RD for Summer Crowds

[slbgnb]

I know summer is super busy and I'm trying to prepare myself for that. We've always been a RD family and been able to ride everything easily. If we go in July, get to the park at RD and and arrange our FP+'s for around 11 on...should we be pretty good to go? Get a couple rides in before the crowds, then have our FP's during the crowds? Will that make summer more manageable?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Um, yes?

I can only speak pre-FP+. My family always goes in late June and early July (although not this next time) and were able to get on plenty of rides thanks to getting to the Magic Kingdom before rope drop. We usually focused on FantasyLand, because waiting in line for Dumbo (pre-FLE) and Peter Pan is just ridiculous.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I know summer is super busy and I'm trying to prepare myself for that. We've always been a RD family and been able to ride everything easily. If we go in July, get to the park at RD and and arrange our FP+'s for around 11 on...should we be pretty good to go? Get a couple rides in before the crowds, then have our FP's during the crowds? Will that make summer more manageable?

There are a lot of ways to go with this. The strategy you describe is one that's often used. Another is to work FP+s into your early-morning plans so you can then get a 4th FP+ ASAP. That can be helpful at MK since there are many more attractions, but less helpful at parks like DHS or EP where a 4th FP+ for high-demand attractions like TSM or Soarin are often gone by the time you're eligible for a 4th FP+.

Another (if you hop) is to save your FP+s for the afternoon or evening of the park you're hopping to. So a lot will depend on what park(s) you're going to visit that day.

 

[linskypens]

That plan works for summer, christmas , Easter.....Rope drop is the way to go , no matter what the season.
We have started moving our fastpasses to the second park of the day, or for evenings. as we always take a midday break.
the later you make them, does cut down the number of FP after your third, but its nice to come back in, or go to your second park, knowing you can still ride majors.

 

[PurpleKomodo]

We were pretty successful with that plan for our late July trip this year. We arrived at MK at RD and were able to knock out Peter Pan, Enchanted Tales, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, It's a Small World, and Winnie the Pooh before our first FP around 11.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Rope drop isn't always the best option. Here's an example:

I had a co-worker recently telling me about her trip to Disney World. They seemed to be pretty good planners and tried to maximize their time the best they could.

She was very excited to tell me about her experience riding Midway Mania without a Fast Pass. The got up really early, got to the gates about 45 minutes before they opened and waited in a pretty large crowd. Then they hurried as fast as they could to the ride and the wait was *only* 15 minutes. By the time they got off the line was almost an hour long. There were people all over the place.

I rode the same ride 4 times in about an hour late at night and didn't have to deal with the crowds.

 

[slbgnb]

Thanks for the input guys!
I hate having to go in the summer - more expensive, hotter, more crowded. But, with the kids being so much older, it's so hard to miss a week of school.
Hopefully, with new FP system and still going at RD, it will help out!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Thanks for the input guys!
I hate having to go in the summer - more expensive, hotter, more crowded. But, with the kids being so much older, it's so hard to miss a week of school.
Hopefully, with new FP system and still going at RD, it will help out!

If your kids are older, they may prefer a late night strategy over rope drop. I find it's much easier to let mine stay up late than to make them get up early.

Here's just an example of what can be accomplished at MK on a mid summer evening (crowd level 8) between 8 pm and midnight without any FP+:

Big Thunder 3x
Splash Mtn 2x
Space Mtn 2x
Mine Train (10 min wait right a closing time)
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Pooh
Peter Pan
Speedway
Barnstormer 2x

We also watched the parade and fireworks and had a couple of Dole Whips.

 

[slbgnb]

That is interesting. Not sure my husband and I can stay up that late though! Kids are 14, 12 & 9...so they are a bit of mix. I'll have to think of that though....that's a very intriguing strategy. Thanks!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

That is interesting. Not sure my husband and I can stay up that late though! Kids are 14, 12 & 9...so they are a bit of mix. I'll have to think of that though....that's a very intriguing strategy. Thanks!

Mine are 12, 15 & 19. My fondest Disney memory is chasing my then 3 year old daughter back to the entrance of Space Mountain moments before midnight with her screaming "one more time Daddy" all the way. They do grow up fast.

 

[MainMom]

That is interesting. Not sure my husband and I can stay up that late though! Kids are 14, 12 & 9...so they are a bit of mix. I'll have to think of that though....that's a very intriguing strategy. Thanks!

We did a big group trip this summer with 2 14 year olds & a 12, 10, & 9 year old. First MK morning EMH we did the following in this order: Space, Speedway, Buzz (all first hour), Splash & BTMRR, HM(10am FP+), IASW, TeaCups, Dumbo, 7DMT (11am FP+), lunch at BOG, Peter Pan (1:30FP+), back to hotel for afternoon break.

Reality: Dumbo, Tea Cups & IASW were not in the itinerary. We did them because we had time and the lines were super short! We used the 5 minute early FP check-in every time. We probably could have ridden Splash or BTMRR a second time with a short wait as we were plenty early for our HM FP.

We were moving around with 11 people in the middle of July ages 65-9 and had equally as successful days at all of the other parks. This was my first trip with 1. FP+ & 2. A large group. I found it so successful I can't wait to see what I can do with just my family if 4!

 

[slbgnb]

That is great news! We've never gone to a park that had EMH, because we stay off site a lot - and it's not wise to go to the park when it's EMH and you can't participate in EMH. We will probably stay on site this trip (I hope), so maybe we will take advantage of the EMH. Thanks!

 

[MainMom]

That is great news! We've never gone to a park that had EMH, because we stay off site a lot - and it's not wise to go to the park when it's EMH and you can't participate in EMH. We will probably stay on site this trip (I hope), so maybe we will take advantage of the EMH. Thanks!

Our second MK day happened to be a day when the parks regular opening hour was 8am. We had an equally successful day that day as well. Good luck! Summer is not bad at all IMO.

I should add that all of our other park days were regular hours, but still arriving for RD.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

We were pretty successful with that plan for our late July trip this year. We arrived at MK at RD and were able to knock out Peter Pan, Enchanted Tales, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, It's a Small World, and Winnie the Pooh before our first FP around 11.

This sounds a lot like what a RD morning will be for us last week of July 2016.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

If your kids are older, they may prefer a late night strategy over rope drop. I find it's much easier to let mine stay up late than to make them get up early.

Here's just an example of what can be accomplished at MK on a mid summer evening (crowd level 8) between 8 pm and midnight without any FP+:

Big Thunder 3x
Splash Mtn 2x
Space Mtn 2x
Mine Train (10 min wait right a closing time)
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Pooh
Peter Pan
Speedway
Barnstormer 2x

We also watched the parade and fireworks and had a couple of Dole Whips.

Cool

 

[yeheyprincex2]

That is interesting. Not sure my husband and I can stay up that late though! Kids are 14, 12 & 9...so they are a bit of mix. I'll have to think of that though....that's a very intriguing strategy. Thanks!

I know its not for every one but we let our kids stay up late at Disney and have had some great times No wait for Minnie, Goofy,Donald Duck in FL, 5 minute wait for Ariel. Walk on for Dumbo, Goofy coaster, Winnie the pooh, under the sea ride, a very quite people mover. This was after Wishes.