Please help re: Early Entry at MGM

[deva]

Please Help:

I am going to be at the World for a few days over the MLK weekend, and I have a specific question:

I am considering visiting the Studios on Saturday morning. I read that Saturday is the early-entry day for the Studios, and I have read that the early-entry parks get very crowded (I've never tried one before). I only want to ride the Tower of Terror and R&R Coaster a bunch of times, and then I will leave when the lines get too long. I've never been to the park over MLK weekend.

My question is: If I go to the Studios promptly at 8:00 AM (when the early-entry begins), how much time will I have to ride the R&R & TOT before the lines become too long? Will it get very crowded right at 9:00, or not until around 10:00-10:30. Remember that this is the Saturday before MLK.

Please respond if you have experience with early-entry at the Studios or experience over a previous MLK weekend.

Thank you.

 

[tar heel]

We've never been that weekend, but have found that it gets crowded pretty quickly at 9 a.m. Sometimes, it is fairly crowded during early entry, too. We usually manage to ride each twice before there are signicant lines, though. I would go straight to ToT, ride, then get a Fast Pass which will be for around 9. You can get it on the way in if the time looks right. Then go to Rock 'n Roller Coaster and ride once or twice before time for your Fast Pass at ToT. Make sure to check the Rock 'n Roller Coaster Fast Pass time, too -- you may be able to get another one on your way out.

 

[jaysue]

Remember that January is a slow time of year despite the MLK holiday

I think you will have until at least 0915 or so before any appreciable lines start to form

Also if you are there when Fantasmic is in rehab, things may get quieter than usual towards the end of the day

I would go to RNR first and get FP's and then go ride TOT as many times as you can then get FP's at TOT and go to RNR and ride that until your FP at TOT opens again

thanks
jaysue

 

[ChairborneRangr]

Also, show up before 8. If you are hardcore get there NLT 730. Disney will open up the gates whenever they deem it appropriate depending on projected and measured traffic flowing into the resort and on the busses. so you'll get in there a little before 8 and possibly get one extra ride in.

 

[drogerstn]

Our experience with ee at MGM last June and during other visits was that RnR and ToT got crowded around 9:30 (ee opening was 8am). We were able to ride each 3 times up till then. The FP return time for ToT started sooner than RnR, so we got FP for ToT. The standby lines move quickly for the 1st 45 minutes to an hour, before the FP return times started up. We get a FP for one of the rides immediately, then get in line for a ride.

I don't know if it is normal for the FP returns to start sooner for ToT, but if that is the case, it makes sense to me to get the ToT FP 1st, then ride what you can and get a 2nd FP as soon as eligible. I'd ride ToT standby once or twice, then RnR standby a couple of times and get a FP for RnR before going back to the ToT to use the 1st FP for ToT. You may be able to get a 3rd FP which will have a "reasonable" return time, but after that the return times will probably start stretching out to where its not worth your time to hang around there any longer.

On our visits to MGM at 9am openings and at ee, it seems that the time it took for that area to get really crowded was about the same (i.e. crowded by 10:30 on regular day; crowded by 9:30 on ee day).

 

[jaysue]

If you are held up by a rope going to RNR and TOT make sure you stay on the right for TOT and left for RNR - you do not want to be going against the current