set-up. If we go to breakfast at all, we’ll bring along our own beverages.

Thanks, glad to know you didn't regret it much! I redid our schedule and have us skipping it - especially with the new location which adds walking time, I'd rather stay in Fantasy Land during the morning when lines are short.

 

[bosspringsteen]

One last question. With Peter Pan closed, did they open up something else last week during EMM? (I can dream!)

When I called back in October to book my EMM for February they told me that Peter Pan wouldn’t be available and with that in mind would I still like to book. So, with that in mind, I would think there’s no substitute especially since they added more rides to the MK EMM already.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Any word on April dates?? Any thoughts at all? I think highly unlikely we will get lucky because we are going over Easter but I find it odd frusturating it hasn’t been released

 

[rdaky]

Has anyone who has been and eaten breakfast noticed if they had any allergy friendly options or an allergy menu similar to the restaurants? One of my daughters has food allergies and I'm not sure that she could even eat any of the food.

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

Has anyone who has been and eaten breakfast noticed if they had any allergy friendly options or an allergy menu similar to the restaurants? One of my daughters has food allergies and I'm not sure that she could even eat any of the food.

I wrote about this on my blog Disney Days. I am gluten free and this was my only complaint about the event. They had only one chef handling food allergies and I had to wait 15 minutes JUST to speak to him. Now we attended in December and was the 4th at the new location, so hopefully they have worked this out. But it took over 25 minutes for me to get my food.
They do have options though and will prepare something in the back in a safe environment

 

[wrestler72]

Might be of interest for the people who are waiting for April dates. I called Disney yesterday to book my club level fastpasses and asked CM about MK EMM in April. He suggested that I check next week. May be he was just being polite but may be he has some info,

 

[Flapdoodle]

Might be of interest for the people who are waiting for April dates. I called Disney yesterday to book my club level fastpasses and asked CM about MK EMM in April. He suggested that I check next week. May be he was just being polite but may be he has some info,

I keep checking every day for April/May date postings. If the CM is correct, then I guess the May dates won't be posted until sometime mid February.