MK rope drop strategy, Fantasy or Adventureland?

[LadyRayado]

Trying to decide which direction to head. Touringplans tells me to go to Fantasyland, and that most rides/M&Gs will be less than 10 minute waits until 10:30-ish. However, my gut instinct is to head to Adventureland first, ride JC, POTC, and HM before 10 and let the mad rush to FL die down a bit before heading over there.

It's just me and my 32-inch tall DS, so no mountains or SDMT, and I won't do A&E unless I have a FP. We'll be there mid-October, level 5 crowds. I kind of want to avoid the huge mass of people going to FL, but it's not that big of a deal to join right in. Is the Cindi/Punzie M&G really only a few minutes wait at 9?

So Adventureland or Fantasyland first, or is it really just a toss-up?

 

[Robo]

Trying to decide which direction to head. Touringplans tells me to go to Fantasyland, and that most rides/M&Gs will be less than 10 minute waits until 10:30-ish. However, my gut instinct is to head to Adventureland first, ride JC, POTC, and HM before 10 and let the mad rush to FL die down a bit before heading over there.

It's just me and my 32-inch tall DS, so no mountains or SDMT, and I won't do A&E unless I have a FP. We'll be there mid-October, level 5 crowds. I kind of want to avoid the huge mass of people going to FL, but it's not that big of a deal to join right in. Is the Cindi/Punzie M&G really only a few minutes wait at 9?

So Adventureland or Fantasyland first, or is it really just a toss-up?

I vote toss-up.

 

[wareagle57]

I'd go with Fantasyland since you aren't doing any mountains. The rides in FL are shorter so you can go through more in the first hour. Pirates and JC are 10ish minutes long. You could ride Pan, Pooh, Barnstomer, Dumbo, and LM all in less time than it would take to ride those two. (Talking about ride time, not wait time.) This is all assuming you get to Pan before the line builds up.

I'd start with PP, then move to the back of NFL and do Dumbo and Barnstormer and work your way back. Maybe hit Little Mermaid before Dumbo.

 

[Robo]

Is the Cindi/Punzie M&G really only a few minutes wait at 9?

If you head directly there, yes.

 

[Baptist]

Either way, you will be in great shape. Everyone will be heading to SDMT, A&E M&G, or Space Mountain (with a few going to Splash or BTMR).

I would go with your gut and head to Adventureland. Be sure to fast pass the Fantasyland attractions for later in the afternoon.

Yes, the regular Princess M&G will be a very short wait at rope drop.

 

[LadyRayado]

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I guess I was thinking once the lines for A&E/SDMT got too long for SB, those at the back of the RD group would disperse to other FL attractions. I think we might try for Cindy/Punzie and PP first. I didn't think about the difference in the actually ride times. Thanks!

 

[dkrauss]

I'm right-handed...........Tomorrowland is the way we go. Space Mountain!!!!! Always first We get FP for 7DMT

Doug

 

[LadyRayado]

Space Mountain usually where I start, too - but no mountains with my DS this time, he's not tall enough. It will be a family ride/character-intense day instead.

 

[soniam]

I would follow Touring Plans. They haven't steered me wrong yet. Just keep checking back though. As they get more 7DMT data, it could change things. Since we are doing 7DMT, that's where we are headed first.

 

[MrInfinity]

It's really a toss-up. Depends on your plan for the day, what you want to get to and what fast passes you have! For example I had 3 MK days, which gave me 9 FP+ to start and 3 Rope Drops... I used the RD on less conventional things. One time we even did the Barnstormer / Dumbo area! But we had it planned so then our fast passes worked us across Fantasyland from there.

We found Adventureland doable mid-day, cuz with a single FP to JC, you can really enjoy the afternoons there even when busy. Doing the Pirate Quests for example are line-free. Tiki Room has no wait, and Pirates you can usually pull a late-day FP for, so Adventureland in the afternoons was fun for us.

If you Rope Drop "left" I'd be more inclined to hit Frontierland instead, then you're doing BTMRR and Splash back to back which is good. But whether you want to hit those, or hit Space Mountain, or hit Fantasyland is all a toss-up.

BTW... the mad rush to Fantasyland will not die down. Once it gets busy it will stay busy through lunch and beyond. This is the newest area of the park and a bigger draw than ever!

 

[JosieMouse]

We are going to do Fantasy Land first. I was advise to do so on this board because at 10 and 11 when most people show up they go to fl first. I'm doing Adventure land 2nd. It depends on what attractions our most important to you and your FP+. You could do al first the FP the attractions you want in fl.

 

[mggeary]

You could always do new and old fantasyland first hitting Peter Pan, under the sea, barnstormer, dumbo, etc first as walk ons then do FPs for 7DMT, A&E, ETwB, then circle to Tommorrowland or Adventureland. This is our first day plan.

 

[dsdeleon]

We always do FL super early and AL/FL (+ Haunted Mansion) super late. I enjoy late night HM, JC, POC, Splash and BTMRR.

 

[amg35]

We are doing am EMH at MK - here's our plan:

Space Mountain to Peter Pan then possibly Small World if there's time in the EMH hour.

Then be at Rope Drop at Liberty Square, ride Haunted Mansion, then go over to Adventureland and ride Pirates and the Jungle Cruise.

Then we'll have our fast passes for Splash, Thunder Mountain, and Mine train.

Then meander and pick and choose.

 

[Aurora0427]

I'd definitely do FL first. We did this last year at RD, on a Saturday of all days, and it was great. We rode Barnstormer (4 times in a row), Winnie the Pooh, Dumbo, LM, PP, teacups, Small World, and Enchanted Tales with Belle in 45 minutes. We were basically done with FL by 10am. Then headed over to AL and did JC etc... No mountains here either, as DD is only 3, but we got so much done we didn't even need FP+ for her rides, so DH and I rode Space Mountain while my in-laws took DD on WTP. Again.

 

[LadyRayado]

First of all, I just figured out how to do a multiple quote response - yay!

I would follow Touring Plans. They haven't steered me wrong yet. Just keep checking back though. As they get more 7DMT data, it could change things. Since we are doing 7DMT, that's where we are headed first.

I'm hoping the same goes for me, my current TP says I can accomplish everything on my list by the 3pm parade and that would be amazing!

It's really a toss-up. Depends on your plan for the day, what you want to get to and what fast passes you have!

Pirates you can usually pull a late-day FP for, so Adventureland in the afternoons was fun for us.

BTW... the mad rush to Fantasyland will not die down. Once it gets busy it will stay busy through lunch and beyond. This is the newest area of the park and a bigger draw than ever!

We'll be back at MK the next night for MMSSHP, so if I miss out of something I really want to do, I can always catch it then. Plus with other adults, so I can hit the mountains. Good to know Pirates is available as a 4th FP, I might consider that as a good option.

And yes, looking through wait times on easywdw, I do see now that FL waits don't really ease-up at any point. I guess I need to start there since that's where the majority of things I want to do are located.

We are going to do Fantasy Land first. I was advise to do so on this board because at 10 and 11 when most people show up they go to fl first. I'm doing Adventure land 2nd. It depends on what attractions our most important to you and your FP+. You could do al first the FP the attractions you want in fl.

I think that's probably the best plan now, too. I'm probably going to FP JC for the afternoon, maybe get a 4th to POTC. We'll see how it plays out, my priorities are honestly the character M&Gs, I scheduled this extra day specifically for that because I know the rest of the week once my party joins me, no one else will want to wait in character lines. But, I do want to catch some of my favorite rides too, I think DS will get bored quickly if all we're doing is standing in line after line to take pictures with characters.

If you head directly there, yes.

Thanks Robo! That will be my first choice then, Rapunzel is my favorite!


Thanks to everyone for the great suggests and advice. I love having a place I can ask such thighs, makes planning so much easier. I'm gonna keep an eye on Touringplans, but head to FL first and hope that works out for us.