Moonlight Magic - Anyone attend the 2/11 event at AK?

[TheMick424]

Anyone attend the Moonlight Magic event at AK last night? Would love to hear your review of the event! I've read reports from the January event, but wondering if DVC/Disney made any tweaks to address feedback.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Anyone attend the Moonlight Magic event at AK last night? Would love to hear your review of the event! I've read reports from the January event, but wondering if DVC/Disney made any tweaks to address feedback.

Yes, it was great— except for bus service. Worst ever. I didn’t read January reviews, so I am not sure of previous issues? The only other issue for us is that AK is so dark at night.

 

[TheMick424]

Yes, it was great— except for bus service. Worst ever. I didn’t read January reviews, so I am not sure of previous issues? The only other issue for us is that AK is so dark at night.

Good to know about the buses, that stinks. Guess we will plan to drive no matter what. I think the only "issues" I read about were CMs not allowing guests on the rides until 9pm on the dot (even though they allow you in the park at 6pm).

 

[sachilles]

Good to know about the buses, that stinks. Guess we will plan to drive no matter what. I think the only "issues" I read about were CMs not allowing guests on the rides until 9pm on the dot (even though they allow you in the park at 6pm).

I assume that is for folks that don't have a valid admission for that day?

I read in previous ones that they used the Fast pass queue for FOP passage, but looks like last night it was routed through the regular queue and lab. We've yet to to see the lab, so I hope that's the case for the one on the 25th.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Good to know about the buses, that stinks. Guess we will plan to drive no matter what. I think the only "issues" I read about were CMs not allowing guests on the rides until 9pm on the dot (even though they allow you in the park at 6pm).

We were kicking ourselves for not driving! We were on primeval whirl 3xs before 9. I didn’t hear anything about time restrictions but maybe we just got lucky.

 

[han22735]

Anyone attend the Moonlight Magic event at AK last night? Would love to hear your review of the event! I've read reports from the January event, but wondering if DVC/Disney made any tweaks to address feedback.

If you can drive I would. We went to last years MM at AK and waited foreverrrrrrr for a bus. Probably over an hour.

 

[Sandisw]

I was there in January and it took a long time. I ended up jumping on the Contemporary bus because it was so cold and itd been 20 minutes and no Poly bus.

If I ever do it again, I will Uber or Lyft for sure!

 

[TheMick424]

I assume that is for folks that don't have a valid admission for that day?

I read in previous ones that they used the Fast pass queue for FOP passage, but looks like last night it was routed through the regular queue and lab. We've yet to to see the lab, so I hope that's the case for the one on the 25th.

That was my assumption as well, but the reports didn't specify.

 

[dcannon101]

We did not have any problems getting on prior to 9PM. We saw Tough to be a Bug, rode the Safari and saw the River of Light show prior to 9. We ate at Flame Tree and the food was excellent. We did drive so no complaints here.

 

[Sandisw]

I assume that is for folks that don't have a valid admission for that day?

I read in previous ones that they used the Fast pass queue for FOP passage, but looks like last night it was routed through the regular queue and lab. We've yet to to see the lab, so I hope that's the case for the one on the 25th.

When I went in January around 8 pm, they didn’t scan your Magic Band at all...only looked at the bracelet and I got on River Journey around 8:15 pm.

Having a ticket wasnt needed to enter park. What I wonder is if they didn’t let people into the FP lane until 9?
That is what they were using for all the rides so it could have been that?

 

[Emily921]

We had a great time. We drove and went in about 7:40 pm. We went to Satu’li Canteen. It was a long line but took maybe 15 minutes. FOP posted wait time was 35 minutes and it took only 18 minutes. When we came out, it said 45 minutes. It was walk on the Na’vi River Ride, Safari (though very few animals were out), and Expedition Everest ( much different experience at night) . Virtually no line for ice cream. Can’t wait to do it again!

 

[Novatrix]

I went to the MM in January.

The only ride that I experienced they were not letting people on to prior to 9pm was Flight of Passage. Expedition Everest was also down, but that was due to mechanical issues.

I think a lot of people were just kvetching because it was cold and they were I'll prepared for the temp, otherwise the event was great.

 

[mrp4352]

We had a great time after a rough start. We spent the afternoon at AK. Despite what the email said, the DVC booth inside the park could not issue wrist bands starting at noon. They told us to go to the Dawa Bar starting at 6pm, which also ended up being incorrect. Once we finally tracked down wrist bands and vouchers we had a great time. We ate at Sauli Canteen, the wait looked much worse than it was, walked onto Navi River about 8:15, less then 10 minute wait for safari (amazing! My first night safari and we saw a hippo out of water, a cheetah and lions!) After Mickey Bars, we headed out about 10 and had a 10-15 min bus wait.

 

[cpep42]

We went and had a great time. Of course the weather was more than you could ask for in February. We walked right on to Navi' River and there wasn't that much wait for the Avatar...40 minutes. If you only wanted ice cream you could get foil and bring your food back with you. I guess we were lucky....our bus was right there when we were ready to leave.

 

[sachilles]

We had a great time after a rough start. We spent the afternoon at AK. Despite what the email said, the DVC booth inside the park could not issue wrist bands starting at noon. They told us to go to the Dawa Bar starting at 6pm, which also ended up being incorrect. Once we finally tracked down wrist bands and vouchers we had a great time. We ate at Sauli Canteen, the wait looked much worse than it was, walked onto Navi River about 8:15, less then 10 minute wait for safari (amazing! My first night safari and we saw a hippo out of water, a cheetah and lions!) After Mickey Bars, we headed out about 10 and had a 10-15 min bus wait.

So where did you get your wrist band and what time?

 

[marsh0013]

I went to the MM in January.

The only ride that I experienced they were not letting people on to prior to 9pm was Flight of Passage. Expedition Everest was also down, but that was due to mechanical issues.

I think a lot of people were just kvetching because it was cold and they were I'll prepared for the temp, otherwise the event was great.

Dinosaur too in January. And nobody was there to tell us that for a while. That was annoying as a line had formed. If they didn’t want to put a CM there, a sign would have helped. It was cold but we were bundled and well prepared for the weather. Glad to hear this Feb one went better than ours did.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Okay I was ill so didn't attend but sent the other 6 adult family members....kids and grands.....I picked up our wrist band, etc in the lobby of our hotel..BWV...they then took the bus over about 6:30pm some had dinner ressies at YS......they had an awesome time...some had never been to Pandora /FOP....rode EE a few times, & some other things....bus back was great..they came back a bit early as we had to get up for SWGE/boarding passes at DHS the next morning.....they couldn't stop taking about MM...It makes owning DVC another plus...

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Okay I was ill so didn't attend but sent the other 6 adult family members....kids and grands.....I picked up our wrist band, etc in the lobby of our hotel..BWV...they then took the bus over about 6:30pm some had dinner ressies at YS......they had an awesome time...some had never been to Pandora /FOP....rode EE a few times, & some other things....bus back was great..they came back a bit early as we had to get up for SWGE/boarding passes at DHS the next morning.....they couldn't stop taking about MM...It makes owning DVC another plus...

 

[hopeful4fl]

It was soooooo cold, but numb fingers and "no feel nose" could not stop all the fun.

FOP was thru regular line, so got the full experience. 45 mins wait within an hour of event, BUT there were still people not part of the MM in the park and wanting to get in line for FOP. I actually walked past a family of 4 arguing with the CM. One note, I did FOP 4 times, and the last time I was the ONLY ONE in the 8 seat area.
EE was walk on almost all night. I could not feel my nose and fingers after that for a while.
The Character meet and greet were AWESOME. Rare characters (Tarzan and friends, Guy from Treasure Planet, Mowgli and Baloo, Jiminy, etc) with minimal waits. The had to move Tarzan and friends indoors. I thought Tarzan was tougher than that......
Used the coupon at Flame. 5 people ahead, but line moved fast.
All in all, a fantastic MM. Cold, but that thinned the crowd and by event end there were very few people remaining(DieHards and nutcases like me with my family rolling their eyes and leaving earlier). Unique experience of FOP to myself (well... my section at least). Looking around I saw 2-3 more people in some other sections.

 

[bumbershoot]

On a blog they said Mickey and friends were meeting at the first AK moonlight magic party this year. Did anyone else see them?