MK shows- tell me about them!

[*123JOANNA123*]

OK- hope no-one minds, but I'm going to make three threads for this (one for each park)

As we have young kids, parades and shows are more our kind of thing than the thrill rides. I'm probably not going to see all of them, but wanted to gather some info (and thought others might be interested. So here goes:

What is your favourite show at the MK?

What's the best time to catch it (i.e. morning, evening)?

What are the lines/wait times like for it during busy season? (we'll be there August)

How long does it last?

Is it indoor/outdoor (hot or cool!)?

Any input much appreciated

 

[beccasmom]

It's hard to choose a favorite here, but I love the Haunted Mansion. It may be too intense for some children; I've noticed a fair number who are reduced to tears before they even get on the ride. You are greeted at the door by a stone-faced "maid" or "butler" who tells you to "drag your bodies across the threshold" (a group of 25 or so are admitted at the same time) and then are led into a room which is pretty dark (it's actually an elevator) and are crammed in with dozens of other people until the elevator starts moving and you are led to the seats for the ride. You have to "catch" your own ride on a moving walkway.

The ride itself is full of spooky sounds, darkness, screams and figures who jump out at you. It is a blast for older kids and adults and not really scary at all. The special effects are terrific. It lasts about 5-8 minutes. Be sure to read the inscriptions on the "gravestones" around the fake cemetery while you are waiting to get inside. They are really a scream!

We walked right into the mansion last week (at 8 p.m.), but I've waited up to an hour in busy times. And it's a hot wait.....not much air in that corner of the Kingdom! FastPass is available, though and would be a great idea.

 

[meeko_33785]

For shows, I've definatly got to pick Cinderella's Surprise Celebration. It plays at the stage in front of the Castle several times a day. The show stars Cinderella and features a cast of favorite characters like Mickey and friends, Snow White and her Prince, Belle and the Beast, The Evil Queen, Jafar, Mulan, Peter Pan, and many others. It's a great show and features plenty of classic Disney songs and lots of great special effects. I like to see it in the morning before the park gets too crowded so you can get closer to the stage and get a better view.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We did not make it to Cinderella's Surprise Celebration, but one of my good friends really liked it. If this counts, we loved both parades here. SpectroMagic is my favorite, and my kids loved it too!

 

[donna in Oz]

I think your young kids would enjoy the Tiki Room; lots of colorful audio-animatronic birds and flowers.

However, it does get dark in places and a "storm" blows up creating thunder and lightning for a short time.

It's in an indoor theatre with A/C. Not usually much of a wait for this, unless you're there at a peak period and it probably lasts 10 minutes or so. Lots of folks pass this by, but I still enjoy it. I preferred the old version before it was re-vamped, but it's a classic, anyway.

And kids always enjoy the Country Bears; it's also air-conditioned and because it seats lots of people, you don't usually have to wait very long, even if the line looks horrible.

 

[dvc guy]

Spectromagic is the best show at MK. We saw it for the 1st time last christmas, and DS 6 & DD 10 loved it as well as DW. IMHO it is a MUST see .

 

[*123JOANNA123*]

Thanks for the input- we will definitely have to check out Cinderella's surprise celebration as ds is a big Peter Pan/Capt Hook fan. We've never done Tiki Birds or Country Bears either, so they'll be on our list too.
I think ds (4yo) would like Haunted Mansion if he made it to the ride, but I know we'd be taking the chicken exit- he's full of bravado till we actually get there!

Spectromagic is one of the best things at WDW IMO!

Thanks

Joanna