MK strategy: Clockwise or Counterclockwise?

[underminer]

With only one day at MK would you suggest going clockwise at rope drop and hit frontierland side of park or clockwise and hit tomorrowland first?

Touring Plans suggest Tommorwland first, but with the updates to POTC and splash and BTMR we should head there first....Any suggestions?

 

[Fafolguy]

You could do either, really. Those two areas are where most of the crowds will go at rope drop. The Ultimate guide 1 day plan has you start in Tomorrowland and work your way to Frontierland by lunch/early afternoon.

 

[Mo-Yo]

I think it really depends on what time you arrive and what your priorities are.

We have always gotten there at opening, grabbed a fast pass for Space Mountain, and headed right to fantasyland for Dumbo, Peter Pan, Pooh and then Goofy's Barnstormer. (The line builds quickly for Dumbo and there is no FP available, no FP for Branstormer, either). Then we go back to tommorrowland, then to frontier and adventurelands, then back to fantasyland for Small World and Philarmagic that don't get lines until later in the day.

My kids are getting older now, so I am wondering if we can pass on Dumbo on this next trip. If so, I am trying to figure out a new strategy.

You may want to get the UNofficial Guide (My Favorite) or another guidebook or sign up for Tour Guide Mike.

I think (and I may be wrong) there isn't really a consensus on clockwise or counter clockwise.

For us, arriving early and using fastpasses has always worked great.

We've always gone at non-busy times, but our plan...adapted from the Unofficial guide...has always helped us to avoid most lines altogether. Seriously, with the exception of an ill-planned first trip 13 years ago, we have never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

I haven't started in Tomorrowland in many many years. No reason to. I find Space Mountain a jerky bore, and Buzz can be ridden at any time really. I head straight to PotC, then over to the Mansion and Liberty Square.

NED

 

[Walter C]

I start out by riding the Railroad to Frontierland, which gets me faster to Splash and Thunder Mountains faster than having to walk there. That's assuming that there aren't huge crowds to deal with.

Personally, I would start out at Frontierland, since it'll be like hitting 2 birds with 1 stone, and work my way clockwise.

 

[Polyfor30th]

We always head on over to tomorrow land first via the cut through the noodle shop--grab a fp for sp.mtn and hit fantasyland before the lines for peter pan, pooh,etc hit 120 minutes . Once those missions are complete we backtrack to buzz and ride two or three times in a row. After that, make our way over to potc and such.

 

[Karnak]

Which brings up yet another question for me. It seems to me like I read somewhere that the Jungle Cruise opens a bit late, like an hour after the park opens. If so, wouldn't that make counterclockwise more doable?

Just wondering.

 

[SPAM]

i always do counter clock but its out of habit.

 

[jswalker1981]

I go counter clockwise. I went last saturday, walked onto POTC, Splash, and Thunder. I then went over to Tomorrowland, got a FP for Space, the return window was about an hour later. Buzz had a 20 minute wait, and I went and rode COP while waiting. So I was basically done with Tomorrowland, POTC, and Frontierland by 11:15. You can hit Fantasyland for FPs and then catch Small World, Philharmagic, Snow White, and Haunted Mansion while you wait. I can't give you any kind of solution for Dumbo if you want to ride it. My plans never include that ride only because it doesn't excite me anymore. It did when I was a kid, but not now.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

I always go straight to Froniterland and do Splash Mountain and BTMRR, then Haunted Mansion, then all of Fantasyland, then do most of Tomorrowland. (Except for SM...ekk!)

Then we do Adventureland. We cram lunch somewhere into this .

Then in the evening we do the Toontown and other attractions we missed.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

We go clockwise .have to do PotC then Splash and BTMRR . We get our 2nd sometimes 3rd fastpass to do Space.

 

[mom22boys]

How old are the members of your party? If you have small children I would head to Fantasyland first and hit the "big three.": Dumbo, Pooh, and Peter Pan. If not, I love the other posters suggestion of seeing Frontierland, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland before lunch, then grab some Fastpasses for the Fantasyland rides before you eat. Have lunch and enjoy Mickey's Philharmagic while you wait for those Fastpass times. As to where to start, how important is SM to you? If you want to do SM I would head to Tomorrowland first and then to Frontierland. If SM is not that high on your priority list I would head straight to Frontierland and Adventureland.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[henrylovespooh]

We always go to MK at park opening, and most of Frontierland isn't open till later. We have small children, so we go to Fantasyland first and then to Frontierland and Tomorrowland last.

 

[LaraK]

With little kids, we walk straight to Fantasyland and start with Dumbo, then Pooh, then Peter Pan then we go to the rope drop at Toontown, do the Princess room and Barnstormer then jump the train to Frontierland.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We usually hit Fantasyland first and then go clockwise through Toontown and Tomorrowland. Then we go to the other side of the park once we have finished.

 

[Nite0wl71]

We go straight--Fantasyland first, and my youngest is 13 but I have to ride PP first thing. Then on to Tomorrowland