MVMCP & The 7 Dwarves

[Sbunit]

We are planning to go to the Dec 13th Xmas party and was hoping you guys can give us some advice.

This year we really want to take pictures with the 7 dwarves and have heard that the lines can be a bit out of control. We have dinner reservations for Crystal Palace at 530pm and plan to finish by 7:15ish and immediatley go stack out a spot by the castle to watch the first parade and fireworks (We are planning to spend the whole day in the MK and get all the rides out of the way before the party starts).

After the fireworks we plan on heading to the Dwarves to take pictures (as well as pictures with other characters that are not princesses)...1) will they still be around after the fireworks for photos?....2) Does our plan make sense and will lines be less "intense" after the fireworks (figuring most family with young kids will get their pics taken earlier and may start heading home even). What do you guys think of our plan of attack

 

[Ktharee]

The line for the Dwarfs is insane. The best thing you have going for you is that you are attending on a Tuesday night, so you may not get much local traffic.

We started to line up for them at 6:00 and there were about sixty people ahead of us already with an hour to go! The line always seemed long, though I did not go by there again after the fireworks.

The party is great, just go have a fun time and if you want a photo with the Dwarfs, then you'll get one. You just may have to wait in a long line so pick up some hot chocolate and cookies!

 

[Sbunit]

Thanks for the reply!

I guess we'll just see the turnout for that night. Hopefully you're right about it being on a Tuesday that it may be a lot less crowded...fingers crossed!

Any other input from anyone?

 

[mesaboy2]

Can you move your ADR closer to 4p so you have time to line up before the party starts? That's what I would do, and would even consider cancelling that ADR altogether if you can't get an earlier one.

 

[HallGirl]

Characters meet untill 11:30, so keep that in mind. I don't know what the line is like after the fireworks, but I would imagine it might be shorter by then. Most guests start heading out or towards Main Street after the fireworks.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Characters meet untill 11:30, so keep that in mind. I don't know what the line is like after the fireworks, but I would imagine it might be shorter by then. Most guests start heading out or towards Main Street after the fireworks.

While the charecters are advertised to greet till 1130 during MNSSHP and during the MVMCP already this year reports are rolling in of the more popular lines (Dwarves, Princesses for MVMCP so far) are getting cut off much earlier so that all the guests in line can be done w/ their greeting by 1130.

I wouldn't waste party time on an ADR, if you can't get in and out it before the party I'd cancel it. Not sure why you are couning on an hour 45 min at CP. Unless you ahve a really big party that seems like a bit long. I would plan no more than 60-90 minutes (it only takes about 45-60 for the charectes to rotate through). And I would get in line no later than 6pm to minimize time in line and maximize other party activities.

 

[gator girl]

This year is my first Christmas party although I've done the Halloween party several times.

If they are at all similar, then... if you plan to go straight from dinner to the hub & wait for the first parade & stay through the fireworks, you will be sitting in one spot for the first three hours of a five hour party. I would think that you couldn't join the Dwarves queue any earlier than about 10 pm, if you RAN there after the fireworks. At that time of night, the Dwarves queue will be long & it wouldn't surprise me if you were in line for well over an hour. They cut character lines at 11:30 pm or earlier at their discretion.

Basically what I'm saying is: you are going to the party to do nothing but one parade, fireworks, and one character line (unless you can sneak in under the wire to a second character line, before it's cut off, after you see the Dwarves).

Honestly, if the Dwarves are a priority but you also want to do other things during the party, cancel the dining reservation & get in line for the Dwarves well before 6pm. Then you should be through with them by about 7:30 and can move on to other party activities. Unless you MUST see the parade from the hub, then it's much easier to get a parade viewing spot in Frontierland without waiting for an hour on the curb first.

I would:
- cancel the ADR or move it to much earlier, at about 4:00
- line up for the Dwarves at 5:45
- see Dwarves by 7:30
- grab cocoa & cookies in Frontierland & get a spot for the 1st parade that starts right by Pecos Bills at 8:15
- after the parade passes you, cut through an underpass to Adventureland (you might sneak in a short-lined character greeting or two in this period) to enter the hub after the parade goes through, in time to stand in the street & see the 9:30 fireworks
- when crowds scatter after the fireworks, make your way towards the castle to see the 10:05 show from up close
- leave the hub before the 2nd parade
- see other characters with shorter lines before those queues close at 11:30 and/or see the Tomorrowland show

I follow a similar schedule to this at the Halloween parties and fit in BOTH parades, fireworks, castle show, meeting the Dwarves or Princesses/Princes, and several other characters during the party. You should maximize your party time by getting the thing with the longest queue (the popular character greeting) out of the way before the party starts.

 

[Sbunit]

That's awesome some greatly appreciated advice guys!

I'm def going to look into getting earlier ressie's or canceling them altogether and just do counter service. Here is my question:

We plan to be in the MK all day, when/where/how do we get our hands on the bracelets for the party while we're in the park? Also what type of crowd levels should we expect for that day and for the party?

Thanks so much for all the detailed advice

 

[bigbabyblues]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, since we went to MVMCP last year, not this year. I'm thinking at some point, the dwarves leave the meet and greet and go to be in the parade. Does the line close at that point, or do the people in line have to wait for them to come back?

As far as already being in the park, there are CM's around the park that you can get them from sometime before the party starts. We got ours in Tomorrowland last year, if I remembe right.

 

[ses1230]

I agree with the previous posters, if the dwarfs are a priority, you should move up the ADR or cancel it and do CS dinner.

We went to MNSSHP on a Tuesday night, lined up for the dwarfs at 5:55 and were around the 6th group in line. By the time we got our pic taken, around 7:10, there were at least 100people in line. We never went back that way but at previous years parties, the line stays long all night.

 

[B&WMickey]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, since we went to MVMCP last year, not this year. I'm thinking at some point, the dwarves leave the meet and greet and go to be in the parade. Does the line close at that point, or do the people in line have to wait for them to come back?

As far as already being in the park, there are CM's around the park that you can get them from sometime before the party starts. We got ours in Tomorrowland last year, if I remembe right.

Are they in the parade? If not can anyone comment on the length of the line during the parade?

 

[juliebug1997]

I thought I saw them in the parade last year.

You can start getting wristbands around 4 PM at a couple of locations inside the park. I don't know exactly where because we got ours at the main gate last year.

 

[Jenn4615]

we were number 3 in line for Dwarves on Halloween! We got in line at 6pm on the dot...

 

[mom2princesses2]

Yes, the Dwarfs are in the parade. We saw them Tues night.

 

[TLHB70]

This year is my first Christmas party although I've done the Halloween party several times.

If they are at all similar, then... if you plan to go straight from dinner to the hub & wait for the first parade & stay through the fireworks, you will be sitting in one spot for the first three hours of a five hour party. I would think that you couldn't join the Dwarves queue any earlier than about 10 pm, if you RAN there after the fireworks. At that time of night, the Dwarves queue will be long & it wouldn't surprise me if you were in line for well over an hour. They cut character lines at 11:30 pm or earlier at their discretion.

Basically what I'm saying is: you are going to the party to do nothing but one parade, fireworks, and one character line (unless you can sneak in under the wire to a second character line, before it's cut off, after you see the Dwarves).

Honestly, if the Dwarves are a priority but you also want to do other things during the party, cancel the dining reservation & get in line for the Dwarves well before 6pm. Then you should be through with them by about 7:30 and can move on to other party activities. Unless you MUST see the parade from the hub, then it's much easier to get a parade viewing spot in Frontierland without waiting for an hour on the curb first.

I would:
- cancel the ADR or move it to much earlier, at about 4:00
- line up for the Dwarves at 5:45
- see Dwarves by 7:30
- grab cocoa & cookies in Frontierland & get a spot for the 1st parade that starts right by Pecos Bills at 8:15
- after the parade passes you, cut through an underpass to Adventureland (you might sneak in a short-lined character greeting or two in this period) to enter the hub after the parade goes through, in time to stand in the street & see the 9:30 fireworks
- when crowds scatter after the fireworks, make your way towards the castle to see the 10:05 show from up close
- leave the hub before the 2nd parade
- see other characters with shorter lines before those queues close at 11:30 and/or see the Tomorrowland show

I follow a similar schedule to this at the Halloween parties and fit in BOTH parades, fireworks, castle show, meeting the Dwarves or Princesses/Princes, and several other characters during the party. You should maximize your party time by getting the thing with the longest queue (the popular character greeting) out of the way before the party starts.

This is so helpful! Thank you for posting it! This is our very first MVMCP ever; it is our first hard ticket party of any kind. I am trying to figure out how we need to do things to make the best use of our time. We are attending 12/7 party which is a Wednesday night. So I am hoping the crowds will not be as heavy as weekend crowds. Our priorities will be dwarfs, Rapunzel and Flynn, Peter Pan, Capt. Jack, Phineas and Ferb, second parade, and fireworks. My DDs said that they do not care about the shows. (Though Mom might like to see the most recommended one...I think that one is all I can get. ) They would like to ride if we have any spare time after those other priorities. I am not sure if all of this is possible. I am trying to figure out the best strategy to get it all done. Your post helped me understand a bit better.

 

[HallGirl]

I thought I saw them in the parade last year.

You can start getting wristbands around 4 PM at a couple of locations inside the park. I don't know exactly where because we got ours at the main gate last year.

Wristbands are being given out at the main entrance, Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland (across from Pirates) and the FP machines by Stitch's Great Escape.

 

[mesaboy2]

This is so helpful! Thank you for posting it! This is our very first MVMCP ever; it is our first hard ticket party of any kind. I am trying to figure out how we need to do things to make the best use of our time. We are attending 12/7 party which is a Wednesday night. So I am hoping the crowds will not be as heavy as weekend crowds. Our priorities will be dwarfs, Rapunzel and Flynn, Peter Pan, Capt. Jack, Phineas and Ferb, second parade, and fireworks. My DDs said that they do not care about the shows. (Though Mom might like to see the most recommended one...I think that one is all I can get. ) They would like to ride if we have any spare time after those other priorities. I am not sure if all of this is possible. I am trying to figure out the best strategy to get it all done. Your post helped me understand a bit better.

Definitely get in line for 7Ds first, no later than 6-ish. After that, the hardest "gets" will be Jack Sparrow and Rapunzel/Flynn. I'd probably do JS first since you'll be nearby and if the 7Ds go fast, then you have a decent shot at JS fast too. Poster mickeyhunter was able to have both done by 7:08p on Tuesday night. You probably won't do that well, but if you can get close that'll save a huge chunk of expensive party time. Be careful with the R/F princess line and don't wait too late into the night for that one either, or you risk having the line cut off on you--perhaps even before the advertised 11:30p.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[TLHB70]

Definitely get in line for 7Ds first, no later than 6-ish. After that, the hardest "gets" will be Jack Sparrow and Rapunzel/Flynn. I'd probably do JS first since you'll be nearby and if the 7Ds go fast, then you have a decent shot at JS fast too. Poster mickeyhunter was able to have both done by 7:08p on Tuesday night. You probably won't do that well, but if you can get close that'll save a huge chunk of expensive party time. Be careful with the R/F princess line and don't wait too late into the night for that one either, or you risk having the line cut off on you--perhaps even before the advertised 11:30p.

Good luck and have fun!

Thank you!
I am so excited!!!!!!! It will be a magical night!