opening mk

[a |PiX!e |)uSt]

just wondering if you have been an opening family to the mk before what time did u get there

 

[texas munchkin]

We have been opening family twice. Both times we got to the front gate (stayed on property) about 7:30 for an 8:05 PS at Crystal Palace on a day that wasn't Early Morning Entry. Just started talking to a CM that was at the front and they happened to be the ones that chose the family for that day. I'm not sure if they do the opening all over again at 9:00 for those that don't have PS or not. They gave my DD a certificate with her name on it that said Magic GateKeeper, some pixie dust to toss up, candy and oh yeah , we got to choose the magic word of the day. I chose Eeyore since she got everything else.. lol. Then they gave us a ride in one of the Main Street Vehicles down to Crystal Palace while everyone else had to walk.


So my advise is -

1) Get there as early as possible
2) Be friendly to everyone you see, because you never know who they are (even though you should be nice and friendly regardless )
3) Don't ask to be the family. The CM's apparently don't like that much. We overheard other people just coming up and asking and were turned down.

P.S.

Sometimes it's just luck, so GOOD LUCK!

 

[luv2nascar]

that sounds so cool
I could never get that lucky.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

WE did it once and it really was cool. We were first in line for a 9:00 opening. Aladen come over to greet us and asked DS who his favorite character was and when he said Donald, he had a Cm radio for Donald to come help DS open the park!!!

WE also opened toon town once and got a specail guided tour of toontown and a private meeting with Mickey Mouse!!!!

Jordan's mom

 

[liveforthemagic]

We opened MK once. We were there very very early--we hadn't bought our park tickets yet and had a PS for CRT right at 9 am. So we were the second car in the parking lot--no, I am not kidding. We had heard you have to get there early.....

Anyway--got the tickets and CM came up to us and asked. Gave the kids little tinkerbell wands to wave, got to ride the fire engine back to board the train and road the train up to the main station with Mickey. Again, as newbies, we had no idea that autograph books were a must--so the characters all signed the little document we got that said something about our family opening the park. It was wonderful. We are keeping our fingers crossed for this year....

Here are suggestions from reading other threads about this.
Get there EARLY
Dress the family in something Disney, or otherwise cutsie and noticable
Be animated and happy....CM's are looking for the picture perfect family.

Good luck!

 

[ksoehrlein]

Were the CMs who chose you "suits" or were they wearing job-specific costumes?

 

[liveforthemagic]

The CM that approached us was wearing a sort of DIS uniform--I think it was green or burgandy shorts, matchign shirt, she was carrying a clip board and a walkie talkie. She didn't work in a store on Main Street or anything. She said this was one of the best parts of her job--apparently she picked families for park opening, the parades and such. If you are looking around for them--you can't miss them....she looked very official and as if she was kind of "running" the park that morning.

 

[f16]

Those of you who got picked, does it matter after you enter the turnstyles if you head toward the left or the right tunnel?

 

[TrickyFish]

Is it true they tend to go for families of four? Any chance a "cute" young couple would get chosen?

 

[zurgswife]

We have opened the park at least 3 maybe 4 times....The first time it was by chance. After that we had made good friends with woman that choose us so every other trip or so..we check in with her and get to open the park again.

Get there early
Be friendly and chatty.
There is usually one lead CM that is in charge of choosing the family.
They do sometimes get imput from the other gate CM's so be friendly with everybody.
Don't ask...that is a guaranteed no
The max for a opening group is 5 (used to be our entire family was able, this last trip Dad had to set out.


Good luck

 

[LindaR]

We haven't opened MK but we did open Epcot a couple of years ago. We are NOT a family of four! Just the two of us........mom and daughter..........she was 12 at the time. Since there are so many different "types" of family these days, anyone can be chosen!

 

[01Sweetpea]

We opened Epcot last year.

We were at the park early, and there happened to be a space up front at the rope, so I had the kids go up front and DH & I were behind them. I saw a CM walking the line, and talking to the guest. Since I had been reading these boards I knew exactly who she was (or was hoping that I knew). She was talking to the family next to us and I was hoping that she would come to talk to us, AND SHE DID!!!

So I put on my happy face, smiled alot, chatted with the CM, she asked us where we were from, I asked her back, etc. When she asked my boys what would make this trip really memorable... I knew we had it. The kids said "Stay longer", and I'm jumping up and down saying "I know the answer!"

We got to open Epcot, got a certificate saying we were the family of the day, and then got a certificate to use the fast pass line without having to get a fast pass for one ride. The lines weren't bad, but I wanted to use the certificate anyways, so we chose MissionSpace.

I think I enjoyed opening Epcot more than the kids did.

 

[NeedDisneyVacation]

We have been opening family twice. Both times we got to the front gate (stayed on property) about 7:30 for an 8:05 PS at Crystal Palace on a day that wasn't Early Morning Entry. Just started talking to a CM that was at the front and they happened to be the ones that chose the family for that day. I'm not sure if they do the opening all over again at 9:00 for those that don't have PS or not. They gave my DD a certificate with her name on it that said Magic GateKeeper, some pixie dust to toss up, candy and oh yeah , we got to choose the magic word of the day. I chose Eeyore since she got everything else.. lol. Then they gave us a ride in one of the Main Street Vehicles down to Crystal Palace while everyone else had to walk.


So my advise is -

1) Get there as early as possible
2) Be friendly to everyone you see, because you never know who they are (even though you should be nice and friendly regardless )
3) Don't ask to be the family. The CM's apparently don't like that much. We overheard other people just coming up and asking and were turned down.

P.S.

Sometimes it's just luck, so GOOD LUCK!

How awesome, I would love to experience that.

 

[texas munchkin]

How awesome, I would love to experience that.

It WAS awesome.

I have also been chosen to be in the Indiana Jones Stunt show. My suggestion here is just scream really really loud when they ask for volunteers.

 

[sammysmom]

We got to open the park the last time we were there and I will have to tell you that I probably enjoyed it more than my daughter did. We actually met a couple that goes to Disney a couple times a year and asked us if we ever did that before. We said no and he went to ask if they had chosen anyone yet and apparently they didn't as we were picked. It was a day I will never forget and I hope that we get to do it again when we go in September.