opening family.

[PaulaVonSchweetz]

Does anyone know how tbey choose the opening family for RD??
First to get to the park gates?
Complete random??

Always thought it would be cool.
Anyone on here ever get the opportunity??

 

[Robo]

Does anyone know how tbey choose the opening family for RD??
First to get to the park gates?
Complete random??

Always thought it would be cool.
Anyone on here ever get the opportunity??

Luck.
There have been several families reporting on the DIS from when they have been chosen.

Arrive very early. Very.

Wear bright clothes (Disney images are a plus.)

Happily chat with the CM's at the gates at that early time.

Good luck.

 

[Chellymouse]

It's very random. Best chance is to arrive at least an hour before RD and be excited and animated. Don't seek out the CM, let the come to you and be engaging with them. do NOT ask to be opening family, that will immediately disqualify you.

 

[ohboyx3]

We were the opening family a few years ago. It was awesome!!! It was completely unexpected! We were all in red shirts. Not matching, but similar in color. We got the the MK about an hour before park opening. A CM approached us and asked if we had breakfast reservations which we did not... He asked if we would like to be the family of the day! Awesome! He then asked if my boys had autograph books because we would need them. We didn't. Next thing I know he comes out of the store with two brand new books and pens for my boys. We were then escorted by another CM and takes for a ride through the MK via the old fashioned fire truck. He drove us to toon town and we were treated by a TON if characters. After we visited and got autographs we were put on a train car with Mickey. Another CM took our personal camera and got a ton of photos for us. We got to ride in on the train and drop confetti on the crowd. We also got a free photo. It was a memory I will never forget. I don't think we could repeat if we tried.... It's just a good ole dose of Disney magic.

 

[abeille]

I saw the family in front of us get chosen a couple weeks ago. We were there early and pretty close to the front of the line (maybe 20 people in front of us in the queue for that gate). A CM came up to them and asked if they needed to use a stroller - they said no. Then the CM asked if they could help out with opening, that they would just have to wave to the crowd, something like that. I think that must have happened about 30 minutes before the park opened. I am not sure about the relevance of the stroller question! I don't think they were dressed in any special way, they just looked like a smiling, happy family of 4.

Isabel

 

[*TheWigs*]

We were chosen to be Family of the Day on June 7th...it was AWESOME!! We planned to arrive reeeealy early, but it didn't work out. We had on bright Mickey tie-dye shirts, tho. We were actually in the back of a line for a turnstile when the CM came over to us. She said we were chosen because she thought our shirts were cool and then she noticed my husbands Mickey tattoo and my Tink tattoo on the backs of our legs and said " Now those two LOVE disney!!" It was an extra special day as it was our youngest's Golden Birthday! I don't think we will ever be able to top that birthday!

 

[Mickeymtg69]

My wife & I have many Mickey Tattoo's. We get stopped all the time by cast members and guests.

 

[MPLsDad]

Our family was blessed enough to get chosen about 1/2 hour before the MK opened two years ago. We weren't wearing matching clothing, were barely awake and were thrilled to be chosen. We were searching for the shortest entrance line when a cast member named Santa told us to come to her line. She offered us a memory and opportunity of a lifetime! We will never forget her or the awesome experience of walking over those train tracks to welcome everyone into the most Magical Kingdom on Earth! It wasn't a full show morning so we were fortunate enough to meet the Mayor, the residents of Maint Street USA dancers, Mickey and Snow White before being given the royal family treatment of participating in this show! We will never, ever forget it!

 

[My3Princez]

We were family of the day January 16th. It was cold, so we were wearing hats and coats - no special clothing. We were there early and I have a very friendly 11 year old. There was a CM standing out where the lines were forming (past bag check), not one of the CM's at the MagicBand scanners, and I said "Hello" to her and my friendly kiddo took it from there! He just chatted with her about where she was from, how long she's worked there, etc. I was pretty sure the reason the CM was out there was to select the Opening Family, but nobody else in my family had a foggy clue, so they certainly weren't trying. It was such a nice treat. The process isn't as elaborate as one of the previous posters mentioned anymore - you don't go to the back of the park, meet characters, etc. Just some nice photos on an empty main street, photos with the dancers in the train station, step through the train when Mickey and crew arrive. Still very special!

 

[Izzy&LiamsMomma]

We were the family of the day on our last trip in 2012. We were very excited, it was our first park day, and my three boys had on matching custom Disney shirts, ear hats and pin trading lanyards. A CM came up to them and talked to them about their shirts, and I asked him where the best place to stand to see the show would be. He then chatted with my dh about where we are from and shoveling snow I believe and looked at another cm, then asked if we'd like to help them open up the park. We were taken on a small old fashioned fire truck and driven around by the amazing cm "Miss Barbara", and she gave the boys autograph books and us a camera and took pictures of us in different spots of the park with no one else around. We then got to go up and wave with Mickey and others and count down for the opening of the park. It was amazing and completely unexpected and well...magical!