October one-MK-day plan critique

[BurleyGirl]

I have friends (with DD11 & DD9) who will be going to Disney for two days in October (12th & 13th), staying on-site. They want to spend one day at MK and one day at HS. Based on not wanting to attend Halloween party at MK on 13th and thereby have a short day for MK, the 12th will be their MK day. This is an 8:00a opening and evening Magic Hours day, but as they want to be fresh for their HS day, they do not wish to go into the EMH but instead leave after Wishes. I have looked at easyWDW recent and historical October wait times, and have come up with the following plan. (They are not interested in meet & greets.)(And, they were not able to obtain a SDMT FP. They were also hoping for a BOG breakfast ressie, but have not been able to obtain that either.)
I would really appreciate any feedback from my Disboard friends!!

arrive park by 7:00a/Welcome Show 7:40a
(position selves at far left or far right of center/near tunnels,
but still far enough back to see center of railroad above)
(park should open about 15 mins early…follow CM with rope down Main Street…
consider taking advantage of low crowds and stop for Family Photo in front of castle)
(but quickly resume quest for SDMT) (take spoke on right before castle towards Tea Cups!)

1) 8:00a SDMT (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train)
2) 8:20a Peter Pan (enjoy queue!)
3) 9:00a Under the Sea (if Pooh is less than 30 mins, do it now)
breakfast Gaston’s Tavern
4) 10:00a Buzz
5) 10:55a Space Mountain (FP 10:55)
6) 11:00a Tomorrowland Speedway
7) 12:00p Dumbo
(includes playtime under Big Top)
8) 1:00p Barnstormer
lunch
9) 2:30p Jungle Cruise* (*consider swapping Splash and Jungle)
10) 3:30p Splash Mountain (FP 3:10)
11) 4:00p Tea Cups
12) 4:40p Enchanted Tales with Belle (FP 4:40)
13) 5:15p Mickey’s Philharmagic
14) 6:00p Pooh
15) 7:15p IASW (It’s A Small World)
dinner
16) 8:30p Astro Orbiter
17) 9:15p People Mover
18) 9:30p bridge to Tomorrowland for Wishes
19) 9:45p Magic, Memories, & You light show
20) 10:00p Wishes
leave (or try for nighttime ride on SDMT??)

 

[dlavender]

You would most likely be able to ride Pooh once you were off of Peter Pan around 8:40, then head to Aeriel. If breakfast isn't that big of an issue, and you could perhaps eat before going, you would save some time by hitting Speedway at 9 and then Buzz at 9:30 vs riding Aeriel so early in the morning.

I'd go:
1)8:00a 7DMT
2)8:20a PP
3)8:40a Pooh
4)9:00a Speedway
5)9:30a Buzz
6)10:00a Astro Orbiters/People Mover
7)10:30a Monsters Laugh Floor/or the other one from above
8)11:00a Space FP
9)11:30a Aeriel
10)12:00p Dumbo
11)1:00p Barnstormer
12)2:30p Jungle Cruise
13)3:30p Splash FP
*Check for more FP's for later in evening
14)4:00p Enchanted Tales
15)4:40p Tea Cups
16)5:15p Philharmagic
17)6:00p IASW
18)6:40p Haunted Mansion
19)7:00p Whatever you could find a FP for
*Check for more FP's for later in evening
20)7:15p Dinner
21)8:15p Whatever you could find a FP for
22)9:30p Get ready for CTM and Wishes
23)9:45p Watch

I noticed you only have two FP scheduled. Are there anymore available?

 

[BurleyGirl]

Thanks for your feedback, dlavender! I realized I had not designated their third FP, so I edited to show ETWB as such. (I'm thinking with two kids, they probably will want a breakfast, and I was thinking Gaston's Tavern would be fairly quick. They do not want to ride HM and Monsters is only if they've done all the others on the list.) I'm wondering if they should try to switch their Space FP for a Jungle Cruise one, as JC shows 60-80 mins waits in the afternoon hours, and I'm thinking that Space even without a FP will not be that long in the morning. Thoughts?

 

[dlavender]

Thanks for your feedback, dlavender! I realized I had not designated their third FP, so I edited to show ETWB as such. (I'm thinking with two kids, they probably will want a breakfast, and I was thinking Gaston's Tavern would be fairly quick. They do not want to ride HM and Monsters is only if they've done all the others on the list.) I'm wondering if they should try to switch their Space FP for a Jungle Cruise one, as JC shows 60-80 mins waits in the afternoon hours, and I'm thinking that Space even without a FP will not be that long in the morning. Thoughts?

I would definitely switch the Space FP out, and head there right after breakfast.

I'd go:
1)8:00a 7DMT
2)8:20a PP
3)8:40a Pooh
4)9:00a Breakfast
5)9:30a Space
6)10:00a Buzz
7)10:30a Speedway
8)11:30a Aeriel

Something like that....The earlier you get to Space the better, but before 10AM you should be just fine without a FP.

ETA: Keep looking for the 7DMT and PP FP's. I think the best strategy is to clear FrontierLand and Adventureland at RD, and then hit 7DMT, PP, and Space with FP's from 12-2. After 2 looking for more FP's, and doing the second tier rides such as Pooh, Aeriel, Buzz, etc. for the rest of the day. Hopefully something opens up. If not, your plan is great! Don't forget about POTC, though, unless they are not wanting to ride that one.

 

[lynzi2004]

Just a heads up...if they stop for a family photo in front of the castle, the wait for 7DMT will likely be 45 min or more! If they want to ride 7DMT first thing, then they must do that first and stay with the rope drop crowd!!! Everything else looks great. I would definitely do the FP for Jungle Cruise in the afternoon.

 

[BurleyGirl]

Thanks to both of you for your input!! We will try for the Jungle Cruise FP (BTW, they are not really interested in POTC) and, if so, switch SM to standby in the morning. I really appreciate your taking the time to look at my itinerary and offer your feedback

 

[RockyMtnMouse]

We are going to MK on Oct 12th as well. Can you tell me where you saw an 8am opening? I have been planning a 9am opening.

 

[BurleyGirl]

We are going to MK on Oct 12th as well. Can you tell me where you saw an 8am opening? I have been planning a 9am opening.

Well, that would be wishful thinking on my part, I guess Bless your heart for pointing this very significant detail out to me!! I would have been so upset with myself for steering them wrong, and making those sweet girls get up an extra hour early. No wonder I was able to get so much done with this itinerary Back to the drawing board...this isn't going to be pretty...(Again, thank you for your astute observation!!) Of course, if Disney decides to change the opening time as they are wont to do, then I'll be all set!

 

[RockyMtnMouse]

No worries . I was getting excited about an early opening. I was about to revise my itinerary . I double check every day for a change in hours.

 

[BurleyGirl]

So....what's your morning's strategy? Were you able to snag a 7DMT FP, or is that even a priority for you? Are you going to be able to take advantage of the late EMH? I wish my folks would, but they just don't think it wise with their kiddos...

 

[RockyMtnMouse]

We actually have two days at MK. Since my daughter is 3 yo our trip is character-heavy and she's not big enough to do any of the mountains. Our first day (the 11th) we have FPs for Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan, and SDMT. Our second day has FPs for Buzz Lightyear, Jungle Cruise and PoTC. Our first day is almost entirely in Fantasy Land. Our second day includes all the other lands. We probably won't do the EMH on the 12th because we have a big Epcot day the next morning. My 3 year old is a big night owl and probably wouldn't have any trouble staying up until 11pm or later. We will be experiencing a two hour time difference and I'm not sure how she'll handle it. It seems like the 12th is going to be awfully crowded so I made the 11th our busy day. Sorry I'm not more help.

 

[BurleyGirl]

RockyMtnMouse, sounds like you've got a very good plan...it's nice to have two days! And, you have already been a big help!! I hope you have a truly magical trip